Thursday, 8th January 2009

There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.

Posted in Faith, Funnies, General, Life at 22:55 by Rob

Now, personally I do believe in something, but I adore the way this gets some Christians knickers in a twist.

The Atheist Bus Campaign; 800 buses feature the slogan: “There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.

“The evidential basis for God is the same as for believing there are fairies at the bottom of the garden, and if you don’t believe the latter, you shouldn’t believe the former,”
A C Grayling defending said campaign.

Two stories on politics.co.uk:

  1. Atheist buses to challenge religious message.
  2. Christian challenges atheist bus advert.

Monday, 24th November 2008

The Elders

Posted in Faith, Life, Politics at 01:16 by Rob

I cannot remember the trigger that helped me find this website and what The Elders is all about.

In short, it is a group people of renown for their efforts to work for the betterment of Humanity. They are now ‘elder’ statespeople from across the world, with the respect and wherewithall to broker deals in areas of conflict and strife that the rest of the world seems to be turning there backs to.

From an original idea of Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson who pitched it to Nelson Mandella. Today there are 12 Elders, including Aung San Suu Ky sho has been almost under perminant arrest in Burma for almost 20 years.

  1. Offering a catalyst for the peaceful resolution of conflict.
  2. Seeking new approaches to seemingly intractable global issues.
  3. Sharing wisdom: reaching out to grassroots Elders and to the next generation of leaders. Listening and helping to amplify voices for good all over the world.

I cannot help that with people like these individuals and their supports, both generally and financially, that the world would be a better place. I think is shows a kinda of hope that people want change, not just for the benfit of themselves or their nation.

Saturday, 2nd February 2008

The Cake

Posted in Faith, Funnies, Life, Pastimes at 11:41 by Rob

So it is Imbolc today, the Feast of St Brigid. This afternoon I am helping a friend with a new flat she has bought, so I thought why not bake a cake.

It has been about 10 years since I have baked anything in the way of cakes and the such, so it was with a little trepidation that I set about weighing out stuff. The aim was a victoria sponge, so essentially 2oz of everything per egg and a bit of elbow grease in the beating, folding and greasing etc.

Overall the end result, and the whole experience was enjoyable, so cake making might be back on the menu as a wee fun pastime. Maybe some scones next.

One lesson learned though, my cake tins are 8 inches and when you make a recipe that says it is for 6 inch tins, then your cakes are going to be thin! Enjoyably nice, I have sampled and achieved independent verification from Scott, but thin.

Next time, double everything up! 

Monday, 10th September 2007

It has been a while……

Posted in Faith, Fes, Life, Mini, Scotland, Work at 01:12 by Rob

The last post was back in June, in some ways it does not seem that long ago, but in others it seems to have been ages.

I must admit I spent a lot of July worrying and mildly panicing about the up and coming first anniversary of Tony’s death. I thought I was unprepared for what I was going to feel and how I was going to react. It was a very strange time and essentially has made me realise how much I cannot remember from July and August last year.

Towards the last minute I made plans to try and be away from home as much as possible; away to the Cairngorms in a friends croft. I find the hills and open spaces far more relaxing that the city and my friend and his mum were very understanding (as they were last year). Then after that I was away for Spain and France to spend a week with Scott as he had finished work and was ‘holidaying’ for a month before coming home. That trip was truly relaxing, I hired a car and we drove around the north of Spain, through Andorra and into France. Stayed a monestry, climbed a peak in the Pyrennes and explored a castle in the dark. It was a such a difference from last year that I still have vivid memories of the holiday even now.

I have now also got Fes back :o D The work was pricey but he is a new car now and has returned my joy of driving around in a small odd wee car. It is not an understatement to say that the Mini thing and the trips and runs with the Mini Clan are reasonable part of my life. I have met some great friends through it and have been on some spectaular holidays and trips. At the end of August I was up in the Black Isle supporting Minis in Inverness’ charity run. Another really good weekend taking me to places in Scotland that I have never been to and I want to go back and explore more. Some more flickr photos.

Work has been good, in fact it has been damn good. I have a couple of really interesting items on my desk at the moment and I am really enjoying the challenge. It once again reminds me that I am very luck about working life, I enjoy (to a high degree) the work and I do and the place that I work. Granted there are always small things that I would change (and the odd big one as well), but I get the opportunity to say my bit and I know that, in some if not all, it is taken on board and valued as a contribution. There has been a bit of sadness as one of my good collegues and mates has left to go on to better things, but it has left me with the opportunity to get some staff now and learn what it is like to be a people manager as well a the manager of a subject. Time will tell how that will go, but I think it will go well. (Maybe you can tell I am in an optimistic mood about life at the moment!).

There are more detailed things some of which are mentioned above and some are not, but I am going to fill in more blanks over the coming nights.

Monday, 4th June 2007

The State – Why it should be Secluar

Posted in Faith, Grumps, Life, Politics at 22:43 by Rob

I think the raving madness of two Catholic bishops demonstrates why State and Church should be well segregated, with as many safe guards as required.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien has said that catholic MPs who support abortion should consider their stance on receiving communion. How ludicrous is this? Is he proposing to ask everyone who approaches on any given Sunday for communion the same question? If not, why not?

Saying that he is not alone and not the first:
Welsh prelate joins abortion row

MPs, MSPs and AMs have all been elected (more or less) on a non-religious basis. Mostly they are elected for their political affiliations and the policies that they stand for. I would imagine that there would a huge outcry if religious affiliations were brought up at a political hustings.

So what right does a Catholic Cardinal to meddle in the political arena? Gone are the days when we should ‘the lords spiritual’ affecting legislation and policy of this country. When you look at the relevance in most peoples lives I think you will find very little. Maybe weddings, christenings and funeral, but not in the dominating pulpit preaching that the Cardinal seems to prefer.