Anti-Religious Ads in St. Louis?
Richard Dawkins stands below one of the 800 new ads in the UK
A developing trend for the last couple months has been the increasing appearance of non-theist billboards and bus advertisements. Most recently the BBC reported that complaints are being filed with the Advertising Standards Authority in England about the recent bus ads. These ads, funded by the British Humanist Society, display the slogan “There’s probably no God now stop worrying about it and get on with your life”. The complaint, filed by the Christian Voice, cite a code that states “marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims”. Obviously a tough claim to back up, but supporters of the ads don’t seem worried.
Many organizations stateside, such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, have also been funding billboards with slogans such as “Beware of dogma” and “Imagine no religion” in major cities across the US.
I for one fully support these ads, most organizations state that these ads are not to offend, but to get people thinking, as Richard Dawkins said best.
“This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think – and thinking is anathema to religion”-Professor Richard Dawkins
While St. Louis may not be the biggest hotbed of religion, I’m sure these ads would meet with as much as opposition here, as anywhere, and that’s why I’m worried. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be letters written, sermons lectured and complaints filed as soon as these appear. Hopefully St. Louis ad agencies have enough balls to stick to their guns and uphold our 1st amendment rights.
My question is, how long will it be before similar ads start showing up in St. Louis? How will St. Louis react? Does the St. Louis Metro have rules against such ads, and can they enforce them?
Doctor Sound's Murmurs 