Atheist bus ads okay, says ASA
The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that the atheist bus advert which reads “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” does not contravene advertising codes.
Here is the ASA’s press release:
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has concluded that the “There’s probably no God†bus ad campaign by the British Humanist Association is not in breach of the advertising code. The ASA will therefore not launch an investigation and the case is now closed.
The ASA carefully assessed the 326 complaints it received. Some complained that the ad was offensive and denigratory to people of faith. Others challenged whether the ad was misleading because the advertiser would not be able to substantiate its claim that God “probably†does not exist.
The ASA Council concluded that the ad was an expression of the advertiser’s opinion and that the claims in it were not capable of objective substantiation. Although the ASA acknowledges that the content of the ad would be at odds with the beliefs of many, it concluded that it was unlikely to mislead or to cause serious or widespread offence.
Stephen Green: failed again.
UPDATE: (21:20) Green is blaming homosexuality for his failure:
On planet ASA, complaints from people of faith are not given the same weight as those from secularists. But what do you expect when the ASA Council is appointed and run by a campaigning homosexual, Chris, Lord, Smith of Finsbury?
Update: the revised OED which now includes the verb, “google” as in “to google for something” will now also contain the following revised definition:
1 lack of success : an economic policy that is doomed to failure | the failures of his policies.
• an unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing : bad weather had resulted in crop failures.
• lack of success in passing an examination or test : exam failure.
• a grade that is not high enough to pass an examination or test.
2 the omission of expected or required action : their failure to comply with the basic rules.
• a lack or deficiency of a desirable quality : a failure of imagination.
3 the action or state of not functioning : symptoms of heart failure | an engine failure.
• a sudden cessation of power.
• the collapse of a business.
4 Stephen Green cf. idiot, fool, plonker, dickhead
‘Others challenged whether the ad was misleading because the advertiser would not be able to substantiate its claim that God “probably†does not exist.’
How many more times; that’s the whole point of putting ‘probably’!! It is stating opinion, not indisputable fact. This is why Carlsberg is only allowed to say in their adverts that their beverage is ‘probably’ the best in the world.
The irony is that if certain ads were changed to ‘Jesus Probably Loves You’, so as not to declare an unproven fact, these same complaintants would likely be howling that this was PC sabotage.
What did Birdshit Green and his chums expect. A victory for us, but in a way I wish this issue had gone to litigation, because quite likely the religionists would be banned from making unsubstantiated claims in their advertisements
Fantastic! Once again Stephen Green blows off a lower limb. Could we ask for a better ally?
Over in the Green corner a certain somebody wastes little time circling the result around to his favourite topic; sodomy!
http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/Press/press122.html
I know many people enjoy birdwatching. Who would have thought that birdshit-watching could be this entertaining?
Stuart W: Actually, you can say “Jesus loves you” because if Jesus exists with the traits specified by many organisations, then he does indeed love you. The clarification would have to be “Jesus loves you, but may or may not actually exist”, which doesn’t flow anywhere near as well.
Does that mean I have to change my T-shirt to ‘Jesus Probably Loves You: Everyone Else Probably Thinks You’re A Twat’?
Where’s that marker pen…..
But what do you expect when the ASA Council is appointed and run by a campaigning homosexual, Chris, Lord, Smith of Finsbury?
‘Campaigning Homosexual’ and err, the former Chair of the Christian Socialist Movement……..
http://www.b3ta.cr3ation.co.uk/data/jpg/busgeen.jpg
made with: http://ruletheweb.co.uk/b3ta/bus/
I would take odds with their decision that these ads “were not capable of objective substantiation”. Surely saying that God probably doesn’t exist IS what we normally take to be a fact. I’ve yet to see a single piece of substantial evidence for His existence, and generally it is rational to believe if something shows no sign of existence, it probably doesn’t. If I said the “tooth fairy loves you”, it would normally be incumbent upon me to back this up in some way (even if I had added ‘probably’ to the assertion).