1. The Ethics of Hell

Comment #53501 by cmacblue42 on July 1, 2007 at 6:41 pm

Wow, I am gonna check when he posted htis to see if i can slap him with a lawsuit. he literally took the words right outta some of my responses online and debates with other people.

2. Debate between Sam Harris and Chris Hedges

Comment #53500 by cmacblue42 on July 1, 2007 at 6:26 pm

It pissed me off how Hedges talks as though he knew everything about the middle east, just because he lived there for a couple years. Of course they are not going to tell you that they are terrorists and death to America. Of course they are not going to teach their kids to blow themselves up in front of you, a western jounralist. Put the prinicipal in a classroom and you bet the kids are goign to act much better. I am not saying this of all the muslims in the world, especially muslims who have been westernized, but there are still churches being bombed in Iraq, and a mass genocide of ethnic christians (i say that because the majority of chirstians in that area are Assyrian, and christianity is more cultural, at least the way i see it, like judaism, more info on that in zowaa magazine) and taliban style takeover is waiting to happen, should america pull out before a serious govenrment is established. (thank you to sam harris for coming through at the last moment with this)

That being said, I think that it was pretty good debate, except Hedges misunderstood what Harris was saying, based partly on a miscommunication by Harris. Hedges could have been silenced immediatley when you say that a chain is only as stroing as its weakest link, and a religion is only as good as its worst denomination, ot put it creativley. In other words, as long as religion exists, fundamentalism will exist with it. And, since religion does not do anything god for us, to say the least, and for sure does stuff bad for us, it should be rid of.

I loved Harris' opening and closing statements. I dont know why, but I cant stand Hedges talking for long periods of time (he spoke at my school) and the middle was a little agitating, because I felt like Hedges could be smitten with one blow, because of his misunderstanding of the topic (sort of), but all in all, it was an excellent debate, definitley a very intelligent one, not your "intro to atheism debate" but more of a "what is wrong withe the world" debate which makes it much deeper and more intelligent.

Personally, i believe the problem lies in ignorance and poor eductaion, not education in the sense of school, but education after college, in the form of media. this ignorance causes people to believe in religion, as well as causes people to be in despair, so there you have it, the root of our problems, ignorance and a lack of common sense.

3. Christopher Hitchens and Al Sharpton

Comment #53443 by cmacblue42 on July 1, 2007 at 1:39 pm

i just watched the 1st one, and Hitchens does need some refining. Just answer the goddam question and lay sharpton to rest!!! Most people watching Tv do not have the capacity to understand what you are talking about.

I feel that every time we (atheists) get a chance on TV to show the facts and show the many points to which the theists have no rebuttal to, we always blow it (Nightline with the Rational response squad, Dawkins on the BBC pannel with like 20 other people, even though it was not his fault, and most recently Hitchens on hardball). The only times we do get it right are on channels like C-SPAN, which the majority of people dont even watch

4. Al Gore on Reason

Comment #45449 by cmacblue42 on May 27, 2007 at 8:38 pm

keep in mind, even though he is not running for office (yet), he still needs to maintain an image that the american population would accept, if he wants to keep his advocacy of global warming away form attack. that image would not include atheism (yet) or full blown evolutionism (yet). he needs to be a MCain evolutionist if he wants to get support for global warming from across the spectrum.

If he comes out as an atheist, people will start thinking only secualarists or liberals,etc belive in global warming and there goes 60% of the country.

5. Does God Exist? The Nightline Face-Off (more info)

Comment #41275 by cmacblue42 on May 15, 2007 at 6:52 pm

14. Comment #41082 by silent_brook on May 15, 2007 at 1:25 pm

3. Comment #40716 by cmacblue42 on May 14, 2007 at 7:08 pm

If only they would broadcast Dr. Dawkin's book reading in Lynchburg on networks like abc (not that any actual americans would watch it...


Now, now... not all (I'll concede most) Americans are completely deluded. We just suffer from some very loud idiots.

True, I did not imply all americans (i know some americans that are clear-headed) but thats what i meant when I said "actual" americans. Simply because the average american does not watch any educational programming or even reads (non fiction of course)limiting what they know about everything to their freshman year in college or earlier. This lack of intellectual competencey is the main difference I see between Europe and the US and the reason for america's problems.

i could go on to write a realy long essay about this, and i think i will, but i wont do it in this comment.

6. Does God Exist? The Nightline Face-Off (more info)

Comment #40716 by cmacblue42 on May 14, 2007 at 7:08 pm

honestly, it did nothing. I watched anything on the web, and it wasn not that the RRS did a horrible job, but many key points of attack were missed. I think if you got Dr. Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christpher Hitchens (or any combination, even just one of them) to go on a debate like this on a network like abc, thats when we would see an actual arse whooping.

If only they would broadcast Dr. Dawkin's book reading in Lynchburg on networks like abc (not that any actual americans would watch it) or the upcoming debate between Sam harris and Christopher Hedges (who came to speak at my school, but about the SOA and Latin America). It is then that people actually start to think

7. Richard Dawkins on The Sunday Edition

Comment #37792 by cmacblue42 on May 5, 2007 at 5:47 pm

i kept yelling at the monitor to tell the preist to shut up

8. Christians and Atheists to Debate Existence of God in First-Ever 'NIGHTLINE FACE OFF'

Comment #37529 by cmacblue42 on May 4, 2007 at 6:32 pm

I dont know. I have a feeling the issue will veer away from god and towards jesus.

9. Republican candidates range from ignorant to dishonest

Comment #37521 by cmacblue42 on May 4, 2007 at 6:08 pm

well, we now know that the dems will win, because the fundamentalist majority will vote for the 3 lesser known candidates, and they wont be able to compete with the dems nominee.

10. Convention ends with Satan and immigrants

Comment #36920 by cmacblue42 on May 2, 2007 at 7:44 pm

In my research on this issue, the number of estimated illegal immigrants hit 12 million recently while the number of un employed peoples is just 6.7 million, many of which were layed off from tech companies, and getting payed at a rate of well above 10 dollars an hour, and owuldnt consider doing labor at all. So, if we did get rid of the illegal immigrants, we are
f-ed

11. Peanut Butter, The Atheist's Nightmare!

Comment #35989 by cmacblue42 on April 29, 2007 at 6:30 pm

LOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLO!!!!!!!!!!!
ROFL!!!!!

that made my day. i am favoriting and sharing.

12. Richard Dawkins interview with Paula Zahn

Comment #35982 by cmacblue42 on April 29, 2007 at 5:26 pm

For those of you who say Dawkins didnt get enough time, and the rest of the news is stupid. WELCOME!!! to american news!! this is preciseley why i listen to the BBC as much as i can.

This is also why america is so religious and why america rejects evolution, etc. because after people get their degress, all forms of education stop to the point where we knwo more about american idol and baseball than things that matter.

13. Evolution Booklet

Comment #35593 by cmacblue42 on April 27, 2007 at 6:54 pm

Good thing, however, i think it need some big bang in it and a separation of the theology from the evolution (in either the form of another title or a completely different pamphlet.

I think it is most critical in religious school however, especially fundamentalist ones. I dont even think this pamphlet will solve much either.

I go to a jesuit college prep school (jesuits are one of the most liberal Catholic orders, focused on education) and my bio teacher this (freshman) year is an atheist and excellent teacher. We use a college level text and it goes pretty in depth into evolution. I htik in this setting, the theology pamphlet is the most critical, though the evolution one might be neccesary for those that care less about learning.

Public schools in palces like Kansas would benefit from both (even thought, again, will they even pick it up?) and fundamentalist schools wouldnt let it past their doors.

I think for it to be effective, the students need to want ot learn, and need to want to be intellectually competent (something which veyr few studnets have in the US) and the teahce right even need to get behind the pamphlet.

I recall a 6th grade evangelical i once knew who had a teahcer who secretley taught them creationism, and i was held back by the anger he expressed toward evolution.

I think it is a step in the right direction, i dont know if it will be as effective as it is meant to be.

14. Root of All Evil? Discussion

Comment #35314 by cmacblue42 on April 26, 2007 at 8:54 pm

wow....... saying God is love is not the point at all. The debate is about a god, specifically a creator, merciful, jealous, etc. god. It isnt how you want to rationalize god as love.

Now, if you look at Luke 12:47-50 you find that Jesus himslef said that some slaves should be beaten harder than others, based on how well they know their master.

Maybe food for thought, and even weaponry.

15. The Video: Bill O'Reilly Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #34646 by cmacblue42 on April 24, 2007 at 6:52 pm

Bill O's Points:
1. More faith to be atheist
2. We couldnt luck out (had to get there)
3. Jesus = real guy, can see him
4. you cant tell me how it got here
5.humbleness is X-tian virute
6.true for me (cant prove Jesus isnt god)
7.Mass Murderers = atheist
8. Founding Fathers: religion is balancing effect

responses:
1. No, if someone came up to you and said BUsh caused 9/11 without evidence, it takes faith to belive in it, but no faith to not belive in it
2. we didnt "luck out" probability can speak for us (but i need someone ot explain to me how we go against the "Uncaused cause" arugment)
3. So what?? hes a man=god?? Is Ghandi= god??
4.He cant tell you either, he can skepticize, but he cant tell you with facts
5.Humbleness is not only a X-tian virute, but a human virtue
6. Arguement of you cant prove Apollo isnt was abolutley brilliant
7. Mass Murderers are Religous people and Atheists, so relgion has nothing to do with it(but being sick in the head does) (Hitler kiled jews cuz hte people who rejected him from art school were jews
8.Founding fathers lived before evolution existed and science was expected to be in accordance with religion, thus giving them no other choice but the accpetance of religion

16. NEXT MONDAY: Bill O'Reilly interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #34185 by cmacblue42 on April 23, 2007 at 1:15 pm

The mnost recent description fo the segment from Bill O's website is: Who would try to convert a god fearing nation to atheism. Secular progressives of course. watch Anti religion author, Richard dawkins ......

17. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #33964 by cmacblue42 on April 22, 2007 at 9:58 pm

Maybe he should give a reason science is bad that doesnt date back to the 1920's. Science allows rooms for change, if something can be proved, religion does not, and if it does, only within its own texts

18. Thanks for the Facts. Now Sell Them.

Comment #33960 by cmacblue42 on April 22, 2007 at 9:48 pm

"It's here that scientists and their allies are stumbling in our information-overloaded society -- even as scientific information itself"

Did they just say America was overloaded with information???

If you mean information about Anna Nicole Smith's baby's father, or about how Sanjaya botched another song on American Idol, then yes, we are overloaded with information.

If oyu mean overloaded with information that is relevant (like Dawkins provides us with), then you are sadly mistaken because we never get any relevant information in American news, nowhere close to stuff the BBC presents. all american news is, is Entertaiment Tonight (a celebrity gossip show) with Iraq and the latest crimes.