2011-01-16

Isn’t this wonderful

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

by Neil Godfrey

As an atheist, naturalist, humanist or whatever, who deconverted from religion some years ago I still find myself observing humanity (and non-human fellow creatures) with new eyes. This disaster is only one of many around the world, of course, but in every one of them it is inspiring to see what we are: local Queenslanders are shown on TV announcing their group identity: “We are Queenslanders, we help each other . . .”, but then someone is traveling interstate to help and declares: “We are Australians, we give each other a helping hand . . . ” And when it’s international, we identify with each other at the broadest humanity level.

Brisbane flood volunteers turned away

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/16/3113939.htm?

Clean-up volunteers have been turned away in Brisbane after an overwhelming response to calls for help.

Today queues of willing hands stretched for more than a kilometre at assembly points across the city. . . . .

About 12,500 people joined the council-run clean-up operation yesterday. (ABC: Tim Leslie)

- Volunteers pour in to help flood victims (news.theage.com.au)
- Clean-up operation moves to second phase (news.theage.com.au)

17th Qld flood victim found in Grantham (news.theage.com.au)

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Latest posts by Neil Godfrey (see all)

Samaria in the Persian Period - 2024-04-15 11:49:57 GMT+0000
No Evidence Jerusalem/Judea had a “Writing Culture” in Persian times — Israel Finkelstein - 2024-04-12 09:45:34 GMT+0000
Questioning the Hellenistic Date for the Hebrew Bible — continuing - 2024-04-11 20:54:16 GMT+0000

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3 thoughts on “Isn’t this wonderful”

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Pacquiao vs Mosley says:

2011-01-18 00:26:51 GMT+0000 at 00:26

It’s really nice to see a lot of people helping those who badly need it…

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mcduff says:

2011-01-20 00:12:44 GMT+0000 at 00:12

Also pleasing was the conspicuous absence [in comparison with another major disaster in a developed country in recent times] of uniformed men with guns standing around looking ominous and ‘protecting property’.
The only visible presence of police and military was in actual physical help and rescue, ‘laura norder’ was simply not an issue.

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Austendw on Samaria in the Persian Period: “What is also interesting is the way that the lampstand in the tabernacle (Ex 25:31-36), with its branches and almond…” Apr 17, 17:30
Neil Godfrey on Questioning the Hellenistic Date for the Hebrew Bible — continuing: “I cited it for the reason I stated. Now you happen to raise an old canard. When you find an…” Apr 16, 21:02
Roger Crew on Questioning the Hellenistic Date for the Hebrew Bible — continuing: “so,… I read the Armgardt paper (I was curious about what it was that actually went wrong in the study…” Apr 16, 08:51
Neil Godfrey on Samaria in the Persian Period: “Well I sure overlooked that one, didn’t I! Thank you for adding this to the post.” Apr 15, 21:48
Neil Godfrey on Judah and Samaria in Persian Times — the Evidence (and a way out of a quandary): “My reading of Reed in Demons, Angels and Writing in Ancient Judaism and her many references (in particular Collins and…” Apr 15, 21:43
Russell Gmirkin on Samaria in the Persian Period: “What I find fascinating is the likely depiction of an asherah on a fourth century BCE coin from Samaria, as…” Apr 15, 12:03
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Neil Godfrey on Questioning the Hellenistic Date for the Hebrew Bible: Elephantine ‘Jews’: “In short, “Judaism” as we understand it was an “exclusivist” type of religion that identified itself as in major ways…” Apr 13, 23:09

2011-01-16