Atheist Bus Ad Campaign Provokes Bitterness in Barcelona

In an age where ideas travel the globe in an instant, atheists in Barcelona have copied a UK ad campaign by posting ads on buses to present a possibility that God does not exist and urge the public to “stop worrying.” Spain is a traditionally Catholic nation, where the church receives some government funding. Some critics of the ad campaign blame the socialist government, with one leader calling it an attack on all religions. “The go-ahead for campaigns in other Spanish cities may depend on the political colour of the city halls that own, or co-own, the municipal buses,” reports Giles Tremlett for the Guardian. “The atheist campaign comes as Spain's Catholic church becomes increasingly involved in political campaigning” – taking positions on gay rights, abortion, divorce, and religious instruction in schools. – YaleGlobal