There’s an interesting pledge underway at pledgebank which aims to find 646 people (one for every UK constituency) who are willing to purchase and send their local Member of Parliament a copy of The God Delusion, the latest book by Oxford University Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, Richard Dawkins.
Reviewed at
Amazon.co.uk
In a society where the religious spectrum comprises atheists, agnostics, believers and fanatics, it’s the the atheists and agnostics that are often under represented in government due to a lack of union-style lobbying power that large religious organizations wield.
The pledge is therefore interesting because it may provide our elected representatives with a reason-based frame of reference against which to consider the demands of religious organizations, helping them be assessed equally on merit.
- Will it make the necessary 625 pledges?
- Will any MPs reject the book?
- Will they have to declare it as a gift?
This raises many so many interesting questions!
- A list of MP’s and their benefactors is being maintained on the web.
- Find out more at PledgeBank: Church and State.
Brilliant! A six inch slice of sensibility. Always gets my vote!
Covered by The Guardian; apparently its likely to make the print edition in a couple of days.