Church Challenges Atheists With Bus Ads Of Its Own

In the beginning, an Indiana atheist group bought ad space on the sides of 25 CTA buses to promote the message that it was man who created God.

Now, two months later, a South Side church is running ads of its own on the same number of buses but with a competing message: "God is still God whether you believe it or not...just believe."

The New Life Covenant Oakwood Church spent $5,000 to buy the space for a month, according to the Sun-Times, the same amount that the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign spent on its ads in June.

New Life pastor John Hannah told the Sun-Times the message was selected from a contest among the church's 7,000 members.

"We wanted to represent our city and the Christian community," Hannah said. "I felt like the atheists, to come in and say there probably isn't a God, that's an attack against our faith. We wanted to be loud just as they were loud."

Comments

[miles120]

08:07 AM on 08/10/2009

Everyone with REAL FAITH KNOWS that His Noodly Appendage - the Flying Spaghetti Monster - created the universe and bestowed his great gifts upon us as His Blessed Children. RAmen.

[voteforlove]

06:15 PM on 08/17/2009

RAmen, my fellow Pastafarian! Unlike these pagans, we know there is a God, and He is made of spaghetti.

[factotem]

02:27 PM on 08/09/2009

"God is still God whether you believe it or not...just believe."

TInkerbell is still tinkerbell. You just have to believe... and clap your hands

[itakethetrain]

12:45 PM on 08/09/2009

I don't care what their ads say as long as the ad revenue is helping to pay for my bus ride!

[itakethetrain]

12:43 PM on 08/09/2009

I don't care what their ads say as long as their ad revenue is helping to pay for my bus ride!

[minimalist syntax]

03:33 PM on 08/08/2009

I think the atheist bus ads are the atheist equivalent of: "honk if you love Jesus."

[Zanti]

06:23 PM on 08/08/2009

Yes. Well, you know, enlightened people have to unite, because how else are they going to convey to the unenlightened how backward and idiotic they are? And they're not insulting anyone so much as simply telling the logical, rational, inevitable, endorsed-by-science truth.

Either in this thread or elsewhere, I referred to the famous experiment in which lab rats were injected with faith and proceeded to build mega-churches and vote for the worst Republican candidates. Someone had noted that atheists believe in empirical evidence vice this faith stuff. And, as we all know, there's tons of empirical evidence against faith. Lab results available upon request.

[minimalist syntax]

06:31 PM on 08/08/2009

Love the experiment!

[richdibo]

04:27 AM on 08/11/2009

Was this a double-blind experiment? If a rat knew that it got faith, it might have behaved in a manner that was expected.

[FdeBear]

01:43 PM on 08/08/2009

How is someone's comment about "There is no God" an attack on one's faith. As a spiritually oriented person I feel that God does not need a defense! God's defense is in how you use the principles of faith in your life and doesn't include bullying others to see your point of view. That's an indication of lack of faith and a belief in materialism. These people are misguided and a pain in the...

[Walter Silveira]

02:34 PM on 08/07/2009

"God is still God whether you believe it or not...just believe."

lmao....uh....what? this is a "challenge" to the atheist bus campaign????

"GAHHHH, GOD IS REAL BELIEVE IT AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT...BELIEVE IT!"

sounds like the theological version of Naruto.

[seppoyank]

12:20 AM on 08/10/2009

Haha! Absolutely.

[Bethab]

07:17 PM on 08/06/2009

Why is someone saying what they believe in an "attack on what you believe"? Do you really think Jesus would have spent money that could have gone to the poor on a city-bus pissing match?

[ChristopherAtom]

01:25 PM on 08/06/2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5LCk3ka9G8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2Fvideosearch%3Fq%3Daphex%2Btwin%2Bcome%2Bto%2Bdaddy%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26emb%3D0%26aq%3D1%26oq%3Daphex%2Btwin&feature=player_embedded

[newerahb]

07:47 PM on 08/05/2009

I happen to be a proud member of NLCO and I am ecstatic that our Pastor placed the ads with the blessings of the members. And to set the record straight, we do not force our "faith" on anyone but, we stand on what we believe in. We are not based upon a religion but a personal relationship.

Our members come from all walks of life from the low end to the high end, Muslims, Christians, Baptist, to atheist , gang bangers, executives whatever. Our Pastor believes in discipleship which means we feed the poor, help the needy and encourage the downtrodden. This church was built from the ground up and I am blessed to be a part of this community.

My attitude is I need God like a fish needs water because NOBODY has been there for me like my GOD and his awesome words sustain me. I lost my job in January but my "faith" and personal relationship (not Religion) has given me the courage to press forward and persevere. So yes, I do believe that things will get better, I believe that my better days are a head of me, I believe that even though a war has encamped against me, in this I shall be confident. I believe God because of all the Hell that I've gone through, I am still standing and it's his awesome word that sustains me. I don't doubt, I just believe God.

[ChristopherAtom]

11:53 AM on 08/06/2009

If what you say is true then you have done more good for humanity than any god.

Prepare yourself for the paradigm shift.

[newerahb]

02:32 PM on 08/06/2009

Well we will have to agree to disagree.

I am by no means a loud mouth Christian who prescribes to judging another for the sake of self righteousness because I acknowledge that I am a split second away from self destruction...(don't get it twisted). In fact, it is only because of the grace of GOD that I am still standing. Believe in the Glory of Man ...no thank you...I've been there done that and I've been let down too many times...(I am just sayin...). We all have a choice in life and remember those who believe in nothing believe in something.

BTW our church sits in the heart of the South Side of Chicago.. amidst the gang bangers, drug dealers, murderers homeless, lost and suffering.. the Good news is we believe in the transforming power of God.. It's great to see peoples lives turn around.. That's a good thing!

[FdeBear]

02:09 PM on 08/08/2009

I think you have a wonderful testimony about how God has helped and blessed you and your ministry. I also think it is wonderful that there are people in this country of all spiritual persuasions including athiests, who have fought, bled and died to defend your right to worship as you choose and support your efforts to help others. Advertise your church if you like, but don't use it as a backlash against people who do not believe as you do. Jesus saves - not you or your beloved Pastor. He speaks to each person's heart and doesn't need a marketing plan. I'm sure that advertising money could have been put to better use feeding more hungry people, visiting folks in prison, combating violence. Jesus did not advertise. People found out about him through word of mouth and came to him of their own free will - just as you did.

[newerahb]

09:07 PM on 08/09/2009

Woa, let's back this up... and make this VERY clear.. the battle is not ours it belongs to the Lord. NOBODY saves a life BUT GOD!

It's interesting (as you say) "Many have fought for freedom" but there's limit on how that freedom is excerised. All too often, there are to many opinions and rules and little reference to the word.

If one wants to know WWJD check out the word..

Matthew 10:6-22; Mar 16:15 ;Acts 12:24; Mark 13:10


All too often people assume and judge without knowing the facts -

Matthew 7
"Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."

On making plans I'll refer you back to the bible.

1 Chronicles 28:11
Isaiah 32.8
"But those who are noble make noble plans,
and stand for what is noble."

[newerahb]

09:12 PM on 08/09/2009

Please take the limits off of God....

[PaxMundis]

05:40 PM on 08/05/2009

Here's a quote I'd like to see on a bus, one that can please both the staunchest Christian and the most militant atheist:

Be nice to other people. You're outnumbered 6 billion to one.
-Principia Discordia.

[ChristopherAtom]

10:27 AM on 08/06/2009

Better stock up on ammo, big time.

[minimalist syntax]

03:36 PM on 08/08/2009

I don't think that is the reason we should be nice to other people.

[PaxMundis]

05:39 PM on 08/05/2009

If bus ads were truly effective, attendance at our community colleges would be through the roof.

Seriously, anyone who bases the existence or non-existence of a supreme being on an advertisement has their priorities a tad askew.

[ChristopherAtom]

10:28 AM on 08/06/2009

The same could be said for each comment we add to these threads, yet we keep doing it anyway.

[PaxMundis]

02:16 PM on 08/06/2009

Hal, you're freaking me out.

[LanceThruster]

04:59 PM on 08/05/2009

"BLASPHEMY is a *victimless* crime." ~ LT

[HAL2]

02:34 PM on 08/05/2009

"God is still God whether you believe it or not...just believe."

Makes a lot of sense, now I'll have to "just believe."

[Lakeview Greg]

02:05 PM on 08/05/2009

The CTA ran atheist ads. Now they are running God ads. Seems fair. Besides, it's new stuff to read as the buses go by.