Now the first thing I began to notice with this video was the reasons behind the individuals joining UBCU. “Swamped by worries…”, “There must be something more to this life…”, “I suffered really badly with feelings of worthlessness and I hated myself…”, “I struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for years…”, “A blurred, aimless and hopeless life…”, “Bullied and told I was worthless. Hid insecurity behind a fake smile…” and “Feeling dead inside from guilt and shame…”. Now, I don’t know if it’s still me but I believe there is a trend emerging. It seems (based on the video) UBCU seem to derive most (or at least a large section) of its followers from those (who many) may have distinct psychological problems. This is a distinct problem with Christianity itself, it preys on those who are down in life, promises them to solve all their problems with wishful thinking yet these do little to solve the problems and merely pave over the cracks. Something I also noticed as a theme throughout the video and throughout campus and cardboard signs was, “Is this it?” or “Is this all there is to life?” which is entirely degrading question. This life is so full of natural wonders and beauty, humanity need not arrogantly demand a special place in the universe on top of that. To be here to witness and experience the breathtaking brilliance of our earth ought to satisfy any decent human being. Demanding a life after this one can only degrade and devalue the only life we’ll ever have, the one we’re living right now. In the words of Penn Jillette:

“Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o, and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have.“

Now each day presented a different topic/theme for those visiting the tent/marquee, namely; “Hasn’t science buried God?”, “How can Christians claim to have the truth?”, “Why wont God end all suffering?”, “What’s wrong with living for pleasure?” and “Doesn’t Christianity take away your freedom?”. Now I only attended the third (where I heard little due to poor microphones but had a good conversation with two Christians after), listened to the first on-line and heard parts of the last one. For the first topic which I listened to on-line, I didn’t necessarily understand all the points the speaker was making (very confusing take on shooting down the scientific method but then referring to the default position “therefore it is apparent God did it” line), but the main problem I would like to take up was the constant referencing to the “atheistic world viewpoint”. I’m very sorry that you couldn’t type “atheism” into google and hit “search” but there’s no such thing as an “atheistic world viewpoint”, there’s absolute no set doctrine for atheism. Atheism is a rejection of ideas on one position, nothing more, nothing less.

The conversation I had with the two pleasant (don’t get me wrong, the people were friendly enough) Christians was on the most part successful in challenging their views. Sadly I didn’t finish on a triumphant Hitchens style victory as in the second half of the conversation we became bogged down in proof of Jesus of the Bible, the Bible and God himself (very easy to do when your position is based primarily on blind faith and random “facts” can be thrown out).

Now given I based most of my argument on Hitchens brilliant work, it’d be a lot easier for you to watch this as this is how the discussion effectively panned out, enjoy:

What is beginning to emerge is that Europe’s (and more specifically, the UK’s) austerity programmes are not working. If you make too harsh a cuts to the public sector you’ll also damage the private sector as numerous contracts are arranged between the two sectors. That’s right, they’re intertwined, you attack one part too harshly it will have a knock on effect on the other.

It is hugely unlikely Cameron, Clegg and Osborne will take notice of Obama’s successes. But at least the American people hopefully will this November.

Andrew Lansley recently showed a prime example of how not win your case by describing the ever growing opposition to his NHS reforms as being motivated by “political” reasons.

I’m sorry but “political” reasons? The British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of GPs, Royal College of Nurses, the Conservative dominated Commons Health Select Committee and Norman frigging Tebbit all oppose the reforms, which will open up the NHS to EU competition law, for “political” reasons? These are not organisations (with the exception of the latter obviously) that sit from the outside and attempt to vaguely analyse the inner workings of the NHS. No, these are organisations that deal with the inner workings of the NHS every single day. They know how it works. They know what will be detrimental. And they are the ones that will know that these reforms will fundamentally destroy the NHS.

Cameron said it himself, no top down reorganisations of the NHS. Now drop this bill!

Sorry for the break in blogging, I’ll try to up the ante this year

Probably the most pressing of all news items is the recent dismal growth figures. Over a year ago when Cameron and Osborne claimed we were “Out of the woods” and “Out of the danger zone”. How very wrong they were. With the final quarter of 2011 seeing a contraction of 0.2% this then means that in the last 15 months since Osborne’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) in October 2010, we’ve had a massive 0.3% of growth. Cameron then has the audacity to blame the recent growth figures on the Euro crisis. Well I’m sorry, the UK economy has been stagnating long before the crisis began to effect.

Cameron you said it yourself, “I take full responsibility for everything that happens in the economy.” then take responsibility and change course!

I am Max Ramsay and I’m an angry atheist.

Today David Cameron declared “Britain is a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so” and “that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today.”.

Now, I’d like to point out that I respect everyone’s right to have whatever faith they so wish. But, to be quite honest, Cameron really hasn’t read much of the King James’ Bible if he believes this is the case.

Now the first point is something seemingly imported from the USA. Given that a poll in 2004 conducted by the BBC showed that 39% of the UK population did not believe in God. That’s right, today we’re anything but a Christian nation, we’re a secular nation.

You may say, “Oh, but we were founded upon Christian ideals and it has played a such a vital part in history in the last few centuries.”. Really?! If we did derive our morals and values from the bible we’d still find acceptable;

1. General slaughters (I Chronicles 20:3, Judges 8:10 and Deuteronomy 3:6-7)
2. Burying victims alive (Numbers 16:32-35)
3. Killing unbelievers (Deuteronomy 13:5, 13:6, 13:8-9 and 13:15)
4. Genocides (II Chronicles 14:9 and 14:12 and II Samuel 12:31)
5. Raping (Isaiah 13:15-16)
6. Slavery (Exodus 21:2-6 and 21:20-21, Leviticus 25:44-46 and 1 Peter 2:18-21)
7. White supremacy (Romulus 12:1-3 and 12:19-21 and Philipians 3:18)
8. Jewish Persecution (Matthew 27: 22 and 27:25, John 7:1 and 8:44, Acts 7:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15)
9. Women’s persecution (Leviticus 15:19-21 and 18:19, Proverbs 21:19, Corinthians 11:3 and 14:34-35, Ephesians 5:22-24 and Timothy 2:12-15)
10. Justify physical punishment of children (Leviticus 20:9, Psalm 127:3, Proverbs 13:24, 22:6, 22:15 and 23:12-14)
11. Homophobia (Leviticus 20:13 and 18:22, Deuteronomy 23:17-18, Romans 1:24 and 1:26-27 and Corinthians 6:9-10)
12. Oppose medical science (Acts 15:29, James 5:13-15 and Matthew 9:2-8)
13. To justify war (Exodus 15:3, Deuteronomy 20:4 and 1 Timothy 4:18)

Now can Cameron really claim that we were founded upon these values? That we derive our morals and values from the bible? And that we’re still a Christian nation? Again, while I respect people’s right to believe this, it is quite clear that what binds us and gives us true sense of values is secular enlightened thinking.

Friday was the day the old fetish returned. The day Cameron delved into nostalgia. And the day he set Britain at odds not only with the other 26 EU member states, but rationality itself.

What we saw on Friday was a Prime Minister with his hands tied by dogmatic backbench MPs. But not to worry, it seems Cameron had unveiled his all powerful ‘veto’. The only problem with this is that it’s not a true veto of any sorts. Negotiations will still be ongoing, the remaining 26 EU states will still formulate an agreement and Britain will not be present to have any say in the talks.

This is catastrophic failure for Cameron who has severed any attempts to help salvage the Euro which is not only in the EU’s interest but vital in Britain’s interests. In the words of a Facebook update by my own brother:

“Tory lol. Blame the economic problems on the Euro crisis, then veto the plan to save it knowing full well that the the EU will cut you out and essentially get rid of any say you have in determining the future of Europe, and by extension, Britain“

Some may call it Bulldog spirit, I’d like to call it naively dogmatic.

I’d like to thank Political Scrapbook for providing this in light of two new residents in Scotland. Enjoy.

This is quite a beautiful video I found on youtube. Spirituality has been hijacked by Religious organisations, atheism mustn’t be afraid to reclaim the term, in a metaphorical sense of course.

True spirituality derives from recognising that this is our one fleeting chance to witness the sheer beauty of life and Earth. Not from the arrogant position that it was all made specially for us.

In the words of Carl Sagan: ”Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy.”

On tuesday we saw Gideon (George Osborne) unveil his first ever Autumn Statement (last year it was a Comprehensive Spending Review) which used to be Brown and then Darling’s Pre-Budget Report, although it’s still the same thing more or less.

What we saw today was a Chancellor willing to blame everyone except himself for his own failures. Gideon may claim as much as he likes that the growing crisis in the Eurozone may have put a dent in its works, but that would just be disingenuous as it’s not at that stage to truly have an impact on a non-Eurozone country such as the UK.

But in a nutshell what we had is:

1. Growth forecasts for UK economy cut 0.9% this year and 0.7% next year (And we all know you can’t truly get the deficit down without growth)
2. Borrowing forecasts revised up – an extra £111bn to be borrowed over five years (This was the one thing they set about to do, this was the be all and end all test of the Coalition and they are set to fail upon it)
3. Pay cap of 1% for public sector workers once two-year pay freeze ends (Which is really going to encourage consumer confidence and spending, the true engine of economic growth)
4. Unemployment to rise from 8.1% this year to 8.7% next year and more public sector jobs forecast to go – 710,000 over five years (Again, nothing new there)
5. Credit easing and numerous infrastructure projects (I will welcome these, but it’s rather ironic after 18 months of austerity mantra)
6. January rise in regulated rail fares to be capped at 6.2%, not 8.2% (While this is certainly better but as a semi-regular rail user, this needs to be below RPI, 5%, we already have the most expensive rail fares in Europe)
7. Doubling of free childcare places for deprived two-year-olds to 260,000 in England (The one true policy I’m sure we can all get behind)
8. 3p fuel duty rise due in January to be delayed or frozen (Which is still entirely negated with the rise in VAT in January)
9. Bank levy to be increased (Which is all very well but not when you remember this is balanced out with the cut in Corporation Tax)

So essentially, we have growth being revised down for the fourth time in 18 months and borrowing expected to be £111 billion higher in 2015.

So when Gideon said “we are out of the danger zone.” around a year ago I didn’t think we’d get around to us saying “we told you so” so soon.