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Christian bus driver won't drive bus with atheist adverts

by mudricky | January 17, 2009 at 02:41 am

496 views | 84 Recommendations | 13 comments

An 'anti-god' advertising campaign ran by the British Humanist Association (BHS) on buses in the UK has angered a bus driver from England.

Christian Ron Heather, from Southampton walked out during his shift on Saturday night when he found his bus had the slogan "There's probably no God" on the side.

The BHS is a UK national charity who say they support and represent people "who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs".

On their website they say their vision is of a world without religious privilege or discrimination, where people are free to live good lives on the basis of reason, experience and shared human values.

The company who owns the buses Ron drives, First Buses, said he wouldn't need to drive one of the buses with the advert on the side.

The advertisements are currently running on 800 buses all over the UK in Scotland, England and Wales and has caused anger from Christian groups all over the UK.

A Christian bus driver has refused to drive a bus with an atheist slogan proclaiming "There's probably no God".

Ron Heather, from Southampton, Hampshire, responded with "shock" and "horror" at the message and walked out of his shift on Saturday in protest.

First Bus said it would do everything in its power to ensure Mr Heather does not have to drive the buses.

Buses across Britain started displaying atheist messages in an advertising campaign launched earlier this month.

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lefty_liberated

at 03:57 on January 17th, 2009

Funny stuff, man, and good continued coverage.

hussain

at 08:06 on January 17th, 2009

May be surprising for many but not so because he did whatever his conscience asked him to do and the step shows he is an upright and bold person, who said yes on call of conscience.

aelusive

at 09:52 on January 17th, 2009

I sort of agree. He believes in God and the Bible. Atheism is also a form of religion. They have faith there is no God.

158

at 08:08 on January 17th, 2009

This is interesting and has two sides. Would a black person drive a bus with anti-black ads?

""First Bus said it would do everything in its power to ensure Mr Heather does not have to drive the buses.""This may be the best solution.

Karen Hatter

at 08:20 on January 17th, 2009

Although I think I understand your intent by raising the issue, as a parellel, historically, Black people did work and were compelled to work in segregated places, places where they couldn't be patrons, places that displayed ugly signs of exclusion, often in derogatory terms, even suffering verbal abuse on the job. They continued to work because of the need for employment.

Obviously, at this point in time, that type of display against Black people would not be tolerated by most. Maybe, there may be a new 'Religious Tolerance' movement afoot, to counter attacks upon persons of faith, beginning with this driver.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 09:30 on January 17th, 2009

could a vegan for example refuse to drive a bus carrying advertising for a burger chain?

Barry ORegan

at 08:28 on January 17th, 2009

Excellent article Ricky, what a world we live in.

matte

at 15:52 on January 17th, 2009

I find any pro Christian ads offensive - does this mean i can have them all taken down?

Amy Judd

at 15:59 on January 17th, 2009

I think an advert is just an advert at the end of the day - I'm not sure how much it means.

azzayindia

at 09:51 on January 18th, 2009

great Ad.I will add to it it is not probable but the fact that their is no god.

Sputnic

at 01:40 on January 21st, 2009

Explain then the scientific miracles of the Quran if there is no God

rickardstevens (not verified)

at 18:36 on February 4th, 2009

if there were miracles... why did they stop a thousand years ago?

rumana husain

at 02:01 on January 21st, 2009

i agree with those who say its a laugh really, how people get embroiled in such debates, but these same things lead to big wars, remember? we are always looking for trouble, arent we!