1. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #167463 by 4horsefins on April 24, 2008 at 4:34 am

FOOT IN THE DOOR

parent "why do you have that bible in your school bag?"

child " It was in each student's desk, and we were told we could take them home if we want."

parent "why did you?"

child "That cute girl I have been trying to go with got one so I had no choice"

parent "ring...ring...ring"

school "hello"

parent "Why did you give bibles to the students"

school "They said as long as we didn't tell them they had to take it home we could put them in their desks"

2. Supreme Court to consider Ten Commandments vs. 'Seven Aphorisms'

Comment #153804 by 4horsefins on April 2, 2008 at 5:36 am

1. Thou shalt not refuse children medical care.
2. Thou shalt not label children with their own beliefs.
3. Thou shalt not know what happens after death.
4. Thou shalt not refuse Darwinian evolution until you have read the origin of species and the blind watch maker.
5. Thou shalt not put any God's before me, even though I am the only one.

someone give me 5 more

3. Expelled from Expelled: PZ story goes global

Comment #150959 by 4horsefins on March 27, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Does anyone else get the feeling PZ had this planned well in advance...so clever he knew precisely how deep mathis's foot would go in his mouth after not noticing Richard in attendance. Probably well aware of his up coming ejection before he signed his name to the reservation list.
I wouldn't put it past a guy like that.

4. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #150198 by 4horsefins on March 26, 2008 at 2:52 pm

What if they decided to stop feeding one of their babies...instead said "We knew if we stopped feeding the baby, we could just pray and dog would pick up our slack" result " our baby is dead... dog must be mad at us...My question is "Would this be illegal?"

5. They prayed to cast Satan from my body

Comment #145232 by 4horsefins on March 17, 2008 at 11:43 am

Organizations like these have flourished for at least 2000 years using the same tactics. Go in search for the most desperate humans, promise free care, for the low low price of your soul, plus 10% before taxes.

6. Two More Fleas

Comment #143153 by 4horsefins on March 13, 2008 at 2:33 pm

Paula,
The word prophet came to mind when I read your response. Each one of these not so itchy fleas believe their ideas are a direct translation from the sky daddy himself. This is how I predict they will respond to your clever response. Props from me, a fan of your work.

7. Full house captivated by atheist Dawkins' take on religion

Comment #143133 by 4horsefins on March 13, 2008 at 1:59 pm

D Arcy,
That was a great response to the repetitive nature of RD's speeches. Every speech RD gives is like hearing my favorite song for the second time.
It is also like watching a movie like the matrix. You realize a slight difference in the author's intention, each time you watch the film.

8. Lords Approve Abolition Of Blasphemy

Comment #139902 by 4horsefins on March 6, 2008 at 4:43 pm

It sure did seem to me like Richard was getting an excessive amount of press in the matter. Lets steal the statement Huckabee stole from someone else... ...you know your directly over the target when you start receiving the most fire.

9. How to abandon your God

Comment #139640 by 4horsefins on March 6, 2008 at 9:42 am

Where and when will be the first available recording of Richard's tour?

10. How to abandon your God

Comment #139385 by 4horsefins on March 5, 2008 at 5:20 pm

There are 2 fundamental reasons people continue to be religious in spite of the mountain of evidence, that is, they can not distinguish the numinous from the supernatural, and they can not distinguish between the utility of an idea and the truth of one.

11. What's the Point of the Archbishop of Canterbury?

Comment #138634 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Boetheius said we have 5 false goods...

1.power
2.honor
3.riches
4.fame
5.pleasure

12. Hinduism and Buddhism offer much more sophisticated worldviews (or philosophies) and I see nothing wrong with these religions.

Comment #138407 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 9:16 am

True...but we must draw some distinctions. By calling these religions, you are in effect putting a metaphorical blanket over all religions, which causes the lay person to think of them in a stereotypical fashion. There must be a separation between religion and philosophy. No one says it better than Hitchens "We must learn to distinguish the numinous from the supernatural." Philosophy says the laws of physics are unbreakable, or they wouldn't be laws. Religion says the laws of physics are breakable. This is the key difference in my opinion between philosophy and religion. This is also why Buddhism is not a religion.

13. If you don't have religion, where do you find your sense of community?

Comment #138399 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 9:07 am

There is this sight called Richarddawkins.net...I highly recommend it.

14. What are your qualifications to question religion anyway? Just who are you?

Comment #138386 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 8:58 am

What qualifications do you have to question religion anyway? Just who are you?

To me, this question begs the question (or statement)Name one qualification that is an acceptable one when questioning religion.

They have obviously just asked a question which they believe has no correct answer, or there is no qualification.

What qualification does the religious person have to question the flying spaghetti monster?

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

Comment #138361 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 8:32 am

"the meaning of life"
life is "the ability to self reproduce"
This is why paley's watch is not a good argument for design...A watch cannot self reproduce.

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

Comment #138354 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 8:21 am

To the religious mind, atheism is an answer to what atheist's think created the universe. 9 out of 10 completely miss the point that we think there was no creator or creation. This false premise is the only spark this type of idea needs to become provocative.
This is also why there is a misconception between atheism and Satan. Just another strange interpretation the religious mind goes through to fortify their interpretation of truth.

17. People who've experienced God KNOW that God exists

Comment #138325 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 7:44 am

A child who finds money under his/her pillow after loosing a tooth, knows there is a tooth ferry...the difference is, the child's mind evolves, which causes it to start thinking for its self, which in turn causes it to rationalize where the money came from. There is not a cultural movement telling children they will burn in hell if they do not believe in the tooth ferry. This allows their mind to easily imagine mommy putting the money under my pillow because I was so brave in getting my tooth pulled.

18. Please Call Earth. We Still Haven't Found You.

Comment #138281 by 4horsefins on March 4, 2008 at 6:23 am

Just my thoughts... I think that the universe is abundant with self replicating life forms, from microscopic to immense, according to size relevant to human perspective. If this is true, what interests me are the similarities between the evolution of self replicating life here, versus the rest of the known universe. Questions like...Does the average planet which has life, follow a similar pattern...large reptile vertebrates followed by a gradual change in vertebrate brain to body size ratio. Is it possible that some planets have intelligent life first, this life commits some ecological suicide, then large reptilian dinosaurs follow.

19. Survey shows Non-Religious Outnumber Those of Every Single Faith (But One)

Comment #137776 by 4horsefins on March 3, 2008 at 1:18 pm

To be a fundamentalist, you have been successfully programmed to hear the word atheist and automatically put up a wall which says "I know they don't believe in God, I don't care what they do believe in." That is why atheist is the wrong term, as Sam Harris says. It only says what you don't believe in, not what you do. To stand strong in your atheism, you must be ready to answer this question first when meeting a fundamentalist...what do you believe in if you don't believe in God?

20. A natural phenomenon

Comment #137556 by 4horsefins on March 3, 2008 at 6:34 am

Bertrand Russell wrote about practical man and instinctive man. Practical man is only concerned with food for the body, not for the mind. Instinctive man is concerned only with the circle of knowledge contained in the immediate family and friends, any outside knowledge is unaccepted. Here is a quote from Russell on Philosophy. "while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never traveled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in unfamiliar aspects.

21. Darwin's dangerous idea

Comment #137309 by 4horsefins on March 2, 2008 at 4:16 pm

I think the atheist movement has caused a significant reduction in fundamentalism. I live in the bible belt of the US and this is what I see. The vast majority still hold on to their God belief, but it is a watered down version where God and evolution co-exist. "Yes we evolved, but God did that too."

22. A God blog

Comment #137029 by 4horsefins on March 2, 2008 at 7:06 am

If the author reads these posts, Richard has answered the question of religious people doing good because they were religious, on several occasions. Sam Harris speaks brilliantly about this topic at bigthink.com recently.

23. Christopher Hitchens on Real Time with Bill Maher

Comment #136831 by 4horsefins on March 1, 2008 at 7:35 pm

Steve, I agree with you completely, but you would have to agree that it just wouldn't be Hitchens style to make an exception here.

24. Christopher Hitchens on Real Time with Bill Maher

Comment #136826 by 4horsefins on March 1, 2008 at 7:28 pm

"Romney, and the magical Mormon underpants."

This should be the punch line for an american express commercial...someone help me...

...magical Mormon underpants...priceless.

25. Taking evidence seriously

Comment #136813 by 4horsefins on March 1, 2008 at 6:48 pm

I tend to agree with Hitchens on the war. I would like to ask someone against the war a question. Any response appreciated. What type of offense against
America would justify American military action outside the US? How should the US respond to the next attack given it is similar in nature to the last...not nuclear?

26. Ayaan Hirsi Ali to get EU protection

Comment #136407 by 4horsefins on March 1, 2008 at 5:20 am

This is tremendous progress for secularism in my opinion. AHA's commitment to enlightening the world of religious oppression will be viewed as heroic. This will obviously be seen by others looking for strength to leave their faith. Now that's a meme worth spreading.

27. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134732 by 4horsefins on February 28, 2008 at 6:34 am

How to convert a theist in the US

Allow them to get to know you before you tell them your atheist. They probably have not met an atheist before.(as you can tell by the callers) Remember their preconceived notion is we are the scum of the earth. When they get to know us first, they are forced to change their opinion in their own mind. They might not say it out loud, but if you have a close relationship with them, you will instantly see a change in the way they speak theologically toward you. This I see as progress.

28. Are they running for President or Pastor-in-Chief?

Comment #134713 by 4horsefins on February 28, 2008 at 6:08 am

@rod the farmer
Mine would be the never began.

29. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134393 by 4horsefins on February 27, 2008 at 5:50 pm

Richard...brilliant as usual.
I actually enjoy listening to the creationist's call in...and the dumber the better I say. Every once in a while, one of these callers will say something even the most sophisticated theologians would agree with. These are the moments when Richard's venom is most potent.

30. The Encyclopedia of Life, No Bookshelf Required

Comment #133978 by 4horsefins on February 27, 2008 at 5:39 am

What about when the devilish fundies install their "ARK" virus? How will we stop the mass migration to Ararat....Why the hell am I driving towards Ararat?

31. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #133386 by 4horsefins on February 26, 2008 at 6:39 am

If the new testament said in the 1900's we will find out that energy equals the speed of light squared, Richard would be Christian, if the Koran said the same thing, it would surprise no one.

32. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #133369 by 4horsefins on February 26, 2008 at 6:18 am

Lets say staying at home on the couch caused you to kill less living things than while driving. I believe this is true, you must not. Or you must decide not to drive so you can kill less living things. You could only leave the house when doing things which are mandatory to survival, or as Richard would say, making your living.

33. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #133358 by 4horsefins on February 26, 2008 at 6:00 am

of course I think I am more moral than someone who is consciously and willfully responsible for more suffering and death than I am.

Gilks, maybe I can be more clear. I am not saying it is a measurable number, but what if you were to learn that a meat eater who had lived the same number of years as you had, MURDERED less living things than you had because of their lifestyle...sitting on the couch 24/7. That would make you consciously and willfully responsible for more suffering and death than they are.

34. Physicist Neil Turok: Big Bang Wasn't the Beginning

Comment #132908 by 4horsefins on February 25, 2008 at 11:53 am

If you believe time, space, and energy have a birthday, define pre-time, pre-space, pre-energy. Why are we programmed to think...before time there was nothing? Define nothing.

35. How he was sentenced to die

Comment #132892 by 4horsefins on February 25, 2008 at 11:26 am

blasphemy = death
Hold the theist's feet to the fire on this one. Make them say it is barbaric. This type of consciousness raising sharpens our sword of intellectual penetration.

36. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #132701 by 4horsefins on February 25, 2008 at 6:25 am

To all vegetarians... you kill billions of living things, with families that don't want to die, every time you drive to work. Death and sacrifice is a part of life. The problem is the same as theism, your suggesting anyone who is not vegetarian is some how less moral than you because they sacrifice life to sustain their own.

37. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #132695 by 4horsefins on February 25, 2008 at 6:14 am

I get this sick feeling in my stomach when I here vegetarians comment on this. Is it immoral for a male chimp to eat one of his young? How bout a cheetah eating a gazelle?

38. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #132682 by 4horsefins on February 25, 2008 at 6:01 am

there is nothing to justify killing and eating, or medical testing on one animal, while we don't on others.

Is Richard a vegetarian?

What keeps all living things from being cannibalistic? I am new here, how do you highlight a comment by someone else in your own comment box?

39. My Argument With God

Comment #131741 by 4horsefins on February 23, 2008 at 5:36 am

Most people here know this, but some are bravely here subjecting their opinions to rationality. This comment will be pointed toward the latter. The purpose of the article is to show that even 8 yr olds can figure this out. It is also worth pointing out that an 8 yr old can have an opinion more valid than that of a biologist, chemist, rocket scientist...The power of indoctrination is so powerful, it can cause people to...I will let the next commenter fill out the rest.

40. Don't blame Islam for terrorism, expert says

Comment #131273 by 4horsefins on February 22, 2008 at 6:55 am

I say lets tell everyone horrible evil has been done in the name of atheism, so has it been done in the name of religion. A critical observer would say this. "Since it is true that horrible evil has been done both in the name of atheism and in the name of religion, does this not say to the rationalist that horrible evil has nothing to do with what someone thinks the origin of the universe is? It can be committed from either side. To me this means WE DO NOT GET OUR MORALS FROM ATHEISM OR RELIGION. I believe this type of reasoning is a much easier pill for creationists to swallow.

41. Whale Evolution

Comment #131258 by 4horsefins on February 22, 2008 at 6:20 am

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TRANSITIONAL FORM!

PJG states correctly "everything living is a transitionl form" Every living thing is also a product of evolution. This means not only are we evolving, we are transitioning into our next form...NOW!!! and always.