Amendment and the buses

[smokingboot]

On closher acquaintance with their characters, Freya and Durga have been renamed Mismatch and Dervish.

We have surrendered elegance to accuracy. They are the very essence of kitty madness!

In other news, I've heard lots about the Atheist Bus Campaign. It doesn't bother me particularly - free country, people can bilboard their opinions if they want to - but it's probably important to note that if we accept that people can plaster 'There's probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life' on the sides of buses, they also have the right to plaster 'God probably does exist; don't kill your unborn child,' or 'God probably does exist; ladies you maybe should keep quiet and wear longer skirts.' Pressure and proselyzation are no better just because I agree with/understand the points made. If we accept that we have the right to offend, we also must accept that others have the right to offend us.

That's cool with me. Public debate is the way forward. My concern is for those who are silenced.

Comments

[cat-that-walks.livejournal.com]

Yes, I heard about that campaign too. I have to admit it made me giggle but that`s probably because I come from a place where Jews are Catholics*, Muslims are Protestants and Pagans keep a low profile as they just confuse the system.


* Unless they`re enforcing the 50/50 discrimination policy, when there is just Catholics and Non-Catholics.

Amended to add

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Don't know enough about the discrimination policy to comment, I'm afraid, *hangs head in shame at own ignorance*

Re the bendy bus thing, I actually felt a bit uncomfortable at it, same as I got uncomfortable when I tried to read The God Delusion. Dawkins is so sure, he has so much...faith that there is no god. He doesn't say that of course - an atheist eschews faith. But his personal conviction comes across as remarkably similar to faith. And he is so fiercely sure he is right and I should believe him. Kind of like a missionary.

But I may be doing this gentleman a disservice and will try to amend it by reading the book properly.

[mitchy.livejournal.com]

As I understand it, the atheist bus campaign was in direct response to a Christian ad campaign. It's good to have balance, no?

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I haven't found a specific Christian ad campaign it was said to be in response to, and when I look at the original article, I can't see any mentioned. I honestly wonder if I have missed something and if you can point me at the info I would be very grateful.

It has been mentioned to me that this is specifically in response to religious adverts, but the only ones I have seen are tube posters saying, 'If you could talk to god what question would you ask?' and then directing you to a link, I think (I didn't read the rest) but this surely can't be the originating campaign, as it shouts a question and leaves you to follow or forget, while the bendy bus thing shouts an opinion. It's OK with me, but no way is it like for like, measure for measure.

I hope this is a balanced response to a specific series of proselyting advertisements, because if it's a general kick out at religion it should have said, 'No Jesus, No Allah, No Yawweh, No Buddha, No Shiva, No Goddess, No Thing.' If it's lashing out at Christianity it's picked itself a very safe and convenient target. Are these same people prepared to fund bendy-buses bearing the slogan 'There's probably no Allah, so dump ya burkas girls'?

[mitchy.livejournal.com]

Here's where I saw this first, there's links there that might answer your questions. I haven't read them because I have zero interest in the subject :)

http://tyrell.livejournal.com/577428.html?mode=reply

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this - it takes me back to the original article which is very vague. Not many answers so far, but I will continue to ferret!

[mitchy.livejournal.com]

Good luck and report back! *passes over the deerstalker and meerschaum pipe* :)

[itsjustaname.livejournal.com]

Quite agree. One of the problems I have with Dawkins and co's version of atheism is that they're turning it into a religion with the key aspect of religions that I loathe: that people who don't follow your religion are wrong and should be convinced to follow your religion rather than theirs.

I'd much rather science was held apart from religion rather than becoming a religion and competing with other religions on those grounds.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I entirely agree with what you have written. You've expressed perfectly why I feel uncomfortable about the whole issue.