National Secular Society’s Secularist of the Year Award

I spent a very pleasant afternoon yesterday at the National Secular Society’s Secularist of the Year Award at the Imperial Hotel in Russell Square.  The award was presented by Richard Dawkins.

The joint winners were Dr Even Harris MP and Lord Avebury for their joint work in abolishing the common law offense of Blasphemous Libel.  This has been the NSS’s raison d'être for it’s whole existence, so it was no surprise that the primary authors of its repeal should be rewarded!  Both gave fine acceptance speeches, with Lord Avebury commenting that he was just the one who gave the final push, after such a long effort, despite the fact that he has been tabling amendments for 20 years to get rid of that wicked law.  Dr Harris MP gave a very amusing speech about the battles yet to be won, including faith schools and faith-based welfare.  He revealed that he has drawn fifth in the members ballot for Private Members Bill, and he wants to introduce a bill to stop discrimination against Catholics marrying into the line of succession (and allow female members the same right to inherit the throne as males) so he thought it would be a good idea to ring up Damien Thompson, the editor of the Catholic Herald and give them an exclusive (since he and the Catholic Herald have disagreed on much previously) but Thompson was “disgusted”:

Dr Evan Harris, the Lib Dem MP nicknamed "Dr Death" for his creepy determination to make late-term abortions and euthanasia more widely available, now has a new cause: he wants to remove the ban on the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic.

You know something? Catholics don't want to be liberated from this constitutional discrimination by a politician who advocates an end to the requirement that any abortion requires the consent of two doctors, arguing that the "procedure" can carried out by a nurse or even in the home.

I know I speak for many Catholics when I say that this man disgusts me. He is wrong about nearly everything, and wrong in a particularly nauseating fashion, too: self-righteous, humourless, self-important.

I had a phone call from his office yesterday, with the news that "Dr Evan Harris MP" wanted to brief me on his initiative, as if it was supposed to be some sort of honour. I said I couldn't imagine anything worse than talking to such an appalling character.

Let's leave the constitutional bar in place for just a bit longer, shall we? It's mildly offensive, but Catholics have more important things to worry about. Such as saving late-term unborn babies from the grisly fate that Dr Harris is happy to see inflicted on them.

Ha ha ha!

The other presentations were a special award to Ariane Sherine for her excellent work on the Atheist Bus campaign (of a little model London bus with her slogan on the sides – nice) and two hard working volunteers.

Entertainment was provided by a recreation of the great debate between Huxley and Wilberforce about Darwinism.  The part of Bishop Wilberforce was played with great gusto by NSS President Terry Sanderson – I must say, there’s a career in the Church for him if he ever wants to give up on our side!

We also heard from Matthew LaClair, a student from New Jersey, about his efforts to keep his classroom religion-free after his teacher used his position to preach to the students.

It was a fine afternoon, and I’m looking forward to next year.

Hall Of Shame Update

Current list of signatories to the two EDMs about the atheist bus ads:

NO GOD ADVERTISING

That this House notes the recent advertising campaign based on London buses, There's Probably No God, the brainchild of the British Humanist Association; also notes the fact that the rationale behind it is that people can be less careful about their lifestyle choices and general approach to life's consequences by discounting the likelihood of a Creator and an afterlife; and recommends to Christian groups considering alternative advertising approaches to There's Probably No God to counter it with the simple addition of But What If There Is?

There is no change to the Hall of Shame for this EDM, it’s still six:

Conservative Party

• Scott, Lee (Illford North)
• Winterton, Ann (Congleton)
• Winterton, Nicholas (Macclesfield)

Democratic Unionist Party

• Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry)
• Simpson, David (Upper Bann)

Independent

• Spink, Bob (Castle Point)

The second (and much worse) EDM:

OFFENSIVE ADVERTISEMENTS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

That this House notes that posters with the slogan `There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life', appear on 800 buses in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as on the London Underground; notes that this causes concern to Christian and Muslim people, many of whom feel embarrassed and uncomfortable travelling on public transport displaying such advertisements and would not wish to endorse the advertisements by using that public transport; regrets that the British Humanist Association backs the campaign; and calls on Ministers responsible for public transport and advertising media to investigate this matter and to seek to remove these religiously offensive and morally unhelpful advertisements.

Sadly, the Hall of Shame for this EDM has increased by two since the last update, there are now nine inductees (new entries marked with a star):

Democratic Unionist Party

• Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry)
• Simpson, David (Upper Bann)

Independent

• Spink, Bob (Castle Point)

Labour Party

• Cryer, Ann (Keighley)
• Dobbin, Jim (Heywood & Middleton)
• Drew, David (Stroud)
• Singh, Marsha (Bradford West)
• Williams, Betty (Conwy) *

Liberal Democrats

• Hancock, Mike (Portsmouth South) *

I’ve linked the MPs to their They Work For You profile.  I suggest that you write each of them a quick email, and ask if they think that atheists are entitled to equal protection under the law, and the equal right with religious people to publically express our opinions.

Atheist Bus Ads Allowed

The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that the atheist bus ads are not in breach of the Code.

Predictably, Christian Voice are outraged and assert it’s all a plot by the evil Secularists and Homosexuals (that’s us!)

More MPs Object to “Atheist Bus Ads”

There’s a second, and even worse EDM about the atheist bus ads (h/t: MediaWatchWatch):

OFFENSIVE ADVERTISEMENTS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

That this House notes that posters with the slogan `There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life', appear on 800 buses in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as on the London Underground; notes that this causes concern to Christian and Muslim people, many of whom feel embarrassed and uncomfortable travelling on public transport displaying such advertisements and would not wish to endorse the advertisements by using that public transport; regrets that the British Humanist Association backs the campaign; and calls on Ministers responsible for public transport and advertising media to investigate this matter and to seek to remove these religiously offensive and morally unhelpful advertisements.

This EDM is worse than the previous one for two reasons. 

First, it elevates “causing concern” among  the devout to a greater importance than protecting the freedom of expression of a significant number of citizens of the UK.  The fact that people may be “embarrassed and uncomfortable” is neither here nor there.  There are an unlimited number of things which may cause “embarrassment or discomfort”, is Bob Spink, the author of this shameful motion planning to have all of those things censored too?

The second element is even worse.  Spink and the other craven fools who have signed this terrible document thinks that censorship and the exercise of state authority are the answer to words and ideas he doesn’t like.  Note, they say, “calls on Ministers responsible for public transport and advertising media to investigate this matter and to seek to remove these religiously offensive and morally unhelpful advertisements.”  Does Spink not understand what it is to live in a liberal democracy?  Does he rather we live in a Taliban-like theocracy where the Church/Mosque has the power not just to censor words they don’t like, but to exercise judicial power under blasphemy laws to punish those who dare think differently from him?  Spink and the others who support him do not deserve to be MPs.

The Hall of Shame for this EDM is seven:

Democratic Unionist Party

• Campbell, Gregory
• Simpson, David

Independent

• Spink, Bob

Labour Party

• Cryer, Ann
• Dobbin, Jim
• Drew, David
• Singh, Marsha

MPs Object to “Atheist Bus Ads”

This isn’t on Al-BBC.

The following Early Day Motion:

That this House notes the recent advertising campaign based on London buses, There's Probably No God, the brainchild of the British Humanist Association; also notes the fact that the rationale behind it is that people can be less careful about their lifestyle choices and general approach to life's consequences by discounting the likelihood of a Creator and an afterlife; and recommends to Christian groups considering alternative advertising approaches to There's Probably No God to counter it with the simple addition of But What If There Is?

Why should “This House”, which is a body to make laws that affect everyone, need to recommend anything to Christian groups, especially considering that Christian groups have been advertising on any media available since that media was available.

Furthermore, why is it that the religious again impugn the moral integrity of atheists?  “people can be less careful about their lifestyle choices”.  WTF is THAT?  Where is their evidence that non-religious people are more immoral, more wicked, more depraved than the devout?  In fact, having to think about what is moral and what is not is good for the “soul”.  The MPs who endorse this EDM simply believe that they Sky Fairy just tells them what to do and that’s that.  I just hope they never come to believe that the Sky Fairy wants them to fly aeroplanes into buildings.

The Hall of Shame stands at six as at today’s date:

Conservative Party

• Scott, Lee
• Winterton, Ann
• Winterton, Nicholas

Democratic Unionist Party

• Campbell, Gregory
• Simpson, David

Independent 

• Spink, Bob

Bus Driver Refuses To Drive Bus With Atheist Bus Ad

Poor old Ron Heather looks sad.  The bus he was due to drive on Saturday had the Atheist Bus advert on the side.  Mr Heather said, “I'd heard about this silly campaign in London but I had no idea it was coming to Southampton.

“I had certainly hoped they were not coming here because I didn't want to make a stand.

“I was in a dilemma but I felt strongly I couldn't drive that bus and so I went up to my inspectors and told them there was no way I could drive it.”

It’s funny though, Ron isn’t always sad…

Sometimes he’s happy.  I think it all depends on what the photographer is telling him to do!

Seriously, the problem here is that the ads which appear on a particular driver’s bus are really nothing to do with that driver.  They are to do with the bus company and the advertiser.

Would Mr Heather think that it would be OK for a vegetarian bus driver to refuse to drive a bus advertising McDonalds?  For a racist to refuse to drive a bus showing a black person?  For an atheist to refuse to drive a bus with a Christian advert (although back in reality-land I’ve never heard of such a thing happening)?

Mr Heather thinks he knows better than everyone else.  He’s special, and deserves to be treated differently than his co-workers.

It transpires that on seeing the terrible Atheist bus, Mr Heather took it upon himself to go home, as there were no other buses available.  This means that someone else had to do Mr Heather’s work.

Shamefully, his bus company has caved to his demands immediately and offered to ensure that he will only have to drive a bus with the ad if there are no other buses available. 

We need to stamp religious exceptionalism on the head.  Human Rights law exists to ensure that people are treated equally, not to ensure that religious believers get better treatment than everyone else.

Shame on Mr Heather, and shame on the First Bus.

More Atheist Bus Ads

On the Tube!

I was travelling on the Jubilee Line yesterday, and snapped this:

My First Atheist Bus!

I was at the pro-Israel, pro-peace rally on Sunday, and I got a special bonus.  I saw my First Atheist Bus!.  It was very dirty, but I was proud to see it.

I’ve read many, many religious folk asking “Why do these atheists need to put up signs?  They must be very insecure.

To which I retort,

“Because we are free to express our beliefs in the hope that someone might think about what they believe, and to have the courage to reject their religion. 

And furthermore, because we live in a society where WE CAN.  We do not need your approval, nor your permission, unlike the unlucky majority today and for all those past centuries who do not and did not have that luxury.”

BBC NEWS | UK | 'No God' campaign draws complaint

Good old Stephen Green.  He really knows how to liven things up.

If you don’t know about the “Atheist Bus” campaign, go here and here. 

Stephen Green of Christian Voice is challenging the ads on the basis of the lack of substantiation and the alleged inaccuracy of the ads, which read:

I suspect that Stephen’s Irony Meter is broken.

The whole of the press release from Stephen Green is here.  In fact, his whole website is good for a laugh!

BBC NEWS | UK | 'No God' campaign draws complaint