Helsinki: Bus drivers drop plans for atheist-buses boycott

Helsinki: Bus drivers drop plans for atheist-buses boycott

Update: Translation of the Helsingin Sanomat article by Tundra Tabloids.


Tapio Mäkinen is a (recent) Finnish convert to Islam.

Helsingin Sanomat interviewed a couple of Muslim drivers last week (FI, EN). Somed said they were deeply offended and would tear down or cover up the ads. However one Muslim driver, Muharrem Kartal, said he did not intend to join in, as religion and work are two separate things

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Muslim drivers employed by Helsingin Bussiliikenne, which operates bus lines in Helsinki will not be taking any action against an international advertising campaign by the non-religious.


Last week, the prospect that they would have to drive buses with advertisements proclaiming "There probably is no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life", caused a stir among religious drivers, some of whom had threatened to refuse to drive vehicles with the slogan.


The campaign, sponsored by the Freethinkers Association, and the Finnish Humanist Association is part of the international atheist bus campaign.


The leader of resistance by religious bus drivers, Tapani Mäkinen, said that there were few legal ways for Christian and Muslim drivers to refuse to drive buses with the offending ads.


The drivers asked their shop steward if it was possible to refuse to drive a certain bus out of religious conviction.


"We hit a dead end. Something like that would be seen as a refusal to work", Mäkinen said.


(more)


Source: HS (English)

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