Pastor Calls for Bus Boycott Over Atheism Ads

As the first buses with a controversial atheism ad rolled into Fort Worth on Monday, a local church called for a boycott.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason has taken out ads reading, "Millions of Americans Are Good Without God," on four Fort Worth Transportation Authority buses.

The Rev. Kyev Tatum, senior pastor at Friendship Rock Baptist Church in Fort Worth, said he feels his faith is under attack.

"It’s OK to pick at Christians, and we are supposed to shut up and take it," he said. "We are not shutting up, and we are not taking it anymore."

Tatum is calling for a boycott of The T, asking riders to not use the buses unless it's for work or school.

"We are going to stand, and we are going to allow our economics to do our taking, and we are going to withdraw our economic support," he said.

The DFW CoR said the ad campaign was designed to both raise awareness about people who do not believe in a god and help interested people find a local nontheistic group.

The organization is a coalition of 15 local groups that works to raise awareness of atheists in the Metroplex.

The ads cost the group $2,500. The DFW CoR said the resulting exposure is worth far more than that, although the group didn't expect the ads to draw this much attention.

But Tatum said the ads are a direct offense to Christians.

“Why do you want to use our God as a whipping boy to sow your message of indifference and intolerance?” he said.

He said he plans to speak out against the ads at the next transportation meeting on Dec. 15.

Some riders said Monday they are on board with the idea of a boycott.

"It's against the people that don't believe in God, this is what’s it’s about," said Dee Ingram, who has ridden buses for 40 years.

"I will not get on a bus that has a sign on it," rider Kim Prather said. "I refuse to."

Tatum said members of his church are volunteering vehicles and church buses for people participating in the boycott who need a ride.

NBCDFW's Lita Beck contributed to this report.

Contact Us