Simon is obviously not very smart.

Because the "religion" and the "creator-god" that he and Public Christianity subscribes to and promotes is just an extension of mommy and daddy, as these two references point out.

1.http://www.aboutadidam.org/readings/parental_deity/index.html

2. http://www.adidam.org/teaching/aletheon/truth-religion.aspx
'

Plus the "religious" stories about the mythological "Jesus" may or may not provide some rudimentary "religious" teaching for children but it provides no real resources for living a truly adult life in a world in which suffering is sooner or later guaranteed, and in which death is inevitable.

This reference tells us how the author of the above references really Understood the meaning and significance of death. And how He thereby became supremely qualified to Teach others about Life altogether.

1. http://www.easydeathbook.com/adi-da.asp

This book for children of all ages provides guidance as to how to live a Spiritual Way of Life for children of all it ages. It also provides exercises whereby children can, at least for the moment, transcend their fear of death.

1. http://www.dabase.org/happytxt.htm

Plus speaking of the Bodhi Tree, this reference points out that Spiritual Life begins with a right understanding of the "tree of life"--that is the spinal column and the central nervous system which enlivens it.

1. http://www.fearnomorezoo.org/trees/tree_fundamental.php

Also re the Garden of Indestructible Light in which the tree of man appears and potentially grows.

1. http://www.dabase.org/tfrbkgil.htm

All of which means that the "religion" that Simon promotes actually binds people to a dreadfully dark mortal meat-body "vision" of how things seem to be, and ACTIVELY PREVENTS them from growing into a truly Spiritual way of life.

What in the Charles Dicken's is Ho Hum on about? A particularly finely written article, timely and compassionate. One of the problems of writer putting his or her profession or where they work, is that it provides a minority with the opportunity to go right off message.

Good on you Simon.

As most religious apologists have found, this kind of 'interpretation' can be made to work for just about anything:

"It seems a great irony that the message of Harry Potter might in fact be a bridge between these two groups. For those who believe it, the Potter narrative celebrating the incarnation of Magic in the person of Harry is a stunning drama where Magic enters into the human predicament in physical form, condescending to take a place alongside created beings. The baby born into poverty and anonymity as the connection between Magic and us, remains at the heart of the Potter message, even when so many have forgotten or discarded it. It is a story that ultimately celebrates and penetrates the human desire for Magic that was so evident at the Harry Potter Convention in Melbourne.

"And the incarnation represents a boy who embraces magic in the most profound manner imaginable. It’s an account that affirms the physicality of our lives; that says magic is good, and so is colour and texture, beauty and food; surfing and schoolwork, friendship and family - that is, what was being celebrated with such relish at the Melbourne Convention. It’s a story that still has the potential to unite the hopes, fears, tears and cheers of both of the apparently distinct and disconnected groups I encountered."

""It seems a great irony that the message of Lord of the Rings might in fact be a bridge between these two groups..."

Just fill in the gaps and repeat as necessary. It's meaningless fluff -- the equivalent of verbal Muzak.

Ahhh, that stand back inference about an imaginary man called God, as if he is real & needs to be discussed as a real part of history so we can support the religious/political principals of that discussion. Too bad he is not true & to discuss it as if he was, is nothing more than childish dribble & I give you this link to help you realize that there is more to the political aspect of the lies you inherit.
http://www.sexparty.org.au/index.php/news/feature-stories/526-the-influence-of-the-religious-right
For those that wish this Atheist a Merry Christmas, I reply, don't insult your own intelligence because some of us are more grown up & adult than others.
Oh & Posted by Cheryl, Thursday, 24 December 2009 11:39:08 AM, maybe now you can understand some of "what in the Charles Dickens" Ho Hum is on about.

Sadly NGOs engaged in charitable work IS the problem with mainstream Christianity today.

The separation of church and state has been blurred to the point where all major christian churches are dependent on government handouts for their private schools, charitable NGOs, etc. When things go wrong, the government is at arms length, instead of a public servant from a department being responsible. As such the churches are no longer in the business of confronting evil, cannot speak out against the anti family, pro child abuse policies of all modern western democracies, for fear of having their funding cut. Government and religion itself has become antisocial, unaustralian, blaming ordinary citizens for all of the policy outcomes they have so ruthlessly pursued and inflicted on us.

In a perfect world, i would be entering a seminary next year to start a degree in christian theology, but i doubt i will be able to find a church that has not been completely corrupted by the almighty dollar.

Happy crass mess everybody and hopefully a happier & more prosperous new year. Hopefully "Big Brother" will not censor the Internet & we can all continue to bear witness against stone, cold, evil, devil worshipers, like green/red/labour/coalition politicians.

Formersnag,

What you are actually saying is that the government & the Churches are both working together & that's basically what I already said. In case you didn't get the main point of my comment, it was that Kevin Rudd has supported them to concentrate their infliction of beliefs at not only the primary & secondary levels but now at the preschool level, with the take over of ABC learning center's. Church & State's not a matter of being blurred but blatant, even if it is un-Australian.

Was that also an attempt to wish a Merry Christ-myth?