A new ad, set to run on Calgary buses, is bound to turn some heads.
The advertisement reads, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
The campaign is being paid for by Freethought Calgary.
A spokesperson says the group isn't trying to incite hate, just dialogue. "We want a discussion and the bus ads hopefully will create a discussion. They sure did in the U.K.," says Cliff Erasmus.
The ad campaign has already run in London, Madrid and Washington, D.C. Toronto will be the first Canadian city with the advertisements and Calgary will soon follow.
Calgary Transit is preparing itself for complaints but says it's not up to the transit company to judge advertisement content. "In this particular case, it has met the standard as set out by Advertising Standards Canada and so the ad is acceptable," says Ron Collins.
A pastor at Calgary First Alliance Church says he doesn't agree with the message of the ads but he does believe in Freethought Calgary's right to run them. "I think the positive point in all of this is, let's think about this and not allow the advertising clich� to be the thing that guides our life," says Terry Young.
Freethought Calgary has raised about $20,000 to pay for the ads. It will likely take about two months before transit users see them on buses and CTrains.
