Dawkins backs 'No God' bus ads

BY AMANDA FISHER

Last updated 10:38 17/03/2010

DIVISIVE? The advertisement the atheist group wanted to plaster on buses in New Zealand.

The Press

DIRECT MESSAGE: 'Grow up, don't be so pathetic, stop whining,' said Richard Dawkins to opponents of the atheist advertising campaign intended for buses.

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Evolutionary biologist and prominent atheist Richard Dawkins has branded opponents of a bus advertising campaign doubting the existence of God "pathetic".

The New Zealand Atheist Bus campaign began raising funds last December to splash 24 buses nationwide with "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." The ads were approved but later rejected by NZ Bus.

The campaigners have since sought legal advice from the Human Rights Review Tribunal on whether to lodge a case against NZ Bus on the basis of discrimination.

Mr Dawkins, who last year helped launch the British atheist bus campaign that inspired the New Zealand version, said he supported his Kiwi counterparts.

"It gives people something to think about, something to talk about. I am, to say the least, not impressed with people who take offence to it, you can hardly ask for a more innocuous ... message."

NZ Bus had paid too much heed to those opposing the campaign, who were "probably just a few loud-mouthed people", and it was outrageous that some Christians took offence to the message.

"They don't know what's in their own Bible, they think it's all nice, they don't know how horrible...it all is.

"I would have to say grow up, don't be so pathetic, stop whining."

NZ Bus declined to respond to Mr Dawkins' comments but said the advertisements were canned because of "significant reaction from both the travelling public and our people", spokeswoman Siobhan O'Donovan said.

"NZ Bus has the right to decline advertising that may, in its perception, be considered controversial or divisive."

She would not be drawn on how many complaints had been laid about the decision not to run the adverts, or whether they deemed any of their other advertisements "controversial or divisive".

Campaign spokesman Simon Fisher said NZ Bus had double standards.

"[They] run all sorts of advertisements for condoms and Hell's Pizza, which I'm sure divides a lot of people also."

If a religious group had tried to mount the same campaign they would not be met with the same opposition because people were more understanding of religion.

"It really represents why this campaign is necessary in the first place, because it's such a mild-mannered and positive statement [and opponents are] not comfortable having an alternative message put out there."

"Who is this fragile God that needs defending from a message on a bus in New Zealand?"

The campaign, which had now raised $23,000, had benefited from NZ Bus's refusal, he said.

"We have essentially had a much bigger advertising campaign than $20,000 ever would have bought."

Mr Fisher was confident the case would have merits to proceed in the Human Rights Tribunal. He expected to find out in the next few weeks.

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168 comments

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matthew #168 03:58 pm Mar 17 2010

there are some really strange comments here. I'm not a biologist, and I don't disagree with evolution, but why do some people say that evolution is as valid a theory as something like newton's laws of motion? I am pretty sure it isn't, because evolution is not deterministic (ie. you can't put numbers in and get an actual result), unlike gravity (which is deterministic), where you can say that a still object above the ground will have a velocity of 9.8m/s after 1 second, and have a kinetic energy of 98Joules * its mass after falling 10m. (I am talking on a macro scale, where quantum effects aren't significant)

can you do that with evolution?

Poppy #167 03:38 pm Mar 17 2010

@ Thomas #97 "I would hate to believe you live and then die" So amusing how Christians think they have a patent on believing in life after death. You don't have to beleive in God (although I do) to beleive in life after death.... hello.

Mike #166 02:59 pm Mar 17 2010

None of this controversy should be a surprise. NZ Bus isn't exactly run by the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Jay #165 02:52 pm Mar 17 2010

Re #133: No, your analogy is faulty. Evolution is taught in schools because it has been proven as a fact and is also a scientific theory about as robust as gravity. Trying to compare it and faith in a specific religion in regard to being taught in schools in science classes is absurd, as evolution is not a religious doctrine and Christianity is not a scientific fact or theory.

Also, it's not as if one cannot be a Christian and still recognise basic scientific facts. The two things are by no means mutually exclusive.

Steve #164 02:29 pm Mar 17 2010

Christians can bleieve whatever they like and conduct any rituals they like, but they should 1) not think they are in a majority and 2) seek to impose their strange beliefs on others.

dunre646 #163 02:29 pm Mar 17 2010

Of course Dawkin’s makes money off his books, speaks and other activity’s. He doesn’t hide that fact or claim he is doing a public services so he doesn’t pay tax on that income. Every time he writes a book or gives a speak he puts his creditable on the line knowing that he will be hold accountable for what he says by his peers, by the public and even by the law. He has to support his work with evidence and logical reasoning to come to sound conclusions. If new evidence is found he has to revise his work and revalue his conclusions.

Show me someone that is spreading "the word of god" that is held to the same standards Dawkin’s is.

Nick #162 02:26 pm Mar 17 2010

Christians come out in their droves on these threads with mindless rhetoric and its simply boring. Your petty arguments are baseless, and why are you upset about the ad? Is it because you will jealous if people start to enjoy their lives, because yours are miserable.

Andy #161 02:22 pm Mar 17 2010

N #114 - so let me see if I have these beliefs straight: Christians - God created the Earth and everything in it in 6 days, creating man from the dust. He's in control, although leaving us to make our own choices as to how we live out lives. Atheists - There was a Big Bang and everything turned up, a bit of sludge (or dst, if you will) here and there morphed into all the animals and people we see.

So the "crazies" are the ones with an actual explanation for the beginning, yet the sane and sensible ones are those that think there was a sudden, unexplained explosion to create life? Hmmm, call me cynical......

Pete #160 02:16 pm Mar 17 2010

If these atheists had the courage of their convictions, they would substitute the word "Allah" or "Mohammed" for "God". Then we'd see some real reaction. Perhaps someone would make up some stickers that would convert the adverts as above.

Barry #159 02:13 pm Mar 17 2010

As an athiest I thought this bus ad was great, but it was hardly surprising that it never made it to the streets. Hardly a day goes past when I don't read or hear of a tragic and ugly event brought about by religious beliefs. I believe in evolution, and I believe I just have a very small part to play in it. And my part is to try to leave the world a better place when I die. Of course we should stop worrying about a God who doesn't exist, but we should worry about each other and how we can make the world a better place in which to live. We should never stop striving for a more just and enlightened world. A belief in God just holds us back from that.

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