Athiests in the UK have raised money to purchase ad space on buses that read “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” 30 buses in Birmingham, Manchester, and Edinburgh will carry the signs for four weeks.

The athiests, part of the British Humanist Association (BHA) are supported by Professor Richard Dawkins- well known for his best-selling books, The God Delusion and God is Not Great. Dawkins says, “Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride-automatic tax credits, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. Even on buses, nobody thinks twice when they see a religious slogans plastered across the side. This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think- and thinking is anathema to religion.”

Here’s my question: In a country where the number of people attending church has dropped like a bungee jumping hippo in the last 40 years, why the need to spend thousands of Pounds promoting humanism? Would Dawkins and friends be “enjoying life” more if they used that money to help a few under-resourced children? Or how about a round of drinks at the pub? It all seems rather silly to me.

Adding to the strange nature of the ad campaign, the BHA doesn’t even make a definitive claim. They don’t say, “God doesn’t exist.” They say, “There’s probably no God.” That’s not atheism. That’s agnosticism on a bad hair day. Where is the dogmatic fundamentalism we’re all used to from Dawkins? Can you imagine James Dobson buying ad space on a bus that says, “Obama’s probably wrong”? No way! I think Dawkins has gone weak.

A bright spot in the article on the BBC news page comes from Methodist minister Jenny Ellis. She says, “This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life. Christianity is for people who aren’t afraid to think about life and meaning.”

Thank you, Rev Ellis, for being a thoughtful, non-reactionary voice. If only there were more like you.

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