1. Debate between Christopher Hitchens and Alister McGrath

Comment #79335 by dgcoulson on October 17, 2007 at 1:31 am

Hitchens, Dawkins and co may sound repetitive to the likes of those who frequent this list, but in a manner similar to the way bacteria breed in a toilet, you need to redispense bleach time after time to wipe them out. Will there ever come a time when bacteria and viruses (i.e. religion) can be eliminated? Perhaps, perhaps not, but for now rejoice that bleach has at least become available. The precious body of arguments that are gaining ground in recent years will never fail to clear out a stinking drain/religious windbag. As a child I had a visceral sense of the old, smug, condescending complacencies of the faithful, and was utterly unable to repudiate them. I, and I expect every other child, was bored and dulled into submission, meekly accepting the dogma or brooding on one's inability to rebut these self-important old bores. And so again, REJOICE! in the abilities of our rational musketeers. And saviour and rehearse and deploy their arguments. Bleach! You can't beat it.

2. Interview with Richard Dawkins about 'The Enemies of Reason'

Comment #63326 by dgcoulson on August 13, 2007 at 11:36 pm

Dear Richard,

You looked so pleased on the show. Finally, someone in the media (Richard M) you could get through to. Presumably he is influential with the viewers (perhaps even his wife), so perhaps this was one of the more profitable shows you have done. I know you have to go on a lot of shows and talk to some very uninformed people, and I do admire your persistence and good will. Please keep up the effort. We need to return some measure of sanity to this world.
Best wishes,

3. God in the Military - The Pentagon and its Christian Embassy

Comment #61825 by dgcoulson on August 7, 2007 at 3:17 am

One area where the state and religion clearly clearly do not mix well is the military. I suppose it should not really come as a surprise to know that the US military is populated with these bible-thumping types, who are perhaps not uncommonly parochial, nationalistic or even xenophobic. The scale of the US military in itself is awesome but when you consider it is doubtlessly populated from the top down with these types, that is rather chilling.
On a positive note though, I was glad to read on the BBC website in the last day or so that many British MPs are taking The God Delusion with them as their summer reading. So can I propose that the next aim should be members of the US Congress, Senate and Pentagon? Has this already been mooted?

4. God Hates the World

Comment #52025 by dgcoulson on June 26, 2007 at 1:01 am

I first came across this lot on Louis Theroux' documentary, 'The Most Hated Family in America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyS8GIrwZyE&mode=related&search=
They are a case study in religious insanity and are clearly under the terrorizing mind control of their leader, who emerges to radiate menace all around. So it is little wonder they pass on their vile attitudes to their youngest members. Interestingly though, what you pick up from the documentary, and other Youtube snippets, is how fundies may look at them in the uncomfortable realization they are gazing upon something not dissimilar to themselves. In this sense, they may be performing a very useful service. They are, in effect, a parody so extreme I think they may even have an inoculating or sobering effect.
Oh, by the way, thank you and thanks again to all concerned for setting up and maintaining this website. Living in Japan, this is such an oasis for me. Has there ever been as nurturing and liberating a web community as this? I am even considering flying over to Washington for the conference in September.

5. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #46306 by dgcoulson on May 30, 2007 at 9:56 pm

Doesn't the slippery, addled blather of McGrath just about distil the 'intellectual' basis of Christianity? Pressed quite reasonably by Dawkins to explain the inconsistency in claiming his god can, and does, on occasion save an individual child whereas in most cases it is humanity's lot to learn about existence through capricious hardship, McGrath can come up with no better than the standard Christian trump card along the lines of 'well, I've explained myself quite satisfactorily, if you cannot understand it I'm not going over it any more.' If you wish to observe the true essence of Christian thought, as practiced an Oxford theologian scholar, look no further than 49:40. Apart from the temerity of chiding Dawkins, as if he is some dullard undergraduate, McGrath is apparently completely unaware of the ludicrousness of his own position. Tssch. Christians are the same the world over. Only this one puts up the semblance of a reasonable argument. Which makes him even less worthy of any respect for his lofty academic position. Utterly shameful. A complete fake.