Atheist Ad pulled from bus

"The ads sponsored by the Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers group read, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone." They created a storm of controversy when they first went up on Saturday.

DART's advertising director, Kirsten Baer-Harding, said Wednesday that the agency's board never approved the signs and that they were put up by mistake. But the president of the atheist group said Baer-Harding had told him the signs had been approved.

DART said it started to receive complaints the minute the ads went on the buses.

Baer-Harding said they were removed on Tuesday."

Link

Here is what the Governor had to say about it:

"I was disturbed, personally, by the advertisement and I can understand why other Iowans were also disturbed by the message that it sent," Culver said." (link)

Here is the ad: 

Seriously?

I really don't know what to say. How in the hell could this be "disturbing" or "offensive"? I'm sure they plan on taking down every ad that disturbs or offends anyone. 

What are your thoughts on this?

I really don't know what to say. How in the hell could this be "disturbing" or "offensive"? I'm sure they plan on taking down every ad that disturbs or offends anyone. 

What are your thoughts on this?

Dr_AlanGrant

Meanwhile this disgusting bile is allowed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miULdI-qocg

I don't know wtf this ad is about but it's ****** up as hell

Here's the billboard version:

Or how about this:

100% fabricated quote, lying for Jesus apparently doesn't count.

This demonstrates exactly what that ad was trying to say, this was the most innocuous one yet and it seems as though they are getting offended by the mere fact that someone's telling them atheists exist, disgusting, I'd hate to be an atheist in America :(

"I was disturbed, personally, by the advertisement and I can understand why other Iowans were also disturbed by the message that it sent,"

 What ****** message it sent? That we exist? FFS

wtf?  The sign basically says "atheists exist".  Are you seriously telling me that people are disturbed by the suggestion that atheists do in fact exist?

...don't answer that.

Meanwhile this disgusting bile is allowed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miULdI-qocg

I don't know wtf this ad is about but it's ****** up as hell

bean-with-bacon

Also, if you don't believe in God, you're incapable of human emotion. The list can go on and on.

 I'd hate to be an atheist in America :(

bean-with-bacon

In defense of my countrymen and women, it's not really like that on the coasts. The craziness is mostly in the middle and the friggin' South.

"I was disturbed, personally, by the advertisement and I can understand why other Iowans were also disturbed by the message that it sent,"

 What ****** message it sent? That we exist? FFS

bean-with-bacon

I think the "Atheist? You're not the only one!" message carries the implication that it's okay to not believe in God, and we certainly can't have people thinking that!

What if instead of a sign acknowledging the existence of atheists they had a sign that acknowledged the existence of say.... coprophiliacs.

"Do faeces give you sexual pleasure? You are not alone"

"Iowa coprophiliacs and scatologists: IOWACOPROPHILIACS.org"

Surely we would agree that an ad like that would be disturbing and not fit for public display yet it is structurally identical to the advert about atheists. The issue isn't that it's acknowledging the mere existence of something it's just that that something is repugnant.

But that brings us to the unsettling point that atheists are percieved as inherently repugnant in Iowa. Is this justified? Well it's hardly true that by the very nature of being an atheist you become revolting but why might someone think this way? Well they might believe that by being atheistic you lack morality (as beanwithbacon poins out nicely with her counter billboards) or they might believe that atheism robs people of their eternal salvation which if you're a genuine believer could be very significant.

These concerns aside though those ads didn't deserve to be removed. I'm pretty sure you're meant to freely choose to worship God not just to be stuck unwillingly because you didn't know that there was an alternative.

Btw there is no such url as iowacoprophiliacs.com I just made that up.

But that brings us to the unsettling point that atheists are percieved as inherently repugnant in Iowa. Is this justified? Well it's hardly true that by the very nature of being an atheist you become revolting but why might someone think this way? Well they might believe that by being atheistic you lack morality (as beanwithbacon poins out nicely with her counter billboards) or they might believe that atheism robs people of their eternal salvation which if you're a genuine believer could be very significant.

domatron23

These concerns aside though those ads didn't deserve to be removed. I'm pretty sure you're meant to freely choose to worship God not just to be stuck unwillingly because you didn't know that there was an alternative.domatron

wtf?  The sign basically says "atheists exist".  Are you seriously telling me that people are disturbed by the suggestion that atheists do in fact exist?

...don't answer that.

GabuEx

Maybe there are people who simply do not believe that atheists exist...they should be called "anatheists".   

as humans we are frightened by what we think is abnormal and drastically different. ChiliDragon

All I have to say is that this is the stupid censorship covered up with idiotic responses from the authorities of supposed disturbance caused by the ads.

:?  It's not even making any claims against religion.  All its says is that there people who don't believe in a God.  And that you can find said people on the link provided.  

And I just love how no one finds it disturbing when Bible passages are strewn about billboards.   

:?  It's not even making any claims against religion.  All its says is that there people who don't believe in a God.  And that you can find said people on the link provided.  

And I just love how no one finds it disturbing when Bible passages are strewn about billboards.   

Dark_Knight6

You know what's funny? If they put a christian link at the bottom it could just as easily be interpreted at pro christianity :lol:

Anyway The ads got put back up, so that's a win for us.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2044-Atheism-Examiner~y2009m8d7-Iowa-atheist-ads-will-be-restored-to-buses

Governor Culver, the members of IAF are your constituents just as much as any Iowa member of a Christian church or any other religious group. We are also citizens of this state and this country and, therefore, entitled to the same constitutional rights to free speech no matter what religion we belong or don't belong to.

Rofl.

 I'd hate to be an atheist in America :(

bean-with-bacon

In defense of my countrymen and women, it's not really like that on the coasts. The craziness is mostly in the middle and the friggin' South.

I live in the middle of the friggin' south, and am Atheist/Agnostic. Most everyone I go to school with knows, and I get some strange reactions, but no hate. Then again, I go to a high end public school.

I think the "Atheist? You're not the only one!" message carries the implication that it's okay to not believe in God, and we certainly can't have people thinking that!

It doesn't carry the implication that it is okay, it just tells you that there are people like you.

It is the same as "Abused Child? You're not the only one." :)

Dang it, my false quote boxes didn't work.

I accidentally deleted the originals.

I live in the middle of the friggin' south, and am Atheist/Agnostic. Most everyone I go to school with knows, and I get some strange reactions, but no hate. Then again, I go to a high end public school.

It (the ad) doesn't carry the implication that it is okay, it just tells you that there are people like you.

It is the same as "Abused Child? You're not the only one." :)

This is what I said.

I'm glad they put the ads back up. I'm still amazed something like this happened...Dr_AlanGrant

^this