Freethought in the movies this week. Several good movies mentioned, including the aforementioned Golden Compass (which I enjoyed greatly, and I hope to read the book soon) O Brother Where Art Thou, Chocolat, Contact and Blade Runner all favorites of mine. There were also I few I hadn’t seen, such as The Contender, A Raisin in the Sun, Elmer Gantry, Inherit the Wind and several foreign language films whose titles I didn’t catch. More films are listed here.
“Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding.”
Clarence Darrow
I noticed that the hosts and guests to the show spend a lot of time correcting the usage of the word Christmas to the phrase “Solstice Holiday”. The word Christmas doesn’t have anything to do with the word christian as it is used in the US. I’m not giving up the word Christmas just because Santa is my solstice holiday icon, and I’m not going to change the date of Christmas to coincide with the actual solstice, so I don’t see the point of renaming it Solstice Holiday. It’s Christmas, and It’s going to stay Christmas, a secularized solstice holiday that features a jolly red elf. Get over it.
Although I did like the point (and have made this point myself before) that the Puritans who settled North America left England because they objected to Roman Catholic excess; namely the celebration of holidays not found in scripture. Like Christmas.
So much for the christian reason for the season.
December 23, 2006 – Confessions of a Lonely Atheist. The acknowledgment of Robert Ingersoll in the Freethinkers almanac segment reminds me of the so far unmentioned part of the show that I actually look forward to on each podcast. You actually don’t have to listen to the shows to get this information, you can find it here. The guest this week was Natalie Angier, discussing her article Confessions of a Lonely Atheist, and the advancing numbers of self acknowledging Atheists in the US these days. She also discusses raising a child in this religious fevered nation (no place like Texas for that, so I can identify) and what that entails.
Also the debut of the song Intelligent? Design? is in this episode.
Intelligent? Design?
by Phillip Appleman
Set to music by Dan BarkerYour eyes have seen a blurry scene
that’s only known to man.
You’re optic nerves are backward
and have been since time began.
That’s what the preachers tell you
is god’s very special plan.
Intelligent design!Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!
The great designer knows what’s due ya.
Nothing else can stick it to ya like
Intelligent Design!You wish a guy’s urethra did
The jobs that were proposed:
Both lover’s clout and waterspout
Is what you had supposed.
Alas, the Great Designer squeezed
A prostate ’round your hose:
Intelligent Design!Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!
Nowhere does the Bible clue ya
That your glands would soon subdue ya:
Intelligent Design!Your tummies sick, your heart goes tick,
your hips are giving in.
childbirth is a horror
’cause your pelvis is to thin.
when your appendix ruptures,
the designer only grins.
Intelligent Design!Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!
Making do will have to do ya
flim-flammers cooked this up to screw ya
Intelligent Design!
Sung to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Too funny.
