Tuesday, October 21, 2008
File under quirky
James Graham draws attention to the fact that that the British Humanist Association has raised over £23,000 on Justgiving to fund 30 buses running across the capital for four weeks in the run-up to Christmas with the slogan: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
In fact they only needed £5,500 as Professor Richard Dawkins, bestselling author of The God Delusion, had agreed to match all donations up to a maximum of £5,500, giving them a total of £11,000 if they reached the full amount.
Writing on the justgiving page they say: 'With your help, we can brighten people's days on the way to work, help raise awareness of atheism in the UK, and hopefully encourage more people to come out as atheists. We can also counter the religious adverts which are currently running on London buses, and help people think for themselves.
As Richard Dawkins says: "This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion."'
Wouldn't all this money committed on both sides of the argument have been better spent on actually helping people have a good Christmas, the homeless for example?
In fact they only needed £5,500 as Professor Richard Dawkins, bestselling author of The God Delusion, had agreed to match all donations up to a maximum of £5,500, giving them a total of £11,000 if they reached the full amount.
Writing on the justgiving page they say: 'With your help, we can brighten people's days on the way to work, help raise awareness of atheism in the UK, and hopefully encourage more people to come out as atheists. We can also counter the religious adverts which are currently running on London buses, and help people think for themselves.
As Richard Dawkins says: "This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion."'
Wouldn't all this money committed on both sides of the argument have been better spent on actually helping people have a good Christmas, the homeless for example?
Comments:
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RE: "....help raise awareness of atheism in the UK, and hopefully encourage more people to come out as atheists."
I would like to take the opportunity to "come out" on your blog! Just to confirm I am an Atheist
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems.
I would like to take the opportunity to "come out" on your blog! Just to confirm I am an Atheist
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems.
# posted by 
: 3:51 PM
: 3:51 PM
I suspect that the overspend will be used for good works, if I know my fellow atheists well. Not frittered away on baubles like those religious folk... ;)
PS: the only way I could have a good Christmas would be if someone went back in time to 1977 and stopped my mum from giving birth to be on the day that she did. I reckon I'd have quite liked to be a February baby, perhaps. Stupid Christmas. Bah Humgbug.
PS: the only way I could have a good Christmas would be if someone went back in time to 1977 and stopped my mum from giving birth to be on the day that she did. I reckon I'd have quite liked to be a February baby, perhaps. Stupid Christmas. Bah Humgbug.
How far would £11,000 go?
And how do you know that Professor Dawkins (or the BHA, for that matter) does not make material contributions to the homeless?
And how do you know that Professor Dawkins (or the BHA, for that matter) does not make material contributions to the homeless?
I gave the BHA a tenner for this. I give Shelter far more every year.
I would refer you to Matthew 26:6-13.
I would refer you to Matthew 26:6-13.
Peter! If you don;t mind the language, but what total bollocks. There is no persecution of people in the UK just because they are atheists. Of cousre they are entitled to work on Christmas day! I have no objection.
# posted by : 7:40 PM
: 7:40 PM
"....but what total bollocks. There is no persecution of people in the UK just because they are atheists."
I would argue differently; I have come across some discrimination when I've told people I'm an atheist – Fact!
I very much see the state and the Churches linked, religion is a way of controlling the masses; the threat of eternal damnation and all that crap.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
I would argue differently; I have come across some discrimination when I've told people I'm an atheist – Fact!
I very much see the state and the Churches linked, religion is a way of controlling the masses; the threat of eternal damnation and all that crap.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
# posted by : 9:32 AM
: 9:32 AM
Gary Said:
"I would argue differently; I have come across some discrimination when I've told people I'm an atheist – Fact!
I very much see the state and the Churches linked, religion is a way of controlling the masses; the threat of eternal damnation and all that crap."
When you talk about "discrimination" are you referring to yourself, or others? If religion in the UK is being used to control the "Masses", then its done a pretty lousy job. Also when did Karl Marx become a liberal icon? I don't know how many churches actually teach "eternal damnation" much these days? Except possibly for your extreme "fundamentalist" variety. Damnation (eternal or otherwise) is something we choose. My point about BHA post is just a little patronising and unfair. There are plenty of non religious people who do not think for themselves!
Christmass is about giving, and that should be all year round!
"I would argue differently; I have come across some discrimination when I've told people I'm an atheist – Fact!
I very much see the state and the Churches linked, religion is a way of controlling the masses; the threat of eternal damnation and all that crap."
When you talk about "discrimination" are you referring to yourself, or others? If religion in the UK is being used to control the "Masses", then its done a pretty lousy job. Also when did Karl Marx become a liberal icon? I don't know how many churches actually teach "eternal damnation" much these days? Except possibly for your extreme "fundamentalist" variety. Damnation (eternal or otherwise) is something we choose. My point about BHA post is just a little patronising and unfair. There are plenty of non religious people who do not think for themselves!
Christmass is about giving, and that should be all year round!
# posted by : 2:42 PM
: 2:42 PM
External Damnation is something that the various Churches have left behind - agree; the "fire and brimstone" that was used to great effect in the earlier part of the 20th Century has now pretty much disappeared, but it was a way of "controlling the masses"
Personal experience of experiencing discrimination by being an atheist! Religious types do have a way of looking down on "non-believers", hence descriminated against.
I seem to remember a RC Cardinal calling for AIDS sufferers in Africa to be given anti-viral medication instead of condoms, this doing absolutely nothing to stop the spread of AIDS & HIV, if anything will make those African Countries poorer and increase the proportions of the population having this condition - So YES, it is a way of "controlling the Masses" - and making them suffer for their "sins"
I think the quote Morgan the Hen was looking for was "Religion is the Opium of the Masses", by Marx, the quote should have been "Laudanum is the Opium of the Masses", since we probably had more opium addiction in the latter half of the 18th Century than we got now, despite the Talaban's best efforts.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
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Personal experience of experiencing discrimination by being an atheist! Religious types do have a way of looking down on "non-believers", hence descriminated against.
I seem to remember a RC Cardinal calling for AIDS sufferers in Africa to be given anti-viral medication instead of condoms, this doing absolutely nothing to stop the spread of AIDS & HIV, if anything will make those African Countries poorer and increase the proportions of the population having this condition - So YES, it is a way of "controlling the Masses" - and making them suffer for their "sins"
I think the quote Morgan the Hen was looking for was "Religion is the Opium of the Masses", by Marx, the quote should have been "Laudanum is the Opium of the Masses", since we probably had more opium addiction in the latter half of the 18th Century than we got now, despite the Talaban's best efforts.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
# posted by : 10:27 AM
: 10:27 AM<< Home
