Should the ASA investigate the Atheist bus campaign?

The ASA has received 57 complaints and counting about the Atheist bus campaign? Should the ad watchdog investigate the campaign? Does the controversial poster ad deserve to be banned?

What's more important: the views of a minority or the free speech afforded to everybody?

Let's get back to first principals here. When I last looked we weren't a religious state? And therefore surely the atheist viewpoint is as valid as every other "religious" viewpoint? OK, yes I'm an aetheist, but I don't complain every time I go past a church and see a dirty great big pink sign about Jesus going shopping for life or whatever. Ridiculous.

 Just posted my thoughts on my blog (http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/alan_munros_blog/default.aspx). Can't see the ASA being daft enough to get drawn into this one!

We live in a society where people are afforded the luxury of free speech. 57 complaints to the ASA, most likely from overly-sensitive religious 'extremists' (in the original meaning of the word that they are people with views at the extreme of the atheist-religious spectrum) who take offence at others expressing themselves cannot be allowed to hold sway. This campaign must stand as a statement of liberality regardless of the the advertisers' viewpoint.

Could you imagine the furore if the copy said, there's no such thing as allah! Which it in around about way, does. There'd be fatwas, and protest galore. No doubt the ads would be pulled - and so now you probably see why Christians are overtly incensed.

Ad- *** has made a brilliant point. I have no doubt that you are right  - the ASA would ban such an ad following uproar from the Muslim community. But they wouldn't right in banning the ad and nor would they be right in investigating and banning the Atheist campaign if that's what they decide to do.

Ad-***: The ad does deny the existence of Allah. 'God' in this statement covers all gods, like Yahweh, Jehovah, Thor, Zeus, Wotan, Jesus, the Holy Ghost and even my personal favourite - the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The ads would have been too long if we'd had to name each one that doesn't exist. Also, I can't see why Christians should be incensed at all. The ad says god 'probably' doesn't exist. Whereas really, god almost certainly doesn't exist.

As (what I guess might disparagingly be called) a Christian, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Faith and beliefs are just that, which is something the fundimentalists at both extremes of the debate fail to recognise (and it's is worth pointing out that religious fundimentalists never speak for the majority...they just make good copy). Spiritual beliefs are not (and never have been) about fact and certainty, nor do they seek to 'measure' the same things as science. So a public debate is to be welcomed. And 'probably' seems a pretty weak argument to me anyway.

Richard's question is pertinent. And my personal opinion is that the free speech afforded everybody is more important than the views of a minority. This free speech should never be compromised. There is nothing for ASA to investigate in the advert. But may I add that there seems to be a growing fundamentalist strain of atheism. They seem to be getting as vociferous as their religious counterparts. Even as a Christian, I find this disappointing. The wholesome discussion that gives due respect to another's opinion is more important than how right any individual may think he or she is.

I agree, but isn't it interesting how important COPY can be in advertising. Pen mightier than sword etc etc.

I'd leave it to God. If he's unhappy he'll send a thunderbolt. Did anyone see the Christian Mime woman on Has Britain Got Talent (not). Her CD didn't work. When asked how she felt she said "God obviously didn't want me to win this time." Mad.