Superstitious equality

Am I the only person who is totally sick and tired of hearing large chunks of our news programmes taken up with the squabbles in the Church of England over gay bishops and women bishops etc. I don't care a hoot how a particular group practice their fantasies. How they choose their witch doctors is up to them. There are serious issues in the world and superstitions aren't among them. Next we'll be having a debate on whether the world's problems were caused by someone walking under a ladder. I think that all our institutions should become secular and those who wish to get down on their knees and talk to an imaginary friend should get on and do it without interfering with rational people.

Nelson Mandela at 92

There are just a few people that make such an impact in the world that it can really be said they change the course of History. Mr Mandela is one. I think that in my life time he is probably the greatest leader of them all. How he presided over a bloodless change from apartheid to majority rule was nothing short of a miracle, and I always felt that he was completely genuine in his search for reconciliation. The question is can the new generation of South African leaders bring the country through it's troubles to true democracy and to become the leading nation in Africa it should be.

Jonathan Ross bows out of BBC Radio 2 show

I can't say that I personally will miss Mr Ross. For a man of his years I found him extremely purile and although occasionally funny, more often plain stupid. His interviewing technique was limited and varied from being sycophantic with some big stars to being stupidly suggestive with others. Too many times it was about him and not the guest. He seldom was able to get the guest to give interetsing answers that gave us any insight of the person being interviewed. In terms of value for money, we the licence payers, were well and truly fleeced. ITV are welcome to him.

Nepal votes to abolish monarchy

The Himalayan nation of Nepal has become the world's newest republic, ending 240 years of monarchy. A constituent assembly meeting in the capital, Kathmandu, overwhelmingly voted to abolish royal rule.

All I can say is good for them, I wonder how long it will take for the people in this country to wake up to the fact that no one should be in a constitutional position by birth right.

Fortune-tellers targetted in new Consumer Protection Regulations

From The Times on Line: "Fortune-tellers will have to tell customers that what they offer is “for entertainment only” and not “experimentally proven”. This means that a fortune-teller who sets up a tent at a funfair will have to put up a disclaimer on a board outside.

Similar disclaimers will need to be posted on the websites of faith healers, spiritualists or mediums where appropriate, as well as on invoices and at the top of any printed terms and conditions."

I fully agree with this provided it is extended to all superstitions not experimentally proven. This would encompass all the religions that at the moment appear to be able to act with impunity in their desire to influence the lives of their credulous victims.

Blair 'to devote life to faith'

Former prime minister Tony Blair has promised to "spend the rest of my life" uniting the world's religions. He said faith could be a "civilising force in globalisation", bringing people together to solve problems such as malaria and extreme poverty.

Mr Blair, who is now a peace envoy to the Middle East, told Time magazine that religious belief had given him "strength" while in power. He is launching a "faith foundation" in New York on Friday.

Mr Blair, who recently converted to Catholicism, said: "Faith is part of our future, and faith and the values it brings with it are an essential part of making globalisation work."

So far the history of the world is a continuous saga of wars and destruction, more frequently brought about by waring religions, or shall we call the superstitions, than anything else. Even the latest war Blair took this country into, against Iraq, was called a Crusade by George Bush. I don't think that this was an accident, I think this deluded nincompoop actual thought that he was fighting a religious war, and our lap dog of a PM followed him. It's about time some one tried to sort the world out based on logical, humanist reasoning, without resorting to "magic".

China Karma

Sharon Stone, best know for the, was she or wasn't she wearing them scene, is I believe prone to making stupid remarks. She excelled herself with this comment about the earthquake in China:

"Then all this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and I thought, is that karma? When you’re not nice, that the bad things happen to you?"

That Hollywood actors say stupid things really is not surprising, the frightening thing is that the utterances of minor celebrities warrant a large amount of news print.