I don't have permission to copy this but hey, no-one reads this blog anyway.
“Good Morning, John. Good morning, Sarah. And good morning, Rabbi Lionel Blue. It’s a great pleasure to be here to offer you my Thought for the Day. Who indeed would have ‘Thought’ it, eh? That’s my little joke, written and approved for me by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. What we call things is important isn’t it? So I’m not sure Thought for the Day is quite right: Sounds dangerously pluralist to me. They’ll be suggesting a secular Thought for the Day next. Or, worse, an Anglican one. I’ve toyed with Encyclical of the Day, but that seems a bit long. Perhaps Bull of the Day? But the producers here at the BBC tell me that it’s been called that for some time anyway. I’m told I have only three minutes, though I hope it’ll feel like an eternity, if you follow me. And you should, before it’s too late. People ask why I’ve come to Britain. Simple, I reply. I was invited. Rather in the same way as I was invited by English Anglo-Catholics to offer them a home in Rome. Of course, in one sense – and there is only One – Britain is under my authority, so I do see that I have invited myself. And that’s the point, really, and the Thought I want to leave you with today, here on Today: This is not a State visit. I specifically asked for it not to be. The Queen can’t invite me to visit, because she is so-called Supreme Head of a Church whose orders are invalid. So, rather, I have invited the Queen to visit me. In England. It’s a question not only of being holy and apostolic, you see, but universal. So it’s not a question of your people coming to Rome. Rome is coming to you. We know where you live. And don’t think I just live in the Vatican – what do you think I am, Patriarch of the West? No, I’m Patriarch of the whole darned shooting match, thankyou very much, as I tried to explain to the Archbishop of Canterbury when I told him to come to Rome last year. It’s a question of authority, you see. Not Her Majesty’s, not her Church of England’s, not the British state’s – or for that matter the British state broadcaster’s. I gather there used to be a Broadcasting Standards Authority, but that’s gone now. As I’m told has the authority of the BBC. That’s what the nice young Jesuit, Mark Thompson, said when he invited me here. He has no authority either. It’s all mine. And best for us all that you recognise that. Pax vobiscum.”
19 February 2010
18 February 2010
People need Faith at any cost
I had some Jehovas Witnesses call round a few days ago. There is a mission a couple of streets away. The conversation ended a draw but I think I had more of the ball. It was interesting to argue religion in real time for a change.
The bottom line finally arrived at was that they needed to believe in some higher power because without that, their life would have no meaning or purpose. So they choose to hang on to a belief because their reality could not exist without it. A friend of my wife said something similar, that even if god had been personally responsibile for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, she would still believe in him because she could not imagine having to face life on her own.
Let's face it, as a species, we have become self-aware but we still need that existential element to help define how we got here and to take culpability and fear of death away from us.
I have just stumbled across this amazing site by following Banana Man's blog ring and I would like to share it with you both; http://nothingexistsdespiteappearances.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog
Not sure what to make of it but it needs further exploration.
I am content to know that there is no meaning to anything other than what we allocate to it. I'm me, I'm now and that's all. No god. No purpose. No sense. No one Truth.
No redemption. I am responsible to the people around me. I will have lived and died in less than a blink of an eye in this cosmos but I will live on through my childen.
Every second of my life is precious because it is all I have.
The bottom line finally arrived at was that they needed to believe in some higher power because without that, their life would have no meaning or purpose. So they choose to hang on to a belief because their reality could not exist without it. A friend of my wife said something similar, that even if god had been personally responsibile for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, she would still believe in him because she could not imagine having to face life on her own.
Let's face it, as a species, we have become self-aware but we still need that existential element to help define how we got here and to take culpability and fear of death away from us.
I have just stumbled across this amazing site by following Banana Man's blog ring and I would like to share it with you both; http://nothingexistsdespiteappearances.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog
Not sure what to make of it but it needs further exploration.
I am content to know that there is no meaning to anything other than what we allocate to it. I'm me, I'm now and that's all. No god. No purpose. No sense. No one Truth.
No redemption. I am responsible to the people around me. I will have lived and died in less than a blink of an eye in this cosmos but I will live on through my childen.
Every second of my life is precious because it is all I have.
15 February 2010
The danger of Islam over other religions
I may be misinformed here but my take on Islam is that it is the 'One true religion' and its followers have a duty to convert kaffirs or declare jihad on them (whatever the interpretation of that is). It is that black and white. As for apostates, I know of no other religion where some factions advocate death.
Faith schools and religious segregation are allowed and encouraged by this government and Madrasses are being set up all over the place. I have learned about fundie christian groups, particularly in America but this fundementalist blind faith of Islam is being enforced in every town and city in this country. If you teach people not to question or to apply logic and reason, you are making succeptable to being brainwashed further down the road by whoever gets hold of them.
The UN has passed a resolution against religious defamation and look what Ireland has put in place. Religious indoctrination is attracting protection and validation like never before when there should be some kind of redress of the balance, or at least a core curriculum covering all religion and none. I feel so sorry for the poor children who are force fed dogma until they are unable to think for themselves.
.
Faith schools and religious segregation are allowed and encouraged by this government and Madrasses are being set up all over the place. I have learned about fundie christian groups, particularly in America but this fundementalist blind faith of Islam is being enforced in every town and city in this country. If you teach people not to question or to apply logic and reason, you are making succeptable to being brainwashed further down the road by whoever gets hold of them.
The UN has passed a resolution against religious defamation and look what Ireland has put in place. Religious indoctrination is attracting protection and validation like never before when there should be some kind of redress of the balance, or at least a core curriculum covering all religion and none. I feel so sorry for the poor children who are force fed dogma until they are unable to think for themselves.
.
10 February 2010
God's Job Description
I wonder what God's job description would look like. It would have to make reference to 'moving in mysterious ways.' Is He is on a 'fixed term contract' and what would happen to us if he retired?
I wonder what does He do with His leisure time. He could visit Earth as a mystery shopper, but does being omnipotent takes some of the fun away? Perhaps he is busy creating other universes, hence the lack of plague, pestilance, smiting etc over the last couple of millennia. However he could have sub-contracted the operation to someone in his absence.
I really do feel that God has been neglecting things of late, which may not be a bad thing as He was responsible for the slaughter of a good few million people. I also think He enjoys the controversy He causes. Otherwise He would have done something to silence the doubters and worshipers of false idols.
He made us in His image but do we have the same emotional capacity as God? If so, he must get upset when all the nice fluffy animals get drowned in floods and he must get angry with all the nasty terrorists. He sent two bears to kill some children just for insulting a bald man. His job script really should spell out the need for consistency, particularly regarding equality of opportunity. God doesn't seem to be on record as promoting the rights of Gays or Women.
He built a world that is 3/4 sea and then designed us to live on land, much of which looks pretty but is uninhabitable. He then let the world become over populated, banned birth control and didn't supply enough raw materials, particularly crude oil (Of course He may well know that we are going to invent the 'anti gravity drive in 2030, so it won't be an issue).
Could it be that God told us he is omnipotent but still has some way to go? I feel that my faith is being tested and I am sorry but I want some proof that He is still up to the job or at least meets the minimum person specification. What if He has given up on the job and not told anyone? Who is He accountable to?
I wonder what does He do with His leisure time. He could visit Earth as a mystery shopper, but does being omnipotent takes some of the fun away? Perhaps he is busy creating other universes, hence the lack of plague, pestilance, smiting etc over the last couple of millennia. However he could have sub-contracted the operation to someone in his absence.
I really do feel that God has been neglecting things of late, which may not be a bad thing as He was responsible for the slaughter of a good few million people. I also think He enjoys the controversy He causes. Otherwise He would have done something to silence the doubters and worshipers of false idols.
He made us in His image but do we have the same emotional capacity as God? If so, he must get upset when all the nice fluffy animals get drowned in floods and he must get angry with all the nasty terrorists. He sent two bears to kill some children just for insulting a bald man. His job script really should spell out the need for consistency, particularly regarding equality of opportunity. God doesn't seem to be on record as promoting the rights of Gays or Women.
He built a world that is 3/4 sea and then designed us to live on land, much of which looks pretty but is uninhabitable. He then let the world become over populated, banned birth control and didn't supply enough raw materials, particularly crude oil (Of course He may well know that we are going to invent the 'anti gravity drive in 2030, so it won't be an issue).
Could it be that God told us he is omnipotent but still has some way to go? I feel that my faith is being tested and I am sorry but I want some proof that He is still up to the job or at least meets the minimum person specification. What if He has given up on the job and not told anyone? Who is He accountable to?
4 February 2010
The philosophy behind manscaping (landscaping of a man's hair) is if you get a haircut for the top of your head, you should consider caring for the rest of your hairy body. If your wife says she doesn't care or notice, she is lying! Never manscape in public (like the gym locker room) and don't think people don't notice your curly, pubic-like, shoulder hair when you wear a tank top. Lastly, the motivation for manscaping is for a woman, not to become one.
Trim your hairy chest, arms and legs. Shaving them is metrosexual, trimming is manscaping
Wax your back, it's gross
Keep armpit hair in your armpit
No one should ever see hair coming out of your nose or ears
If you're going bald, shave it. You're not fooling anyone and Agassi's hair was a wig
Never give yourself a haircut and if no one has ever complimented you after your wife's attempt she must stop too
Shave your neck line between haircut appointments
Uni-brows are still out so pluck and shape but don't over do it Alice.
Eyebrows should have a length limit. How come you don't notice that 2 inch wild hair?
Cut your sideburns parallel to your jaw bone and cut facial hair symmetrically
Don't miss a patch of hair while shaving. We notice the left over stubble under your nose and around your moles
Trimming some areas make objects appear larger than they are!
Knuckle hair shouldn't cover your wedding ring.
Trim your hairy chest, arms and legs. Shaving them is metrosexual, trimming is manscaping
Wax your back, it's gross
Keep armpit hair in your armpit
No one should ever see hair coming out of your nose or ears
If you're going bald, shave it. You're not fooling anyone and Agassi's hair was a wig
Never give yourself a haircut and if no one has ever complimented you after your wife's attempt she must stop too
Shave your neck line between haircut appointments
Uni-brows are still out so pluck and shape but don't over do it Alice.
Eyebrows should have a length limit. How come you don't notice that 2 inch wild hair?
Cut your sideburns parallel to your jaw bone and cut facial hair symmetrically
Don't miss a patch of hair while shaving. We notice the left over stubble under your nose and around your moles
Trimming some areas make objects appear larger than they are!
Knuckle hair shouldn't cover your wedding ring.
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