Sussex Online TV

The Hastings Observer, last Friday, carried a full page advert for a new Local TV for Sussex, www.sussexonline.tv, which is produced by a consortium of local newspapers. I've looked at it a couple of times since then, and the newscast has been the same throughout the week, beginning with Dame Vera Lynn in Eastbourne and including a typical local press Christmas story of the "miracle" of a baby Llama born in Ashdown Forest Llama Park.

There is also of course BBC local radio and regional TV news. This has recently been split into separate Sussex and Surrey sections instead of Southern Counties.

There is also a local venture Hastings Online Times which I encountered on facebook, but this is not yet very active. I sent them a notice about Hastings Humanists, but nothing appeared as far as I could see. If anyone knows about other local media outlets that are worth noting, or on which we might get some publicity, please let us know.

Bishop of Lewes a Creationist?

The Suffragan Bishop of Lewes Wallace Benn appointed in 1997 has written a blurb in support of a book by the InterVarsity Press with the title Should Christians Embrace Evolution? in which he says: "This is a most helpful compilation, which is designed to make one think very seriously about the whole issue of evolution and the Bible. To those who love the Scriptures, and seek to be faithful to them, this will prove enormously helpful."

Of course it's possible that he didn't actually read the book, but just looked at the title page, since his comment is very generalised. However, the internal contents, compiled and edited by Norman C. Nevin, are from well known young-earth creationists, biblical fundamentalists and anti-science polemicists.

Professor Andy McIntosh for example is closely associated with the organisation calling itself "Truth in Science", which has just circulated a book to many school and college libraries with the title Explore Evolution. There is further critical and background commentary available from the BCSE.

December Meeting Report

Our End of Year Quiz attracted, besides the quizmaster, five members, including one newcomer. We only got through 35 out of the possible 50 questions in the time available. First prize went to Lesley and second to Rose. A third was not awarded in view of the low attendance.

One of the rounds was on quotes from Lewis Carroll, in which I included the question: "In the story told by the Dormouse at the Mad Tea Party, where did Elsie, Lacie and Tillie live?" The answer being in a Treacle Well. Since Lewis Carroll is known to have visited Hastings I wondered if he got the idea from the Dripping Well after which the Pub where we met is named.

There was time for some discussion, which our new supporter, Steve, began with some ideas about the coming "singularity" that some computer buffs predict; or are we heading for annihilation, or just financial meltdown? There was also some musing on purpose in life. Our January meeting, which will probably be at the same venue, will allow more time for discussion of such questions. But more of that nearer the time.

Minaret Building is a Human Right?

Thursday 10th December is International Human Rights Day. Tim Miller of the Hastings Interfaith Forum has sent me an email with a link to this article from the German organisation FOREF. The writer, Peter Zoehrer, argues that the Swiss referendum which placed a ban on the building of any more Minarets is a violation of article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, alone or in community with others, and, in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Nothing I can see there about any right to religious erections! However, as I understand Islam one of its precepts is that once in that religion you do not have the right to change your belief, on pain of death. This is known as apostasy. This is surely a greater violation of article 18. Also there is the fact that some Muslim countries do not permit the building of Christian churches at all, so the Swiss ban is piffling in contrast.

Here is a related article from The Freethinker. The video by Dr Zakir Naik explains why, Christianity just doesn't add up!

Andrew Copson is new BHA CEO

Congratulations and a big welcome to Andrew Copson who has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the British Humanist Association in succession to Hanne Stinson. He takes up the position in January. I'm sure he has the goodwill of all members in view of the excellent job he has done in the role of Education and Public Affairs coordinator, since joining the BHA Staff in 2005. He is a very articulate speaker and also cheerful with it, and I'm sure also a competent organiser, although to an old fogey like me he still looks far too young! Let's hope the strain of keeping all us headstrong cats in order will not age him prematurely, and that this appointment will mark a new stage in the public awareness of Humanism.

Our December Meeting

For the December Meeting we will be trying The Dripping Well public house. This is at 1 Dorset Place, though the main entrance is in Cambridge Road, which is the main road from the town centre uphill towards Bohemia.

We will gather there from 6:30 pm, and our End of Year Quiz will begin at 7pm. There will be a selection of books as prizes. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners will have 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice from the books. You can enter as an indivisual or as a team of two, but there is only one book prize per team I'm afraid, so you need to decide beforehand who gets the book if you win! There is no entry fee, and you don't have to be a regular supporter or even a humanist to take part.

There should also be time for relaxed general discussion before and after the quiz.

Darwin, God and the Human Species

Yesterday I went to Westminster Abbey for the lecture by Nick Spencer, of Theos, publicising his book on Darwin and God. On the whole his treatment of the subject was objective, based mainly on Darwin's extensive correspondence, much of which survives. He admits that Darwin lost his christian belief in a benevolent god, and that at the end of his life he was an admitted agnostic. Any god belief that he might have had would have been in a deistic creator who left the process of evolution to natural selection.

Nick Spencer objects to modern evolutionists going further than Darwin and arriving at an atheistic viewpoint, but much more knowledge of the nature of the universe and of life has emerged since 1882. In the question and answer session at the end he cited Simon Conway Morris, the Cambridge biologist who in Life's Solution claims that evolutionary convergence would "inevitably" lead to the evolution of some creature like the human species. This argument appeals to christians who see human beings as the pinnacle of creation, but it is also attractive to old-fashioned "progressive" humanists, like myself, who see the emergence of rationality as the spearhead of evolution.

I've said some more about my visit to Westminster Abbey in my personal blog the "Jeepyjay Diary".