London, Jan 19 : Plans of putting atheist slogans on buses in Italy, like the ones in Britain, have been blocked by the Roman Catholic Church.

The adverts reading ‘The bad news is that God doesn''t exist. The good news is that you don''t need him’ were supposed to appear on vehicles on the streets of Genoa.

The city had been chosen because it is home to the head of the Italian Catholic Bishops Conference Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, an outspoken opponent of artificial insemination and gay marriage.

The plan infuriated Cardinal Bagnasco, who told his officials to write to the bus company and advertising firm in charge of the 13,000 pounds campaign, to express their opposition.

Bagnasco is said to have been delighted when the campaign was cancelled, though the decision did not rest well with the Italian Union of Atheists and Rationalist Agnostics, which had organised the campaign.

“It appears that buses can carry campaigns for underwear and holidays with no problem but if you ask for space to say God doesn''t exist then you are denied,” the Telegraph quoted their spokesman as saying. (ANI)