1. An Atheist Goes Undercover to Join the Flock of Mad Pastor John Hagee

Comment #176611 by Vandemeer on May 7, 2008 at 7:09 pm

funny but sad.

mordacious1 here's a link

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080507/full/453138a.html

2. Interviews with Richard Dawkins and Michael Shermer

Comment #164367 by Vandemeer on April 20, 2008 at 6:13 am

rod-the-farmer

Here's some typical comments I've received. Like you it hasn't been that bad but for me it never ends.

"How can someone so nice be that way." -relative

"I'll pray for you." -colleague

"Oh, you're one of them." -priest

"I pray for you everyday." -relative

"you kids weren't raised that way" -tearful parent (I helped to deconvert one of my brothers.)

My former pastor came to visit my home many years ago and invited me to attend bible study. I told him I didn't know if I was up for debating the existance of god with him. He said he wasn't inviting debate. Before he left he asked my wife to join him in a prayer for my soul; I looked on. Haven't seen him since.

Many of my family members are still hoping that I will regain my sensibility some day.

3. In His Name We Pray, Ramen

Comment #152130 by Vandemeer on March 30, 2008 at 8:07 am

Being a former Lutheran I disagree with gimlibengloin about the author being dishonest. The term he used was faith-based adherent not creationist. I can vouch for the fact that conservative LCMS dogma infers that dinosaur bones were placed there to test one's faith.

"But we can be absolutely certain
that God created everything in the
universe, including the fossilized
dinosaur bones whose age we measure
to be 100 million years. For us
to expect to understand how He did
this is complete folly on our part."

-Lutheran Witness - Jan. 05

4. Iowa county board gives initial OK for ghost hunters to investigate asylum

Comment #152094 by Vandemeer on March 30, 2008 at 5:09 am

This really is a non-story. Note that the paranormal group is from Western Iowa and I understand that they offered their services without being solicited by the Johnson Co. Historical Society. The local broadcast news media picks it up and it's PR for both. It's unfortunate though that the media treats it as real news instead of doing tongue in cheek.