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TFTD campaign

For news of events, petitions and campaigns that may be of interest to humanists and secularists.
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jaywhat
Posts: 15807
Joined: July 5th, 2007, 5:53 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#41 Post by jaywhat » February 14th, 2009, 3:10 pm

Latest post of the previous page:

I like it Paolo and would only comment on the length which I guess would take about 3 minutes to speak - or not even that. Yes, quality comes before quantity and perhaps that is the length that is required for this sort of thing.

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jaywhat
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Joined: July 5th, 2007, 5:53 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#42 Post by jaywhat » February 14th, 2009, 3:17 pm

I just remembered, I wrote this about 2 years ago in response to something or other and cannot remember where I sent it. It is now two years old but still rings true I think.


Thought for the Day


Not long ago, I found myself crying while watching the BBC 6 o’clock news. There are many things, going on in the world that would be enough to make one cry. There are train accidents and plane crashes and huge natural disasters with great loss of life. There are always wars and violent conflicts with all sorts of causes. There always have been and perhaps the human race has come to assume that if that is what our history has been, that is how it must always be. There are great injustices and greed and selfishness and everywhere there are human beings trying to impose what they think is right onto people with a different opinion or faith.
But my tears where caused by a moving story of two people who wanted a positive future in a world free from anger and bloodshed – a world where they could live happily in an ordinary way and as a family with all the common or garden worries; about jobs and housing and debt and gentle progress to a better future. A life not harming or pressurising others but living in harmony with every person’s differences respected. She was from a Jewish family in Israel and he was from a Muslim family in Palestine. They were husband and wife and they loved each other and neither was accepted by their own country. They had decided to move to Europe and she had packed her bag and was leaving that day and he was waiting for permission to leave later.
I wanted to cry out to some one to let them leave together or let them stay together. Let them live peacefully as an example to the rest of the world that until we put the awful past behind us we will never have peace and tranquillity in the world.
These two ordinary people had a love for each other and for the world they wanted to live in. They had great courage to demand to be together, to stand up to their respective laws and leaders who want all lives to follow the same path – be governed by the same religion. They were ordinary people just wanting to live ordinary lives but they were special, they were inspiring, they were extra-ordinary – and they made me cry.

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Paolo
Posts: 1474
Joined: September 13th, 2008, 9:15 am

Re: TFTD campaign

#43 Post by Paolo » February 14th, 2009, 10:05 pm

Jaywhat, why not post this to the site? They are looking for enough secular thoughts for the day to fill a whole month, just for starters.

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jaywhat
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Re: TFTD campaign

#44 Post by jaywhat » February 15th, 2009, 7:17 am

I had a look at it Paolo but cannot work out where to post it. Thick or what?

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Paolo
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Re: TFTD campaign

#45 Post by Paolo » February 15th, 2009, 11:34 am

Hi Jaywhat - not thick, you just have high expectations! You sign up on the site and then you are given an email address to send your contribution to. A bit old skool, but it gets the job done (hopefully).

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Alan C.
Posts: 10356
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#46 Post by Alan C. » February 20th, 2009, 8:48 pm

After reading these three errors (lies) in the second paragraph, I couldn't read any further.
In England, which has long been a cultural template for the U.S., the atheists, after years of calling themselves humanists, have finally come out of the closet. With strong support from the renowned Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins, the new campaign has splashed an ad on the side of 800 British buses proclaiming, "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." Immediately following the ads came an announcement from the BBC early last month that it would add atheists to the list of various people of faith who are invited to offer the three-minute "Thought for the Day" on the influential Radio 4.
If anybody wants to read the rest, it's here, How I Learned Not to Fear the Anti-God Squad
Mr. O'Sullivan, author of "The Books of Job," is Kenneth Curry Professor of Literature at Rollins College
You would expect a guy with the title of Professor, might get his facts right.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

Archipet
Posts: 14
Joined: September 24th, 2007, 4:56 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#47 Post by Archipet » March 9th, 2009, 2:33 pm

After receiving two emails from Mark Damazer, I complained to the BBC Trust about religious discrimination in the selection of speakers for TFTD. I have now received a lengthy reply from Tim Davie, Director of BBC Audio and Music. The essence of his letter is that carrying TFTD in the Today programme is consistent with the BBC's guidelines on editorial bias and impartiality.

This does not address my complaint of discrimination, on grounds of religion or belief, against non-religious candidates for TFTD contributions. I will reply to Mr Davie, asking him to respond to this point. If he chooses not to do so, I will revert to the BBC Trust. In for a penny ...

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#48 Post by Alan H » March 9th, 2009, 2:43 pm

Keep at them!
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Paolo
Posts: 1474
Joined: September 13th, 2008, 9:15 am

Re: TFTD campaign

#49 Post by Paolo » March 16th, 2009, 7:30 pm

Has anyone been keeping up with secular thought for the day? There's quite a lot of thoughts up there now and they are looking for more. If you want to contribute it's easy, details here. I have one coming up soon that is adapted from something I wrote here, so I have requested that TH be linked - Maria, if you are not keen just let me know and I will send an email to cancel that request.

Complaining about platitude of the day is only part of the battle - it's worth demonstrating the diversity and value of humanist thoughts, to provide evidence that we have something worth saying if we were to be given the opportunity.

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Emma Woolgatherer
Posts: 2976
Joined: February 27th, 2008, 12:17 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#50 Post by Emma Woolgatherer » March 16th, 2009, 9:55 pm

Paolo wrote:Complaining about platitude of the day is only part of the battle - it's worth demonstrating the diversity and value of humanist thoughts, to provide evidence that we have something worth saying if we were to be given the opportunity.
But ... is that what we really want? Is it what you want? Thought for the Day pretty much as it stands with a handful of humanists thrown in, giving their diverse and valuable humanist thoughts? I confess, it's not what I want. I want the overall quality of Thought for the Day to improve hugely. I want wisdom and wit and extraordinary perspicacity. I want brilliance. I don't want people like me saying something that's merely worth while. I want them to get proper philosophers on it. People like Ted Honderich, Helena Cronin, Julian Baggini (of course), Jonathan Glover ... Actually, any working philosopher would do. I wouldn't care if they were humanists or Christians or Buddhists or Zoroastrians, as long as they could come up with a genuinely thought-provoking response to a topical issue. I'd even tolerate Roger Scruton ... er ... possibly.

I do like the poll, though: "If Radio 4's Thought for the Day was a reality show, who would you vote off?" And I'm not surprised to see Anne Atkins in the lead. There's a woman with a talent for nostril penetration.

Emma

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Paolo
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Re: TFTD campaign

#51 Post by Paolo » March 17th, 2009, 8:19 am

Emma Woolgatherer wrote:
Paolo wrote:Complaining about platitude of the day is only part of the battle - it's worth demonstrating the diversity and value of humanist thoughts, to provide evidence that we have something worth saying if we were to be given the opportunity.
But ... is that what we really want? Is it what you want? Thought for the Day pretty much as it stands with a handful of humanists thrown in, giving their diverse and valuable humanist thoughts? I confess, it's not what I want. I want the overall quality of Thought for the Day to improve hugely. I want wisdom and wit and extraordinary perspicacity. I want brilliance. I don't want people like me saying something that's merely worth while. I want them to get proper philosophers on it. People like Ted Honderich, Helena Cronin, Julian Baggini (of course), Jonathan Glover ... Actually, any working philosopher would do. I wouldn't care if they were humanists or Christians or Buddhists or Zoroastrians, as long as they could come up with a genuinely thought-provoking response to a topical issue. I'd even tolerate Roger Scruton ... er ... possibly.

I do like the poll, though: "If Radio 4's Thought for the Day was a reality show, who would you vote off?" And I'm not surprised to see Anne Atkins in the lead. There's a woman with a talent for nostril penetration.

Emma
Personally, I don't give two hoots for TFTD - I can't bear listening to it most of the time. What I am interested in is a public forum in which philosophies and interpretations of our world can be made available without the taint of religion.

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Emma Woolgatherer
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Joined: February 27th, 2008, 12:17 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#52 Post by Emma Woolgatherer » March 17th, 2009, 8:59 am

Paolo wrote:Personally, I don't give two hoots for TFTD - I can't bear listening to it most of the time. What I am interested in is a public forum in which philosophies and interpretations of our world can be made available without the taint of religion.
Sounds good. What sort of public forum did you have in mind? When you said, "it's worth demonstrating the diversity and value of humanist thoughts, to provide evidence that we have something worth saying if we were to be given the opportunity" (my bold), that suggests that you're thinking of something with a higher profile than a website, an opportunity we'd have to be given rather than one we can easily take (and are already taking). I would agree that it doesn't have to be Thought for the Day, although that's an existing high-profile forum with a title that lends itself to the sort of thing I personally would like to listen to. But if not Thought for the Day, then what? Is there a broader campaign we could join, or should we start one?
What do we want?
Public philosophy!
When do we want it?
NOW!
Emma

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#53 Post by Alan H » March 17th, 2009, 9:25 am

Emma Woolgatherer wrote:
What do we want?
Public philosophy!
When do we want it?
NOW!
Yep. This Saturday. Meet in Trafalgar Square and march to Downing Street...are you with me?
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Val
Posts: 749
Joined: October 6th, 2007, 10:56 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#54 Post by Val » March 17th, 2009, 8:39 pm

Emma Woolgatherer wrote:[ .

I do like the poll, though: "If Radio 4's Thought for the Day was a reality show, who would you vote off?" And I'm not surprised to see Anne Atkins in the lead. There's a woman with a talent for nostril penetration.

Emma
Emma I used to just switch my mind off and continue getting dressed until THAT thought from Ann Atkins a couple of years ago . Her homophobia upset me so much that the whole thing comes back everyday that she is on and the hairs on the bacck of my neck rise. It leaves me upset everytime thinking that she was ever allowed to continue as a contributer.

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Val
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Joined: October 6th, 2007, 10:56 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#55 Post by Val » March 17th, 2009, 8:40 pm

Yep. This Saturday. Meet in Trafalgar Square and march to Downing Street...are you with me?
Alan just how much time do you spend in London and elsewhere. You seem always on the go. Happy travels

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#56 Post by Alan H » March 17th, 2009, 8:54 pm

We spend all our time in London now [---][/---] we moved here a few months ago!
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

Fia
Posts: 5480
Joined: July 6th, 2007, 8:29 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#57 Post by Fia » March 17th, 2009, 11:09 pm

Emma Woolgatherer wrote: What do we want?
Public philosophy!
When do we want it?
when we've mused upon the implications of deep thought and reasoned a cognitive truth through pondering meta-ethics whilst taking into account the dichotomy between dualism and materialism ensuring we bring a metaphysical justification to our demands? :)

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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#58 Post by Alan H » March 17th, 2009, 11:12 pm

Fia wrote:when we've mused upon the implications of deep thought and reasoned a cognitive truth through pondering meta-ethics whilst taking into account the dichotomy between dualism and materialism ensuring we bring a metaphysical justification to our demands? :)
Eh? :puzzled:
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

Fia
Posts: 5480
Joined: July 6th, 2007, 8:29 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#59 Post by Fia » March 17th, 2009, 11:36 pm

Clearly a piss-poor attempt at humour. Ok will go to bed now...

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: TFTD campaign

#60 Post by Alan H » March 18th, 2009, 12:01 am

:laughter:
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Paolo
Posts: 1474
Joined: September 13th, 2008, 9:15 am

Re: TFTD campaign

#61 Post by Paolo » March 20th, 2009, 9:31 am

My most recent TFTD. There is a link to TH at the bottom in the Tip for the Day.

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