A devout Christian has become the first driver to refuse to get behind the wheel of a bus bearing an atheist poster declaring God probably does not exist.

By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent

Last Updated: 11:52PM GMT 16 Jan 2009

Ron Heather, a Christian bus driver, refused to drive bus with atheist message Photo: SOLENT NEWS

Ron Heather, 62, walked out in protest after seeing the advert declaring: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

He told his managers he could not drive the bus because the slogan, placed on the side of 800 buses across the country last week after a fundraising campaign raised £140,000, went against his faith.

via Atheist bus adverts: Christian refuses to drive bus declaring ‘there’s probably no God’ – Telegraph.

London busses have been raking it in from the PR war between evangelicals and atheists in recent weeks. Now a bus driver has raised the stakes by refusing to drive a bus carrying the athiest message. I feel fortunate to live in a time where I can be a spectator to how this plays out, though I have doubts that either camp will ever get their money’s worth in winning over the hearts and minds of the public wearily making their way to and from work.

The problem I have with campaigns like these, whether pushing an athiest message or a “theist” message, is that they both present a message that underestimates the intelligence of the audience. To inform the public that “god is great” or “there probably is no god” is equally laughable, because either campaign comes from people who think they need to enlighten people with their message. And naturally, when this happens, some people get offended, and push back.

What will happen, for example, when a Muslim bus driver walks off the job because he doesn’t like the signs promoting JesusSaid.org, which enlightens their audience with reminders of God’s wrath.

Things can only get interesting, now that the atheist bus campaign has come to Canada.