Five Public Opinions

No True Christian gets involved in the culture wars

Five Public Opinions - May 16, 2008 - 3:16pm

The Guardian reports on the recent publication of The Evangelical Manifesto, a document which seeks to redefine Evangelical Protestantism against both fundamentalism and mainline liberalism. In the words of the document itself:

Evangelicalism must be defined theologically and not politically; confessionally and not culturally. Above all else, it is a commitment and devotion to the person and work of Jesus Christ, his teaching and way of life, and an enduring dedication to his lordship above all other earthly powers, allegiances and loyalties. As such, it should not be limited to tribal or national boundaries, or be confused with, or reduced to political categories such as “conservative” and “liberal,” or to psychological categories such as “reactionary” or “progressive.”

Read more »

Brainfarts of the week

Five Public Opinions - May 11, 2008 - 4:28pm

Spend Gerry Rzeppa’s Money

Five Public Opinions - May 9, 2008 - 12:45pm

As I blogged last month, Gerry Rzeppa wants to pay Richard Dawkins a shitload of money for the privilege of proselytising to him. Rzeppa is offering Dawkins Read more »

Things they’d have difficulty believing in Salt Lake City XIII

Five Public Opinions - May 4, 2008 - 12:55am
  1. The Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama is sick and tired of all the crime and other problems afflicting his city, so he’s decided to take action. He wants a practical solution. And what’s his solution? Prayer.

    But not just any old prayer. Langford is going to sponsor prayers of repentance by folks dressed in sackcloth and ashes – just like they did in Old Testament days. [. . .] To make sure everyone has appropriate attire, the mayor has reportedly ordered 2,000 sacks. (Presumably, one size fits all.) Read more »

This cloud may have a silver lining

Five Public Opinions - April 30, 2008 - 8:26am

This is far from being an ideal outcome, but at least it’s a start:

The Federal Government says it will begin introducing legislation next month to remove same-sex discrimination from 100 Commonwealth laws.

The Government says the amendments to end discrimination against same-sex couples will make practical differences, but will not sanction changes to marriage laws. Read more »

This cloud may have a silver lining (updated twice)

Five Public Opinions - April 30, 2008 - 8:26am

This is far from being an ideal outcome, but at least it’s a start:

The Federal Government says it will begin introducing legislation next month to remove same-sex discrimination from 100 Commonwealth laws.

The Government says the amendments to end discrimination against same-sex couples will make practical differences, but will not sanction changes to marriage laws. Read more »

Pale Yellow Dot

Five Public Opinions - April 24, 2008 - 11:31pm

How’s this for putting things into perspective?

If you only see the Earth, wait a bit . . .

From Techdo.com Read more »

Why do we atheists bother getting out of bed in the morning?

Five Public Opinions - April 19, 2008 - 1:30pm

A commenter at Bruce’s asks:

No one atheist (Dawkins arguments included) can successfully explain to me why they bother to get out of bed of a morning?

I’m throwing this question open to the floor. Well, atheists: what have you got to say? Read more »

Kudos . . .

Five Public Opinions - April 17, 2008 - 11:25am

. . . to the NSW government for taking a stand on anti-gay bigotry:

Authorities say it would be unlawful for New South Wales schools to follow a top Brisbane boys’ school’s lead in barring gay couples from its formal. [. . .] The director of student welfare at the NSW Education Department, David McKay, has told ABC’s NewsRadio schools in the state would be acting unlawfully if they tried to bar gay couples from school events. Read more »

Yet another case of state-sponsored homophobia

Five Public Opinions - April 13, 2008 - 12:29pm

That’s how I think this should be framed:

One of Brisbane’s most prestigious all-boy schools says its willing to debate a ban on gay students taking same-sex partners instead of girls to the senior formal.The Anglican Church Grammar School, or Churchie, was in defence mode after it emerged several Year 12 students wanted to take their gay partners to the college’s end-of year dance on June 19. Read more »

Religion as child abuse: “Treatment through prayer”

Five Public Opinions - April 11, 2008 - 2:33pm

In the US state of Wisconsin there is an exemption to the statute against failing to protect children from bodily harm for so-called “treatment through prayer.” That exemption may prevent justice being served in the case of a couple whose diabetic daughter died after they prayed for her recovery rather than seeking medical assistance. The parents blamed the death on their “lack of faith.” Read more »

Christian tolerance

Five Public Opinions - April 8, 2008 - 11:37pm

Via Pharyngula and Friendly Atheist, an atheist in Illinois is ordered by a Democrat to “get out of that chair,” and told that “it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!”

(The hits just keep on coming.) Read more »

Flight of the Conchords

Five Public Opinions - May 15, 2008 - 1:19am

. . . is the shiznit. My girlfriend just introduced me to this sitcom featuring the adventures of the eponymous New Zealand musical comedy duo in New York. Great supporting cast, hilarious songs, dead-on David Bowie impersonations and lashings of NZ inferiority complex.

“If You’re Into It”
Read more »

Irrational and proud of it

Five Public Opinions - May 10, 2008 - 2:31pm

Ben Stein on science:

Anyway, I couldn’t give a [profanity] whether a person calls himself a scientist. It doesn’t earn any extra respect from me, because it’s not as if science has covered itself with glory, morally, in my time. Scientists were the people in Germany telling Hitler that it was a good idea to kill all the Jews. Scientists were telling Stalin it was a good idea to wipe out the middle-class peasants. Scientists were telling Mao Tse-Tung it was fine to kill 50 million people in order to further the revolution. [Via Memeplex] Read more »

National Day of Reason: Is Australia a secular liberal democracy?

Five Public Opinions - May 1, 2008 - 4:30pm

And if it isn’t, should it be?

I’ve been engaged in discussion with Ninglun over these very questions, and it seems to me that the answer lies in how Section 116 of the Australian Constitution is interpreted. The section reads:

Australian Constitution - Section 116 - Commonwealth not to legislate in respect of religion Read more »

This cloud may have a silver lining (updated)

Five Public Opinions - April 30, 2008 - 8:26am

This is far from being an ideal outcome, but at least it’s a start:

The Federal Government says it will begin introducing legislation next month to remove same-sex discrimination from 100 Commonwealth laws.

The Government says the amendments to end discrimination against same-sex couples will make practical differences, but will not sanction changes to marriage laws. Read more »

Sydney World Youth Day: Corpse-worshipping cultists gathering to worship a corpse

Five Public Opinions - April 25, 2008 - 6:25pm

Frassati: role model and (as you can see) something of a hornbag to millions of young Catholics*

An exhumed corpse, about 80 years overdone, will be one of the star attractions at the Catholic World Youth Day to be held in Sydney this July: Read more »

Richard Ingrams: Studying humanism in religious studies is like studying astrology in science class

Five Public Opinions - April 21, 2008 - 12:13am

For the first time, humanism will be added to the UK GCSE religious studies syllabus:

The subject has been added to reflect the rising number of people sharing humanist beliefs in the UK, the Oxford & Cambridge and Royal Society of Art exam board (OCR) said. Read more »