1. We Urgently Need Your Help Now!!

Comment #195950 by Dog Boots on June 19, 2008 at 5:43 am

I wrote:

Dear Governor Jindal,

On behalf of the rest of the world, please receive my encouragement to vote yes on SB733. The US has been the technologically leading nation for long enough, and there would no faster route to letting Europe and the upcoming Asian countries take over the pole position than voting yes on SB733.

Yours sincerely,

Frederik Rosenkjær
Copenhagen, Denmark

2. John McCain: America a Christian nation, needs Christian president

Comment #190369 by Dog Boots on June 9, 2008 at 1:34 am

I would like Hitch to replace Obama at the podium at the presidential candidate debates coming up this fall for a quick debate on the founding fathers on live TV.

EDIT: But after watching the Obama video on the top of page 2, I have no doubt McCain will be crushed in the debates anyway...doesn't mean much in the election, though, as we saw in 2004.

3. Lab agrees to test Shroud of Turin for new theory

Comment #183040 by Dog Boots on May 21, 2008 at 9:08 am

Nobody bothered by the title?

"Lab agrees to test Shroud of Turin for new THEORY" !?!?

NO, Chicago Tribune, but thanks for playing. "new HYPOTHESIS!"

And while I read the article (somewhat), David Schwimmer in "Friends" running in the background managed to say: "Tomorrow I'm giving a lecture on erosion theories"....sigh....

4. The amazing intelligence of crows

Comment #181251 by Dog Boots on May 16, 2008 at 6:48 pm

I, for one, welcome our new crow overlords.

Seriously, this video was regular cool until the "pick up trash"-vision was introduced. Then it was promoted to über cool. VERY interesting.

5. Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda

Comment #164778 by Dog Boots on April 20, 2008 at 5:14 pm

Now I truly understand who you atheists and darwinists really are!

6. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. were atheists, and they were terrible! Answer that!

Comment #161058 by Dog Boots on April 14, 2008 at 5:46 pm

Religions. Contain. Instructions.

7. Cult leader Pyotr Kuznetsov tries suicide after realising he was wrong about doomsday

Comment #154754 by Dog Boots on April 3, 2008 at 4:55 pm

I don't get it - they thought the world would end in May....been hiding since November....and we're in early April now... How do they know it won't happen? Or was it last May? - in that case why go hiding 6 months later, and realize the prediction was wrong almost a year after the date?

"My rediculous prediction failed - I'll make a suicide attempt to match it.". I'm reminded of Monty Python's Gumby-character hitting himself on the head with bricks.

8. Anti-Quran Film Fitna Pulled From Web Due to 'Threats'

Comment #152283 by Dog Boots on March 30, 2008 at 3:45 pm

It takes a rare kind of intellectual stomach to bring oneself to threaten people for bringing a movie critizing people for threatening others.

9. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150655 by Dog Boots on March 27, 2008 at 8:18 am

I can't believe it would be 323 comments on this kind of forum until someone pointed out that this is (or was, rather, as I'm a bit late) in fact not Richard's 67th birthday, but his 68th. Unless anyone wants to argue that the actual day you are born ought not be called your "birthday".

:-p

Anyways, congratulations Dr. Dawkins! I hope you had a happy day, and will have a lot more to come!

10. New Atheists Are Not Great

Comment #145394 by Dog Boots on March 17, 2008 at 2:32 pm

I agree completely with Snow and D'Souza on about 1-2% of what they're saying.

Thanks to Tony Snow for putting so many fish in one barrell - great fun for all to shoot. What morons.

11. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144621 by Dog Boots on March 16, 2008 at 12:51 pm

In a universe with a god, there would have been complete video of this - I have 2 hours to spare tonight, would've been great entertainment!

12. Two More Fleas

Comment #142662 by Dog Boots on March 13, 2008 at 1:27 am

Berlinski is a moron.

There's a very interesting series of videos on YouTube with a large creation-evolution debate, featuring a very young Ken Miller, Michael Behe, Eugenie Scott and others - and then David Berlinski who keeps insisting that "evolution demands a much more full fossil record". Why, moron? What if fossilisation didn't occur at all? Then we could have an evolutionary past with NO fossils to show for it, but nevertheless it would still be true. Idiot.

13. The argument from oranges

Comment #128253 by Dog Boots on February 16, 2008 at 4:00 pm

"The clip below is from a public hearing in Orlando, Florida, in which citizens had a chance to stand up and state their opinions of evolution."

Why on Earth would anyone be interested in the average citizen opinion of Evolution?

14. Smaller Version of the Solar System Is Discovered

Comment #128222 by Dog Boots on February 16, 2008 at 3:05 pm

Damn, this article actually made my eyes wet....not from the promise of other solar systems like our own, but from hearing of the technique used to discover this..."microlensing". I hadn't heard of that method before, and it just amazes we what science is capable of now. It really puts creazynists and other fools in perspective - why do we even bother? What have they got? Nothing at all. A disgrace to mankind.

15. A Tyrannical Romance

Comment #126537 by Dog Boots on February 13, 2008 at 1:36 pm

movingshadow, please take your YEC propaganda elsewhere ;o)

16. Richard Dawkins on The Big Debate

Comment #118218 by Dog Boots on January 30, 2008 at 1:38 pm

Am I the only one who had to roll the video back at about 10:15....what did the Rabbi say?!? "but the actual indoctrination should come from at home"...!? Maybe it's just my feeling with the word "indoctrination", but isn't that a horrible thing to say? No audible reaction from the audience...is it ever, by definition, ok to "indoctrinate" children?!

17. The OUT Campaign has its own Flea!

Comment #106475 by Dog Boots on January 3, 2008 at 2:39 am

Retards. The guy that came up with this is obviously lacking in intelligence. He hasn't understood anything about the OUT campaign. Yay, our first flea campaign.

As CapnOAwesome says he needs to learn the difference between "persecuted" and "...erh...not...persecuted".

Besides, it's DR. Dawkins, moron - not "Mr.".

18. Priest who committed suicide for rebirth cremated

Comment #103247 by Dog Boots on December 24, 2007 at 4:43 pm

I too would like to hear some comments from the "large crowd" that had gathered to witness the miracle. Do they explain it away (and if so - I'm dying to hear how...have a feeling it'll be Monty Pythonesque) or do they actually admit that this was really stupid?

19. For the Love of Christ

Comment #101783 by Dog Boots on December 21, 2007 at 1:18 am

I would love to see Dr. Dawkins debate this guy.



...(isn't that what we say in this forum? :))

20. Jesus ad angers church groups

Comment #100682 by Dog Boots on December 19, 2007 at 5:31 am

I seem to have missed the place in the ad where we are told that it is supposed to depict the scene of the birth of Christ?

How do we know it's not Mithras?

21. Borders Tags Atheist Book with 'O Come All Ye Faithless' Cards

Comment #100679 by Dog Boots on December 19, 2007 at 5:20 am

Has the good reverend bothered to elaborate on wherein the insult lies? I have trouble seeing it. "They altered the text of one of our hymns" in itself doesn't really cut it, does it?

Apart from this, I love the original hymn. In the church where I sing every sunday and my dad plays the organ, I hear it every December 24th. He always plays this particular song after each of the 3 services with 2 trombones and 2 trumpets besides the organ. Very majestic and beautiful nonsense.

22. CBC News: Sunday - Richard Dawkins

Comment #100170 by Dog Boots on December 18, 2007 at 10:43 am

Aaron: I think there are examples of altruism that does not in anyway influence your own environment, and has no Darwinian value at all - the only Darwinian explanation must therefore still be a misfiring.

23. Richard Dawkins on 'Have Your Say'

Comment #95904 by Dog Boots on December 9, 2007 at 12:49 pm

I still think the most concise answer to the "Argument from Stalin" is:

Religions
Contain
Instructions

Period

24. Daniel Dennett Debates Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #93983 by Dog Boots on December 4, 2007 at 2:22 pm

I never thought I'd see a somewhat intelligent (though completely deluded) person use Pascal's Wager as a serious argument.

And The Argument from Stalin came as everyone had expected, but I didn't expect it so soon.

I must say, Dinesh is an amazingly talented orator, considering how hopeless a case he's arguing. Pity about the shouting, though.

25. This Friday: Debate between Dan Dennett and Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #91692 by Dog Boots on November 29, 2007 at 1:45 am

When will they stop using debate formats like the one outlined there, which is the same as D'Souza vs. Hitch and Shermer, respectively.

I would much rather like to see a direct head-to-head debate, point by point, instead of 25 minutes of this and then 25 minutes of that, at the end of which nobody remembers anything of what was said - just a vague feeling of how it felt at the time and much of that could have been altered completely, if a counterpoint was made on the spot - the second that the original argument was presented.

It's got to be possible in some way to make it work - perhaps with a skilled moderator, that can keep them on track. No derailing allowed!

Am I the only one?

Edit: I just mailed Patrick Andriola (whose email can be found above) about this. I encourage anyone who feels the same way to do so - who knows, maybe we can change something?

26. Fox News Attacks 'Godless' Free Thought Radio

Comment #78346 by Dog Boots on October 12, 2007 at 1:20 pm

tangerine_tree: Did you come up with that one yourself? Laughing. Out. Loud.

I guess there are still new and better ways of putting the same old truths out there. Mind if I use that?

27. CBC Atheism and Humanism Documentary

Comment #77545 by Dog Boots on October 9, 2007 at 3:34 pm

Didn't the kids' camp freak anyone else out?

Most of these kids aren't old enough to make Rational decisions. At their age kids should be curious, not certain! So all their testimonials are just Jesus Camp all over again from the other side.

28. Sam Harris seems like a nice fellow, but very confused

Comment #77278 by Dog Boots on October 9, 2007 at 12:00 am

This argument seems to me to be mostly about semantics. I think they're not far apart and it's maybe just Sam's rhetoric that Myers took offense to. I agree with Sam that we should at least raise the non-believers' awareness of the weaknesses of the A-label, and of labeling in general - and make the rest of the world aware of it's superfluousness (the A-word's, not the rest of the world's).

29. CBC Atheism and Humanism Documentary

Comment #77121 by Dog Boots on October 8, 2007 at 1:50 pm

Am I the only one who felt that atheism got even cooler when talked about in semi-rastafari?

Nice program. Hilarious comment by Sam about the "Ignoramus in Chief".

30. Debate between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #76053 by Dog Boots on October 4, 2007 at 2:25 pm

So, my dear theists, does Lennox constitute the kind of sophisticated representative for religion that Richard is always accused of not confronting? Or was he just another walkover?

For me, at least, this debate made it a little clearer still that we're not gonna see any new arguments for religion - they most likely don't exist...much like the big man himself.

31. A Face-Off Over Faith

Comment #75893 by Dog Boots on October 4, 2007 at 1:41 am

And where does religion go wrong? When followers are enticed by their leaders to obey instructions, allegedly from God, to do harmful things.

32. A Face-Off Over Faith

Comment #75815 by Dog Boots on October 3, 2007 at 6:27 pm

"great"? I think it's more or less a disaster....

...nothing to do with Richard, but the format is scandalous. Just as things get cooking, they have to move to another subject. Only just now, it's gotten a little exciting as Richard is rebelling :o)

Favourite part so far: "How does not believing in Zeus make you do horrible things?!" ....yes, for those of you unable to listen in - the embarrasing Argument From Stalin has just been brought up....by an Oxford professor...

33. The Problem with Atheism

Comment #75543 by Dog Boots on October 3, 2007 at 1:14 am

Great read. Don't care as much for the meditation-bits, but I do see his points and their validity.

I suspect it could be a good tactical move for Richard, Christopher and others when being interviewed, to refuse the term "atheist" whenever it's brought up. A very good idea, actually. Bring some public attention to the fact that this word ought not be, and if you're not an atheist, "they" can't attack you as such.

34. Christopher Hitchens and David Allen White discuss the impact of Christianity on Western Civilization

Comment #63320 by Dog Boots on August 13, 2007 at 10:20 pm

When DAW says that he can only think of 2 good works of art that have come from the moon landings, it would be interesting to know to total number of divinely inspired works he can think of from since then. In the clip he compares them to the divinely inspired works of the millenium or so - hardly a fair comparison.

35. Don't eat at the Outback Steakhouse on Route 3...

Comment #59137 by Dog Boots on July 27, 2007 at 2:00 pm

Man, I hate it when they disable comments on their YouTube videos. This feature is the worst idea ever - should not be allowed.

And why is it always the theists in this discussion that do it? Just as you'd expect. Weak.

36. Floods are judgment on society, say bishops

Comment #53726 by Dog Boots on July 2, 2007 at 11:58 pm

Now available in the UK, too!

Sigh. Has he learned nothing from New Orleans/Katrina? The hurricane that devastated a city, but looked exactly as if some divine being spared the parts of the town that were most associated with homosexuality from the brunt of the storm...

37. The Stupidity of Fox News is Truly Beyond Belief

Comment #52420 by Dog Boots on June 27, 2007 at 2:10 am

It seems the good padre forgot to established a link between his (also unestablished) designer of the human eye and his God of The BuyBull. I'm sure he could do it easily, and would have if he hadn't spent the last seconds of the interview talking about women putting makeup on while driving...

38. Evolution IS a Blind Watchmaker

Comment #51625 by Dog Boots on June 23, 2007 at 9:09 pm

There is the "automatic" long term objective in evolution to create beings that replicate, which includes surviving long enough to do so....which is exactly what evolution has produced. The analogy sets off from a flawed analogy, so I think it works within that premise.

39. Pedal power takes Islamic shape in Iran

Comment #42056 by Dog Boots on May 17, 2007 at 2:34 pm

My God (sorry), they know how to waste brain cells, time and money in Iran.

40. Among the Disbelievers

Comment #41365 by Dog Boots on May 16, 2007 at 2:32 am

Dawkins blames religion for stifling human curiosity. But were he a bit more curious about the phenomenon he is supposedly investigating, he would realize that it has done as much over the long haul to stimulate it. For a world-famous intellectual, he is oddly provincial.

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

Comment #41359 by Dog Boots on May 16, 2007 at 2:05 am

I too was wondering about the "many scientists" who apparently think evolution is a fairytale for grown-ups. He must be referring to the Discovery Institute's list of Dentists Skeptical of Evolution.

42. Television evangelist Falwell dies at 73

Comment #41347 by Dog Boots on May 16, 2007 at 1:12 am

neander:

You may not realise that Jerry "saw the light" in his last hours and converted to atheism saying that his life "had been a lie".

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

Comment #37205 by Dog Boots on May 3, 2007 at 4:39 pm

I'm looking forward to this. We all know how these things usually go, yet I'm a bit interested in this. The reason being that I've never seen Kirk & Ray being countered by anyone but random people they themselves have picked out on the street, whom definitely were not very well versed in this debate, but were "weak atheist/agnostics".

And apart from this, all I've ever seen of Kirk & Ray has been incredibly weak - should be easy for Brian & Co. to pick apart.

44. Believe in God Spray

Comment #36217 by Dog Boots on April 30, 2007 at 2:04 pm

Why wasn't this posted in time for Richard's birthday?

45. Scene Caused by Christian Group at NYC Stage Show

Comment #35952 by Dog Boots on April 29, 2007 at 1:15 pm

Stupidity rarely impresses me anymore, so I was more amazed with Mike's handling the situation. Their attack was premeditated while he was unprepared. I can't imagine how the situation could be handled any better by a human being with it's two arms, two legs etc. Not looking like a fool for a single moment, keeping his cool the whole time. I don't think I've ever seen anyone win a fight more convincingly that that, ever, too bad many people won't appreciate it because it didn't involve a fist fight or an automatic weapon.

Simply exemplary!

46. Brian Lehrer interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #34421 by Dog Boots on April 24, 2007 at 2:34 am

"I take it you weren't listening to the first part of the show"

...priceless!!

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

Comment #33237 by Dog Boots on April 19, 2007 at 4:50 pm

I think the most important points for Richard to remember and deal with (considering the forum and audience) are:

- to establish that atheists are not immoral (which is backed by statistics - f.inst. studies correlating crime and belief among countries)
- to explain that believing in evolution in no implies encouraging "evolutionary"/selfish/cynical/what-have-you behavior or politics
- and not to confirm Fox' viewers' image of an "Oxford snob" and generally try not to lose his head, which is probably easier said than done when faced with Papa Bear.

I think these kinds of things are the most common misconceptions about atheists among Fox viewers. And when you think about it, it's perfectly understandable why one would be afraid of atheism, if that's your understanding of it. They need to see that there's nothing to be scared of.

48. Sam's Flea!

Comment #32665 by Dog Boots on April 18, 2007 at 12:52 am

About the whole buying or not buying/boosting sales thing - how about waiting to see if the book has any success without us first. Then make a decision.

As for the excerpts: Geezz....

Excerpt

#1: "High entertainment value"!?!? This guy should seriously think about writing when he's not high as a kite. I'm sure Michael J Fox will find great comfort in the "entertainment value" while waiting an unnecessary extra 4 years for a cure.

#2: Good that makes two of you. Anyone with real credentials on the subject?

#3: Again, Douglas: wait till you're sober. When your god "misbehaves" it's the same as the "mysterious ways" argument, which it is important that everyone recognize is the worst out of all possible arguments. You admit that it doesn't really fit the evidence, but go ahead believing in it anyway. You just call it "god misbehaving". Weak.

#4: This is like when people try to defuse a situation on a message board by overusing smileys. A friendly moron is still a moron.

49. Richard Dawkins at The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival

Comment #28361 by Dog Boots on March 29, 2007 at 12:46 am

Religion being malign isn't Richard's strongest point - it's not one of his points at all! It's his MOTIVATION. His point is that religion is most likely untrue.

Everybody seems to be confusing this.

50. Peanut Butter, The Atheist's Nightmare!

Comment #27871 by Dog Boots on March 27, 2007 at 4:58 am

Let's not forget the lady in the middle of the segment. She starts out the series by saying something like (from memory): "in this program YOU will be in the juror's seat. You'll be presented with nothing but the pure facts. No opinions or biased suggestions - just the facts".

- and look at her now, a few minutes into it.

As for the peanut butter guy, there are two possibilities: he's either dishonest or unbelievably stupid.