Be good

A bumble bee, a honey bee and a wasp were flying over Oxford. The wasp said "That looks like a good place. Let's go there"

The bumble bee said "Don't be silly. You can't get into Oxford with two bees."

Rumours of Whores

I though some of you might like to give this band, Rumours of Whores, some support. You can hear one of their tunes at:

http://www.amazingtunes.com/users/rumoursofwhores/tunes/19598

It seems to be making a topical point about the catholic church.

Active atheists should change their focus - probably.

I have just seen a short debate between Ariane Sherine who came up with the atheist campaign and David Larlham of the Trinitarian Bible Society. It can be found at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7875834.stm?lss

Sherine did well in the short time available. However, if this is the level of discussion we can expect from the BBC the public will soon lose interest in the debate.

The BBC seems to see the issue as one of belief rather than that of the substantive intrusion of religion into our secular state. What some people believe about god is not a pressing priority and wastes our opportunity to deal with more urgent, earthly matters. This is a debate that will be won by the evidence as it slowly permeates our cerebral traditions. So far, this evidence is wholly consistent with the idea that religion is a fairy tale.

Atheists do need to be worried by the intrusions religion is making into secular democratic institutions. I refer to the continuation of the privileged places for Bishops in the Lords, the millions leached from the exchequer for the upkeep of religious properties and the salaries of chaplains in the NHS and armed forces, the loss to the public purse through tax exemptions and divisive faith schools where children are indoctrinated into a worldview based on risible medieval myths.

Furthermore, both our major political parties have declared that they will hand over more public services to voluntary and charitable organisations which will, in many cases, be run by religious groups. They will be funded by the taxpayer so it is not their charity it is ours. As a taxpayer it will be my charity that is being gifted via the prejudices and dogma of religious factions who believe in supernatural doctrines I despise. Moreover I have no confidence in the competence of gullible people with superstitious, backward, outdated ideas.

This is why we need to stop wasting our efforts on conversion and concentrate more on convincing those who have already rejected religion. We need to demonstrate that it is in their interests to join a coherent effective political lobby such as the British Humanist Association, the clear front runner for this task, followed closely by the National Secular Society.

Christian Bus Slogans

A christian group is thinking of putting the slogan:

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." on the sides of buses.

Surprisingly, I cannot take offense.
I am certainly a fool. My wife knows me well enough to be a good witness to all my foolishness so I cannot argue with that bit and I have often said that there is no god.
However my foolishness is not in any way related to my atheism.

The next bit, which they will not include goes:
"They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."
Now if they are preaching nasty stuff like this in their churches it is hate speech. I do take offense and, at least, I want such passages removed from the bibles used in schools.

The Selfish Christian

Ron Heather, 62, an evangelical Christian from Southampton, refused to drive a bus bearing an advert backed by the British Humanists dislaying the words:

"There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and go and enjoy your life".

It occurred to me that, as an atheist, I should refuse to board a bus driven by a religious idiot. This would be very inconvenient to me and do little to redress the privileged position of religion in our society.

Instead, I was struck by the hypocrisy in Mr Heathers protest. A christian would probably claim to champion altruism but this christian's actions were very selfish. As a public servant he would seek to punish the public, his co-workers and the management of the bus company with no sacrifice to himself.

It is time that, whilst allowing people to practice their chosen (or indoctrinated) religion in private, employment contracts contained a clause which prevents employees from any action which challenges the alternative beliefs of members of the public.