NZ Atheist Bus Campaign is live!
10.12.09 | simon | 
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Today we launch the New Zealand Atheist Bus Campaign!
- UK Bus Image (courtesy of Jon Worth)
Following the positive spirit of the UK Campaign, this NZ version stands for the same basic principles and ideas: the promotion and expression of a secular humanist world view, and the affirmation that there is no need to believe in a supernatural being to live a full and rich life.
The campaign intends to promote debate on issues such as God, religion and religion’s influence on society. Religion should not be a taboo subject that no one brings up at dinner parties – we should be discussing what we believe and why. While New Zealand has a different religious environment than say, the United States, there are still issues to discuss and be aware of. For example, we have recently seen the rise of the radical Destiny Church, the deadly side of exorcisms, and there is the on-going debate of the validity of the tax-free status of modern churches. Further issues on the world stage also require discussion, such as news of the atrocities committed to children by Catholic priests in Ireland, and influence of fundamentalist Christianity and Islam across the world.
This campaign is about challenging people to think critically about their beliefs, and especially to think critically about how much control they give over their lives to a supernatural being for which there is no evidence.
To promote this message we intend to, initially at least, use the effective advertising medium of buses in New Zealand’s largest centres: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The message on the buses will follow the example of the UK Campaign, with “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
We need your support to reach our fundraising goal of $10,000. All donations will go to advertising costs – no administrative overheads will be taken from donated money. The donations are kindly being administered by The Humanist Society of NZ. Please donate online through the donations link on the top-right of this page, or see the Support page for further donation options.
December 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
As great as the campaigns are overseas, in New Zealand this feels a little unnecessary. While statistically NZ is a Christian country (55.6 % as of the 2006 census), if it was to ask how many are current practicing Christians I would hazard a guess to say the number would be much lower.
Add to that point that in NZ we’re blessed that people are much more open to other peoples religious views such as being agnostic or atheist. While many places overseas suffer from an overly vocal subset of Christian zealots who feel they need to impose their religion on others I just don’t feel that happens in NZ.
In conclusion, while I support the need to counter balance any religious zealots with alternatives. In NZ the lack of said zealots, arguably puts this campaign dangerously close to becoming that particular group of people shoving their message in other peoples faces.
December 10th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Agreed that it’s a very different religious landscape here than in the US or even the UK. And there is also the relaxed Kiwi attitude to things religious/philosophical…
However, that said, we feel there is still value in promoting reason, critical thinking, and humanist values. Even with our relatively minor “religious issues” here, there is always room to promote these ideals. This campaign is not aimed at any particular religion/belief. So I don’t think the lack of zealots per se makes this campaign significantly different to the others.
Also, although centred here obviously, this is not completely about NZ. It is essentially part of the world-wide ‘movement’ (if you could call it that) to increase awareness of atheism and foster the ideas of secularism, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
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December 11th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I don’t like your slogan but I am encouraged that you have the word ‘maybe’ in it.
There is hope for you as there is a God and He is awesome!
Cheers and have a great day
December 11th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Jimmy,
I would like to take this point to dissagree with your comments ending with:
“..need to impose their religion on others I just don’t feel that happens in NZ”.
We don’t have a national holiday and yet we are forced to observe these religious holidays that occur at inconvientent times each year.
December 11th, 2009 at 8:29 am
I have to agree with Jimmy. Especially:
“In NZ the lack of said zealots, arguably puts this campaign dangerously close to becoming that particular group of people shoving their message in other peoples faces.”
I don’t think this is going to go down very well at all, and isn’t really necessary around here. I think people mostly already act according to what the bus ads say. In NZ more people probably believe in psychics and ghosts than god – perhaps ‘psychics and ghosts probably don’t exist….etc’ would be better.
The whole thing has a bit of a self-righteous feel that never fails to turn people off.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:01 am
test asdf as dfasdf asdf asdf asdf
December 11th, 2009 at 9:14 am
History is heavenly revelation in reverse. To believe in no God you must totally close your mind to such parallels. History also tells us that societies that have told the God of heaven to get out of their lives have imploded, but then the other thing we learn from history is that we never learn anything from history. My love for all our Heavenly Father’s children does not prevent me feeling very sad for some of their actions. I pray that eternal truths will distill upon your soul.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:38 am
@Simon -While I agree there’s value in sharing alternative views on religion and humanist views, but when you’re the only one ‘shouting’ in a debate you’re the one that seems more hostile.
Also the term worldwide movement may be a slight hyperbole. But I generally respect the cause.
@Geoff While I agree Christmas and Easter have Christian origins, Christ seems to have very little to do with modern day Christmas which is more a celebration of a jolly fat bloke and a good meal with friends and family.
Also taken from my personal anecdotal evidence modern day Easter has more to do with chocolate and getting away to the beach or spending time with family. You’ll note in this article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10614566 about the recent defeat of the trading act for Easter, they mention family and community but not once about religion.
@John Very true, my girlfriend is much more worried about demon spirits getting her after watching ‘paranormal activity’ than any Biblical notions. Much to my dismay but that’s a whole different kettle of fish.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:05 am
“There’s probably no God” – passive statement that opens debate.
But followed by the command “Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” came across to me exactly the same as other zealots that need to impose their religion on others.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Atheism isn’t a religion Mike.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Good job on the campaign. So pleased to see things happening here.
You may feel this is not necessary in NZ, but we still have the Brian Tamaki’s of this world reaming 10% out of peoples pay each week.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I’m afraid to say that I’m with Jimmy and John on this one. I think we’d be better off putting effort and money into teaching critical thinking in primary schools or something. I suspect that all that this will achieve will be to give a waning fundamentalist movement a platform in the media.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am
That said, in light of the fact that it’ll go ahead anyway, good luck! Just be careful not to give them the podium they are desperate for.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Religion was our first and worst try at accounting for our beginning. Science looks for evidence and changes a position if and when new evidence comes to light – it has no bias. Religion, on the other hand, is stuck with its Bronze Age fables, unable to change and with no evidence at all, shows it up for what it is – “man ma
December 11th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Hi There!
So glad the Bus campaign is coming to NZ.
I am known on YouTube as the woman who ‘binned’ the bible, ever so nicely in thirty seconds flat!
Thanks to FFreethinker in Germany my YouTube has gone mega and is on the Best Educational Science Videos playlist. This is a tremendous honour to be up there with Carl Sagan.
Charles Darwin vs Adam & Eve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlQgetztBw
On my own NZ YouTube Euphobia1 it is still on the honors list in Germany and NZ after 9 months!
#14 – Most Discussed (All Time) – Education – New Zealand
#16 – Top Favorited (All Time) – Education – New Zealand
#3 – Top Rated (All Time) – Education – New Zealand
You might have seen it! If not enjoy!
Personally I never go past A&E and if you are to front up to the Rev’s of this world this is the Achilles heel There is absolutely no answer to A&E. If that isn’t right and further discussion is useless.
I never discuss ‘Is there a God?’ as as you found out the Revs are very good on getting out of this one. Stick to A&E and watch them squirm.
I even flawed Pro Ken Miller with A&E! No answer. It was almost embarrassing.
I shall send a donation and wish you all the luck in the world.
Pity ‘Close Up’ did not put your name and web site up on their ‘Close Up’ site. I think you should ask them to do this.
Good luck and Seasons Greetings
Euphobia1
PS I stick to anonymity as I am quite outspoken and I do not want to get killed as cold happen.
December 12th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
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December 14th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
“There’s probably no God” – passive statement that opens debate.
To promote this message we intend to, initially at least, use the effective advertising medium of buses in New Zealand’s largest centre: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
December 17th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
There should be one reading “Man created God in his own image to guide his society”. God really is the product of man’s imagination and a way to explain what he did not understand. When civilisation started, we used tools but our tools were limited. So with those limited tools and knowledge, we tried to explain stars, eclipses, comets, thunder and lighting. Science was not even a word. Try to do addition and multiplication using Roman numerals… well you can’t. No wonder they believed the Sun goes around the Earth.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:54 am
That’s a good point about adding with Roman numerals! I like it.
I don’t care about the existence of a Diety other than God the Father. That is the one that terrifies me and fortunately it is the one that can be scientifically proved to be fiction. Yippee!.
If there is another God he seems to leave earth alone thank goodness.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I am really interested in this topic can you provide me with any more information on it? Thanks!
December 20th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Hi!
Usually when i see a blog i read through it and move on, however yours was trully a delightful one, i thought i would take the time to give you thanks for such a good blog post.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Hi!
Usually when i see a blog i read through it and move on, however this one was trully a wonderful 1, i thought i would take the time to give you thanks for such a wonderful blog post.
December 29th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
“There is probably no God”
Nice Bus
I agree, and most of the theories that go with it don’t give one any real insight into how man and planets etc came about, but that’s why it is belief.
Most of the athiests theories are just belief as well. Most of it is just, some experts think may of have occured but it’s full of wholes as well.
MAN FROM MUD
http://www.rehabilitatenz.co.nz/pages/man-from-mud.html
It is often amusing to catch “science” out in its pompous parade of authority and gadgetry, and often amazing that some fields are not arrested for “false pretenses.
Amongst those present in this parade is the modern “biologist” with his modern “Man from Mud” theory. According to the professors in this “field,” man is an animal who arose as a result of a spontaneous accident from a “sea of ammonia” and by the stages of development called “evolution,” arrived at the proud estate of a two-legged wog. This is the theory taught as the theory in most universities today.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:25 am
I really like Dean, he had the charm of not taking order from the Heavan when it would not make sense, but he appears to trust his father’s order even when he had the doubt.. could also be he have more belief in family than God!
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:16 am
I utterly disagree that NZ is ambivalent re: religion.
I had an appalling experience in 2005 when I’d moved back to NZ after living overseas for many years. I had an obviously contentious bumper sticker on my car which nearly got me killed while driving Hghwy 1 in Northland. Someone attempted to force me off the road in pouring rain & at high speed…all the while blowing their horn & obviously raging.
It was a pro Atheist funny (to me, anyway) thing but caused all hell to break loose. It also drew a crowd of gasping horrified nit wits while parked in Whangarei.
We non-believers must tolerate ‘their’ highly offensive religious tripe plastered all over. We manage to cope without resorting to violence…now they’re getting some back & must learn to cope, as have we !
The phrase which caused all this mayhem?
“I was flying over the Andes with god as my co-pilot, when we crashed, so I had to eat him.”
I wonder if this will elicit the same ridiculous response? Hopefully not.