1. New journal to target education in evolution

Comment #104466 by calbear77 on December 28, 2007 at 2:40 pm

annabanana, in trying to convince someone who wants very much to believe in God and the Bible, we science-minded super nerds are fighting a losing battle. Evolution is complicated. The concepts are difficult. Creationism is easy. And once you add in the pseudo-science of Intelligent Design, it is downright inviting to the masses because it gives the impression we are learning more about God's plan when we do research.

Honestly, which is easier? A) Reading Dawkins' "Blind Watchmaker" and Dennett's "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" or B) Listening to Michael Behe tell you that all the "hard stuff" in biology is so complex that God had to have created it.

If you're a person of faith, not only is choice B easier, it's what you wanted to believe anyways. How can scientists compete with that?

2. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust

Comment #89677 by calbear77 on November 21, 2007 at 1:14 pm

Here's another question to add to the FAQ...

Can you add a payment system that doesn't suck?

I would have donated already, but Paypal isn't making that easy for me.

3. War in Heaven: Hitchens Meets D'Souza on Home Turf

Comment #81179 by calbear77 on October 24, 2007 at 11:00 am

I think D'Souza's arguments represent the next phase in the evolution of Theist counterpoints to books like the God Delusions. If you think in terms of Dennett's "universal acid" concept, Hitchens, Dawkins et all have dissolved all of the extraordinarily weak arguments given by their theist counterparts to date.

D'Souza has found a style that is effective on weak minds in the context of a rigged debate, but in the end, his argument reduces to zingers and non sequiturs. The atheist arguments will evolve to be able to defuse and humiliate D'Souza just as they've done to every other religious apologist.

And we'll all be better off for it in the end.

4. VOTE on the 'Faith smackdown': Richard Dawkins vs Francis Collins

Comment #71754 by calbear77 on September 19, 2007 at 3:17 pm

that was the best purpose answer I have yet gotten. It is a little depressing, but I understand what you are saying.

Marshall, with respect to some of the criticism I've received, I will probably agree I could have phrased it better.

But rather than finding it depressing, you should find it liberating. It means you choose your destiny. It means you get the opportunity to make the most of your ever-so-short existence and experience all the amazing things in this life (like astronomy, biology, etc).

In my case, last week, I was in Colorado, and I made it my purpose to visit as many microbreweries as I could. I went to six in six days. And it was far from depressing! Beer tip: Odell's 90 Schilling is just about the best beer on earth.

5. VOTE on the 'Faith smackdown': Richard Dawkins vs Francis Collins

Comment #71744 by calbear77 on September 19, 2007 at 3:01 pm

It seems both are relying on the faith of their initial decision.

No Marshall. Dawkins isn't doing this at all. Rather, he is saying that, because there is no evidence currently to support such a wildly improbable assertion as "There is a god," he doesn't believe there is a god.

6. VOTE on the 'Faith smackdown': Richard Dawkins vs Francis Collins

Comment #71741 by calbear77 on September 19, 2007 at 2:57 pm

Marshall1,
To me, when religious people (mostly Christians) talk about their need for purpose, they only reveal what sheep they are.

I don't know if I'm paraphrasing Dawkins or not, but I will say I believe that "What is the purpose of life?" is just about the dumbest question one could ask. Just by asking the question, you are implying that it is up to someone else to answer it for you. It means you signal a willingness to follow whatever path that person who defines your purpose chooses for you.

So to answer your dumb question, I will give you this: It is up to you to give your own life a purpose. Make someone else happy! Discover something! But do it yourself. When you let others define your purpose, you are giving up the most precious gift you'll ever get. That's true whether you believe in God or evolution.