Even though my presence at The Amazing Meeting, London was never in doubt, I was rather intrigued by this comparison of TAM London with those god-awful American MegaChurches.
This heretical association was so promptly and vehemently denied by the TAM London organizers that I grew suspicious of their paranoia.
I have therefore been investigating the secret dark religious underbelly of TAM London and I have unearthed the following disturbing similarities.
Firstly, all delegates will start the day by reciting the Randi Prayer in unison:
Our Conjuror
Who art in Florida
Amazing be thy name
Thy Million-Dollar Challenge
Will not be done
Give us this day
Empirical evidence
And debunk our irrationality
As we debunk those who make unsubstantiated claims to us
And lead us not into woo woo
But deliver us from credulity
For thine is the rationality
The logic and the reason
Until unequivocal evidence proves otherwise
There will also be Skeptical Hymns lead by Tim Minchin and a Scripture study with Robin Ince who will be reading the lessons from the gospels of Carl Sagan.
What’s more, I am unreliably informed that Father Wiseman and Monsignor French will man skeptical confession boxes. These will offer the congregation the ability to anonymously confess their secret irrational beliefs, such as once visiting a naturopath or even being abducted by aliens. Delegates will be then been given a suitable penance before being granted absolution from their dirty irrational beliefs.
In addition to this, delegates will be invited to partake in a Skeptical communion where they will consume the body and blood of Douglas Adams, thinly disguised as bangers and mash with a pint of warm beer.
Finally I even hear the event may well include the beatification of Martin Gardner.
Assuming they don’t excommunicate me, I’ll see you there
Amen!
ReplyDeleteI think you meant "RAmen"
ReplyDeleteAwomen!
ReplyDeleteSee you there, can't wait to absolve my sins :-D
We know where you live.
ReplyDeleteWe take all allegations of MegaChurchyness VERY seriously.
Please dial 0208 MEGA CHURCH now with your credit card number to hand, or face the consequences*
*which may include maiming, death, or being seated behind a pillar at TAM London.
All TAM London attendees are now required to take a FREE personality and stress test before admittance. This enables us to identify megachurch proponents and deal with them appropriately. Please see * for details.
Tracy
ReplyDeleteI can of course supply you with the personality meters you so desperately need and I think out model ADE-651 would be most suitable for your application. For today only, I am authorised to give you them for the knock-down price of only £40,000 each. Leave money behind the seat in the third confessional on the left.