Who says atheists don’t have a sense of humour? The Atheist Foundation has been organising an awareness campaign, with humorous slogans such as ‘Atheism – because there is no credible evidence’.

But according to the Foundation’s president, David Nicholls, APN Outdoor has rejected its suggestion – because of the wording.

The Foundation launched the advertising campaign after members of the public contacted them after the recent success of similar campaigns by the Humanists in London.

Despite a number of other ideas presented to the outdoor advertiser, it rejected the Foundations $16,000 campaign.

“This is extremely disappointing and a severe blow to freedom of expression in Australia,” Nicholls says. “We are witnessing the result of seemingly paranoid executives interfering with pertinent social comment.”

Despite its rejection of the atheist campaign, APN has previously run ads on Adelaide buses displaying the message: ‘John 3:16 – one the Bible’s most quoted passages.’

APN has refused to comment on the matter, but one might suggest that it gets its story straight if the Atheist Foundation decides to file a complaint.