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

The delusional twaddle isn't for the benefit of the dead person. As atheists and humanists we know that the dead person isn't going to benefit from it don't we? It is for the live people, SOME of whom believe and get a degree of benefit.

PP

By the way. I work in the NHS where we have a post (I don't remember the title), but it is clearly a Christian offering spiritual support for all faiths. After I complained about the guff that was e-mailed to me as part of a mass posting (prayer of he week - couched in Christian language and only distributed in English. No Muslim option), I didn't get any more. I complained in a very polite way but still managed to cause offence. Now I think of it, I may have used the term 'spam'. Unsolicited bulk e-mail. Yep. Spam is OK.

PP

Our father, who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy INSANE PHARMACEUTICAL OFFERS, BLUE PILLS CHEAP!

PP

Well, I guess if that does get modded they can claim it's spam!

##the Christian chaplain did come to visit the ward once or twice, and we had a perfectly pleasant chat. At no point did he attempt to convert me, or did we even discuss religion. I think a lot of Chaplains are like that - they don't see their role as being looking for opportunities to convert people when they're at their most vulnerable.##

exxtreme senario, a recently come out atheist is having doubts and need guidance/someone to talk to and there is only a vicar

"i'm having doubts, i think there may be a god, a theist made a convincing argument and i can't work out how, what to do about it, can you advise me?????"

.......??????????

---------------------------

how would he not take advantage in that situation!!!!!!

>Humanist Officiant.<

Bullfinch? Oh wait that's taken..

Chiff chaff..my choice for Bullfinch..but it could work for this to.

When I was in the nut house we had a female CofE chiff chaff. She took a bit of a shine to me..but initially I thought she was just one of the people running the space ship. When things improved, I really didn't mind. She was nice enough and told me God had given me many talents I quite liked that. Shame I've buried all of mine in the ground.

Because we can assume the chaplain isn't a , Taff... only a would take that as an opportunity to tell the guy that there is definitely a God so there should be no doubt in his mind, incidentally if he wants to pop along to worship on Sunday morning they'd be most welcoming...

Any Christian (or indeed member of any other faith) worth their salt accepts that doubt is not complete anathema to faith and does not exploit doubt when someone who is not specifically asking to join the Church wants to talk about it.

You clearly have quite a few issues with religious people, Taff, would you like to talk about them? My fees are very reasonable and I offer a free service for atheists who want to be exploited... this months special is that you get to choose the religion!

>> It is for the live people, SOME of whom believe and get a degree of benefit.

Yeah, PP. That's the tough one.

I felt the tyranny of the default option most when I went to M's funeral; her friends were no more christian than she was. Hardly a surprise given we choose our friends and not our family, etc, etc, etc. Some of her friends were pagan, some were agnostic, some were 'like, huh, deeply spiritual, yeah...?' and a few were atheist. I have no idea if her family were christian, but I do know that her friends were cringing or seething as their temperaments dictated while the clergyman did his denominational stuff.

But yes, you are right, logically the funeral is a rite of passage for the living, but what happens when the living can't find an atheist or agnostic to stand at the front and say "she was lovely" and "it's up to us to remember her" and "shit happens"?

B

Taff, point of information for you.

When the mother of one of the victims of the Hillsborough Disaster asked the Roman Catholic Bishop of Liverpool if her son was in heaven he said "None of us know for certain what happens after we die".

Top marks to him for integrity.

Disproves your point pretty much perfectly I'd say.

B

Am I allowed to in and ask what this is about? I&#39;d like to participate discussion though

Join in, Interestman. Your is as good as anyone else's

Taff seems to have a snit in his bonnet about the god squad, however he's not getting much of a bite because the non-believers here either outnumber or are louder than the believers, or else the nasty nasty athiests chased them all away .

So.... how's the debate so far...?

NHS chaplains are paid for by tax-payers money not 'the Church'...they don't have to try to convert anyone...their position is safe...I think you would find the chapliancies disapperaring if the government told the Church and other religions to stump up the cash for them which I believe they should do.

Interestman
<Am I allowed to in and ask what this is about? I&#39;d like to participate discussion though>

Wotcha,

You can jump into any thread you like to...some of the 'game' threads have rules and you may be told off but any thread in Ask h2g2 and the Forum, Misc chat to name but a few are open house.

Mrs Zen
< or else the nasty nasty athiests chased them all away>

And they'll be mumbling reading that...'nasty athiests'?...That's tautology that is.

I don't know how people know if people are atheists or not in real life. It's simply not something I can ever remember discussing with people. And then you've plenty like most of my family that were happy to get married in church because of the ritual and the history and tradition.

I don't know anyone who would be bothered in the slightest whether or not the funeral was CofE . I can't imagine anyone wanting an extremist bornagain funeral though. that would be completely silly. but CoE the state established church..well it's almost like being buried by 'England'. wouldn't bother me.

'Sceptics in the pub'? Nah . Buried by the 'pub' might be good though.

>>..well it's almost like being buried by 'England'. <<


I have heard it on very good authority
that there'll always be an 'England'. So,
must I also expect there's also always be
a Church of England? In the US they had to
change the name so as not to offend the anti-
royalist revolutionaries a couple of centuries
back when Americans really were revolting.
They're called Pisca Palins or somesuch now.

~jwf~

Following on from Bens point about (I assume it was) Warlock (great name for a bishop!)

Yes, *some* religious officials are headbanging, literalist soul-chasers. But I think youll find that those employed in official positions as chaplains will tend to be the more pensive kind.

Im in two minds about going to see PZ Myers in the pub next month. Ive always thought he was a bit of a smug git.