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Earlier today jason_a_w on Twitter made an interesting comment:

Can this event be explained except as an expression of a craving for ritual? http://is.gd/9m5lf

We had the following exchange (in this order I think. Apologies to Jason if I have it wrong):

@jason_a_w Just a chance to hear two interesting fellows speak. I don’t think anyone is being asked to join in singing hymns about them.

@shaunc But why gather en masse to confirm one’s lack of belief. Surely as soon as it’s asserted, that’s the end of the matter?

@jason_a_w Because people like community, even atheists, which I suggest is different from ritual.

@shaunc Anyway it does look interesting enough, but I do get puzzled by the phenomenon of large atheist gatherings.

@shaunc I’m not sure communities are formed any other way, and I think it’s possible to have secular rituals (e.g. going to the footy!)…

@jason_a_w atheist gatherings are the result of atheist being more comfortable in “out.” Not such an issue in Oz but very important in US.

@shaunc Anyway, maybe I’m just puzzled because it’s new. It does seem to be operating on an industrial level, now!

@jason_a_w Yes, there is money to be made from atheism. But also discourse that often doesn’t get heard when religion is privileged.

There are some atheists of course that go, “Well, there is no god. Better get on with something useful” and don’t worry much more than that. But as atheists feel the freedom to come out, you can be sure that atheists are going to gather together.
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For those about to rock...

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France is considering banning the burqa and the same idea seems to have support in England.

But banning the burqa is a bad idea. I do find the concept of the burqa offensive, repressive and a restriction of womens’ rights. But this is one issue that can’t be resolved by simplistic state intervention.

As an atheist, there is no logical justification to why a woman would choose to wear a burqa or have the wearing of it mandated by society. But as a matter of culture and religion, women do choose to wear a burqa. As much as I find the practice distasteful, banning the burqa will clash with religious rights that a secular society should protect. There is a great discussion from Irish radio on the burqa that covers all sides and shows the issue to be quite complex (third item down – Newstalk Ireland’s Wide Angle Program).

Banning the burqa in France, England or Australia will not help women in Afghanistan. Nor will it even help Muslim women in France. If Muslim woman can’t wear a burqa then their participation on society could be severely restricted. It also could strengthen notions of persecution reinforcing the patriarchal control.

But a liberal democratic society will not stop the wearing of burqas by banning them. It will stop the wearing of burqas through debate and discussion pointing out how the burqa is a sign of oppression against women and pointing out the problems. As the Muslim population engages in such debates, a younger population comes through more attune with the ideals of liberal democratic country. Then there will be no need to talk about banning the burqa as the practice will become marginalised and considered belonging to the past.

Taking away a freedom, now matter how distasteful we find it, will not create a freedom.

Terry Pratchett recently had the honour of giving the Richard Dimbleby Lecture. It was actually given by Tony Robinson as Pratchett’s early-onset Alzheimer’s can make it difficult to read. But Robinson was wonderful himself and Pratchett’s lecture lost nothing by using a “Stunt-Pratchett”. It was sad, funny, wonderfully argued and most of all, defiant.

Pratchett mounted an excellent case for assisted dying. One that will be very hard to counter.

In the 21st Century, we have pushed death far away from us. Even when Death is at the door suggesting that we might be off now, we use whatever medical technology we can to forestall the inevitable, often at a terrible cost in pain for the soon departed and their family. There is no dignity in a lingering death in pain with one’s faculties withered. It is simply cruelty no matter the intent.
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Brian Johnson has a deserved go at Bono and other “do-good” rockers:

“I do it myself, I don’t tell everybody I’m doing it,” Johnson said.

“I don’t tell everybody they should give money – they can’t afford it.

“When I was a working man I didn’t want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa.

“I’m sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry. I become all tyrannical.”

I do think there is a place for charity concerts as long as the money is properly accounted for. But, good intentions aside, do we really need a remake of We Are the World for Haiti? It was a god awful song then and the assembled “talent” this time around is not going to make it any better.

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