Comments on: Humanists launch “Naughty” awareness campaign

By: alan

alan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:31:17 +0000

Seems as though some humanist will have to get nailed, before they’re allowed to practice their beliefs in peace.

By: h4rdc0r3 d4v3

h4rdc0r3 d4v3 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:15:11 +0000

at age 12 i refused bar mitzvah training and the ceremony itself based upon the fact that i simply never believed in god, and wasn’t about to get up in front of my friends, family, and the community, professing my admiration and service to a being representative of a figment of collective helplessness and fear.

got thrown in the psych ward for a month, at age 12, by my mother, the rigidly pious daughter of a rabbi, who couldn’t deal with a free thinking kid.

i doubt that having these billboards in proximity to us back then would have saved me any trouble growing up. not that they’re a bad idea…

wish i could have more to say on topic, but even stirring the memory makes me so fucking mad, thwarting clarity and reason.

By: wayne

wayne — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:07:24 +0000

I choose not to go to church and my children go to a multi-cultural school with no religious denomination. Yes she takes part in the holiday services at Easter and Christmas and I feel that is a bonus for her because she loves to sing and dance.

I was very disappointed when she came home sat down in a prayer position and started with a Christian prayer (she is only 5yrs old). Disappointed because we have not been consulted whether we are happy to allow the school to promote this religion to our child.

There are other religious groups in the same school and i wonder what would have been said if a Hindu or Muslim child started spouting the lords prayer at dinner time.

I agree that these are other views that should be explored when the time is right for me and my family not the school.

By: Berber Anna

Berber Anna — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:27:27 +0000

jazzderry: I’m an atheist with no political aspirations apart from voting, and I object to the public funding of religion if said funding is not given, in equal amounts, to all religious, spiritual and philosophical (including atheist and humanist) organisations. That’s what was wrong with that prayer — it shows a state-funded bias towards one religion.

And I don’t see how it’s in any way offensive to point out that bias against any group isn’t nice. If it said ‘bias against muslims is naughty, not nice’ or ‘bias against jews is naughty, not nice’, would you call that offensive to christians as well? If not, then, well, why is bias against atheists any different?

By: NLP Guy

NLP Guy — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:54:47 +0000

@Matt – How many different prayers to different gods would be acceptable then? If I believe in fairies can I demand a prayer to my fairy god and expect everyone else to sit quietly through it?

In many ways its keeping quiet and allowing such platforms that gives faiths credence that they really don’t deserve.

How about a little prayer to mcdonalds at the beginning of school assembies – After all what harm could it do?

By: Rab

Rab — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:39:23 +0000

@the first Matt: if you think that religious belief isn’t harmful I’d like to know which sandpit your head is buried in so I can come and drag your ignorant arse out of it and into reality, you ignorant turd.

By: jazzderry

jazzderry — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:32:00 +0000

i’m an atheist and i agree with Matt above except its not atheists as a whole objecting -its politicians who are atheists.i was brought up episcopalian and am respectful of others beliefs-and yes i think the prayer segment should still go ahead-its not hurting anyone who does not believe in a god-well it wouldn’t hurt me anyway-its neither here nor there.that billboard was designed to stir up trouble and yes i can see how that would be seen as offensive to people.

By: Vic

Vic — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:45:31 +0000

Matt,

Would you be ok with an authority figure coming out and reminding the students that there probably isn’t a God and this is the only life they get, so try and make the most of it and respect that we’re all just lucky enough to be here at all?

If that happened where I’m from, a mob would rush the stage and beat the speaker bloody, if not kill him.

The huge double standard is the biggest problem.

By: spiderabc1

spiderabc1 — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:12:06 +0000

@Matt You have reminded me of my primary school assemblies and sitting making up my own version of the Lord’s prayer. Slightly amusing though really annoying even at the age of 8. I am surprised atheism and scientific evidence of evolution requires advertising. In my opinoin all religions should be taught in school, not one over another and that empirical evidence is presented to pupils as fact not fiction. (If this is on twice my captch has rebelled : (in no way is it an act of you know who.)

By: The Other Matt

The Other Matt — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:48:26 +0000

@ The first Matt(Continued)

irrelevant to the students education. Every student should have the right to be free of religious pressures while they go about school. Doesn’t matter if they’re Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Jew, or Buddhist, it shouldn’t be any burden on them for having beliefs that are in the minority in their area.