A Revised Christian Bus Ad

December 9, 2008 By Guest Contributor 15 Comments

In response to the American Humanist Association’s Atheist Bus Campaign in Washington, D.C., a Christian woman is trying to raise money for a Christian response ad:

PhillyChief offers a revised version of that ad on his site that I think is more honest and would probably get *much* more publicity if placed on a D.C. bus…

Filed Under: Atheist Advertising, General 15 Comments
  • mike

    woah now THATS an advertisement. not the friendliest ad, but hey at least its honest.

  • Christophe Thill

    The logic escapes me. Why believe that a god exists: because he created you? Makes no sense. I’m beginning to think that unbelievers and believers don’t use the word “believe” in the same sens. For the latter, it means “trust”, “worship”, not simply “thinking that something exists”.

  • http://www.otmatheist.com hoverFrog

    Maybe they mean “believe” as in “make believe”?

    That said I like the ad. It’s subtly saying that if the only reason you have for believing is that you believe that God is your loving creator then that isn’t really a compelling reason. The circular logic is self evident. They may as well write:

    Why believe? Because it makes you feel better to believe, even if it isn’t real.

  • jedipunk

    Pull my finger – God.

  • Dustin

    So if God loves us for the sake of goodness, clearly the goodness transcends God and He is merely an intermediary.

    This billboard clearly claims that morality exists without a God.

    By this logic, what does that say about God’s morality and the Old Testament? I don’t even know where to begin.

  • http://www.sheeptoshawl.com writerdd

    I’m beginning to think that unbelievers and believers don’t use the word “believe” in the same sens. For the latter, it means “trust”, “worship”, not simply “thinking that something exists”.

    That’s exactly right. When I was a Christian, a lot of people would say things like “I don’t believe in witchcraft” or “I don’t believe in Ouija boards”… they did not mean that they do not think these things exist, but that they did not support them, they thought they were bad — even though they thought they were real and they thought they had real supernatural powers.

    So when atheists say “I don’t believe in God” what a lot of Christians hear is “I don’t like God, I don’t worship him. I know he’s real but I am not going to be a good person and follow the Lord.” They do not hear, “I think God is imaginary.”

    That’s why you have the misconception by a lot of believers that atheists are mad at God, and the confusion by atheists who say, “How can I be mad at someone I don’t believe in?”

    Many Christians can’t even comprehend the idea that someone would think the supernatural does not exist. They believe in (in the sense of thinking it’s real) all kinds of supernatural things, they just don’t believe in (in the sense of supporting and approving of) most supernatural things.

    It’s a huge miscommunication.

  • mikespeir

    I’m beginning to think that unbelievers and believers don’t use the word “believe” in the same sens. For the latter, it means “trust”, “worship”, not simply “thinking that something exists”.

    That’s true, of course, but it’s not the whole story. As a believer, I used to use Hebrews 11:6 as my text when teaching on faith: one must 1) believe that He (God) is and 2) believe that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him. The second is the trust you speak of, but the first is necessarily antecedent. More straightforwardly, you can’t trust something you don’t believe exists. So, as I see it, the objection stands.

  • Brooks

    So when atheists say “I don’t believe in God” what a lot of Christians hear is “I don’t like God, I don’t worship him. I know he’s real but I am not going to be a good person and follow the Lord.” They do not hear, “I think God is imaginary.”

    I find that when I debate with most Christians, I need to have a translator with me to translate what they’re saying from Christianeze into English. As for this ad, I can’t stand those ads that claim to speak for God.

    It comes across as being very arrogant and holier than thou to me, as if the Christian thinks they know what the mind of God is and have the right to speak on his behalf. And is it just me or does God always have the same personality in all these ads? It’s like in all these ads, God always has that “Of course I exist, fool” personality to him.

  • http://www.otmatheist.com hoverFrog

    It’s like in all these ads, God always has that “Of course I exist, fool” personality to him.

    Like Mr T?

  • Pingback: Oh Well; study day Fall 2008 « blueollie

  • DSimon

    Someone needs to add Mr. T to the Pastafarian canon as an apostle right now.

  • Ann

    I agree with Brooks’ comment. I’m an atheist, but whenever I see an “inspirational” message purporting to be from God or Jesus, unless it’s a direct quote from the Bible, I always think, “What arrogance, to presume to speak for God!”
    Surely the Bible has some sort of rule against that?

  • Buffy

    Funny how those who continually cry for people to “respect our beliefs” can’t help but run out and try to one-up anybody who dare make a statement about their own beliefs (or lack thereof). I think the revised sign is much more accurate and only wish it would actually be put on a few buses.

  • valhar2000

    “Why beleive?”

    “Do you really think your pastor can hold down a real job?” – God

    By the way, I do know that some pastors have jobs. It was a joke.

  • http://youmademesayit.blogspot.com PhillyChief

    Thanks for the plug.

    I wanted something that was deliciously ironic, that both affirmed religious beliefs AND affirmed non-religious resentment towards religious beliefs. I think I accomplished that. Also, there’s an old saying, “a fool tries to persuade me with his words, a wise man persuades me with my own”.