Gavin Orland

The Neo-Enlightenment

Wednesday 29th October 2008 17:30 in Religion, Society

The age of Enlightenment occurred during the late 18th Century in the Western world. It should never have ended.

Ironically, it is the most irrational and superstituous people in the world, as I have previously discussed, who have ushered in this, a new age of enlightenment. Rational people are feeling they have been pushed far enough by religion and political correctness. They’ve had enough, and they are starting to do what they didn’t do before: they’re starting to speak out.

It started with Sam Harris’s The End of Faith. Then Dawkins’ The God Delusion. Then, of course, more followed. Hitchens, Dennett, Grayling. Then Pat Condell. And now something else is happening. The unthinkable. Cats are starting to be herded. The silent majority are motivating themselves. We’re seeing the Atheist Bus Campaign and the pledge against Thought for the Day. We’re seeing a resurgence of reason. A reaction among the people to being force-fed political correctness and religion.

This is the beginning of a new period to try to banish the idiocy of faith and superstition. This is the Neo-Enlightenment, and it will not be stopped.

Brand/Ross affair

Tuesday 28th October 2008 14:17 in Society

No, they’re not having an affair (though it might be nice to spread such a rumour, so they get a taste of their own medicine), but here is a good article on this latest mistake by the BBC.

This is all part of the embrace of decadence.

The particular incident can be distilled into these points:

These two broke the law under the Telecommunications Act (”[a person who] sends, by means of a public telecommunication system, a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character”).
There is no need for an “enquiry” (the tactic the BBC uses simply to create a delay in the hope people will forget about things). They should simply have been sacked.
It was disgraceful of both Brand and Ross to betray confidence.
Brand’s “apology” was obviously insincere and he has callously pre-empted his own sacking by resigning.
Ross does not deserve £16,000 per day simply for providing “witty banter”. No doubt he often reflects on this himself and wonders how he gets away with it.
These words “edgy”, “risky”, “pushing the boundary” etc., just mean puerile and juvenile and as close to needlessly offensive as possible. Let’s call them what they are.
The BBC thinks it is hostage to an ignorant public who love and demand puerile, immature, bullying smut in the same way as commoners loved public lynchings in the past. They do, but it isn’t. It should set high standards, not lower itself to meet inferior ones.
The BBC needs to have a complete overhaul of its licencing system - especially as it is now putting much of its content on the Internet and radio for free.

“Thought for the Day” campaign opens on PledgeBank

Monday 27th October 2008 11:27 in Religion

I have now activated my campaign regarding Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day” on the website PledgeBank:

This is nearly reaching its target within its first day. However this makes no difference - please continue to sign up, even as it exceeds its target. The more who do this the better.