Organisers of the campaign, which was launched yesterday, were seeking £5,500 to run adverts in London saying There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” on 30 buses for four weeks. By last night, individuals and organisations had pledged more than £47,900. The Guardian

This is an interesting case. On one hand, if religion can run adverts, why can’t atheists? But I immediately regret saying that since atheism is a very broad label that encompasses a range of ideas. I perhaps should have said the advert is promoting secular humanism. I also despise advertising because their underlying message is inherently illogical. This example illustrates advertising’s deception and to quote Nietzsche:

“Do this and that, refrain from this and that — and then you will be happy! And if you don’t…” [...] I call it the original sin of reason, the immortal unreason. (Twilight)

The advertisement is effectively saying “Belief in God makes you worry, instead enjoy live (be happy)”. The assumption, which is so impudently praised, is happiness is a criterion of truth.

One positive thing is both sides of the debate seem supportive of the adverts since it will provoke people to think. This is a mature attitude but I fear over optimistic (that people can think). (An immature response to criticism was recently seen in Afghanistan where student was sentenced to 20 years in prison for campaigning on feminism (and against religious teaching).) On the bus adverts:

“I think people will ask themselves, ‘On what basis can they make that statement?” said Inayat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain. “So it will get people thinking, so in that sense it can only be good.”

[...and...]

The Rev. Jenny Ellis, spirituality and discipleship officer for the Methodist Church, welcomed the ads.

“This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life,” she said. AP

Anti Citizen One