1. Sincerity no substitute for evidence

Comment #233437 by logical on August 19, 2008 at 11:32 pm

"if he gets cancer, he'd be better off opting for chemotherapy"
Or perhaps NOT. Look up cancer of the bladder, for example. Nontreatment is an option for better life quality - of course while accepting a limited life span.
I know, the "alternatives" always make as much hot air as the religites, but I think people here get carried away because of the fuss.
In fact all the abovementioned techniques are ways to cope with chronical conditions, where big pharmacy has nothing to offer than costs and side effects, often worse that the cure.
I do side with SH in the wish for something outside the physical world view and also in admitting that all effects found sofar are mind models only. But one can use these mind models, as mental techniques for learning and for coping with illness.

2. Knights Templar 'Heirs' Sue Pope For Billions

Comment #233430 by logical on August 19, 2008 at 11:18 pm

Yes, mordacious1, and that is exactly why it should be done - because the vaticanlobby is done if only a few of such claims succeed!

3. Breeding for God

Comment #221650 by logical on July 30, 2008 at 12:49 am

The two connected memes of "enforced overpopulation" are missing - not only from the article.
Do atheists want to become just as bad as them?

4. The emerging moral psychology

Comment #175741 by logical on May 6, 2008 at 12:40 am

Maybe "innate morals" i.e. how to behave towards another living being has evolved and still has limited use in modern society, but this does NOT apply toward institutions.
As soon as some "infallible" a.k.a. Ratzi Natzi, or some corporate speaker, CEO etc, has a say (s)he is EXPLOITING this instinct.
The very idea that a church, a state or a business incorporation has "rights" means damage to living beings and risk of destruction of the ecosphere. These are organisational forms, nothing more, with NO intrinsical value and they can be changed or done away with without anyone suffering, as soon as they are dysfunctional.

5. Is religion a threat to rationality and science?

Comment #166319 by logical on April 23, 2008 at 6:12 am

I cannot find more on how the debate went on.
Did Dan Dennett fail, just as the contributors here, to point out to Mr Winston that HE can wear or not wear anything he wants to, as long as each woman and girl can decide that without being submitted to violence, too?
That he can decide not to use a bus on saturday when other people can do so, but NOT forbid busses to go on certain days?
For me "Pascal´s wager" would make this life miserable each second.

6. Church is paying a high price for its celibacy rule

Comment #133444 by logical on February 26, 2008 at 7:38 am

Philip1978,
the pope and the anti-pope and the third one wasted lots of parchment, but everything was quickly recalled as soon as one of them was back in power in Rome.
One part of the vatican archives remains in Paris still...

to all those who asked about the rationale of celibacy:
Priests should not care about wife, children, and daily life.
Focusing emotions toward the (planned as eternal!!!) institution of the church was most important, taking away love and pride towards wife and/or son(s) second, finances third rate of importance as the laws that women could not own or inherit land were quite effective before celibacy.
(The temporary-celibacy-argument in the link together with the joke is not church, it is druidic tradition: when a druid or bard was in your village, the boys who could learn to write ogham or easily keep things in memory should use their chance â€" it is about learning and the opposite of religious dumbth)
And to be precise: rape and the priests´ bastards were not of any interest to the church before such became scandals.

mdowe:
Perhaps becoming a priest was more often voluntary than becoming a nun, then the respective youngsters become bussinessmen and politicians nowadays (aiming for money and power).
If the boys were as bad off as the girls: the fathers decided to marry them off or put them into the monastery, and priests were often second or third sons - those who would not inherit.
This normalcy cracked in the first wave of our (really NEW then after a gap since the Roman Imperium) atheist tradition around 1800, economically the industrial age, with ideas that marriage should have to do with love and the idea of talent invented as what makes a man successful in his vocation.
Do you know that the papists still mantain that if the hierarchy gives somebody a job dog gives the spirit?
But most of us will know that marriage in the sense of Latin (the church´s) Law is not only without the right to divorce but also still legal rape (the older of us will remember the fight to get rid of that in state laws towards the end of 20th century...)

My source: Karlheinz Deschner (yes, the one of the Deschner-Prize RD got last year)
so if any of you can read German well enough for 9 thick volumes, good luck!

7. 'Frog from hell' fossil unearthed

Comment #130221 by logical on February 20, 2008 at 7:20 am

Can I have this drawing as avatar?
Or an animation with Beelzebufo eating one or several faithheads, the way the T-Rex in "Jurassic Park" ate the lawyer with his pants down?
(Sorry, I know that most faithheads are heavier than 4 kilograms, but under speciesist law I am not allowed to make use of them myself)

8. Conservative Rabbis to Vote on Resolution Criticizing Pope's Revision of Prayer

Comment #125124 by logical on February 11, 2008 at 2:14 am

Go, Ratzi-Natzi, go!
Offend everyone!!!

(there is some endtime-prophecy that his successor will be the last pope - I do hope he makes it come true)

9. A Letter From Hell

Comment #115854 by logical on January 24, 2008 at 11:29 pm

Exactly, info_dump.
That´s what I thought when I was told such things by the catholic nuns in kindergarden and early school.
(Some of them were also good actresses)
It scared me - away from any belief.
O.K, if the faithheads still use scare tactics, we can hope that it backfires in more children nowadays! One problem is when school systems are so bad that children lack an idea how to think straight - and perhaps this US home schooling has a perfect censorship effect (the parents who try this here in Continental Europe are always fanatics)
In the moment we have the bestseller effect on our side, I watched some children at the display shelf of the local library discussing TGD´s German translation and the question who is lying to them. I am not good in guessing age, not quite grownup height but no sign of puberty - what would that be, 10, 12?

Rune C. Olwen

10. Photos from Center for Inquiry's November Conference in NYC

Comment #109978 by logical on January 10, 2008 at 7:54 am

Still nothing on the web about it except the photos.
Neither video, audio nor transcripts.
scooternyc, if I am supposed to believe that Dershowitz is able to say 2+2=4 I need proof.

11. Pope's exorcist squads will wage war on Satan

Comment #104593 by logical on December 29, 2007 at 1:14 am

That was the logic of the witchburners.
History repeating itself - or can we stop them this time?

12. Richard Dawkins - Science and the New Atheism

Comment #95311 by logical on December 8, 2007 at 1:20 am

RD: Minute 30: I DO complain to be born, because I am the product of rape and an existing abortionforbidding law.
I am also in bad health and have always been, now that I am old it is accepted that children can already have the very painful illness of rheumatism, but I have been getting my regular daily dose of painkillers for ten years only!
In my youth the nuns said that I had to thank their god for "life" which meant pain and abuse (not only by them), now I am very cross with you just because what you say sounds so similar.

I am an atheist because the very few atheists I met in the course of my escaping religious dumbth accepted my fight against the abortionforbidding law and there is still a close connection between atheists and the euthanasia movement.

I do recognize that most people who endorse selfdetermination are still atheists, and that your argumentation of the theoretical combination of genes is something different, but only a few of these combinations feel good!
We the others, born or not, are better off without existence.

CETERUM CENSEO VATICANEM ESSE DELENDAM

13. Colouring book warns kids of pedophile priests

Comment #94938 by logical on December 7, 2007 at 3:04 am

Nails, it is contempt for matter and all things material.
Even when some extent of information about sex, bodies, etc. is allowed, this does not mean to get rid of this deeply ingrained contempt.
As far as sexual drives still exist despite such an upbringing, they come out as aggression (and, clearly, an individual concentrating to fulfill the alleged wishes of an alleged god, cannot pay attention to wishes or integrity of a "mere" human being.)

14. Colouring book warns kids of pedophile priests

Comment #94936 by logical on December 7, 2007 at 2:55 am

children: beware catholic priests (and anyone else who acts like one

15. Papal encyclical attacks atheism, lauds hope

Comment #93427 by logical on December 3, 2007 at 6:26 am

So, is an encyclical like a fatwa?

16. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore

Comment #91734 by logical on November 29, 2007 at 5:30 am

To all the militaryloving people here:
I do admit that I feel like retaliating and have to suppress a fit of behaving as unreasonable as those faithheads, but the timelag - exactly as in the case of the Danish cartoons - makes me think again:
I suggest to plan escalations:
1. Words now - letters and emails;
(not only to Sudanese embassies, but also to "our" politicians about not to cave in to faithheads, they need to be reminded that such behaviour is ridiculous, and that submission to religites earns them contempt)
2. Buy teddybears (or use your old ones), put a name tag "My name is Mohammad", "My name is Theodore" etc. on it and deluge the embassies;
3. Buy toy monkeys and name them Jesus, give some as Xmas gift and store the rest, bet we will not have to wait long to use them?
4. Be prepared to protect moderate Muslims who have their first try in speaking out on this occasion, that can backfire!
(but if there is quick civil defense by Atheists and moderate Christians, the danger soon dies down - yes, Incredulous, the reaction from this side is still feeble, but civil obedience needs to be learned and practiced)
and 5. hold your gunfire!

17. In the name of God: the Saudi rape victim's tale

Comment #91716 by logical on November 29, 2007 at 4:16 am

That´s what religion is about:
Blaming the (female) victim.
All religions.

Nowadays such opinions of bishops rarely make it into the press, but in my youth the catholics were very open - I still own the newspaper clips.
And the laws are being interpreted a little better but let the faithheads get their way...

CETERUM CENSEO VATICANEM ESSE DELENDAM
(If any of you finds a method to catch the Saudi government please show me, I´m interested in taking the power away from individuals and stuctures who do such things, not in being first)

18. 2006 Charles Simonyi Lecture: 'Can the Internet Save The Enlightenment?'

Comment #91014 by logical on November 27, 2007 at 1:26 am

Sir Harry,
you are right.
You made me hate you (after listening twice).
I used to say: "Beam me up, Scotty, there´s no intelligent life down here!" - knowing well that the late James Doohan´s ashes are somewhere in the desert and nobody will ever answer my prayer.
A perfect belief.
After listening to your lecture I have to admit that there is intelligent life on this planet, at least you are!!!
Perhaps I will indulge in my kind of hatred and listen a third time...

19. Debate between Michael Shermer and Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #88772 by logical on November 19, 2007 at 1:00 am

MURKIES!!!!!
I remembered Dan Dennett had created a good concept, and just looked it up (part 2 minute 12 on youtube).
Shermer did not catch the fact that he is facing not (? maybe that also, maybe not) real believers, but murkies!
The debate technique should be different with them, perhaps RD is better equipped to do so, perhaps it is only the awareness that we have two different kinds of enemies.

20. Dr Bari: Government stoking Muslim tension

Comment #87829 by logical on November 13, 2007 at 9:27 am

Dr Benway,
please try that with the vatican.
(of course I wish that somebody will be more lucky than I was 20 years ago...)

The finances of the Saudi royalty will present no further problem then.

CETERUM CENSEO VATICANEM ESSE DELENDAM

21. Exorcism death shocks archdeacon

Comment #87822 by logical on November 13, 2007 at 9:08 am

Compare these:
http://www.morbidoutlook.com/lifestyle/spirituality/1999_00_arewitch.html
or:
http://www.vastsverige.com/templates/article____861.aspx
or:
http://groups.msn.com/TheCrossandTheStake/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=7071&LastModified=4675618098619357272#RepliesBookMark

especially the last one. It´s EUROPE.

22. Dr Bari: Government stoking Muslim tension

Comment #87794 by logical on November 13, 2007 at 6:31 am

If this takes 300/400 years, as long as the Christians needed to learn how no longer to burn us on the stake, then help us THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER!!!

Bonzai wrote:

Is there any Muslim organization that can speak on behalf of all Muslims? When were these "community leaders" elected?

23. AAI 07

Comment #84099 by logical on November 1, 2007 at 6:53 am

So there is the discussion of 30 years ago again.
I do not think it is a distraction, it is necessary (perhaps a generation thing).
"A-theist" means "non-believer (in a god)", it is not necessary a nice person or one with emotional or social intelligence!
But we, unlike the hell-and-damnation people, have a chance to discuss
- emotions as such: (scooternyc is a perfect example: you´re so emotional that you do not even include Rawls´ game rules of deciding without knowledge which circumstances your game personality is born into)
- and causality (past) and functionality (future!) to reach a certain goal, for example reducing overpopulation.
Have a try with this: your game persona is a girl born a product of rape and an abortionforbidding law in a country where the abortionforbidding law still exists or is reintroduced, religion(s), poverty, drunkenness, brutality and bad health/genetics as first and allencompassing experience: now define which social and school system gives a chance of human rights for this being and enables her to choose anything, as 100% outcome not to pass on any of the abovementioned traits into a next generation.
Do try a "fiscal conservative" (Michael Shermer´s term) approach, try atheism only!
And then compare Matthew Chapman part 1 minute 11 to 10.

24. Face to faith

Comment #83159 by logical on October 29, 2007 at 5:38 am

Uhhhh... WHICH side was the one to break Stephen Jay Gould's "two magisteriums", and now puts it as THE unanimously accepted principle?
The jesuits in my school did like to mention it, and I used to answer:
"If your side keeps it up..."
They called me various things, the politest being "too young".
Do not wake sleeping cats, they might find out that cats can bite AND scratch.
Now I am an old and wide awake atheist cat.

25. Evolution to be taught in SA schools

Comment #83114 by logical on October 29, 2007 at 1:55 am

"ginger prejudice"
Corylus, I love that so much that I want to change my name!
Can anyone tell me how to do it?

And still I am occasionally saddened by the fact that I cannot get a suntan, only get sunburns!

26. John Templeton's Universe

Comment #79070 by logical on October 16, 2007 at 3:40 am

Yes, Goatboy2012, we should all write to get RD nominated before July 1st 2008 (their deadline).

But for next years somebody young should use another approach: Add to the publication of a thesis in a field as unintelligible to the general public as quantum physics or theoretical mathematics are, some nice words about "spirituality" (can be copied from Darwin or Einstein), we all nominate you, and you pocket the one-and-a-half million.
Then you spectacularily deconvert!
And of course write a bestseller on how you caught immunity against the religious virus...

But this manufacturing-to-look-happy-institute seems much more scary to me, and I do not have any clue how to render it harmless.

CETERUM CENSEO VATICANEM ESSE DELENDAM

27. If Muslim doctors are intolerant, let them go

Comment #77667 by logical on October 10, 2007 at 4:30 am

I will come to Great Britain, apply for a job at this Sain(t)sbury´s, and, being a stern atheist, refuse to handle christmas flitter and easter eggs.

28. Ban teachers from religious dress, Quebec group says

Comment #77664 by logical on October 10, 2007 at 3:37 am

Thank goodness this council has changed (other people voted in?) or simply learned from France´s legalization.
My experience with the catholic nuns at school (solved because the vatican has personnel problems nowadays) was so bad that I recommend firing anyone with religious attire.

29. Genes Tied to Bad Reactions to Antidepressant Drug

Comment #75204 by logical on October 2, 2007 at 3:33 am

Beyond going into details of clinical trials and their statistics, can anyone here explain to me why faithheads, mainstram press and the people writing here are so unified against suicide?

To my plain thinking it should be considered as a part of self-determination, just like abortion and euthanasia.

30. There Go The Dinosaurs

Comment #73715 by logical on September 26, 2007 at 12:33 am

steveroot,
interesting you mention head injury as cause to belief. When I learned Danish I read several Scandinavian novels where this and strokes had this effect - and of course, the beginning of the bad end of the "hero". My teacher, one of those nice upperclass born state church members, called the connection between brain damage and fanaticism "something everyone knows"!

31. The Rise of Atheist America

Comment #69622 by logical on September 12, 2007 at 1:11 am

God-Denier?
1. we call them things like: "Evolution-deniers" or "Reality-deniers".
For us "delusion-destroyers" could work.
2. I was disappointed that they did not call me a "Fairy-Desirer" (the thing is so absurd, it could be ironic, if faithheads were able to write irony) - this could be made into retort:
"Peace-desirer"
"Here-and-now-society-desirer"...

32. The Flea Circus moves to your iPod!

Comment #67582 by logical on September 3, 2007 at 11:37 pm

Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses - they are not clever enough to know what was known in the Roman Imperium!

33. Gene regulation in humans is closer than expected to simple organisms

Comment #67395 by logical on September 3, 2007 at 8:55 am

Nice to read that most people here are familiar with the latest news in genetics.
To an old hag like me it was a reminder of the infamous Singer debate - the furor around philosopher (and fellow atheist) Peter Singer, and the term "speciesism" he created.
http://www.princeton.edu/~psinger/books.html
If this is no longer a debate and we laugh off the faithheads who will be uncomfortable to be called "close" to one-cell organisms, there has been progress since the 1980ies.

34. Anger over 'blasphemous' balls

Comment #66166 by logical on August 29, 2007 at 6:40 am

I like the idea of playing balls with flags...

35. Hebrew Charter School Spurs Dispute in Florida

Comment #66155 by logical on August 29, 2007 at 4:50 am

82abhilash and kcjerith, please take a close look:
Competition is a meme just like god - in case one of you is the next to try to prove its functionality, please note that all those scholars who wrote about it either use philosophical/religious concepts of virtue (Adam Smith!!!) or a one-moment approach.
It does not work, in no field, but because we all were made familiar with religious ways of thinking (even those who attended some form of "state" school, not only kids like those in the article who are not supposed to do commandments as such in school) we are just used to it. We serve the "higher principle". We do not even demand that a system or organizational form functions for us, the living beings, and not for itself.
Nothing but private schools would be even worse than the mixed system most western countries acquired by now, and because of all of the reasons mentioned in this thread and others on schools combined.
In my time at university I was a member of a women´s group researching the beginning of literacy for women after the witchburnings - all private from homeschooling for some(!) girls of nobility to the Swiss Sisters´ boarding schools.
I used to say that in my generation (nuns the first 5 years, but called "state school") there were more girls barely becoming literate...
and that was it.
Ceterum censeo: linguam latinam non necesse est.
My rusty latin does not allow me to add: why should other pseudoreligious crap?

36. Scientists Induce Out-of-Body Sensation

Comment #65428 by logical on August 24, 2007 at 6:34 am

out-of-contry sensation or: Americans are not so good on geography.
(individual variety, but New York Times is mainstream).
Just as the experience itself it does not change the physical reality.
But it can be used for healing.
And "sensory dissonance" is a very good way to put it, pewkatchoo!

37. Church and State: Divided we stand

Comment #65424 by logical on August 24, 2007 at 6:19 am

Sorry for not being able to make it back earlier.

"nobody is accusing him of copying the prose stylings of Joan Peters" - thank you, howtoplayalone, the fact that both write many words on half of an idea which may or may not have any connection to earthly things, is such a nobrainer; it did not occur to me having to mention it.
Does anyone need proof of Dershowitz in original, without editor? http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=665

As for facts and quotes, I leave that to Dr. Finkelstein, each time I checked his facts, they proved correct (his quotes of Rosa Luxemburg and Simone de Beauvoir for example, I know these authors by heart) only on Kant I go further: There is no translation of Immanuel Kant´s works into English, Kant is intranslatable. Even in French or Russian, languages which allow one-and-a-half-pages long sentences the kind Kant writes in his original German, the connections of time and space Kant makes cannot be given. And Finkelstein is correct on the fact that the disputed excerpts in Yiddish come from Kritik der reinen Vernunft (Critique of Practical Reason of 1788), and NOT from Kritik der reinen Vernunft (Critique of Pure Reason of 1781).
(I must know, having to read Kant at school spoiled my style in each language, as you can see!)

I do acknowledge that you, howtoplayalone, can invent a lot of words one cannot find in a dictionary. The fact that this is also something Dershowitz likes to do makes me speculate...

Is it necessary to mention that no possible meaning of those words can ever apply to Dr. Finkelstein???
For now one little help to you to read precisely: I am anti-war.
Against Each War.
And war begins with the misallocation of the first cent to design and production of weapons. Anywhere on this little planet or its ecosphere. Did I make my position clear now?

38. Scientists Induce Out-of-Body Sensation

Comment #65374 by logical on August 24, 2007 at 12:27 am

I have been admired much at the beginning of the esoterics wave because I can do it at will.
I tried to get the knowledge of the last priestess of Isis on Elephantine to preserve what the Christians destroyed - but it did not help me to learn read the hieroglyphs.
I tried to become Hypatia, a mathematician who was literally torn up by the Christians in 417.
I still do not know more of neoplatonism and her mathematical works than the pieces which have survived.
The stories I told during these experiences were very convincing to people who knew less about these times and historical persons than I do!
But I was very disappointed and stopped to try.
All the time I have been chastised because I say "It´s brain chemistry only."
Now it´s proven.
And I am still disappointed because there seems no way to retrieve the knowledge the faithheads destroyed.

39. Poll: Which religion do you associate with?

Comment #65371 by logical on August 24, 2007 at 12:01 am

Atheism 69% 18626

40. CNN Request for 'I-Reports' on religion

Comment #65370 by logical on August 23, 2007 at 11:57 pm

Finally the last two comments were not so dull, good!
The previous ones inspired me to write to CNN:
"My one and only Flying Spaghetti Monster created the world and us midgets, it touches us with its noodly appendage, gives us drink from the beer volcano and spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce each day.
RAmen!"

Yes, I am prepared to believe in a nourishing god.
The ones which demand sacrifices can go to (their own) hell.

41. Church and State: Divided we stand

Comment #63989 by logical on August 17, 2007 at 6:53 am

My prose, to begin with, is that of a person who learnt English as a grownup. I do not pretend to be a native speaker.
The only book by Dershowitz which is not in any of the library systems I have access to is the one where he cries about his son having married a gentile - therefore Atheists (I like the capitalization because the faithheads demand it for themselves)need not hide their daughters.
And I hope women born into Atheist families have a better taste, but that´s up to individual self-determination (or should be, the faithheads fight this).
Everything else he scribbled (according to his own admission he cannot type)I did waste my time on - is that also Yoda-English, howtoplayalone?
Dershowitz is being asked about everything by some press, just like bishops, therefore his weak argumentation matters!
I am anti-war regardless which war, and which justification.
Enough for this week, my computer time ends now.

42. Church and State: Divided we stand

Comment #63950 by logical on August 17, 2007 at 1:43 am

By the way:
1. I nearly overlooked comment 31.
alnitak, you are right.
Insecurity and helplessness are what draw people to religion.
2. We all know that Dershowitz claims to be an Atheist, I am not astonished that he scribbled again something on notepaper and left the rest to his typists (that he can use a pencil was not disputed, howtoplayalone!), even if he never will beat the record of the late Barbara Cartland (another promoter of a very specious worldview and 723 books), he seems to try.
Atheists are not anti-war or pacifists of necessity, but should we not prefer the one who discusses his views to the one to stifle each critizism, be it toward himself or his holy state?
Norman Finkelstein is a fellow Atheist, a very consistent one, in this interview http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=4&ar=17
he upholds "That´s a personal choice" to a question about abortion (not his topic!!!) at the very time he was hired at DePaul, the Catholic university which denied him tenure because of Dershowitz´ interventions in June 07.
Why should Atheists prefer a creeper who meddles into another university´s tenure process (and has another professor, a woman, denied tenure in the process) to this consistent principled man?

43. Church and State: Divided we stand

Comment #63947 by logical on August 17, 2007 at 12:12 am

One half of contributors is busy to hand Dershowitz the links he did not provide (and I am not willing, let him boast about his endangered constitution, his "argument" as to being good for churches is pitiful enough), and the rest engages in promoting his articles.
If you have time to waste on this bigmouth, please see for yourself:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/24/1730205&mode=thread&tid=38
and Part 2:
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=109
The first is slow (as realplayer always is), but both are functional of today.
To check the quality of Dersh´s "arguments" on abortion:
http://ksgaccman.harvard.edu/iop/events_forum_video.asp?ID=1120
This link does not function on one of the two networks I have access to, Dershowitz does not care (or perhaps he is glad that not so many people can find out how weak he came off against frothing born-again Christian Nat Hentoff!)

44. Public Debate on Complexity and Evolution

Comment #63065 by logical on August 13, 2007 at 3:46 am

Small riddle to the panelists and everybody else:
If we have a birthrate resembling that of the Zaraostrians (and about the same percentage of people who do not want any children at all), why do we not die out like them?
How did we become the majority in countries like Sweden and, according to very timid guesses, there is a billion of us Atheists now worldwide?
Little hint: the biggest group of RD-fans are those who are glad that they can finally speak up. And our star did not expect us to exist at all!

45. Public Debate on Complexity and Evolution

Comment #61671 by logical on August 6, 2007 at 8:48 am

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/bigenough/special_heightgap_04.html as for development of height.
Much material is in Dutch and Icelandic.

And finally it is said: "Why "Intelligent Design" is for stupid people". I add: It evolved because they need it.

46. New age therapies cause 'retreat from reason'

Comment #61596 by logical on August 5, 2007 at 11:50 pm

I do agree with discipline and drive1.
Don´t wast your time on lesser battles, leave them to James Randi (who, by the way, not only criticises but sometimes comes up with very good explanations.
His book on Michel de Notre Dame explains the quatrains as acoustic maps, which works. Not only the Maori have those.)
As for Asian Foods - I feel better, too, when I eat it often.

47. Islamic creationist group launches glitzy, global blitz

Comment #61149 by logical on August 4, 2007 at 12:41 am

Why is anyone astonished?
Religion = religion = nonsense.
The next version (islamic this time) was to be expected - or should I become a professional prophet for asking "When will creationists crop up in islam?" about a year ago?
Is there a hindu or buddhist version out yet?
By the way: Is this the one with the glossy pictures?
How do I obtain my copy - in whichever language, I do not care, I will not read it.

48. Don't vote for ignorance

Comment #60920 by logical on August 3, 2007 at 6:00 am

Thanks to its Supreme Court the US has had 7 years´ rule of a rich kid (who, by the way, could not be made intelligent by the most expensive schools in the world) and the next president will be the one able to pay the individuals to manipulate the vote machines.
THEY ARE designed by the sponsors of the Republican Party - intelligently for their purposes - well, people, kiss your democracy goodbye, the machine´s thinking for you from now on.

49. The Flea Circus Invites a Newcomer!

Comment #60524 by logical on August 2, 2007 at 6:05 am

dgr8test97: Can you read German?
There is an author named Karl-Heinz Deschner, whose "Kriminalgeschichte des Christentums" (Criminal history of christendom) is in the ninth bind now, excerps on the German church tax and the nazi times made it to bestseller in the 1970 ies and -80ies, but it is not translated.

As for Christopher Hitchens: I do not like him either. Of course he does not do well in situations where there is no alcohol, but he has his merits: He serves the neocons.
Think how limited the damage they can do would be if they had no unquestioningly respected Religious Right behind them! If anything can get to this group, Hitchens´style will.

50. Beyond Belief 2006 Videos

Comment #59013 by logical on July 27, 2007 at 12:57 am

Finally through the whole thing. Most reminded me of the vociferous nonsense atheists talked in the 1980ies - nowadays it is clear how "far" all that has brought us.
Was glad about Janet Roughgarden´s remark that different approaches are necessary for different constituencies - and can only hope that this fact will finally be accepted.