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

This may well have been pointed out before, so apologies for any wasted time.

Many of the members and links here are to alternative faith systems (Wicca, Satanism*) and therefore either the organisation name needs to be changed or the structure clarified.

Personally, I think Freedom From Fundimentalism would be better.
We are all entitled to our own beliefs, as long as they do not cause harm to others. Using that simple credo places a great many "established" religions in violation of that principle.
We can knock Christianity (and indeed enjoy doing so) because it is the dominant western religion and what most of us were raised with.

I like the idea of the Foundation, but the title is misleading.


*Technically this is the same as Christianity, but from the other guy's view, as its validity is based upon Christianity being valid and true.

I vote for changing the name to "Freedom From Criticism Of The Name Of The Foundation"...

I didn't think Satanism was a faith system - not from reading the entry, anyway. Note that this is Satanism, not devil-worrship. Very different beasts.

Wicca is a faith, but the link is to the Wiccan Forum - that's a place for witches to talk, similar to how this is a place for atheists/agnostics/other to talk. If there was a link to the Wicca entry, that'd be different...

We do link to Discordianism, which is a faith system, but nobody takes that seriously, so that's ok...

*ducks hail of missiles from Discordian rabble*

Fnord.

What does taking anything seriously have to do with meaning what one says?

Sure, but Goddess likes disbeleivers - gives Her a touch of target practice...

Okay, but why is there even a link to the Wiccan forum from a Foundation that is against Faiths?

(Assuming Wicca is a belief system and therefore could loosely be discribed as a faith).

I would also like to point out that this in no way reflects my own faith - unless it actually does, in which case ignore that last comment.

Possibly because it is recognized that people need exposure to different ideas, opinions, and views of the world if they are to have any hope of figuring out the universe for themselves independent of someone else telling them what to think. Having the link there certainly does no harm. What unites most of us is not a desire to be free from opinions, but a desire to shed the shackles of orthodox thinking which is largely represented in the Western world by the dogmas associated with the Christian church.

For the record, when CS and I started this place up it was called 'The Anti-Christ Group' or some such. I think FFFF is much more inclusive

That original title was "The Anti-Christ's Support Network." I thought it was funny at the time, but it definitely sent the wrong message. As for the Wicca link, I think it is useful to present alternatives that are relatively harmless, and WIcca certainly represents that. "An it harm none, do as ye will" is their central philosophy, and although I think the rest of the religion is pretty silly (touching a piece of rock is supposed to keep my liver healthy? Gimme another boilermaker, I've got crysolite in my pocket! ), I totally agree with that part. It's closely related to the central tenets of Satanism (although they don't worry so much about harming people) and Objectivism, neither of which is a faith system.

Regardless of how eloquently you can argue about the relevance of the name, though, it is doomed to fail. It's the name because we like it, and we're not going to change it. Call us pigheaded if you like....

You're being rather dogmatic about the name aren't you?

I have nothing against Jesus personally, just the "adoption" of his beliefs and subsequent campaigns to destroy any who disputed them (including his own original followers!)
"Christ" of course coming from the Greek for "King" and not anything messianic.
Keep up the good work.