1. Richard Dawkins interview with Paula Zahn

Comment #22068 by Martin The Mess on February 12, 2007 at 9:38 pm

Yes, both parts were ridiculously short.

EDIT: The first video was down for a bit, but it's back now. Thanks to whomever fixed that.

2. [Warning: Graphic] Children's foreheads slashed in Muslim saint's name

Comment #20024 by Martin The Mess on January 31, 2007 at 5:30 am

This actually reminded me of the (rare) custom in some Catholic societies of commemorating Easter by holding a re-created Passion procession, complete with some guy (essentially always an adult male volunteer) getting crucified at the end. Usually, he's just tied to the cross with ropes, but sometimes, in some places, they actually nailed him up for a while. More often, but still rarely, they whipped and scourged him in imitation of the pre-crucfiction tortures supposedly endured by Christ (and memorably recreated with special effects in Mel Gibson's recent gorefest).

I also recall a Hindu festival somewhere in Malaysia or Indonesia where participants march down the street with swords, knives, and other various objects piercing their skin. I remeber seeing one guy with a floor lamp through the skin on his back or chest. This festival also included kids, although not infants or toddlers.

3. In defense of atheism

Comment #19276 by Martin The Mess on January 26, 2007 at 3:47 am

Eh, I think some who claim to be Agnostic are really saying, "I don't believe in the Christian God (or whatever religion is most prevalent in their region of the world), but I haven't had the time to minutely examine EVERY religion mankind has ever come up with, and so I admit there is some not-insignificant chance that SOME religion has it right, or that there is some sort of Deity out there but no formal religion has gotten it entirely right yet."

Other than that, yeah, they tend to be fence-sitters who should really lean all the way over to Atheism and be done with it.