1. Common New Atheist Fallacies

Comment #200733 by skip on June 28, 2008 at 7:20 am

I am amazed at how he skips point number 3 in his attack on Dawkins line of reason, and then goes back to explain it quickly.

Here is the problem: Point number three is not only about the "who designed the designer" argument, it is about the need for a crane rather than a skyhook. It is about the need for a bottom up logical progression to show how we have come to exist.(as in evolution).

Christians need the same type of logical progression to show how God came to exist. They do not have it. And he missed this point completely!

He is not able to separate the argument from the non arguments himself. Sadly, he teaches critical thinking skills without realising this fundamental flaw.

2. The Mother, The Child, The School Board And The Psychic

Comment #195991 by skip on June 19, 2008 at 6:45 am

I am quite embarassed by this type of Canadian news. Oh...Canada.

This womans life has been unnecessarily disrupted by another overly militant government agency.

Wait I have an Idea! She should get the Ontario Human rights agency to investigate this case! Instead of protecting muslims from frivolous "insults" they could do some real work protecting Canadians from idiots like the psychic, teachers aid and the school board who filed this unsupported claim of abuse. (who should lose her job!)

3. Divine Impulses: Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #193137 by skip on June 14, 2008 at 6:37 pm

I just sent this link to my professors and some former classmates, they are going to love it!

Wonderful work Ayaan!

You are a brave lady!

4. From Big Bang to Us - Made Easy

Comment #192871 by skip on June 14, 2008 at 5:17 am

These videos were excellent.

Potholer - You need to find a producer and get this on TV. It's that good ... Call the discovery channel!

Seriously

5. Bacteria make major evolutionary shift in the lab

Comment #191170 by skip on June 10, 2008 at 10:10 am

But there must be a transitional bacterium between these transitional bacterium! then we'll know evolution is true! And yet another transition between those transitions. They'll never prove evolution at this rate. Durn those gaps!

hee hee...

I love science!

6. Shaw TV Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #175097 by skip on May 4, 2008 at 11:47 am

I am impressed at how well Mr Dawkins explains his subject matter. It is refreshing to hear him come out strong and loud on issues like homosexuality, politics, childhood education etc.

You are a wonderful compassionate man Mr Dawkins!

Welcome to Canada

7. 2 fleas for the Christmas week

Comment #103340 by skip on December 25, 2007 at 8:20 am

The Confutation of Dawkins' The God Delusion

Thin Arguments and word play [ No Rating ] 25 Dec 2007 (updated 25 Dec 2007)
by Jeffrey Olsson
I strongly suggest that every one read the preview of this book before buying it. Much of the argument presented is done so as word play and quickly becomes tedious. Further more, Mclean is in serious need of an editor as spelling mistakes abound throughout his meagre 83 page book report.

While Mclean tries to be generous he still refers to Dawkins as "hysterical". Anyone who has seen Dawkins speak, or read his materials knows this is simply not the case.

The major problem with this book is that is does not flow as an argument, instead it is a series of small statements that are not tied together in a meaningful way. But then again, Mclean claims to have created this book in Open Doc without an help from a professional editor.
Why am I not surprised?

skip

8. Do the laws of God trump those of man?

Comment #99416 by skip on December 16, 2007 at 3:27 pm

This Article states" British writer Timothy Garton Ash made the point more strongly a few weeks later: "Ayaan Hirsi Ali is now a brave, outspoken, slightly simplistic Enlightenment fundamentalist."

Timothy Garton Ash has since apologised directly to Ayaan Hirsi Ali Here: http://www.richarddawkins.net/article,2002,Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali-versus-Timothy-Garton-Ash,Axess-TV

He stated that he agrees with Ms. Ali and that althought there may be many forms of Islam, he is as concerned about fundamentalism as she is.

Skipp

9. Daniel Dennett Debates Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #93080 by skip on December 2, 2007 at 6:16 am

Oh, by the way Sent2null, I agree with you too... I just thought I should make that clear.

10. Daniel Dennett Debates Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #93075 by skip on December 2, 2007 at 6:08 am

Some of the reviewers (my good friends) have completely missed the point. The debate resolution was: "God is a man made invention".

Daniel Dennet signed, sealed and delivered his verdict in the 5 questions posed to Dinesh at the end of his first 5 minute speech. Question 4 directly addressed this, and was basically ignored by Dinesh. It asked: "Do you agree that John Frum, Ganesh, Angel Moroni, and Angel Gabriel are human inventions?

The rest of the debate was over the existence of God, at Dinesh's insistence.

Anyone trained in Philosophy (or the sciences) should know that it is a fruitless endeavor to try to prove or disprove God. Dawkins does a good job of explaining this in the God Delusion, Chapter 3 "Argument for God's Existence" and Chapter 4 "Why There Almost Certainly is No God".
The point being that there is no absolute proof either way. (hence the use of "almost certainly" is used in the title of the chapter)

Keep the great debates coming!

11. Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial

Comment #87946 by skip on November 13, 2007 at 7:18 pm

I just watched this show on PBS with my wife...

It was extremely well done. It showed both sides of the argument with sensitivity. I was also impressed that many of those fighting the good fight against Intelligent Design were in fact Christians themselves. (light at the end of a long dark tunnel?)

I was deeply saddened to hear that Judge Jones received Death threats... It reminds me of a case here in Manitoba,Canada, where the family of a boy who would not recite the lords prayer in school received 180 death threats and suffered numerous counts of vandalism, discrimmination and were kicked out of the community club.

AND we still have prayer in schools here... Yeesh!

sigh... sadly Christian faith does not always bring out the best in people...

12. Debate between Michael Shermer and Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #80721 by skip on October 22, 2007 at 7:25 pm

I have just watched the entire debate! I gave it my full attention and must say that I was quite frustrated by D'Souza'a inability to control himself. He revises history to suit his own needs and tramples on the history of pre-christianity in order to convince himself(and sadly, others) that Christainity is at the the root of democratic thinking and liberty.

Yikes... I need a beer!

Skip

13. Griffin's 'offensive' Emmy speech to be censored

Comment #69549 by skip on September 11, 2007 at 5:01 pm

I just sent an encouraging note to Kathy Griffin at this e-mail!

tc@wma.com

I got the e-mail directly from the catholic league. at this address

http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1327

I copied them on my note to Kathy... Perhaps we should all send them a note too!

skip

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

Comment #46906 by skip on June 2, 2007 at 6:34 am

Don't be overconfident that Canada is not unduly influenced by religion, please read post 28.

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

Comment #46897 by skip on June 2, 2007 at 5:40 am

HI everyone,

I am a Canadian (43 years) and a former Anglican Priest. I live in Winnipeg where there are many, many religious people. As a former Christian I can honestly say that the American religious influence is immense. Even Anglicans, known for their moderation are greatly influenced by the American views on theology and spirituality. Each and every day you can tune into charlatans like Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, and others on TV and they are included in the "basic" cable package, so we are forced to pay for the stations that these shows are broadcast on if we want basic cable TV. (It's one thing to switch it off, and another thing all together to know you are still forced to support it financially)

Recently, the Harper (Canadian Prime minister) government has started patronizing the religious right in Canada. For example the minister of the environment (Ambrose) hired the former president of Focus on the Family, Canada to be her assistant. The fellow from focus on the family has no scientific credentials what so ever. There are a number of other such appointments in our Government and people are starting to talk. Walrus magazine recently published a wonderful (but damning)article about such religious patronizations occurring in Ottawa, our capital

Finally the Canadian scientific Community is in an uproar over the recent decision by the SSHRC ("The" government funding agency for scientific research in the humanities and social sciences, etc). The board of directors will not back away from a statement made that gives equal weight to intelligent design and evolution as scientific theories go. The new chairperson of this scientific funding council is a Christian and an English professor from Alberta. AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR!

Needless to say she was appointed by the Harper Government when they took power.

As a Canadian Atheist I am concerned that Frank McKenna (from the article above) is telling the truth about the U.S. but is not completely accurate about his own country.

By the way, I decided I didn't believe in God anymore after I read the Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. I left the church about a year later.

Keep up the good fight!