Undergroundnetwork

To complement my Monopoly of morality post, this post looks at where atheists get their morals. That post argued that atheists are as ethical as theists and therefore Christianity’s claim to all things moral is unsubstantiated. That argument was brief, and could certainly be added to. This post will look at how evolution is said to have provided us with the morals that we value.

For atheists to justify themselves, it almost takes more than a “but it says so in the bible” style argument. Hence in blog debates, atheist comments tend to be longer and cite more sources, than their Christian counterparts. That is why I’m taking this rant to my blog, instead of posting it as a comment to a debate I’m currently engaged in. (more…)

Sami al-Hajj’s release from Guantanamo Bay throws the controversial detention centre back into the spotlight. Sami’s plight was common, but also exceptional. Here we have an al Jazeera cameraman in Afghanistan, working with a legitimate visa. Captured by Pakistani intelligence officers in December 2001, he has handed over to the US military in January 2002, and ship off to the notorious detention centre in southeast Cuba, where has remained until last Thursday. He went on hunger strike in January of last year in protest of his detention, and his health has suffered as a result. He is the only reporter to have been detained at Guantanamo. And now, he is free. (more…)

The Dom post reported in its weekend edition that an officer had been reprimanded for forwarding an offensive email. The email was a mock 1970’s children’s book that illustrated policemen as brutal, homophobic, sexist, racist and corrupt. The officer involved was stood down for two days and questioned about the email.

The mock book was hilarious, but was it offensive? The Dom post reported that Police Association spokesman Luke Shadbolt said the book was a spoof and he did not know what was objectionable about it. “Most policemen found it funny.” National MP Chester Borrows said it was ridiculous to stand the officer down when his services were needed. The stories angle appeared to show that the Post agreed that it was harmless fun.

But when considering the recent Louise Nicholas case, and various other examples of corruption and sickening behaviour in our nation’s Police force, should this type of material be considered offensive? If this email was to be condoned, does that not tell police officers that these attitudes are acceptable? (more…)

With the news that Al Jazeera cameraman, Sami Al-Hajj has finally been released without charge or trial from Guantanamo Bay, I think perhaps it is important to reflect on what freedom really means. The current political climate has led to curtailing of civil rights and liberties in many countries, at a time when politicians are claiming to be fighting for those same freedoms. Perhaps what has angered people most in the last few years, is the blatant lying and hypocrisy from many world leaders. I think some intelligent thinkers have posed on this same idea throughout history.

Abraham Lincoln:

“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves” (more…)