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Comments by Peacebeuponme


1. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #208943 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 12:17 pm

al - that's bad man. You've given me a good chuckle just before I go out.

2. An Irishman's Diary

Comment #208933 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 12:05 pm

mordacious - you just needed to scroll down.

3. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #208928 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 11:58 am

al

Then what? I go and live with 72 virgins for eternity? Have you ever had sex with a virgin?
Well, I don't know. You do have all eternity for them to learn the odd skill here and there. Especially if you did the decent thing and shared around with your dead muslim friends. So long as you put the leg work in at the beginning.

Unless that is, they somehow re-virginise themselves constantly and retain no knowledge of previous encounters.

4. An Irishman's Diary

Comment #208923 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 11:44 am

You scored 93% on Beginner, higher than 32% of your peers.
You scored 100% on Intermediate, higher than 48% of your peers.
You scored 100% on Advanced, higher than 72% of your peers.
You scored 80% on Expert, higher than 47% of your peers.
Very mixed!

5. An Irishman's Diary

Comment #208906 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 11:18 am

al

It isn't the 150th anniversary of "evolution" but rather of natural selection... am I wrong?
I think they've both been going a while longer...


But seriously, you are correct. Evolution is a thousands of year old concept.

6. An Irishman's Diary

Comment #208880 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 10:48 am

Good article. I gett quite upset with all these conservative types moaning about "text-speak" and the like.

I ask anyone who complain to me about the erosion of the english language why they don't speak like Chaucer.

7. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #208865 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 10:25 am

Women are exploited for so-called "artistic sex marketing" purposes are far from free, unless freedom is defined as free sex, sexual harassment, coercion, and/or rape.
Can I just weigh in on this preposturousness?

In Iran a 15 year old girl can get hanged (in public off a crane) by the state for the crime of being raped by a taxi driver. I hardly think the muslim approach is going to help us deal with western sex crimes.

8. Weak US dollar hits papal profits

Comment #208858 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 10:15 am

Is it possible to get hold of the full financial statements of the Holy See anywhere? All they have on the website is a rather uninformative communique.

I would be interested to see a breakdown of their assets and liabilities, as well as details of their salary payments.

Interesting to note that, despite the negativity of this article, they still made a €36.5 million property gain, and profited overall from their financial dealings.

9. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #208780 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 8:44 am

Chaps

Well done.

You have won the argument. Nothing else to do now.

txpiper's whole position has been boiled down to "My personal experience is better evidence than the reported consensus of others."

To say his position must be right because he has thought it, is absolutely staggering.

txpiper, you have painted yourself into a corner and made the atheist observer more sure of his position.

10. PLEASE WRITE IN SUPPORT OF PZ MYERS

Comment #208719 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 7:16 am

Styrer!

11. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #208703 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 6:53 am

hungarianelephant

I am not saying that she should be entitled to refuse any changes to her working conditions just because she doesn't like them. The point is that, according to thirty seven years of employment law, they have to be implemented by a fair procedure.
Ok, I understand. It sounds like the tribunal decision has been twisted somewhat by the media (and especially the christian media).
Other than the fact that councils don't appear able to fire anyone at all, that's not the case.
I have a friend who works freelance in the public sector. The stories he tells me from time to time are pretty shocking. Seems that, if you work for the council, you are pretty immune from the sack no matter how poor you are at your job.

12. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #208674 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 6:22 am

Steve

I think you make a good point about terms being changed. However, I feel very unhappy about this.

Suppose a white person had taken on the role of registrar assuming she would only be dealing with white couples, and then a racist law was changed...
Exactly. This case is about bigotry, pure and simple. Its not at all a matter about a job description change.

We are finally moving towards a society that demands fair and equal treatment. This woman should not be able to discriminate while carrying out a public sector job.

Hungarian Elephant's point (while interesting) is not valid in my view: All registry offices have to carry our civil partnerships. So, if her career is going to be as a registrar, then homosexual marriages is going to be a necessary part of her job, anywhere. There has ceased to be a market for registrars who do not carry out civil partnerships. This is completely different from an employer making a particular working practice change she didn't agree with.

I'm an accountant. They sometimes bring in new standards that are complictated, or difficult to apply. I can't go to my employer and refuse to apply those legal standards on the basis that they were not in place when I joined.

13. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #208602 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 4:19 am

I might get a job in a muslim foodstore and refuse to handle halal meat because of my beliefs. I could just sit around all day and threaten lawsuits whenever they tried to get rid of me.

14. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #208600 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 4:15 am

The highly significant ruling confirmed that the various acts of direct discrimination committed against Miss Ladele by Islington Council on the grounds of her religious belief included: failing to consider her for promotion; deciding to discipline her and threatening her with dismissal; concluding she had committed gross misconduct; failing to redress allegations that she was "homophobic" and labelling and treating her as homophobic; disregarding her concerns about her treatment; and failing to apply its anti-discrimination policies to gay colleagues who were mistreating her.
Flabbergasted!

She disciminates against homosexuals, and then sues when she's called a homophobe.

I feel like a liberal Littlejohn: You couldn't make it up!

15. PLEASE WRITE IN SUPPORT OF PZ MYERS

Comment #208570 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 3:32 am

Irate

Similarly if one is a guest and the hosts insist on grace before a meal it is rather rude to sit up straight and po-faced.
This comment has riled me a little bit! Surely its a case of each to their own? It would be rude of a host to force such customs. Or are you saying I should serve a pork roast to a muslim guest?

It should be the other way around in my opinion: if a christian attended dinner at my house I would wait patiently and politely if they wanted to say grace, so long as there was no pressure for non-christians to join in.

I am attending a church wedding on the weekend. I will remain polite and respectful (remembering it is a rather special day for my friends), but I will not join in hymn singing and prayer.

16. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #208540 by Peacebeuponme on July 11, 2008 at 2:55 am

Steve

I find it a bit odd to see such support for deism.
I wouldn't say Richard supports it all that much. He just can rationalise someone else holding that position better than theism. At the very least you can still go about the business of investigating the natural world and never have to consider miraculous intervention.
I think it is a small jump from deism to theism, which is why I think deism is problematic
Deism is problematic in its own right. It was interesting watching that Jonathan Miller interview with Denys Turner. Turner found it very difficult to set out a position which would include a deity of any kind in the origins of the universe.

17. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207974 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 11:16 am

(or "irregardless" as another poster put it!)
Excellent. Instead of ending my emails "Regards", I might put "Yours irregardlessly"!

18. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207969 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 11:00 am

Teratornis

Unfortunately, Richard spent too much time expressing incredulity, as if he had never met anyone who held such views. Clearly, Richard has not spent much time in Ohio.
I think this is a little unfair. Richard was expressing (quite deliberately obvious) incredulity because Lennox is supposed to be a sophisticated theologian. He was happy that he had a counter to the 'not my religion' argument. He also feigned an expression of surprise about Francis Collins (he had been told about Francis Collins believing in certain literal truths a few months ago by Bill Maher) for the same reason.

Of course Richard knows there are plenty of credulous imbeciles out there. But these do not put themselves up for serious debate.

19. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207903 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 9:24 am

mixmastergaz

In the case of McGrath I think there's a deliberate attempt to obfuscate. His flea offering is terrible, and terribly written. It's very difficult to decipher his points and when you do finally get the drift he's usually saying something rather facile and obvious, but in grand-sounding terms.
Which McGrath book are you referring to here? I have only read the first "Dawkins' God", and have to say your description is very apt in respect of that book. I was astonished that some of the arguments within had satisfied an Oxford graduate of science.

Its interesting to read the chapter headings of that book, compared with the actual arguments within the chapter. When I looked at the chapter titles before reading I can remember being a little worried that, if the titles were to be supported by the chapter itself, then I would surely become a theist after reading. What would I say to my friends?

Then I read the book.

20. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207731 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 6:19 am

MyName

But the argument John Lennox was presenting is that God raised Jesus from the dead, rather than Jesus raised from dead through natural means. Therefore Richard would need to show that God, who theists believe created the universe, was incapable of bringing someone back to life. The whole point is that the resurrection cannot be explained medically and therefore either it never happened or it did and God was behind it.
I don't think so. Richard can safely dimiss the resurrection on the balance of evidence. There is not a shred of evidence for any miracle ever occuring, and people can't rise from the dead. The burden of proof is therefore on Lennox to show (i) that god exists, (ii) he has the powers to raise the dead and (iii) he actually did so in the case of jesus.

Until such time, the resurrection myth can be dismissed out of hand.

21. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207716 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 6:03 am

Hello MyName

Otherwise it comes across as if Richard rules even the possibility of the resurrection out before he looks at the evidence, which wouldn't be the open-minded scientific approach he advocates.
Richard dismisses the resurrection after looking at the evidence in the same way that me and you do: namely the medical fact that dead people do not come back to life.

So Richard saying that there was no resurrection is not a declaration by fiat as you imply.

22. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207711 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 5:57 am

Arguing with theists is much like 'Sunday Heroes' off This Morning with Richard Not Judy.

Any question you ask is met with mumbo-jumbo or return questions.

The only thing to say to people like Joe is "No. Not 'aaah'."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDfv5LzlQK8

(I'm probably being too obscure here, but that series was one of british comedy's shining moments.)

23. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207698 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 5:49 am

Back on to the video. Some poeple think it will not do a lot to move current theists more towards atheism. In of itself, maybe not. But I think it would be interesting to watch it with a theist and discuss our differing reactions. They may take Lennox's position at face value until we point out where his glaring errors are.

It has also done wonders in coming back on the 'that's not my theism' argument, since clearly even sophisticated theologians believe in fantasy.

24. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207690 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 5:42 am

J Anderson

Yes. Perhaps I was wrong to expect more out of this site and this crowd.
Again with the 'crowd' reference. This is an internet site, so you get all sorts of poster. However, this is the only site I (and many others here) are aware of that also contains interesting, stimulating debate across a wide range of academic disciplines. People come here for intellectual discussions and to learn. Without naming people again, it is you who are being rude to the many excellent philosophers, scientists and historians who post here daily.

If you don't like it, you know what to do. However, in my opinion, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you allowed one or two coarse posts to wind you up and shut you off from this resource.

25. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207564 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 2:48 am

Then I will just say that I don't think everyone in this thread is being ill-mannered and rude, just those who felt the need to attack Mr.Lennox with insults and rude remarks.
People post forceful comments on an open internet forum shocker.

26. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207536 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 2:15 am

J Anderson

My point is that the crowing and insults I'm seeing here are more befitting of a D'Souza crowd than a Richard Dawkins crowd. For shame.
That's grossly unfair to Steve Zara, decius and communist (and plenty of others).

Recognise that all kinds of people with all kinds of approach post here. Its not right to dismiss the whole group as you have.

27. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207526 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 1:58 am

J Anderson

I felt that the moderator and Lennox were both polite and respectful to Professor Dawkins. The venom and stupidity of some of the posts here make me ashamed to be in such company.
Richard Dawkins was also perfectly respectful to John Lennox. What is your point?

Realise this is an open discussion forum. Perhaps you would like to share your own viewpoint instead of criticising others.

28. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207516 by Peacebeuponme on July 10, 2008 at 1:43 am

Hopefully Hitch will make short work of him, rub his hands together and declare himself the winner, like he did with McGrath.

29. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207246 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 11:32 am

Joe Moralle

AL RAWANDI,

SORRY I CAN'T RESIST THIS:

KNOWING THAT YOUR WORLD-VIEW HAS BEEN REFUTED HAS INCREASED YOUR TURMOIL.

THE REMEDY?

TURN IN SINCERETY TO GOD.

YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN IT MAKES SENSE MY BOY
Get yourself a beer and calm down, sonny jim.

30. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207240 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 11:15 am

Joe Morreale

Qu'ran 75:3-4

"Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones? Nay We are able to put together in perfect order the very TIPS OF HIS FINGERS."

Fingerprints was an 1880 discovery. The Qu'ran "only" mentions it 1400 years earlier!
Fingertips and fingerprints are not the same thing. I hardly think it is prescient of the koran to realise our fingers had an end point!

31. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207232 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 11:04 am

Steve - that particular nasty piece of trickery has always wound me up. Even if Richard was stumped if doesn't give them an argument as their are plenty of other biologists around.

Why though the credulous masses are prepared to believe that one of the best biologists alive today would not be able to answer such a question is simply beyond me.

32. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207088 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 7:05 am

Steve

Anyway, this situation is different. He was protesting. Which means he had to upset the applecart in some way.

There is plenty of public space in which to do that.
The mass was held on his university campus. Perfectly appropriate place for a protest in my view, therefore.

33. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207087 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 7:02 am

Styrer

I am frankly amazed at some of the lily-livered, handwringingly pathetic comments here
What a surprising reaction.

34. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207049 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 5:57 am

Clodhopper

OK then, I have a good friend, happens to be a catholic, wonderful person, has done more for humanity than I ever will; including raising vast sums of money for (sectarian) charitable organisations here and abroad. What do want me to do? Tell her it's a cracker and a pile of horse-shit and get over it?
We don't have to be so insufferably boorish as to ram our atheism down theist throats at every turn, no. However, this friend sounds like a fine person. I think it would be helping her to try to make here see the world different, if done appropriately.

Anyway, this situation is different. He was protesting. Which means he had to upset the applecart in some way.

35. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207019 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 5:15 am

Steve, Mixmastergaz

I disagree. He was protesting about misuse of unversity funds.

The situation has also highlighted the absurdity of the catholic belief. People have been lied to and there is no reason not to ridicule the practice.


Clodhopper

To the "anthropologist" point above: yes, you act to save your skin, but, generally, is it moral to keep people in darkness believing superstitious rubbish? I don't think so. Christian missionaries didn't either...

36. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #206990 by Peacebeuponme on July 9, 2008 at 4:24 am

Surely this guy should have done something for extra comedy value, like replaced it with another cracker, which had been used in a devil worshipping ceremony?

Did someone have to eat it when he gave it back? If so, it would have been good to cover it with castor oil or stick it up his arse first.

Alternatively, he should have just said "I chucked it in the bin."

37. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #206587 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Fuck me, I can't handle anymore of that! Talk about cure for insomnia.

Richard: There are two major theories about the universe...its extrordinarily unprescient to be right about that.

John:...I take your point, but...paradigm shifts....blah blah blah.

Theologians! World champions of bluster, all of them. Must take years of training to be able to drone on like that.

38. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #206546 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 1:03 pm

GordonYKWong

This was a private discussion, with only a tape recorder present.
What? Just a tape recorder? No Nun-chuks, Katanas, Ninja Stars and BFGs? I am disappointed.
Or clothes?

39. Degrees of religion

Comment #206213 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 7:13 am

alexhouse

I hope Kia's approach remains tenable for the forseeable future - because if it does, it will probably mean that somebody has managed to defend her right to be a harmless fool. Long may it continue.
There is one thing terribly wrong with Kia's approach: she calls herself a muslim. She then adds her name to the countless others giving justification to the edits of hateful, misogynistic imams and protesters who wish to curtail our freedoms.

40. Degrees of religion

Comment #206209 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 7:10 am

TIKI AL

Should a masochist follow the golden rule?
I don't see this as a defeater of the golden rule. The rule is about treating others in a manner they would like to be treated: just like how you would like someone else to treat you.

You may love peanuts. This does not mean you should offer peanut butter sandwiches to those with a nut allergy.

41. Degrees of religion

Comment #206067 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 4:24 am

Apathy Personified

Ah yes, religion is the victim, let me break open my songbook and find the world's saddest song.
Can I accompany you with the world's smallest violin?

42. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #206065 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 4:22 am

unityisfact

EVOLUTION DID NOT HAPPEN
That seems to be true in your case.

Why are there plenty of inane theists arriving here, but precious few thinking ones, that you can actually have a reasonable conviersation with?

MATTER CANNOT THINK, MATTER CANNOT WRITE, MATTER CANNOT REASON.
Keep thinking that way. It would blow your mind to understand any deeper.

43. Degrees of religion

Comment #206061 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 4:08 am

Yes, religion is inherently a way of life but I believe it can exist in degrees. I know that picking and choosing which parts we adhere to goes against the fundamentals of faith but I truly, honestly believe that as long as a person is doing their best, they are doing enough. Some will say that's a cop-out but religion isn't a vehicle for gathering kudos from dogmatic worshippers; it is there as a personal bond between a human being and God. As long as a person's actions do not harm anyone and stay within the range of their moral barometer, I think they deserve respect.
Stop calling yourself a muslim then, love. Its that easy.

We can deal with your "personal bond" with God later, and on better terms.

44. Degrees of religion

Comment #206056 by Peacebeuponme on July 8, 2008 at 4:03 am

I believe in God. It seems that this isn't a very popular thing to admit lately what with Dawkins, Hitchens and others repeatedly naming religion as the root of all evil.
The very first sentence is tripe!

Actually it seems to be more popular that ever to state ones religious convictions. Just take a look at the number of flea books.

And Dawkins and Hitchens have never even once said that religion is the root of all evil.

More arse from the Guardian. I'm really not a fan of that organ.

45. Churches' secret talks to stop gay surge

Comment #205576 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Paula

Peacebeuponme: I think you've misattributed your quote! Who's Robbie Williams? ;-)
Indeed I did! I've now corrected.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so eager to demonstrate my knowledge of such trivia anyway...

46. Churches' secret talks to stop gay surge

Comment #205564 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 1:04 pm

AllanW

'that ugly Mancunian bastard Robbie Williams'
Correction; he is an ugly bastard from Stoke :)
Technically correct. But he's a Burslem lad and not from Stoke the town. That makes him a Port Vale fan and an arch rival of Stoke City FC.

These things are important in footballing circles.

47. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #205400 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 8:25 am

Irate_atheist

Argument from authority.
Here's a great example of that back-firing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam

48. Churches' secret talks to stop gay surge

Comment #205394 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 8:18 am

The writer must have patted himself on the back with that headline.

A picture of a naked Ann Widdecome would be enough to stop the gay surge I would have thought.

49. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #205380 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 7:57 am

al

1) Mike's Hard Lemonade
2) Fuzzy Navel
3) Zima
4) Miller Chill
5) Any form of wine cooler
I guess the UK equivalents would be WKD, Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezer.

50. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #205373 by Peacebeuponme on July 7, 2008 at 7:45 am

al-rawandi

Miller Chill? I have lost soooo much respect for you.
At least it wasn't Zima.

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