Sunday, December 16, 2012

Words are too small to carry this pain…

Sandy Hook School2

"Is this the world we created?
We made it on our own
Is this the world we devastated
Right to the bone?
If there’s a God in the sky looking down
What can he think of what we’ve done
To the world that he created?   "                                   Freddie Mercury

Monday, December 10, 2012

I think,therefore I am not

billboard-mockup

The report, "Freedom of Thought 2012", said "there are laws that deny atheists' right to exist, curtail their freedom of belief and expression, revoke their right to citizenship, restrict their right to marry."

The IHEU - which links over 120 humanist, atheist and secular organizations in more than 40 countries - said it was issuing the report to mark the U.N.'s Human Rights Day on Monday.

According to its survey of some 60 countries, the seven where expression of atheist views or defection from the official religion can bring capital punishment are Afghanistan, Iran, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

The 70-page report lists no recent cases of actual execution for "atheism" -- but researchers say the offence is often subsumed into other charges.

In a range of other countries - such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Kuwait and Jordan - publication of atheist or humanist views on religion are totally banned or strictly limited under laws prohibiting "blasphemy".

In many of these countries, and others like Malaysia, citizens have to register as adherents of a small number officially-recognized religions -- which normally include no more than Christianity and Judaism as well as Islam.

Atheists and humanists are thereby forced to lie to obtain their official documents without which it is impossible to go to university, receive medical treatment, travel abroad or drive.

via

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Joseph Campbell + Schopenhauer+oneness

Campbell-Schopenhauer

Now you can be forgiven for thinking that this is just philosophy. But it actually happens all the time.

Check THIS OUT for a more recent instance

A rebel WITH a cause

Unconventional and apparently lacking in respect for 'the way things were', this is the man who

almost went personally bankrupt a number of times setting up Live Aid.

In the 3rd verse of this song he wrote:

"

play with the toys of war
And school's out early and soon we'll be learning
That the lesson today is how to die
And then the bullhorn crackles
And the captain cackles with the problems and the hows and whys
And he can see no reasons 'cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to die, die?

The worldwide concert raised $283 million in 1985, in economic worth terms just under £1 billion at today's value.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

moments of reality

“I’ve seen a lot of hardcore people on a battlefield.

When the bullets start flying,

there are no atheists out there.”

Lt. William G. Haneke   (read his amazing story here)

 

Thursday, November 01, 2012

inner rays

stained glass-Milton Keynes

Artist: Ruth Ward (Heavenly Stained Glass) created this window for a school in Milton Keynes

Thursday, October 18, 2012

change is sometimes appallingly slow

Despite promises to reform their textbooks, the Saudi education system continues to indoctrinate children with hatred and incitement

via

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear.
You’ve got to be carefully taught!


You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.


You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are 6 or 7 or 8,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be carefully taught!

(from the film South Pacific).

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Celebrating differences, not condemning them

matthew shepard

In remembering the tragic and horrific death of Matthew, that became a symbol

against hate crimes, we also think of the young people who are suicidal

and desperately unhappy because of their sexuality.

It's good to see that there are some Christians who are more concerned with compassion and

understanding than in hiding behind ritual,dogma and literature.

Kurek

check Timothy out here

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Get Well soon…..

Malala-001

via

Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Malala in the hospital and delivered a simple message: "We refuse to bow before terror." He also noted that the Taliban lack respect for the "golden words" of the Prophet Mohammed -- "that the one who is not kind to children is not amongst us."

You are in our thoughts and in our hearts,Precious One..as are all Muslims who are repelled by this un-Islamic action.This is not the real message of Islam.

Sunday, September 23, 2012