Maybe you’ve read about the Aethist Bus Campaign? A group of aethists working with the British Humanist Association have raised money for an aethist message to be placed on 800 buses. The message is “There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”.
I understand how the campaign began as a response to Christian adverts on buses, but I must admit my immediate response was – What evidence is there that people who believe in God worry more than those who don’t? And what evidence is there that not believing in God frees you to enjoy your life? Neither of these beliefs strike me as particularly rational. Surely there are both atheists and thiests who worry, and how on earth do we figure out whether or not there’s a relationship between enjoying your life and believing that God either does not, or does, exist? I bet there’s no general consensus on that one!
So the bus ad campaign seems to be no more than a battle of believers – between those who believe there is a God and those who believe there isn’t. Both groups would like us to adopt their particular beliefs. My own take on buses is…….there’ll be another one along in a minute!
Heroes Not Zombies 
Why is it that we can never be secure enough in our beliefs to let them just be OUR beliefs? Why do we feel compelled to recruit others?
my sentiments EXACTLY mrschili!
I second that one Mrs. Chili! Wow… thankfully some other people agree here… sheesh!
I agree with Mrs. Chili. I know of Atheists who are just as narrow minded and imposing in their ways as staunch religious types. Do atheists think this will further their “cause”? The exact opposite thing will most likely happen. I’m pretty much stuck right there in the middle, with the belief that one should live life to it’s fullest and try to be as good and kind a person as possible.
“There is probably no God …” – bit tentative, isn’t it? As one newspaper columnist said yesterday, to say that there is probably no God is to suggest that there might possibly be a God. So do the people behind the bus adverts have a sneaking little worry at the back of their minds that they might be wrong after all? Personally, I believe in God, and I’m a bit of a worrier as well, but I know lots of folk – religious and non-religious – who seem to sail through life without any worries at all. Being a worrier depends more upon what kind of personality you are than whether or not you believe in God. As for the other comments in this thread, I absolutely agree that we shouldn’t force our beliefs on others – I’ve long mistrusted religious extremists who insist that, unless we share their beliefs exactly, we’re all bound for hell, and now we have a few militant atheists who insist that anyone who believes in God is an idiot. Best bit about this whole affair, though, is that one group of Christians has complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about the bus adverts, alleging that the adverts are unture and misleading!
I always find it interesting that some atheists join atheists groups and then rally against theists. It seems so counter to what they stand or do not stand for, hmmmmmmmmm.
True, another bus will be along shortly.
I saw the story and was amused to read one newspaper columnists musing about whether we would see other bus adverts saying.. ‘There’s no Father Christmas’ and ‘There probably isn’t a tooth fairy’.
My own take on the subject is that all I have is what is (reality) and my job is to embrace reality and leave room for endless possibilities to manifest. I used to be an extreme optimist, always fervently believing that this or that would happen, perhaps in response to what I perceived as being general pessimism in the world. I am now what I call a possibilitist, this way I don’t attach myself to an outcome because I believe whatever the outcome, I have an opportunity to learn something from it.
My motto might be – turn up for life, tell the truth when I get there and let go of the outcome. Easy to say, a little harder for me to do at times but with practice I seem to be getting better and it serves me well.
If I apply this to is there a God issue – I leave room for endless possibilities (there is a God, there is no God) and let go of the outcome. I also very much apply the principle of live and let live, happy to live alongside those who believe in God and equally those who don’t.