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Another religious issue appears to be about to surface in Tasmania - or rather that should be resurfacing.
Anglican Bishop John Harrower has sounded the warning, in what can be regarded as a pre-emptive strike on the subject. It’s all about belief and non-belief - and a public push of the latter.
The bishop opened his Christmas message, titled “Enjoying God, enjoying life”, with this: “Apparently, coming to a bus near you, is a Tasmanian version of the UK bus ads, ‘There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy life.’ ”
And from this he was sad that atheists didn’t believe in God.
The bus advertising likelihood emerged earlier in the year, when the Atheist Foundation of Australia took Metro Tasmania to the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner over Metro’s rejecting this advertising. (First on TT: HERE)
The parties reached an agreement through conciliation in early August, that advertising setting out “Atheism - Celebrate reason!” might be seen on our Metro buses in 2010. David Nicholls, president of the Atheist Foundation, saw it as a “great day of freedom of expression in Tasmania - a ‘sign’ of the times.”
It seems the adverts will appear in the New Year, but when is uncertain and no contract (an advertising company handles this business for Metro) has yet been decided. Also, the message may not be in the form John Harrower envisages.
In his message he suggested that when people (no doubt he means believers) see bus drivers and passengers in the buses carrying this “sad” message they should give them “a wave, a knowing wink, and a smile”.
Perhaps you caught the recent interview with Richard Dawkins by Andrew Denton on his ABC “Elders” series. Professor Dawkins is a prominent atheist and supported the UK bus advertising from the British Humanist Association.