gdp's Comments

Heresy Corner : Bob, Sue and Neville Too

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:10:28 +0000

I don't think you and I are going to get any closer on this. But thank you for your comments.

Heresy Corner : Bob, Sue and Neville Too

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:42:02 +0000

The difference, woollymindedliberal, is that these groups produce representatives who publicly preach, exhort and advise the rest of us to behave with a rectitude that is often in no way in keeping with their own behaviour. Indeed, and the examples are regularly before us, their own behaviour is often far worse than that of those to whom they presume to preach. We live with our moral flaws and, if we are decent people, try to do something about them. They, on the other hand, parade their non existent virtues, while hiding their vices, as a means of advancing their careers.

Heresy Corner : Bob, Sue and Neville Too

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:04:26 +0000

Moral outrage, as is often seen in priests, politicians and tabloid journalists, is often underpinned by covert sanctimonious hypocrisy. This seems a near perfect exemplar of that. I admire Bob and Sue Firth for striking back and, it would seem, scoring a bullseye.

Heresy Corner : Tolerance and diversity

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:12:43 +0000

There is in many groups an enthusiasm for free speech except where they disagree with what others want to say freely and bluntly. None of us have the right not to be offended. We do, or should, have the right to express our views on the nature of what we see as the offence.

Heresy Corner : It\'s a Royal Washout

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:59:35 +0000

I don't suppose it has ever occured to the Queen, surrounded by sycophants, to wonder what she has done to deserve all the adulation. Being transported around the country and the world in luxury, simpering to the crowds and waving and reading speeches written (often badly) by others scarcely adds up to major achievement.

The Freethinker : Equality? ‘Real Muslim women in Mali don’t want it – it’s un-Islamic!’

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:04:25 +0000

I really don't know. What I do know is that these good christian slave bosses usually found time to let the house slaves - don't know about the field slaves - have time for a bit of preaching of the word. Blessed are the poor etc. Their other unlovely practice was, while their nice white wives in their frilly gowns, bred occasionally the bosses were often down amongst the "nigger women." They had a truly amazing way - unless you know their christian mind - of ignoring their own kids. They were "half human blood."

The Freethinker : Equality? ‘Real Muslim women in Mali don’t want it – it’s un-Islamic!’

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:12:36 +0000

Fair comment. But clitoral slicing from baby girls, held down so that some ignorant hag and with no ananaesthetic is far worse. It goes way beyond that but it continunes in Britain and these little girls are cut while their mothers weep and their grannies say it must be done. In passing, they are still beating the crap out of young kids in the London area to " drive out the devil." Supervised by some religious ignoramus.

The Freethinker : Equality? ‘Real Muslim women in Mali don’t want it – it’s un-Islamic!’

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:00:45 +0000

Angela K. NSPCC. You have either made a lucky guess or you know something I know. I regard the NSPCC as the most contemptible bunch of piss artists ever. I tried to get the Advertising Authority to ban their fucking dishonest adverts but they wouldn't do it. Refused to agree that he adverts showing child actors suffering and little kids in cots were misleadling. I also tried to get the NSPCC to admit publicly that the money they were conning out of poor rural people was heading out of the area and into London to pay the fattest salaries and expenses around. They have NO legal powers to intervene directly. Phone them and they phone an overworked social worker or inner city GP. They do have a slick propaganda machine based on fuckwit celebrities who know no better and do love feeling good. Rantzen? Bored publicity hound. Longs for the limelight. Had a consumer programme on TV and thinks she could run the country. PS I sent a large bunch of documents to an MP about the NSPCC. No reply. Disappeared despite being sent registered post.

The Freethinker : Equality? ‘Real Muslim women in Mali don’t want it – it’s un-Islamic!’

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:11:44 +0000

GrumpyBob. Agreed. And it is even worse, in one sense, when you know how much of it continues in this country. FGM. And when you try to stop it, or this used to be the case, the authorities become very cautious. "Best consult the community leaders first." You know what happens then? Zilch. So much for concerns about child abuse. No wonder we need a Secular Medical Forum.

The Freethinker : Possibility of Muslim violence forces a rethink over scholarly cartoons book

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:32:59 +0000

barriejohn. If I may say so, you are too hard on yourself. We all feel "stupid" from time to time: me more than most, I guess. I enjoy your contributions and if you are a bit off track from time to time then join the club. Regards, Broga

The Freethinker : Hardtruths: the final chapter

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:50:26 +0000

Stuart H. These nutters do not read, do not think and are at best semi-literate. If you mention a book they might find interesting from another perspective they will not have any interest in it. They are ill educated, usually of mediocre intelligence, and have no armoury of facts, knowledge or literature of any substance. Something which leads many atheists into a morass, as it did me some years ago, is the failure to appreciate just how limited they are. It is astonishing how little they do know. Their faith gives them an entirely bogus shortcut to "knowledge", being respected by people who are gullible and ill read, and without the inconvenience of three or four years study to get a degree, they know it all. H.L. Mencken describes this with his usual sardonic wit in one of his reports on the Monkey Trial. They have to retreat with idiotic comments because they have nothing to say that stands up against anyone who chooses to read and think with a free and independentant mind.

The Freethinker : Hardtruths: the final chapter

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:31:55 +0000

Spot on. But you are way beyond anything these christian bigots will appreciate. They begin with a conclusion and are determined to find some way of "proving" that it is true. The basis for the proof is, of course, to be found in the word of god in the bible. They ignore the cruelties, contradictions and any objective examination of the basis for the bible stories. What they often do is ignore the nature of the god they insist exists. Suppose there is a god and he is a vile, cruel, bastard who enjoys a bit of sport with humans? Suppose the nonsense in the bible, spouted by preachers and believed by the flock, is a test to examine whether they will use and respect the intelligence that might be our most precious gift from god? We atheists are on a winner. The believers, trashing what they ought to value, are going to have their asses kicked - maybe into hell. This seems more plausible than their daft clinging to nonsensical pap from their preachers and bible.

The Freethinker : Fight your flab for Jesus – or face eternal damnation

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:09:01 +0000

I observed - as an anthropologist might - a Christian Fat Fundy a couple of years ago. What a performer she was. Thighs like tree trunks, rubbing together as she waddled, obsessed with her looks and with her face plastered with all kinds of crap, on top of that she smelled like the perfume counter in a store. Convinced that she could not lose weight because she had "a very unusual metabolism" and "the lord had given her this" and after "prayer and guidance from her minister" she knew she must accept her weight. All this shouted magaphone like to a couple she was sharing a table with. She looked to be about 22 stone. That is an estimate but she was about as broad as she was tall. Meantime, she ate more for the hotel breakfast than I would eat total over two days, shovelled fatty food into her gob which a speed that would have left my labrador panting with envy, treated her skinny husband like a servant and he seemed to be required to admire and keep his trap shut when she was talking. All the usual, "Wow, isn't this FANTASTIC." crap in loud Texas type twang.

The Freethinker : Fight your flab for Jesus – or face eternal damnation

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:38:34 +0000

I have only ever found an honest, decent, highly qualified practitioner for weight loss and this is it. And, she is an atheist. If you want to lose weight this is the place to go: http://nondietweightloss.blogspot.com/ I mean it. Broga

The Freethinker : US Catholics call on CBS to pull the plug on ‘vile’ Penn & Teller for ‘hate sp

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:43:11 +0000

Mother Fucking Theresa and her nuns described as cunts. Seems there could be a defence there of stating the facts. Theresa, currently heading for sainthood, was a friend of dictators, travelled first class, £10 million disappeared somewhere - give or take a couple of million - and while enjoying the good life herself denied suffering women drugs and medical equipment because she thought pain - their pain, not hers - was good for them. Nuns don't have too wonderful a record either if you have a look at some of their recent activities revealed in Ireland. OK for Ann Snotty Atkins to lie, bitch, and consign people to hell. Her comments on that stain on civilisation Thought for the Day recently were typically sly: if you cannot find an explanation then it has to be god. Didn't hear it myself. My wife did and apart from misquoting Conan Doyle, Atkins was as vile and fuckwit as usual. How much longer is this going on? She has to be removed and that sick santimonious verbal sewage with her. Have a nice day, folks. Penn and Teller started mine off well.

The Freethinker : ‘Crazy atheists’ force change at the Hard Truths Baptist blog

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:20:57 +0000

shargraves: That's the one. Too bloody idle to look it up myself. Must have had a wonderful time when they were hunting down the young, nubile, sexy witches. Oh yes, they were not all aged crones. They often looked for the devil's spot. And guess what? They had to examine the pubic region. One of the most hellish things I read was that when the woman's face was contorted in anguish the priest would say, "You see, she is laughing. She cannot be hurt." Best literary description of a burning at the stake is, in my opinion, Stendhal's "The Red and the Black." Poor bastard being burned alive, pleading for a knock on the head, while his enemy is watching from a window drinking wine.

The Freethinker : ‘Crazy atheists’ force change at the Hard Truths Baptist blog

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:12:42 +0000

Quite right, Tom. It is just too easy to criticise you wonderful people. Pity we couldn't have the burning at the stake back. That sorted out the witch problem. Not so many of them around now. Pity the village ponds are so rare. We have a big pond but my wife says throwing witches in would frighten the wild ducks - mallards. Throw a witch in there and if she sinks that proves her innocence. If she lives she is deemed guilty and off to the stake. Her money shared with the church and her accuser. Lucky we have the certainty of her guilt, isn't it. (Forgotten the name of that book with all the details - Malefactorum or simlar. One of these smart ass atheists will know. Bit of that would make these atheists think before they hurt the feelings of sensitive people. The problem is: what are you going to do? If you leave you are seen to be running away. If you don't that nasty Barry will hurt your feelings again? Any help or guidance in the Bible?

The Freethinker : Wedding barminess – Muslim and Jewish-style

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Barriejohn: I get your drift. Wouldn't give much for his chances with Ratty. Fun to try, though. You do need a miracle, though.

The Freethinker : ‘Crazy atheists’ force change at the Hard Truths Baptist blog

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:27:07 +0000

What he really means is: I am right and anyone who does not agree is wrong. Further, I will not listen to any counter opinion because I know I am right. There can be no debate, no discussion, no free speech. This nutter would be found to be clinically insane - paranoid with weird delusions of grandeur - if he were not cringing and retreating from the field of debate under the very thin and utterly inadequate patina of religion. Encouraging, all the same, in that when we hit back they run.

The Freethinker : Monster raving Islamist group promises a ‘total jihad’ in Nigeria with bombs and stuff

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:41:46 +0000

Couldn't agree more. And the perfect Chairman would be Holy Tony Blair. He seems to have completed his efforts in the Middle East, now awaits the Presidency of the E.U. - Gordo the Magnificent said to be supporting him - and could sort this out in the time in between. Would need big pay, lots of expenses, of course, but there you are, that is the name of the game. I think we have to assume that he will not appear this side of an election before the Enquiry in Iraq. If Tony isn't available what about Cliff Richard as he is a holy person. Or, inspired choice, Charles Windsor who is intent on being a "Defender of all the Faiths, New Age Medicine, Lucky Rabbit's Foot Cult, We all want to be Tampax's Society, and anything else as long as it isn't Democratic, Republican or Atheist."