1. Interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #57954 by MiloC on July 22, 2007 at 3:39 pm

WOW! What an intelligent and graceful women. I agree with most of what she said. I think that Lewis and Hirisi Ale were talking past each other at times during the interview; well at least he was. I do think that both would agree that Isalm is serious threat to democartic ideals. She was looking at the bigger picture and rightly so. He was looking at some of the problems when democracy is coupled with special interests, i.e., money. As an american I know what money means here. But as someone who has had their first taste of real freedom, she is absolutlejy right, this is the best. She made a pertinent point in her statement when Lewis asked her about the stolen elections when she said we should not allow such abuses to happen. This stement showed me that she does understand democracy.

And yes, she is a hot babe!

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

Comment #46928 by MiloC on June 2, 2007 at 9:11 am

My state, MT is the only state in the union that is fortunate enough to border on three western Canadian provinces British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. I have been to them a number of times, mostly BC which is my favorite. I have seen our relationship deteriorate over the years and that concerns me. The US, particulary this theocratic gov't is trying to influence Canadian politics and religion in the direction of the neocons and fundamentalists. Many Canadians are seeing through this ruse. I do love camping and hiking in BS and Alberta and I regret that my country is being seen more and more as an obstructionsit. Hopefully, they won't cancel my Park pass.

3. The Dawkins delusion

Comment #45882 by MiloC on May 29, 2007 at 1:16 pm

"He just doesn't get what makes people tick." So what does make people tick? Kettle never does say, does he? Nor does he say why Dawkins' position is incorrect. This is neither good science or scholarship. If religion, which is a person's world view, which determines a person's values and choices is not what makes a person tick, then what the hell does? Dawkins has realized this. He has done nothing different than any Christian theologian who has made this fact the main stay of their apologetics. Yet it is he (Dawkins) who has misconstrued the facts of human experience. Hmmm, did I miss something?

4. Species extinction

Comment #44589 by MiloC on May 25, 2007 at 5:11 am

How sad indeed. Here in MT we have many wild animals including wild cats like mountain lions, bobcats, and linx to name a few. We also have grizzly and just last week some bear enthusiast was severly mauled by a grizzly outside of Glacier Park. The man was seeking out the grizzly for some kind of study. The irony is that now the grizzly will have to be hunted down and destroyed. Sometimes even out best and noblest efforts work against us.

5. For the God Question, a Biological Perspective

Comment #43821 by MiloC on May 22, 2007 at 7:38 pm

What a wonderful and accurate description of Richard Dawkin's book. Bravo Mr. Frazier, bravo!

6. A meeting of unlike minds

Comment #43301 by MiloC on May 21, 2007 at 4:46 am

It never ceases to amaze me how Christians can redefine God as the need arises, yet trying to convince themselves they are talking about the same God all along. This kind of equivocating allows them to have a moving target and is their modus operandi when it comes to the defense of their faith. But it is always good to ask them when did God go from being Moses' thunder god of the mountain to being Mr Rodgers?

7. Navy vet: Chaplains tried converting me

Comment #42895 by MiloC on May 20, 2007 at 4:35 am

Wasn't it Jefferson who objected to having a chaplaincy in the military?

8. The Paradoxical Hatred of Christopher Hitchens

Comment #42887 by MiloC on May 20, 2007 at 4:15 am

"I realized his anti-Christian and anti-theistic worldview is, for now at least, an insuperable barrier to any ideological transformation."

Oh, poor Hitchens, beyond redemption!

Shut up asshole!

9. Antarctic 'treasure trove' found

Comment #42607 by MiloC on May 18, 2007 at 3:31 pm

The creationsists will say, "see, see, there's a gap here between the carnivorous sponge and the other ones. Where is the transitional sponge?" The answer, the gap is between their ears.

10. Brazil's Indians Offended by Pope Comments

Comment #41447 by MiloC on May 16, 2007 at 6:15 am

"the Pope said the Church had not imposed itself on the indigenous peoples of the Americas."

What has this guy been smoking? This pope must be very poorly educated. I suppose that the conquistadors like Cortez were out on humanitarian missions to save the poor indigenous peoples of America!

11. Christopher Hitchens Explains It All for You: Move over, Sam Harris; another atheist wants the pulpit

Comment #41308 by MiloC on May 15, 2007 at 9:13 pm

What a bunch of claptrap bullshit. How long do we have to suffer these ridiculous inanities? "Then the Lord said, how long"? Is 6:11.

12. Why Christopher Hitchens is not Great

Comment #40699 by MiloC on May 14, 2007 at 5:48 pm

"No where in Christianity does the doctrine, text, or deity call for the cutting off the heads of those who simply disagree. No where does the biblical text instruct Christians to wage jihad for minor doctrinal differences."

What bible is this idiot reading? I will refer to one of many verses in the scriptures where Jesus is alledge to have said; 'But those, mine enemies, which would not that I shouold reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.' Luke 19:27.

13. God: The Failed Hypothesis and The Comprehensible Cosmos (book reviews)

Comment #40328 by MiloC on May 14, 2007 at 6:17 am

"Ignorance is bliss"

14. Better God-fearing than sneering

Comment #38753 by MiloC on May 9, 2007 at 5:41 am

"It is a tenet of evangelical Christianity that the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ created a new covenant with the church, so they no longer believe that a man should stone his wife to death if she is not a virgin."

What the hell kind of argument is this? So I guess they went from stoning virgins to burning heretics at the stake!

15. Ape gestures 'show human links'

Comment #37485 by MiloC on May 4, 2007 at 3:33 pm

We are sophisticated chimpanzees. I too remember when I denied our evolutionary development. Live and learn I guess.

16. Two idiots get a forum

Comment #35669 by MiloC on April 28, 2007 at 7:00 am

Seriuosly, this has to be from the Onion or something like that; right?

17. New Primate Species Found In 42 Million-year-old Texas Fossils

Comment #32185 by MiloC on April 16, 2007 at 5:40 am

According to the Vatican, Mankind received his soul at the point of his evolution when he became 'fully conscious' whenever that was.

18. T. rex tissue shows they are related to chickens

Comment #31452 by MiloC on April 12, 2007 at 6:15 pm

One of the many things I like about living in Montana (I am a native) is that this state is a palaeontological treasure trove. We are rich in dinosaur fossils and the very first, and I think only complete triceratop fossil remains was found in eastern Montana. It is on display at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman Montana. It is breath taking.

19. Is God poison?

Comment #30868 by MiloC on April 10, 2007 at 6:33 am

I have read every one of Richard's books and every criticism I have read of his work is not even clsoe to being accurate. There should be a rule; you have to read the book(s) before you can say anything about them.

20. The God Debate

Comment #29224 by MiloC on April 2, 2007 at 6:31 am

I agree that debates like this do have some benefit, especially in a high profile magazine. Rational debate, even though only one person is being rational, can have an effect on the wider audience. I would suspect that there are even some doubters in Warren's church.

I took my religious faith seriously, even to the point where I went to garduate school and got my degree in theology. I have my undergraduate degree in biology so that help me to think through some of these issues realted to science and faith. I have been an atheist for about ten years and have not looked back. Some of my family and friends were dissapointed but for the most part, they are understanding.

I have the benefit of having a thorough background in theology and evolutionary biology, although evolution was not the reason I became an atheist; ironically it was theology and philosophy that more or less got me there.

I believe that debates like this are very helpful and can yield some positive results.

21. The God Debate

Comment #29219 by MiloC on April 2, 2007 at 6:07 am

I too can say from personal experience that debates and books on atheism has influenced me. I took my religious faith quite seriously and even got a masters degree in theology. But I have always been a bit of a critical thinker and it did help that my undergraduate degree is biology. I finally put it all together and became an atheist about ten years ago and I have not looked back. It has been a rewarding and exciting experience for me, albeit my family is not too impressed. There has been some hardship and rejection by family and friends as a result. However, I am happy to be where I am at now.

22. God and His Gays

Comment #27729 by MiloC on March 26, 2007 at 11:15 am

They glorified [God] not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened....

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections; for even their women did change the natural use into that which is agaisnt nature; And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

Romans 1:21, 26-27 KJV

This is the only place in the Bible where a specific mention is made of female homosexuality. Paul is also claiming that the punishement for those who do not worship God properly is homosexuality! He is claiming that it is not a sickness or a result of choice but a punishment for sin. So even the Bible sees it as not a choice! For the readers, I am not agreeing with what Paul is saying here. I am just pointing out how ridiculous it all is.

23. Happy 66th Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #27686 by MiloC on March 26, 2007 at 6:20 am

Happy Birthday and Thank You Richard Dawkins. I have learned so much from you. You have been and continue to be a great inspiration to me.

24. Mormons miffed over coffee-swilling angel image

Comment #27684 by MiloC on March 26, 2007 at 6:04 am

I used to teach junior high science in Taylorsville, UT in the mid 80's. We non-Mormon teachers had our own little coffee club and then some Mormons joined in and started to drink coffee with us. They also told us that they wouldn't drink it at home. Weird!

25. Germany Cites Koran in Rejecting Divorce

Comment #27073 by MiloC on March 23, 2007 at 5:06 am

Here in the Montana town where I live, the school board has ruled that Native Americans will be allowed to bring their 'cerimonial tobacco' to school. They decided this because the Native American community wants to be allowed to practice the cultural and religious hertiage and the school board has agreed. There are no Native Americans on the board. I think this whole "respect for religion" thing is getting out of hand. Makes me wonder what's next!

26. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #24999 by MiloC on March 9, 2007 at 3:47 pm

This guy is a bafoon. Science is not 'good' or 'bad', it is neutral.

27. Books on Atheism Are Raising Hackles in Unlikely Places

Comment #23852 by MiloC on March 3, 2007 at 7:54 am

As someone who has a MA in theology, I can say that these guys who are crying about Dawkins and his lack of theological understanding have no idea what they are talking about. Theology is something that we all do to some extent. Chrsitain theology is a limited branch and one that scientists and philosophers throughout history have engaged in. The contribution that these men and women have made in informing theologians can not be underestimated. Theologians should be appreiciative of what scientists have done becasue if it wasn't for the scientists and the adjustments theology has had to make because of them, theology would have been laughed off the stage a long time ago. Dawkins and others like him are only shining a light on theology and exposing its arrogance and hubris, not to mention much of its lunacy. And who better to do this, a theologian, I think not.

28. Do stop behaving as if you are God, Professor Dawkins

Comment #20985 by MiloC on February 7, 2007 at 7:43 am

"Do Stop Behaving as if you are God, Professor Dawkins"

Professor McGrath, Do stop behaving as if you know who or what god is and do stop pretending that theology can intelligently tell us anything.