Thank You!
10.02.09 | Ariane |
The atheist buses are off the streets now (and not just because of the snow), and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in the project – and if you’ve ever donated or commented, that means you. We’re very grateful, and while we’re going to take a break now for a little while, we’ve got exciting plans for the future. For now though, here’s all the latest news…
NATIONAL SECULAR SOCIETY AWARDS
I was really happy and surprised to receive the Special Award for the Atheist Bus Campaign at the Secularist of the Year Awards on Saturday, hosted by the National Secular Society. I was only told on the day that I had won an award (so it was excitingly unexpected!) and was presented with this beautiful model bus with an engraved gold plaque:
I took my Dad along to the awards with me. He’s 70 and this is the only picture I have with him:
I’d like to dedicate the award to everyone who has supported the campaign.
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
The Atheist Bus Campaign was the subject of a question on University Challenge on Monday February 9 2009! If you missed it, here’s the video:
I can’t quite believe the first bloke thought the “three-word phrase” was “God”!
CHRISTIAN ADVERTS
The Atheist Bus Campaign made the front page of The Guardian on Thursday last week, when the Christian Party, the Trinitarian Bible Society and RussianHour TV decided to launch bus adverts in response to the Atheist Bus Campaign – some of which have been rather “inspired” by ours! The BHA have put out an official statement which you can read here.
SLOGAN GENERATOR
There’s a very funny slogan generator here, which has been created completely independently of the Atheist Bus Campaign. An earlier version of this generator featured a watermark in the lower right-hand corner saying Photo: Jon Worth/AtheistBus.org.uk. Unfortunately, this meant that any slogan created using the generator automatically looked like it was endorsed by the Atheist Bus Campaign and our web manager Jon, and the BHA were getting worried calls from people who thought their names or companies were going to be on our buses!
For legal reasons, we’d like to make it clear that the slogan generator – and any slogans generated by it – have nothing whatsoever to do with the Atheist Bus Campaign, Jon Worth or the BHA. The very talented creator of the generator merely used our original photo, taken from this website, and has kindly now removed the watermark and included a legal disclaimer on the page. The Guardian recently ran a bus slogan competition using the generator, and have published pictures of the best slogans here.
THOUGHT FOR THE WORLD
I was lucky enough to be asked to give a secular Thought For The Afternoon on Radio 4’s iPM Programme on January 10th, but Radio 4’s Today programme is still not open to humanists and atheists. Because of Radio 4’s reluctance to allow secular voices to be heard, the Humanist Society of Scotland and The Guardian have organised a series of podcasts from atheist and humanist thinkers called Thought For The World – and I’m very excited to have been asked to record one. It will be podcast next Monday February 16 here.
ATHEIST BUS CAMPAIGN WINDOW STICKERS NOW AVAILABLE!
Atheist Bus Campaign window stickers with the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” are now available here from our official merchandise partners Blue Apple Music. These are printed on removable, self-adhesive vinyl and are suitable for any kind of clear window. The Atheist Bus Campaign will receive a donation from every sale.
That’s all for now – hope you enjoyed the round-up. We’ll be updating weekly from now on, so please do check back next week for more news.
February 10th, 2009 at 0:56
Hurrah and well done!
Just when it was beginning to feel like I was alone on my tiny island of rationality in a sea of blind faith, the ABC came along and gave voice to my fellow inhabitants. And with a sense of humour too. Gold star!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:18
Congratulations Ariane for inspiring and pushing so hard for this campaign.
It has brought the subject into a more public, broader discussion. If it makes just a few people start thinking, instead of following the rest of the flock, then it will be worth it.
Respectfully Yours, James.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:05
Congrats =)
February 10th, 2009 at 9:01
I can only echo what has already been said and written. Many, many thanks for all this, and everything else you’ve done that doesn’t get so much publicity!
A copy of the Thought for the World should be inserted in the front of every Bible, and on every classroom noticeboard, so that every one of the 6.7 billion have an opportunity to read it.
Well done Ariane!!
(Now, please take a break: skiing in the French Alps is particularly good this year!)
February 10th, 2009 at 11:21
Well Done Ariane – Thankyou.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:22
Congratulations Ariane!
Stickers are ok but I’m holding out for a mug with the logo on.
February 10th, 2009 at 19:09
Aw, that’s a really nice picture. Hope your Dad was proud, religious or otherwise.
February 10th, 2009 at 19:29
Congratulations Ariane!
I admire what you’ve done, and the way your personality shines through it all!
February 10th, 2009 at 19:31
yay, good for you Ariane. Pleased about the bus award.
February 10th, 2009 at 21:41
Many congratulations – it’s been a great campaign having got people talking & put a smile on our faces every time we saw a bus drive by.
I hope the award is in pride of place on your mantlepiece!
February 10th, 2009 at 23:36
Hi and well done on the award, now let me share a little humour with you. You can get a regular dose of fun at the Jesus and Mo cartoon strip at http://www.jesusandmo.net
I’ve ordered my stickers, ten of them which I intend to share with my friends. Keep up the good work.
February 11th, 2009 at 0:11
Congratulations!
Also thanks for the car sticker news!
February 11th, 2009 at 6:20
A very interesting response in Canada:
http://the-kingdom-of-god-is-within-you.blogspot.com/
There is going to be a boom in Bus advertising.
February 11th, 2009 at 8:59
Finally, a bus in the UK manages to win an award for something!
February 11th, 2009 at 9:25
Thank you thank you thank you. Hope! Joy!
And that’s a lovely picky of you and your dad.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:12
Many thanks for all your sweet comments – they more than make up for all the “interesting” emails in my Inbox!
February 11th, 2009 at 12:22
Ariane You are doing a great job, we have as much right to non-believe and speak openly about our non-belief as anyone does about their religion.
At least you are not trying to convert or scare people into not believing, an important factor.
Remember ‘Illigitimus non carborundum’ or ‘Don’t let the bastards grind you down’.
February 11th, 2009 at 13:18
Cool, that award looks awesome. Well done
February 11th, 2009 at 16:11
I absolutely support your right to express your views and I have difficulty seeing how people of faith could be offended. But I must say that the sky is a much bigger banner
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
February 11th, 2009 at 19:13
I wonder what all these bus-ad rivalries will do for the economy? I mean all we need is to get the money circulating right?
February 11th, 2009 at 20:34
Cute award!!! Well deserved too!
I bet you’ll have a little smile every time you see that!
February 16th, 2009 at 0:43
Well, didn’t The Christian Party just take the bait hook line and sinker like we all knew they would? And couldn’t they now have complaints with the ASA upheld against them on grounds of verifiability? I’m gonna try it anyway.
February 16th, 2009 at 5:49
Ms. Ariane Sherine,
Will you marry me?
February 16th, 2009 at 19:04
Nice post. Well said.
February 17th, 2009 at 0:32
If this is all about Free Speech someone should speak to the guys in Canada. They are censoring their blog and calling anybody who wants to discuss the AD a loser.
February 17th, 2009 at 17:59
this is bad i don’t like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\
Our government always wants our country to be ((((((ONE)))))) but by doing this your splitting us people into groups!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you have nothing better to do? Just making up stuff!!!!!
February 18th, 2009 at 1:01
FSTDT laying in…
http://www.fstdt.com/fundies/comments.aspx?q=59055
February 18th, 2009 at 18:56
Tonight 8pm
Wednesday 18 February 2009
The Moral Maze
BBC Radio 4
The question Michael Buerk and the panel will be posing is: if you don’t believe in a set of divinely inspired moral rules, how do you decide right from wrong in a world with complex and competing interests?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/religion/moralmaze.shtml
_____
March 8th, 2009 at 16:39
ATHEIST DAY: April 1st. (April Fool’s Day)
THOSE WHOM GOD CALLS FOOLS
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1).
For the message of the cross is foolishness
to those who are perishing,….(1 Cor. 1:18).
You fools, when will you become wise?
(Psalm 94:8).
March 8th, 2009 at 16:40
THE CASE FOR CHRIST
http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1945
March 9th, 2009 at 18:55
Very informative post. Keep it up. And thanks for such a great site.
September 18th, 2009 at 19:08
I’d just like to draw your attention to this:
“The Atheist’s Guide To Christmas” is the UK’s first atheist charity book, featuring contributions from Richard Dawkins, Derren Brown, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Claire Rayner, David Baddiel, Charlie Brooker and many more. It’s been edited by Ariane Sherine, the creator of the hugely successful Atheist Bus Campaign. It’s out on Oct 1st and all royalties are going to the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust. Please pre-order now:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheists-Guide-Christmas-Ariane-Sherine/dp/0007322615/
The Atheist’s Guide is a mix of humorous and poignant contributions from over 40 various prominent atheists. It’ll make an ideal Christmas gift for your atheist friends. Your religious friends will love it too, or, even better, it’ll put them in a foul mood for Xmas! So a win-win situation! More info on the Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128903634833
Your support will not only maintain the profile of atheism in the UK, it will also help raise funds for the very worthy THT charity. Please note that the contributors, and Ms Sherine, have waived payment for their considerable input into the “Guide”.
Thank you, and please pass this message on to everyone you know!!
[My apologies if you already know about the Guide!]