Update: a government minister has been slammed for insensitivity for seeing "a few green shoots but it's a little bit too early to say exactly how they'd grow." At least she didn't take out 800 bus ads to tell people to stop worrying.
Following on from the first set, (which also features in this Wikio collection of links) a whole host of new agnostibus links for folk with nothing better to do:
The Bishop of Bath and Wells criticised the campaign in a sermon in Bath Abbey at the weekend: "In terms of the present economic downturn, the loss of jobs, particularly to the most vulnerable of people; together with the world situation in which major conflicts daily take the lives of friend and foe alike; the threat of billions starving, and the seemingly unstoppable Aids pandemic, such advice (to stop worrying and enjoy life) seems to lack both judgment and a sense of reality." (anyone would think he'd been reading this blog. Full sermon text here. )
Lord Toby Harris saw three agnostibuses in 10 minutes. Who would have believed it? "I remain convinced that the Atheist Buses, encouraging people to think for themselves, are a rationalist beacon that we should cherish rather than rubbish."
New Humanist asks why the BBC take Christian Voice seriously. Probably for the same reason they give airtime to the National Secular Society, they're good for arguments.
Mark Vernon draws some lessons from the Victorians
Apathy Sketchpad I like it because the reaction to it has been comical and served to make religious people look foolish (which is pretty easy) and that always makes me smile.
Nathalie Rosthchild, very interesting piece on Spiked the secularists believe they must take it upon themselves to shine a guiding light and steer the easily-duped masses away from the darkness of unreason. The atheist campaigners, rather than trying to engage with the public, are simply preaching at us
Six Things and The English Blog, from a different angle, look at how to use the adverts in teaching English, and other bits of the curriculum.
Finally, got to love this quote from Richard Dawkins.
I would call it consciousness raising. Just think for yourself, that’s all. Don’t listen to what a priest tells you, don’t listen to what a mullah tells you, don’t listen to what a rabbi tells you—think for yourself.
....that would mean I shouldn't listen to what comediennes, and advertisers tell me either.....? (sorry for repeating this from yesterday, but you've got to admit it's a cracker)
Don’t listen to what a priest tells you, don’t listen to what a mullah tells you, don’t listen to what a rabbi tells, don't listen to what a professor tells us you—think for yourself.
ReplyDeletebut what if I don't want to think for myself? Why should I listen to those who tell me I should?
ReplyDeleteAnon - but to disagree with them, you'd have to think. And really they're telling you not to think for yourself, but to put your trust in their message, so by listening to them you're actually not listening to them. It's obvious really....
ReplyDeleteYou think it's a circular argument, and yet most religious ones aren't? How logical. Oh, I forgot, this is religion; logic doesn't enter into it :)
ReplyDelete