1. American kids, dumber than dirt: Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in U.S. history

Comment #82344 by Convertedchristian on October 26, 2007 at 5:41 am

Kabal, what does my username have to do with anything? Convertedchristian means that I CONVERTED from Christianity to atheism you moron. Don't tell me what i can and cannot talk about. And by the way, bush didn't win the first time, and he barley won the second time, and even then he may not have won fair and square. the brits reelected Tony blair, likewise John Howard was reelected, Germany and France now have more conservative governments, but i really don't think someone as immature as you deserves any response at all. The article is unscientific and you just don't like me pointing that out because you like the article. maybe you should start going to church, i think you'd like it.

2. American kids, dumber than dirt: Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in U.S. history

Comment #82229 by Convertedchristian on October 25, 2007 at 10:38 pm

this article is completely unscientific. Anybody can say something from their own personal experience and it wouldn't mean a thing. That is not to say that our educational system is spectacular, it most certainly is not. But to go as far as to say that people are thinking of moving out of the country because of the educational system is just ludicrous. This is just parents who aren't taking responsibility for their children. It is the parents responsibility to instill educational values into their children and not just blame the educational system. Other aspect of this is attitudes. Many students just don't container about their grades and about education in general and it is those students are bringing our scores down. I would also like to address some comments made above about foreign students. Their comments can be misleading I think. One must remember that foreign slots at American universities are highly competitive and that it is no stretch of the imagination to say that only the smartest for the students are able to get into our universities or the richest so naturally those students will probably be smarter than the average American students entering into the universities here in the states. I believe this article is evidence of our failing educational system. If are going to debate education let's at least be smart about it when and present some scientific information so we can get an accurate representation rather than watch someone's personal experience was in Canada or Oakland or in India. Education is a two-way street, you got to put the work in to get a something out of it. I am dictating this to my computer so if you see any strange things above its because of the dictation software and because I'm too lazy to edit it. Oh no, the educational system has failed me!

3. Scientific Savvy? In U.S., Not Much

Comment #54541 by Convertedchristian on July 7, 2007 at 5:29 pm

I'm watching Live Earth right now. concerts really do help I think and we have the power to change and Live Earth is trying to make people aware that we need to change NOW.

4. Scientific Savvy? In U.S., Not Much

Comment #54536 by Convertedchristian on July 7, 2007 at 5:04 pm

ya, I was talking to my mother and I asked here if she could remember our war on panama that happened in the 80's and she said, "we never went to war with panama" then she said that even if we did there had to be a good reason. It is that kind of mentality that has brought us to where we are today. I'm working on my mother. The government has the people convinced that they can do no wrong. The use religion to make the majority think that they(the leaders) are just like us and would never hurt innocent people. Religous right republicans cant see whats going on with an objective view because they think its treason to question anything the chruch says and the government. With luck we can begin to change america for the better. Mr. Dawkins is one of those men who are trying to get ameicans to raise thier awareness. I thank him.

Please forgive my spelling. My keyboard is very small. Damm unta-portable laptop!

5. Scientific Savvy? In U.S., Not Much

Comment #54471 by Convertedchristian on July 7, 2007 at 11:16 am

Also GhostBuster, I'm not attacking your argument I would just like for you to give me more info on why you believe what you believe. On a brighter note, If the 5th graders in that show are smarter then the collage students then our 5th graders are very inteligent!! Kodos to the education system for doing at least one thing right.

6. Scientific Savvy? In U.S., Not Much

Comment #54466 by Convertedchristian on July 7, 2007 at 10:48 am

To address the comments made by GHOSTBUSTER I don't really understand what your getting at. HOw does lack of knowledge in one area lead to terrorism? And as far as the rest of the world laughing at OUR ingnorance why don't they just laugh at theirs. I can't imagine that the US popuation is significantly worse at science then our european counterparts. People who are interested in science are going to know more about science. The majority are just not going to spend their time trying to teach themselves science. Speaking of that show(smarter then a 5th grader) the woman was nervous i bet. I would be if I knew that I was going to be on national tv.THe fact is that scientific literacy as gotten better in the last two decades. It is a slow process but it IS getting better. They don't really need that information in thier everyday lives anyway. I would be worried if our scientist were bad but the US has won 70% of the worlds Nobel prizes. And 90% of our best scientist are athiest. I'm not worried if Ma and PA can't tell me what an nutron is. I just wish they could.

7. God not out of the question for most Canadians

Comment #54197 by Convertedchristian on July 6, 2007 at 2:19 am

not that surprising if I do say so. Personaly I think that evolution should be taught later rather than sooner. I know that when I took it in the 9th grande(2003) I didn't understand really anything. No one could put it simply like Mr. Dawkins can. In fact it was only when i heard Richards explination of evolution that I truly understood it. People don't understand evolution and they never go back to look it up. that is one of the main reasons why north america is so religous. Education is the key. we know it and the fundies know it. Let the rat race begin!! Opps I think it began 50 years ago.

8. The Present Threat of the Religious Right to Our Modern Freedoms

Comment #51730 by Convertedchristian on June 24, 2007 at 11:22 am

comment by godless heathen
"Was that intentional irony?"
in fact it was supposed to be seen as ironic. Its ok to live in Arkansas as an atheist as long as no one knows your an atheist. They won't do anything to you. They just might try to converted you and kids might say your going to hell. As an atheist i would rather live somewhere else. And in no way am I saying that atheist should be quite. On the contrary ,we should be protesting and calling are congressmen(mine a dem! YEAH!) and explaining to our Christian firneds why we don't believe and why we think that the right is taking our nation in the wrong direction. I plan to show this video to my family to help explain to them the dangers(their all Christians, hard core fundies)
So don't be a quite atheist. Our nation can't afford us to be silent any longer.

9. The Present Threat of the Religious Right to Our Modern Freedoms

Comment #51658 by Convertedchristian on June 24, 2007 at 1:39 am

I think it might be the best thing to happen to this country for to have a state religon. All it would do is rain havoc on the country. the question arises, what chruch gets to be the offical chruch? Catholics? Like hell! The babtist would never go for that! The babtist? Like hell! the catholics would never go for that. Lets go through some likly senerios(that i think are likly, in live in arkansas, I know these people)

1: the court declares that the US is founded on the christian religon. Court bans abortion and gay marriage. ID proponts gain new momentum. Possible only if concervative is elected in 08.

2: the court does everything in the first senerio but starts to inforce more religous law but putting prayer in school(not mandatory in wirting but mandatory in practice, like the pledge) creationism is taught along side evolution in science classrooms. the internet is regulated. Born is blocked and obscene matieral is taken off the airwaves(goodbye discovery channel, hello 700 club channel!) Extreme crackdown on drugs. and then the mistake that will due them in, banning beer. If they ban beer i think that would be the death of the new religon controlled america. I think it would also destory the relgious right. People might be fine with banning abortion and gay marrige and teaching creationism, but the second that americans feel like they are being controlled that will be the end of it.

I think that if any of these things happened and if the relgious right really got real control over things and started telling the majority what they could and could not do their rule would be over and they would be destroyed. They really only make up 7% of the us population. Oh and bofore i forget, they would ban all immigration into the country and then try and kick all the illegals out. that alone would be enough for the rest of america to rise up and destroy them. the us population on a whole just dosn't understand the danger of the religous right. this would show them. that is why i think it might be the best thing for America. I just hope I never, ever, ever, ever, ever have to find out.

p.s where i live in arkansas gay marrige is banned, beer is banned(only works because you can drive 15 min out of town and get it) abortions are banned, and everyone goes to chruch, even me. I have to. I am only 17. Its not as bad as it sounds. NO one bugs me. You can live your life as you please as long as you don't go "preachin agiant da lord" If you are a quite atheist, you should be fine. Can't wait to get the *$#* out of here!

10. U.S. a theocratic state, says former Canadian ambassador

Comment #46971 by Convertedchristian on June 2, 2007 at 1:25 pm

Nope, the US is doomed to insignificance, and justly deserved, Bush has genuinely destroyed and undercut the US's future. At the very least it's future lies in clubbing together with the EU, probably as a reluctant junior partner in the next 50 years or so, to ensure the Chinese and Indians don't simply ride rough shod over us economically.


People please calm down. For a bunch of atheist you all sure do like to use illogical arguments to suppport your outlandish claims. For one thing, Iraq has not destroyed the US. People who think that the EU will overtake the US is power and authority have manybe had a little to much to drink. It is clear that the US and China will be the supper powers of the 21st century. The US is not doomed as some of you would like to think. We are also not a theocracy. The fasting growing group in the US in people who hold no relgious beliefs. I am an american. I think people want the US to just die so they use these stupid arguments. Are proudest moments are ahead of us. Every nation has dark periods, this is ours. It is almost over. I love canada. I was mistaken for a canadian on time, it was funny. I love Europe, which, by the way, no matter what Sam Harris says Europe will not become Eurabia. Saying that, it does not need a majority of Muslims to get bad, it only need about 15 who want to blow themselves up to cause chos. Europe need to stop acting like it has no religous population or oneday it will be very suprised. The dems will win in 2008 and the US will get back on track and away from the dangers of religous rule. To all my European and Canadian friends, come and visit the US when he who most not be named is gone. Were going to have huge party. To all those who just hate the US and use stupid arguments to justify thier hate, I'm sorry we have hurt you all but stop being a bunch of babies and accept the facts. If you have any information that goes against what i'm saying please send it to me. I'd be glad to review it.

11. Atheism's Big Night In Little Rock

Comment #35783 by Convertedchristian on April 28, 2007 at 9:03 pm

I AM SO PISSED!! I live about an hour away from little rock and I had not idea this was going on. This was, I bet, was my only chance to see mr Dawkins for quite some time. Oh well. I am so happy he came here to arkansas. I agree with Captian Yesterday in that people here do belive in god but for a lot of them it never translates into any other day of the week but sunday.

12. NEXT MONDAY: Bill O'Reilly interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #33162 by Convertedchristian on April 19, 2007 at 1:54 pm

just goes to show the impact Richard Dawkins in having in the US.

13. Christians at Bible publishers have their throats cut

Comment #32915 by Convertedchristian on April 18, 2007 at 5:20 pm

so sad. Those men died for nothing. I think if turkey is admited into the EU more of ths type of stuff is going to happen.

14. Mozart doesn't make you clever

Comment #32330 by Convertedchristian on April 16, 2007 at 10:14 pm

Rap makes me dumber and thats all I need to know.

15. Atheism isn't the final word

Comment #32329 by Convertedchristian on April 16, 2007 at 10:12 pm

HEY!!!! I'm an american and I know what a gene iS!!! They are Gods little building blocks of course!! Everyone knows that. Oh, and as far as ID goes, have fun in hell dawrin lover. I'll be in heaven buming smokes off jesus. GOD BLESS AMERICA.



This is a joke least anyone think otherwise. I know some of you can't get the onion, so i just thought I'd make a disclamer.

16. Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children

Comment #32305 by Convertedchristian on April 16, 2007 at 7:56 pm

Sorry!! I have a small keyboard and sometimes it is easy to make spelling mistakes. Stupid 12.1 In laptop.

17. Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children

Comment #32302 by Convertedchristian on April 16, 2007 at 7:20 pm

"Perhaps America can learn from this - though, of course, they won't."

I think that there is good progress. I have to go to chruch with my family here in the southern US. This sunday we went to a class that was going to tell us what the chruch believes. It is a babtist chruch, and while I disagree strongly i did hear a few things I liked. The guy who was giving the class was talking about family babtism. He said some adults want to wait to be babtisted until their children are "saved". What the preacher said that was that waiting for your children to be saved to be babtised would put undue pressure on the children to rush into thier desicion about becoming a christian and they don't want that. He said it should be a choice ther kids should make on thier own without pressure. Of course he also said that they would try to convince the kids to make that choice, they just didn't want to put pressure on them. I thought that was pretty good for a southern babtist chruch.

18. As Religious Strife Grows, Europe's Atheists Seize Pulpit

Comment #31893 by Convertedchristian on April 14, 2007 at 10:00 pm

please ignore spelling errors. My keyboard is small.

19. As Religious Strife Grows, Europe's Atheists Seize Pulpit

Comment #31889 by Convertedchristian on April 14, 2007 at 9:48 pm

The EU is 22 years behind the US on economic growth according to a new study, with several other economic indicators showing further gaps despite Europe's ambitious reform agenda to be praised by leaders at this week's summit.

A report by Eurochambers, the Brussels-based business lobby, published on Monday (5 March) argues that the US reached the current EU rate of GDP per capita in 1985 and its levels in employment and research investment almost 30 years ago.

Economic growth, jobs and innovation feature as top priorities of the so-called Lisbon Agenda - agreed by EU leaders in 2000 - with the original aim for Europe to become the most competitive economy by 2010 and with the US seen as its key competitor.

However, according to the Eurochambers study, the EU time lag behind the US has expanded further since 2003 when the group published its first report comparing the economic indicators on both sides of the Atlantic.

Part of the reason is that the previous analysis was based on figures from the "old" EU member states while countries that joined in 2004 record quite significant growth rates but worse figures on employment and mainly on investment in knowledge economies.

Authors of the study point out that if calculations included the latest newcomers of Bulgaria and Romania, the gap between the EU and US would be even larger, adding "The European Council must take the size of this lag into account when making its decisions."

This week's gathering of the European Council - heads of states and governments plus the European Commission president - is expected to conclude that the Lisbon strategy "is beginning to deliver results" according to draft summit conclusions.

The document highlights "7 million new jobs created during the 2007/2008 period, leading to a potential increase in the employment rate from just under 64 percent in 2005 to nearly 66 percent by 2008 and a falling unemployment rate" in the EU.

However, in a bid to start catching up with the US on key Lisbon indicators, Europe would have to perform better than the States, according to the Eurochambers study, while the latest results show the opposite: in 2006, the US registered an average GDP growth of 3.3 percent and the EU about 2.9 percent, the highest since 2000.

"If income (GDP per capita) would grow in the US at 2 percent per year and in the EU at 3 percent per year, meaning a 1 percent higher growth of the EU, the EU would catch up with the US around 2045" the authors of the report concluded.

Provided by EUobserver—For the latest EU related news


I know you can find a study to support whatever. But this was a european study, so I hope that helps. The EU still rocks by the way. Don't worry guys. You'll gatch up with us soon and have your 30 million poor too. Won't that be lovely?

20. As Religious Strife Grows, Europe's Atheists Seize Pulpit

Comment #31884 by Convertedchristian on April 14, 2007 at 9:31 pm

Do we always have to get into a war about which place is better, USA or Europe? The USA is richer than Europe and most middle class americans make more money than the avarge middle class european. But, most americans don't get any time off hardly. I'm american. My dad gets a month paid vaction off. But that is rare. There are more poor people in the US, but that may just be because we have more immiagrents and more people in general. When you look at it we are pretty much the same as far as standard of living goes. Can't we all just be friends? I would like to have the European vacation and the American pay check. Can't we just leave it at that and not start the whole "Europe is better than america or vice-a-versa?

21. Is America Too Damn Religious?

Comment #22794 by Convertedchristian on February 22, 2007 at 2:43 pm

I agree with all of you. I was not trying to say that things are not bad, they are. All I was saying was that even though there are a lot of christians in the US, it is still a nice place to live. Maybe I should of just said that. I bet you all I have wonderful lives and are in no need of a new one. I feel the need to retract my comment about getting a life. Also, my reference to people in the forums were directed towards people who want to abaondon the country to move to Europe. I just think they should stay and fight the good fight. In fact, just pay no attention to my comment above. I retract most of it because my message has come across in the wrong way.

22. Is America Too Damn Religious?

Comment #22738 by Convertedchristian on February 21, 2007 at 6:01 pm

some of the comments below are in response to my comment that i have now removed. It was dumb and out of place. Things in America are bad a we all need to come together to help change things. The US is a nice place to live, I think. I could been 1000 times better if we were, as a nation, not so stupid. So lets get started.

23. Panel discussion on atheism where no atheists are included

Comment #20870 by Convertedchristian on February 6, 2007 at 9:26 pm

It takes alot to get me mad about religon and atheism, but this was outrageous! To have the balls to say that this story is outrageous and that those poor people were the ones in the wrong instead of the religous people is just a scandle! How can that idoit say that? It just shows how the media makes the christians think that they are a minority that is getting thier rights taken away. OH, and by the way lady, it imposes on my rights when my kid( if i had one) is forced to sit in a class where most of the kids are praying. This people are monsters! Where's jesus when we need him! If only they would atleast fallow the moral teachings of jesus, but no, they don't. When will it end? My generation will end it hopefully if the stats are correct it saying that only 4% of american teen will be bible believeing christians. Don't mind the spelling. I'm so mad I can't type!!!!

24. The Ego and the ID

Comment #19929 by Convertedchristian on January 30, 2007 at 5:28 pm

Sense we seem to be talking about schools teaching id, let me tell you a story that you will enjoy. I live in Arkansas and we have churches everywhere in town. I went to church last week to please my parents who do not know that I'm an atheist. When I got there were 6 students including me. We sat there and talked about the bible and I tried to stay quiet. Well it turns out that 5 of those 6 kids in my 11 grade Sunday school class were in the closet atheist. No joke. It seems to me that a majority of people say they are Christians but they are either lying or not acting like Christians. And this is in Arkansas. Times are changing. I would say that in my school of 1200 at least 60% are not religious.(that was not a scientific answer just an observation) Thank you Richard Dawkins. His book is the first thing I see when I walk into the science section in our bookstore. Just thought I would give you all some good news.

25. Questionable Mission

Comment #16582 by Convertedchristian on January 7, 2007 at 1:27 pm

If anyone is interested as to where I go that send me am PM because I don't know if I can post it here.

I ment If anyone is interested as to where I got that than send me a PM.

Stupid keyboard.

26. Questionable Mission

Comment #16581 by Convertedchristian on January 7, 2007 at 1:25 pm

A few Christian fundamentalists attempt to convince us to return to the Christianity of early America, yet according to the historian, Robert T. Handy, "No more than 10 percent-- probably less-- of Americans in 1800 were members of congregations."

Handy, Robert, T., "A History of the Churches in U.S. and Canada," New York: Oxford University Press, 1977

Think about that while reading this article. If only 10% of americans went to chruch in the 1800's than what the hell happened? It just goes to show how fast things can change. If anyone is interested as to where I go that send me am PM because I don't know if I can post it here.

27. Without God, Gall Is Permitted

Comment #16267 by Convertedchristian on January 5, 2007 at 6:53 pm

"But, of course, if Dawkins just spent time discussing the holy book of the United States, I'm sure the author would be okay with it."

Many of us Americans do not have a holy book. We would kindly ask that people stop grouping us all in with what seems to be a majority of theist in our country. they're not as huge as a majority as people might think,they just all vote. Thats the problem.

28. Atheists challenge the religious right

Comment #16107 by Convertedchristian on January 4, 2007 at 3:59 pm

Figures. When I was a christian I used to think that dawkins was just as bad as anyone else. but now i see him as someone who is standing up for what he beleives in, and if thats intolerent than this world has just gone overboard.

29. Pat Robertson: God told me of 'mass killing' in 2007

Comment #15926 by Convertedchristian on January 3, 2007 at 9:48 pm

Well, everyone thinks he's crazy. EVERYONE. I know alot of concervative evangelical christian friends and family members and everyone of them say they think he's crazy. thank goodness at least we can all agree that he's crazy.

30. America's Holy Warriors

Comment #15914 by Convertedchristian on January 3, 2007 at 7:42 pm

I agree with mdowe in that this article is a little bit paranoid. Sounds like a plot for a videogame more than a possible event. We must understand that half of the Christians in the US don't even go to church. What we have to worry about is that 30% of Americans who are evangelical. They vote. They are powerful. But they are not smart enough to do this.