ABC Referenced At Brit Awards
3.03.09 | Ariane |
Maybe we’re dreaming, but we think Mathew Horne and James Corden referenced the campaign briefly at the Brit Awards the other day. What do you reckon?
Secondly, Julian Tait of Futuresonic has alerted us to this interesting story: John Lennon’s “Imagine” is going to be played on the bells at Liverpool Cathedral…
Thirdly, here’s a France24 article on the ABC (in English).
And lastly, atheist filmmaker Tim Clague, who produced the short comedy film “God vs. The Advertising Standards Authority” two weeks before Stephen Green appealed to the ASA to ban the ABC ads, has just had his film shortlisted in an international competition, and sent us the following request:
“If you can help by voting and telling your friends that would be amazing. The top prize is 20,000 Euros. I am not expecting to get this, but any prize money that I do get will be going straight into a new pro-atheist dramatic film I am developing.
Here are the instructions:
1: Click on this URL
2: To play the video, you’ll need to install the Babelgum player – it only takes seconds.
3: In full screen mode, select the green “Vote” button (on the top of the screen, next to the film title) to vote for my entry – or simply wait for the “Vote Now” window to appear at the bottom of the screen.
4: You can only vote when the video is playing in full screen and only once per day. Many thanks.”
We hope you can help him. Good luck Tim!
March 3rd, 2009 at 17:08
Actually that France24 article is available in English translation – there’s a link at the end.
March 3rd, 2009 at 19:00
Thanks a lot Brian – I’ve now changed the link to the English translation.
March 3rd, 2009 at 22:29
Yep, sounds like they were referencing the ABC
March 4th, 2009 at 1:03
“Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us, above us only sky. Imagine all the people, living for today… ” We need to get one thing straight about John Lennon: in order to remove the dread of eternal separation from God he had to remove the thought of heaven first. Man is desparately hoping for there to be “no hell below us” and is even willing to give up on heaven itself to be rid of it. Strangely though, the victims of the religion of man will get their wish, they will simply cease to exist when they die, they’ll perish and have their souls dissipated.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:23
Isn’t that amazing eh, John Lennon the Athiest’s music being played on cathedral bells, who ever would have thought it!
And the Atheist phrase is falling into popular usage, Ariane, you’ll go down in history as the liberator of man.
Atheists don’t have to worry about their soul being dissipated, that’s the whole point, the scare tactics don’t work when you believe that you are just a bag of minerals and water, and that once you die…….. that’s it!
It still annoys me when the Godists use terror tactics to recruit victims, errm, I mean followers.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:40
Pete, nice post.
“It still annoys me when the Godists use terror tactics to recruit victims, errm, I mean followers.”
Agreed, and I like the other alternatives to “victims” and “followers”, such as “flocks” or “sheep”.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:41
@4 Matthew
“the victims of the religion of man will get their wish, they will simply cease to exist when they die, they’ll perish and have their souls dissipated.”
Err, yes. Ooer, I’ve just agreed with Matthew.
March 4th, 2009 at 15:13
…and gulls (alternative fauna available)
_____
March 4th, 2009 at 18:54
Pete, I wouldn’t say “scare tactics,” though I can see how you see it that way, but my point was to highlight the irony in that the sheep of Humanism will get exactly what they want, they’ll get exactly the outcome Scripture (the Bible) says they’ll get, a cessation of existence, no heaven and no hell. All I’m doing is confirming what you believe to be true about the outcome of peolpe once they die. However, I do believe one can live for eternity too if one believes in Yahshua (Jesus).
March 4th, 2009 at 20:21
Matthew
They certainly are scare tactics, to tell someone, who isn’t strong of character, that they will be damned to everlasting torture is no different to a bomb threat, they both instill fear.
I’m happy for you to believe in an afterlife, but please don’t try to tell me whet is, or is not, in store for me upon death.
March 4th, 2009 at 22:04
Pete, you are definitely right in that when someone says “you’re going to hell and will burn forever” it is a scare tactic designed to instill fear, and therefore submission to it. I’ve said it elsewhere on this website that the reason Christains (notably Catholics who started it) preach hell as a physical burning place is to instill fear in the people, causing the new believers to submit to them. This is the antithesis of what Scripture actually says, only those who actively lead people away from Yahshua will receive eternal separation from God, and it’s not in a physical burning place, but rather a place of complete separation where the only feelings are emotional. The overwhelming majority of mankind who have chosen other ways to live their lives will simply pass away after death. Being non-existent, then living a while, and then passing back into non-existence. There’s nothing scary of me saying this though, people might say it is a scare tactic simply because I’ve put God into the picture, and therefore accountability with it. If they feel that’s still a scare tactic then it simply means that what they really fear is accountability.
God doesn’t want us to submit to Him, rather He wants us to make a choice based on logic and reason. And I’ve come to the conclusion that He exists as Yahweh.
March 4th, 2009 at 22:50
“The overwhelming majority of mankind who have chosen other ways to live their lives will simply pass away after death. Being non-existent, then living a while, and then passing back into non-existence.”
Sounds good to me, I’m looking forward to non-existing.
“And I’ve come to the conclusion that He exists as Yahweh.”
And I’ve come to the conclusion that he doesn’t, so it looks as though it’s a win win situation. Thank you, and goodbye!
March 4th, 2009 at 22:52
Matthew, I appreciate your denying that the threats of hellfire are part of christianity but some supporting citations would not go amiss.
According to my own religion, which is not christianity, we are judged on what we do and what we are, not what we believe. Those who we will see when we die won’t begrudge us not having read their biographies (or having read incorrect biographies) because we all know right from wrong irrespective of technicalities.
March 5th, 2009 at 16:10
How do you guys understand this UN Resolution: The UN’s Convention of the Rights of the Child concerning freedom of thought states: “Article 14: 1. Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”
How am I as a parent and a believer in Yahweh to raise my children? What does this law forbid that I do? Give me a few examples.
March 5th, 2009 at 16:49
Matthew
Quite simple really, allow your children to chose their own path, allow them the right to follow a religion, or not, as the case may be. My own two children had that choice, and I defended my daughters choice to believe, as much as I defended my son’s choice not to believe.
What I think is wrong is the indoctrination of children in only one religion, and forbidding them to even think of other religions. Teach them about religion and allow them to make their own choice.
This very day I heard of a girl who had to leave home to escape the Mormon religion, she now lives in San Francisco and is a nudist, she now has the freedom to chose her own lifestyle.
March 5th, 2009 at 17:01
Review: Questions of Truth
by John Polkinghorne & Nicholas Beale
A C Grayling |New Humanist
\\…the interest attaching to Polkinghorne is that he is a physicist who became
a Church of England vicar, which makes people think that he has a special line into
the science-religion question. Were he a vicar who gave up the Church of England to
become a physicist he would not be regarded as anything more special than sensible;
but this is how the world wags.//
http://newhumanist.org.uk/1998
_____
March 5th, 2009 at 17:35
New Freethinker feature
Spiritual Care on the NHS:
Chaplains or Charlatans?
Dr Robert Stovold
The Freethinker
http://freethinker.co.uk/features/spiritual-care-on-the-nhs-chaplains-or-charlatans/
_____
March 6th, 2009 at 14:41
I am glad there is a mention on that French article of the campaign in Québec.
March 8th, 2009 at 16:30
THE CASE FOR CHRIST
http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1945
March 8th, 2009 at 16:32
ATHEIST DAY: April 1st. (April Fool’s Day)
THOSE WHOM GOD CALLS FOOLS
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1).
For the message of the cross is foolishness
to those who are perishing,….(1 Cor. 1:18).
You fools, when will you become wise?
(Psalm 94:8).
March 8th, 2009 at 16:38
Bible Prophecy
It’s a sales technique like yours that drove me away from religion, and I’m sure many more like me.
Not being a believer I don’t fear your threats, but I am annoyed and offended, and I fear for those of simple mind who are terrorised by threats of damnation.
It is exactly this kind of terror campaign that brought about this web site in the first place.
March 31st, 2009 at 19:13
We really liked your blog and this info on the ad-supported model…we believe in it enough to have just pushed out BETA 2 of our site!
Sincerely,
The Songnumbers Team
July 26th, 2009 at 15:51
This message should not be spread. Evolution is the cause of all the world’s wars and problems. The principle that only the fit survive has caused more hatred and bitterness and genocide in the world than any other fundamental in history. Evolution is evil.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:25
@ imissbubby:
Blaming Evolution for the evils of the world is like saying Gravity is evil for making planes fall out of the sky and crash.
Evolution and Gravity are both scientific ‘theories’ that are regarded by informed people as fact.
Maybe the world would be a better place if religious people didn’t murder others in the name of their god(s). Ignorance and intolerance are two of the greatest challenges faced by mankind today.
Peace to you and yours.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:33
@imissbubby
You obviously misunderstand what natural selection is about, yes it is survival of the fittest, but only in that those creatures that adapt to change in the environment. Mankind has adapted too well and is able to control his environment, such that overpopulation has become our enemy and some people have to fight for resources.
The thing that drives most humans is the need to eat, and beliefs, without the latter the concentration could be on the first without conflict. Without holy wars the people could settle and grow crops to feed themselves.
The warring factions in Iraq are different cults of the same religion, and East Africa is rife with holy wars, and there is also Afghanistan where religious zealots are trying to control the lives of people. Denying education is their principle weapon, it’s easier for religious leaders to control the ignorant.
August 9th, 2009 at 15:10
Dear Pete:
Not sure I follow your logic.
Darwin completely supported the idea of genocide and war. In fact, he said it was necessary for survival.
Evolution climbs by extinction in the struggle for existence,
individual against individual,
species against species,
tribe against tribe,
race against race.
The fit survive; the unfit are destroyed.
To condemn the slaughter of one tribe or race by another, is to condemn evolution itself.
Why do you not condemn Darwin?
Darwin is to blame. These are his relgious ideas.
August 9th, 2009 at 15:14
Dear Pete: Darwinism is not a fact. Its being destroyed as we speak. Not sure where you’ve been.
Its old steamboat, science. Darwin never tested his theory. He wrote it before he had any proof. Even his contemporaries like Lyell and Huxley thought he was making dishonest intellectual leaps. Modern science is proving they were right.
http://www.dissentfromdarwin.com
August 9th, 2009 at 15:18
Dear Pete:
You said:”Mankind has adapted too well and is able to control his environment, such that overpopulation has become our enemy and some people have to fight for resources.”
That’s classic Darwin doctrine. One group of people must destroy another for survival. I’d say you have a bone to pick with Darwin.
Here’s what else he said:
“The weak members of civilised societies propagate their kind. No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must highly injurious to the race of man. It is surprising how soon a want of care, or care wrongly directed, leads to the degeneration of a domestic race; but excepting in the case of man himself, hardly any one is so ignorant as to allow his worst animals to breed.”
Pretty cold blooded, wouldn’t you say?
August 9th, 2009 at 15:23
Dear Pete:
You said: “The warring factions in Iraq are different cults of the same religion, and East Africa is rife with holy wars, and there is also Afghanistan where religious zealots are trying to control the lives of people.”
————-This is has nothing to do with religion. This is evolutionary behavior. That’s why people must be taught Christianity. This is not the doctrine of Jesus or the commandments of the Qur’an (Muhammad wrote the Qur’an to preserve the religion of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.)
“Denying education is their principle weapon, it’s easier for religious leaders to control the ignorant.”
————-Yes. That fits in perfect with evolutionary behavior: dumb down the majority so the fit can survive.
August 9th, 2009 at 15:23
The world needs more Jesus and zero Darwin.
August 9th, 2009 at 19:28
Oh I see now, what we have is a quote miner, picking bits out and omitting the salient parts, stitching it together to make it fit his inward looking worldview.
There is no such thing as Darwinism, so it can hardly be dying out. The inception of evolution was 4.5 billion years ago, what Darwin did was discover it, and the idea has been refined year upon years since.
If you want to believe that your skydaddy created this planet And according to the bible, it’s flat.), then you carry on with your delusion.
Christianity is just as deluded as Islam, and all the other religions. Your insistence that everyone should take up Christianity is what causes conflict. Are you going to go back to the dark days of Christianity, where conversion or death was the choice?
Check out a little history, your Christianity was the cause of many deaths, in the crusades and throughout the inquisition.
August 9th, 2009 at 19:53
Ha! It’s just occurred to me that our deluded friend may be confusing evolution with revolution, I’d agree that the latter is often accompanied by death and subjugation.
Just for imissbubby, here is a lesson on evolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ksdV9HPwBY
August 10th, 2009 at 4:23
I think imissbubby forgot to include that the more Humanism pushes man into the position of God the more mankind gets devalued to the status of being just another animal.
August 10th, 2009 at 4:48
Dear Matthew: You said:
“There is no such thing as Darwinism, so it can hardly be dying out.”
————-Its called Darwinian Evolution. Darwinism for short.
“The inception of evolution was 4.5 billion years ago, what Darwin did was discover it, and the idea has been refined year upon years since.”
————–How has it been refined?
“If you want to believe that your skydaddy created this planet And according to the bible, it’s flat.), then you carry on with your delusion.”
————–No. I believe in science to explain scientific matters. What science has proven is the universe did not evolve. Science has proven it was abrupty created/fine tuned by Intelligence and man abruptly came on the scene. This has been proven by cosmologists, paleatologists and molecular biologists.
“Christianity is just as deluded as Islam, and all the other religions. Your insistence that everyone should take up Christianity is what causes conflict.”
————–Your insistance that the government forces children in public schools to believe in your atheistic religion causes many, many people agnst. Louisiana was stopped protecting Darwinism last month. The rest will follow suit quickly.
“Are you going to go back to the dark days of Christianity, where conversion or death was the choice?”
————–No. I don’t believe in that. Neither did Jesus. I believe in free will and freedom of academia.
“Check out a little history, your Christianity was the cause of many deaths, in the crusades and throughout the inquisition.”
————–It was less than 300,000. Do you know how many people have been killed in the name of atheism? 48,000,000+ between Hitler, Stalin and Mao. That’s just getting started. I haven’t even counted the deaths purpetrated by professing atheist, Pol Pot, et al. How many do you think Ahmedinijad is going to kill in the name of his battle for survival of the fittest? In principal, Christianity cannot lead to murder. In principle, evolution encourages murder and genocide to survive.
August 10th, 2009 at 5:15
Dear Pete: You sent me this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ksdV9HPwBY
LoL!
It said, “Natural Selection is a non-random method of selection. The environment does the selecting.”
Here’s what Darwin said:
“Natural selection follows from the struggle for existence; and this from a rapid rate of increase. It is impossible not to regret bitterly, but whether wisely is another question, the rate at which man tends to increase; for this leads in barbarous tribes to infanticide and many other evils, and in civilised nations to abject poverty, celibacy, and to the late marriages of the prudent.”
Reality check: The environment is random. It cannot intelligently select anything. A race that kills another race within the same species does not create a new species. Neither does any random mututation in that species. It may have different traits but never does it become a new species.
That’s why descent with modification has never been proven. Because its a myth. Its never happened.
September 18th, 2009 at 19:14
I’d just like to draw your attention to this:
“The Atheist’s Guide To Christmas” is the UK’s first atheist charity book, featuring contributions from Richard Dawkins, Derren Brown, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Claire Rayner, David Baddiel, Charlie Brooker and many more. It’s been edited by Ariane Sherine, the creator of the hugely successful Atheist Bus Campaign. It’s out on Oct 1st and all royalties are going to the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust. Please pre-order now:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheists-Guide-Christmas-Ariane-Sherine/dp/0007322615/
The Atheist’s Guide is a mix of humorous and poignant contributions from over 40 various prominent atheists. It’ll make an ideal Christmas gift for your atheist friends. Your religious friends will love it too, or, even better, it’ll put them in a foul mood for Xmas! So a win-win situation! More info on the Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128903634833
Your support will not only maintain the profile of atheism in the UK, it will also help raise funds for the very worthy THT charity. Please note that the contributors, and Ms Sherine, have waived payment for their considerable input into the “Guide”.
Thank you, and please pass this message on to everyone you know!!
[My apologies if you already know about the Guide!]