Christian Ad Tops UK Complaint List

A Christian ad saying "There definitely is a God" was the most complained about advertisement in Britain last year. (Photo: PR)

A bus ad proclaiming that "there definitely is a God" was the most complained about advertisement in Britain last year, the country's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said on Wednesday.

Some 1,200 people lodged their complaints with the ASA during 2009 saying that the ad was offensive to atheists.

Created by the UK's Christian Party, the advertisement was a response to an atheist campaign from the British Humanist Association (BHA), which posted bus ads saying "There's probably no God – now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

While drawing expected fire from some religious leaders, the BHA ad was welcomed by many others for getting people to think about God.

"This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life, said the Rev. Jenny Ellis of the Methodist Church. "Christianity is for people who aren't afraid to think about life and meaning."

Alongside the Christian Party's response ad were two other pro-God campaigns, one put out by the Russian Orthodox Church that said "There IS a God. BELIEVE. Don't worry and enjoy your life," and one from the Trinitarian Bible Society, which quoted from Psalm 53:1 saying "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."

Similar ad campaigns were launched by humanists in the United States shortly after the BHA ad launch, including two in November 2008 that said "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness sake" and "No God? No Problem!"

In response, American Christian groups launched ads in December during Christmas time that said, "Why Believe? Because I created you and I love you, for goodness' sake - GOD."

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