Canadian Atheist
Athée Canadien
Reason Rally… success
Mar 25th
Over the weekend, down in Washington D.C., the Reason Rally seems to have been quite a success, I’m sure you’ll be reading about it on the American blogs for a bit, even if you didn’t actually go.
I, unfortunately, had other commitments, but it sure sounds like people had a blast, always good to hear.
Educating Science
Mar 25th
How would you explain what a flame is, to an 11 year old?
That is the question actor Alan Alda is asking. Why? Because he really wants to understand… what a flame is. One of the big problems in science education is the balance between making an explanation simple enough for ‘normal’ people to understand, while still conveying accurate information.
People with expertise in an area, often hit the wall of ‘common sense’ when trying to provide an explanation. Of course, when you are an expert in something, your sense with regards to that thing, is anything but common.
It’s Just So Infallible!
Mar 25th
Here’s a list of inconsistencies I picked up while browsing online (for something completely different).
It blows my mind that some of these are from THE SAME BOOK! It makes me wonder if believers have actually read their bible! I mean, anyone with an ounce of objectivity should be able to see this book for what it really is: ancient fiction; most of which is no longer applicable in today’s world – not that it was moral 2000+ years ago either. How can they miss the mark by so much?
Oh well, enjoy!
Two Hate Crimes, One Week (Allegedly)
Mar 25th
Wow… So two major hate crimes seem to have occurred in the span of one week; ultimately resulting in the death of 17 year old Treyvon Martin; and a Muslim mother of five, Shaima Alawadi, who (earlier today) has succumb to her injuries. She was beaten with a tire iron in her own home and left in a pool of her own blood. The perpetrator left a note beside her: More >
How to beat your wife?
Mar 24th
Islamic Books and Souvenirs is a well known store, and one I’ve passed by on occasion. It’s located in east Toronto, in the area referred to as ‘little India’. It has a street lined with Indian, Pakistani, Hindu and Muslim shops and restaurants.
And, apparently it is sold out… of a book called A Gift For the Muslim Couple.
In terms of physical punishment, the book advises that a husband may scold her, “beat by hand or stick,” withhold money from her or “pull (her) by the ears,” but should “refrain from beating her excessively.”Moderate Muslim voice Tarek Fatah says the shopkeeper should be charged for selling such a book.
“I wouldn’t say it’s hate, but it is inciting men to hit women,” said Fatah, who identified the book’s author as a prominent Islamic scholar.
Now spousal abuse is not just a Muslim phenomena, obviously, but I’m with Fatah on this one, this seems to cross the line.
PCVS Student Rant
Mar 24th
Matthew Finlan, PCVS student council president, pays tribute to satirist Rick Mercer with a rant on the prospect of closing a Peterborough, Ontario public high school.
Changing the Definition of Marriage Again
Mar 24th
By Sigmund
Despite their historical differences on issues of scripture and power, the Catholic Church and major protestant denominations, both mainstream and evangelical, are currently united on one issue – their opposition to gay marriage. Indeed, in a prime example of interfaith cooperation, the Christian blocks have been joined by British leaders of the Sikh and Jewish faiths in registering their opposition to the extension of marriage rights to homosexual couples.
Lord Singh, the head of the Network of Sikh Organisations, said: “In the pursuit of equality one shouldn’t dilute and distort another’s beliefs” with Rabbi Schochet, once considered a front runner to become the next chief rabbi of Britain, describing the proposals as “pure politics” and an assault on “traditional values.” Rabbi Schochet explained it was hypocritical to impose such a far-reaching “secular” change when religious leaders would be condemned for imposing their values on others.
While the Sikh and Jewish response to this question has been based on explicitly religious terms, an alternative strategy has been adopted by the Christian authorities. This tactic has been to argue the danger of “changing the definition of marriage”.
In a letter from two UK archbishops, read to parishioners at 2,500 masses across the country, the church argued:
Changing the legal definition of marriage would be a profoundly radical step
Its consequences should be taken seriously now. The law helps to shape and form social and cultural values. A change in the law would gradually and inevitably transform society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage.
I suspect that the church may indeed have a point here. Allowing consenting adults, to marry – in particular two adults previously restricted from marriage to each other – can have consequences for society.
Unfortunately for the archbishop’s argument we have a fairly recent precedent where exactly that situation occurred.
Until relatively recently there remained bans in interracial marriage in many parts of the United States. The famous 1967 ‘Loving versus Virginia’ decision resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court removing a Virginia statute barring whites from marrying nonwhites and led to the overthrow of similar bans in 15 other states. Today interracial marriage is commonplace in the US. While it is still opposed by significant parts of the US population – recent polls showing that over 20% of Republican voters in some southern States believe it should be illegal – there is little popular opposition to this change in the previously accepted version of marriage.
Repeating what the Archbishops said, the law helps to shape and form social and cultural values. A change in the law would gradually and inevitably transform society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage.
And that can be a good thing.
Respecting Difference
Mar 22nd
A rose by any other name… is likely to piss just about everyone off.
This is something I learned debating other atheists. I shouldn’t be too critical, I’m just as bad. ‘Bright’ makes me violence prone. (Seriously… bright?)
In my experience, if you want to anger a non-believer, the key… is not claiming that god exists. We love that sh-tuff… it’s like a drug. We need to get our fix.
Rather… call us agnostic, atheist, apatheist, ignostic, humanist…etc..
Eventually, you’ll hit on the right combination of sounds that makes an atheist’s blood boil.
But… what’s in a word? Aren’t we being a little irrational?
…according to new guidelines by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, they should be called “Respecting Difference” clubs.
Yes, that is correct, the word GAY is offensive… to catholics. Wait… what? Isn’t it the lefties who are supposed to get all PC and upset about names and labels?
Hmmm…so, we’re supposed to respect difference, but that doesn’t include calling people what they prefer to be called? That doesn’t sound right…. eh, then again, people call me all sorts of names… Sticks and stones… pimps and hos.
So, I’m tempted to say, so what, vivre le difference, the kids should just ignore this silly obsession with words. But therein lies the rub, it is because people want to deny GAYS the right to define themselves that makes this happy word so important.
To call these clubs anything but gay-straight alliances is a denial of queer students’ existence, further perpetuating their marginalization by society and peers, added James, a student at St. Peter’s Secondary School.
Now, I’m getting old, so my old brain sometimes slips up, with words like ‘indian’ and ‘oriental’. I was never good at geography and sometimes I’m just lazy. Thankfully, I grew up after ‘coloured’ had already lost favour. That one would really be embarrassing.
I don’t think we should judge people-like-me too harshly though, simply for the old habits our brains can’t always let go of. That said, personal identity is important. I may not use the right phrase to describe you, but you damn well have the right to call yourself… whatever you bloody well like. (And even politely remind me, when I goof) And the very idea the catholics want to ban the word, makes it all that more important that GAYS use it, and use it long and use it hard.
I should note, I’m for defunding the catholic system in Ontario to the full extent that the constitution will bear. So I am not unbiased on this issue. With that in mind, I’d like to thank the Bishops for being so completely ridiculous… about a word… and again. It makes me quite GAY about the prospects for ONE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
What to say
Mar 21st
… to other atheists who are grieving.
I don’t think there is any simple answer here, but Greta Christina has a few good places to start.
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