1. Enemies of Reason

Comment #64993 by The Buxter on August 22, 2007 at 3:14 pm

@#3

I can't wait for the backlash against it!

I find it strange how many times a review of "The enemies of reason" has started with: "Well of course RD is right about woo woo, it's obvious. BUT that doesn't make him right about religion, and I'll tell you why... " *sigh*

Anyways, I find it perfect timing (perhaps a little late?) for this documentary. Woo woo has much to long been tolerated *way* to much!!

2. These preachers of hate must be exposed

Comment #63421 by The Buxter on August 14, 2007 at 5:28 am

On the discussion over whether atheists should attack only extremism or religion in general:

First of all it isn't a "tenet of atheism" to be opposed religion, there a quite a few atheists who actually see religion as a very good thing, and regret that they do not have the faith to believe in it.

The "new atheists" such as Dawkins/Hitchens a.o. are not saying that all religion is equally bad, but rather that moderate religion is better then extreme religion, but no religion is better than moderate religion. Personally I could live in a world where religion was only moderate - though I'd still think that it was wrong and ridicules.

3. Amnesty to defy Catholic church over rape victims' abortion rights

Comment #63074 by The Buxter on August 13, 2007 at 4:26 am

If everything else fails, you can always hate the Catholic Church...

It is incredible how moderate apologetics can keep claiming that the nutters are an extremist minority, when the worlds largest Christian church is based on such outright horrible dogma.

The atrocities of the Chatholic Church (along with the evangelical fundies and various Muslim extremists) continues to be one of the best examples of exactly what the problem with religion is.

4. When did the police start collaring television?

Comment #62966 by The Buxter on August 12, 2007 at 3:34 pm

Presumably the police mainly worries about the reaction in the community, and hopes to calm the anger of religious leaders who's been caught with their pants down, so to speak. I can somehow sympathize with the local police chief who doesn't want his men facing more problems than necessary.

Sadly, this approach is obviously counter-productive. It will only reassure the extremists that their current tactic is a succesful one, and will at the same time let down the moderate, sceptic and critical Muslims (religious and not) by showing them that criticism is futile.

5. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46511 by The Buxter on May 31, 2007 at 2:21 pm

"Those aspects of evolutionary theory compatible with this truth are a welcome addition to human knowledge. Aspects of these theories that undermine this truth, however, should be firmly rejected as an atheistic theology posing as science."

Just sad... plain sad!
Especially because of the beginning of the article - for a moment I thought he was going to accept science, and put on the old "science and religion covers different aspects of life" cliché. Instead he just used it to reject evolution anyway. Guess I should have seen it comming, when he said that ofcourse he believe in micro-evolution.

Sometimes I'm glad I live in Europe...

6. Heliocentrism is an Atheist Doctrine

Comment #45159 by The Buxter on May 26, 2007 at 4:18 pm

BT Murtagh:

what a fantastic mental image... Billo on a pogostick... Gave me a good laugh...

7. Penn & Teller's Bullshit - Holier Than Thou With Christopher Hitchens

Comment #45113 by The Buxter on May 26, 2007 at 12:11 pm

Penn and Teller is great.
Of course it's much more style than content, but sometimes it's better to get the message out bluntly and oversimplified, than not at all.

On more controversal topics, such as recycling and hybrid cars, they may be right or they may be wrong - but that should encourage people to research things for themselves. If you believe in PnT blindly... Now that would be ironic!

BTW, this part was great:
"[the Vatican has mother Teresa] booked on the express train to saint-hood. They're not stupid! Well... They're not that kind of stupid..."

8. Manufacturing belief

Comment #42504 by The Buxter on May 18, 2007 at 9:59 am

One could also think of a compromise between the hard- and soft-wire explantions:

Ancient religions (like the one that can be detected in the proto-scripture of the Sumerians) is very cause-and-effect minded, like Wolpert suggests religion is. Back then, it was logical to expect an intelligence behind the powers of nature. Since then, social institutions like the benifits for those cable of interpreting and affecting these intelligences (=the priests) ensured the survival of the belief systems, and eventually made it evolve into something quite different, as the old superstitions proved futile.

... just a possible scenario, suggesting that the meme has been introduced as a bi-product of an evolutional advantage.

BTW: Bamboospitfire summed up my thougts about this article very well!

9. The Case Against Intelligent Design: The Faith That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Comment #40167 by The Buxter on May 13, 2007 at 1:19 pm

I don't think the short-term goal of internet-/new atheism is to convert any right-wing fundies. They're probably lost beyond sheer reasoning - sadly! The short-term goals should be to make the atheist stance a valid one, so it is possible to an outspoken atheist (this is not that big a problem in most European countries), to 'deconvert' (or at least reach and reason with) the doubters and the undecided and to expose and get rid of myths about atheists and science (in particular evolution).

10. Consciousness Comes from DNA

Comment #39914 by The Buxter on May 12, 2007 at 9:17 am

A very interesting thing about the development of consciousness, and animals showing sign of human-like consciousness, fx. elephants passing mirror-awareness tests and gorillas learning sign-language, is wether the consciousness is linked to the possibility of these feats, or the feats themselves. In other words: Are humans/animals able to communicate and recognize ourselves in mirrors (and shadows, reflections and so forth) because we are conscious, or are we conscious because we communicate and recognize ourselves?

It would be very interesting to follow the development of animals being raised in mirror and language-filled environments!

11. The Case Against Intelligent Design: The Faith That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Comment #39911 by The Buxter on May 12, 2007 at 9:02 am

This article perfectly demonstrates why I just *love* science, and in particular evolution. It is so completely rational and well grounded. One of the reasons I finally shed my Christian beliefs was, that I felt intellectually offended by the reasoning. Even if a preacher would start out a sermon by claiming that "rationallity and faith are not mutually exclusive", in the end the conclussion would be either "God works in mysterious ways" or "but if you just feel, you will know he exists".

When debating theists my mind sometimes get clotted up with frustration over their lousy arguments, but nothing clears the mind like a well written article like this!

12. Unintelligent Design

Comment #39871 by The Buxter on May 12, 2007 at 6:42 am

Although the author makes several unsubstantiated claims about society needing religion to have morals, it is always a good thing when religious people realise the utter stupidity of trying to introduce religion into science...

13. Gene mutation linked to cognition is found only in humans

Comment #39429 by The Buxter on May 10, 2007 at 3:23 pm

chadvader123 wrote:

...the scientific method, as wonderful as it is, will not help you find God

You got that right - and that's kind of our point. God being omnipotent and everything, does really seem to be quite the elusive type, don't you think?
If he really wanted us to believe in him, he could at least make it a bit easier, than this 'hide-and-go-seek-(but you will only find me if you reject your rationality)' game you suggest he is playing.

Many of us (including myself) onced believed firmly in God and Jesus, until we realised there was absolutely no reason to do so. We hope you might do the same...

14. Atheist offers to send letters post-Rapture

Comment #38828 by The Buxter on May 9, 2007 at 9:12 am

Great idea... As mentioned, especially the part that you can't convict this man of fraud unless you deny the rapture, is great!

15. Massive explosion is brightest-ever supernova

Comment #38686 by The Buxter on May 9, 2007 at 12:21 am

Thus spoke the LORD: "ya call that a firecracker?!"