Campaign: Atheist Bus
21.10.08 | Ariane |
Atheism, Atheist Bus Campaign, Donation, Donations, Fundraising, Humour, London Buses, Richard Dawkins, Slogan, Thank You
** We reached the total at 1006 BST (GMT+1) on 21st October, just over 10 hours after launch – thank you so much to everyone who contributed! If you haven’t donated yet and would like to then please do – we are now aiming to launch a full advertising campaign across the UK! **
The Atheist Bus Campaign launches today, Tuesday October 21. With your support, we hope to raise £5,500 to run 30 buses across the capital for four weeks with the slogan: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Donate online now!
Professor Richard Dawkins, bestselling author of The God Delusion, is officially supporting the Atheist Bus Campaign, and has generously agreed to match all donations up to a maximum of £5,500, giving us a total of £11,000 if we reach the full amount – enough for a much bigger campaign. Our campaign partner, the British Humanist Association, will be administering all donations.
With your help, we can brighten people’s days on the way to work, help raise awareness of atheism in the UK, and hopefully encourage more people to come out as atheists. We can also counter the religious adverts which are currently running on London buses, and help people think for themselves.
As Richard Dawkins says: “This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think – and thinking is anathema to religion.”
856 Responses to “Campaign: Atheist Bus”
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 18 » Show All
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 18 » Show All
October 18th, 2008 at 21:09
Can’t wait to jump onboard!
October 20th, 2008 at 8:34
I want to ride this bus.
October 20th, 2008 at 17:38
I’m in for a fiver, how do we donate?
Gavin Esler was a bit sniffy on the bbc news i thought.
October 20th, 2008 at 17:55
Many thanks for your support Niallist. I’ll email you as soon as the donation link goes up!
October 21st, 2008 at 0:47
I love it when a plan comes together! Thank you so much Ariane!
October 21st, 2008 at 8:18
Count me in, can’t wait to see this on a bus.
October 21st, 2008 at 10:51
A lot of us don’t live in London. As many of the donator’s comments show we’d like to see this go national.
Please use the extra money for a campaign in the North.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:34
We’ll see what we can do… We’ve been rather astounded by the scale of the success of this today, and ads elsewhere is quite possible.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:46
Yes it is very exciting. Just goes to show how many people there are out there sick to death of religions hijacking the moral debate.
October 21st, 2008 at 12:12
What a fabulous idea. We need more like this to strengthen athiest/humanist ideals. Well done!
October 21st, 2008 at 12:16
Gone past the £10k mark hurrah – well done, what a great campaign. This site needs to be promoted on the Just Giving website as it’s quite difficult to find.
I think you should also maybe post another message on the Just Giving site encouraging people to hit another milestone (i.e. £15k gets ads in Manchester, £20k get ads in Birmingham etc).
Good luck and keep up the hard work!
October 21st, 2008 at 12:57
This is fantastic. Well done to all involved. Proved those snorters at The Telegraph wrong in emphatic fashion!
Thanks for the link, too. Will reciprocate soon.
October 21st, 2008 at 13:16
Whats the chances of us getting enough money for a TV advert? I bet you could essentially make it for free, with volunteer film makers + actors etc.
The money would just be to get it on TV.
October 21st, 2008 at 13:29
Might car stickers (”bumper stickers”) might be a good idea? If they were seen at the same time as the ads on the buses it would reinforce the message. I would certainly want one, and any proceeds could help fund further campaigns?
October 21st, 2008 at 13:34
I disagree with the word ‘probably’ in the advert – religious advertising is sure about their message – Why not be sure about this message.. Or are you too scared of offending someone..
I support you and will donate when i get paid..
October 21st, 2008 at 13:59
I had to share this. I read with interest and a lot of head nodding the story of these adverts on the BBC news site. Then for sake of fairness I thought I would visit the websites for the British Humanist Association and Christian Voice. The BMA website loaded fine, but when I tried Christian Voice my work firewall prevented access and gave me the message that it was blocked because “this page has been classified as Intolerance & Hate”. Priceless!
October 21st, 2008 at 14:01
@Rich – priority is ads on more buses for longer… But there may be other campaigns in future.
@Rik – there will be other variants for sure. We’ll post details on the site very soon!
@Steve – there’s a big debate about this at the Facebook group. The first priority is for these ads to actually run, and for things to try to be positive and upbeat – that’s the motivation for the slogan.
October 21st, 2008 at 14:07
This is wonderful! But I want more! Car stickers and badges?
And I agree with comments hoping for a similar campaign up north…. come to York!
October 21st, 2008 at 14:21
£17,800 ! Well done everyone ! This is fantastic, I too would like to see this expanded outside London.
)
( I also still think “There’s almost certainly no God” instead of “probably” is better
October 21st, 2008 at 14:51
This is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever seen. Why do intend to harm the lord in such a way that you say he doesn’t exist on the side of a bus and then ride around like a load of clowns on a psychiatric field trip?
October 21st, 2008 at 14:56
Would you please send a bus to the USA.
October 21st, 2008 at 15:01
What’s with the “probably”? That’s Agnosticism, isn’t it? It worries me; is it saying there just might be a chance of the hell fire?
October 21st, 2008 at 15:11
I’ve contributed !! We need one of these buses in the Netherlands !
October 21st, 2008 at 15:13
I’ve set up a flickr group for people to post pics of the buses when they arrive !!!
October 21st, 2008 at 15:40
Excellent! I love how quickly the money was raised.
October 21st, 2008 at 15:47
A fantastic idea! Yes, please go national – that includes Scotland where there is plenty of entrenched religious conservatism! I pass a religious billboard daily on my street & it’s far past time that atheists stopped being so deferential and responded in kind.
October 21st, 2008 at 15:49
This is excellent news. I paid my contribution earlier when it was around £2,000. Now it’s up past £20,000!
@GMAC – Just because we don’t believe in your sky fairy doesn’t mean we’re all mad. You’re the one who talks to an invisible, non existent being so you might want to take a look in the mirror first.
October 21st, 2008 at 15:50
Why did you add the word ‘probably’ to this advert?
October 21st, 2008 at 15:56
GMAC, This is not offending “the lord” because it is obvious to any sensible or even remotely intelligent person there is no such thing, long ago it was quite possible for adults to believe fairy tales but as the word evolved people did too becoming more intelligent and this is when people started thinking for themselves and understanding that silly things like this are just not true, people began to ask questions and found the answers through proof.
People like yourself read a book and believe it just because it tells you to have faith, it is pure silliness, if you need this in your life for some reason to help you then I have no problems with it but if not see sense and stop believing in a childish fairy tale of magic and afterlives and flying people called angels, it is pure silliness, pull yourself together mate, don’t waste your life believing in this nonsense.
My sense be with you. Hail to sense. Sense is thy saviour
October 21st, 2008 at 15:56
I would have gladly donated to this idea but I don’t like the slogan. Surely “There is no god” would be best – isn’t that what it’s all about? I’m all for the badges, etc, if the slogan is changed.
October 21st, 2008 at 16:03
Well … “Why do intend to harm the lord in such a way that you say he doesn’t exist on the side of a bus and then ride around like a load of clowns on a psychiatric field trip?” … I think the big guy can probably look after himself … just as soon as he’s sorted out the actually existing bit.
October 21st, 2008 at 16:09
This is amazing, is it cool to link to this in my new blog?
I totally agree with the word ‘probably’, it’s almost the punchline of the whole thing. Removes any possible offense and let’s you smile about the whole thing.
Good work!!
October 21st, 2008 at 16:11
Wow! Can this happen in Plymouth too?!?! Would be greatly appreciated!!
October 21st, 2008 at 16:28
This is all somewhat confusing to me. Isn’t this type of atheism, with the proselytizing and all, just another religion? Instead of preaching faith in a supernatural power, your preaching faith in the lack of one. Semantics, really.
On the whole, all of this seems much more of an effort to convert others to your religion of faith (in an absence), than anything that I have seen lately from any of the other more traditional religions.
You’ll probably pull this comment also, the same way any other religion would. Hmph.
October 21st, 2008 at 16:33
Will the religious (particularly muslims) refuse to drive or ride on these buses ? Will they say the ads are offensive, and demand they be removed ?
It will be interesting to see if the authorities have the courage to stand up to them, and support free speach.
October 21st, 2008 at 16:48
Be careful raising so much money so quickly,someone will want to be in charge of it,and no doubt need an office,then maybe a building with a steeple then a bigger one where he can meet all his followers.Maybe shout slogans across the road to those misguided pseudo Jews.I cant see a hundred million atheists sitting back quietly.Violence would be the next step kill all the Christians ,Dawkins is our new god.Of course we will want all the wealth from the Vatican its obscene how much they have when we need it to spread the word in Africa.I am an atheist but you get my drift ,what wikk be the effect of organized atheism??
October 21st, 2008 at 16:55
Woah, congratulations, this has been phenomenal.
“Will the religious (particularly muslims) refuse to drive or ride on these buses ?”
Well, Alpha Course buses are far more popular and no Muslims/Hindus/Buddhists/Satanists (to my knowledge) have refused to ride them.
October 21st, 2008 at 16:57
Any chance of bringing this to the states?
dennis crinion: I think you’re thinking of anarchists and/or schizophrenics.
October 21st, 2008 at 17:00
dennis is a heretic!
(oh no, it’s started already!?!)
October 21st, 2008 at 17:02
Hi, I’ll second
a) The request to remove “probably”! That also allows for a bigger font size, of course.
b) The call for bumper stickers!
c) The call for this to go beyond London! Hey, when I donated this morning, you stood at 20k, now it’s >26k already. Can you roll this out in all European capitals? You know you want to, and I’m confident, we could easily get the required funds. There so clearly is a NEED for someone to become vocal about this.
Vide also Bill Mahers “Religulous” movie etc.
All the best,
D.
October 21st, 2008 at 17:08
Regards Jack Rivers’ comment above: lacking a belief is, by definition, not a faith position. This is a tired old switcheroo that theists often pull. We’re not the ones making the extraordinary claim. We’re not the ones who can’t produce evidence for an extraordinary claim. We *are* the ones who are sick of religious groups getting unwarranted privileges, and an unmerited voice in the poitical affairs of this country, based on a collective fantasy. So we’d like to try to counter that with a little publicity that presents an alternative viewpoint.
October 21st, 2008 at 17:20
why probably? what kind of atheist campaign says probably no god? sounds like agnostic to me… how about “There is no god. Now enjoy life”?
October 21st, 2008 at 17:34
Top stuff! I’m so chuffed that it worked.
Please, please, please can we spread this beyond London?
The pot is over £27K at the moment and what with Gift Aid (God bless, HMRC) at £6.5K and the fantastic Prof. Dawkins at £5.5K, we are nearly at £40K by my reckoning.
Rational & National Please!
October 21st, 2008 at 17:54
Impressive total!
I have an idea for using the surplus. Why don’t you run a campaign urging people to rethink Christmas: it’s costly, it’s propaganda and annoying.
October 21st, 2008 at 18:00
Just to add my 2p to some of the comments.
1. I agree that I would prefer to remove ‘Probably’, but I also understand the need to take small steps. By using ‘probably; you’re more likely to provoke thought than by simply trying to force your views on others (I know, that’s what the religious lot do, but we don’t have to follow their lead).
2. Atheism is a statement of a lack of belief in a god or gods. Agnosticism is a statement of knowledge. You can believe in the lack of a god or gods without 100% certain knowledge. Just as you can believe in a god or gods without 100% certain knowledge. It isn’t a scale of Theist-> Agnostic -> Atheist, it’s statements about different things – belief and knowledge. If your still unsure about this look up Russels Teapot, hopefully that’ll help.
October 21st, 2008 at 18:03
[...] they met their target at 10:06 am. At the time of writing (17:49), donations total £28,728.0. (You can see the current total here). [...]
October 21st, 2008 at 18:06
Excellent idea, I’ve just bunged them 20 quid.
October 21st, 2008 at 18:24
Remember guys, please do not feed the trolls.
I, too, like the probably for lightheartedness, not trying to crush anybody’s faith but stating a view in a positive light, though I wouldn’t be opposed to “almost certainly no” either.
October 21st, 2008 at 18:31
Well, I’m an actor and I’d give my time for free to make an advert.
Any other creative brights on here?
October 21st, 2008 at 18:50
#28 Tommy- I find it unfortunate how closed minded you are to spirituality. I said nothing about believing everything in a book because it says so. Matter of fact I do understand that the “book” has flaws, so does every other book. There were entire books actually removed from the bible because they were controversial and spoke of things in our past that we can’t even comprehend now. I DO understand that the “book” is not the be all end all of life but is only the start: Logic is only the beginning of wisdom. The only fairytale that I know of is the disbelief in the creator, this whole world is steeped in evil and destruction simply because he gave us free will and to respond to humanity with care for all that he created. I will continue to pray for you all!