1. Godless

Comment #192412 by Biblebeltheretic on June 13, 2008 at 2:44 am

Post 16;

I suspect "keeping religion a private affair" is a tactic to avoid saying you don't believe the bullshit. I used it myself when I was much younger and wasn't comfortable saying I was an atheist.

It gives the impression that you are religious but would rather not talk about it.

2. Sue Blackmore debates Alister McGrath

Comment #149055 by Biblebeltheretic on March 25, 2008 at 4:00 am

I'm not convinced McGrath was ever an atheist. It sounds to me like rebellion against the violence he grew up with.

3. Exorcism undergoes a revival across Europe

Comment #125795 by Biblebeltheretic on February 12, 2008 at 4:22 am

"People are worried about the potential for crazy people coming here"

Sounds like they are already there!

4. Belief in Belief

Comment #117519 by Biblebeltheretic on January 29, 2008 at 2:55 am

Upgrade01A

"I do not believe most religious people perceive their beliefs in anyway close to what is often depicted by Hichins, Dawkins, or Harris. Some of them do."

It's quite clear you have never spent time in the Bible belt!!

5. 'Gospel of wealth' facing scrutiny

Comment #104167 by Biblebeltheretic on December 28, 2007 at 3:20 am

Oh yes; I see repeated calls for legislation to protect "these people" from being taken advantage of. I have lived in various parts of the Bible belt for over 40 years and believe me there is no protecting the seriously deluded with laws. They are buying a spot in heaven and no matter how often these crooks are exposed they will continue to send money to them.

6. 'Gospel of wealth' facing scrutiny

Comment #104163 by Biblebeltheretic on December 28, 2007 at 3:13 am

Incredulous; I meant nothing. Just repeating a couple of old sayings. Anyone can be fooled once But one who falls for the same scam over and over with the same result qualifies as a fool in my opinion. Also, I don't see how age or occupation have anything to do with it. "There is no fool like an old fool" you know.

7. 'Gospel of wealth' facing scrutiny

Comment #104149 by Biblebeltheretic on December 28, 2007 at 2:39 am

The phrases "A fool and his money are soon parted" and "You can't protect a fool from himself" come to mind.

8. Larry King Interviews Kathy Griffin

Comment #71559 by Biblebeltheretic on September 19, 2007 at 3:16 am

Thank you Yorker!

9. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #49471 by Biblebeltheretic on June 12, 2007 at 3:49 am

"Offense is what people take when they can't take argument"

Great line. Is it a Dawkins original?

10. Should Science Speak to Faith? A dialog between Lawrence Krauss and Richard Dawkins

Comment #47308 by Biblebeltheretic on June 4, 2007 at 3:46 am

At the risk of sounding pessimistic, anyone who thinks religion will be destroyed in 15 or 50 years has never lived in the bible belt.

11. Hitchens on Falwell, Part 2

Comment #43562 by Biblebeltheretic on May 22, 2007 at 2:49 am

Watching this clip brought back a conversation from my distant military past when some friends and I were having a few beers. One friend was venting about a fellow we all knew who had just died and was very much disliked by all when one of the others cut in and said "Hey, the man's dead. Your supposed to say something good about a person who is dead". My friend thought for a second and replied "He's dead... good!"

12. How multiculturalism is betraying women

Comment #37013 by Biblebeltheretic on May 3, 2007 at 6:29 am

Comment #37004 by Russell Blackford

Russell, you make perfect sense as usual.

I may have read more into your post than was actually there. I certainly didn't mean to imply you would defend violence against women or anyone else for that matter.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that when something is fundamentally wrong we shouldn't hesitate to say so out of fear of being labeled racist. There are plenty of people looking for reasons to label someone racist to further their agenda whatever it may be.

I also have experienced that sinking feeling you describe and kept my mouth shut on occasion but I think I do it more for my wife's sake than for mine.

13. How multiculturalism is betraying women

Comment #36996 by Biblebeltheretic on May 3, 2007 at 4:50 am

Comment #36988 by Russell Blackford

Russell, I always enjoy reading your posts as you give clear and rational arguments, but I have to disagree with this one.

This kind of brutality is flat wrong in any culture and no one should fear being called a racist for criticizing it.

It can be argued that slavery was part of the southern culture in the US but no one here would be reluctant to condemn it.

As for the judge's remarks, it's like telling a woman she should have expected to be raped for being at a certain place or being dressed a certain way. Disgusting!!

14. Thanks for the Facts. Now Sell Them.

Comment #31952 by Biblebeltheretic on April 15, 2007 at 3:35 am

"We agree with Dawkins on evolution and admire his books, so we don't enjoy singling him out. But he stands as a particularly stark example of scientists' failure to explain hot-button issues, such as global warming and evolution, to a wary public."

This is absurd!! In "The Blind Watchmaker" Prof Dawkins did a beautiful job of explaining evolution in a way anyone could understand. Although I have always been an atheist, I never really understood the concept until I read it.

Carl Sagan was extremely popular with the public because of his crystal clear presentations.

The problem is that most Americans don't like to do their own thinking. It's scary to them. They would rather let someone else do it for them and they will listen to the one who makes them feel warm and fuzzy. Evangelical preachers know this and exploit it. You will never reach these people with reason.

The answer is in educating the young so they understand they don't need an afterlife in glory land to be comfortable in this one.

15. Hey Mom, I'm an Atheist

Comment #31113 by Biblebeltheretic on April 11, 2007 at 3:40 am

Strictly a layman's opinion, but the elitism and condescension really shine through on some of the posts here. Especially those that state a teenager isn't mature enough to be an atheist without years of extensive study.

At ten or twelve years of age(can't remember exactly)the whole idea of the big guy in the sky seemed so patently absurd to me I just couldn't buy it. After 63 years I still can't.

It was kind of like the first professional wrestling match I saw on TV. I remember thinking who, in their right mind could ever believe this shit is real.

16. How to defend your faith with an electric wheelchair

Comment #30434 by Biblebeltheretic on April 8, 2007 at 3:33 am

"Pursifull is a burly man who lays carpet for a living in Utah when he's not leading his flock at the Wilderness Bible Baptist Church in Duchesne, a rural community about 100 miles east of Salt Lake City."

Hmmm....Could this be a result of spending too much time on your knees??

17. Answers To the Atheists

Comment #30272 by Biblebeltheretic on April 7, 2007 at 11:20 am

What, actually, did he answer?? In his last sentence he admits he has no answers to his own questions but he celebrates Easter because it feels good.

18. A 'Sad First' in the History of the Congress

Comment #25773 by Biblebeltheretic on March 15, 2007 at 5:02 am

I doubt if this will go anywhere because politicians don't like to be put on the spot. However, they also are famous for telling people what they want to hear so it won't be too difficult to get the bible thumpers to stand up and proclaim belief in god.

A good indicator of those who are skeptics might be the ones who sidestep the question so they won't have to tell an outright lie and then turn up the heat on them.

19. Non-believers can be bigoted too

Comment #25764 by Biblebeltheretic on March 15, 2007 at 4:27 am

"I honestly consider Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris to be making fools of us all."

I guess, as in the case for religion, ignorance is bliss but I'm quite happy to be a fool in the mold of Dawkins and Harris!

20. Evangelicals battle over agenda, environment

Comment #25555 by Biblebeltheretic on March 14, 2007 at 4:43 am

"But he asserted that his followers — especially young people — no longer want the old guard of evangelicals to define their priorities."

Do I detect a few seeds of thought sprouting here or is this too much to hope for??

21. She's No Fundamentalist: What people get wrong about Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Comment #24681 by Biblebeltheretic on March 8, 2007 at 3:32 am

melisande,

"But is this the same Hitchens that wrote "Why Women Aren't Funny"?
Because he can fuck off."

Here is the article

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/01/hitchens200701

22. Religion and Politics

Comment #24336 by Biblebeltheretic on March 6, 2007 at 3:48 am

"I'm trying to work out how religious these various Presidential candidates really are. Of course they all talk a good game but then they have to if they want to have any chance of winning, and from the other side of the Atlantic it's difficult to tell who is telling the truth."

It's easy to tell if a politician is lying, his/her lips are moving.

23. God, sex, drugs and politics

Comment #22629 by Biblebeltheretic on February 20, 2007 at 6:43 am

This opposition to the HPV vaccine by the Christian right is but another example of the subjugation of women by pious men. If it were men dying at a higher rate than women from this virus these same pious bastards would be proclaiming the vaccine to be a gift from God and be lined up with their young sons at the clinics.

24. Blashpemy Challenge Interview

Comment #20025 by Biblebeltheretic on January 31, 2007 at 5:31 am

Toaldingham: Why ( to a few of you) does everything have to be discussed on an "intellectual level"(whatever that means for you) Professor Dawkins is the Professor of public understanding of science and since the vast majority of public aren't intellectuals(including myself) I doubt that he intended his site and forum be for intellectuals only. You may not agree but there are millions of us without your level of education, who don't believe in religious nonsense but have something to say. These young(mostly) people on Blasphemy Challenge seem to be quite bright and just want to let their peers know they won't be indoctrinated. I see nothing childish or immature about that.

Most of the people on this forum are very intelligent, witty and compassionate. But a few have such a high opinion of themselves and their intellect that their posts are arrogant and condescending. I don't think Professor Dawkins intended that to be so.

I love this site, the articles and the discussions because they contribute to my on going self education and are extremely thought provoking. However, sometimes I get the impression that a few of you think I and those like me don't belong here. Sorry if I offended anyone.

25. 12 Year Old Girl Prodigy Paints Pictures of God

Comment #18810 by Biblebeltheretic on January 23, 2007 at 4:03 am

Why is God looking up, as if praying??? Could this be a clue as to who created the creator??

26. Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory

Comment #18084 by Biblebeltheretic on January 18, 2007 at 8:29 am

David A Robertson seems to be having quite a good time over a couple of posters that might have thought the parody was real. To that I will say, had I not seen the "it's a joke" disclaimer and after living in the Bible belt for 45 years(currently about 20 miles from Kent Hovind's dinosaur museum) I wouldn't have any trouble believing it to be true. I have some neighbors who would have been quoting scripture to back it up. If you don't think Christian fundies are thick, I suggest you check out the religion forums on bellsouth.net if you can keep from puking!

27. If they preach the cause of the poor, they're my people

Comment #15845 by Biblebeltheretic on January 3, 2007 at 10:24 am

If all the assets of all the organized religions of the world were turned into cash and added to all the money spent on utilities and maintenance for their massive structures there would probably be enough to wipe out poverty in most of the world.


This guy is full of s--t!!

28. How Old is the Grand Canyon? Park Service Won't Say

Comment #15306 by Biblebeltheretic on December 30, 2006 at 9:22 am

Damn, and I thought Pecos Bill took a stick and dug the grand canyon. Yippi i aye yippi i ooo he's the toughest critter west of the alamo

29. Vicars in a Twist

Comment #12655 by Biblebeltheretic on December 13, 2006 at 5:31 am

Funny! I love a good parody.

Check this one out. www.landoverbaptist.org