1. Highway to hysteria

Comment #93957 by matt2112 on December 4, 2007 at 1:43 pm

Thank you for that clip, which was obviously a sneak preview of a forthcoming Chris Morris satire.

Wasn't it?

Oh... :/

2. Richard Dawkins at The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival

Comment #29920 by matt2112 on April 5, 2007 at 1:37 pm

Agreed with pretty much all of the above. Not since the spectacularly vacuous theobabble of Rowan Williams have I heard so many words said that add up to so little.

Deary, deary me. McGrath is an insomnia sufferer's dream come true. I'm reminded of that Mr Bean sketch where Bean is in a church next to Angus Deayton, listening to a sermon which is relayed just in meaningless, pious-sounding vocal noises while Bean tries desperately, hilariously and unsuccessfully to stay awake.

See, that's about the extent to which McGrath has got me considering his contribution to this debate. At least he put a smile on my face.

3. Neil Peart cites The God Delusion in new album's liner notes

Comment #27990 by matt2112 on March 27, 2007 at 2:06 pm

Rush have been my favourite band since the late 70s - when I was about six years old (hence my login name).

I'm feverishly anticipating the new album and tour! All of their music is sublime - Power Windows is my favourite album. Nice to see some other fans here!

4. Do stop behaving as if you are God, Professor Dawkins

Comment #21206 by matt2112 on February 8, 2007 at 3:18 am

"It reminds us that we need to treat those who disagree with us with intellectual respect, rather than dismissing them - as Dawkins does - as liars, knaves and charlatans.

But when I debated these points with him, Dawkins seemed uncomfortable. I was not surprised to be told that my contribution was to be cut."

Probably because you accused him of something he didn't actually say.

"The Root Of All Evil? was subsequently panned for its blatant unfairness. Where, the critics asked, was a responsible, informed Christian response to Dawkins?"

Oh, that old chestnut. Look, if you make a programme about, say, the dangers of drugs, you concentrate on crack addicts and not those who enjoy a spot of afternoon tea.

5. Do stop behaving as if you are God, Professor Dawkins

Comment #21117 by matt2112 on February 7, 2007 at 3:33 pm

"I believe if anyone is "immune to argument" it is him."

McGrath just doesn't get it, does he? To suggest that Prof Dawkins simply dismisses theistic arguments out of hand without giving them the merest consideration is a bit of an insult. Still, it is at least in keeping with the wild ad hom machine gun this snotty little article amounts to.

6. Discussion of The God Delusion

Comment #18133 by matt2112 on January 18, 2007 at 2:02 pm

DIRECTOR: So, guys, you're here to review Dawkins' book, yes?

PANEL (together): Yes!

DIRECTOR: Okay...Germaine, how many chapters have you read?

GERMAINE: Well to be honest, I read a couple and...kind of skimmed through the rest...

DIRECTOR: Good enough. If you're stuck, just come out with some inane, random personal anecdotes, okay? The more irrelevant the better.

GERMAINE: Sure! No Problem!

DIRECTOR: Well, the rest of you, we've only got 13 minutes to play with so...did you like the book?

PANEL (together): No!

DIRECTOR: Okay. In that case just be generally bitter and patronizing about it, you don't really have to take on any of its points.

PANEL (together): Well, that's a relief. When do I get my $500...?

7. God's Enemies Are More Honest Than His Friends

Comment #15326 by matt2112 on December 30, 2006 at 11:46 am

One of the best Harris articles I've read, this. Brilliant.

8. The problem with secularism

Comment #14371 by matt2112 on December 22, 2006 at 6:53 am

@ #14362

Thanks, Monolith, I suspected it was genuine, but it's so full of spectacularly woolly post-modernist cant that it would make for a good spoof.

Anyway, at least its content forgoes the requirement to take the piss out of it, which saves me a job.

9. The problem with secularism

Comment #14348 by matt2112 on December 22, 2006 at 5:55 am

Don't fret. I'm sure James Randi, or someone, will reveal themselves as the author of this hoax. Don't bite, guys and girls. Just count the non sequiturs in this piece if you have any trouble sleeping.

10. The problem with secularism

Comment #14342 by matt2112 on December 22, 2006 at 5:47 am

This is a spoof, right?

Right...?

11. Beneath The Surface

Comment #14001 by matt2112 on December 20, 2006 at 3:09 pm

Great clip. Good to hear an interviewer who is informed about the subject, asks intelligent questions, gives generous airtime to the answers and interjects only at the most appropriate points.

A refreshing change, in fact.

12. The Trouble with Atheism

Comment #13782 by matt2112 on December 19, 2006 at 12:15 pm

I watched Liddle's programme with a bingo card of common fallacies and, half-way through, got a full house!

Do I win £10?

13. Intelligent Design packets

Comment #13369 by matt2112 on December 17, 2006 at 10:00 am

Whooaaahhhh, back up, back up. Did he really say, "There's good evidence against evolution"?

Let's watch it again....well, yes, he did.

I therefore look forward to his receipt of the Nobel Prize.

14. Richard Dawkins on The Sunday Edition

Comment #13364 by matt2112 on December 17, 2006 at 9:35 am

Had Tony Benn been on the piss or what? He seemed to think that if he repeated his excuse for an argument enough times it would make it correct.

The presenters were equally lame, assuming the burden of proof was on Prof Dawkins. Still, it was nice to see that he seemed to be happily cruising along in second gear, having heard all this theistic guff a thousand times before.