Believers: Would you be offended by this ad?

On August 1 in Des Moines, Iowa, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) bus line began displaying an ad purchased by the Iowa Atheist and Free Thinkers Group on the side of their buses. The ad read, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone." Following a deluge of phone calls and complaints about the ad, DART pulled it from their buses three days later.

The entire story can be found here: http://www.kcci.com/news/20298174/detail.html

My question is this: do any of you actually find this advertisement offensive? Would you have complained? Bear in mind, DART has in the past run ads for Christian organizations. I'm less interested in discussing what DART should or should not have done (though as I understand it, they operate under government funding, and therefore government anti-discrimination policies apply to them), but instead I'm interested in the actions of the religious commuters. Do you think they were right in complaining about another view being represented in this ad? Was it actually offensive in any way?

2009-08-06T12:03:50Z

Saul Tigh makes a good point. If you believe the ad to be offensive, I would appreciate it if you would explain why you find it offensive, and what specifically is offensive about it.

2009-08-06T12:17:56Z

To further clarify, the bus company may be government-sponsored, but the advertisements are paid for exclusively by the organization taking out the ad, and DART has previously run ads from religious organizations, so they appear not to perceive an issue with church/state separation regarding religiously-themed ads.

Leo2009-08-06T12:00:26Z

Favorite Answer

"Don't believe in God? You are not alone."

What exactly is offensive about that? It's stating a fact. I would like the people who say it is offensive to explain why they think that. If someone paid for an ad that said "Believe in God? You are not alone" would that be found offensive by the same people who find the atheist ad offensive? If not then why not?

Anonymous2009-08-06T11:56:39Z

I can't see how that's anymore offensive than any other ad that is targeted towards one particular group. Men do not get pissed off about tampon commercials.Whites do not get offended over ads for products aimed at african americans (for the most part). People need to realize that America has religious freedom as one of its most important rights, which means that we are all free to practice, or not practice, any religion we like. Atheists are commonly looked down upon, and this is just another example of a vast majority oppressing the minority. Would they be just as offended if there was an ad targeting islam-curious people, or Buddhist-curious people?

The Curmudgeon2009-08-08T10:21:12Z

Considering it's government funding there should be no God related ads on it. However, it should be no more offensive to religious people than religious ads being offensive to Atheists. We are the nation of offended people, you can't say anything, you can't show anything that in any way can be construed as offensive. What ever happened to the line of thought, "Sticks and stones?"

Miss Lolly2009-08-06T12:00:10Z

Who cares if they're offended or not?

I have to go around all day seeing "Jesus: I trust in you" billboards all down the highway, and the occasional "Life: It's the christian answer" anti-abortion billboard too.

If 1 bus puts up an ad for a freethinkers group and a bunch of christians get up and cry "OFFENSIVE" all I have to do it point my finger down the Missouri highway to all their signs.

I don't call in and complain about their signs. I just drive past them. Why can't they do the same?

Anonymous2009-08-06T11:58:41Z

it's advertising. your tax dollars do not fund it, the organization doing the advertising pays for it.

as far as being offensive, maybe it is. but the rest of us are offended when we get religion shoved in our faces by people like the Jehovah's Witnesses, and we see ads that promote religion all the time. those stay up, why shouldn't the opposing view be ok too?

religion is a matter of opinion, and don't we all have the right to one?

Show more answers (13)