Atheist Bus Advertising Campaign. Do they doubt their atheist beliefs? ?
Posted Wednesday, December 16, 2009 by admin
I was just made aware of the Atheist bus advertising campaign in London.
I saw their slogan
“There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
2 things jumped to mind “what does and atheist believe?” and the use of the word “probably” in their Slogan.
I thought that the definition of atheist was: Atheism, as an explicit position, can be either the affirmation of the nonexistence of gods, or the rejection of theism. (wiki)
And their use of the word Probably coming from the the word probable means: “having more evidence for than against, or evidence that inclines the mind to belief but leaves some room for doubt.”
Would this not mean that they place doubt in their belief as seen through their slogan?
Or another way to ask, is this contradictory?
I grew up in the UK, I am very familiar with the use of language.
Is atheism an explicit position of No God?
Kevin, I was interpreting it as a belief in a definition
Most of us won’t say 100%. I put the odds about the same as leprechauns.
Added: Would it be contradictory to say there are probably no leprechauns? Of course not.
No. Atheism is the lack of belief in gods. We don’t believe that there is no god, because that would put us on the same level as theists.
Billboards don’t speak for me.
No they just want to cushion the blow for people like you is all .
probably…
Spend some time in England, and the “Probably” won’t bother you anymore. In General, the English tend to try to avoid confrontation or contentious speech like it is a plaque.
“Do they doubt their atheist beliefs?”
What atheist beliefs? Atheism is about the absence of belief.
Edit: I agree with the general idea of the bus. It can only get more fence-sitters to find out about the ‘for’ and ‘against’ cases about god. Why would that be a bad thing? An honest study will reveal which side has the better arguments. And I think I know which side most rational people will choose.
I don’t like the idea of the bus as a whole. I don’t like when anybody tries to push their beliefs onto others, no matter if I agree or not.
I think they’re just being inclusive, but actually, no. You can believe something is true and still admit to the possibility that you might be wrong.
nope, it means that we don’t believe, but we’re still open to the possibility of a god
unlike some people who believe who aren’t even open to the fact that the being(s) they worship might not exist
Atheism is not a belief. It is defined by a lack of a belief in a god, not the belief that there is no god, if you catch the difference.
Some do believe or assert that there is no god, but the majority reject evidence and thus do not believe in god, it is still “possible” but probably not true, some say.
No, you can never be 100% percent sure your right.
You can never be entirely sure there’s no Santa, but I bet you there isn’t.
No, I don’t see where it would show a doubt. I do think it shows they are out to convert. That does make them evangelical in an odd twist.
I think they’re just trying to not get their busses bombed too soon. It’s a ploy to not totally **** off the reactionary Bible/Koran thumpers. More honest would be this: “Theists, you’re a bunch of violent small minded retards. Grow the hell up.” but that might be seen as offensive.
I think the word is added to soften the message and thus not offend those who disagree.
“There is probably no invisible goblin under your bed so you may as well get a good nights sleep”, is a way of reaching goblinists, not a way of defining a-goblinists.
No. Dawkins said to say that there is certainly no god is impossible as you cannot prove that he (or indeed anything) doesn’t exist. So certainty is a position that can’t be taken (ie there is absolutely no god – a better postion for the atheist bus is there is almost certainly no god – but its not quite as catchy as the real phrasing)
Also they had to put probably in there, as a requirement from the advertising council, to ‘prevent offence’ to other people
Well if it’s rubbing people up the wrong way then it’s serving it’s purpose don’t you think?With the publicity it seems to be getting it is clearly successful. Funny that in some places they have signs saying “god or jesus saves” but no one ever mentions it. So simply no one is forcing people to agree with it.
No.
a- without
theism a belief in a deity.
so atheists are just without a belief in a deity. We do not hae to actively believe that one does not exist.
Also the ‘probably’ is there to comply with the advertising standards.
An atheist saying “i don’t have a belief in something” is like a non-denominationalist say I am not in a denomination…HA!