Because of delays in the Atheist Bus campaign, nogod.org.nz has decided to divert some of the money donated, towards the placement of billboards in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
Eight large Billboards, measuring eight metres by three metres, have now been erected - three in Auckland, three in Wellington, and two in Christchurch, where they will be displayed for an initial period of one month. It was intended that they would all be erected in time for a press release on the first of July, but one appeared a day early in Auckland, and one a day late in Wellington!
There are three different billboards, each featuring a different slogan, but all of them also carry the original message:
“THERE IS PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.”
The three new slogans, designed to be educative and to provoke discussion were selected by the “No God” advertising group from a short list of possible slogans.
The new billboard slogans are:
1. IN THE BEGINNING MAN, CREATED GOD.
2. GOOD WITHOUT GOD? OVER ONE MILLION KIWIS ARE.
3. WE ARE ALL ATHEISTS ABOUT MOST GODS. SOME OF US JUST GO ONE GOD FURTHER.
See: www.nogod.nz for the press release and the layout of the billboards.
If you live close enough to the three main centres you can see them for yourself. The locations of the signs are as follows:
Auckland: Parnell Rise, Newton Road, Newton, and South Eastern Highway, Mount Wellington.
Wellington: Waterloo Quay (visible to southbound traffic), Boulcott Street (visible to uphill traffic), and the Willis Street Lambton Quay corner (visible to north bound pedestrian traffic on the East side of Willis Street.)
Christchurch: Whiteleigh Avenue, and Lincoln Road - both located at the level crossings.
Following requests that the billboards also be displayed in provincial centres, fund raising has opened again. Now that eight Billboard canvasses or "skins" have been printed, the skins can be removed and reinstalled at another location without incurring extra printing costs but some money is required for the relocation.
All donations are welcome. Go to the www.nogod.nz website to donate. Donations are tax deductible.
The advertising campaign has also been fortunate in obtaining very much discounted non-commercial rates for the rent of the billboard locations. This means that we have been able to display the billboards at well below the rates a commercial advertiser would have to pay, but with the proviso that we will have to move the signs if the locations are required by a commercial advertiser.
The Waterloo Quay sign in Wellington is brilliantly located just opposite the entrance to the Stadium and visible day and night to a significant percentage of road traffic entering Wellington, but it may have to be moved because of the bigotry of the CEO of CentrePort. CentrePort control the land where the sign is erected. Make sure you see it before it is moved.
The Humanist Society extends its congratulations to everybody involved in this project. It is great to see the signs in place. They provide a balance to the incessant religious advertising that we are all exposed to. The Humanist Society provides administrative support for this project.
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