Comments on: BBC blasted for portraying Christians as a ‘fascinating and increasingly rare species’ http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/ The voice of atheism since 1881 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:08:53 +0000 hourly 1 By: rog http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25850 rog Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:01:51 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25850 @Stonyground It's true that my earlier comment was tongue in cheek, but at the same time, I can't help thinking that a couple of frivolous discrimination cases by atheists would highlight the absurdity of religious privilege under the law. I would not expect them to win, merely spark a debate; sorry for being mischievous. @Stonyground

It’s true that my earlier comment was tongue in cheek, but at the same time, I can’t help thinking that a couple of frivolous discrimination cases by atheists would highlight the absurdity of religious privilege under the law. I would not expect them to win, merely spark a debate; sorry for being mischievous.

]]> By: tony e http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25839 tony e Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:42:05 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25839 All religions have shown their true colours when they feel under attack (real or imagined), it will be interesting to see what course these muppets follow. All religions have shown their true colours when they feel under attack (real or imagined), it will be interesting to see what course these muppets follow.

]]> By: barriejohn http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25837 barriejohn Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:02:09 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25837 Well, what's new, Angela? It trumps child abuse, and a whole lot of other human rights abuses, so why should animals have preferential treatment? (That's irony, BTW, before anyone launches a diatribe!) Well, what’s new, Angela? It trumps child abuse, and a whole lot of other human rights abuses, so why should animals have preferential treatment? (That’s irony, BTW, before anyone launches a diatribe!)

]]> By: Angela_K http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25836 Angela_K Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:44:59 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25836 GSW, I agree. The animal welfare businesses [charities?] are rather quiet on this one as is our craven Government; don't want to upset potential muslim voters do they? Religious stupidity is allowed to trump animal abuse. GSW, I agree. The animal welfare businesses [charities?] are rather quiet on this one as is our craven Government; don’t want to upset potential muslim voters do they? Religious stupidity is allowed to trump animal abuse.

]]> By: barriejohn http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25834 barriejohn Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:57:20 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25834 You're right, @Michael Trussler. This theme occurs right through the Bible - many extreme evangelical groups even today referring to themselves as "the remnant"! They'd be miserable if we all joined them!! All prophets have told their followers that they are part of a small, privileged group, to which their god has chosen to reveal himself, showing to them, and them only, the true path in life, and that "unbelievers" will misunderstand and persecute them, but that this just seals their "election". <i>"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." </i>(Matt.5:11-12) It doesn't matter how objectionable they make themselves, nor how great their hatred of humanity is; all opposition is "of the Devil", and merely confirms them in their belief that THEY and they only are right! You’re right, @Michael Trussler. This theme occurs right through the Bible – many extreme evangelical groups even today referring to themselves as “the remnant”! They’d be miserable if we all joined them!! All prophets have told their followers that they are part of a small, privileged group, to which their god has chosen to reveal himself, showing to them, and them only, the true path in life, and that “unbelievers” will misunderstand and persecute them, but that this just seals their “election”.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matt.5:11-12)

It doesn’t matter how objectionable they make themselves, nor how great their hatred of humanity is; all opposition is “of the Devil”, and merely confirms them in their belief that THEY and they only are right!

]]> By: gsw http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25832 gsw Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:48:34 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25832 <b>Vegetarian alert</b> While we are happily discussing whether the non-orthodox (lacto-vegies like me) are as entitled to whinge about meat-eaters as full vegans - and also 'having a go at the religious' - may I throw in the thought that not only us vegies but <b>all of us</b> should start whinging about halal being served to unsuspecting children at school? This is a valid <i>whinge</i> since it involves torturing animals to death. Time to stand up and be counted. Vegetarian alert
While we are happily discussing whether the non-orthodox (lacto-vegies like me) are as entitled to whinge about meat-eaters as full vegans – and also ‘having a go at the religious’ – may I throw in the thought that not only us vegies but all of us should start whinging about halal being served to unsuspecting children at school?

This is a valid whinge since it involves torturing animals to death.

Time to stand up and be counted.

]]> By: Michael Trussler http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25831 Michael Trussler Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:30:24 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25831 The victim mentality goes right to the core of all religions. It's fundamentally part of both their own formation myths - a brave bunch of people with a new fresh idea, fighting against the establishment (Romans, Christians, Pagans etc etc), and also part of the cancerous intellectual tendrils it sends out into society, hoping to appeal to that part of people that roots for the underdog, the moral minority, the lone renegade with Right on their side. Come to us! every religion cries, often with bells rung loudly from towers, or through loudspeakers wailing across dingy suburbs.. Ignore the naysayers, ignore your own rational doubts - our tenets and theologies ARE enough, we have ALL the answers. Be one of us and you'll be protected from the nasty questions of existence and also from the unwashed masses. We alone offer you the gift of the thrill of being one of an oppressed minority of people on the inside - we are oppressed because we are RIGHT!, you too can be one of the few. It simply doesn't and wouldn't work if literally EVERYBODY was of the faith, there'd be noone to personify the rationalist in us all, the denier, the id. The lonely irrational Child would have no need to hide away with its toys. The victim mentality goes right to the core of all religions.
It’s fundamentally part of both their own formation myths – a brave bunch of people with a new fresh idea, fighting against the establishment (Romans, Christians, Pagans etc etc), and also part of the cancerous intellectual tendrils it sends out into society, hoping to appeal to that part of people that roots for the underdog, the moral minority, the lone renegade with Right on their side.
Come to us! every religion cries, often with bells rung loudly from towers, or through loudspeakers wailing across dingy suburbs.. Ignore the naysayers, ignore your own rational doubts – our tenets and theologies ARE enough, we have ALL the answers. Be one of us and you’ll be protected from the nasty questions of existence and also from the unwashed masses. We alone offer you the gift of the thrill of being one of an oppressed minority of people on the inside – we are oppressed because we are RIGHT!, you too can be one of the few.

It simply doesn’t and wouldn’t work if literally EVERYBODY was of the faith, there’d be noone to personify the rationalist in us all, the denier, the id. The lonely irrational Child would have no need to hide away with its toys.

]]> By: Stuart W http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25827 Stuart W Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:47:07 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25827 That's the trouble when you believe that your particular group - for which you are a career lobbyist - literally has a god-given right to shine its influence from the top of the political, social and cultural hierarchy. In a country like Britain that refuses to just accept that anymore for a number of reasons, you will feel increasingly frustrated and relegated to eccentric sideshow. Who is ultimately to blame? Going by their website, the likes of the CI will only be truly satisfied when hordes of atheists drop everything and convert, the BBC portrays all Christian characters as wholesome yet trendy beacons of morality, gay people accept that they are second-class citizens and relinquish those bothersome and intimidating 'equal rights', and scientists agree that grand medical advances are less important than getting the church's back up by using stem cells. Keep dreaming. That’s the trouble when you believe that your particular group – for which you are a career lobbyist – literally has a god-given right to shine its influence from the top of the political, social and cultural hierarchy. In a country like Britain that refuses to just accept that anymore for a number of reasons, you will feel increasingly frustrated and relegated to eccentric sideshow. Who is ultimately to blame?
Going by their website, the likes of the CI will only be truly satisfied when hordes of atheists drop everything and convert, the BBC portrays all Christian characters as wholesome yet trendy beacons of morality, gay people accept that they are second-class citizens and relinquish those bothersome and intimidating ‘equal rights’, and scientists agree that grand medical advances are less important than getting the church’s back up by using stem cells.
Keep dreaming.

]]> By: RubberBaron http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25826 RubberBaron Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:34:25 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25826 It's not as if religionistas are starved of media attention. Aren't there whole TV and radio channels utterly devoted to god-bothering output? And specialist newspapers and magazines and reams of books, and their own buildings in which to broadcast hopefully to a perceived super-natural being? And never mind all the web sites, from wishy-washy liberal to nutjob apocalyptica.... Is the CofE living under a rock, unaware of this lot - or are they just hoping for a licence payer funded propaganda machine? It’s not as if religionistas are starved of media attention.

Aren’t there whole TV and radio channels utterly devoted to god-bothering output? And specialist newspapers and magazines and reams of books, and their own buildings in which to broadcast hopefully to a perceived super-natural being? And never mind all the web sites, from wishy-washy liberal to nutjob apocalyptica….

Is the CofE living under a rock, unaware of this lot – or are they just hoping for a licence payer funded propaganda machine?

]]> By: barriejohn http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/12/21/bbc-blasted-for-portraying-christians-as-a-%e2%80%98fascinating-and-increasingly-rare-species%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-25824 barriejohn Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:42:19 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=10570#comment-25824 I've said before, Buffy, why don't we start a religion which forbids labour between the hours of sunrise and sunset (it's not much more bizarre than some of the current irrational restrictions on people's behaviour anyway), and then claim that our employers are acting unreasonably by "demanding" that we do just that. Sauce for the goose again! I’ve said before, Buffy, why don’t we start a religion which forbids labour between the hours of sunrise and sunset (it’s not much more bizarre than some of the current irrational restrictions on people’s behaviour anyway), and then claim that our employers are acting unreasonably by “demanding” that we do just that. Sauce for the goose again!

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