Comments on: Atheist Bus Campaign in… New York City!

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:42:39 +0000

People want a similar sign in FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. removed. The sign has a URL, http://www.FreeThoughtFlorida.com, but can’t be found.

Morals are for individuals and ethics are for business but the same. Good campaign. I like phrases like, Think Free, or “I find comfort in rationalism, knowledge, logic, freethought and freedom of critical thought”. I’d like to find a group of freethinkers that can counter and oppose psychopaths, narcissists, and the trend of those without a cop in the sky, or without morals and ethics seem to graduate to the top in powerful positions and wealth because then we end up basically in the same position having one ultimate authority. Today it seems to be the bankers.

By: «bønez_brigade»

«bønez_brigade» — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:51:47 +0000

Ouch. Keith Olbermann (of MSNBC) just gave the NYC ad’s anonymous donor the bronze for his “Worst Persons In The World” segment. Why? Because the ad is about atheists coming out of the closet and not remaining anonymous. He didn’t have any problem with the ad’s message, though.

By: «bønez_brigade»

«bønez_brigade» — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:56:07 +0000

Jane spake,

We felt these words would get out our message to everyone, not just campy intellectuals.

Likewise.
And getting right to the point is the best route to take, IMO.

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:57:34 +0000

The 12-foot-long Atheist message on the sides of some 24 buses in New York City right now is the result of long and thoughtful consideration by some of us here at NYC-Atheists Inc. The first line is meant to shatter the notions of many people in New York that they “MUST” believe in god. When I was a kid and learned for the first time that I didn’t HAVE to believe in god, though everybody else did, it was a very shocking, awakening, freeing experience.
Then we added the second line “to be a moral or ethical person.” This was meant to shatter another ingrained notion: that most people need god watching over them in order to be law-abiding and honest people.
We’re saying: NO, Man, you can do it by yourself. You don’t need an invisible cop in the sky to make you do what’s best for humanity.
“Moral” is different from being ethical. Moral generally refers to virtue imposed on you. Ethical refers more to moral principles from within yourself. There are nuances in the English language, we know, so we decided to use these words according to their colloqial and intuitive usages.
We felt these two lines would communicate a lot while not offending any specific religion. We felt these words would get out our message to everyone, not just campy intellectuals.
Much as we appreciate all of your suggestions about our message, we found most of them to be too ambiguous to reach the majority of viewers.
I especially giggled at the blimp idea. But we’re dead serious this time around. Maybe next time, after people get more used to us, we can afford to be clever and humorous.

By: fredthepig

fredthepig — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:47:37 +0000

See, this is why atheists don’t get things done. A nice, well thought out campaign with a simple, non-aggressive message that won’t piss off the believers and all we do is bitch about semantics.
Makes a fella proud.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:40:56 +0000

But it’s a bit long for a bus ad. A message to be read off the side of a moving bus shouldn’t be more than about seven or eight words.

“You Don’t Have to Believe in God to be a Moral or Ethical Person”

says the same as

“You Can be Good Without God Belief”

From 14 words to 7. Thus ends my marketing advice. (Are you listening NYC Atheists?)

“Moral or Ethical” is the worst part since they are at least colloquially synonymous. If there’s a difference most people probably couldn’t say what it is. Say one or the other, not both.

By: Arnaud

Arnaud — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:10:59 +0000

Awesome, I’ll be there right on time! I’m taking a flight from Brussels to New York in a couple days and staying there for a month.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:01:58 +0000

Image a blimp over a football game.

Hey, there’s no god up here. Now watch the game.

I literally, laughed out loud. Thanks for that one.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:54:08 +0000

Alright, I will rephrase: It isn’t terribly pithy.

By: Frik

Frik — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:46:36 +0000

The sign makes me think not of atheism, but of the difference between moral and ethical. I am not sure of the difference, so this sign ended up confusing the atheist who is typing this.