No, I just don't get it.
Once upon a time I described myself as an Agnostic. I don't really get God and Angels and all that stuff, but if I came across a burning bush I'd be quick to sign on for the next crusade. Then, I read that Dawkins book and Agnosticism went and I signed up for the Atheist party. For the most part, I really, really, really don't care about what other people choose to believe about their place in the universe. For the most part I dislike Proselytism - each to their own, and I don't think I try to convince people that their view of their place in the universe is wrong, and that they should instead have my view of such matters.
Well anyway. I've got my alarm set to wake me up in time for the review of the papers on the today programme on Radio 4. They follow this with Thought for the Day, which is often a varying collection of thoughts by some wise, and not so wise people. But hey, I don't mind TFTD.
What I do object to is some of the stuff that gets spouted by some of the people that they get to speak on it. Not necessarily on TFTD itself, but often on the news at 8am. For example, one TFTD was that we spend too much time gathering baubles and wealth, that it doesn't make us happy, and we should go do spritual stuff instead. Fine, no problem, except that it's a bloody bishop with a GOLDEN STICK telling me. You want me to stop buying DVDs - don't lecture me from a cathedral built on oppression; don't poke me with a glove born from the wealth of ages.
Same wine, different vintage when it comes to female priests, gay marriages, faith schools and catholic adoptions. People want to live their life certain ways, fine. But why on earth is it ok for me to discriminate just because I have a certain view of my place in the universe? Why is it ok for me to have one set of rules for me when there is another set of rules for someone else, purely because I am in a certain club with certain rules. Maybe, just maybe I could turn a blind eye to what such organisations do behind closed doors; but these organisations leave the door open and have people with flyers standing in the streets shouting, "Come and look at us!".
I don't get it. I really, really, really don't get it. Maybe I need to see the burning bush, and then maybe I'll get why faith schools want to stop kids that think like I do from having a good education, maybe I'll get why homosexuality is bad, or why females can't read stories from a book, sing songs and acquire wisdom.
Sod it, I don't think I want to see the burning bush.
Well anyway. I've got my alarm set to wake me up in time for the review of the papers on the today programme on Radio 4. They follow this with Thought for the Day, which is often a varying collection of thoughts by some wise, and not so wise people. But hey, I don't mind TFTD.
What I do object to is some of the stuff that gets spouted by some of the people that they get to speak on it. Not necessarily on TFTD itself, but often on the news at 8am. For example, one TFTD was that we spend too much time gathering baubles and wealth, that it doesn't make us happy, and we should go do spritual stuff instead. Fine, no problem, except that it's a bloody bishop with a GOLDEN STICK telling me. You want me to stop buying DVDs - don't lecture me from a cathedral built on oppression; don't poke me with a glove born from the wealth of ages.
Same wine, different vintage when it comes to female priests, gay marriages, faith schools and catholic adoptions. People want to live their life certain ways, fine. But why on earth is it ok for me to discriminate just because I have a certain view of my place in the universe? Why is it ok for me to have one set of rules for me when there is another set of rules for someone else, purely because I am in a certain club with certain rules. Maybe, just maybe I could turn a blind eye to what such organisations do behind closed doors; but these organisations leave the door open and have people with flyers standing in the streets shouting, "Come and look at us!".
I don't get it. I really, really, really don't get it. Maybe I need to see the burning bush, and then maybe I'll get why faith schools want to stop kids that think like I do from having a good education, maybe I'll get why homosexuality is bad, or why females can't read stories from a book, sing songs and acquire wisdom.
Sod it, I don't think I want to see the burning bush.