The Creed of Non-Belief
I find myself re-reading Dawkins' The God Delusion as I prepare myself for the semester ahead. I don't know what to make of the fact that I had very little trouble getting a copy of it here in Manila (I had assumed the book would have been banned here). It's strange reading it in a place where I was brought up in much the same way that Dawkins finds so disgusting. Even weirder still was the experience of having to clutch the book as I accompanied my parents to Church. From the stares I got from church goers, I suspect that this "international bookseller" is more popular in the PHilippines than the religious authorities here would find comfortable. Let's save my thoughts on the book for another entry.
On the same day I got the book, I took my parents to watch The Golden Compass precisely because I'd received an sms imploring me to boycott the film. I suppose I can see why those who are jittery about atheism (the same people who have a problem with Dawkins, i'm sure) would find the film a bit of a worry. Of course, I probably would never have watched it had it not been for that sms. The ironic effect of negative publicity never ceases to intrigue me.
And so, it was in this mood that I re-acquainted myself with the Philippines -- where the air is abuzz with Christmas spirit, where my big fat Filipino family will try again to set me up with one bachelorette after another, and where I had just paid a significant sum for what is perhaps the worst haircut i've ever had in my life.
On the same day I got the book, I took my parents to watch The Golden Compass precisely because I'd received an sms imploring me to boycott the film. I suppose I can see why those who are jittery about atheism (the same people who have a problem with Dawkins, i'm sure) would find the film a bit of a worry. Of course, I probably would never have watched it had it not been for that sms. The ironic effect of negative publicity never ceases to intrigue me.
And so, it was in this mood that I re-acquainted myself with the Philippines -- where the air is abuzz with Christmas spirit, where my big fat Filipino family will try again to set me up with one bachelorette after another, and where I had just paid a significant sum for what is perhaps the worst haircut i've ever had in my life.