So its been a while since I posted my thread asking our CP heathens their thoughts on some questions, this time I thought it would be a neat thread to sum up 2008 with some of my recolections and of course from what you remember most.
I think the biggest hope for us in North America is the end of the Bush era, hopefully a more secular government with Obama, and the joy of hearing even Bush doesn't take the Bible seriously was great entertainment at the end of his reign.
It was another year of great entertainment from the Vatican, with ridiculous and backwards beliefs still mocking contraception in the world, even Africa where that means thousands, if not millions of deaths... Its the recent comments on Homosexuality that remind us again how backwards and harmful these men in dresses and big hats can be to the naive of the world.
It was a great year for science, I'm going to miss a lot but evolution has added some great advancements this year and of course the more we learn in all sciences the more we see no hand of a magical being involved. But again I think the biggest reason for cheer for Science is the fact the Bush administration is leaving, and there is some optimism again in the USA for proper funding and support from its government.
The Athiest bus campaign, starting in the UK as a small idea in response to an AD on the transit system quoting a bible verse with a link to a website, where that website spoke of accepting jesus or burning in hell. In response the Secular humanist society of the UK and invidual donations have created a massive campaign with the slogan on UK buses stating "There probably is no God, so relax and enjoy life." Along with some famous Atheist quotes from the ages in static tube bannners/ads.
The neverending battle (it seems) of creationists in the USA trying to get intelligent design into schools continues, albeit the ID movement is much weaker in 08 than in previous years, recently Mississipi's government added a disclaimer to books that teach evolution with a very obvious attempt to argue or at least put doubt in evolution. The south continues its proud tradition of backwards beliefs, resistance to science and change. Texas recently added a top man at the Discovery Institute responsible for much of the modern ID movement to a position in the state education board.
The strategy of the creationists has gone from ID is a real science, teach it... To now, 'Teach the Contraversy' or 'Academic Freedom' ... Both so far are again obvious and failing in the vast majority of the US to gain any ground, except in the south and of course smaller towns/cities that elect creationist representitives to their school/state boards.
It was the year of Expelled, a critically slammed film, and the year of Maher's Religilous. After the success of both, more so with Maher, might we see more in North America? Dakwins has a host of documentaries shown in the UK, not shown here, but maybe we'll see more counter religion programing in the US/Canada.
I think ultimately 2008 was a good year, the godless had way more media attention, and for once the media even mocked a vice presidential candidate for her religious views.. The backlash against Palin was refreshing, the backlash for the fruitfly comments were great/proper and even recently to remind us how backwards McCain and some of his counterparts are by brining this fact up again.
I hope that 2009 is a turning point for the US, moving away from close ties of religion/state with Bush to a secular and very pro Science White house. We know the UK is going very strong with secularism, nordic countries leading the way of course, and much of Europe increasing in its secular politics and eventually of course social secularism.
My hope is that in the next 10 years, the US becomes like the UK where if a polititian is asked about religion, they do what UK polititians say "we dont do religion in politics."
Here's to a happy godless 2009, and to all my fellow heathens on CP a special hizzah for this year.
Would love to hear some of your high/low moments of 2008 when it comes to the debate.
ps Had to add my favorite book of the year for us secularists, which was a topic debated here on CP earlier this year: "Society Without God: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us About Contentment" By Phil Zuckerman. Discusses mainly the most secular nations in the world, Sweden and Denmark, which flip the US stats of belief in god under 20%.