There's probably no God...

[GrahamB]

...so stop worrying and enjoy life!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7681914.stm

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Well it's only right that others get to express their views as well.
Even if they're wrong. lol

[Darthwing Teorist]

Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. "

I hate to break to the good professor, but his stance is just as religious as the theists'. Also, ads are basically brainwashing, so he engages in the same practices (if he ever taught atheism, it amounts to the same thing, since atheism is simply a belief).

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Also, he forgets to mention that professors with tenure tend to get free rides as well. lol

and his points are faulty if he thinks religion is within it's rights to not be offended.
In context, there is quite a lot in the modern world that is highly offensive to religious people. War and poverty come to mind....

[affa]

::)

Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. "

I hate to break to the good professor, but his stance is just as religious as the theists'. Also, ads are basically brainwashing, so he engages in the same practices (if he ever taught atheism, it amounts to the same thing, since atheism is simply a belief).

i kinda took it like that's what he was saying... "if they can do it, why can't i?"

[GrahamB]

::)

Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. "

I hate to break to the good professor, but his stance is just as religious as the theists'. Also, ads are basically brainwashing, so he engages in the same practices (if he ever taught atheism, it amounts to the same thing, since atheism is simply a belief).

He's right about the tax breaks. Scientology did well out of that.

Also - I pass a lot of "Jesus saves" type adverts on my way to work. Only fair the opposite corner get to do their ads too.

Jesus saves, but the Buddah does incremental backups. (Only geeks will get that).

[Ian]

Also, he forgets to mention that professors with tenure tend to get free rides as well. lol

and his points are faulty if he thinks religion is within it's rights to not be offended.
In context, there is quite a lot in the modern world that is highly offensive to religious people. War and poverty come to mind....

I'm pretty sure buttsechs, people who don't take their beliefs seriously, and other religions are MUCH higher up on your average theist's hate list.

[Chris Fleming]

Sounds like England.

[GrahamB]

Sounds like England.

Yep, we like to use our brains

[RobP]

"Thinking is anathema to religions" - Dawkins

[shawnsegler]

[GrahamB]

Shawn - are you ok? You look a little underweight....

[shawnsegler]

Oi!

S

[Chris Fleming]

I find the premise of their ad campaign amusing. Let me try to break this down.

Firstly, it presumes that people who seek and love God are filled with worry. Along with this premise, you could include that they are also lacking joy in their lives, as the sign indicates that people ought to somehow reclaim their joy, as it assumes that it is somehow lost.

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't live in worry at all. I have lots of joy and get much out of my life. Others that I know who are believers are not in panic, worry, or anxiety either. Rather, especially lately, it seems that it is the godless are the ones lacking joy more than anyone else. One couple I know (who do not believe in God) is glued to their TV every night worrying and worrying because their respective 401K's have gone down massively. The people I roll with don't have these problems. They have good jobs, families, plans for the future, and yet none of this recent turmoil seems to be a care. Hmm...wonder why that is!

Now, one does not need to be a Christian to not care about such things. Yet there is something more going on here. It is as Paul said: "...for I have learned in whatever circumstances I am, to be content. I know also how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me". Phil 4:11-13

That doesn't sound like a person who is filled with worry and anxiety. Rather this is a person who has learned the secret: which is enjoying Christ. In riches or in poverty, in peace or in danger--to the lover of Christ these things make no difference.

I know this is not always the reality for all Christians however. I don't know what some Christians are doing, but if they are constantly filled with worry and condemnation, then they are following something which is not taught in the Bible.

Next there comes the idea that people are lacking and missing something in their lives by believing in God. That is, there are joys which believers are not taking advantage of. I would love to hear exactly what joys they had in mind. Last time I looked, even those who do not believe in God still contend that it is right to act and live ethically and morally. Anything more than that is a liberty I don't really want in the first place, so they can keep it and I'll just have to miss out on those "joys". Oh well.

And as for anything else, it doesn't take much brains to see that the makers of this ad campaign are not really interested in people's joy and emotional emancipation. Rather it is a person or group with an agenda. Don't have any problem with that but it's funny to see people get so worked up that they'll even spend money to promote their cause with a veil over themselves. That is, making the appearance of concern for others but really just trying to promote their agenda, which in this case is a pointless stab at Christianity. But whatever.

Anyway, perhaps someone could take out a bus ad which says "Pascal's Wager".

[GrahamB]

Well, to turn that back on you, the premise of most 'God advertising' I see from Churches/religious nutters is that:

a) only we have the real shit, and
b) you're all lost without our special teaching that only we have.

When I see that in a martial arts style/teacher/school I roll my eyes to heaven. Why should religion be treated any different?

I think that's Dawkin's point - religion gets away with it (brainwashing kids before they make their own choices/tax breaks/lack of rational debate) because if we take issue we risk hurting people's feelings. Boo hoo. Deal with it religious types, I say!