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The detail in the Devil
by MetroNews
Thanks to Michael Morgan for the link.
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/Work/article/49167
The detail in the Devil
Demon possession 'definitely' happens, demonologist says
By Brian Towie Metro Toronto
The devil made Dr. William Bradshaw do it.
The retired minister and academic from St. Louis, Mo., recently released Sinister Among Us, a suspense novel about the president of a small American Midwest college who uncovers a group of Satanists at the centre of the school's problems.
But Bradshaw isn't out to simply send chills down a reader's spine, he claims the fictitious work is an introduction to his main labour — demonology.
"It's demonology 101," says Bradshaw. "I wrote it so that the layman could more easily find out about demons and evil spirits, and I've inserted the research in the form of a novel. You find out all about it."
A graduate of the University of Missouri and Yale Divinity School, Bradshaw was studying for his PhD at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1961 under religious scholar Matthew Black. Black, among other theologians, was exploring the possibility of a satanic influence behind the Nazi atrocities during World War II, asking if people could be that inhumane to each other independently of ultra-human assistance, or if a kind of demonic possession was involved. Bradshaw got on the case, tracing the appearance of Satan and demons through early Middle Eastern literature and Judeo-Christian texts, and researching exorcisms or cases considered to be exorcisms.
He returned Stateside after his studies as America's first strictly academic demonologist, always stressing that he has always done his best to keep his research as unbiased as possible.
"I do not say what I do and do not believe because people will say, 'Well, that's why you wrote that.' I'm giving people the information and they make their own decisions," says Bradshaw. "Let me tell you that scholarly information would suggest that demon possession, very definitely, does happen."
And it happens to good people, Bradshaw theorizes, noting that targets tend toward the innocent, highly virtuous and unusually gifted. Bradshaw says diabolical inhabitations themselves are not unlike the scenario depicted in the horror classic The Exorcist, which, pea soup sprayings and spinning heads aside, is based on an alleged 1949 possession case involving a nine-year-old boy from Cottage City, Md.
"Hollywood trumps it up for dramatic effect, of course," says Bradshaw. "But I would say The Exorcist is the most accurate depiction of demonic possession."
You might think such a pursuit would make him that scary bugger whom no one at the party wants to talk to, but Bradshaw claims this isn't so.
"It's really the other way," he laughs. "Interest in demonology tends to ebb and flow according to what's going on in the world. When there's great human suffering, people look for reasons why, and these questions have come to the fore once again."
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/Work/article/49167
The detail in the Devil
Demon possession 'definitely' happens, demonologist says
By Brian Towie Metro Toronto
The devil made Dr. William Bradshaw do it.
The retired minister and academic from St. Louis, Mo., recently released Sinister Among Us, a suspense novel about the president of a small American Midwest college who uncovers a group of Satanists at the centre of the school's problems.
But Bradshaw isn't out to simply send chills down a reader's spine, he claims the fictitious work is an introduction to his main labour — demonology.
"It's demonology 101," says Bradshaw. "I wrote it so that the layman could more easily find out about demons and evil spirits, and I've inserted the research in the form of a novel. You find out all about it."
A graduate of the University of Missouri and Yale Divinity School, Bradshaw was studying for his PhD at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1961 under religious scholar Matthew Black. Black, among other theologians, was exploring the possibility of a satanic influence behind the Nazi atrocities during World War II, asking if people could be that inhumane to each other independently of ultra-human assistance, or if a kind of demonic possession was involved. Bradshaw got on the case, tracing the appearance of Satan and demons through early Middle Eastern literature and Judeo-Christian texts, and researching exorcisms or cases considered to be exorcisms.
He returned Stateside after his studies as America's first strictly academic demonologist, always stressing that he has always done his best to keep his research as unbiased as possible.
"I do not say what I do and do not believe because people will say, 'Well, that's why you wrote that.' I'm giving people the information and they make their own decisions," says Bradshaw. "Let me tell you that scholarly information would suggest that demon possession, very definitely, does happen."
And it happens to good people, Bradshaw theorizes, noting that targets tend toward the innocent, highly virtuous and unusually gifted. Bradshaw says diabolical inhabitations themselves are not unlike the scenario depicted in the horror classic The Exorcist, which, pea soup sprayings and spinning heads aside, is based on an alleged 1949 possession case involving a nine-year-old boy from Cottage City, Md.
"Hollywood trumps it up for dramatic effect, of course," says Bradshaw. "But I would say The Exorcist is the most accurate depiction of demonic possession."
You might think such a pursuit would make him that scary bugger whom no one at the party wants to talk to, but Bradshaw claims this isn't so.
"It's really the other way," he laughs. "Interest in demonology tends to ebb and flow according to what's going on in the world. When there's great human suffering, people look for reasons why, and these questions have come to the fore once again."
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Posted: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 | PermalinkComments 1 - 50 of 82 |
Reload Comments | Back to Top | Page Numbers2. Comment #175833 by Cartomancer on May 6, 2008 at 6:16 am
Sorry, I know this is so infantile but... hey, first post, yay!Don't worry, a daemon probably made you do it!
(I do so much prefer to see it spelled with the original Greek ae)
America's first strictly academic daemonologist eh? Pfft. We've had academic daemonologists in Europe since... well, since the Middle Ages to be exact. Late antiquity anyway. So glad that the states (and Scotland) are rapidly regressing to the fourteenth century while the rest of the world presses ahead into the twenty-first - soon my discipline will become an experimental science and the people in white coats will stop calling me useless over dinner!
I wonder if there will be a chair of Theoretical Cartomancy for me to occupy too?
Other Comments by Cartomancer
3. Comment #175834 by Frankus1122 on May 6, 2008 at 6:18 am
Hey! Dr. Bradshaw:
Fuck you!
Stupid asshole.
How can you be so stupid?
The devil. Yeah, right.
Sorry, I don't know what came over me.
Other Comments by Frankus1122
4. Comment #175837 by lozzer on May 6, 2008 at 6:24 am
So atheists are possessed by demons i suppose?Interesting,i guess Hitler was being controlled by Satan too?So Hitler wasn't responsible for his actions?
Oh yeah!Bradshaw is far from being a nazi sympathizer...
Other Comments by lozzer
5. Comment #175839 by Azven on May 6, 2008 at 6:27 am
Black, among other theologians, was exploring the possibility of a satanic influence behind the Nazi atrocities during World War II
In Scotland? Does he mean Hellboy?
Other Comments by Azven
6. Comment #175841 by irate_atheist on May 6, 2008 at 6:30 am
My first reaction was, 'oh, for fuck's sake'. On closer examination, my considered opinion is, 'oh, for fuck's sake.'He returned Stateside after his studies as America's first strictly academic demonologist, always stressing that he has always done his best to keep his research as unbiased as possible.Would that be unbiased as between fact and fiction?
Please, someone, say it before I do...
Other Comments by irate_atheist
7. Comment #175842 by Styrer- on May 6, 2008 at 6:33 am
How exciting. I cannot wait for Bradshaw's 'very definite' findings to be published, after appropriate peer-review, in a reputable scientific journal.Quite why he is first presenting his findings in the form of a 'ficitious suspense novel', though, seems rather strange in delaying the awarding of his surely guaranteed Nobel Prize. Unless it's the one for literature he's after, and not for science.
Perhaps I'm missing something.
Best,
Styrer
Other Comments by Styrer-
8. Comment #175844 by Stella on May 6, 2008 at 6:34 am
Further evidence that "theology" is not a proper academic subject at all.Edited to add: This is scary, to me, because it seems like a short step from this kind of rhetoric to Salem, 1692. Someone, give this guy a copy of The Crucible!
Other Comments by Stella
9. Comment #175845 by alexmzk on May 6, 2008 at 6:38 am
Bradshaw was studying for his PhD at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1961
this is worrying. st andrews is a pretty hefty institution - it's like hearing that someone took a course in crystal-reading at Harvard, back in the '60s. crazy stuff.
Other Comments by alexmzk
10. Comment #175846 by Cartomancer on May 6, 2008 at 6:39 am
Oh, and it would be dereliction of my duty to oppressed left-handed people everywhere if I didn't register my disapproval at the title "Sinister Among Us". Yet another example of big religion shoring up the Worldwide Dextral Tyranny in its... daemonisation of the left-handed minority! Other Comments by Cartomancer
11. Comment #175849 by ~manic-depressive on May 6, 2008 at 6:43 am
Someone give this man a copy of Carl Sagan's wonderful "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark". (Wishful-thinking on my part that it would make any difference to one with theology in his blood.)
It's time we brought back the word "priestcraft" to describe what this "profession" is all about: making money out of perpetuating ignorance and cruelty.
Other Comments by ~manic-depressive
12. Comment #175850 by irate_atheist on May 6, 2008 at 6:43 am
8. Comment #175844 by Stella -Someone, give this guy a copy of The Crucible!I disagree slightly. Give the man an enema and find a matchbox small enough to bury him in.
Other Comments by irate_atheist
13. Comment #175852 by riandouglas on May 6, 2008 at 6:45 am
Stryer: How exciting. I cannot wait for Bradshaw's 'very definite' findings to be published, after appropriate peer-review, in a reputable scientific journal.
Quite why he is first presenting his findings in the form of a 'ficitious suspense novel', though, seems rather strange in delaying the awarding of his surely guaranteed Nobel Prize. Unless it's the one for literature he's after, and not for science.
Perhaps I'm missing something.
Perhaps he wants the daemon (for you cartomancer) information to get out to the wider public as rapidly as possible, or perhaps there's simply more money in fictional suspense novels I suspect?
What a fucking retard! If only there was some way to shorten that abusive label...
Other Comments by riandouglas
14. Comment #175853 by The Reverend Dark on May 6, 2008 at 6:46 am
Irate.
I am sure his scholarly research on the history of such things is excellent; well researched and well documented.
The rest?
To think that old Scratch, Satan, Lucifer, Beelzeub** (and his slutty sister Beelezebubbles), etc, is up and active as an entity in the world is well beyond head-up-own-arse and progressing to wearing-own-anus as belt.
Nazi's being controlled by satanic influence? Fuck. If you are going to play the batshit crazy gibbering theory card, be creative. The Nazi's were actually influenced by Hitler's firm belief that his scrawny teutonic fundament was infested by a breed of Bavarian Arse-badgers. Between bouts of invasion, Hitler would seek out a series of doctors to place increasingly large dogs in his starfish in an attempt to tame these lower colon pests. All the while these clawed, crack menaces were cooing soft words death and destruction from the megaphone of the appendix. After the weiner dogs were inneffective, and the Russian's were closing in on the bunker, Hitler attempted self-insertion of an Alsatian, causing his demise.
Sure are-badgers and doggie insertions are gross, inane, and childish; but it is no sillier (or gross, inane, childish, etc.) than an imaginary evil that causes good little fascists to do bad things.
Cheers,
The Reverend Shayne Dark
PS. Fucktard.
** I am playing it for fun and am aware, of the etymology and varied history of the name; Chemosh of the Moabites, etc. Just getting the Ba'al rolling as it were.
Other Comments by The Reverend Dark
15. Comment #175855 by Frankus1122 on May 6, 2008 at 6:50 am
When I was a child I was afraid to go down into the basement of our house. I thought there were monsters down there. When I got a bit older I was afraid that the devil or other demonic angels were real and that they could get me.(That was part of my religious upbringing).
Then the Exorcist came out and I was scared beyond measure of dark places.
Today, I would walk through a graveyard at midnight on Halloween. My only fear would be that I would trip over something in the dark.
I suppose it is all part of growing up.
Other Comments by Frankus1122
16. Comment #175856 by epeeist on May 6, 2008 at 6:53 am
Comment #175833 by CartomancerAmerica's first strictly academic daemonologist eh? Pfft. We've had academic daemonologists in Europe since... well, since the Middle Ages to be exact.And if you are going to go for a definitive volume rather than a crappy work of fiction then why not go for one written by a king - http://www.amazon.com/Demonology-King-James-I/dp/1585096660
Other Comments by epeeist
17. Comment #175860 by Dax on May 6, 2008 at 6:56 am
What a waste of research money...[...]was exploring the possibility of a satanic influence behind the Nazi atrocities during World War II, asking if people could be that inhumane to each other independently of ultra-human assistance, or if a kind of demonic possession was involved[...]
Yes, sure... we've had all these good citizens, deluded to believe in the Aryan supremacy, fueled by centuries of church-endorsed anti-Semitism, so it must be demonic possession!
You want to know why man causes so much suffering? Well, human cruelty just knows no boundaries... only reason and empathy can keep us from turning into monsters. We need to cultivate these two ingredients for a better world. What we do not need is a bunch of idiots who look for supernatural causes to every ill in the world!
These people make me sick!
Other Comments by Dax
18. Comment #175861 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 6, 2008 at 6:59 am
"It's demonology 101," says Bradshaw. "I wrote it so that the layman could more easily find out about demons and evil spirits, and I've inserted the research in the form of a novel. You find out all about it."
Um...yeah. Research in NOVEL form...what, like "The DaVinci Code"? OOO! I read JK Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, that must make me an expert on magic! Do me a lemon, srsly.
EDIT:
asking if people could be that inhumane to each other independently of ultra-human assistance,
Yes.
or if a kind of demonic possession was involved.
Wouldn't that be convenient? Absolve humankind by blaming entities we cannot measure or observe infecting a small portion of it. The lesson here is: EVERYONE is capable of being completely rotten to other, different people. Biggest influence? RE-LI-GI-ON. Demons? Please.
Other Comments by Colwyn Abernathy
19. Comment #175873 by Styrer- on May 6, 2008 at 7:20 am
Comment #175852 by riandouglas on May 6, 2008 at 6:45 am
perhaps there's simply more money in fictional suspense novels I suspect?
What an ignoble and cynical thought, sir.
Glad we're on the same page...:)
Best,
Styrer
Other Comments by Styrer-
20. Comment #175875 by irate_atheist on May 6, 2008 at 7:27 am
14. Comment #175853 by The Reverend Dark -
He could, of course, be trying for the 'prick-of-the-month' award, a recently instituted honour. With Ben Stein winning in April, contenders have quite a standard to live down to.
Other Comments by irate_atheist
21. Comment #175876 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 6, 2008 at 7:31 am
Reverend,
I am playing it for fun and am aware, of the etymology and varied history of the name; Chemosh of the Moabites, etc. Just getting the Ba'al rolling as it were.
You're fired...thanks for the PUNishment, Magilla. ;)
Other Comments by Colwyn Abernathy
22. Comment #175878 by Olliedog on May 6, 2008 at 7:36 am
Fucktard.Other Comments by Olliedog
23. Comment #175885 by SRWB on May 6, 2008 at 7:47 am
Did anyone catch the news program on Sunday morning (see http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/) wherein a woman living in Toronto claimed (seriously) that she was saved from demonic possesion due to the efforts of a local priest who performed an exorcism. Even one of the priests interviewed for the story had difficulty controlling his smiles!Other Comments by SRWB
24. Comment #175887 by Apathy personified on May 6, 2008 at 7:50 am
Interesting, so nobody should go to jail or face any punishment because the devil did it. What a responsible religion would have us live in.He mentions that the gifted and vunerable tend to be the ones who are 'selected' for possession, he fails to mention that the people who report demonic possessions are generally quite insane, and not in the good way.
Other Comments by Apathy personified
25. Comment #175890 by steveroot on May 6, 2008 at 7:53 am
14. Comment #175853 by The Reverend Dark on May 6, 2008 at 6:46 am
Oh, lord, I have only just now recovered the ability to breathe. Whew!
3. Comment #175834 by Frankus1122 on May 6, 2008 at 6:18 am
No worries: I'm sure we can scare up a suitable exorcist for you. :-)
10. Comment #175846 by Cartomancer on May 6, 2008 at 6:39 am
I thought the left hand was the one they used to wipe, back in bible-writin' days. They could catch those daemons on the way out, sort of like religious obstetrics.
Ste5e
Other Comments by steveroot
26. Comment #175901 by black wolf on May 6, 2008 at 8:18 am
I wonder if he makes mention in his book about the mothers who kill their children. By his standard of evidence, these children must surely have been truly possesed. He'd probably say the mothers had the right idea and just took it a little too far when deciding to stab their 5-year-old daughter in the face. In the US alone, more than a score of children get murdered per year for this reason (almost exclusively by their mothers). I posted some links to cases I have found in the news in this site's forums a few weeks ago. Doesn't seem much in comparison with car or gun accidents, but the difference is that (I dare say) most churches condone the belief in demonic possession.It would not surprise me at all to find that in the future, a few more parents will have read Bradshaw's books before snuffing their children's life out.
Other Comments by black wolf
27. Comment #175902 by will young on May 6, 2008 at 8:19 am
Darwin...Daemon...Great Caesar's Ghost! My Mac is possessed!
Other Comments by will young
28. Comment #175933 by mixmastergaz on May 6, 2008 at 8:55 am
"Demonology", "fairyology", "theology" etc. Putting an '...ology' after it doesn't make it a respectable area of research. It just makes it sound as if it is to a moron.
Unfortunately there's no shortage of morons in this world, even morons with PhDs. 'Morons' become 'dangerous fools' when people start taking them seriously. This also put me in mind of 'The Crucible'.
Other Comments by mixmastergaz
29. Comment #175947 by Alkal on May 6, 2008 at 9:11 am
Now will demon-busting be taught in psychiatry courses, you know to teach the controversy?Other Comments by Alkal
30. Comment #175967 by Stephen Maxwell on May 6, 2008 at 9:45 am
I almost spat out my Irn Bru when I read this line:Demon possession 'definitely' happens, demonologist says
Other Comments by Stephen Maxwell
31. Comment #175970 by Szymanowski on May 6, 2008 at 9:50 am
No, sorry, that's just not right. You can't add "ology" on the end of something to make it sound more "scientific" when it's actually a steaming pile of shit.Just be honest and call yourself a ghostbuster.
Other Comments by Szymanowski
32. Comment #175976 by toddaa on May 6, 2008 at 10:00 am
I guess I'm slightly in the minority on this one. I find this subject fascinating. Not that I don't think this Bradshaw character is playing with a full deck. And the fact that a institution of higher learning is encouraging this nonsense is troubling.But all that aside, I think it would be so fucking cool to be demon possessed.
Other Comments by toddaa
33. Comment #175984 by Raiko on May 6, 2008 at 10:15 am
He returned Stateside after his studies as America's first strictly academic demonologist, always stressing that he has always done his best to keep his research as unbiased as possible.
Well, come on - at least he tried.
"Let me tell you that scholarly information would suggest that demon possession, very definitely, does happen."
That's the reversal of the "I can't imagine it happening, so it doesn't" - "I can imagine it happening, therefore it does".
Other Comments by Raiko
34. Comment #175985 by Star Spangled Eagle on May 6, 2008 at 10:19 am
When I was a religious adolescent, Daemons and possession scared me. The thought of an evil spirit that talks in Latin that can take over your body... I was frightened by it. How is this useful in the modern world, how is this good for a child. I'm embarrassed to even admit this now. What's even scarier than those young fears of mine is that some adults still believe in this craziness. We (more importantly, the mainstream) need to be very critical of these people and although they should be allowed freedom of speech, they should be immediately discredited in terms of believability. Fear mongering punks, trying to pin "evil" on a supernatural entity... What a bunch of irresponsible bullshit.
Hey Assholes, make up your mind, was it Darwin who inspired the Nazis or Daemons... get your lies straight.
Other Comments by Star Spangled Eagle
35. Comment #175989 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 6, 2008 at 10:24 am
But all that aside, I think it would be so fucking cool to be demon possessed.
I agree on this, especially if one is able to shift into and out of demon form, a la Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Dibs on the hinged arm blades!
Other Comments by Colwyn Abernathy
36. Comment #175993 by Star Spangled Eagle on May 6, 2008 at 10:26 am
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Dibs on the hinged arm blades!
Haha, you RPG nerds.
It's all good, no worries, I am one too :)
Other Comments by Star Spangled Eagle
37. Comment #175999 by Barbara on May 6, 2008 at 10:35 am
And it happens to good people, Bradshaw theorizes, noting that targets tend toward the innocent, highly virtuous and unusually gifted. Bradshaw says diabolical inhabitations themselves are not unlike the scenario depicted in the horror classic The Exorcist, which, pea soup sprayings and spinning heads aside, is based on an alleged 1949 possession case involving a nine-year-old boy for Cottage City, Md.
"Hollywood trumps it up for dramatic effect, of course," says Bradshaw. "But I would say The Exorcist is the most accurate depiction of demonic possession."
As it happens, the town I called home in my childhood is just across the road from Cottage City, MD. If anyone is interested, a fellow named Mark Opsasnick has written a 5-part report that presents 'The cold hard facts behind the story that inspired "The Exorcist"'.
http://www.strangemag.com/exorcistpage1.html
The boy was troubled, but not possessed.
Other Comments by Barbara
38. Comment #176025 by rod-the-farmer on May 6, 2008 at 11:49 am
OK, two points here. First, the countdown has started. 10.....9.....8....until he is denied tenure somewhere, due to his beliefs, and then someone will make a movie about him and others who want to teach things not supported by the majority of...uhhh...other...morons, I guess.Second, I am starting a club for all those who volunteer to become satanically possessed. Please respond here, or via IM, and I will set up a suitable web site. My own qualifications are as follows
(1) 50 years of devout atheism
(2) regular outbursts of blasphemy and profanity
(3) refusal to set foot in church other than for weddings. Funerals ? Oh yes, I remember one.
(4) refusal to swear on the bible when giving testimony in court
(5) refusal to bow head, clasp hands or close eyes when someone says grace before a meal
If enough volunteers surface, I am willing to stand for election as a club officer. Vice President has a nice ring to it.
Other Comments by rod-the-farmer
39. Comment #176027 by Frankus1122 on May 6, 2008 at 11:52 am
Comment #175985 by Star Spangled Eagle
Regarding the ghosts and daemons that haunted your mind when you were a child: Yes. I had similar fears. I am an adult now and I know there is nothing to be afraid of.
Imagine that someone like David Robertson or the Pope, people who actually believe in the reality of the Devil, still harbour the fears of childhood.
They have their faith to protect them from non-existent beings whereas we have simply outgrown such foolish notions.
I don't mean to sound all superior but thinking about these men in this light does make me feel ..., I don't know, more mature (?).
I understand the fears of childhood. My 6 year old son will not go downstairs by himself. I tell him that monsters do not exist. He tells me that monsters do not exist. He still won't go into the basement by himself.
What is the difference between the Pope and my 6 year old son in this regard?
We are witnessing the foolishness of childhood. Some have not outgrown this.
Other Comments by Frankus1122
40. Comment #176031 by jiujitstheist on May 6, 2008 at 11:58 am
To quote a post on another thread........."AAAHHHHHHHHHHH..... The Stupid! It BURNS!!!"
Other Comments by jiujitstheist
41. Comment #176037 by Star Spangled Eagle on May 6, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Frankus:
Childhood comes with it's own built in fears, these "Daemon" fears add unneeded bullshit to growing up.
I agree with your son; some basements are freakin scary! They're like dungeons, cold, damp, the pipes make weird sounds; imaginations can run wild!
I do not yet have children, but when I do, I know they'll have their own fears, not from this type of fear mongering, as much as I can help it.
Other Comments by Star Spangled Eagle
42. Comment #176039 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 6, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Haha, you RPG nerds
Damn right. If it's a good story, sign me up. :) I love a good story.
Other Comments by Colwyn Abernathy
43. Comment #176040 by Tezcatlipoca on May 6, 2008 at 12:17 pm
*ahem* Fucktard! Other Comments by Tezcatlipoca
44. Comment #176048 by Star Spangled Eagle on May 6, 2008 at 12:38 pm
You found: Daemonic Rage Scroll!
plus 50 Endurance!
plus 20 Mana!
-20 Health
Strengths: Attack plus 10 against: Unicorns, Rogue Angels and Small Children
Weaknesses: Attack -100, Intelligence -100 against: Darwin Bullfrog, Sagan Cave Troll and The Dawkins Wizard.
Other Comments by Star Spangled Eagle
45. Comment #176052 by prettygoodformonkeys on May 6, 2008 at 12:56 pm
The once properly spelled word "daemon" has evolved through usage into "demon" (I am told these things by my wife, who likes to correct my corrections, thinking she roots for the underdog. Though in this case it is the under-underdog). "I thought you liked Evolution", she says.
I haven't read that spelling for, well, it seems like aeons.
Other Comments by prettygoodformonkeys
46. Comment #176065 by MelM on May 6, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Bradshaw is needed in Florida. He really must look into the wizard unmasked recently at a school there. PZ has the story:http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/05/i_cant_believe_in_florida_anym.php
Other Comments by MelM
47. Comment #176084 by Garnok on May 6, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Colwyn Abernathy said :Wouldn't that be convenient? Absolve humankind by blaming entities we cannot measure or observe infecting a small portion of it.
Isn't that ultimately the core purpose of Christianity to begin with: the total absolution of humanity? They have the devil to blame for all the supposed wrong- doings of humanity and the "sacrifice"* of Jesus to take the consequences, so long as you believe it all.
*Or the bad weekend Jesus had, if you want to be precise with the terminology.
Other Comments by Garnok
48. Comment #176086 by HourglassMemory on May 6, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Next thing you know Science and Reason were Satan's tool all along!Other Comments by HourglassMemory
49. Comment #176090 by Sauveterre on May 6, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Rod the Farmer:I'm in. Although, is 9 years of atheism enough? Sorry, I just cant measure up to the 50 year mark (existential complications).
I've often thought of doing just that, and then laughing in a priest's face when he tries to exorcise you. Maybe faking all the babbling and screaming, writhing on the ground. The whole works. Yeah, I could enjoy being possessed for a while. We could get some genuine satanists to stand in and try to send an evil spirit into us, just to complete the farce.
Other Comments by Sauveterre
50. Comment #176093 by jshuey on May 6, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Sigh...
Time to dust off my copy of "The Demon-Haunted World".
Wonder how long it will be before the good Dr. is leading a mob searching for a witch to burn?
Other Comments by jshuey
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DVDs
'Break the Science Barrier' DVD
'The Four Horsemen' DVD
'AAI 2007 Conference' DVD
'Root of All Evil? The Original Program' DVD
'Root of All Evil? The Uncut Interviews' DVD
'Growing Up in the Universe' DVD
Books by Richard Dawkins
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing
by Richard Dawkins
The Ancestor's Tale
by Richard Dawkins
The Selfish Gene
by Richard Dawkins
The Blind Watchmaker
by Richard Dawkins
Unweaving the Rainbow
by Richard Dawkins
1. Comment #175831 by ~manic-depressive on May 6, 2008 at 6:13 am
Well, that was the only bit of happiness I got from this article.
Since he is a minister, I'll assume he knows little if anything about the brain.
"targets tend toward the innocent, highly virtuous and unusually gifted"
How is the field of psychiatry going to make any progress when we have the retarding effect of religion ignorance?
I wonder if this minister has even read anything of a scientific nature. Perhaps he might learn something useful about, oh-I-don't-know, the relationship between genius and creativity e.g. "Touched By Fire" (Kay Redfield Jamison) But he is a minister after all. Why bother with scientific understanding when you have direct access to knowledge by faith.
I have deep sympathy with Nietzsche's hyperbolic statement: "Whatever a theologian regards as true must be false: there you have almost a criterion of truth." (The Antichrist)
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