Thought for the week – Gordon W Whitelaw

Have you noticed that the Humanists and others have apparently become fed up with the Christian advertising appearing on buses. In response to adverts for the Alpha Course etc they have come up with the idea of a God-free advert to counter religious advertising. They have adopted the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your Life.”

Religious groups complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that the atheist bus campaign, broke the advertising code on the grounds of substantiation and truthfulness. The ASA council concluded that “the ad was an expression of the advertiser’s opinion and that the claims in it were not capable of objective substantiation.” No doubt the ASA would have come to the same conclusion with regard to Christian claims that there is a God.

How important it is then to have our faith. To believe in something without the type of proof that will satisfy those who do not share our faith. The Christian faith does not rely solely on evidence, but is supported by evidence. Faith is not just about ignoring reason and relying on emotion. It is not just a blind faith. Christian faith is about seeking out and knowing Jesus Christ with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Faith is living in a relationship of trust in accordance with God’s will. Faith declares the relevance of Jesus Christ in every aspect of our lives.

The thing that annoys me most about the advert is the assumption that I worry and do not enjoy life. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is because of my faith that I can share my worries with God and enjoy life despite its many knocks.

Romans 5 verses 1-2:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.