Buses must be militant atheists, because pretty soon they’re all going to be sporting declarations of godlessness. The latest nation to jump on the bandwagon is Brazil. If you can read Portuguese, you can go direct to the source and read all about it. Otherwise, I’ve put a translation below the fold.
In the first week of this year was launched the first advertising campaign in the UK about atheism, promoted by the British Humanist Association. The campaign has its own website (where shirts can be purchased) and is attracting great attention from the media since its launch in October – including in Brazil.
The so-called “bus campaign” spread to several countries, and now also came to Brazil. The Brazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics launched the first phase of the campaign in the country, with eight slogans that we want to display on buses in the city of São Paulo. The phrases explain what atheists think, and seek to launch a first step towards the recognition of skeptical people as full and worthy citizen, with its deserved place in society. One of the highlights is the phrase that calls for an effective secular state, which ATEA believes should be a priority for citizens of all beliefs and disbelief.The slogans chosen by the association are:
2. I’m happy without believing in any god. Subtitle: Be proud to be who you are. Do not hide.
3. I do not need a god to be good. And you?
4. Image or text showing famous atheists. Text: You know which one is an atheist? ALL. Subtitle: We are millions in Brazil, hundreds of millions worldwide. Suggestions for names: Camila Pitanga, Angelina Jolie, Paulo Autran, Dercy Gonçalves, Charlie Chaplin, Daniel Radcliffe, José Saramago, Glória Maria, Drauzio Varella, Cássia Eller, Jodie Foster, Jorge Amado, Walmor Chagas.
5. Images of crucifixes in public places, “God be praised” in the money, “Sorocaba is of the Lord Jesus” and saying “Atheists are also citizen.” Subtitle: We want equality. We deserve respect.
6. Faith does not give answers. It only prevents questioning.
7. Smile! Hell doesn’t exist.
8.You are as atheist as we. When you understand why you don’t believe in all the other gods, you will know why we do not believe in yours.
9. Two hands working do more than a thousand praying.
Atheist or not, any person can help finance the campaign, regardless of relationship to the Association. Donations can be given separately for each of the phrases, using for it a value with the last digit equal to the numbers in the above list. For example, to help with the slogan of the number 4, there must be sent a value ending in 4: R$ 24, R$ 84, etc.. Values ending in 1 are intended to any of the slogans, values ending in 0 are reserved for donations to the association.
This campaign does not plan to deconvert in mass. The objective is to achieve a place in society in proportion to our numbers, reduce the enormous prejudice that exists against atheists in the world, and move towards equality, that doesn’t exist outside a truly secular state.
Those interested in collaborating with this initiative can use this bank account: 4378-8, in the 3572-6 agency of the Bank of Brazil (Banco do Brazil), on behalf of the Brazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics (Associação Brasileira de Ateus e Agnósticos).