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Hello all,
As part of my works on behalf of the newly formed Atheist Ireland, I recorded my own twist on FXR’s twist on Monty Python’s “Lumberjack Song”, provided in this thread over at Atheist.ie
Enjoy!
Filed under: atheism, humour, religion, skepticism, Video | Tagged: atheism, atheist, atheist ireland, monty python, Video, youtube | 15 Comments »
I listen to the Chariots of Iron podcast (thanks for the link Jason) and they have coined a word – atheiskeptihumanist to cover the idea of including atheists, sceptics and humanists in the one group.
“It’s a big tent” or a “broad church” are also phrases I’ve been hearing a lot lately since atheists are about to set up an organisation of their own. What the term seems to imply is that there is a big tent of Freethinking which can accommodate all kinds of different groups, but each of the groups has its own distinct outlook or role. The phrases have been used as a form of reassurance to people who have been expressing worry about the division of membership between organisations or the danger of misunderstanding among the public (and politicians) of the nature of atheists and humanists. Needless to say I take a different view and needless to say it’s got the cat herding characteristics associated with freethinking. I believe that we can wear multiple hats. Take me for example:
I am an assertive (not MILITANT) atheist because of the repression and mental pain religion inflicted on me and on so many other people. I want people to know that religion is a controlling mechanism and a sham and that they can be free of it.
I am a sceptic and as far as possible apply reason and logic to the decisions I make and situations I am presented with. I believe that science and reason offers humans their best chance of understanding the world and improving their lives individually and collectively and as a result that nonsense should be challenged where possible and reasonable.
I am a humanist because it is the life stance that best reflects who I am.
I am a secularist. I believe that humans are a social and gregarious animal and must live in an organised society and that society must be regulated. This regulation should be the minimum necessary to allow people to pursue happiness for themselves without inflicting harm on others or society as a whole. For that reason the ethic underpinning society should in no way be connected with religion but derived from human need as tested by experience.
I can wear these hats and more and this is why I believe that the Big Tent analogy should be replaced by the Many Hats one because it more nearly reflects the real nature of the atheiskeptihumanist.
Filed under: atheism, humanism, skepticism | Tagged: atheiskeptihumanist, organisation | 1 Comment »
Just a quick note to highlight just what we are up against as atheists in this country. A recent piece in our very own Irish Independent can be seen here. This article perfectly illustrates the ignorance and intolerance of the religious mind – where truth is not a requirement, and all generalisations must be used to punctuate their fallacious argument. The article is erroneous with the facts and is sloppy journalism at its worst. I will be writing my own letter of disgust to the newspaper, just as was done already. The UK’s freethinker website has also done a piece on it here. You will also note the use of the egregious ‘militant atheist’!
Filed under: atheism | Tagged: atheism, bigotry, journalism | 12 Comments »
For my first post I thought I would comment on our meeting last weekend. At some point in the discussion the position of the HAI (who were visiting guests) was questioned, regarding the embryonic Atheist Ireland Association. What followed made me question the motives of the HAI. I was mystified at HAI’s seeming dismissal of any potential affiliation between the Humanist Association and Irish atheists. It struck me that they were desperate to avoid the stigma of being labelled Atheists. They had genuine reasons for this, and this is where the term ‘militant atheist’ entered the conversation and this is a where it rankled. The term militant, when referencing atheists appears to have become a homonym. The meaning of the word changing when referencing religion such as the Christian variety:
Or our friends in the ‘religion of peace’
For these militants, the word seems to have disturbing and dangerous connotations – rightly feared. However, the second meaning of the word, when discussing atheism appears to involve those with the temerity to not sit in the corner and be silent. I am sure I am not alone in my disdain for people using this method of assigning a pejorative to us, when none obviously exist. The motives of militant religionists are clear, bizarre and well documented – those for atheism usually involve the writing of a book or criticism of dogmatic and irrational viewpoints. To emphasise the point, in the Apologetics Press recently the following was written.
Dawkins, who is perhaps the most celebrated evolutionist alive today, was one of the most militant atheists at the conference. He stated: “I am utterly fed up with the respect we have been brainwashed into bestowing upon religion,” i.e., God (p. 9; cf. Ecclesiastes 12:12-13). Passive atheism apparently should not be tolerated. Dawkins is “ready to mobilize” his “big…enthusiastic choir” of evolutionary colleagues. He said: “There’s a certain sort of negativity you get from people who say ‘I don’t like religion but you can’t do anything about it.’ That’s a real counsel of defeatism. We should roll our sleeves up and get on with it” ( emp. added). Dawkins even compared evolutionary scientists’ position in the 21st century to that of homosexuals in the late 1960s: everyone needs to be “willing to stand up and be counted,” so that “they could change things” .
So the good professor expresses his clear militancy by ramming home just how ‘utterly fed-up‘ he is – shocking stuff! ‘This is the most feared standard-bearer of ‘militant atheism’?
We should confront this whenever we can – it is a (rather successfull) attempt to denegrate our efforts before they get started. As long as any Irish association of atheists limit their discourse to ‘raising the conciousness’ of the religious they will have my support and i believe they deserve the support of free-thinkers, regardless of their association with any other ‘free-thinkers’ group.
Filed under: atheism, religion | Tagged: atheist, humanism, militant | 6 Comments »
It seems that this week is a good one for sceptical podcasts overlapping with our interests, as I’d like to point you towards another exceptional podcast worthy of your attention:
Skeptoid is a podcast that runs for around ten minutes on average, critically examining claims from purveyors of pseudoscience in a clear-cut, informative, and thoroughly enjoyable fashion. This week’s episode is called “The Incorruptibles”, and deals with the assertions of the Catholic Church (an organisation we’re all familiar with) that the remains of their saints don’t atrophy after death.
While the results of his findings are unlikely to surprise you, it’s quite enlightening to listen to someone discuss their findings on a matter most people would disregard without requiring further investigation.
The eleven and a half minutes of essential listening is here!
On a personal note, I got interested in the sceptical movement by listenting to Richard Dawkins’ appearance on Skepticality around the time that Expelled was released, and given the massive overlap of interests between these groups, (and the fact that ‘debunking’ religious claims can be such a tirelessly monotonous and futile exercise) I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see more people sympathetic to our cause developing an interest in the broader rationalist community.
Filed under: atheism, skepticism | Tagged: podcast | 3 Comments »
Hi all,
Just to let you all know, as some of us don’t tend to frequent forums, based on the feedback from the members of the Atheist.ie forum, a new Secular/Atheist organisation is being formed and a group of people from the Atheist.ie forum (myself included and hopefully Jason if he can spare the time) are coming together for a meeting to help found this new “Irish Atheist Association” (a tentative name at present) at the end of this month. The details:
Sunday 30th November – 4pm to 7pm.
Central Hotel
Exchequer St Dublin
As I’ve volunteered to be an “executive” member (i.e. some form of coordinator, treasurer or secretary etc…) for the organisation, I’m taking it upon myself to try and gather a group of interested people, who may like to add their voice and/or opinion to our formation, mission and goals, to head up to Dublin on the train or the bus or whichever form of transport we decide upon, to attend the meeting, as individuals or to represent MWH.
Also, if anyone is interested in joining the group or applying for an “executive” role in the organisation, sign up to the Atheist.ie forum and then check out the links below.
I’ll be collecting names and confirming travel details with everyone at the meeting on the 23rd, so if anyone is interested, please let me know at the meeting, here on the blog or via email.
You can find all the relevant discussions on this new group at these links:
The initial thread proposing the formation of a new group:
http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1634
The thread discussing possible aims of the group:
http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1644
The thread for committee volunteers and suggestions for possible roles:
http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1656
Peace!
Filed under: atheism, humanism, skepticism | Tagged: dublin, meeting | 1 Comment »
As much as I hate to be the guy talking almost exclusively about US political-type-stuff on a blog about Humanism in the mid-west, (I can defend my rationale for doing so if you’re interested in challenging it) what I’m about to share is too relevant to developments in the Irish atheist community not to highlight.
The latest episode of the sceptical podcast, Skepticality features a talk from Lori Lipman Brown, lobbyist for the Secular Coalition of America, who fellow yankophiles might recognise from this appearance on The Colbert Report.
The talk, “Pastafarian, Zoroastrian, NonTheist – Can’t We All Just Get Along?” is worth a listen, as it outlines some essential points that those aspiring to set up a serious atheist organisation should consider, including avoiding wasting time on semantic bullshittery, and making earnest attempts to forge alliances with any groups that share any similar goals.
Filed under: atheism, skepticism | Tagged: podcast | 2 Comments »
So, it would seem that not only are we unbelievers going to approximately seventy different kinds of hell, and several different forms of alternate location for eternal damnation, but we are also hated by God for living in Ireland. Who knew?
From the lovely people of Westboro Bapist Church (the wonderful people who brought us GodHatesFags.com) I present http://www.godhatesireland.com/
Quote from the expanded text of the tag-line on their main page:
Ireland’s Filthy Manner of Life
Ireland has absolutely failed its duty to God. It has been wholly given over to the idea that it is okay to be a filthy fag. They have allowed their fags to establish themselves at every level of society, especially in the government. A law called “An Act to Prohibit Incitement to Hatred on Account of Sexual Orientation” has been enacted by the wicked lawmakers in Ireland to eliminate any true gospel preaching there. Jeremiah 7:28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Isn’t that just exactly what Gospel preaching is supposed to do: incite people to hate sin? 2 Chronicles 19:2 Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.
While only about 10% of the population of Ireland are fags or dykes, the other 90% are most assuredly their soul-condemning enablers. The old preachers used to say fag-enablers are worse than fags because fag-enablers support the filthy beasts calling themselves gay, and they don’t even have the excuse of being prisoner to a vile lust. Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Ireland is a land of vile, feces-eaters and anus lickers and those who have pleasure in them – all of whom are abominations to God and headed for Hell. Deal with it!
Led by such unclean canines – (“dogs” often means “sodomites” in Scripture, e.g., Deut. 23:17,18) – as openly-gay Senator David Norris, Ireland has become a veritable cesspool of corruption. Yielding to the Strasbourg Sodomite Whorehouse masquerading as a court superior to the supreme court of Ireland, enforcing a so-called: First Supranational Law System! It’s a fag court! Calls itself the European Court of Human Rights. Hogwash! First Supranational Law means Fag Law.
Meanwhile, not to be outdone by the over perverse nations of Chaff-People, Ireland is now scrambling to promote fag “unions.” Headlines of 06.25.08 declare: “Ireland Introduces Same-Sex Civil Partnership Legislation”, boldly proclaiming that “Ireland will soon be the latest country to create legal civil partnerships for same-sex couples.” Of course, as they strain to increase their impudent disobedience toward their Creator, the number of fags “cohabitating” and the number of people with AIDS increases steadily.
A report from Dublin in November 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) noted that: “Irish homosexual activists who came to Canada to ‘marry’ and are currently challenging Ireland to grant them spousal inheritance rights have garnered support from Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and shockingly from Dublin’s Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.” NOTHING SHOCKING ABOUT THAT! How could the catholic beast take any different position in light of the cancer that has been raging inside that body for decades?!
Filed under: atheism, humanism | Tagged: controversial websites, Fred Phelps, homosexuality, Westboro Baptists | 3 Comments »
I know some of you have already been active in this discussion over at atheist.ie.
To give some background Dick Spicer from the HAI wrote an article on atheist.ie suggesting a new more assertive atheist group should be set up.
While there has been much to and fro on the topic the general feeling seems to be supportive of such a move.
The suggestion I made for a next step is below, what do people here think? What would people think of the MWH offering to host such a convention?
Do people think we need a new national organisation? Should we concentrate on building the membership of the HAI instead?
If we do want a new group I’d suggest we call a convention. What I mean is that we form a temporary organising committee and then select a date and location and advertise as widely as possible with the aim of starting a mass movement with local branches throughout the country. The convention would have to run over a couple of days and work on a constitution, name, aims & objectives. This might need to be done by a series of committees and then voted on by those present. Existing groups like the HAI and ISS should be invited to participate.
As I see it the rationalist position will only be treated seriously when we have numbers, another 200 member group won’t change anything. People have criticised the HAI but please remember that it is a entirely voluntary organisation. If we can garner enough support we can have full time paid staff, that means people who are available to write press releases/blogs and appear on TV or radio. There is only so much free time people can give to any organisation.
Filed under: atheism, debate, humanism, skepticism | Tagged: atheism, ireland, organisation | 2 Comments »
…is all I can call it. Aside from intellectually rage-inducing and just plain annoying.
By which I am referring to the following piece of “snail spam”, i.e. unwanted post in the letterbox generally sent en-masse in a carpet-bombing-like affair:
This thing is a rather laughable attempt to try and convince the reader that the Virgin Mary made specific promises to the entire planet, and not only will she keep those promises, but she is honorable enough to demand strict obedience and daily prayer of the rosary before she will “solve the problems of the world, and our own problems too.” – Actual quote!
Actually, I’ll just give you the entire text of this piece of nonsense, and I shall highlight the outrageously silly/redundant pieces. (To be honest, it would be easier to highlight the pieces that are NOT outrageously silly, but anyway…)
Like most people nowadays you may have problems…
Are you worried and uncertain at times? Do you wonder what the future holds for you and your family? Do you feel threatened by so many dangers and problems that surround you? (so Mary only helps the severely depressed or disadvantaged…?)
Worry and anguish are written on countless faces. People are no longer able to hide their troubles. Even when someone is smiling, it is often to try to forget the things that make him weep inside. (hmm…they make the entire world out to be emotionally stunted and unable to adequately deal with their emotions…ah, appealing to their target audience…now I understand…)
Isn’t it true that people are giving in more and more to anguish, worry and affliction? Do you know why this is happening? It is because the world has forgotten God! (……AHAHAHA!!! No, nothing of the kind, my dear friend. It seems you have begun with the assumption of God, followed it with a shot of bald-faced assertions about the “horrors afflicting our world” and then you downed a pint of widespread Godless-ness and now you are understandably drunk from your severe lack of logical thinking.)
It was for these troubled souls – for you (yes, you!) – that the Virgin Mary appeared in Fatima, bringing the real solution from Heaven! (okay, so first you expect us to believe COMPLETELY unverified claims of the Fatima farce, then you expect us to believe that these apparitions were an attempt from someone up above to bring us a solution to problems that only exist in your head?!?)
Here is the great solution you need…
In 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared at Fatima, Portugal, to three children on six occasions. After showing the children a frightening vision of Hell, She warned of terrible chastisements that would fall on the world if we did not amend our lives. (No, she didn’t. If there was even a remote possibility of this having happened, okay, fine, but there isn’t. Epic fail, my friend...hey, wait a second…I’m sorry, WHAT? She showed CHILDREN a frightening vision of HELL??!? …..WHY??!?! And WE are the ones to receive chastisement?! I think in any fair situation the “Blessed” Virgin Mary would be chastised in the form of legal proceedings for REPEATEDLY exposing children to horrific imagery in an attempt to scare the love of Jesus into them, or have I simply been perverted by the “Godless” legal system of most nearly ALL the 1st world countries…?) During each of the apparitions, Our Lady insisted that we should recite the Rosary every day. She promised that, if we heeded her requests, the problems of the world would be solved, and our own problems too. (Ah yes, now I understand. The reason double-blind, triple-checked, peer-reviewed extensive experiments with the “power” of prayer showed absolutely NO evidence in favour of positive effects resulting from prayer, was because they were praying the WRONG prayers for the WRONG reasons to the WRONG arbitrarily appointed Blessed Problem-Solver…it’s all become so clear to me now)
The benefits of praying the Rosary
Why not heed her request? You will see: praying the Rosary to Our Lady only brings advantages. (in the form of heightened expectations and a propensity to mental delusion, sure) And not to pray it is to neglect a great remedy for our own problems and those of the world. You can be sure that the Rosary is something which will profoundly change your life and the lives of your loved ones.
This is because the Rosary greatly favours union within the family, especially these days in immoral education, laws and fashions, threaten to break this union. (….it seems my “Godless” law system is to blame again. Would you like to provide some evidence of this immoral education and law you speak of?) The Rosary, recited in the family, constitutes a specific antidote to these evils. Hence the well known motto: “The family that prays together, stay together.” (…I give up…)
The Church teaches that the Rosary purifies our souls, enriches us with graces and with virtue, gives us an ardent love for Jesus Christ (clearly EVER-SO important) and is a treasure that enables us to pay our debts to God and to our fellow man. (I’m sorry but how do I owe a god who does not exist, and who I do not believe in, A SINGLE THING?)
To sum up, you will obtain all this if, out of your 24 hour day, you will take a mere 15 minutes to pray the Rosary. Why not to decide to begin right now? (probably because prayer is SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN to be simply a way to do absolutely nothing, and still think you’re making a difference i.e. it’s bloody useless! And besides, a vindictive b***h like the “Blessed” Virgin Mary who only has the grace to save the world, which is apparently within her power somehow, once she has received enough prostrations and fawning adulation does not DESERVE 15 MILLISECONDS out of my day let alone 15 minutes!)
Start today…
Even if you haven’t prayed for years, don’t worry. Now is a good time to start. And if you want something to help you to pray and meditate on the Rosary, then order your Rosary book today, and put it to use as soon as it arrives.
We will enclose a free rosary with every book ordered. Just fill out the coupon opposite, detach it and put it in the nearest post box. You don’t even need a postage stamp.
It goes on to describe how you will receive a free wooden rosary and the wonderful book containing the “15 promises” the Blessed Virgin Mary was SO kind to bestow upon us.
And as if they hadn’t had enough of the bald-faced assertions, on the reverse of one of the folded sections they have the following to present as “evidence” for the power of the Rosary….yeah, right…
Eloquent Testimonies:
Do you know that the(sic) praying the Rosary is a most efficacious means to obtain from the Blessed Virgin Mary the solution of all sorts of problems? Look at some examples:
- Family breaking up restored to harmony (NOTHING to do with prayer.)
- Woman in despair avoids suicide (NOTHING to do with prayer, and the suicidal tendencies probably had root in feelings FOSTERED by prayer and religion.)
- A young alcoholic recovers from his condition (NOTHING to do with prayer except for a placebo/crutch effect, but there MUCH are better methods than prayer for assisting in difficult situations like that.)
- The father of a family succeeds in avoiding default of mortgage (Yeah, because the Virgin Larry appeared to the bank manager, showed him a frightening vision of Hell and warned of severe chastisements if he didn’t lay off the poor pious father of five…give me a break!)
These are only a few examples among so many that could be cited. (hahaha….oh really? And how many of them exactly constitute ACTUAL evidence for the efficacy of praying the Rosary?? Sorry, what was that?)
I welcome your comments on both this piece of trash, and my evaluation of it and it’s message. Oh, and if you want a good laugh, or to induce a fit of intellectual rage upon yourself, check out the website of the people responsible for this charming little flyer, the “Irish Society for a Christian Civilisation”, http://www.isfcc.org/
Now I’m off to annoy those silly Catholics with some awkward questions and some demands looking for evidence for their ridiculous claims!
p.s. excuse the odd colour changes in the quote boxes, I had a tousle with the text editor, and no matter how I smacked it with that hammer it didn’t quite come out right. I think it will remain obvious which pieces of text are in fact my pithy derision of the Catholic faith…
Filed under: atheism, humanism, skepticism | Tagged: child abuse, roman catholic, rosary, virgin mary | 7 Comments »
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Mid-west Humanists - An Irish Atheist Community 