1. Ruth Kelly, her hard-line church and a devout PM wrestling with his conscience

Comment #19266 by Vigilant Watcher on January 26, 2007 at 2:02 am

What is it about religious organisations, and in particular the catholic church in this instance, makes them believe that they have any right to special consideration than any other organisation?

Some posters have already highlighted not only does the catholic church represent a small % of the population (in Scotland, just under 16%) but its record on child care and indeed child abuse throughout all the world is neither exemplary nor christian by their own teachings.

Typical of their narrow interpretation of 'important' texts they again misinterpret the meaning of the statement made by the Scottish Executive assuming or wishing to believe that:-

Quote from Cardinal Conti, leader of Scottish Catholic Church, "Ministers gave assurances that the services provided by the Catholic Adoption agencies was valued by the Executive and every effort would be made to protect the position of Catholic agencies."

means that they would not be subject to the law and given special dispensation because they believe and have faith in the 'absolute' truth as written in a work of fiction.

How really christian of them to threaten the welfare of the very children they purport to protect by their very restricted, narrow-minded, bigoted and hypocritical worldview of all things 'moral'.

Based, of course, on texts written by equally misguided commentators of their time formed in an age of ignorance and limited experience about almost everything rational or anything based on reason or understanding of the 'real' world as most of us see it.

2. Intelligent design to feature in school RE lessons

Comment #18990 by Vigilant Watcher on January 24, 2007 at 7:30 am

On the surface of it the proposals appear to be an advance on the current curriculum and practice in our schools.

And, it is certainly an advance to have ID, if it has to be acknowledged at all, included in RE. The assumption, and Veronique alluded to it above, is that RE teachers being, in the main, moderate christians will undertake the task responsibly.

However, being in the process of reading 'The End of Faith' by Sam Harris it strikes me that, as he argues, it is the moderates who give strength and sustenance to the 'real' extremists that threaten not only rational thought and beliefs about the real world but our actual existence itself.

To expect or assume that committed christians will present an honest, unbiased, and, to lead a discussion that threatens their own deeply held worldview is flawed.

The only answer is to relegate RE to where it belongs; in the bucket with other, at one time, sincerely and deeply held misguided perceptions of the world.

3. Richard Dawkins on The Late Late Show with Pat Kenny

Comment #12472 by Vigilant Watcher on December 12, 2006 at 5:19 am

Frustratingly, naive, closed and narrow-minded but what do you expect in a country with the religious conditioning it has suffered for centuries.

Not surprising then... and only goes to show that there is a long uphill struggle, hopefully, not as long as it took us up the slopes of 'Mount Improbable'.

4. A man who believes in Darwin as fervently as he hates God

Comment #12467 by Vigilant Watcher on December 12, 2006 at 4:17 am

Liddle exemplifies the typical opponent, as others have pointed out, in criticism without example and assumption without basis.

If 'The God Delusion' lacks depth in some parts (or is unconvincing to Liddle) then it is because it is intended to cover the subject at a broader level and not delve into the specific contradictions inherent in the religious mindset.

Liddle should read more or perhaps, just another one of RDs books, in which many of the apparent contradictions are discussed in considerbly more depth and alternative and rational explanation given to foster an understanding of the real world.

Having said that, there is value in articles such as this in that it brings out into the open the woolly-minded thinking that pervades religious indoctrination and belief.

5. Why Are Atheists So Angry? A Debate with Dennis Prager

Comment #10824 by Vigilant Watcher on November 29, 2006 at 10:23 am

Quote by David Mathews:_
"The Universe is very large and complicated and the human mind simply lacks the capacity to perceive, interpret and understand everything. "

So by definition, then, as we don't fully understand it all, it had to be created!

An example of the wooly-headed 'reasoning' of the creationist. Enough said!

6. Science Gives Christians Upper Hand Over Atheists

Comment #10821 by Vigilant Watcher on November 29, 2006 at 10:16 am

The very first post of says it all!

Not worth wasting thought or space on comment.