Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign in News May 9, 2009

Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign in News

By Guest Contributor
May 9, 2009

I mentioned last week that the Indiana Atheist Bus campaign hit a snag when they city rejected their ad for being “too controversial” (which is another way of saying “you’re atheists, so forget it”).

A local news channel did a report on it:

There’s a girl in the segment saying, “You can’t be good without God!” — That’s her reason for why the ad should be rejected.

That sort of messed up thinking is precisely why the ad needs to go up in the first place.

(via BlagHag)

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What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

  • Are they at least being consistent? Have churches put up comparably tame ads on buses? If not, the city can justify defining “controversial” as including any topic that people are very passionate about.

  • Marissa

    Hailing from Indiana myself, I’ve been rooting for Sarah and the whole IU group for this thing to pass. You are basically a pariah if you are not a Christian in this state.

    Here’s to promoting secular values in a place that needs it the most.

  • Richard Wade

    So far, the feedback survey at http://www.theindychannel.com/news/19409895/detail.html is running 83% for the response, “I agree with the advertisement and I think it should be allowed.”

    The young woman who asserts that “you can’t be good without God” is just giving us a candid glimpse into the shallowness of her character, since most people base such opinions entirely on an assessment of themselves.

    The clergyman at first expresses an understanding of the atheists’ wanting to express their opinion, but then he says the policy about bus advertising should be up to the city government. He’s still missing the point about equal treatment and freedom of speech.

  • The only reason why that poll is so positive is because I sent it in to Pharyngula, and PZ posted it. It was about 45 – 50 when I first saw it this morning.

    http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/05/now_indiana_wants_your_opinion.php

  • Reginald Selkirk

    Are they at least being consistent? Have churches put up comparably tame ads on buses?

    I want to know that too. How could any news organization report on this issue and not answer that question?

  • Stephan Goodwin

    Are the Indiana Atheists really pushing to FORCE their message onto the buses? That’s what the news guy said, but it seems stupid if true.

    All the Bloomington Transit would have to do is say “no religious messages” and be done with it.

    After living in Bloomington, I’m kind of surprised by this. Yes, Indiana is conservative, but Bloomington is a college town that cares more about booze and hot chicks (or hot guys, don’t mean to leave you out ladies ;D ) than anything else.

    Of course, there were those in Bloomington that didn’t want the Buddhist monastery there because “they worship the devil!”…

  • I am from Indiana, also. I am so glad that this advertising campaign is happening. It is very much needed.

    I’d also like to hear if Bloomington Transit allowed religious organizations to place advertisements on their buses.