Comments by a non e-moose

1. £35,000 of taxpayers' cash given to 'atheist bus' group

Comment #291501 by a non e-moose on November 26, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Theists keep accusing atheism of being 'just another religion'

Now that an atheist group is getting the privliges of religious groups, it's not just another religion any more...

2. Puncturing the Acupuncture Myth

Comment #286298 by a non e-moose on November 18, 2008 at 1:15 pm

@decius

I wear sandals every day and have müsli every morning, except for slow sunday mornings, on which I have beans. Not a fan of acupuncture though.

3. I am Darwin

Comment #285600 by a non e-moose on November 17, 2008 at 11:11 am

what's the point? this seems stupid.

4. Educated Catholics have sown dissent and confusion in the Church, claims bishop

Comment #285597 by a non e-moose on November 17, 2008 at 11:05 am

Yes, wouldn't it be so much easier, if they stopped thinking and shut up and did as they're told?

Edit: disclaimer: this comment was based on the title of the article, and the title alone. (tl;dr.)

EDIT II: Ok, finally read it, and lold. He has realized that education is a threat to faith, but draws all the wrong conclusions.

@flying goose. I think that it is fair to say that overall, although there are exceptions, educated people tend to be more questioning and accept dogma less readily. He is terrified of this (as he should be if he wants to keep the air of authority he currently enjoys) and I do rejoice in it. if you don't like it, that's your problem.

5. Religion

Comment #285154 by a non e-moose on November 16, 2008 at 7:04 pm

why is this posted here? If I wanted to see a random, generic antireligious youtube clip, I'd go to youtube and type in 'atheist'.

Also, I could swear I've seen it like a year ago.

6. Islamic Theologian's Theory: It's Likely the Prophet Muhammad Never Existed

Comment #285039 by a non e-moose on November 16, 2008 at 3:31 pm

This must be the most astonishing degree of doublethink I have heard of. He does research from primary sources that leads him to conclude that mohamed wasn't real, yet he still considers himself a muslim.

7. Church Preaches The Music Of Beethoven

Comment #284789 by a non e-moose on November 15, 2008 at 7:13 pm

If I had to name anything worth worshipping, beethoven just might be it...

8. Astronomers capture first images of newly discovered solar system

Comment #284002 by a non e-moose on November 14, 2008 at 4:58 am

@ Geraint

Of course, your right hubble doesn't need adaptive optics. I've learnt about that stuff, not sure what I was thinking.

This does still leave the Hubble picture quite puzzling though...

9. Astronomers capture first images of newly discovered solar system

Comment #283742 by a non e-moose on November 13, 2008 at 6:57 pm

@Steve
I thought it was decades away too, what happened? hubbles been around fr a while, why hasn't it been able to do this before?

edit: I suppose it's the adaptive optics that have improved. Pretty cool how they can improve the hardware like that.

edit: wtf, the whole point of the story is the picture, and cnn put a boring old stock photo (or stock "artists impression") of exoplanets...

10. Astronomers capture first images of newly discovered solar system

Comment #283723 by a non e-moose on November 13, 2008 at 6:32 pm

bad astronomy is excited: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/13/huge-exoplanet-news-items-pictures/

11. Catholic bishops warn Obama they'll fight on abortion: Statement to focus on 'opposing evil'

Comment #282781 by a non e-moose on November 12, 2008 at 5:59 pm

@hawt4dawk

I'm also not much impressed with their stated willingness to give their own lives over the issue as the same could be said of the 9-11 terrorists. Frankly, such statements sound threatening in this day and age.

Yes, I find the rhetoric a bit disturbing too. It can easily be interpreted as an implicit threat of violence, since violent confrontations of some form is by far the most likely type of situation to require such a sacrifice. However I don't think it's meant as a threat. It's revealing, but mostly just careless, I think.

edit: grammar and such.

12. Catholic bishops warn Obama they'll fight on abortion: Statement to focus on 'opposing evil'

Comment #282766 by a non e-moose on November 12, 2008 at 5:36 pm

@ jabber

relax man, it happens. Don't take the internet too seriously.

I think the reason no one responded is because no one found anything dissagreable in your posts. Regular posters tend to get more responses too, and maybe get an avatar, so you're easily recognized. Also, congratulations on 'coming out'.

13. Catholic bishops warn Obama they'll fight on abortion: Statement to focus on 'opposing evil'

Comment #282603 by a non e-moose on November 12, 2008 at 12:49 pm

@friendly pig

Fine, an unfertilized egg and a sperm have a somewhat lower chance of becoming life, but my point still stands. If you're consistent with 'pro-life' logic, women commit murder once every few months by not getting pregnant, and men commit genocide by the minute, even when dissregarding the two headed sperms.

The moment of coneption just isn't a sensible time to draw the line.

14. Catholic bishops warn Obama they'll fight on abortion: Statement to focus on 'opposing evil'

Comment #282533 by a non e-moose on November 12, 2008 at 11:32 am

"Questions of morality are questions about happiness and suffering. This is why you and I do
not have moral obligations toward rocks." - Sam Harris

I can see why the moment of conception, superficially, seems a sensible place to draw the line of when ending a potential life is acceptable, but there is no fundamental difference between a newly fertilized egg and the sperm and egg it originated from; any given egg or sperm has just as much potential to become a life. The fertilized egg is nowhere near developing the abillity to percieve happiness and suffering. If you consistantly follow the 'pro-life' logic, every month a woman does not get pregnant, she is commiting murder, and men commit genocides by the minute.

Therefore, the only sense in which abortion is a moral issue is in regard to the mothers happiness and suffering.

edit. Also, 1st
edit II: mr blue sky, where'd you come from? You stole my '1st'!

15. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278229 by a non e-moose on November 4, 2008 at 1:22 pm

was this really worth posting?

16. Swatting attacks on fruit flies and science

Comment #277382 by a non e-moose on November 3, 2008 at 3:25 pm

@hungarianelephant

i was about to cry, but then I realized that it must be satire...

...right?

17. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277333 by a non e-moose on November 3, 2008 at 12:21 pm

@ eh-theist
of course, you're right.

18. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277310 by a non e-moose on November 3, 2008 at 11:22 am

wbc is a godsent for showing people how ugly religion can be. Religious may say it's a straw man, and few religious are like that, but I say that it's the moderates are the perversion of true faith not the fundamentalists.

19. Prepare for an ugly battle in Texas

Comment #276301 by a non e-moose on November 1, 2008 at 5:32 pm

@ascaphus

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. They should offer a foundation year to texans at least...

20. A slow but certain demise

Comment #276064 by a non e-moose on November 1, 2008 at 7:23 am

I think the term 'modern humans' is the best way to distinguish between 'Homo sapiens neanderthalensis' and 'Homo sapiens sapiens' in non-scientific conversation.

21. Teaching hate in UK schools

Comment #275235 by a non e-moose on October 31, 2008 at 2:25 am

man, that's a tough and oppinionated interviewer...

22. A slow but certain demise

Comment #275035 by a non e-moose on October 30, 2008 at 4:23 pm

My atheist nightmare is not a banana, but in 200 years time people will be earnestly worshipping images of the Flying Spaghetti Monster...

I really don't like bananas, thay trigger my Pharyngeal reflex for some reason...

23. A slow but certain demise

Comment #274915 by a non e-moose on October 30, 2008 at 2:16 pm

@Jamcam87

I agree, but that rationalism is better, but I don't think all delusions are equal. Some are actively harmful, while others are merely an obstacle to understanding the world it really is. It's a step in the righ direction at least, don't you think?

24. A slow but certain demise

Comment #274843 by a non e-moose on October 30, 2008 at 12:31 pm

If you really are an atheist, what on earth is there to feel guilty about in declaring yourself as such?

25. Portrayal of Religion in the Media: Religion is Political

Comment #274146 by a non e-moose on October 29, 2008 at 4:37 pm

I don't think it's being ignored. Not that I don't think religion deserves more attention, but it's an exageration to say it's being ignored.

26. Somalia: Rape Victim Executed

Comment #274142 by a non e-moose on October 29, 2008 at 4:30 pm

at least they're consistent with their own theology, unlike moderate believers, gotta give them that...

Edit. i realize that's a horribly cynical comment. Do not interpret it as that I m saying that theology is in any way an excuse for murder.

27. Richard Dawkins embarrassed after death and subsequent resurrection

Comment #273900 by a non e-moose on October 29, 2008 at 11:41 am

if this article is trying to make a point, I fail to see it.

28. Sarah Palin's War on Science

Comment #273502 by a non e-moose on October 28, 2008 at 7:39 pm

@quantum_flux

There are many reasons why tax money should go into research with no stated goal (of practical applications). The most obvious one is that just because there is no practical application in sight does not mean that there will never be one.

Second is that scientists main motivation is typically not making lots of money, and in order to inspire new generations of scientists, (something which society greatly relies on), it is neccisary to maintain an broad infrastructure with room for basic curiosity driven research. We would be nowhere without that kind of research.

Basically science is interesting, and if you don't like it, you can fuck off.

29. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #273027 by a non e-moose on October 28, 2008 at 3:47 am

These days, if Richard Dawkins was reported as simply saying "I would like a cup of tea", someone like Melanie Phillips would post a ranting article about how Dawkins was condeming coffee drinkers. Then Robertson would write a stern letter to the Telegraph complaining that "militant atheists are trying to dictate what we have for breakfast".

I think you're right. I feel a bit embarassed how emotionally involved I got in this thread previously. The video was, deliberately i suspect, painting the image that dawkins was about to launch a campaign against fiction simmilar to his campaign against religion. And I fell for it.

I still think it's absurd to even be agnostic about weather fictional books and films featuring supernatural phenoenon may inhibit abillity to reason, but by all means, go ahead and do the research.

Like Dawkins often so skillfully points out, being agnostic is not neccisarily the most sensible position to take. I can see no evidence or reasoning to justify even an agnostic stance on this issue.

30. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #273019 by a non e-moose on October 28, 2008 at 3:25 am

I lold @ the dan2 drama. Good show. 4/5

31. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272711 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 6:26 pm

some recent, somewhat realated research: http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=the-real-monsters-on-halloween-08-10-27

32. Premier debates with Dawkins

Comment #272569 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 3:40 pm

That last line about dishonest use of words was very well put. I'll use that.

33. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272534 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 2:34 pm

Richard Dawkins alienating a portion of the fan base? I find this as ridiculous as an incident where Richard Dawkins admits he can't stand the taste of tomato soup and tomato soup fans are furious. Is he alienating all of the tomato soup-lovers in his potential fan base? I think not.

OK, I'll retreat on that comment, it seems a bit sily in retrospect. Anyway, I don't expect dawkins cares much for having a fanbase, beyond promoting science and reason.

However, I stand my ground on that it is misguided to even suspect, agnostic or not, that fiction inhibits ability to reason, as long as it's not passed as anything else than fiction.

I would however be interested in a study on how fiction (other than religion) affects kids when it IS passed as fact. I was never brought up to believe santa was real, and I don't think many people in sweden were. I've always found it strange what a big deal it was in american movies and tv series.

edit: yes, mark smith you are being over the top. However, Dawkins statements on the subject are no more than intuition and feeling as well. I have suggested a mechanism for how fiction may enhance abillity for reason, I don't see one for the opposite argument.

edit II: having watched the video again Maybe I reacted too strongly. I noted Richard says "bringing up children to BELIVE in magic and spells" is anti scientific, which is obviously true. I don't think it's very common, besides religions, that people do bring up children to believe in these things though.

That said, the book sounds like it could be very good. I'll buy it for my 5 year old nephew, although he doesn't need much convincing. A few months ago, out of nowere, he started excitedly telling me about how humans evolved from monkeys.

34. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272516 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 2:18 pm

I thought one of the main points of this thread was about questioning assumptions like this.

Again, this is anecdotal, bit it isn't an entirely baseless assumption; pretty much all the fantasy geeks I know will readily go into nostalgic monologous about the fantasy books they read as children... it can be quite annoying really...

35. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272506 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 2:02 pm

@steve
I consider teenagers children, in which case I thought it was a fair assumption that a fantasy fan in their 20's is more likely to have read a lot of fantasy as a child. If you're talking 5 year-olds, it may be a less valid assumption. Still, I'm curious to know where Dawkins got his suspicions from in the first place. I expect he would find the opposite if someone actually did the studies he is advocating.

I give up! This seems to be one of those topics!

I don't understand what you mean by that.

36. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272486 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 1:47 pm

@ steve zara

What, you think that fantasy fans in their 20s only read textbooks as kids?

As long as no one is telling kids that harry potter is actually true, it seems absurd to me to think it is anti-scientific. I think it has the oposite effect; the more fiction one is exposed to, regardless of age, the better equipped one is to tell fact from fiction.

Really, this is completely misguided, and I fear Dawkins risks alienating a large portion of his potential fan base if he keeps this up.

Edit: @Dawkins: fantasy and science fiction share a large portions of its fanbase.

37. Interview with Richard Dawkins on fairy tales and retirement

Comment #272471 by a non e-moose on October 27, 2008 at 1:33 pm

I'm not sure I understand what He's saying... is he saying fantasy literature is anti-scientific? In my exerience, fantasy geeks (I've known quite a few of them) are typically more rational and intellifgent than the average joe.

I understand you don't give a bugger about this anecdotal evidence, but I wonder what raised your suspicion of a pernicious effect of fantasy in the first place?

The majority of the people in the fantasy society at my uni are studying science, and quite a few are also in the atheist society.

...then again, I do know a fantasy geek that is into alchemy and 'witchcraft' as well.

38. Countdown: Palin Wants To Help Special Needs Kids By Doing Away With Science

Comment #271477 by a non e-moose on October 25, 2008 at 5:28 pm

@8theist

I found it interesting that hitchs says "Sure will" at the end there, when the other guy says "you can vote against it if you'd like". Does this mean he's voting obama? iirc, He was strongly opposed to Obama before.

Also, Hitchens really sucks at getting his point across. I imagine he only ever really appeals to us in the choir.

39. Countdown: Palin Wants To Help Special Needs Kids By Doing Away With Science

Comment #271433 by a non e-moose on October 25, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Them crazy scientists with their crazy experiments... why on earth would they want to study fruitflies?

@silent mike
This website isn't only about religion, it's also about science.

40. 'People say I'm strident'

Comment #271265 by a non e-moose on October 25, 2008 at 12:45 pm

I wasn't sure the bus campaign was a good idea, but it seems to be generating a lot of good discussion.

41. If You Open Your Mind Too Much Your Brain Will Fall Out (Take My Wife)

Comment #271060 by a non e-moose on October 25, 2008 at 7:53 am

never heard of this guy before, but I just watched all the videos with him on youtube. Brilliant.

Comment #269067 by a non e-moose on October 22, 2008 at 3:11 pm

al-rawandi.

a descent welfare system isn't about supporting people who refuse to work. The hordes of lazy slobs who live just to steal your tax money are all in your mind. Nobody wants to live in poverty if they can help it, shame has nothing to do with it.

If there really are hordes of lazy slobs who are content with just living off of your work, my guess the problem lies in lack of self-esteem and motivation due to poor education and opportunities. But your free market is taking care of that, right?

You have too much faith in that the free market is fair, and that the money you make is proportional to how hard you work.

I get money for my studies, and if I had chosen to stay in sweden, uni would be free. My brother and his wife get money to take time off work for months to take care of their newborn baby. I am confident that I can get healthcare when I need it (although admittedly, swedish healthcare does leave some to be desired, but probably not as much as american healthcare). Do you really think there is shame in accepting these things?

Comment #269008 by a non e-moose on October 22, 2008 at 1:53 pm

In sweden we also have socialism. That's another disilusion Americans need to be dissabused of, that a decent welfare system is inherently anti-democratic, and inevitably results in nuclear holocausts and siberian labour camps.

Henri: I agree there should grades in swedish schools. As for the rest, you seem like you are either mad or juvenile.

Talk of deporting or rejecting immigrants purely on basis of belief and maintaining swedish culture, along with judgements of what ancient ancestors would have thought reeks of thinly veiled xenophobia and supremism.

44. A 'values' voter speaks her mind on Obama

Comment #267311 by a non e-moose on October 20, 2008 at 12:25 pm

@al-rawandi

what's socialism got to do with having a minimum qualifications for voting? This woman is basing her desicion on the name of the candidate for christ sake! It is precicely the reason children are not allowed to vote, because they are not qualified to have an opinion.

Of course, any kind of qualification based on anything but age could very easily be abused (not just by socialism), so in practice it's better to focus on education so that as many as possible actually are qualified.

45. A 'values' voter speaks her mind on Obama

Comment #267278 by a non e-moose on October 20, 2008 at 11:52 am

o_O

46. Convert or we will kill you, Hindu lynch mobs tell fleeing Christians

Comment #266566 by a non e-moose on October 19, 2008 at 10:20 am

nothing new here...

47. Ecological Flea

Comment #264734 by a non e-moose on October 15, 2008 at 6:03 am

@ enlightenme..

That's no flea. As far as I can tell they're intensly anti-christian. They have bands like amon amarth and god dethroned listed as their 'friends', and it says they've been on tour with carpathian forest who I can't imagine would ever take a christian band on tour with them.

48. Ecological Flea

Comment #264501 by a non e-moose on October 14, 2008 at 2:37 pm

That spiral in the picture in the top right corner of the book cover has a pretty cool visual effect when you scroll it up and down on the screen.

That's the only comment worth making on this book.

EDIT: I'll make another comment anyway. Judging from the cover and title, I suspect that it is some form of argument from design, possibly about how very precise and complex geometrical shapes can't occur purely through natural selection; something Dawkins has specifically addressed in at least one of his books, although I can't remember which one at the moment.

...of course, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, it's just some speculation.

49. Why Evolution is True

Comment #264040 by a non e-moose on October 13, 2008 at 2:54 pm

isn't dawkins working on a similar book himself at the moment?

50. Dawkins: a theologian's perspective

Comment #261259 by a non e-moose on October 6, 2008 at 3:01 pm

@mmurray

I don't think they actually believe in it. it seems more like a cosplay type of thing to me...

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