If you are following the atheist bus saga, see more (with videos) here
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2009/01/d-and-b-the-ath.html#more
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Boyfriends
Helen's got a boyfriend. It's official. How do I know it's official? She told us a couple of days ago. How does she know it's official. She asked him!
I am struggling to get my head round this. In my youth you either had a boyfriend/girlfriend or you didn't. There was no such thing as an "official" boyfriend. Having given the matter some thought, I am left with two possible options:-
1. The "official" boyfriend is the main one, implying that you also have a couple of others in tow just in case (not applicable in Helen's case), or
2. Someone in the last 30 years or so has, unnoticed by myself, invented another stage in the formal hierarchy of things which comes just before engagement and can best be defined as "a mutual commitment to each other unless or until something better comes along".
I am really clutching at straws here, so if there is anyone out there who really knows the answer to the conundrum "what is the difference between a normal boyfriend and an official boyfriend?" please get in touch. I need to know!
Sunday, 11 January 2009
The Atheist Bus (2)
Further to my post about the Atheist Bus on 26 October 2008, I can now report that the campaign was officially launched on Tuesday. It all started, apparently, when the campaign founder, Ariane Sherine (a comedy writer), saw London buses featuring bible quotes such as "Jesus died for your sins". In an article she wrote on the internet she suggested that all atheists reading it should donate £5 to fund a "positive, rational, counter-advert". She expected to raise about £5,500 and ended up raising £141,000. So her fund-raising abilities are not in question. It's just her theology that is a bit weak.
The slogan she wants to put on the side of London buses reads " There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". It has already been pointed out in the press that anyone who subscribes to this creed is not really a fully paid up atheist. The use of the word "probably" indicates a certain lack of conviction. Such people should really describe themselves as agnostics. But the other half of the slogan is just as erroneous. It implies that anyone who has a faith in God spends most of the time worrying and does not enjoy their life. Nothing could be further from the truth. It has been observed in the past that those with a faith tend to be less stressed than others and no evidence has been put forward that believers enjoy their lives any less than atheists. It is difficult to imagine exactly what she has in mind. The only aspect I can think of which might fit the bill is the issue of drinking. If this is it, then might I put Ms Sherine straight:-
1. By no means all believers are teetotal.
2. There is no evidence that I am aware of to indicate that those who are teetotal are any less happy than those who are not.
3. If by "enjoy your life" she means getting involved with binge drinking after work every Friday night ........ what is enjoyable about that ??
Ms Sherine says the campaign has now spread around the world but sadly "the Australians were banned from launching theirs and they had the best slogan: "Atheism - sleep in on Sunday mornings"."
Well yes, it would be nice to sleep in on Sunday mornings, but the Atheists seem to have a very short memory. It was they who fought tooth and nail against the "Keep Sunday Special Campaign". They won that particular battle, which is why thousands and thousands of people now have to get up early on Sunday mornings to go to work in the shops that were previously closed. I don't know if it's the same in Australia but that slogan wouldn't carry much credibility in this country.
The slogan she wants to put on the side of London buses reads " There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". It has already been pointed out in the press that anyone who subscribes to this creed is not really a fully paid up atheist. The use of the word "probably" indicates a certain lack of conviction. Such people should really describe themselves as agnostics. But the other half of the slogan is just as erroneous. It implies that anyone who has a faith in God spends most of the time worrying and does not enjoy their life. Nothing could be further from the truth. It has been observed in the past that those with a faith tend to be less stressed than others and no evidence has been put forward that believers enjoy their lives any less than atheists. It is difficult to imagine exactly what she has in mind. The only aspect I can think of which might fit the bill is the issue of drinking. If this is it, then might I put Ms Sherine straight:-
1. By no means all believers are teetotal.
2. There is no evidence that I am aware of to indicate that those who are teetotal are any less happy than those who are not.
3. If by "enjoy your life" she means getting involved with binge drinking after work every Friday night ........ what is enjoyable about that ??
Ms Sherine says the campaign has now spread around the world but sadly "the Australians were banned from launching theirs and they had the best slogan: "Atheism - sleep in on Sunday mornings"."
Well yes, it would be nice to sleep in on Sunday mornings, but the Atheists seem to have a very short memory. It was they who fought tooth and nail against the "Keep Sunday Special Campaign". They won that particular battle, which is why thousands and thousands of people now have to get up early on Sunday mornings to go to work in the shops that were previously closed. I don't know if it's the same in Australia but that slogan wouldn't carry much credibility in this country.
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Sign of the Times
Just as well this man isn't a traffic warden ......... I can't see a blue badge displayed!Friday, 2 January 2009
Atheist Christmas
Well - Christmas is over for another year. I got a digital SLR to replace the camera I lost in the river last summer, so when I work out how to get pictures onto the blog you should be seeing some illustrations here.
In the meantime, I was intrigued by this reference to the atheists "rational celebration of Christmas". Never heard of such a silly idea in my life! (Well I have, actually, and hope to bring these ideas to your attention in the future!)
http://3minutetheologian.org.uk/blog/2008/12/08/3mt-nine-lessons-and-eight-year-olds/
In the meantime, I was intrigued by this reference to the atheists "rational celebration of Christmas". Never heard of such a silly idea in my life! (Well I have, actually, and hope to bring these ideas to your attention in the future!)
http://3minutetheologian.org.uk/blog/2008/12/08/3mt-nine-lessons-and-eight-year-olds/
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