If the majority of people stopped believing in God, what would stop the world from falling into anarchy?

I watched ‘12 Years a Slave’ the other day. To be honest, I don't know whether I like it. I think there is a certain art in film making which includes being able to tell the story without the graphic and overwhelming demonstrations ‘12 Years a Slave’ relied on. However, there was a conversation between…

Should the State Give ‘Basic Universal Income’

Basic universal income is the idea of the state giving unconditional, significant and regular income to its citizens. It is a socialist idea, you can’t get away from that. But the question is whether it is a good thing. I think there are both good economic and social reasons for a basic income. It worth…

Questions for Theists.

What follows is 10 questions aimed at theists, along with an explanation as to why the questions are meaningful. The questions are sincere, as they have been the stumbling blocks to many a conversation about religion. What is contained in the explanations that follow the questions is not meant to limit a theist’s response, and…

Book Excerpt: What do scientists of faith achieve?

In recent discussions I have been told that atheism is a potential retardation of our species on the grounds that it blocks other perspectives. There are obvious misunderstandings of what atheism is there, but that's not the issue. The issue is the nature of those "other perspectives" ColorStorm (my accuser) is referring to: religion and…

Why the Enlightenment is part of our species and Creationism is a retardation of it

ColorStorm told me that some atheists I praise on WordPress are rude. I defined rude in a earlier post as “when you lay unwarranted negativity on the person”. ColorStorm then told me an atheist I praise described Creationism as a retardation of our species. I think that is warranted. I think that can be defended as…

Religion is Bad

This is an oddly controversial topic, even for my clearly-atheist blog. You can almost smell the qualifications and caveats I’m going to offer as I go. But religion is bad. From the religions which famously teach violence, like Islam, to the religions which teach unwavering peace, like Jainism, religion is bad. It doesn’t matter how…

This is how Religion Blinds your Humanity and Decency

I commented recently on post called “Mild Paedophilia in Light of Atheism”1. The post decried Dawkins for his use of the phrase “mild paedophilia”, and I didn’t mention in the comment that without context the phrase may have been entirely legitimate2. What I did mention is that the blogger was being inconsistent: where the blogger…

Breasts: the oasis of life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiS8q_fifa0 I wanted to write something to point out how ridiculous it is that people actually want to ban public breastfeeding. We--and I say "we" as in humanity, it is women that have this responsibility and honour--have been able to nourish children and given them the very nectar on which they thrive and grow and…

Do People Need the Idea of Heaven?

There is a TV show in the UK called The Big Questions. The other week the show asked the question ‘Do people need the idea of Heaven?’ Hungover, I watched the superficial commentary the participants had while trying desperately not to offend anyone; I wrote notes into my phone. I have been busy since then.…

Margaret Thatcher’s Funeral, and a ‘cuppa tea and a wad’

I was born in 1989, so I’d be lying if I said I have formed my opinion of Margaret Thatcher. Any opinion I try to form would be formed through social constructs, hearsay and events I wasn’t there to feel the proper feelings about. She does certainly appear to have left a legacy I don’t…