Has series G started yet? I thirst for new episodes.

I think not, probably in autumn they will start a new series

I have to say that I disagree with Stephen on this one. The mana story is just as dangerous as any other bullshit in the bible whether or not it tells you "what to do."

The issue is that it sets the stage for the "tells you what to do" stuff. It legitimizes god by giving a supposed example of something he did. For the very reason we don't see mana falling from the heavens today, religions need these stories to offer their "evidence" of the presence of god...

It may not be as offensive as a passage that says "kill the infidels" but ultimately it serves the same purpose which is to bind you to the common belief by giving you something impossible as having happened.

Edit: I can appreciate that he is also comparing it to a fable, but the reality is that it is actually very different than that, or an example from a dead religion such as ancient greek. The main issue is that there are those who take these small examples/miracles as fact.

Actually it made me think of an example which falls into both camps: the earth was created in six days. It doesn't tell you "what to do" and is ultimately innocuous on its own, but creationist/ID types use this as a "fact" since it is written in the bible and as a result continue their hold on ignorant people who don't read enough to know better.

[redacted]

There is nothing good about religion. Okay maybe it gives some people hope, but it's a FALSE hope, and that, I think, can be even more destructive than living your life as you should just because you SHOULD, rather than because you're afraid.

>> ^ForgedReality:
There is nothing good about religion.


Depends on your point of view. Imagine you were trying to control the populous. Religion would be extremely useful to you then...

>> ^robbersdog49:
>> ^ForgedReality:
There is nothing good about religion.

Depends on your point of view. Imagine you were trying to control the populous. Religion would be extremely useful to you then...


Since tribe sorcerers, and later church leaders, the knowers of the supernatural have always been sitting next to rulers and kings.

^and now so do scientists. But their magic is much more deadly. There will always be stupid people, but to get smart people to believe in an ideology is an art.

Now that I've got you, who wants to hear a good story about a bridge...?

>> ^ponceleon:
I have to say that I disagree with Stephen on this one. The mana story is just as dangerous as any other bullshit in the bible whether or not it tells you "what to do."
The issue is that it sets the stage for the "tells you what to do" stuff. It legitimizes god by giving a supposed example of something he did. For the very reason we don't see mana falling from the heavens today, religions need these stories to offer their "evidence" of the presence of god...
It may not be as offensive as a passage that says "kill the infidels" but ultimately it serves the same purpose which is to bind you to the common belief by giving you something impossible as having happened.
Edit: I can appreciate that he is also comparing it to a fable, but the reality is that it is actually very different than that, or an example from a dead religion such as ancient greek. The main issue is that there are those who take these small examples/miracles as fact.
Actually it made me think of an example which falls into both camps: the earth was created in six days. It doesn't tell you "what to do" and is ultimately innocuous on its own, but creationist/ID types use this as a "fact" since it is written in the bible and as a result continue their hold on ignorant people who don't read enough to know better.

Stephen Fry said, of the expenses scandal over here in britain right now, that he doesn't see what all the fuss is about, everyone fiddles their expenses, everyone's a hypocrite.

He went from "awesome" to "stuck up posh toff wanker, sticking up for his posh two faced thieving toff mates" in the space of a few sentences

I suppose it shows how far removed from average life he (and his friends, evidently) are that he thinks everyone gets to claim expenses.. so i can forgive him his ignorance slightly

to be honest, everyone *does* fiddle their expenses.

Yeah I don't think he was talking about just expenses, but anything like that. Most people fiddle something along the line somewhere and I believe he was saying, why all the outrage, it happens.

That's not to say he didn't think that they needed punishing for it, just why is everyone so surprised

oh yes. i agree fully.

http://wms1.mybrute.com/

Sorry to hijack the thread also, but - because they're supposed to be public servants working for the good of the people and the country, not fleecing us for money for their own status/benefit????

I was under the impression that the point of government and the point of being a government minister was so that you had a platform to make the country and the world a better place. I thought you had to have a selfless and untiring spirit, a drive to want to change things so that we can all live a better life (or continue things so that we continue to lead a high standard of life)

Currently, we have a gigantic festering wad of empire builders and fame-seekers, desperately introducing 'widespread changes', 'revolutionary new systems' and 'ground breaking policies' in order to make a name in history for themselves - they're not putting ALL their attention to making britain a better place, hell no. And that's bad enough alone, but now on top of that, they're claiming as much money as they can possibly get, immorally tapping the system to fluff up their already over-paid salaries for the terrible job they've been doing of leading this country. The system, i might add, which THEY INTRODUCED. They vehemently defend that they abided by every rule WHEN THEY MADE UP THE RULES.

Quite clearly now, this has shown us that the people in charge are really not in it for the greater good, they're in it for themselves. And if anyone says ANYTHING along the lines of "We're all just humans dude, we're all in it for ourselves, you can't expect them to spend their life making your life better." I beg to differ. Of a government minister i expect every OUNCE of willpower, attention and integrity. If you can't put others above yourself and STRIVE the for the greater good, why are you even running for such a position? If i were in that role, those would definitely be my aims. I would never try to get to such a role, though, because i know that someone WITH integrity would never stand a chance of getting there. Perhaps if they were lucky.

And i'll tell you another thing, i have NEVER lied or fiddled anything like that. I couldn't fucking live with myself if i had - the worst thing that ever happened to me is my conscience, so please don't chuck me in with people who do that. And i'm quite sure i'm not alone.

/offtopic

Magic (religion) is real.. and so is professional wrestling. Nuff said.

Hah, I agree with you danny, woah there. Devil's Advocate : I think that the way he expressed himself had less to do with siding with his toff friends and more to do with "why act surprised, we've all done it" kind of attitude.

Not that I agree with that either, how the fuck could I. I'm a working class Brit who expects to live in a country where we're not fleeced at every damn turn. That ain't gonna happen though is it. Ever.

And when I said we'd all done something like that, I meant even on a very small scale. If you are one of the miniscule amount of human beings who has never done anything at all to profit yourself, then I apologise


And here it is. The only Stephen Fry clip I haven't upvoted.
http://www.videosift.com/video/Stephen-Fry-speaks-sense-re-current-expenses-furore

>> ^honkeytonk73:
...and so is professional wrestling. Nuff said.


Hey WHOA, hating on Pro-wrestling isn't just offensive to people of my faith, it's inciting holy wars around the world!

EDIT: Those not of the Canadian persuasion can check out Stephen Fry's first season of his show "Kingdom" on Hulu, it's Stephen at his best.

^ Oh my dad told me about that the other day! No Hulu in the UK either

>> ^alien_concept:
^ Oh my dad told me about that the other day! No Hulu in the UK either


I use StrongVPN for Hulu over here, works pretty fine. Just some minor lag here and there.

>> ^robbersdog49:
>> ^ForgedReality:
There is nothing good about religion.

Depends on your point of view. Imagine you were trying to control the populous. Religion would be extremely useful to you then...


The word is "population." "Populous" is an adjective that means "containing many people".

Where's a good place to find Qi Episodes on the interwebs? Guba had a lot of them for awhile but that seems to have dropped off, and I can't find a torrent to save my life.

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