h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As I understand it, atheism is simply the lack of belief in God(s). Atheism does not require any actions at all--there are no methods to be "rather widely practised." A practising atheist is an oxymoron: an atheist does not necessarily have any particular positive beliefs to follow/practise. Although I'm sure that each individual atheist has his own belief system, I wouldn't say that acting on any individual belief system is a part of atheism per se. If a person does not believe in God(s), he doesn't necessarily have to do anything because of that belief.

Furthermore, atheism does not require membership in any religious (or non-religious) organization advocating any particular type of practise. This is probably why atheism lacks "marketing." People who lack belief in Santa don't have much of a marketing organization, in comparison with those who do (or pretend to) believe, because this lack of belief does not really require any marketing to not promote Santa, and does not have any particular positive message or goals to promote.

Congratulations on being the 900th person to make that observation. Unfortunately, there is no prize.

The article was originally written with a sense of humor, but the humor was cut out, and what was left didn't make any sense. Read the original: A142804

You're right. The original article is pretty funny, and better than the main one in the guide. I particularly like the ferret joke--it's a pity that was cut out. I'm sorry I didn't read that one to start with--I just naively assumed that the editors knew what they were doing. Did the editors ever tell you why they made those particular changes? Facts more important than humor or something like that--if so, they managed to screw up both the facts and the humor. Feel free to forward this to them if they don't know that already.

Would there have been a prize had I been the 1000th person to annoy you in such a fashion? (sorry I couldn't resist)

Your prize would have been to see me whine and cry like a little girl. You should be glad you didn't get it.

The original article was written way back in August of 1999, back when this place was mostly fields. The founders had put together a handful of articles by The H2G2 Writing Team to get things started, and they were the type of silly nonsense that DNA wrote in his works. So we all took to that style of writing.

Somewhere between the time this article was written and the time it was accepted, the editors decided they did not want DNA-style articles, but something remotely factual (and boring). If they had gotten back to me, I would have submitted them an entirely different article. Instead, they cut out the silliest bit and then misguidedly kept the rest of it.

What was left even offended fellow atheist Douglas Adams. Check the authorship of the "My Take On This Article" opening post attached to the accepted version. So far as I know, it's the only article he took the time to comment on.

It may be weird to consider it a badge of honor to have a piece of work you're ashamed of receive harsh criticism from a prominent person who would otherwise be on your side... but there you have it. I'm weird.

Good thing too. Normal is so much more boring than it's made out to be.

I was informed by a friend who had visited Moscow (this is some years ago) that there was a museum of atheism there. unfortunately at the time of her visit the place was closed. Anyone know what the place contained?

hi lightlygo,

A museum of atheism??? I'm dying to know what was in there!

Meanwhile, you might like to check out another thread I started awhile back that keeps going in fits and starts:

"Children to study atheism at school"

F19585?thread=381472


az

That place is still active? I'm amazed.