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“No God” Bus Signs
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, January 24, 2009
The British Humanist Association is now putting advertisements on buses. They read: “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.”
I’m not surprised that some British atheists believe there’s probably no God, or even that they’re willing to pay good money to get our their “gospel.” I do find it curious, however, that advice to theists is “Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” I’m a theist (obviously), and I’m not worrying because I believe there is a God. In fact, my belief in God helps me to worry much less than I would if I were an agnostic or atheist. I guess that, in the eyes of British atheists and agnostics, those who believe in God tend to worry. Perhaps they think that we’re worried about God’s judgment of our sin, or that if we enjoy life, God won’t be happy with us.
I also believe that my life has more joy because of my faith in God. Sure, there are some things that I don’t do because I’m a Christian, activities that some folks seem to count as fun. I don’t get drunk. I don’t cheat on my wife. I don’t spend all of my money on myself because I give some away. But I’m not convinced that such activities actually make a person’s life any more joyful. In fact, some of my most sublime joys have come in the context of my relationship with God.
If I were to redo the bus sign, I’d say: “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. SO START WORRYING AND MAKE A MESS OF YOUR LIFE.” Well, actually it’s more likely that I’d say, “THERE IS A GOD. SO STOP WORRYING AND GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE.”
Topics: Cultural Commentary |
15 Responses to ““No God” Bus Signs”
Comments
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January 24th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Praise the Lord for His grace, mercy, and minute-by-minute support!
He’s the coolest!
Tom
January 24th, 2009 at 5:14 am
I’m curious about their use of the word “probably”. Could they, maybe, show a little more confidence in their assumption? I guess even atheists have doubts.
January 24th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Try saying the humanist bus ad to the millions of people suffering oppression and injustice in the world. The little girl who is a child sex slave should just stop worrying and enjoy her life? And she is under such oppression because certain men in the world take the humanist bus ad literally.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Other ideas for a bus sign:
“What do you possess if you possess not God?” -St. Augustine
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” -St. Augustine
“Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” -G.K. Chesterton
“One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created.” -G.K. Chesterton
“What does it avail to know that there is a God, which you not only believe by Faith, but also know by reason: what does it avail that you know Him if you think little of Him?” - Saint Thomas More
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” -Mk 8:36
January 28th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Dear Mark,
We’ve got this whole bus thing happening in Spain too. There’s a ‘bus response’ to it which sounds really similar to what you suggest. It goes “God does exist. Enjoy life in Christ”. Here’s the link (in Spanish)
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Dios/existe/centro/Madrid/elpepuesp/20090114elpepunac_12/Tes
Thanks for your blog.
Paul Silles
January 28th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Friends: Thanks. Great comments.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
There’s a chance that the “stop worrying” means “stop worrying about what everyone else is doing, what type of lifestyle they choose, what their sexual orientation is, what their religious preference is, etc.”
As an agnostic I mind my own business. As a theist you should mind your own too.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
he: If you were about to step out into the street and be run over by a bus (with or without the sign), and if I knew this and had the chance to warn you, would it be moral for me to mind my own business? Would you mind your own business if you knew I was about to get run over by said bus?
March 1st, 2009 at 8:40 am
The fact that they put these signs on buses, shows that they are worrying so much that they have to try and convince themselves AND everyone else that there is no God. Does anybody try and disprove Father Christmas?!?!
1 Peter 5:6-7
Be humble under God’s powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:15 am
Why are atheist bus signs unexceptable, when there are theist bus signs everywhere you look? do people who cose to try and understand the universe through fact rather then faith have less right to freedom of expression? And if so, what happened to all men being created equal in the eyes of god?
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:09 am
Atheist: Atheist bus signs are not unacceptable. Atheists have every right to advance their agenda. I’m not questioning their freedom, only the message. Thanks for the comment.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:09 am
Atheist: Atheist bus signs are not unacceptable. Atheists have every right to advance their agenda. I’m not questioning their freedom, only the message. Thanks for the comment.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I think it’s interesting that “Athiest” uses a reference to “all men being created equal in the eyes of God”………. using God when it’s convenient to make their point.
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:38 am
i agree with this
i mean if christians can advertise there believes then there is no reason why these people cant advertise there believe
also they use probably because evan thoguh having it as a deffinate statement people would think them arrogant and just create a steriotype for the kinda of people they are. in fact these people are probably very normal jsut more bold about there opinions and liekly fed up of christian adverts
take care everyone
xx
August 13th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
There is definitely no god and anybody who thinks there is one is a fool.