1. Anti-evolution bill clears another hurdle

Comment #157797 by phopas on April 9, 2008 at 2:39 pm

Open letter I sent to Ms. Storms.,

Dear Ms. Storms:

I am a registered Republican here in Palm Beach county, and I would like to take a moment to comment on your sincere but very wrong and I think damaging position regarding the teaching of modern biology in our schools.

Your position, damages both our children and our political party for the following reasons.

1. Evolution is not "just a theory" in the sense that a scientific theory is equivalent to a guess. Modern Evolutionary theory is as established in science as well as gravitational theory is, or cell theory is, or the germ theory of disease is. It is in fact, the central and unifying idea behind all of modern biology and medicine and to represent otherwise to our kids by using such a verbal trick can only serve to stultify their minds.
2. No aspect of science is complete or dogmatic. For example gravity is not fully understood, but we very well know how to land a spacecraft on the moons of Saturn. This lack of complete knowledge, gaps in our knowledge, does not justify the teaching on a equal level of Astrology as opposed to Astronomy in our schools. To do so would make a mockery of learning and I certainly would support dismissing any teacher who advocates such cynical equivalences.
3. As a committed Republican, who first voted for Ronald Reagan when he ran again Gerald Ford in the New Jersey Primary, I am concerned that our party is being divided by the influence of religious interest groups that in the end will embarrass us and defeat the critical political issues that still need to be addressed. A strong national defense, low rates of taxation for a strong economy, less government intrusion for maximum personal liberty are winning themes . The attempt to broaden the bible belt will only assure that those hostile to those ideas succeed.

You list on your website as a part of your CV being a Baptist. That is fine. Are you aware that when Thomas Jefferson made his famous remark about "the wall of separation between church and state" he was writing to the Baptists of Danbury Connecticut, who were seeking his help afraid of the Congregationalists of Danbury? With good reason, I may add.

We need good science education in this country, I am sure we both agree on this fact. The 21st century is the age of biology as the 20 was the age of physics. The United States because of Scopes, because of so called Creation Science, then so called Intelligent Design, and now "teach the controversy" movements, have left a vast number of our children ignorant of this revolution and it is a disgrace of the first magnitude.

I ask you to check your motivation and do the right thing. It may start with getting an honest education yourself in biology.

2. Archbishop's 8 March centennial message: Let Sharia Law govern women's lives, Amen!

Comment #128593 by phopas on February 17, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Bravo Azar !

"Multiculturalism is racism." - It is about time that someone stated that simple fact in no uncertain terms.

The root of the word "diversity" is "to divide". The exact opposite of the great motto of the US , which is - E pluribus unum, (out of many one).

3. US military accused of harboring fundamentalism

Comment #127502 by phopas on February 15, 2008 at 10:52 am

Well, this kind of excess is well taken care of under the US constitution and the court system. Unlike the UK, we do divide church and state.

The evangelicals truly believe they must do all they can to prevent souls from going to hell. Well, the courts will eventually clip their wings, some officers will lose their jobs and procedures will be established to prevent this from happening in the future.

It takes time effort and courage by some willing to do so, but it will happen. We do not suffer with entrenched fools like the UK's archbishop.

4. Putting Candidates' Religion to the Test

Comment #122827 by phopas on February 6, 2008 at 7:17 am

I also agree with quill, but mostly my politics is very much with Chris Hitchens.

I support the war, the idea that that bunch of religious fanatics - the parties of god- can get nukes and have the feasible idea that the 12 century is better than the 21st is unacceptable and we cannot pretend that that will simply vanish.

The religious right in this country has damaged the republican party and have no real chance of winning. As Hitchens notes they blew it badly with their only wins (prohibition and banning the teaching of evolution )and from those "successes" they have not recovered. Whenever the democrats need money, they send out urgent appeals to the various Jewish groups saying the evangelicals are about to take over and the coffers fill up. but it will never happen.

I cannot understand why support for a strong defense, lower taxes and less governmental interference in peoples lives has anything to do with the religious right.

5. Atheists to celebrate at Darwin Day in Coconut Creek

Comment #121829 by phopas on February 4, 2008 at 8:00 am

I attended last years Darwin Day here in South Florida. One of the Speakers about Darwin was a local left wing Agit-Prop lawyer and Rabbi with no particular credentials in science. The highlight of his "talk" was having his young 3 or 4 year old boy join in chanting trite Anti-Bush songs that were dreadful. I was reminded of Dawkins comments that teaching children religion of that age amounts to child abuse, teaching children political rote that like is just as bad. The audience was encourage to clap along.

I asked him about his stance as a Rabbi of some sort and his professed atheism and he replied that "everyone deserves a homeland". I wondered if he thought Scientologists do as well.

I know Chris Hitchens has a stance in favor of the war on terror not shared by all, but Darwin Day is being hijacked by the weary old Trotskyites. Its meaning as a way to advance the scientific education of all can get lost in all of this.

6. U.S.: 'Demonic' militants sent women to bomb markets in Iraq

Comment #120872 by phopas on February 2, 2008 at 5:46 pm

We developed Smartbombs. Now they have developed Retard Bombs. A new triumph for Muslim science.