Daily Topics - Wednesday April 1st, 2015

Be sure to join Thom in our chatroom during the program!

Be sure to check out our new videos: CARBON, LAST HOURS & GREEN WORLD RISING - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio

Hour One: Brunch With Bernie - Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) takes your calls

Hour Two: Is it time to re-invent religion?

Hour Three: Will Obama expose the dark $ donors? Craig Holman Ph.D, Public Citizen

Comments

mathboy's picture
mathboy 11 years 19 weeks ago
#1

What Thom is talking about on coins is this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coins_of_the_pound_sterling#D.G.REG.F.D.

In short, "D. G. Reg." means "Queen by the grace of God". It would be funny if the Anglican Church had a similar but reversed label, since it exists by decree of the monarchy.

"F. D." is "defender of the faith", an honor bestowed by the pope before Henry VIII created the Anglican Church, but which the monarchy decided was inheritable and irrevocable.

paultran's picture
paultran 11 years 19 weeks ago
#2

How about a slightly more cynical reason for religion?

Simply to extort money from ignorant people.

To extrapolate: Why does religion define sex as dirty/sinful?

Because knowing people are going to partake anyway (it feels good you know), it's a way to get ignorant folks to pay money to a "religion" in order to go to heaven because they're doing something terrible! This is done via any number of fees and contributions that are mandatory or STRONGLY encouraged in order to have your behavior sanctioned.

Duh.

Thank you,
Paul in Phoenix
Flaming atheist!

mathboy's picture
mathboy 11 years 19 weeks ago
#3

Interesting idea, paultran. It reminds me strongly of the part of the Pentateuch where it says that your first son belongs to God and you have to make a sacrifice to buy your own child back.

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