1. What does atheism say about the purpose (or the meaning) of life?

Comment #236062 by panajache69 on August 24, 2008 at 5:41 am

What is the purpose of your life? This question is designed to embarrass people that are unsure that they have a "purpose". The question of "purpose" is a theological trap. It's puts you on the defensive. Strong-willed people have little use for "meaning" and "purpose". Weak willed people find it a useful tool for self-motivation. Ultimately a person's response to the question of, "purpose in life" is no more than a bumper sticker.

2. Richard Dawkins on Al Jazeera English

Comment #219333 by panajache69 on July 26, 2008 at 5:29 pm

I think Dawkins missed the mark on the million years hence business. We are clearly a species dividing into two streams. One stream is intent on hyper evolution using technology, drugs, DNA design etc. The other stream is intent on creating tightly controlled tribal societies held together by mandated or willful ignorance. It is not hard to see the two streams parting forever (space travel, calamatous war) and becoming distinct species.

3. Host Desecration is Old Anti-Semitic Nonsense

Comment #209835 by panajache69 on July 13, 2008 at 12:08 pm

But a cracker IS the body of Crisp.

4. Richard Dawkins Interview on TVOntario

Comment #181454 by panajache69 on May 17, 2008 at 8:48 am

Our friend, the polite pitbull.

5. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #175437 by panajache69 on May 5, 2008 at 12:12 pm

I still do not see why western governments are so acquiescent. I don't buy the argument that they feel guilty for colonialism. They had no problem invading Iraq or Afghanistan. I also don't buy the argument that they respect religion. They crush anyone that gets in their way. Do they need warm bodies to work at the factories? more taxpayers? The only plausible reason I can see is that western governments see Islam as somehow enriching themselves or their masters (the military industrial complex). War is, after all, the most profitable of all industries.

6. Christopher Hitchens Debates Timothy Jackson

Comment #124516 by panajache69 on February 9, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Hitch is fine form here. Possibly his best.

7. Huckabee Wants A 'Faith-based' Constitution

Comment #112465 by panajache69 on January 17, 2008 at 7:44 am

My suggestions to "amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards": (God being the real universe):

-the most adaptable shall inherit the Earth and to hell with the least adaptable.

I think you could dispense with the rest.

8. It was a bad year for God.

Comment #109296 by panajache69 on January 8, 2008 at 7:09 pm

Marketing ideas:

Allow people free access to high quality TGD logos under creative commons so they can make their own t-shirts/clothing/headgear promoting the cause/book. Invite recognized hip artists to contribute artwork. This gets the message tattooed onto teenagers.

Have an art contest on worth1000.com featuring alternate covers for TGD or Dawkins and atheism. Publish best submissions on this site.

Offer huge reward (or free copies of TGD) to anyone that can single-handedly round up two of each species and put them on an ark they've constructed. Those who cannot get 20% off TGD.

Donate/increase number of TGD in libraries. Some libraries have waiting lists months long. The more people seen walking around with TGD in their arms the better.

9. Could there be a Darwinian Account of Human Creativity?

Comment #104852 by panajache69 on December 29, 2007 at 5:26 pm

When a fresh batch of Steinway pianos leaves the factory, nobody knows which ones will become prized concert pianos. The great pianos only become apparent after they been played in the field for some time. Given that the pianos cannot act or think, I think this tells us something about the curious accident of events and environments that goes into great artistic outcomes. Human creativity is likely a happy accident between heredity, education, environment and powerful stimulation. Perhaps we have chaos to thank more than natural selection.

10. 'Flying Spaghetti Monster' Religious Group Turning Heads at MSU

Comment #103270 by panajache69 on December 24, 2007 at 8:58 pm

Arrr me noodly darling. Bless us all this squidmas. Yee are the light of the bowl and yee bring justice and meaning to forks and spoons, now working for a common gouda. All hail the prince of pasta, lord of linguini and marvel of macaroni. May the sauce be with you.

11. Interview with Richard Dawkins: On Christmas

Comment #102011 by panajache69 on December 21, 2007 at 11:42 am

Singing Christmas Carols = quoting Star Trek = sining nursery rhymes = reciting poetry = singing pop songs = any pleasant cultural activity.

12. CBC News: Sunday - Richard Dawkins

Comment #102004 by panajache69 on December 21, 2007 at 11:24 am

I don't think the interviewer was used to being challenged by a working brain. The CBC, normally, has very high standards. I don't know what they were thinking hiring this dweeb.

Personally, I would like Dawkins to answer the 'Stalin' thing differently. His Marxist answer doesn't work on Xtians. I think pointing to Fascist Dogma (as the underlying priniciple) to join believers and Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot etc. is worth a shot.

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

Comment #101990 by panajache69 on December 21, 2007 at 10:57 am

When I see a traditional 'Come all ye faithful' card I personally find it an ill-judged and insensitive joke to all atheists. We atheists are used to being punching bags but I would have hoped that, in a society in which we are seeking to show respect to all people, we might have grown out of this kind of nonsense. It's another thing to take a pagan winter solstice festival and abuse it.

Merry Squidmas to all

14. An Open Letter to Richard Dawkins

Comment #96973 by panajache69 on December 11, 2007 at 7:26 am

Atticus_of_Amber - I think you have the makings of a new atheist-alternative ancronym in your post...

ELDERS: evidence, liberalism, democracy, empiricism, reason, science.

15. This deadly religious resistance to vaccinations

Comment #96949 by panajache69 on December 11, 2007 at 6:33 am

Not to upset the coalition of like-minded here, but, vaccines do cause death and injury for some. If they didn't there would be no need for the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

http://www.909shot.com/Issues/Comp_Summary.htm

Also, there is far too much convenience-for-the-doctor in the vaccination programs. For example some babies are now being vaccinated in the delivery room, against the advise of the vaccine manufacturers.

I think science does itself no favors by hiding the fact that, while vaccination programs are wildly successful, some children pay for that success with their lives.

16. Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

Comment #96029 by panajache69 on December 9, 2007 at 7:36 pm

Edmund Standing: Thou shalt write a friggin' book! Wonderful, elegant thrashing of a weak argument.

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

Comment #85021 by panajache69 on November 4, 2007 at 2:26 pm

I think students of Nazi history could familiarize themselves with the complex roots of Nazi theology by visting video.google.com and searching on "occult Nazi". You will find several excellent films on Nazi theology. Nazism was a theological can of worms.

These films have their critics, but you cannot deny the historical facts. Hilter not only hated Atheists and non-aryans, but also contemporary artists, the mentally infirm and the physically frail.

18. The Problem with Atheism

Comment #75671 by panajache69 on October 3, 2007 at 9:06 am

In terms of strategy, it might be better to steal the terms that religious people themselves use to define themselves, thereby diluting them.

Atheists, when arguing, can call themselves: believers (in truth), seekers, mystics (forever asking why are religous people so gullible), cherishers, lovers, friends, healers, freedom fighters, patriots, etc. etc.

Yes, I am suggesting we fight dirty.

19. Scientists Induce Out-of-Body Sensation

Comment #66278 by panajache69 on August 29, 2007 at 3:03 pm

I move that we remove Puttputt from the orgy invite list.

20. There is no God and Dawkins is his Prophet

Comment #66276 by panajache69 on August 29, 2007 at 2:56 pm

Dawkins is attacked as dividing the world into two camps - good atheists and evil believers. I think the two camps are actually those with B.S. detectors and those without B.S. detectors.

21. Potentially habitable planet found

Comment #34973 by panajache69 on April 25, 2007 at 7:32 pm

I propose we immediately launch a probe to GL581c carrying a Chuck Berry CD and player.

22. Against God

Comment #32113 by panajache69 on April 15, 2007 at 7:48 pm

"The countless millions who have devoted their lives selflessly to the service of others in the name of Christ or Buddha or Allah are wiped from human history ..."

Correction: "The countless millions who have unleashed the full fury of their sado-masochistic tendencies on the young, foolish and poor in the name of Christ or Buddha or Allah..."

or perhaps: "The countless millions who were berated, brainwashed, tricked, threatened, abused or frightened into devoting their lives selflessly to the service of enriching the mother church in the name of Christ or Buddha or Allah ..."

23. The God Debate

Comment #30072 by panajache69 on April 6, 2007 at 7:34 pm

This debate seems to be a fine example of evolutionary game theory. Each player must decide whether the ultimate 'payoff' lies in peaceful coexistence or absolute victory. Since, as mammals, Theists and Atheists have many mutual interests, it would be wiser for them to cooperate and less productive for them to wage war.

I believe Sam Harris is playing his cards well. For non-believers to preserve themselves and increase their numbers they must emphasize the benefits of their positions in terms that beleivers subscribe to: morality, material success and freedom from pain and suffering. As far as eternal life goes, the Atheist can even offer a genuine molecular permanence.

I agree the PR for Atheism is crap. If Atheism were to stand for something instead of always being presented as being against something, that would be progress.

24. It is possible to respect the believers but not the belief

Comment #14410 by panajache69 on December 22, 2006 at 10:27 am

All these comments presume that these believers have a free will and can be anything other than what they are. It also presumes that aggressive one-on-ones with believers is somehow time spent usefully. I think this highlights one of the themes of the article which is, 'we're going to be fighting each other all year long, let's take a little break at Christmas and let the blood-letting begin anew in January'. Is that such a bad idea?