Struggling for inspiration for this entry. Got up after not enough sleep, walked the dog through a humid dawn and then did exactlty the same commuter run to work that I did yesterday. The only thing that sticks in my mind, sadly, was experiencing and incidence of a far-too-regular frustration.
Picture this. I am standing at a crossroads waiting for the green man so I can continue running. I am maybe 6 inches from the road; my feet are in the wheelchair/pram ramp. Any closer, thought I, and the risk of getting brained by a bus wing mirror would become unnaceptably high. I do look like a half-decent jogger (especially when I'm standing still), I'm really quite sweaty and I probabaly smell quite bad. Yet a sour faced commuter managed to somehow squeeze themself in front of me. I resisted the temptation to scream "ON WHAT FUCKING PLANET ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE OFF QUICKER THAN ME?" and instead sigh on the inside, waited for the lights to change and swerved around them, this time resisting the urge to drop the shoulder. Maybe it is the same the world over, but Sydney certainly has an oversupply of clueless, selfish, ignorant narcissists. I mean come on, is it really so difficult to take in what is going on around you and *not* act like a twat? Apparently, for some, yes.
Actually, on the plus side, now I think about it, the humidity had dropped somewhat by the time I got going and today felt a lot less like running through treacle. Which was nice. The homebrew gatorade I'd put in the fridge last night, swigged this morning and then left on the kitchen bench probabaly helped.
OK, if you're religious you might want to tune out now and come back tomorrow.
As I came down the steps of the Bridge on the way home I saw two young girls playing while their mother (I assume it was their mother) called to one of them to come back down. Nothing too strange about that. "Phoebe, come down! Come back down" was the call in a quite plumy English accent. What was strange - maybe it should not be these days - was the mother's dress. She was wearing a headscarf and a head to toe robe in a dull taupe or mushroom. It was unmistakably religious garb and to me seemed completely out of character with the wearer. I guess it could have been a fashion statement, but I think not.
I am not a religious person. By quite a long way. My "problem" with this scenario and others like it is not the mother's faith or beliefs; she is entitled to her beliefs as much as I am entitled to believe that Yoda is real. As it happens I don't believe that Yoda is real.
What I believe is human children and born early and helpless. If they were born any later the exit they pass through would...well it wouldn't really work. So they come out all purple and wrinkly and helpless and not at all like, say, a horse, which shakes the goop off and goes for a bit of a run. Or a turtle who is all alone from day one. To have any chance of survival human children live through a considerable length of time during which they must (and typically do) believe whatever they are told by adults in general and their parents in particular. If they don't they will die. Simple as that.
So I find it a little sad that kids are brought up in a way that will perpetuate and pass on belief in a god whose existence is so preposterously unlikely that maintenance of a belief in that god is border line mental. Well, it is if you're a grown up. Besides, why would an all powerful god be remotely interested in what we wear, eat, how we style our hair and how often we wash our armpits? It's just a bit bullshit. Of course the mother might keep her religious beliefs to herself and not talk to her children about them. Me? I simply avoid the subject. As AJ turns 3 on Saturday this has, to date, been quite easy.
Like I said, just my belief. I could be wrong. I suppose. Unlikely, but you never know.
Look, blogging about running too and from work gets dull real quickly, so you might have to put up with some other stuff.
On the running front, to bring this to a close, I ran the same distance as yesterday - around 23km - in about the same time as yesterday - a bit over 2hrs. Whoda though, eh?
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
my take on the riots
I've been reading about the English riots (have there been riots in Wales or Scotland?) with the "I-live-in-Sydney-and-this-is-only-happening-on-TV" detachment I normally reserve for African famines and wars waged in the Middle East. Most of it washes over me, but today Charlie Brooker in the Guardian managed to hit the wrong nail square on the head and in doing so he inspired me to blog. To be fair, all he has done is put in plain, explicit language the point everyone I've read has missed. Here is the most-offending paragraph.
As luck would have it we don't need to work it out because it has already been worked out. We do what we do in order to fuck and fight, or put a little more eloquently, to attract mates and intimidate rivals. Simple as that. If you are male lion or gorilla you will grow big and strong, get lots of attention from the ladies and punch-on with any bloke who thinks he can have a pop at you. I'm not making this up; go and watch the Discovery Channel and see it for yourself.
The "I am big and strong and can kick your teeth in" strategy does break down when the number of potential rivals and mates explodes and they are smart enough to have iPads and pilates. But the primitive principle remains the same. I do what I do because it will attract mates and intimidate rivals. Why am I writing this? I am writing this because it shows how smart I am. So fellas...I am far smarter than you and the ladies will luuuurve me for that. Our mates and rivals come from our immediate social grouping. There is some mingling between societies and societies do change over time, but overwhelmingly you need to look at a society ("society" might not be the correct word, but I'll stick with it) to see how and who they fight and fuck.
So when Charlie says this in an earlier paragraph
He is once again missing the point. Status symbols are precisely how you attract mates and intimidate rivals. Charlie may do this by using his wit at a dinner party. An unemployed kid on a council estate will do it with an iPhone and expensive kicks. It really is as simple as that.
So the posturing we see from the well-off intelligentsia is just a bit sad. They make a lot of good points and miss the big one. You can hammer politicians, parents, police and the polish as much as you like. But when nicking a tele and throwing a brick at a policeman is your best bet for intimidating your rivals then that is what will happen. Fancy trainers, bling, disrespect for authority - intimidate rivals and attract mates.
A couple of decades of reality TV, shallow, plastic heroes, me-me-me-me-me and easy credit got us here; this is what we are supposed fuck and fight over? If you're going to remove it - or going to plough on with no Plan B (unless B is for Baton-Charge) - then you really should have a deeper think before you come down too hard on the fucking fighters. Fighting and fucking are unlikely to go out of fashion any time soon. So naming and shaming are unlikely to stop someone who places the same value on his ASBO that you do on your Degree.
One more thing before I finish. Back to science; the human brain does not finish developing until it is about 20yrs old and before that happens there is a period of risk taking and boundary pushing. It's why teenagers are bullet proof and many get pissed and pregnant. Disregarding normal sentencing rules and being tough on crime is unlikely to significantly alter brain chemistry in the human population.
But perhaps it's better to nip future trouble in the bud with the use of deterrents. Obviously a small percentage of the rioters are sociopaths, and you'll never make any kind of impression on their psyche without a cranial drill. But the majority should be susceptible to threats. Not violent ones – we're not animals – but creatively unpleasant ones. Forget the water cannon. Unleash the slurry cannon. That kind of thing."We're not animals." Actually Charlie and co., we are animals. Although there are a handful of books and a fair few people who would like you to believe otherwise, the weight of evidence shows that we are, in fact, animals. We like to think of ourselves as quite clever and advanced animals because we have iPads and pilates, but we are little more than apes in clothes. So, if we assume that this is true (the assumption is only needed by those who don't like science, evidence and fact) we should be able to work out why people do what they do.
As luck would have it we don't need to work it out because it has already been worked out. We do what we do in order to fuck and fight, or put a little more eloquently, to attract mates and intimidate rivals. Simple as that. If you are male lion or gorilla you will grow big and strong, get lots of attention from the ladies and punch-on with any bloke who thinks he can have a pop at you. I'm not making this up; go and watch the Discovery Channel and see it for yourself.
The "I am big and strong and can kick your teeth in" strategy does break down when the number of potential rivals and mates explodes and they are smart enough to have iPads and pilates. But the primitive principle remains the same. I do what I do because it will attract mates and intimidate rivals. Why am I writing this? I am writing this because it shows how smart I am. So fellas...I am far smarter than you and the ladies will luuuurve me for that. Our mates and rivals come from our immediate social grouping. There is some mingling between societies and societies do change over time, but overwhelmingly you need to look at a society ("society" might not be the correct word, but I'll stick with it) to see how and who they fight and fuck.
So when Charlie says this in an earlier paragraph
Why the obsession with trainers? Trainers are shit. You stick them on your feet and walk around for a while 'til they go out of fashion. Whoopie doo. Yes, I know they're also status symbols, but anyone who tries to impress others with their shoe choice is a dismally pathetic character indeed – and anyone genuinely impressed by said footwear has all the soaring spirit of a punnet of moss. There's no life to be found in "look at my shoes". There just isn't.
He is once again missing the point. Status symbols are precisely how you attract mates and intimidate rivals. Charlie may do this by using his wit at a dinner party. An unemployed kid on a council estate will do it with an iPhone and expensive kicks. It really is as simple as that.
So the posturing we see from the well-off intelligentsia is just a bit sad. They make a lot of good points and miss the big one. You can hammer politicians, parents, police and the polish as much as you like. But when nicking a tele and throwing a brick at a policeman is your best bet for intimidating your rivals then that is what will happen. Fancy trainers, bling, disrespect for authority - intimidate rivals and attract mates.
A couple of decades of reality TV, shallow, plastic heroes, me-me-me-me-me and easy credit got us here; this is what we are supposed fuck and fight over? If you're going to remove it - or going to plough on with no Plan B (unless B is for Baton-Charge) - then you really should have a deeper think before you come down too hard on the fucking fighters. Fighting and fucking are unlikely to go out of fashion any time soon. So naming and shaming are unlikely to stop someone who places the same value on his ASBO that you do on your Degree.
One more thing before I finish. Back to science; the human brain does not finish developing until it is about 20yrs old and before that happens there is a period of risk taking and boundary pushing. It's why teenagers are bullet proof and many get pissed and pregnant. Disregarding normal sentencing rules and being tough on crime is unlikely to significantly alter brain chemistry in the human population.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Hot Cross Fun
Let us assume for a moment that Big JC did not arrive 2043-odd years ago, but he arrives today, to find us (not all of us, mind you...) happy to kill sheep, build arks and sacrifice our own sons for his Dad, yet not entirely convinced he is the son of his dad. More a hippy troublemaker, revoltionary, political dissident or itinerant carpenter. Our new JC gathers a rag-tag band of followers, pulls a few neat tricks like turning chip-fat into bourbon, healing some fatties and sex addicts and making promises of new holidays aligned eerily closely to pagan celebrations. The authorities catch up with him, there is a bit of rendition, they lock him up and then send him to death row (the actual death row, not the record label of that name.)
Fast forward a few hundred years to 2510 and a grass roots movement of JC2 followers has managed to drum up a load of support for the new boy. Christianity breaks out, heralding the start of a few more centuries of fighting before an uneasy truce begins. Christianity takes its place alongside competing religions, science, the druids and pagans and sundry atheistic fantasies. Oh yes, and Scientology, though that, of course, is a religion - silly me.
Still with me? Good. Churches love their imagery, and our future iChristianity2.0 will be no different to Christainity as we know it. We'll assume JC2 landed in the US and not in the Middle East, and that future US is not big on crucifixtion (with the possible exeption of some klan activity in the south, but we'll ignore that and stick to state sanctioned killing.) Future-US will still prefer lethal injection and the electric chair.
Will our future Christians hang little electric chairs around their necks? Will their easter bread products be adorned with little syringes? If not, why not? We love our crosses and our hot cross buns, representations of the thing used to kill JC1. It is all rather goulish, and as Bill Hicks once said: These people want JC to come back - the last thing he's gonna want to see is another fucking cross. Or something like that.
Happy Easter dear reader.
Fast forward a few hundred years to 2510 and a grass roots movement of JC2 followers has managed to drum up a load of support for the new boy. Christianity breaks out, heralding the start of a few more centuries of fighting before an uneasy truce begins. Christianity takes its place alongside competing religions, science, the druids and pagans and sundry atheistic fantasies. Oh yes, and Scientology, though that, of course, is a religion - silly me.
Still with me? Good. Churches love their imagery, and our future iChristianity2.0 will be no different to Christainity as we know it. We'll assume JC2 landed in the US and not in the Middle East, and that future US is not big on crucifixtion (with the possible exeption of some klan activity in the south, but we'll ignore that and stick to state sanctioned killing.) Future-US will still prefer lethal injection and the electric chair.
Will our future Christians hang little electric chairs around their necks? Will their easter bread products be adorned with little syringes? If not, why not? We love our crosses and our hot cross buns, representations of the thing used to kill JC1. It is all rather goulish, and as Bill Hicks once said: These people want JC to come back - the last thing he's gonna want to see is another fucking cross. Or something like that.
Happy Easter dear reader.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
dead nuns and doctors
Seems Mary McKillop has been up to good again. I thought the operation to seperate conjoined twins Krishna and Trishna was an incredible medical achievement carried out by a team of highly trained and skilled surgeons. Apparently the success was due to the intervention of Mary McKillop, a nun who has been dead for over a hundred years. Just goes to show what I know. She has an impressive track record does Blessed Mary. She has cured inoperable cancer and leukemia and saved a child who has horrific burns after being involved in a car accident. Sadly, Mary was unable to save the kids legs. I'd like to know how many people have died after being prayed for and ask the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart to try and exaplain to me Mary's selection criteria. Presumably in the case of the twins she was watching tele and thought this joined-at-the-head-op was a bit cool.
While the nuns are at it they can explain to me the differences between their believe system, witchcraft and voodoo.
Blessed Eminem is up for canonisation. This from the progress report on the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart's website
But wait, theres more; apparently she has brought a bashed Irishman out of a coma. She would have heard about him from the TV news. According to the website.
I feel a slight pang of guilt when I consider the could-be-levelled accusation that I am having a pop at that which provides comfort to people in times of need. But only a very slight pang. "If in doubt then dead nun" is utterly propostrous and I wish it was not presented as news.
While the nuns are at it they can explain to me the differences between their believe system, witchcraft and voodoo.
Blessed Eminem is up for canonisation. This from the progress report on the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart's website
Let me get this right; we make the leap of faith (ha!) that if something cannot be explained by medical or scientific means we can attribute it to the intervention of a dead nun? You're fucking joking, right?In September 2008, this book was given to two doctors, chosen by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. These doctors scrutinised the documents and had access to all X-rays, scans and medical reports from the cured person as well as other references to the illness from medical literature. They were asked to give an opinion on the question, “Can the cure be explained by scientific or medical means?” When the doctors concluded that the cure could not be explained by medical or scientific means, all the material was further studied and discussed by a Medical Board, whose members were also chosen by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
But wait, theres more; apparently she has brought a bashed Irishman out of a coma. She would have heard about him from the TV news. According to the website.
Doctors had advised them (the parents) that there was no hope for their son.Can't find any mention of that in the news coverage, just that he was and continues to get medical treatment. Maybe Mazza jumped in a bit quick on this one.
I feel a slight pang of guilt when I consider the could-be-levelled accusation that I am having a pop at that which provides comfort to people in times of need. But only a very slight pang. "If in doubt then dead nun" is utterly propostrous and I wish it was not presented as news.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Jessica Mauboy and the ARIAs
The dire state of Australain free to air television and the tastes of Sal came together last night to ensure the Australian Recording Industry Association's (ARIA) annual award ceremony was on our tele. Either that or it was a two hour long advert for iTunes, not sure which. Anyway, I didn't make it through to the end, just up until Robbie Williams belted out his first song of the evening. A not-so-guilty-secret is my like of the lad's superior pop offerings. Apparently he may be moving down here.
Anyway, Jessica Mauboy. She was the runner up in Australian Idol a couple of years ago and since has released a handful of decent R&Bish singles (that looks a bit like the word "rubbish" to me...) She's pretty inoffensive. She was up for seven ARIAs - seven! Wow, she must be good. The night started well for her; she won the first gong, the ARIA for highest selling single.
Hold on. I am not entirely sure that is an award per-se. Surely that is more of a measure. If more copies of your single are shifted than anyone elses then you have the highest selling single. Doesn't mean it is any good.
Her speech went on for the next several hours. She thanked almost everyone, finishing by thanking her fans. It looked like she needed to be reminded to thank them. Now come on Jess, this award is for highest selling single; the only people you need to thank are your fans. Our Jess went on to win a grand total of just that one ARIA award, so it was a good job she thanked everyone up front because she didn't get another chance. She won no peer awards, which suggests she is popular, but not particularly good. Poor Jess.
She thanked god first. Proper thanked God, not "thank god for that!" I feel sorry for her parents, who came later, but still well before her fans. So Jess, God has made you lucky and popular. But not very good. Fair enough; the big fella thrives on popularity, not quality. Big up him!
Mind you, the ARIAs are hardly meanigful; Gabriella Cilmi (remember her?) won six in 2008 and has since gone on to do, well, as far as I can tell, fuck all.
Next!
Anyway, Jessica Mauboy. She was the runner up in Australian Idol a couple of years ago and since has released a handful of decent R&Bish singles (that looks a bit like the word "rubbish" to me...) She's pretty inoffensive. She was up for seven ARIAs - seven! Wow, she must be good. The night started well for her; she won the first gong, the ARIA for highest selling single.
Hold on. I am not entirely sure that is an award per-se. Surely that is more of a measure. If more copies of your single are shifted than anyone elses then you have the highest selling single. Doesn't mean it is any good.
Her speech went on for the next several hours. She thanked almost everyone, finishing by thanking her fans. It looked like she needed to be reminded to thank them. Now come on Jess, this award is for highest selling single; the only people you need to thank are your fans. Our Jess went on to win a grand total of just that one ARIA award, so it was a good job she thanked everyone up front because she didn't get another chance. She won no peer awards, which suggests she is popular, but not particularly good. Poor Jess.
She thanked god first. Proper thanked God, not "thank god for that!" I feel sorry for her parents, who came later, but still well before her fans. So Jess, God has made you lucky and popular. But not very good. Fair enough; the big fella thrives on popularity, not quality. Big up him!
Mind you, the ARIAs are hardly meanigful; Gabriella Cilmi (remember her?) won six in 2008 and has since gone on to do, well, as far as I can tell, fuck all.
Next!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
up above the streets and houses
Sorry people, more biblical ravings. Only a small, gentle one this time.
Genesis 9.13-15 and the big fella, presumably a little ashamed of his prettywelleverythingthatlivesocide (sorry, I don't know the word for wiping out everyone apart from one family and everything that can't swim) decides to say sorry by giving us the rainbow.
I should pay homage to Bill Hicks here. He once mused upon the fashion for cross wearing among Christians, postulating that should Jesus ever return to earth the last thing he'd want to see is another fucking crucifix.
Genesis 9.13-15 and the big fella, presumably a little ashamed of his prettywelleverythingthatlivesocide (sorry, I don't know the word for wiping out everyone apart from one family and everything that can't swim) decides to say sorry by giving us the rainbow.
I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.Thanks G Man. Now I don't know about you, but if I were a member of the Noah family, having just survived a flood of biblical proportions - literally - the last thing I'd want to see is a fucking rainbow. It is not always the case, but typically a rainbow means it is raining. Fuck that, more rain, here we go again.
I should pay homage to Bill Hicks here. He once mused upon the fashion for cross wearing among Christians, postulating that should Jesus ever return to earth the last thing he'd want to see is another fucking crucifix.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
oh lordy
If you're religous I'd skip this one.
Last night we had people over for a feed and some drinks and a natter. It was a couple with their two kids, both under seven. They had with them the school report cards for the kids. Sal was first to read, and after finishing she surreptitiously slid the card back to the mother instead of passing it to me. The mother asked if I was interested (I was) and slid the card to me.
Sal later complimented me on the adult, socially gracious way in which I kept my gob shut. She had slid the card back to the mother and away from me after reading the RE section. I don't remember the exact words, but it was along the lines of "understands about God the creator and giver of skills."
OK, so the school is a Catholic school. There was a section on science in which the kid is doing well; in fact the kid is pretty much doing well across the board.
I don't think anyone saw the expression change on my face, or the blood from a tongue thouroughly bitten. It made me angry to read that. The school is clearly teaching creationism. Maybe not in science class, but certainly in RE. Young kids are designed (no, not by a designer) to trust adults. If they don't they die. Human sprogs are born early and utterly dependant upon adults. We have an obligation to not fill there heads with crap.
OK,you can teach kids what religion is, but teach it in a social context. People have religious views, political views, they like different types of music and read different books. Kids may be afraid of scary monsters under the bed, but they grow to know no such thing exists; they do not keep believing that there are monsters under the bed. Their parents probably put them straight, and if the school taught monsters-under-the-bed lessons there would be a fucking riot at parent's evening. So how about we stop telling our kids about the omnipotent white bloke with a beard who is every so nice and loves you a lot? (Well, he does as long as you've been baptised, else you may be fucked right-royally because great-great-to-the-power-of-lots-dad ate an apple. And he ate it after an agent of the same God tempted him to eat it! A mean trick if ever there was one. And while I'm on one, eating one apple means every woman suffers an agonising child birth; what the fuck is that all about? That's your God right there.)
If you genuinely taught small kids lessons from the Bible then you'd in equal measure mess with their heads and scare the shit out of them. The New Testament is morally questionable, ambiguous at best. Big J tells us over and again that if you don't follow him you'll suffer for an eternity. An eternity! I mean that isn't just a fucking long time it is, well, fucked if I know, more than time itself. How about simply stick to the bits about being nice to everyone? Less of the hellfire and brimstone? If what you've got is good it will sell itself, no need to scare us into buying it. The Old Testament is just plain fucking horrible. God, who is great yadda yadda, wiped out all but 8 humans and pretty-well every animal on the planet, all of which he (always he!) had made. What a tosser. And to say sorry for his planetary genocide he gives us the rainbow. Big fucking whoop-do-doo! I can make a rainbow with a torch and a bottle of water. Hardly much of a sorry for killing, statistically speaking, everyone.
Just drop religion from schools. Leave it for people to discover for themselves and concentrate on teaching kids how to add up and read. Of course that would not work out too well for the church.
Last night we had people over for a feed and some drinks and a natter. It was a couple with their two kids, both under seven. They had with them the school report cards for the kids. Sal was first to read, and after finishing she surreptitiously slid the card back to the mother instead of passing it to me. The mother asked if I was interested (I was) and slid the card to me.
Sal later complimented me on the adult, socially gracious way in which I kept my gob shut. She had slid the card back to the mother and away from me after reading the RE section. I don't remember the exact words, but it was along the lines of "understands about God the creator and giver of skills."
OK, so the school is a Catholic school. There was a section on science in which the kid is doing well; in fact the kid is pretty much doing well across the board.
I don't think anyone saw the expression change on my face, or the blood from a tongue thouroughly bitten. It made me angry to read that. The school is clearly teaching creationism. Maybe not in science class, but certainly in RE. Young kids are designed (no, not by a designer) to trust adults. If they don't they die. Human sprogs are born early and utterly dependant upon adults. We have an obligation to not fill there heads with crap.
OK,you can teach kids what religion is, but teach it in a social context. People have religious views, political views, they like different types of music and read different books. Kids may be afraid of scary monsters under the bed, but they grow to know no such thing exists; they do not keep believing that there are monsters under the bed. Their parents probably put them straight, and if the school taught monsters-under-the-bed lessons there would be a fucking riot at parent's evening. So how about we stop telling our kids about the omnipotent white bloke with a beard who is every so nice and loves you a lot? (Well, he does as long as you've been baptised, else you may be fucked right-royally because great-great-to-the-power-of-lots-dad ate an apple. And he ate it after an agent of the same God tempted him to eat it! A mean trick if ever there was one. And while I'm on one, eating one apple means every woman suffers an agonising child birth; what the fuck is that all about? That's your God right there.)
If you genuinely taught small kids lessons from the Bible then you'd in equal measure mess with their heads and scare the shit out of them. The New Testament is morally questionable, ambiguous at best. Big J tells us over and again that if you don't follow him you'll suffer for an eternity. An eternity! I mean that isn't just a fucking long time it is, well, fucked if I know, more than time itself. How about simply stick to the bits about being nice to everyone? Less of the hellfire and brimstone? If what you've got is good it will sell itself, no need to scare us into buying it. The Old Testament is just plain fucking horrible. God, who is great yadda yadda, wiped out all but 8 humans and pretty-well every animal on the planet, all of which he (always he!) had made. What a tosser. And to say sorry for his planetary genocide he gives us the rainbow. Big fucking whoop-do-doo! I can make a rainbow with a torch and a bottle of water. Hardly much of a sorry for killing, statistically speaking, everyone.
Just drop religion from schools. Leave it for people to discover for themselves and concentrate on teaching kids how to add up and read. Of course that would not work out too well for the church.
Friday, July 10, 2009
miracle or not? you decide.
Kevin Rudd, Australia's populist look-at-me-look-at-me PM was in Rome yesterday where he met with Pope Benny the former Hitler Youth. So, as happens when Benny makes the news here in Aus, we have a story about the canonisation of Mary Mackillop. Mary, a dead nun, has been beatified. In 1961 an woman who was apparently terminally ill prayed for the Killop's beatification. The woman was still alive in 1995 ad therefore we have a miracle that can be attributed to blessed Mary. I shit you not. No raising the dead, no water into wine or sea parting. Not even a fucking card trick hat appears impossible.
Ahem, anyway, to become a saint you need a second miracle rubber-stamped by Rome and, many Aussies reckon there is just such a miracle. In fact the evidence (not that evidence seems important in matters of faith) is in front of the relevant authorities. I'll let you decide. Horrifically injured little girl is airlifted to hospital, recieves masses of medical treatment and is no dead. Medical treatment or the interjection of a dead nun?
One thing I am fairly sure about. This should not be a news story in a modern, secular country. Actually, no, let me change my mind. This is permissible as news if equal airtime is set aside for all the other crazy-voodoo-shit mumbo-jumbo non-Catholics believe.
Ahem, anyway, to become a saint you need a second miracle rubber-stamped by Rome and, many Aussies reckon there is just such a miracle. In fact the evidence (not that evidence seems important in matters of faith) is in front of the relevant authorities. I'll let you decide. Horrifically injured little girl is airlifted to hospital, recieves masses of medical treatment and is no dead. Medical treatment or the interjection of a dead nun?
One thing I am fairly sure about. This should not be a news story in a modern, secular country. Actually, no, let me change my mind. This is permissible as news if equal airtime is set aside for all the other crazy-voodoo-shit mumbo-jumbo non-Catholics believe.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
two words too many
A small group of youths were gathered by the Harbour in Sydney today. The group were, according to their t-shirts, "Youth Against Genocide in Darfur." Sounds like a noble cause. But read it again. Youth against genocide in Darfur. Am I alone in thinking there is no need to be against a specific genocide? Does that slogan hide the sinister implication that they are not against other genocides? I understand that being against one thing does not mean you are for or not against another. But I see no justification for being against a single genocide. Genocide bad, period.
Maybe I'd have been less sensitive to the t-shirt had the first wearer I spotted not been wearing a yarmulke. Now I know that Jewish does not equal Israeli and I suspect the Intifadah is more ethnic cleansing than genocidal. But I did find it strange. This from the group's Facebook page that I will not link to.
Here is an interesting article on the situation in Palestine. I freely admit I know nowhere near enough about to be able to make definite, objective statements about. So I'll say that in my opinion it is right fucked up and Israelis need to sort their shit out because bombing the fuck out of civilain areas, stealing land and violating international law - even if you ignore that law - makes you look like tossers. None of which excuses Palestinians from lobbing bombs about. Anyway, back to Sydney.
Also strange was the behavior of said t-shirt wearer. When I first saw him he was "lurking" in a gents toilet at Sydney's Circular Key. Not a George Michel lurk, rather he seemed to be waiting - but not for a seat. He waited until the very far end of the piss-trough became available - I slotted in half way along, there was plenty of space. He faced into the corner lest anyone should glimpse his pecker. Again, odd. Maybe a religious thing? I feel a pang of pity for people who display such odd behaviour. For the record, I've always been a person who'll take the first available spot at the troughs; I'm there to take a slash and frankly the less time I spend in public lavs the better. If you want to have a sneaky peak at my cock then knock yourself out - but expect a firm "FUCK OFF" should I catch you perving.
Maybe I'd have been less sensitive to the t-shirt had the first wearer I spotted not been wearing a yarmulke. Now I know that Jewish does not equal Israeli and I suspect the Intifadah is more ethnic cleansing than genocidal. But I did find it strange. This from the group's Facebook page that I will not link to.
We believe that as co-existing human beings, we cannot stand idly by as the situation in Darfur deteriorates.Replace the word Darfur with Palestine. The mastermind behind YAGID is Jewish and yagid is a Hebrew word meaning "he will tell." Not sure who he is and what he'll tell. Maybe its me and I'll tell them to be less specific with their genocide of choice.
Here is an interesting article on the situation in Palestine. I freely admit I know nowhere near enough about to be able to make definite, objective statements about. So I'll say that in my opinion it is right fucked up and Israelis need to sort their shit out because bombing the fuck out of civilain areas, stealing land and violating international law - even if you ignore that law - makes you look like tossers. None of which excuses Palestinians from lobbing bombs about. Anyway, back to Sydney.
Also strange was the behavior of said t-shirt wearer. When I first saw him he was "lurking" in a gents toilet at Sydney's Circular Key. Not a George Michel lurk, rather he seemed to be waiting - but not for a seat. He waited until the very far end of the piss-trough became available - I slotted in half way along, there was plenty of space. He faced into the corner lest anyone should glimpse his pecker. Again, odd. Maybe a religious thing? I feel a pang of pity for people who display such odd behaviour. For the record, I've always been a person who'll take the first available spot at the troughs; I'm there to take a slash and frankly the less time I spend in public lavs the better. If you want to have a sneaky peak at my cock then knock yourself out - but expect a firm "FUCK OFF" should I catch you perving.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
tagging for God
I really must blog about Arthur Stace, Sydney icon and graffito artist extraordinaire. A bit of a compare and contrast, hypocrisy piece methinks. Or maybe I won't. Found a nice article on Melbourne graffiti here in which he gets a mention.
Monday, January 12, 2009
atheist 1 spiritualists 0
It had been a while since I'd a chatted with door-knockers but yesterday that ended and I entertained a couple of people trawling the area talking about spiritualism. I was friendly throughout and warned them at the outset that I am a "fundamentalist atheist". They were still game for a chat so I asked them if they were religious or spiritual - spiritual they said, though I’m not so sure. I rolled up my metaphorical-mental sleeves and we were off.
They - a middle aged man and a woman who may have been in her late twenties - were in the area to discuss the current state of the world; climate, the economy, wars - that sort of stuff. What did I think? By this stage Sal, her sis Jo and the in-laws had retreated to a safe distance, for they know better.
So what did I think?
First, I explained, there are too many humans. If you look at the biomass of a species versus the number of that species we should have a population number around that of the sea lion. But, alas, there are now 6billion of us. So, should we cull people he asked, half jokingly? Not at all, we will drive ourselves to the brink of extinction; there is not need for a cull. We will simply keep pumping CO2 levels up until a greatly diminished planet will simply not be able to support us and our numbers will drop, possibly to zero. But how can this happen? Well, I'm glad you asked! We are a primitive mammal with a higher consciousness. We are smart enough - those in the developed west who have the luxury and ability to consider it - to be able to work out and understand what is happening. But we are, unfortunately, too dumb to do anything about it. How can that be? He was asking the questions; she kept quiet, smiling in a way that suggested either she was not game to engage in conversation with me because she knew she'd lose or she knew I was Satan. Not sure. Back to his question, how could that be? Well, I explained, that is also quite simple. Look at most animal populations at at the top of the heap are a handful of alpha-males. A lion and his pride, a silver back and his whatever-silver backs-have, a dog in a pack. The problem with us humans is we are all convinced we'll be in the alpha position and when the crunch comes we'll be OK. We all think we'll win the lottery, be a rock star or a celebrity or among the few breeding pairs of humans to survice the coming crunch. So, I concluded, until the shit really hits the fan we'll not do anything. You see, I explained, as a species we really are that stupid. I'm not depressed or unhappy about any of this, I went on, it is simply the way we are and it really cannot be any different.
Now, have a guess what he came back with. Go on, have a guess.
Nothing. Nothing at all. He didn't try to push his views on me - in fact he didn't even profer a view at all. He simply said it had been nice to talk with me, thanked me for sharing my views and left me to continue painting my new fence. I was victorious, yet a little disappointed.
They - a middle aged man and a woman who may have been in her late twenties - were in the area to discuss the current state of the world; climate, the economy, wars - that sort of stuff. What did I think? By this stage Sal, her sis Jo and the in-laws had retreated to a safe distance, for they know better.
So what did I think?
First, I explained, there are too many humans. If you look at the biomass of a species versus the number of that species we should have a population number around that of the sea lion. But, alas, there are now 6billion of us. So, should we cull people he asked, half jokingly? Not at all, we will drive ourselves to the brink of extinction; there is not need for a cull. We will simply keep pumping CO2 levels up until a greatly diminished planet will simply not be able to support us and our numbers will drop, possibly to zero. But how can this happen? Well, I'm glad you asked! We are a primitive mammal with a higher consciousness. We are smart enough - those in the developed west who have the luxury and ability to consider it - to be able to work out and understand what is happening. But we are, unfortunately, too dumb to do anything about it. How can that be? He was asking the questions; she kept quiet, smiling in a way that suggested either she was not game to engage in conversation with me because she knew she'd lose or she knew I was Satan. Not sure. Back to his question, how could that be? Well, I explained, that is also quite simple. Look at most animal populations at at the top of the heap are a handful of alpha-males. A lion and his pride, a silver back and his whatever-silver backs-have, a dog in a pack. The problem with us humans is we are all convinced we'll be in the alpha position and when the crunch comes we'll be OK. We all think we'll win the lottery, be a rock star or a celebrity or among the few breeding pairs of humans to survice the coming crunch. So, I concluded, until the shit really hits the fan we'll not do anything. You see, I explained, as a species we really are that stupid. I'm not depressed or unhappy about any of this, I went on, it is simply the way we are and it really cannot be any different.
Now, have a guess what he came back with. Go on, have a guess.
Nothing. Nothing at all. He didn't try to push his views on me - in fact he didn't even profer a view at all. He simply said it had been nice to talk with me, thanked me for sharing my views and left me to continue painting my new fence. I was victorious, yet a little disappointed.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Revenge of Gaia
I've just finished reading the James Lovelock's book The Revenge of Gaia. A clear and concise explanation of the author's view of the state of Gaia. Gaia hypothesis or theory that regards the earth and the things that live on, in and above it as a single system, or organism - Gaia - that regulates itself.
Cutting to the chase, there are too many of us and we are consuming way too much and contributing to the continued heating of the planet. Therefore heaps of cash and effort are being wasted on comparatively unimportant stuff as we miss the elephant in the corner. Unless we change course quick-smart we are in deep doo-doo and, although some breeding pairs will survive, we are pretty much going to drive ourselves to extrinction. Taking with us pretty much all other life on a soon-to-be-even-more-impoverished earth.
The only way to come anywhere near meeting our current energy needs (let's be honest for a while - energy wants) without overheating the planet is to go nuclear. At least until we come up with something better. Time is not on our side. Nuclear is relatively safe so get over the we're all going to die with two heads! media-frenzy of anti-nuclear hype and just get on with it. The alternative is a huge energy shortfall from the warm and fuzzy renewables, or just keep on with fossil fuels. In which case we are definitely going to die.
So, time to stop ignoring the obvious and tinkering with unimportant shit. Unless we sort this out we'll all die as we go beyond the tipping point of global warming. It's incredible how much money can be found to bail out banks or to fin a cure for cancer or to put a man on the moon or a military force in Iraq. Wonderful. However, unless we sort out the level of CO2 in the atmosphere and arrest global warming we are going to become extinct. We all know it, so how about we start doing something about it eh?
Of course it might never happen. Or there may really be a heavenly eternal paraidise, in which case simply be nice too each other, don't worry about it and wait for your blessed death. Just buy a new iPhone, watch some more cable TV and drink some more Pepsi. We'll be OK.
It is a well written and well thought out book; I recommend it.
Cutting to the chase, there are too many of us and we are consuming way too much and contributing to the continued heating of the planet. Therefore heaps of cash and effort are being wasted on comparatively unimportant stuff as we miss the elephant in the corner. Unless we change course quick-smart we are in deep doo-doo and, although some breeding pairs will survive, we are pretty much going to drive ourselves to extrinction. Taking with us pretty much all other life on a soon-to-be-even-more-impoverished earth.
The only way to come anywhere near meeting our current energy needs (let's be honest for a while - energy wants) without overheating the planet is to go nuclear. At least until we come up with something better. Time is not on our side. Nuclear is relatively safe so get over the we're all going to die with two heads! media-frenzy of anti-nuclear hype and just get on with it. The alternative is a huge energy shortfall from the warm and fuzzy renewables, or just keep on with fossil fuels. In which case we are definitely going to die.
So, time to stop ignoring the obvious and tinkering with unimportant shit. Unless we sort this out we'll all die as we go beyond the tipping point of global warming. It's incredible how much money can be found to bail out banks or to fin a cure for cancer or to put a man on the moon or a military force in Iraq. Wonderful. However, unless we sort out the level of CO2 in the atmosphere and arrest global warming we are going to become extinct. We all know it, so how about we start doing something about it eh?
Of course it might never happen. Or there may really be a heavenly eternal paraidise, in which case simply be nice too each other, don't worry about it and wait for your blessed death. Just buy a new iPhone, watch some more cable TV and drink some more Pepsi. We'll be OK.
It is a well written and well thought out book; I recommend it.
Friday, September 12, 2008
one step from one step from the Presidency
OK, I'll get to the bit where I add my bytes to the blogsphere about what an utter fucking redneck muppet Sarah Palin comes across as, but first...
A criticism often levelled at the US Democratic Party is that they are “elitist”. The Democrats present as a more socially aware party than the Republicans so I assume the “elitist” tag is for their politicians.
So, while they are happy to support their elite athletes, many in the US would rather have a more average team running the country, finger poised over the Big Red Button.
Weird huh?
Anyway, Palin. I am going to have to stop reading about her, because the more I read the more my blood pressure rises and the more inclined I become to level the accusation of utter cretinous stupidity against all US citizens which, I know, is unfair. So, please, Please, PLEASE don't vote the Republicans in.
Check this out...
Americans have no disincentive to vote for a belicose, war-mongering, gun-toting redneck moron. After all, none of their grandads had their legs blown off in their own homes. And as for the home-grown morons with guns...well, what better way to combat them than letting everyone have guns! And besides, the End of Days Rapture (look it up, real out there bonkers stuff...) is going to happen overseas...
A criticism often levelled at the US Democratic Party is that they are “elitist”. The Democrats present as a more socially aware party than the Republicans so I assume the “elitist” tag is for their politicians.
So, while they are happy to support their elite athletes, many in the US would rather have a more average team running the country, finger poised over the Big Red Button.
Weird huh?
Anyway, Palin. I am going to have to stop reading about her, because the more I read the more my blood pressure rises and the more inclined I become to level the accusation of utter cretinous stupidity against all US citizens which, I know, is unfair. So, please, Please, PLEASE don't vote the Republicans in.
Check this out...
- a supporter of the teaching of Creationism in schools
- an opponent of abortion – even in cases of rape or incest
- a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association
- Troops in Iraq - “a task that is from God”
- Thirty billion dollar pipeline across Alaska - “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built,”
Americans have no disincentive to vote for a belicose, war-mongering, gun-toting redneck moron. After all, none of their grandads had their legs blown off in their own homes. And as for the home-grown morons with guns...well, what better way to combat them than letting everyone have guns! And besides, the End of Days Rapture (look it up, real out there bonkers stuff...) is going to happen overseas...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
religous lies
Before rolling eyes to the skies, dear reader, I am about to rant about schooling, specifically entrance to Catholic schools. As I've been waiting all day to get something written, and as I've only just got around to it you can expect a poorly formatted, crap-grammar speed-entry. Ah well, maybe I'lll tidy it up later.
As I may have previously mentioned, I am not a religous person. OK, I cannot ABSOLUTELY prove the non-existence of God. However, the existence of a literal God is so propsterous that I'm prepared to state that, in my far-from-humble opinion, he she or it does not exist.
Sal and I have been discussing schooling, what with her being up the duff and the bump needing, sooner or later, to attend school. My vast intellect, and that of my far smarter brother, are in part due to our state school education. We both did OK out of the English state. Sal, however, seems to regard Australain state schools as the lowest form of educational institute, something a kid is condemned to if their parents don't love them enough to provide them with a place in a private, selective or faith-funded school; read Catholic school for that last one. As an aside, in a recent league table (check the internet, it is out there somewhere...) an Islamic school placed ahead of the best Catholic school. Interesting though that is to many people, a faith school is a faith school to an atheist. And for the record, selective schools came out on top of the religious ones. However, I am rambling before I get to my point.
Here in Australia Catholic schools, allegedly, provide a "better" education than your normal state schools. Therefore, if you want the best possible non-private, near-enough free education for your kid you try to send them to a Catholic school. If you're an atheist (or, I guess, any non-Catholic) you do this by lieing about your faith for the greater good of your child. Hands up everyone who can see where I am going with this...
It's all a load of bollocks really. To secure the best possible education for their child an atheist must set the worst possible example. You need to lie about your faith, or rather lack of it. I have no desire to do that. None at all. Zip. How are you supposed to teach a child to be honest and decent when you're a liar? I have no problem justifying and explaining my atheism. I have no problem explaining my morals. I think I am a mostly decent person. Far more decent than, say, someone who claims to have faith in order to secure their kid a school place.
Of course, the lying parent who, if it turns out I am wrong, burns in hell, will have a well-educated kid to carry on their legacy. We can only hope the education they recieve at school is better than the example set by the parents. "Better", of course, other than the creationist nonsense, that stuff about homosexuality being a sin and contraception being murder. If I am wrong (which I'm not) I will be able to talk my way into heaven. "Shit, I didn't see THAT coming! Hey, I led a decent, honest life. I didn't lie or cheat or misrepresent myself, so can I still come in? Can I take one of the spots freed by the part-time-pick-and-mix-Catholics you've sent downstairs for their genuince sins?"
As I may have previously mentioned, I am not a religous person. OK, I cannot ABSOLUTELY prove the non-existence of God. However, the existence of a literal God is so propsterous that I'm prepared to state that, in my far-from-humble opinion, he she or it does not exist.
Sal and I have been discussing schooling, what with her being up the duff and the bump needing, sooner or later, to attend school. My vast intellect, and that of my far smarter brother, are in part due to our state school education. We both did OK out of the English state. Sal, however, seems to regard Australain state schools as the lowest form of educational institute, something a kid is condemned to if their parents don't love them enough to provide them with a place in a private, selective or faith-funded school; read Catholic school for that last one. As an aside, in a recent league table (check the internet, it is out there somewhere...) an Islamic school placed ahead of the best Catholic school. Interesting though that is to many people, a faith school is a faith school to an atheist. And for the record, selective schools came out on top of the religious ones. However, I am rambling before I get to my point.
Here in Australia Catholic schools, allegedly, provide a "better" education than your normal state schools. Therefore, if you want the best possible non-private, near-enough free education for your kid you try to send them to a Catholic school. If you're an atheist (or, I guess, any non-Catholic) you do this by lieing about your faith for the greater good of your child. Hands up everyone who can see where I am going with this...
It's all a load of bollocks really. To secure the best possible education for their child an atheist must set the worst possible example. You need to lie about your faith, or rather lack of it. I have no desire to do that. None at all. Zip. How are you supposed to teach a child to be honest and decent when you're a liar? I have no problem justifying and explaining my atheism. I have no problem explaining my morals. I think I am a mostly decent person. Far more decent than, say, someone who claims to have faith in order to secure their kid a school place.
Of course, the lying parent who, if it turns out I am wrong, burns in hell, will have a well-educated kid to carry on their legacy. We can only hope the education they recieve at school is better than the example set by the parents. "Better", of course, other than the creationist nonsense, that stuff about homosexuality being a sin and contraception being murder. If I am wrong (which I'm not) I will be able to talk my way into heaven. "Shit, I didn't see THAT coming! Hey, I led a decent, honest life. I didn't lie or cheat or misrepresent myself, so can I still come in? Can I take one of the spots freed by the part-time-pick-and-mix-Catholics you've sent downstairs for their genuince sins?"
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
itchy
If I have an itch I will try not to scratch it until it really bugs me and I crack. I'll have a scratch and hope it goes away, but if it comes back I know I'll scratch it again. Same deal with teenagers and raging hormones. I don't mean I'll scratch them; allow me to explain.
Abstinence. The idea that the best way to have kids learn about sex is to say just don't do it, or don't do it because God says it's naughty. For the love of...well, God...on what planet is that going to work? If I have an itch I'll scratch it sooner or later. If I'm 16 and I have a boner I'm going to want to do something about it, and I'm sorry, wait a decade is simply not an option.
Abstinence will only work for the ugly, the stupid and the distracted. Don' get me wrong, it does have a place. For the ugly and the stupid it provides a way to boost self esteem. You can say you chose abstinence, rather than it chose you, and you'll feel a lot better about yourself. At least you will when you talk to your abstaining mates. The rest of us will simply think you're ugly or stupid.
I guess it would be somewhat harsh to point out the ugly, stupidity of religion? And it would take me a long, long time, what with all the evidence available, so I'll skip that.
Good luck then to Governor Palin, one step away from one step away from US President.
Abstinence. The idea that the best way to have kids learn about sex is to say just don't do it, or don't do it because God says it's naughty. For the love of...well, God...on what planet is that going to work? If I have an itch I'll scratch it sooner or later. If I'm 16 and I have a boner I'm going to want to do something about it, and I'm sorry, wait a decade is simply not an option.
Abstinence will only work for the ugly, the stupid and the distracted. Don' get me wrong, it does have a place. For the ugly and the stupid it provides a way to boost self esteem. You can say you chose abstinence, rather than it chose you, and you'll feel a lot better about yourself. At least you will when you talk to your abstaining mates. The rest of us will simply think you're ugly or stupid.
I guess it would be somewhat harsh to point out the ugly, stupidity of religion? And it would take me a long, long time, what with all the evidence available, so I'll skip that.
Good luck then to Governor Palin, one step away from one step away from US President.
Governor Palin herself has said she opposes funding sexual-education programmes in Alaska and has supported abstinence programmes in schools.Of course it didn't work with her own daughter, but hey, she may do better with all of America. And her boss will love her for it, according to AP
In 2005, presidential candidate John McCain, who picked Mrs Palin as his running mate, opposed a Senate Democratic proposal that would have spent tens of millions of dollars to pay for pregnancy prevention programmes other than abstinence-only education, including education on emergency contraception such as the morning-after pillFor the record, the US has the one of the "worst" rates of teen pregnancy in the Western World. According to a report by Population Action International, published at the end of last year, there were 44 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in the US for 2000-2005. Ho hum. My quotes come from this article on the BBC website.
Friday, July 25, 2008
The World Youth Day wrap
Not a lo to say about the event itself. Sydneysiders, I have realised, love to have a whine about stuff. They hated the prospect of the Olympics and World Youth Day was going to cause traffic chaos the like o which has never before been experienced. Condom hurling lefties in offensive t-shirts would be cloging the streets and life as we know it would grind to a halt.
In fact none of that happened. There were noticaly more young folk in the city, standing out like dog's balls with their bright coloured backpacks and flags on poles. But it remained easy to get around the city, even when Pope Beni was on the move and even when some bloke dressed as Jesus was getting his arse kicked in the re-enactment o the last hours of Christ's life, the Stations of the Cross.
I have a bit of a problem with this particularly nasty bit of religous symbolism. I get that Big JC needed to have a torrid time in order to ram home the fact hat he was doing it for all of us. I get that. But I fail to see why we need to have it re-enacted. Ever. Especially in a youth event. It sends a very strange message. According to the laws of the land at that time JC was a criminal and the punishment for his offense was a damn good kicking and nailing to a tree. "Sorry mate, we're not having any of this son of God nonsense, shut it or we'll string you up. He's not the Messiah he's a very naughty boy" if you will.
If today a scruffy bloke in a blanket started spouting off about how his dad is God, and had a dozen equally scruffy blokes bigging-him-up the rest of us would think he was bonkers. We'd probably not strip, beat, humiliate and string him up. We'd probably check him into a nut house and give him some therapy. Which, if it turned out he was the son of God, would make for a somewhat less theatrical reenactment two thousand years hence. The symbolic handing out of a couple of small pills and a beaker of water would look nowhere near as good on TV as a blood streaming from a mostly naked bloke nailed to a fucking great cross being hoisted up on the shore of Sydney Harbour.
Anyway, Stations of the Cross. Please stop it. It sends an iffy message to the kids. Stop worshiping suffering and death. It's not healthy.
However, I digress. WYD, in the end, caused far less traffic chaos than did the visit of Don Rumsfeld or George Dubya. There was no ill feeling towards the pilgrims (young tourists) and pretty well no negative press about the event itself. Sure it cost us taxpayers a bomb that was not really recouped (pilgrims don't spend big, especially when they have food vouchers) and sure some of my tax money has been gifted to the racing industry courtesy of the church, and sure the whole religion thing is a lot of nonsense. But it was pretty low key, and Pope Beni looked far less evil than he does in a lot of pictures. For the atheist it was all dreadfully dull.
Shame such an event has to be linked to religion. Would be nice if it could just happen wthout the baggage.
It's about time I added a post with a picture...
In fact none of that happened. There were noticaly more young folk in the city, standing out like dog's balls with their bright coloured backpacks and flags on poles. But it remained easy to get around the city, even when Pope Beni was on the move and even when some bloke dressed as Jesus was getting his arse kicked in the re-enactment o the last hours of Christ's life, the Stations of the Cross.
I have a bit of a problem with this particularly nasty bit of religous symbolism. I get that Big JC needed to have a torrid time in order to ram home the fact hat he was doing it for all of us. I get that. But I fail to see why we need to have it re-enacted. Ever. Especially in a youth event. It sends a very strange message. According to the laws of the land at that time JC was a criminal and the punishment for his offense was a damn good kicking and nailing to a tree. "Sorry mate, we're not having any of this son of God nonsense, shut it or we'll string you up. He's not the Messiah he's a very naughty boy" if you will.
If today a scruffy bloke in a blanket started spouting off about how his dad is God, and had a dozen equally scruffy blokes bigging-him-up the rest of us would think he was bonkers. We'd probably not strip, beat, humiliate and string him up. We'd probably check him into a nut house and give him some therapy. Which, if it turned out he was the son of God, would make for a somewhat less theatrical reenactment two thousand years hence. The symbolic handing out of a couple of small pills and a beaker of water would look nowhere near as good on TV as a blood streaming from a mostly naked bloke nailed to a fucking great cross being hoisted up on the shore of Sydney Harbour.
Anyway, Stations of the Cross. Please stop it. It sends an iffy message to the kids. Stop worshiping suffering and death. It's not healthy.
However, I digress. WYD, in the end, caused far less traffic chaos than did the visit of Don Rumsfeld or George Dubya. There was no ill feeling towards the pilgrims (young tourists) and pretty well no negative press about the event itself. Sure it cost us taxpayers a bomb that was not really recouped (pilgrims don't spend big, especially when they have food vouchers) and sure some of my tax money has been gifted to the racing industry courtesy of the church, and sure the whole religion thing is a lot of nonsense. But it was pretty low key, and Pope Beni looked far less evil than he does in a lot of pictures. For the atheist it was all dreadfully dull.
Shame such an event has to be linked to religion. Would be nice if it could just happen wthout the baggage.
It's about time I added a post with a picture...
Saturday, June 07, 2008
the madness of World Youth Day
The catholic church are bringing an 83 year old corpse to Sydney for World Youth Day. Seriously, you could not make this shit up.
irony and nonesense
There was an article in the magazine section of today's Sydney morning Herald about the split (the word split is rarely used) in the Anglican church. The battle lines are drawn between those who are cool with and not so cool with the ordination of gays. Seems bizarre that they agree on their imaginary friends but no on real people. Anyway...What is the Sydney Anglican line on homosexuality? Well apparently...homosexuals who persist in having sex (my emphasis) are wicked sinners breaking God's law; they are unfit for Holy Communion; unfit for the ministry; unfit to for any post in the parish; unfit to be elected bishop anywhere (are you listening Gene Robinson?); and unless they refrain from sex (my emphasis again) with one another for their entire lives, destined for Judgement.
So the really really bad thing is the physical act of having sex? If you refrain you're not as bad...what about if you're not gay but still have a bit of bum action? Does that mean judgement? Why the petty interest in he physical act?
A brief shout out to the Catholic Church who, according to this article, are managing to fan the flames of atheism with World Youth Day. On-ya! I am sure that when Pope Wotnot the Ex Nazi arrives I will have plenty to say about World Youth Day.
Back to the Anglicans. In his Easter message the local ArchBish, Peter Jenson, warned the faithful about meddling in the occult and messing with ghosts and spirits. I guess he did not include THE Holy Spirit in that warning? That ghost is OK, right? And Big J is allowed to rise up from the dead (Zombie!) before going up to sit alongside his old man (genocidal maniac, if I remember my Old Testament) and aforementioned ghost (wonder if he looks like Patrick Swayze before he got ill?) Aren't those three actually the same person? The holy trinity, A genocidal Zombie Patrick Swayze!
Now if religion was really like that...
So the really really bad thing is the physical act of having sex? If you refrain you're not as bad...what about if you're not gay but still have a bit of bum action? Does that mean judgement? Why the petty interest in he physical act?
A brief shout out to the Catholic Church who, according to this article, are managing to fan the flames of atheism with World Youth Day. On-ya! I am sure that when Pope Wotnot the Ex Nazi arrives I will have plenty to say about World Youth Day.
Back to the Anglicans. In his Easter message the local ArchBish, Peter Jenson, warned the faithful about meddling in the occult and messing with ghosts and spirits. I guess he did not include THE Holy Spirit in that warning? That ghost is OK, right? And Big J is allowed to rise up from the dead (Zombie!) before going up to sit alongside his old man (genocidal maniac, if I remember my Old Testament) and aforementioned ghost (wonder if he looks like Patrick Swayze before he got ill?) Aren't those three actually the same person? The holy trinity, A genocidal Zombie Patrick Swayze!
Now if religion was really like that...
Sunday, June 01, 2008
The Chronicles of Narnia
OK, so I am a grumpy old bastard. I've said it. But surely I am not the only one who thinks that a story that...hold on...spoiler alert...that has Santa Claus arming children so they can go on to fight a heroic war against a great evil sends a good message to our 21st century children? Not far from there to the war on terror...hold on, wikipedia has some interesting stuff under theme and allegory...theology! I knew that'd be at he heart of it. Fighting is good! Evil exists! Bah humbug.
Hold on...the wonders of the internet and where your browsing takes you has led me to what is one of my favourite quotes. Penned by George Bernard Shaw, the final line of Back to Methusala
Hold on...the wonders of the internet and where your browsing takes you has led me to what is one of my favourite quotes. Penned by George Bernard Shaw, the final line of Back to Methusala
Of Life only is there no end; and though of its million starry mansions many are empty and many still unbuilt, and though its vast domain is as yet unbearably desert, my seed shall one day fill it and master its matter to its uttermost confines. And for what may be beyond, the eyesight of Lilith is too short. It is enough that there is a beyond.How great is that? And I never realised Lilith was supposed to be Adam's first wife. So the quote would not exist without religion? Oh the turmoil! New subject...
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