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Believe what you want (except if you're Christian)
Pop veteran Madonna mimicked the Crucifixion on a giant cross at a concert three years ago. The move angered Christians worldwide, who attacked the singer for being insensitive and disrespectful.
Although churchgoers should be used by now to Madge’s exploitation of Christian imagery for controversy, which has included burning crosses and tactless sex simulation with her hit ‘Like A Virgin', I sympathise with their exasperation.
It’s doubtful Madonna would dare abuse the Star of David and definitely not the burqa on stage for the sake of her ‘art’. But attacks on Christianity, perpetrated by countless other films, musicians and TV shows too, seem to have become acceptable.
That’s why it wasn’t surprising that Christians' response to the athiest bus campaign became the fourth most complained-about ad in the Advertising Standard Authority’s history with over 1,000 complaints compared with merely 100 for the atheist adverts.
Why is it when both ads simply declared a faith-based opinion, the beliefs of Christians are judged as more offensive than atheists? Don't both have the right to express their view?
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Sonia
26 Mar 2009
Katy, I think the point people were making when complaining was that the Atheist campaign was expressing an opinion, whereas the Christian Party campaign wasn't stated as opinion, but fact as they used the word DEFINITELY.
Katy Selby
25 Mar 2009
christianity will always be offensive, but this whole debate is about expressing opinion. The christian faith cannot be expressed and respected in today's society when taken in comparison to other faiths and indeed to atheism for whatever reason. The reason is irrelevant, this is about human rights.
You are no longer free to express your christian opinion without an offensive (often personal) reaction in response which seems to be the tragedy here.
Ed
24 Mar 2009
Atheists: "there PROBABLY isn't a God, so why not enjoy yourself?" Tongue-in-cheek, makes you think about acting more positively.
Importantly: it is not directed against any religion in particular.
Christians: "there DEFINITELY is a God, so join the Christian Party".
Unsubtle, opinionated and trying to drum up recruitment. Unlikely to make anyone smile (even ironically). The Christian ad also manages to offend members of all other non-Christian religious groups on the planet.
So I have to ask you, Vibeka, why was your question not: "Why are the beliefs of Christians judged as more valid than those of other religions?"
Whocares
20 Mar 2009
I dont think the atheists that complained were really offended by the complaints - I would imagine that they were just proving the point that they are perfectly entitled to believe what they want and it is not very nice when others stick their noses in and start telling you what you can and can't say or believe. I believe that there is not a God, but I do not feel the need to go around telling those that do believe in God that they are fools.
Anon
20 Mar 2009
God isn't out there to be marketed - He's there to be loved and to give love. If people don't want to believe then that's their perogative, but if people do want to believe then that's up to them too.
It's a personal choice, opinions shouldnt be forced because if someone is truly searching for God, then God will pave the way for him/her. I think both sides are wasting their time. If you believe in God then just get on with your life; if you don't believe in God then just get on with yours - don't try to impose your views on each other. LOVE CANT BE FORCED.
Sonia
19 Mar 2009
I agree with John, I believe the main reason the advert received so many complaints (including by myself) was due to the fact that it stated There IS a God. That's not a 'belief' - that is a statement being advertised to the general public. And where is the proof for that statement?
AUUB
19 Mar 2009
There's a fundamental difference here that's often overlooked. The atheist basically says to the Christian, "You're wrong." The Christian basically says to the atheist, "You're wrong, you're evil, and you're going to burn forever in hell!"
The Christian message is intrinsically far more offensive no matter how often Christians attempt to cloak it with talk about love and mercy.
Rosie P
19 Mar 2009
If non-believers truly weren't challenged by it, they wouldn't react so strongly. They'd just ignore it and get on with their lives. People complain because they don't like being taken out of their comfort zones. It's easier to go through life not thinking about the greater picture - when someone challenges that it's not comfortable and of course makes them really angry. That's why so many believers were killed for preaching the gospel.
The cross is good news - it means freedom, but a lot of people don't want to hear that if it means humbling themselves and facing their own mortality. We have to understand that we will face persecution, but keep loving and sharing our faith even when it is not easy.
Kira
19 Mar 2009
1. There's a double standard in that the atheists had to use the word "probably" for their ads to be accepted whereas the Christians were allowed to make the declarative statement, "There is God" and "There definitely is a God."
2. One of the Christian ads even says, ‘The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God’. Don't even try to claim it's just what the Bible says so it's not offensive. If atheists had put up an ad saying believers were fools there would have been tens of thousands of protests. Christians call us fools all the time then stand back and pretend they're just "preaching the Bible". Do you get it now?
Geoff Patches
18 Mar 2009
Perhaps it is because Christians/all religions have a long history of imposing their worldview on others. They have had time (according to some interpretations all of time!) to generate a base level of good and bad will - hence any reaction to their messages is bound to be of magnitudes greater than the atheists - they already have more people naturally engaged with their message.
Anontoo
18 Mar 2009
It's not atheists belief system that is being offended it's their personal space.
Simon Wrigley
18 Mar 2009
As a Christian I wasn't offended by the atheist campaign. I actually thought it was good because it started a debate.
I believe God doesn't need us to defend him from such things. As Joacie said it seems the Christian campaigns have caused more people to feel uncomfortable and question their viewpoint.
Vibeka is right... if the messages had been against the Muslim or Jewish religion there would have been an uproar!
Joacie
18 Mar 2009
I'm not surprised that more people have complained about the Christian messages than the atheist ones. The number of complaints indicates the number of people who've been made to feel uncomfortable by the challenge to the worldview they base their life on. Ergo, Christians' belief in their God is not shaken by a few bus adverts, whereas an atheist's belief in no God does seem to have been!
Martin Davies
18 Mar 2009
I'm just highly amused by these campaigns. Not offended by any of them, just amused.
John
18 Mar 2009
Perhaps because the atheist one had to use the word 'probably' in order to be allowed onto the buses. Whereas the Christian one used the word 'definitely'.
Paul Ridge
18 Mar 2009
The Christian's appear to have (deliberately?) provoked this situation. The reason for the original adverts was a cheeky rebuff to the growing intrusion of religion in society.
By using the same medium to reinforce the original intrusion - of course they provoked a response! In my opinion It's a little pathetic that the religious wing that sanctioned this latest advert couldn't just turn the other cheek ...
Andrew
18 Mar 2009
As I understand it, true atheists can't believe in anything, not even in their own existence, and so cannot be certain about anything - so the instigators of the original advert must 'probably' be imposters pretending to be atheists! I'd definitely prefer to believe in something and in all certainty that I can at least enjoy the life I have been given.
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AB
2 Apr 2009
The atheist advert could have referred to the 'supreme being' of another faith e.g. Allah or Budha. Why God? Every faith/religion believes theirs is the 'correct' religion so the Christians have every right to state as a fact that there is DEFINITELY God.
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