Bus Stop Bible Studies: Putting "GOD ON EVERY BUS"

A Canadian faith-based group, Bus Stop Bible Studies, believes the British Humanist Association is (probably) wrong.

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(MARKET WIRE)--Oct 28, 2008 -- Inspired by the British Humanist Association (BHA)'s "THERE'S PROBABLY NO GOD" advertising campaign being promoted in England - Scarborough, ON based Bus Stop Bible Studies is launching a "GOD ON EVERY BUS" campaign. Their hope is to raise sufficient funds to post their challenging but often uplifting messages inside every bus and subway car in Canada - one $5 donation at a time.

"This is a huge dream" says founder and President, David Harrison, "but we know with God all things are possible." Harrison notes that as a result of media coverage the BHA raised well over $200,000 in just 72-hours. Harrison's hope is that Bus Stop Bible Studies can duplicate or exceed their fundraising success, mobilizing 30,000 Bible-believing individuals from across Canada to donate just $5 per month and make GOD ON EVERY BUS a reality.

Since its launch two years ago, Bus Stop Bible Studies has posted more than two-thousand of their three-hundred plus 'studies' inside buses and subway cars in Toronto and Burlington, ON and Calgary, AB. A registered charity, the organization has been pleasantly surprised at how well their material has been accepted. After two years and an estimated 200-million viewings the organization has only been notified of five expressions of concern received by the various transit companies and not one of these from an identifiable religious group. Harrison explains, "Our advertising displays, which all include selected verses from the Bible, are designed to encourage and lift people's spirits and to teach people about the character of God." He adds, "We definitely don't post any hell, fire and damnation messages. For many transit riders our displays are their very first exposure to the Bible. We don't get a lot of public feedback, but when we do it's generally a life-changing testimony."

Even in the Christian community, many are surprised that Bus Stop Bible Studies is able to post material of a religious nature on public transit. This perception seems to come from media reports about Christmas trees in courtroom lobbies, not from constitutional law. The organization notes that the Supreme Court of Canada seems to go out of its way to protect religious freedoms, including public dissemination of religious beliefs. When Bus Stop Bible Studies challenged Hamilton Transit's no-religious-advertising policy, the policy was overturned. Don Hull, the Director of Public Transit, was quoted as saying, "The changes are driven by legal review (at the provincial level). Our current position is not defendable." City of Hamilton Council Minutes noted, "Arising from the same issue being faced by Hamilton, a challenge to permit religious and advocacy advertising, most municipalities surveyed have either amended or are in the process of reviewing their advertising policies to permit religious and advocacy advertising." Naturally, Bus Stop Bible Studies was delighted with the outcome.

Next stop: 30,000 Bible-believing individuals donating $5 per month. Donations can be made directly through their website or by calling their office toll-free (888) 4 BUS STOP.

Links:

Making a donation - http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/involvement/donate.php

Original BBC report - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7681914.stm

What are Bus Stop Bible Studies? - http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/studies/what.php

Display types - http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/sponsorship/displays.php

Public comments - http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/involvement/comments.php

Religious advertising in the public domain - http://www.busstopbiblestudies.com/new/about/advertising-public.php

Hamilton Transit article - http://www.dundasstarnews.com/printarticle/131634

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