1. God . . . in other words

Comment #39124 by john_eg on May 10, 2007 at 3:46 am

The post of an interview between Richard Dawkins and some creationists has just vanished. Along with Robert Maynard's comment (observe the gap on the 100 latest comments). Is this a conspiracy?

2. Massive explosion is brightest-ever supernova

Comment #38611 by john_eg on May 8, 2007 at 6:44 pm

Radio3 decide to play The Planets just as I read this article. how wonderful!

3. Why the Gods Are Not Winning

Comment #36797 by john_eg on May 2, 2007 at 10:59 am

"One final thing you cheeky little religious cunt"

That is unnecessary, it really is better to make a point in a civil manner.

4. Interview with Chris Hedges

Comment #22362 by john_eg on February 15, 2007 at 4:55 am

R.E: Lionel A

I am still surprised by the people whom don't know Steven is satire, it's no different than Ali G or Borat.

It's satire and I think its good satire, just watch his speech at the white house press association dinner! (I haven't got the link, help anybody?)

5. Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life

Comment #22199 by john_eg on February 13, 2007 at 9:49 am

McGrath objects that Dawkins' style is too agressive and one-sided. That wasn't something that worried generations of christians from St Jerome to Cardinal Newman (who McGrath uses as support in Dawkins' God) as McGrath knows. They thought they had the truth and weren't afraid of being viciously (more so that RD!) polemical in its defence. In our times the cry of "play nice" is telling.

6. Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life

Comment #22146 by john_eg on February 13, 2007 at 3:50 am

"McGrath makes many specious claims, including that Dawkins is particularly abusive of Judaism and that TGD does not differentiate between eradicating religious belief and eradicating religious people."

Personally I do find expressions like "faith-head" slightly abrasive. But the idea that he wants to eradicate religious people rather than just belief is unfounded.

Never mind that though, Is there anything at all to suggest he particularly dislikes judaism? If that is the case (is it? if anyone can find a specific quote supporting this please post it) it isn't good.

Or perhaps this isn't the case and McGrath rather is using the spectre of The Holocaust to suggest a future vision of death camp guards with The God Delusion in their back pocket. If so that is despicable.

7. The God Delusion

Comment #22043 by john_eg on February 12, 2007 at 4:22 pm

You mention the Kantian proof: I presume here you mean the ontological proof that God must exist by virtue of its' propositions. I agree that that this is an original notion, but I fear that this is an "own goal" on the part of theologians. When Kant (one of the most nauseatingly sanctimonious individuals in the history of the planet!) looked at the proofs he found them wanting and consequently spent ages hurting his brain with the analytic/synthetic distinction as a substitute (which I don't completely go for – but that is a separate point!)

If I can recall (perhaps I can't!) Kant attacked the ontological argument on the grounds that existence is not a predicate, so something cannot be said to exist in virtue of its definition. Having also rejected the other arguments for gods existence he offered not so much an argument as a postulate:

The "Summum Bonum" (highest good) is not acheivable in this life where there is so much injustice but the idea of its being unacheivable is unpalatable. It is possible for it to be realised in a future existence and such a future existence could be enabled if there is a god.

This is not an argument that god exists but that fideism is a reasonable position. Martin Gardner explains in The Whys of a Philosophical Schrivener that he is a fideist somewhat along these lines.

Can anyone more knowledgeable about Kant confirm or elaborate on this? I haven't read all the posts so if someone already explained this apologies.

The website has been very (very!) slow for me today. Is it just a lot of traffic or have we been hacked?

8. How Important is Religion Today?

Comment #21116 by john_eg on February 7, 2007 at 3:32 pm

This is an interesting discussion but evidently people weren't in the habit of leaving posts back in the dark days of May 2006 . . .

Well if this's brief appearance on the most recent comments prompts anyone to listen I consider it my good deed for the day!

9. Sam Harris talks about 'The End of Faith'

Comment #21065 by john_eg on February 7, 2007 at 1:22 pm

Play all four screens at once for humorous effect!

10. Blashpemy Challenge Interview

Comment #20081 by john_eg on January 31, 2007 at 9:22 am

Most commentators (see for instance William Barclay) regard the Blasphemy against the Spirit to be extant when someone who really believes there is a Holy Spirit definitively rejects the guidance or presence of the Holy Spirit.

Even if there is a God I don't consider the people taking the challenge have committed eternal sin. This is besides the point of course, they have every right to express themselves in this explicit manner and their christian detractors should realise that.

11. Intelligent design to feature in school RE lessons

Comment #18820 by john_eg on January 23, 2007 at 4:31 am

R.E should be an oppurtunity for students to learn about the nature and history of religious thought as well as other areas of discourse like ethics. It should not be a niche for bullshit that can't make it in the science classroom.

12. Some stars and planets in scale

Comment #18697 by john_eg on January 22, 2007 at 1:58 pm

Ah, if you click and drag the pointer you can really get a good view.

13. Zeus devotees worship in Athens

Comment #18611 by john_eg on January 22, 2007 at 3:15 am

Good question Rob A. I really think it is very unlikely they really believe in Zeus and co. I suspect this is simply motivated by a desire to reconnect with Greece's classical heritage.

14. Dispatches: Undercover Mosque

Comment #18524 by john_eg on January 21, 2007 at 1:49 pm

http://www.nysun.com/article/46707

Totally weird. . .

15. Dispatches: Undercover Mosque

Comment #18318 by john_eg on January 19, 2007 at 4:41 pm

alfonso thinks I'm too optimistic and he might be right. The racism (and homophobia etc) expressed by members of the british nationalist party (re: js bach) is by no account less despicable than the views of the preachers on this film. If people think the bnp is a good solution to extremist islam we are in a seriously worrying situation.

16. Dispatches: Undercover Mosque

Comment #18222 by john_eg on January 19, 2007 at 4:30 am

In 48 minutes of sermons it strikes me I've heard no religion. peel away the bigotry and there's nothing left. This film is worrying but I don't imagine something as completely vacuous as radical islam could achieve the dominance they want.

17. Beyond the Believers

Comment #17908 by john_eg on January 17, 2007 at 12:49 pm

If religion were not a motivating force for people (2) what would be the point of it anyway?

18. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #17870 by john_eg on January 17, 2007 at 5:46 am

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/m/manxshearwater/gallery.asp

I suppose it might sound like satan if you're drunk.