Many have asked why not provide a secular version of the same ideals in the new banner.  For example, Sally Quinn suggests “Let us each day desire to do our best, to grow mentally and morally as well as physically, to be kind and to be helpful.” In fact, this offer was made to the school board and they refused,  demanding that the original, religious language must remain.  Sarah Barringer Gordon, a Professor of History and Constitutional Law at the University of Pennsylvania, pointed out the hypocrisy, as the banner was first put up in 1963 by the administration as a way of thumbing their nose at the Supreme Court, whose 1962 ruling banned the recitation of religious prayers in public schools.

Now that the prayer has to come down, the floodgates of hate have opened up.  Rather than obey the law, there was name-calling, death-threats, and even the refusal to deliver flowers!  In light of the reaction, Kill By Fish recently came up with the perfect replacement for the Cranston West banner:

Now, that is a prayer that I can say amen to.

Via Pharyngula

It was interesting to see Hitchens, healthy and in good humor, challenging  Wilson, who made a valiant attempt to push his position, but to little avail.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

However, there was a curious line at the very end of the movie.  In the final scene, which you can view on YouTube, Hitchens and Wilson are in back of the cab.  Hitchens, with a funny little smirk that almost implies that he knows this is silly, says:

If I could convert everyone in the world, not convert; if I could convince [everyone] to be a nonbeliever, and I’d really done brilliantly, and there’s only one left, one more and then it’d be done, there’d be no more religion in the world, no more deism, theis, I wouldn’t do it.

And Dawkins said, ‘What do you mean you wouldn’t do it?’.  I said I don’t quite know why I wouldn’t do it. And it’s not just because there’d be nothing left to argue with and no one left to argue with. It’s not just that. Though it would be that.

Somehow if I could drive it out of the world, I wouldn’t. And the incredulity with which he (Dawkins) looked at me stays with me still, I’ve got to say.

It is an interesting thought.

And, Hitch’s little smirk at the end of the scene stays with me still, I’ve got to say.

You can hear the whole show at http://www.studio360.org/2011/nov/25/tim-minchin-performs-live/.  Be sure listen to his wonderful Christmas song played at the end called White Wine in the Sun, which is a tribute to the Australian Christmas, which comes in the middle of their summer.  An interesting side note on the song is that it got put a Australian Salvation Army CD of Christmas songs, which caused quite an uproar when the Salvos (another Aussie term)  listened to the lyrics!

My only complaint with Studio 360 is that the show was called “Breaking Taboos”.  I will be pleased when praising God or saying “Of course, I don’t believe in evolution” raises gasps and murmurs of “Did he just say that in mixed company?”  Unfortunately, that kind of taboo is long way off, at least on this side of the equator.

**Update: You can watch a wonderful animated version of White Wine in the Sun below

What exactly is in that drink?

An oldie, but a goodie, from Jessica Hagy, master of the 3×5 card:

Well, I think I have finally found a video that explains everything.  Without further ado, I give you Mr. Fouts.  He will explain everything.

What I’m left desperate for these days  is a rational explanation of how, in 21st-century America no less, we find a new Mr. Fouts, each with a hundred or more mindless lemmings, born about every three seconds.

After watching the video I’d be most appreciative if someone can give me a little guidance on exactly how chipper one should be feeling these days.

From Break.com