13^th August 2009

Nice type, no brains in atheist ad campaign

You may have seen the advertising campaign on the sides of London buses early this year. In gaily coloured type, it cheekily declared – “There’s probably no God: now stop worrying and enjoy life.” Another day, and just another sign in this busy world. But what made this poster campaign memorable was the international publicity it gathered. World media outlets reported the appearance of the London signs as though it were a modern Eureka! moment. No God? At last, all those problems we’ve been having in life can disappear!

But wait: post-God, we still have problems. Since the poster crusade was launched, other news events have reminded us that even in the middle of our funky modern lives, death and pain are permanent realities. People die horrible deaths in natural disasters. Anger prompts crimes that shock communities. Grief and suffering caused by a variety of factors other than religion remind us of the Hobbesian truth that life is nasty, brutish and short. The fragile frailty of our existence is no new concept, of course – but our modern consumerist and entertainmentoriented lifestyle seems designed to keep us from noticing the rough end of life’s pineapple.

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