definite faith

[emmelinemay]

Thanks to bluekeiran, I just made my first complaint about an advert ever.

Following the (awesome) Athiest Bus campaign, where there was 'probably' no god, there are reports that the Christian party plan to run adverts that state 'there definitely is a god'.


I very much enjoyed the Atheist Bus campaign, which stated 'There's probably no god, now stop worrying and enjoy your life' and was pleased that the ASA ruled there was no breach of advertising codes, and allowed the campaign to go ahead. However, I read today (article linked above) that The Christian Party plan to run adverts which state 'There definitely is a God.'

As the existence of God is a matter of faith, not fact, I find it offensive as well as misleading that the Christian Party are apparently allowed to use the definitive, where as the Atheist bus campaign had to make do with 'probably'. Where opinion/faith is concerned, I think is inappropriate to allow any advertiser to explicitly state that there is or is not a God, when there is no proof either way, and so the statement is unverifiable.

I would appreciate it if this matter could be looked into, and whether The Christian Party's adverts should be, if not withdrawn, re-worded in the name of accuracy and fairness.

It may go no further, but if enough people complain, well, you never know. Maybe I am in the minority here, but I personally think that if Athiests have to say 'probably' then the believers damn well should to.

ASA complaints site is here.

Comments

[medusa-nw.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. I also think it's really rather hilarious. :-D

[emmelinemay.livejournal.com]

It is completely and totally hilarious.

[kynon.livejournal.com]

I second that.

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

It looks from the site like you have to have seen the advert before you can complain, am I missing something?

[jfs.livejournal.com]

Did the ASA ask the Atheist campaign to add the word 'probably'? I seem to remember that was in the original wording of the advert.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Ask valkyriekaren ... for the rest of this week at least, she works for the BHA.

[tails-redux.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I'm in a minority of thinking that faith should be a personal matter and that it is in poor taste to slap it out all over buses and billboards.

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Maybe, but should we forbid the tasteless from slapping their views onto buses, no matter how it then makes them appear.

[tails-redux.livejournal.com]

We? Who are we? Just individuals responsible for ourselves.

Don't think it's quite got to the stage where we have taste audits ...

... now where did I put my thought police uniform.

[gurlesque.livejournal.com]

Hey, totally irrelevant to the conversation - but can you drop me a text if you're going to be at practise tonight?

[load-of-flannel.livejournal.com]

Quite right.... however.

Generally the ASA responds to comlaints about adverts which have been seen and might therefore have offended the public.

Early complaints may be discarded as 'solicited'

Strongly advise therefore sending another letter after Monday when its actually released which may be given more creedence.

because thats a press report you responded to and if their poster actually says 'probably' too....

[robtrooper.livejournal.com]

Nice one.

From any reasonably logical view point it would be fair to say that if one group of people believe that their god exists therefore none other can and a separate group of people believe that their god exists, refuting anybody else's, then how can any of them exist? It's like people have played my god is better than your god and inventing story upon story to make it all up.
Does not make sense to me.

High Five!

[flywingedmonkey.livejournal.com]

As an atheist I find the assertion that "There definitely is a God. So join the Christian Party and enjoy your life." slapped on the side of London buses misleading and offensive. Particularly as the similar atheist campaign had the word "probably" inserted in it.

Personally I find any attempt to convert people in a public forum distatefull but if we must submit to adverts attempting to alter our faith then can we at least ensure that they are held to the same standard.

Thank you.

JmC
Cheers to Kieran for the address

[purplegril.livejournal.com]

I stil can't join up the 'probably' with an atheist campaign. That's an agnostic statement as far as I'm concerned and the advert just didn't work for me. It's a pity, because I liked what the advert was trying to do.

[flywingedmonkey.livejournal.com]

Here

http://www.humanism.org.uk/bus-campaign

is what they were attempting to do.

JmC
I don't agree, mind

[nils.livejournal.com]

Apparently they received 150 complaints about the atheist adverts. I'm hoping they'll get a lot more complaints about this...