Rev Evan Cockshaw's daft C of E website

[Julia]

Congratulations to the Evangelism and Outreach Team of Lichfield Diocese for providing us with yet another reason to support the disestablishment of the Church of England. They were so upset by what they describe as "the Atheist Bus and Poster campaign" (I had no idea that there were any atheist buses!) they set up a website inviting Christian readers to explain why they believe "There is Probably a God":

http://www.thereprobablyis.com/

The fact that representatives of the grossly over-privileged yet moribund C of E can react in this way speaks volumes about their fear of any organized opposition. Cockshaw claims to provide testimonies from Christians "who aren't stupid and haven't been brainwashed", but most of the replies are quite obviously from people who are...well, stupid or brainwashed. The sheer inanity of the responses (most of which explain why they need to believe, not why they believe in the existence of God) speaks volumes about one of the main reasons for Christianity's survival into the 21st century - it's a security blanket for people afraid to face reality.

The site originally featured a poll which proved irresistable to P Z Myers and the readers of his splendid blog Pharyngula:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/....ll.php#comments

At one point webmaster Rev. Evan Cockshaw posted on Pharyngula to ask "people from here to stop adding stupid comments". He seems to be quite happy to post stupid comments from Christians, although to be fair quite a few of them are desperately sad.

In Darwin's day the Church of England was at least an opponent to be reckoned with. In 2008 it's merely an increasingly absurd bunch of whining, status-craving nonentities good for nothing but a laugh.

[Trinoc]

What kind of religion says "There probably is a God?" ... if you don't have absolute certainty, what is the point?

[Pebble]

2000 years on and the christian establishement has only just thought of asking its adherents about their beliefs!

[filippo lippi]

So many anecdotes, so little evidence.

Get aboard the atheist bus - http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/atheistbus.html

[Matt]

One of the comments made by Reverend [strike]Cocksure[/strike] sorry Cockshaw was that he doens't invade atheist space and disparrage atheist belifs so we shouldn't do the same. A quick look at the meta data on his web page (the keywords you'd like the search engines to pick up on) showed that he was most definitely targetting atheist search space.

[Trinoc]

One of the comments made by Reverend [strike]Cocksure[/strike] sorry Cockshaw was that he doens't invade atheist space and disparrage atheist belifs so we shouldn't do the same. A quick look at the meta data on his web page (the keywords you'd like the search engines to pick up on) showed that he was most definitely targetting atheist search space.

So, putting an advert on a bus is invading the space of religious people is it? Where? The street? The bus station?

[Dubious Dick]

Read a few of the testimonials and am struck by the fact that they don't tend to mention which God.

I am thinking of going on there and saying I believe in Thor because I've witnessed many an impressive thunderstorm. Or perhaps Venus and Bacchus because I have had a few decent glasses of wine and some great sex?

Whaddya reckon? Think they'll publish my testimonials?

[filippo lippi]

I've posted it before, but it feels right to post it again...

When we returned from honeymoon on the doorstep was the newsletter from our local evangelical church. It said, quite plainly and openly, that no matter how good a life we lead we will burn in eternal hellfire if we don't accept JC as our saviour.

So, bollocks to old Cocksure.

[Mulder]

Read a few of the testimonials and am struck by the fact that they don't tend to mention which God.

It's probably Yahweh or Elohim. I never could decide which it was ...

[Julia]

What the hell are "atheist beliefs"?

*wanders off to arrange the stamps she doesn't collect*

[Mulder]

What the hell are "atheist beliefs"?

It does take a leap of faith to go from agnostic to atheist ...

[filippo lippi]

It does take a leap of faith to go from agnostic to atheist ...

No

[Croydon Bob]

It does take a leap of faith to go from agnostic to atheist ...

Absolutely not. On the contrary, agnosticism is a confusing mish-mash of belief.

[Mulder]

I'm not an atheist OR an agnostic.

Given that absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence, I couldn't categorically state there are definitely no gods. I'm sure there are lots of things in nature that we don't yet know about, because we don't have any evidence (or we do but it hasn't been interpreted correctly yet), but that doesn't mean they don't exist. It's a sort of 'scientific' position, I guess. Until there is evidence one way or the other, I'm neutral on the whole 'gods' thing. What I am sure about is that current religions are cultural constructions based on legends and politics that say nothing about the existence of gods.

I'm sure there's a snappy way of saying all that ...

[Trinoc]

Given that absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence

Yes it is ... it just isn't proof of absence.

I couldn't categorically state there are definitely no gods. I'm sure there are lots of things in nature that we don't yet know about, because we don't have any evidence (or we do but it hasn't been interpreted correctly yet), but that doesn't mean they don't exist. It's a sort of 'scientific' position, I guess. Until there is evidence one way or the other, I'm neutral on the whole 'gods' thing. What I am sure about is that current religions are cultural constructions based on legends and politics that say nothing about the existence of gods.

I'm sure there's a snappy way of saying all that ...

Yes ... you're an agnostic ...