An atheist ad campaign suggesting there is no God makes its way to city transit buses starting in January.
Similar ads have run in other cities in Canada and across North America in recent years. The local campaign is sponsored by the Okanagan branch of the Centre for Inquiry Canada and a local group, the Kamloops Centre for Rational Thought.
The signs will read: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
Bill Ligertwood, who founded the local group last year, said that B.C. Transit initially refused to run the ads on the basis that they are political. That position, however, received no sympathy from the courts. Last year the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the policy violated the Charter guarantee of free speech.
"Basically a Supreme Court decision said, 'No, you can't stop somebody from advertising on that basis,' " Ligertwood explained. "They were running in other places in Canada. It was strictly in B.C. where they wouldn't run them."
His group, which counts more than 100 members in Kamloops, is affiliated with the CFI.
"We're trying as much as possible to do a lot more education. Basically, I think, the main focus of our group is to try to provide fellowship to other atheists who may not know we exist."
The intent is not to offend people of religious conviction or to change minds.
"We're not trying to convert anybody. On a daily basis we're pretty much lambasted with the Christian point of view. We just thought it's time for the other side to be heard from."
Pastor Warren Trenholm of First Baptist Church said he would not be offended by the ads and tries to keep an open mind about such beliefs.
"I try to look at both sides of things," Trenholm said. "Am I offended? I'm jealous for God's glory and also concerned for those who would hold to that (atheist message) for their life and their eternal life."
