The Freethought Association of Canada tried to buy ad space on OC Transpo buses that said, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." City staffers said the ad was too controversial to run. The transit commitee split on a vote (3-3) to overturn that decision meaning the ban remains.
More from the CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/02/19/ot-090219-busads.html?ref=rss
Although I disagree with the guy from the Humanist association that the ads aren't controversial, as it seems any public debate on the existence of God is going to be, and I also disagree that they wouldn't be considered adversarial. After all they are sending the message that what some people consider an important part of their life might have no substance is going to trigger a defensive/adversarial reaction.
With that in mind I'm not trying ignite a hot topic here on the forum, but I'm curious as to others opinions about the ads being banned.
The way I see it the ads, like any ad, were created to get attention and there probably could have been a softer message like "Some of your neighbors don't believe there is a God and they are really nice people." But even as the message stands I'm kind of disappointed in the decision. I understand OC Transpo probably has enough PR stress to deal with already that this wouldn't help their standing with many people in the community, but it seems to me an ad that says "God loves you, come worship with us" would get accepted without a wink and it causes a double standard.
What do forumers think about the ads being banned? (We can save the existence of God(s) for another thread
)
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