Live Tonight: Should Atheist Ads be Allowed on the TTC?
Uncategorized February 9th, 2009If you’re in the GTA and near a television tonight, turn on Rogers TV (Ch 11 in Toronto, 63 in Scarborough). I’ll be on Goldhawk tonight. The show airs LIVE at 7 PM. The topic is:
Should atheist advertisements be allowed on the TTC? Join the discussion on Goldhawk Live tonight at 7:00 pm. Acclaimed journalist Dale Goldhawk takes calls and debates the issue with guest experts.
More info on the show here. There will be a web poll on their homepage www.rogerstv.com asking for viewer thoughts and it is a call in show so please try to get through with your support for the campaign!
February 9th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Probably Cable 10 in Toronto.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:25 am
I voted “yes” of course.
However, I object to the word “allowed” in the question “Should Atheist Ads be Allowed on the TTC? Atheists need permission to buy ads on the TTC?” Isn’t the TTC always looking for money? The TTC should be very enthusiastic about the dollars.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:48 am
v = Hod
February 10th, 2009 at 1:54 am
In 1929 Edwin Hubble, working at the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California, measured the redshifts of a number of distant galaxies. He also measured their relative distances by measuring the apparent brightness of a class of variable stars called Cepheids in each galaxy. When he plotted redshift against relative distance, he found that the redshift of distant galaxies increased as a linear function of their distance. The only explanation for this observation is that the universe was expanding.
Once scientists understood that the universe was expanding, they immediately realized that it would have been smaller in the past. At some point in the past, the entire universe would have been a single point. This point, later called the big bang, was the beginning of the universe as we understand it today.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:31 am
Congratulations. It was great to see reasoned discussion on the issue. It was also interesting to note that there was only one caller who felt that the ads should not appear. Slowly, progress is being made.
February 10th, 2009 at 4:47 am
Where in the hell did that come from Offgrid (who is ironically online
)? You just throwing out little science factoids for us?
February 9th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I couldn’t see the show, we have bell satelite…:(
February 10th, 2009 at 2:54 am
I couldn’t find the poll… and couldn’t watch the show because I’m currently in Europe. Anyone have a link by chance?
February 10th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Where did the universe start ? from a little tiny single point. Like this “.” So if there is a God – He looks like this “.”
February 10th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Thanks ‘Offgrid-Living’ This post wasn’t making any sense at all… now, with the help of your comment I un……………………… ah never mind, I’m just bitter because it isn’t Friday yet.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I think Offgrid has the tenacity of a barnacle and should be the site mascot or something.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I second that Nick!
Also I noticed the time stamps on my posts seem to be really screwed up sometimes….my number 2 post should have been number 9….
February 10th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
“I think Offgrid has the tenacity of a barnacle and should be the site mascot or something.”
Evidently you are not familiar with The Emerson Avenger, scourge of The U*U Movement, U*U World-wide. . .
February 10th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
The theme song could be Louis Prima’s “Barnacle Bill the Sailor”
I like it. I like it a lot.
February 10th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
So Offgrid, I have been meaning to ask,
Your name implies a certain measure of environmentalism/independence, are you in fact an environmentalist? I would like to know your take on the direction we should go with regards to sustainability. Maybe I could see how your spiritual beliefs affect your viewpoint but I still don’t really know what your stance on god is. (I don’t mean to make you feel like a lab rat
just curious)
February 10th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
I’m a vegetarian and trying to grow a garden similar to what the Essenes did on Mount Carmel. I’m looking for some land and designing a small cabin for 4 to be completely off the grid. I’ll use geothermal, wind and solar. Being Canada and all I’ll need a wood burning stove – that I’ll use to cook the food, heat the water and warm the house. (The Amish have a great cook stove for this purpose – I’d use a burning bush if I could find one) I’m looking for a few acres of pine and maple forest – I’ll harvest the trees and replant pine and red maple since they grow so fast. If I can find pellets that don’t produce as much carbon I’ll use those. In the mean time I’m in Suburbia, riding the bus and my bicycle during the bus strike. I’m raising funds via writing on my blog and eHow.com. I haven’t raised as much as the atheist campaign has though. I think I’ll start my own campaign here in Ottawa “the Kingdom of G-d is within you – now donate some money so I can go live off the grid and help save the planet” . See how that flies. I’m here learning from you all on how to raise some money from placing a banner on a bus. (That I ride to work every day) How many people on here actually take the bus ?
February 10th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Thanks for being a good sport to whoever is moderating this blog! Even though I am a theist I wish you well with your atheist bus campaign and look forward to seeing it in Montreal en français tabernaque! Do your best to avoid condescension in whatever slogan you use and I am sure it will provoke some free thought amongst both atheist and believers.
Allah prochaine,
Robin Edgar
February 11th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Wizard…
Watch for my signs also: http://the-kingdom-of-god-is-within-you.blogspot.com/
They will be rolling out in Montreal as soon as we finish up in Ottawa.
February 11th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Offgrid I am basically looking to do the same thing!
I am working steady to save up enough cash for some land…don’t worry about the carbon from a woodstove, if you are sustainably harvesting wood from a woodlot the new trees suck it back out of the air.
February 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Devon – maybe we could work together – show the world that an atheist and theist can get along.
February 11th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
No harm in sharing info, Offgrid.
If you want a good site with great forums on sustainable living…first you have to promise not to quote a bunch of stuff off topic to them, ok? They don’t discuss religion very much…I don’t think they allow it, thats not what the forums are for…anyways http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net great info there.
Rather than wind, solar, geothermal (expensive), I like the idea of a mini water turbine in a creek…steady power.
I dont know if this is the appropriate forum for discussing living off grid…but heres a little bit thats more on topic…
I am guessing from your goals you don’t think that God is going to save us from ourselves? I have met many christians who are indifferent to the enviroment because they figure God will intervene etc…
February 11th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Actually I expect that most atheists and most theists can “get along” very well together, and usually do so. It is that intolerant and obnoxious people on either side of that divide who make it difficult to get along who cause most of the problems. Honestly atheists really don’t need people like Richard Dawkins and P.Z. Myers et al as their most visible and outspoken public representatives. . .
February 11th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Devon – Ok thanks I’ll check it out. No off topic quotes. I promise. The only thing that can save us is our own creative impulse. We need peaceful creative solutions to solve these global issues. No more wars. They get us nowhere. We are all in this together.
February 12th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I don’t think ads should be allowed on ttc buses. If the “Free Speech Organisation” wants to spread the word about “there’s no god”, then they should spread it on their atheist group sources. But not in public, Because there are so many religious people out there that believe in their god/guru/Ultimate Role models that are God for them. The childrens while enroute to school reading the articles on the buses, would question their parents why do they “pray to god?” As there is “No God” stated publicly on the ttc buses. And when the childrens are going to ask the parents “Is there no god?” Who will they believe that they belong to?
What kind of message would we be sending to our kids, brothers, sisters, nephews, and our loved ones.
“There’s Probably no god, Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”.
People that were afraid of “thinking to beating up some stupid kid because of his/her ethnic values” that they will goto hell. You don’t have to worry because there is no god and you can’t be proven wrong.
Question to Atheists – If you don’t believe in god, then who/what do you believe in? And You don’t want to worry about improving the mankind and societies for good and to succeed in life towards Eternity. Please don’t close the doors on yourself. Define the world and the world will define you from within.
Message to everyone – Never quit…
February 12th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Wow RAJ, you are worried children will question there beliefs? Maybe they will find out Santa Claus is not real.
You think that telling a child they will burn in searing pain for eternity is teaching good values?
Maybe instead of beating up a kid they will look in the bible and read that they should stone him to death because he is an unbeliever?
“The childrens while enroute to school reading the articles on the buses, would question their parents why do they “pray to god?””
That is (I hope) the point of this campaign! It is sickening to see children lied to, and threatened with hellfire, your there parents! of course they will believe you, they believed you when you told them about Santa, tooth fairy, easter bunny etc!!!
And “And You don’t want to worry about improving the mankind and societies for good and to succeed in life towards Eternity. ” ? you got to be kidding, you think that the knowledge that this is the only life, planet etc we will ever have will cause us to throw it away?!??!!
So many times christians have been uncaring towards the environment because “god will take care of it” or “we are only on this pitiful world for a few measly years before an eternity in heaven”
February 13th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Harvard’s Reply to RAJ —
Hello Raj —
You ask what atheists believe in? Well, rationalists believe in everything you do, except for one thing: an imaginary friend who lives up in the sky.
However, rationalists believe in something that god-worshippers do not — Truth. When you tell little children there is a god, heaven, angels, hell, saints, and so on, you are filling their impressionable heads with nonsense.
Raj, are you not aware that most of the intellectuals who have ever lived were rationalists? From Bill Gates (Microsoft)and Steve Wozniak (inventor of MacIntosh Computers) to Angelina Jolie, Jack Nicholson, Jodie Foster, and on to Albert Einstein and Arthur Miller. So, Raj, have you got the idea now? Rationalists are in all levels of society, living with their families in peace, love, and industry.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:57 am
I m talking about “GOD” Not Santa Claus. Santa Claus cannot compare to the “GOD”. It is a totally different topic.
Devon, I will tell children about Santa Claus Because that kind of role model brings so much positive social values to the children in their early age. So they will grow up with good social, kind, And wonderful behavior that will bring joy in his/her life for years to come as well as others.
Please tell me what kind of role model would you set for the kids out there?
Quote-
“It is sickening to see children lied to, and threatened with hellfire, your there parents! of course they will believe you, they believed you when you told them about Santa, tooth fairy, easter bunny etc!!!”
How many people are complaining that they have been told lies by their parents about Santa Claus, Tooth fairy, easter bunny?
Imagining such motivated thoughts are the ways people can understand big subjects by full potentials of their brain.
Please think about the line in between God and nothing.
My basic point is that you cannot be 100% sure that god does or doesn’t exist It can only reach 99.9999_%.
And science has only been here for maybe 50,000, 100,000 years? But The definition of God indicates INFINITE amount of time. It never quits.
I pray you get all the power to define your thoughts 100%.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I am sorry I must have gotten my mythical beings mixed up,
Santa sees if your naughty or nice…etc.
Well you can’t prove that Santa Claus doesn’t exist, maybe %99.9999. So you should never tell children he doesn’t exist right?
To be %100 sure about somtehing seems arraogant and would close many many doors. (also known as faith, there are scant situations where the evidence is sufficient to support %100, maybe you can be %100 sure about your existence…can’t think of any others…) What’s the point of continueing to learn about something if you already know for SURE what the truth is?
“And science has only been here for maybe 50,000, 100,000 years?”
I have no clue what you think science is, hint, it is not some younger competing god.
Oh yea? well the flying spaghetti monster is infinity plus 1000 years old, so he must exist!!!
“How many people are complaining that they have been told lies by their parents about Santa Claus, Tooth fairy, easter bunny? ”
I complained a bit, my mom said it never felt right to her. What a wonderful role model Santa Claus is? You teach your children that it is O.K. to lie to people in order to get them to behave the way you want?
I can be a big enough role model for my kids, thank you.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I would like to quote my younger Brother on santa claus when he ws like 9 or something.
“Isn’t it amazing all the magic there is in the world?, like Santa Claus, the easter bunny, and God?”
All lumped together, because all have the same evidence (My parents told him).
God is santa claus for adults
February 15th, 2009 at 10:27 am
As a Unitarian Universalist, I believe that the best Bus Sign should read: To Be Ethical One Needs Not To Adhere To A Dogma or Creed, Rather, One Needs To Adhere To Show, “The Respect For The Interdependent Web of All Existence of Which We Are A Part”. UU 7th Principle