Man refuses to drive 'No God' bus

[quimcunx]

It would be great to see all advertising taken off public transport and replaced by artworks by schoolchildren.

No it bloody wouldn't.

 

[DotCommunist]

In DotCommissars Glorious Republic Of Freedom the bus's will be decorated by the still living corpses of traitors and aristocrats

 

[Mr T]

Thankfully these silly adverts will be gone in a couple of weeks anyway, and we can get back to normal.

I'm quite sure that if it had been some atheist making a fuss about a bus with an Alpha advert on the side, then there'd be plenty of support, but no, because it's "just some over-sensitive christian" and left open to ridicule.

Again.

Yeah but the alpha course/philosophy course adverts have been running for years on tube trains and I've heard of no case (and a quick google search didn't bring up any) of an atheist refusing to drive one. Not to mention the ones quoting scripture from the bible, or telling us how peaceful islam is etc. The point of these humanist adverts is to correct the balance a little and the religious groups must be feeling threatened, as this driver throwing his toys out of the pram and a group complaining to the ASA have shown!

 

[longdog]

Of course atheists follow their ideas. You don't want to say they have empty minds?

salaam.

But that's not using the word 'follow' as it's reasonable to assume you used the word in your previous post.

Atheists don't 'follow' atheism in the same sense that religionist 'follow' their religion.

Religionist (on the whole) follow, or at least are meant to follow a set of rules laid down in a book or otherwise handed down from one generation to another atheism doesn't work in the same way.

You don't 'follow' atheism or 'believe' in atheism in the sense you would use those words when referring to a religion as there is no set of rules which apply to all atheists.

The only sure factor common to all atheists is the belief that there is no god, beyond that all bets are off.

You no more 'follow' atheism than you 'follow' a dislike of Marmite.

salami

 

[exleper]

There's nothing wrong with sticking to your principles.

 

[longdog]

There's nothing wrong with sticking to your principles.

It's a rather strange set of principles the guy has though to be honest.

If it were a vegetarian refusing to drive a bus because it had a McDonalds advert on the side everybody would say they were being an over sensitive pillock... as is this guy.

This case is about the special treatment given to religions where other deeply held beliefs would be ignored or over-ridden.

If I were a bus driver I wouldn't like driving buses with adverts for the conservative party on them at election time (or noo-layba come to that) but liking or disliking the advert on the side would have nothing to do with my doing my job which is to drive the fucking bus like I'm paid to do.

 

[ExtraRefined]

It would be great to see all advertising taken off public transport and replaced by artworks by schoolchildren.

Until that happens, I would think drivers will have to lump it.

Then of course a hardcore muslim would refuse to drive it on the basis that it's an depiction of part of god's creation and should be replaced with calligraphy. Or a childfree bus driver would refuse to drive it since children are the root of all evil. Or an objectivist would refuse to drive it since the company isn't acting in it's rational self interest.

 

[George & Bill]

There's nothing wrong with sticking to your principles.

Hopelessly abstract statement of the week

 

[rocketman]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7832647.stm

If a driver refuses to drive his or her bus he or she should be sacked imho. Their job is to drive the bus, not pick and choose what advert is on the side.

I wonder what the company's reaction would have been if it had be an atheist refusing to drive a bus with a pro-religion message on it.

Let him go and tell him, "It's alright son, your mass-market re-branded Roman deity will provide...".

 

[TopCat]

Nail the fucker to a cross and be done with it.

 

[nino_savatte]

Let him go and tell him, "It's alright son, your mass-market re-branded Roman deity will provide...".

 

[Roadkill]

I'm a bit amused. Not by the bus driver, but by the idea it is that bad for poor atheists in the UK that feel such an urge to advertise their conviction to get followers.

It's not a matter of 'getting followers.' It's more about providing a counterbalance to the endless stream of religious advertisements and agitation, and provoking a debate. It's certainly succeeded in the latter, and I think that's a good thing.

I also can't see how anyone could be offended by such a mild statement as 'There is probably no god.' Anyone who gets steamed up about it must be over-sensitive to the Nth degree.

I don't think that it's on for a Christian bus driver to refuse to drive a bus with such an ad on it. If that's allowed, what next? Atheist bus drivers refusing to drive buses with religious adverts? I very much doubt that a bus company would accept that, so why should it make special provision for a Christian driver? This looks to me like yet another example of religious people insisting on being treated with kid gloves.

 

[pogofish]

There is a thriving "Boycott First Bus" because of the adverts over on Moneysavingexpert boards.

Snippets:

I've have a vision!!
A bus commpany will be going bust or suffering a drop in profits!


Put your money where your faith is!!

My prayers were answered!!

But what about the risk from suicide bombers?

FIrst Bus Group Buses and trains are likely to be targets of choice for suicide bomber etc. A tin can ful of atheists would be a major attraction to a potential suicide bomber.

It is a lie and a massive insult to God/Allah to suggest you cannot relax and enjoy life because of God/Allah.

It's not like religious are constantly telling you the message below, is it?
So don't say you were not warned - you have been warned.

IF YOU REJECT GOD YOU WILL BE ETERNALLY DAMMED.

I can think of many good reasons to avoid First Bus but this one actually puts me on their side!

 

[ramjamclub]

newsreaders will be next

pc madness!!
Next will be newsreaders refusing to read items that conflict with their sensitivities. Veggie newsreaders refusing to report a story on bacon

 

[pogofish]

I remember a BBC Scotland newsreader breaking down on air over a story about an abused dog.

Never saw or heard of her again.

 

[johnnymarrsbars]

It would be great to see all advertising taken off public transport and replaced by artworks by schoolchildren.

Until that happens, I would think drivers will have to lump it.

then there wont be a bus service .....

 

[johnnymarrsbars]

Considering the amount of coverage this got .Jazz could come up with a conspricy theory that someone from the ad company slipped him a fiver to complain. Surprised the humanist society haven't sent him a fruit basket as he turned their bus advert into a TV advert.
No real harm done everyone happy .

not so much of a conspiracy theory. Taxi drivers, for example, are sometimes paid to promote products and services. the most famous recent example was for a holiday company, i believe.

people trust people, more than they trust billboards. they're cheaper, too.

 

[exleper]

It's a rather strange set of principles the guy has though to be honest.

If it were a vegetarian refusing to drive a bus because it had a McDonalds advert on the side everybody would say they were being an over sensitive pillock... as is this guy.

This case is about the special treatment given to religions where other deeply held beliefs would be ignored or over-ridden.

If I were a bus driver I wouldn't like driving buses with adverts for the conservative party on them at election time (or noo-layba come to that) but liking or disliking the advert on the side would have nothing to do with my doing my job which is to drive the fucking bus like I'm paid to do.

Yes, but a theist faith is not the same as being a vegetarian. For this guy it's clearly more deep-seated, the kind of belief system that structures who he is as a person.

I see your point, and I don't necessarily agree with the bus driver, or what he's standing up for, but I have a modicum of respect for refusing to associate with something that, presumably goes against everything he fundamentally lives his life.

 

[rocketman]

<Snip>... I have a modicum of respect for refusing to associate with something that, presumably goes against everything he fundamentally lives his life.

So what's more fundamental? The lunatic need to cling to a pre-historic faith system based on lies, or the food you actually eat that keeps you alive while you are enjoying your brief life on this planet?

I'd have more sympathy for the educated vegetarian in their stance against what they deeply oppose, than for the uneducated religious fool who swallows a faith system based on hundreds of years of politics and lies.

 

[exleper]

So what's more fundamental? The lunatic need to cling to a pre-historic faith system based on lies, or the food you actually eat that keeps you alive while you are enjoying your brief life on this planet?

I'd have more sympathy for the educated vegetarian in their stance against what they deeply oppose, than for the uneducated religious fool who swallows a faith system based on hundreds of years of politics and lies.

Yes yes, they believe in God so they're an uneducated fool, a lunatic, etc. My only point was that it's possible to have some respect for somone else's belief system, and their sincere efforts to occasionally take a stance on it.

No matter how you or I see it, through this bus driver's eyes his faith is clearly more important than what he eats, otherwise he wouldn't have risked his job. All I'm saying is, fair dos. (btw, there's no need to reel off the usual Dawkins-esque antireligion lines - I've heard them all, and I don't need convincing.)

 

[rocketman]

Perhaps I was being over-harsh. I'm exceedingly grumpy at the moment. And recent events have caused me to feel a sense of utter rejection for the spiritual things I've believed in most of my life. So there may be some projection.

So please forgive the slightly preachy tone. I do believe in the right to worship - but that right also implies a right for a vegetarian to resist driving a mcdonalds ad. Freedom to worship and the rights of the individual are the sub-dominant strain of the entire Protestant religion, after all.

 

[chainsaw cat]

Not read whole thread due IT issue, but did this guy not say in the paper '.... they wouldn't be allowed to make an anti Muslim campaign llike this' or wtte?

'Cos to my mind it is anti Muslim, given that there's only one god in Muslimism, and this just shows what a nob the guy is for being so ignorant.

 

[Gingerman]

Not read whole thread due IT issue, but did this guy not say in the paper '.... they wouldn't be allowed to make an anti Muslim campaign llike this' or wtt

Yep he did drag the aul "they would'nt do that to Muslims"arguement into it ,wonder if he lives his life by the bible,chop your right hand off if it commits a sin etc.

 

[8ball]

He's clearly a certifiable moron.