adios

The agent offered Redknapp incentives along the lines of free World Cup trips, and I didn't hear Bond say anything in that conversation more incriminating than that. Their defence is going to be along the lines of, we'll take the players based on their merits, but we'd be daft not to take a harmless freebie. Anyone who thinks this shite is unusual in any business needs their head checked. Whether the whole system is fucked is a different matter, and it's not going to change. But this is all about PR, I feel sorry for those who get buried by this, to be honest. They're playing the game by the accepted rules and now they'll probably be shafted for it in a typical, useless witch-hunt.

Choose life.

Don't be sick, blokes are only allowed ogle their sister's breasts when they're heavily pregnant.

Why stop there? Why not just enforce the removal of all financing from football, and reunite under a One World Socialist Order, with the benevolent Chancellor Renton at its head?

Best? As in some sort of Sky One's Top 10 best ways to drug a donkey into bed, best? No. You can read it in context above.

He's no Eddie Murphy.

It actually started due to Alex and PokerPants questioning my assertion that religion was still necessary and that Catholicism may be the best of a bad bunch, in response to you saying organised religion had outlived its usefulness and was redundant.

Wasn't me. They're fucking weirdos, that's about as deep as any sociological debate needs to go on the subject of the French. Regarding what you say above, I certainly think it's possible, but what if we're wrong, what if we are born different enough that a portion of society will never be capable of what seems to straight forward to us? I see rational people every day get frustrated (myself included) at people who seem to be indoctrinated in foolishness, we never learn, what if they can't either?

If you ant absolute truths you should try Christianity. Seriously though, I've breezed over a topic that requires at least one volume to discuss properly and not even given it a re-read, despite that I'm fairly sure I haven't said anything wrong, though some of it is obviously open for long debate. What bits do you not agree with in particular? (Why am I asking this when I need to not get into this?)

Well, the burden of proof is obviously on me here, at some point I may provide it, but it's a biggie, so please don't hold your breath, with the possible exception of Leazes. I agree with both of you in principal, but I believe that in reality what all rational people want will take generations to achieve, and even then will most likely be a compromise.

As much as I don't like organised religion and realise there are plenty of us who don't require it, I am convinced there is still a significant number who do need a "higher power", whether it be a bogeyman or just a belief system that helps them avoid the chasm that is the reality of their own death. I don't know whether it's genetic or merely deeply rooted, but the fact that it seems to be deeply rooted in all societies suggests its at least partially the former. In any case it's not going away overnight. So we have to deal with the current reality that society's evolution needs to include some form of organised religion, one which should gradually fade to common sense, respect and reason. As to which religion? I don't know enough about all of them to make a full judgement, but it has to be a major one for practical reasons. Muslimism is obviously archaic and unenlightened even by the standards of organised religion, Judaism, possibly the most enlightened but very insular, I like the intropspection of Buddhism, but was quite disappointed to find its sense of community seemed a bit lacking, I haven't a clue about Hinduism other than to name some of its better known deities, I'd probably have more luck comparing S Club 7 to these other religions. Christianity is very evolved, has rationality and some semblance of philosophical thought, but don't even talk to me about these bat-shit crazy US varieties. I picked Catholicism in spite of its obvious problems just because it might be big enough to win the battle, in an ideal world, I agree, Church of England could well be the best choice, or Catharism? Just so it's clear where I stand, no member of the CoE or Islam ever tried to rape members of my community in the arse. I'm not a fan of RobW infallibility, let alone the Papal Bulls. I don't personally like organised religion, but reckon plenty still need it. Blah, blah, piddle; I hope that made enough sense to answer both Bob l'Eponge and Alex.

I'll explain it later, I'm not getting drawn into a long discussion when I've got other things I need to do. If I've misrepresented myself on here to the point where you assume I'd say something like that without being able to back it up, fair enough, otherwise, shut it, you arrogant sod.

No.

So it evolves, best of a bad lot is far from ideal.

It's also fairly obvious that monotheistic religions were necessary once in order for civilisation to survive, for instance as there was very little crime detection, the fear of God and Hell was necessary in order to keep some people on the straight and narrow. Similarily some of the lesser religious laws were common sense and advocated to protect individuals and society (e.g. don't eat pork as this was widely contaminated with disease in those days). I can see how and why it developed. But in these days of enlightenment, it utterly amazes me it persists. In fact it's worse than that, there is evidence we are slipping backwards into a new age of non-enlightenment. I think we have to resist this where ever possible, the consequences could be catastrophic. Incidentally, did anyone see the Doomsday code program at the weekend presented by Tony Robinson about the American evangelical movement? Truly frightening stuff, their beliefs are completely insane, and if anything they are the greatest threat to the world, as they admit they are actively trying to make Armagedon happen! It's become a self-fulfilling prophecy to them. The irony that revelations was probably written by a hippy on an acid trip is unfortunately lost on them. As things stand at the moment I would say religion is still necessary to our survival, Catholicism is probably the best of a bad lot, largely for the reasons given by Papa Gas in the speech that started this thread.

Agreed. Any "spirituality" that involves massacring innocent people is on somewhat shaky ground tbh.

I'd like to fly in your wonderful balloon tbh.

What a non event.

Telt, gypsy cursed and sent to bed with no supper and a raw backside tbh. I wasn't searching because I already know he's not funny.

PS...Gingerbus. FACT! gwned!

I support police brutality in these situations. PS Neville, incest, pardon?

Pure class Should be a good watch, ill be taping it as Ill be out Thinking a Monday night was a Tuesday night? Comedy GOLD! KCG, where do I sign up to become a comedian?

Well, he is a Republican...