Atheist Bus Fuss
A Christian bus driver has refused to drive a bus with an atheist slogan proclaiming “There’s probably no God”.BBC News
His bosses are bending over backwards to be nice to him — saying he will only have to drive one of those buses if no others are available.
Why?
Have non-Christian drivers been permitted to opt out of driving buses which advertise The Alpha Course? Does the man endorse every single advert carried on the buses he drives? Does he have the right to refuse to drive a bus with a tin of beans on it if he can’t stand beans?
He is quite entitled to hold his beliefs. As are atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Zoroastrians and agnostics. He has the right to tell people what his beliefs are. What he does not have the right to do is to choose not to carry out his job.
A surgeon who became a Jehovah’s Witness and refused to take part in any operations involving blood transfusions is not doing his job. He should come to terms with the requirements of his job or resign on moral grounds and find a different job. I fail to see how a bus driver who refuses to drive his bus is any different.
The driver also claimed to be shocked at the starkness of the advert: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy life”.
I fail to see what is particularly stark about that, particularly in comparison to the old-style fire-and-brimstone “come to church or go to hell” billboards you used to see. (Although admittedly they are getting much better now: “there are some questions that can’t be answered by Google” and so on).
I’m all for defending religious people against militant atheism; but I’m also all for defending people against zealots too. However in this case I think it’s a different point entirely: I’m all for expecting people to carry out the duties that they are paid to do.
Hello. I am 
Amen, brother.
Sorry, too good an opportunity to pass up :p
So if somebody on the bus is having a discussion about the lack God, or gets on wearing a t-shirt with some anti-God slogan, would he reserve the right to throw them off? Wonder what his job status would be then.
Maybe he could get the company to stick a disclaimer on his cab door.