Yes, sorry, I shouldn't imply that I live my live under the yoke of religion, as I know there are those who have it far worse than I do! It's just that religion is so pervasive in society, albeit in a more low key way than elsewhere, that I find it refreshing to simply have someone state an opposing viewpoint, in however trivial and futile a manner. Thinking on it, the key thing for me about this advert is that it undermines a stereotype - it says that religion doesn't have a monopoly on being positive or reassuring. Atheism can be that too. That's not much in the grand scheme of things, and will go unnoticed by most.
You're right that it's not a million miles away from waffly positive religious messages, like that cheesy billboard on the way to work (2nails + 1cross = 4given). And you're right that no-one's going to suddenly stop worrying, but it might just make them think about things they've already been thinking about it. Even if it doesn't, I think the atheist mythbusting is useful.
It's aggravating and overbearing when advertising is used to push religion, but it's alright for atheists to do it because we're the beleaguered minority?
But by this token, why isn't it wrong to "push" or promote any point of view about any issue? Religious advertising isn't inherently wrong -- at least the non-'fire and brimstone' variety -- it's the monopoly of it that's a problem, because the message takes on an assumed rightness that goes unchallenged. I find this one tiny advert a huge contrast to a multiplicity of messages coming the other way, and I find it hard to equate the two.
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zvi and
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Date: 2008-10-23 07:34 am (UTC)You're right that it's not a million miles away from waffly positive religious messages, like that cheesy billboard on the way to work (2nails + 1cross = 4given). And you're right that no-one's going to suddenly stop worrying, but it might just make them think about things they've already been thinking about it. Even if it doesn't, I think the atheist mythbusting is useful.
It's aggravating and overbearing when advertising is used to push religion, but it's alright for atheists to do it because we're the beleaguered minority?
But by this token, why isn't it wrong to "push" or promote any point of view about any issue? Religious advertising isn't inherently wrong -- at least the non-'fire and brimstone' variety -- it's the monopoly of it that's a problem, because the message takes on an assumed rightness that goes unchallenged. I find this one tiny advert a huge contrast to a multiplicity of messages coming the other way, and I find it hard to equate the two.