05 February 2009

Scant comfort for atheist advertising

While I did think about mentioning how unimaginative the ripostes were from some of the Christian community (and you'll find them here: Let there be adverts: Christians hit back at the atheist bus | Media | The Guardian) I was most struck by this: "Last month the Advertising Standards Authority received almost 150 complaints that the atheist bus campaign was offensive to Christians, and that the 'no God' claim could not be substantiated.
However the ASA ruled that the campaign did not break the advertising code, concluding that the ads were an 'expression of the advertiser's opinion and that the claims in it were not capable of objective substantiation'. As such, it said that it was unlikely to mislead or to cause widespread offence."
Did you get that? the atheists were told that their claims are not capable of objective substantiation. Oh yes: the ASA reckon atheists hold a faith position too.
Just thought you'd like to know.

1 comment:

Steve Hayes said...

If you think some of the slogans were weak, you can do your own: Notes from underground: Your very own atheist bus slogan generator.

"Spend and tax" not "tax and spend"

 I got a response from my MP which got me kind of mad. You'll see why as I reproduce it here. Apologies for the strange changes in types...