It makes sense that humans, the most intelligent creatures on earth, should discuss the importance of moral ideas, instead of assuming that we should take orders from some magical and invisible despot...
When In discussion, the [only] defence the religious give for religion is for it's "moral teachings".
But I argue that morals are innate in us.
So allow me to explain...

When you watch a pack of lions kill and eat a buffalo, one of the lions has blood on it's fur.
So, what does one lion do? It cleans the blood off the other lions fur.
Fair enough; but who's ordering the lion to be nice to brother lion?
Two monkeys scratch each others backs, and remove insects from each other's fur...
Where are the little lion, or monkey Bibles?
These animals appear to be practising the golden rule. So where are they getting this idea from?
The answer is: their selves and their surroundings.
In the end it is of their own benefit.

MORALS ARE INNATE IN US. We have gained them through many years of evolution, and so we do not need to be constantly reminded on how to behave over and over again.
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Religious doctrine must be looked at honestly as nothing more than primitive thinking of our [ignorant] ancestors earlier in our evolutionary progress.

That said; it's important to know that education has very little to do with a person's intelligence.
All one really needs is an inquisitive and open mind, a desire to learn, and to discover. A love for the world, a love for life, and a disdain for authority.

-On Bertrand Russell:
One of the reasons I think Bertrand was so great was because he could connect with the layman so well.
Reading his works, not only makes many feel a lot smarter than they really are, but it comforts them simultaneously...
Bertrand brings you into the topic without choking you senseless. It's quite humbling.
Some philosophers, no matter how brilliant, have a writing style that can throw some people off.
Bertrand doesn't forget humour, uses some poetry, and makes it a real joy to read. A great man.

-On the idea of unbiased news:
I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as truly unbiased news.
Because for that, you would need robots.
So as long as there is humans then there will be emotion, and if there is emotion there will be opinion, and if there is opinion, there is bias.
It is impossible to completely inhibit ones own views and opinions.
That's just a fact of life.
The question is: Will you take one man's views over another? Can you come up with a thought that no other man or women on earth has already thought? Or will you deliberately go out of you're way to disagree with every existing view for the sake of radicalism?

-On TV brainwashing
First of all, the idea that all TV companies want to indoctrinate everyone (with evil intentions) is a silly, absurd assumption. Keyword, assumption.
BUT, It's the nature of TV itself that can be unhealthy.
Someone can get brainwashed completely unintentionally watching anything. But for the most part, you are making a concious choice to watch...
Unfortunately, many people in society have developed extremely paranoid views most probably due to increased terrorism, secret and classified services (in an increasingly transparent world), dystopia novels, cocaine, and city life in general.
Which leads me onto...

-Governmental power, corporate ownership, and Illuminati nonsense:

Some people like to believe everything and everyone, the boss of all bosses, the company of all companies, everything under the sun, is in fact "owned" and "controlled" by a man in the sky, watching and moving it along.
It means nothing.
Most things that can be "owned", do have an owner, that is ultimately owned by someone else, which is owned by someone else, and so on and so on. Again, it means nothing.
Now, it's trendy to use "illuminati" in the same way. Nothing more, nothing less.

-On the EU:
Well frankly the EU can go fuck itself! I hope UK politicians remain opposed to us joining the Euro.

It's funny how even the German public want out, even though they are the richest Euro member.
What does this say about the current state of the EU?

Are the German politicians just mad that they never had an empire? Their last attempt failed... yet it's Interesting how they are successfully keeping all the smaller EU states below them. France want a piece of the pie, and are in bed with em too (nothing new there).

Fuck the EU, Fuck the Euro, and Fuck all you weasels for sucking up to this one-for-all failing currency.

The very nature of moral discussion is continuous and progressive, so why should we go *back* to a book conceived thousands of years ago?
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Hello, I am just a guitar toting proud British Atheist on a pursuit of knowledge and edification.

I believe passionately in tolerance, and rights for everyone.

I think the most important thing we can do as human beings is listen to each other.
After all, we are only afraid of what we don't understand, so we must not worry, let's talk, and listen no matter what someone's views are.

The more we talk with each other, the more we find similarities in our outlooks.

Where most of us go wrong, is that we spend our time trying to impress others, or to prove our views are the best views.

I don't see such thing as "best" anything.
It's all a reflection of how we see fit...

We all have similar needs.

I think whether there is, or is no god is ultimately not important (as it can not be proved or disproved either way). What is important is progressing the human race forward with education, understanding, and rights for all peoples.

Really we should stop defining ourselves by our belief, or lack of.
We should stop defining each other by our sexuality, our skin colour / ethnicity
and by how we all look.

We are all human beings, and I'm sure most of us would like to see equality, personal freedom, and peaceful relations all over the world for every individual.

Sadly some people just can't stand the sight of someone with a different belief than theirs,
or someone with a different ethnicity, or different sexuality to their own.

And (unfortunately for some of you) as far as I can see; Organised Religion, and the differences between followers is hindering these final steps in the progress towards a more free and just world.

Even if your religious, let's put aside differences. It's about time we did.

Oscar Wilde once wrote something that I think is as true today as it was back then:

"Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live."

If you've read all of this then great, you have patience. This is how I see things; so if you disagree, leave a comment here. If you must hate, then hate is welcome.

If I wasn't hated by somebody, I would be lacking in dignity, and self worth.

Also, It's extremely irritating when I'm told to 'wake up and open my eyes' with the subtle implication that the speaker has some higher understanding over everyone else. This talk only separates you further from the midst of a topic, and It will only serve to hurt the very point you're trying to make by shutting off the ears of a listener ready to hear your supposed "greater knowledge". Condescension won't enlighten anybody, it only strengthens polarity between sides.

Have a good one people ;).

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