1. The camp that 'cures' homosexuality

Comment #262525 by Fuller on October 8, 2008 at 7:46 pm

I feel ill after reading that. It's a shame there's no hell for these people to go to.

2. 'Intelligent' computers put to the test

Comment #262461 by Fuller on October 8, 2008 at 3:03 pm

The whole process is self defeating if there's any limitation on how the human subject can talk. The interrogators are left to choose between a computer imitating a human, and a human that's limited to talking in such a way that he/she might be a computer talking. Even if someone got it right, what would it prove?

3. Award-winning comedian George Carlin dies

Comment #197928 by Fuller on June 23, 2008 at 12:25 am

Very sad. Great man.

4. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #197872 by Fuller on June 22, 2008 at 7:56 pm

TeraBrat: many conversations about alien life have been had on this forum, without any risk of loss of credibility. It's the theists own fault if they are unable to see the stark difference in probability of existence between god and extraterrestrial life.

5. Muslim countries win concession regarding religious debates

Comment #196364 by Fuller on June 19, 2008 at 7:54 pm

Urgh.

6. Darwinists for Jesus

Comment #195937 by Fuller on June 19, 2008 at 4:34 am

I spose there's good that comes from it. But personally it annoys me, one of the beautiful things about evolution is it removes the need to posit a designer. Trying to thread Him back in undermines the explanatory power of the theory.

But I presume I'm preaching to the choir on that point.

7. Darwinists for Jesus

Comment #195790 by Fuller on June 18, 2008 at 8:00 pm

Darwinism V creationism is only one battle in the broader fight between reason and superstition. I can't think of much to say about this guy that's positive.

8. Anti-Evolution Film Misappropriates the Holocaust

Comment #172488 by Fuller on April 29, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Right on.

9. Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda

Comment #164741 by Fuller on April 20, 2008 at 4:33 pm

A sincere thank you for your tireless efforts, Prof Dawkins.

10. School bars same-sex partners at formals

Comment #161894 by Fuller on April 15, 2008 at 8:17 pm

I think this would be very distressing for students who may be only just discovering their sexuality, to be faced with institutionalised prejudice like this. Australia is supposed to be a modern society, but some of our private schooling promotes absolutely outrageous ideas of morality (check out 'Exclusive Brethren').

Such disgusting, backward, hateful attitudes are bound to have a negative impact on the next generation.

11. Religious education as a part of literary culture

Comment #161060 by Fuller on April 14, 2008 at 5:47 pm

The Professor should respond this way every time there's a (non) criticism of his work. Maybe that way people will eventually get the hint that they should read his work before they take cheap shots at it.

12. Beware the Believers

Comment #153632 by Fuller on April 1, 2008 at 5:34 pm

As long as we're talking bad lyrics, here's my vote for the worst of all time (from that life ooOOooh life song):

'I wouldn't want to see a ghost
I'd rather have a piece of toast'

Chart hit, that was.

13. Beware the Believers

Comment #152850 by Fuller on March 31, 2008 at 4:19 pm

In regards to South Park - I get the feeling the Dawkins episode was made by Matt and Trey out of a vague idea of balance - they've had a go at all major religions, why not take a shot at atheism, too?

The show often misses the mark, no question, but there are definitely episodes I would recommend if Prof. Dawkins was interested - season nine, episode twelve (all episodes are now available for download from the official South Park site) is a terrific attack on Scientology, as long as you can get past the standard low brow humour. Oh, and as a follow up to the aftermath of that episode, season ten episode one satirizes the fact that Isaac Hayes, who was the voice of the character Chef, and a Scientologist, left the show after they picked on his religion. It's quite clever, and has a poignant and heartfelt ending.

14. Pat Robertson Says Giuliani Presidency Appears in Book of Revelation

Comment #86230 by Fuller on November 8, 2007 at 7:24 pm

"9/11"

Gold.

15. Richard Dawkins at AAI 07

Comment #86045 by Fuller on November 8, 2007 at 12:51 am

ADH - a thoughtful question, although it has no bearing on the question of the existence of a god. I don't think any atheist firefighter would give a moments pause of consideration for Singer's claim. They would save the family, and then maybe out of guilt the kids would grow up to be vets, and save heaps of animals, thus providing a net gain :D

Moral conundrums exist with or without faith in god/s, and say nothing of their existence. But I would imagine that if there was a god, there wouldn't be a need for moral conundrums in the first place. Right and wrong would be fairly cut and dry, wouldn't it?

16. Richard Dawkins at AAI 07

Comment #85995 by Fuller on November 7, 2007 at 6:22 pm

And how many wise men became that way through prayer, as opposed to...learning stuff?

17. Richard Dawkins at AAI 07

Comment #85674 by Fuller on November 6, 2007 at 7:43 pm

Hi everybody. This is my first comment, though I've been reading here for a while now (thanks to all for entertaining me with so many great discussions).

It seems to me ADH has perfected the art of compartmentalisation. He sounds as though he is a very sensible person, who has simply failed to apply this sensibility when considering the 'big question/s'. I'm guessing it's the one part of his world view that gets a free pass from standard intellectual consideration (one of the keys to maintaining faith is the belief that it is, by definition, exempt from standard rational inquiry). My usual presumption of moderates of this sort is that this cognitive trick must have been trained into them from a young age or it just wouldn't fly with the sensible – lo', turns out he was raised in an evangelical household.

(Apologies, I'm guessing ADH is male and for the sake of convenience will continue to do so).

Sad that he almost escaped the circular logic bubble during teenage-hood, but stumbled on the last hurdle. He rightly began to question what he had previously assumed as truth, but was unable to completely let go of the security blanket of faith. So unfortunately he resolved the conflict between his newfound rational inquiry, and his irrational faith, through one of the many writers who have gone to great lengths to justify the precise same compartmentalisation in their own heads. Curiosity satisfied, warm fuzzy faith unharmed. It's a shame, but on the plus side it looks like the cycle has been broken before the next generation. He hasn't indoctrinated his children the way his parents did him, and that is very commendable.

ADH – you're so close. Consider how effective childhood indoctrination can be, and the implications of the possibility that it has happened to you. If you were raised as you raise your own children, would you have the same beliefs?