You may remember the 2007 Pledgebank campaign to send a copy of Richard Dawkins’ ‘God Delusion’ to every MP, if enough people pledged a copy. It succeeded. Now the same person behind that campaign has begun a new one, asking you to pledge:

I will donate one pound to the International Red Cross for each of the 26 Anglican bishops sitting in the House of Lords who completes the Sober Survey but only if 999 others will do the same.

The ‘Sober Survey’ requires the bishops to answer the following questions:

1. Do chimpanzees and humans share a common ancestor?
2. Did the earth exist 100,000 years ago?
3. Is a long and happy life available to those without religious faith?
4. Are prayers responded to?
5. How do you explain the diversity of life on earth?
6. Can one be moral/ethical without a belief in God?
7. Do you support blood donation and transfusion?
8. Who made man? Who made God?
9. What will happen to you after your death?
10. Does a supernatural intelligence take an interest in your daily activities?

If you think this is a good idea, you’d like to know the bishops’ answers and can spare 26, go to the Pledgebank website.

I’m not really interested in what the bishops might say, I just think they ought to quit the House of Lords, and if you can afford to give the Red Cross 26, why not give it to them anyway? Click here for the Red Cross website. BTW, if anyone imagines that the Red Cross symbol has anything to do with the church, you’re wrong. It’s based on the Swiss flag, because of its neutrality.