When the American Humanist Association began running a $40,000 “anti-God” holiday ad campaign on Washington D.C. Metro buses, Christians in the area decided that something had to be done about it.
JoEllen Murphey, a mother of four from McLean, Va., was one of those who was outraged over the atheist bus campaign. She is part of two Christian groups who have raised $14,000 to run a “pro-God” campaign on the same buses.
One of the groups, The Center for Family Development which is a Catholic-based non-profit in Bethesda, Md., will run a campaign called “I Believe Too,” which plans for 10 buses with side posters, 10 buses with tail posters and 200 interior bus posters. The pro-God ads will read: “Why Believe? Because I created you and I love you, for goodness’ sake – GOD.”
This campaign will run in contrast to The American Humanist Association’s ad campaign which began last month in an attempt to reach out to those who might be interested in humanism, which rejects a belief in God and an afterlife.
Their ads declaring, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake,” are currently displayed on the outside and inside of 200 Metro DC buses and will run throughout the Christmas season.
“After a friend forwarded me an article about the AHA ad campaign, I thought, ‘Enough!’ I am so tired of God and religion being attacked that I decided to start a counter ad campaign,” said Murphey. The ads by the atheist group have sparked a public outcry, resulting in hundreds of complaints sent to the transit agency over the ads.
The “I Believe Too” campaign will begin running next week. As of December 5th, over 165 donors have contributed $6,700 toward the campaign, which is enough to cover the 200 interior bus posters and 10 tail bus posters. On Facebook, the campaign has the support of 740 friends.
Donations, which are tax deductible, can be made online via PayPal or sent by check to The Center for Family Development.
The second Christian group is called Pennsylvania Friends of Christ and has also planned a bus ad campaign to counter the atheist bus ads. The group will run ads reading “Believe in God. Christ is Christmas for goodness’ sake” on 10 Metro buses for four weeks.
David Wallace is a search & social media marketer who lives in Ahwatukee, Arizona with his lovely wife. Interests & hobbies include Christianity, musicianship, all things Disney, and roller coasters to name a few.
