According to today’s Globe and Mail, the British Atheism campaign, “There’s Probably No God…” may be making its way to Toronto. Still disagree with the probably, but…
… Let me say, at the risk of bodily harm, that whatever she believes in, sign me up.
I’m glad there is some hint of organization among the freethinkers these days – it seems often that the dogmatic collectives have the benefit of organization over us – an organization of ‘nonconformists’ is a bit of an oxymoron if you think about it. One interesting thing I came away with from the story that should shame all xtian crusaders: the Muslim representative was the most open-minded and accommodating of all the religious leaders who commented in the story.
And, as usual, the comments section will make you weep for the future of mankind.Although it is not as bad as some.
P.S. If I hear one more self-important elitist idiot using the arrogant, pompous, shit-eating phrase ‘sheeple’ once again, I will seriously lose it.
Blevkog 
Actually, I hate to break this to you, Flash, but the ‘probably’ was mandated by a Higher Power – namely the British Civil Service:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0116/p01s04-woeu.html
Apparently, taking it out would make the ads run afoul of the Truth in Advertising Law.
Actually, and I say this as a person who has worked for the Federal Civil Service, and hopes to do so again, (or in the Provincial Public Service), I’m not sure there’s that much difference between a Fundamentalist and a government bureaucrat – same unwillingness to allow the possibility of doctrinal error, same adherence to a set of regulations that may not always have any further relevance to modern life. There’s even an analogue to the Catholic idea of Purgatory as a grey, endlessly dreary existence – namely the lineup at the DMV.
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I’m in a bit more pleasant position in that I have enough seniority (and some days, enough interest) to be somewhat creative in my problem-solving. It unfortunately can also make the position incredibly stressful.
The comparison, while somewhat apt in the short term, doesn’t hold true over long periods – government change can re-align political imperatives and change work culture to reflect different approaches to governance – the dogma can occasionally run away, as it were.
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“Truth in advertising?” Really? Truth in advertising? Weren’t these ads placed in response to ads that boldly state, without any “probability” bullshit, that if you don’t believe in God you’re going to “burn in hell”? Where the fuck is the truth in advertising there?
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Actually, if you’d bothered to read the article I linked to – you’d have seen that the ads were in response to *websites* that said that – not ads….
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Sorry, that came across a lot sharper than I intended – one problem with WordPress is that it doesn’t allow you to edit comments. The article does say that the bus ads were in response to fundamentalist websites, no mention of ads threatening hellfire. I’ll also note that Richard Dawkin’s original phrasing was ‘there is almost certainly no God’…
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In an interview I heard with her the other day she specifically said that what put her onto it was bus advertisements – which was why she chose the bus specifically as the, er, vehicle of choice. To whit:
It was the brainchild of comedy writer Ariane Sherine, 28, who objected to the Christian adverts on some London buses that carried an internet address warning that people who rejected God would spend eternity in “torment in hell”.
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Which means the ads had an internet address leading people to a website that made that statement – not that the ads themselves made it – Truth in Advertising still wouldn’t apply…
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Did anyone ask which party she votes for.?
Do you think she’s a virgin?
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