Thinking, Thinking...

Whatever would Richard Dawkins think of this?

With British atheists set to launch a bus-bound atheist advertising campaign, it's unsurprising that some of the usual suspects are involved.

Richard Dawkins, the atheist heavyweight who so recently doubled as Ben Stein's punching bag, has supported the campaign with 5,500 Pounds Sterling of his own funds.

"Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children," Dawkins mused. "Even on the buses, nobody thinks twice when they see a religious slogan plastered across the side."

"This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion," Dawkins concluded.

However, as it turns out, the campaign is being supported, in part, by Theos, a think tank backed by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who explained they were supporting the campaign in order to encourage people to think about religion.

"We thought it was a great opportunity for people to think about faith and God, so we decided to support it," explained Theos director Paul Woolley. "It would be hard to come up with a more self-centred message than this. Stunts like this demonstrate how militant atheists are often great adverts for Christianity."

Some might wonder if the revelation that a religious think tank would be as interested in getting people to think about religion would temper some of Dawkins' arrogant bluster.

Then again, this is Richard Dawkins. So that probably isn't very likely.