ALL ABOARD the Atheist Bus.

[*Bob*]

taper Wrote:

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But it still represents

> a sound philosophical basis for rationalists in so

> far as you remain open to the possibility that, if

> evidence of a deity is forthcoming, you will adapt

> your views accordingly.

Certainly. I'll keep an ear out for that singing dandelion as well. You never know.

[lozzyloz]

Surely if there was a god, buses would run more regularly with less overcrowding and cheaper fares.

[blinder999]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Certainly. I'll keep an ear out for that singing

> dandelion as well. You never know.

Here's one from Flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/2581068128_84a22dbdfa.jpg

[*Bob*]

That one even has a microphone. I knew it all along.

Praise Be.

[PeckhamRose]

As I said, blame the Advertising Standards Authority for the inclusion of the word "probably"!

But for those of you who feel you have to have something to believe in - The Church Of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

[HonaloochieB]

If there was a God then Donald Westlake wouldn't have died and they wouldn't be demolishing the Astoria.

[PeckhamRose]

Exactly. And my Great Aunty would have died in a lot less time than it took her, in pain and suffering for months at the end, and stuff.

[Jeremy]

If you need any more evidence to support the existence of the spaghetti monster...

Look at all the piracy in Somalia these days. And consider the current cold weather. Coincidence? I don't think so!

PeckhamRose Wrote:

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> As I said, blame the Advertising Standards

> Authority for the inclusion of the word

> "probably"!

> But for those of you who feel you have to have

> something to believe in - The Church Of the Flying

> Spaghetti Monster

[Jah Lush]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> I can't agree to disagree when I'm right, Jeremy.

>

> 'Believing there is no God but not having

> definitive evidence' is as ridiculous a position

> as 'believing that dandelions can sing when

> no-one's around to hear them'.

What a great name for a band. The Dandelions. Oooh I'm liking that so much I'm off to form a band right now.

There are no Gods only religion.

[Jeremy]

There appears to be a Swedish band of that name... www.myspace.com/thedandelions

[HonaloochieB]

Oh JL, what a disappointment. truly there is no God.

[Jah Lush]

Bugger!

[PeckhamRose]

Dear God by XTC One of my favourites bands singing one of my favourite songs on the subject.

And yes, that's the actor who played J R Hartley up the tree.

[Asset]

'Believing there is no God but not having definitive evidence

If you remove the 'no' then that's religion.

I'm an atheist. However I do like visiting churches and standing stones etc. for the architectural and cultural interest.

I think the campaign is a good thing as people and institutions get given concessions based on their religious beliefs yet there is not really an alternative for non-religious types.

For example: The church in New Mexico given dispensation by the US Supreme Court on the taking of hallucinogenic drugs as they 'believe' it helps them understand god etc.. Yet sufferers of MS who 'believe' cannabis relieves their symptoms are criminals. (lifted from The God Delusion).

[paragon]

Interestingly or not there was some religious chap on the telly last night (BBC news I think) saying that they welcomed the adverts and some Christian organisations had donated to the campaign. The logic was that apathy is their biggest enemy not Atheists and all this is healthy debate.

[David Mc]

It irritates the fuck out of me that atheists aren't allowed a say on Radio 4's Thought For The Day.

If you agree that they should, you can do little bit to help by following one of the links in this article...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/04/religion-atheism-radio4-bbc

[Mick Mac]

I think its a fantastic campaign. I'm all for publising that your not odd to think there's no god.

What I don't understand is that so many people seem to have no interest in religion whatsoever (eg don't go to church except weddings and funerals) and yet if you ask them if they belive in god they tend to say yes.

If I believed in god (and I don't) I'd be at mass/church every week, frightened out of my wits that if I did not pray enough I might end up in hell/purgatory, some other hot or horrible place.

But then maybe these people were not taught by nuns and have a more rational outlook on what might happen when one dies.

[lozzyloz]

When I was a kid I believed there was a god and Father Christmas because that's what I was taught at school.

As a teenager I rebelled and became an atheist.

By 30 I was wondering if perhaps it was possible there might just be a superior life force or god.

Now that we're close to proving the hypothetical existence of 'Dark Matter' I'm having to rethink my belief in Father Christmas.

[Mick Mac]

lozzyloz - I can confirm Father Chrtistmas does exist - I saw him only recently at Goodrich school santas grotto - although my 6 year old told me it was Mr Smith. I refused to believe that.

There was no sign of God.

[lozzyloz]

Apparently Mr Smith has a cast iron alibi.

[HonaloochieB]

What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us

Just a stranger on the bus

Trying to make his way home

So the Atheist bus thread? Big Bad Wolf's twatting the unruly kid on the bus thread? Ted Max's Locale Reporteur thread? The lyrics of Joan Osborne?

ALL JOINING HERE TOGETHER PRECISELY AT THIS MOMENT.

There's some who'd 'rationalise' this away as coincidence.

But those of us who aren't hopelessly anchored to rationality believe there is a bigger hand at work here, and no, I don't refer to the 'cuffing spanner' on the end of Big Bad Wolf's arm.

And has noone noticed that RICHARD DAWKINS is an anagram of RD SAID RICH W@NK.

It makes you want to give yourself up to a hire power, doesn't it?

Edited becuase a higher power would not allow me a 'w@nk'.

[indiepanda]

Not sure believing in God means you'd be going to church all the time. My dad is a believer, but he doesn't believe in religion because of all the dreadful things done in the name of religion.

I was raised a catholic, though would probably class myself as agnostic now, if not athiest, but I have to say I think he is right, if there were a god, he would weep at all the things that his believers do in his name.

Only need to look at our history - if it wasn't the Christians off on the crusades in the holy land in the middle ages, it was Henry VIII setting up his own church to get a divorce and executing anyone who stood in his way (e.g. Thomas More), then his oldest daughter executing anyone who didn't turn back to the Catholic church when she took power to the oppression of Catholics in Northern Ireland etc etc...

Ok, most of these things were in conflict with the real teachings of those faiths - but an unfortunate minority people seem to be pretty good at using religion to justify some pretty bad behaviour - worse often than those with no faith.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

What is it about "Born-Again" Christians that make you wish they had never been born in the first place?

[HonaloochieB]

Tony.London Suburbs Wrote:

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> What is it about "Born-Again" Christians that make

> you wish they had never been born in the first

> place?

But wasn't Jesus himself 'barn' again?

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I'm here for the next two thousand years, remember be good to the innkeeper and go forth and multiply safely.

[wizardonwheels]

Isn't religion and belief a personal thing? I find it funny that I found this thread the night after I watched the film "The man who sued God" If you get a chance I would recommend it. It is Billy Connely to a tee, it has the madness of trying to explain what an act of God is, and the fear of the church in having to prove that He does exist, and He being held accountable for these acts, against the insurance companies trying to prove that an act of God is just a term used to get out of paying out on natural disasters.

Cian.