Atheist bus ads causing trouble – for idiots

A while ago, the Des Moines Regional Transit Authority (DART), based in Des Moines, Iowa, caused some trouble when they pulled atheist bus ads following whining from bus riders, only to reinstate them soon after following a meeting with the atheist group in question (Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers), blaming the whole mishap on a "breakdown in communications", if I recall correctly.

Be that as it may, anyone who takes a look at those ads ...

... will agree even the staunchest of atheism opponents – the rational ones, at least – would be hard-pressed to find anything wrong at all with such a peaceful message as letting fellow atheists know that, "Hey, you're not alone". But of course, that doesn't stop kooks and crazies from accusing the ads of persecuting Christians and Christianity, and some of the "braver" (or just plain loud) Christians do what they can to let us know about it.

Such as, for example, a bus driver from Des Moines, who refused to drive those "godless buses" anymore, saying the message is against her Christian faith. (Despite there being less-than-nothing in those ads' message that could possibly be construed as anti-Christian.) The result? She got suspended.

Angela Shiel was suspended on Monday after she refused to drive a bus with an Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers ad on its side. The ad reads "Don't believe in God? You are not alone."

Shiel says the message is against her Christian faith.

[...]

DART general manager Brad Miller says policy states that drivers can't choose which buses they drive.

Naturally. Actually, I'd even be all for firing this driver altogether, along with any others who refuse to do their jobs on the grounds of "ooh, those bus ads are so offensive!" when they contain nothing but peaceful messages. If these drivers simply don't have brains, then simply don't let them drive public transportation vehicles. Simple.

(via Pharyngula)