ANAHEIM – A local group of atheists that sparked controversy in May by helping pay for a billboard questioning the existence of God is “striking out on its own,” this time with 30 bus-shelter ads across Orange County.

Several self-described atheists, with a group called Backyard Skeptics, said they plan to gather at one of the bus benches in Anaheim for a news conference at 4 p.m. today to announce the new campaign.

The ad on the bus shelter just outside a Target shopping center at Euclid Street and Lincoln Avenue features a photo of a book emblazoned with the words “Holy Bible” – and underneath that the slogan “Have Doubts? So Do We.”

Bruce Gleason, director of Backyard Skeptics and a Villa Park resident, said the campaign is meant to “let other nonbelievers know there is a community of non-theists who share the idea that we can be good without God.”

Gleason says Backyard Skeptics includes about 400 members, people who describe themselves as humanists, agnostics, atheists and church-and-state separatists.

Some passing motorists and people waiting at the bus shelter said they were offended by the ads.

“If they don’t want to believe in God then they should just be quiet about it. Why do they have to buy a poster and put it in public view?” said Melinda Holt of Anaheim, who was waiting for a bus next to the ad earlier this week.

“I’m a Christian and to see the Holy Bible in an ad that questions its worth – that’s just not OK,” she said.

Gleason said he doesn’t mean to offend any one religion.

“If we put one up that said something about Muslims or Mormons, they would be offended, too,” Gleason said. “We are against any supernatural belief that harms the world. And that’s what we believe religion does.”

Backyard Skeptics is a social group for nonbelievers that conducts fundraisers for charities and food drives and takes science-related field trips, Gleason said.

The group spent $8,000 on the 30 ads, including artwork and paying Clear Channel Communications, which controls advertising on the bus benches.

Other cities where the ads will be displayed include Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo and Newport Beach.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3769 or ecarpenter@ocregister.com