










501. Ethical storm as scientist becomes first man to clone HIMSELF
Comment #163851 by Bonzai on April 19, 2008 at 7:23 am
To top this someone should clone himself and than marry himself. The ultimate orgy of narcissism.I do find myself very attractive. Too bad I am not a biologist and likely can't afford the service of one.
EDIT I wrote "himself" because I think mostly men are into having non stop perverted sex with themselves, no disrespect for the ladies.
502. Russell T Davies: Return of the (tea) Time Lord
Comment #163656 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 6:00 pm
That does not mean I wish to peek in their bedrooms, much less have my kids peek likewise, whether on the real thing or else a televised depiction, watered down or not.
True. Let's just leave it up to parents to decide if their kids should view it in programmes purportedly made for them,
503. Russell T Davies: Return of the (tea) Time Lord
Comment #163652 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Steve,
Oh, and I am a far better person to talk about gay icons with than Carto, if he will forgive me. I have followed everyone from Streisand to Mika.
504. Russell T Davies: Return of the (tea) Time Lord
Comment #163648 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Jac,
I think you may be mistaken if you think I am "on your side". I am gay, I just don't think Steve's speculation that homosexuality is a selected trait is on solid scientific ground (though it can still have a genetic basis and very likely so, but that is a different story altogether, not everything genetic is the result of selection.)
The bottom line is, we shouldn't have to justify ourselves with "we were born that way". No one asks or cares whether your preference of hot food is the result of nature or nurture.
The way I see it, even if homosexuals are born, those who hate us would still say it is a genetic disease, so "blaming the genes" doesn't really get us very far as long as we still see the need to "blame" something for who we are,--for whatever reason. I shouldn't have to be apologetic of the fact that I am attracted to men and I won't.
We are here and we are here to stay. I don't need to justify my sexual preference any more than you have to justify yours. In a rational society no one should even care about anyone's sexuality, whether in real life or on TV.
What I find more objectionable is that the "token gays" in TV are often based on stereotype than reality, and they often appear only in shows that have something to do with "gay themes", I think having gay characters on TV shows shouldn't be seen as a "special event", period,
505. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163394 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 9:39 am
gr8hands
Bonzai -- all religious concepts are the result of indoctrination. Children are not born knowing the concept of god or believing in one.
Feral children do not spontaneously develop the concept away from parents/society.
And there are many examples of isolated pockets (even a single household) of one religion surrounded by a society of a different religion -- think jew or jehovah's witness or wiccan.
506. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163349 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 8:22 am
Annabanana,
He feels that not only does he have a need for community but he has a "god-shaped hole" (to use DR's words) that needs to be fulfilled because of what he was indoctrinated with as a child.
507. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163341 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 8:12 am
Podaar,
I think RM has an emotional need that has to be filled.
His needy personality might have been due to his upbringing, but I don't think it has anything to do with the truth claims he was "indoctrinated" into. He wants community, from what I gathered from his posts on Robertson's. His new found religiosity is the result, not the cause.
He hopes that these claims are true because of his needs, not that he thinks the truth claims are credible or compelling. Based on the latest he might have succeeded in his effort to self delude, but it is not like he was told some BS at a young age and retains them because he thinks they are true.
You guys all make it sounds like belief is some kind of intellectual exercise which at some point stumbles because of bad logic and poor empirical thinking. "Facts" and logic are often not the point at all as your own example of RM shows.
508. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163332 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:56 am
Sargeist
The reason why it is dangerous to tell children certain things is evidenced by the time I told my niece that the reason I am so tall is that I was stretched by the doctors as soon as I was born. Her unquestioning belief in what I was saying as a member of her family caused me to immediately tell her I was joking. But that was the occasion when I realised exactly how careful one has to be.
509. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163330 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:52 am
Phatbat,
They do have minds of their own, but well meaning people prime that mind to believe things on insufficient evidence. Once the mind is primed to accept this as a virtue then it can be very dangerous for the individual when they grow and develop the mind of their own.
510. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163325 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:44 am
Steve,
True, but that was never the intention of the FSM.
511. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163319 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:41 am
Sargeist
I have no problem with the data, I just don't agree with the interpretation.
512. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163316 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:39 am
I had always assumed it was because of the (apparent) fact that, e.g., almost all Catholics are the children of Catholics.
513. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163313 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:28 am
And is there a never-ending supply of virgins, as once one has been deflowered, she's no longer a virgin.
They simply cannot accept that we (all life) are here for no other reason than the fact that our parents/ancestors reproduced
514. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #163304 by Bonzai on April 18, 2008 at 7:01 am
Greyman
Ah. What? I'm not parsing that last phrase. How can a meaning be real if it is not true?
Yes, that's so. More precisely, we do not see any indication that anything was created for a purpose. It does not follow that we cannot find a reason to continue to exist.
Oh. I see. So... if I understand that, you are saying that: it's not the content of belief that matters, only that it provides comfort? Since false comfort is better than none?
516. Russell T Davies: Return of the (tea) Time Lord
Comment #163024 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 8:58 pm
That is a probably a bit above the level at which selection can work.I think we need to look more closely at how homosexuality can be an advantage to the reproduction of close kin. I suspect it may be the non-reproducing uncle and aunt aspect. This may be indicated by the observation that the younger children of a family tend be gay more than the older children
517. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162674 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 8:01 am
As Tina Turner said "What's love got to do with it?"
It is silly to suggest that one is incapable of love if he rejects superstition,
518. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162647 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 7:04 am
Is love the greatest power found in the human race?
519. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162641 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:58 am
True, but he is someone, and someone with, unfortunately, influence.
520. Yoko Ono, Filmmakers Caught in 'Expelled' Flap
Comment #162634 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:52 am
I don't agree with copyrighting songs and music 30 years later, when they become part of the general cultural fabric, It may be sweet to see the "Expelled" crew being screwed, but I don't like the way that this happens.
521. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162632 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:50 am
Prince Charles is an idiot. Being an adulterer he would be wise to shut up on the topic.
522. Yoko Ono, Filmmakers Caught in 'Expelled' Flap
Comment #162622 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:34 am
Russell,
I left a message on your blog regarding art and religion. Want to hear your thought on it.
523. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162620 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:24 am
It was to show that it was reasonable to put forward the position that "moderates" could be empowering "fundamentalists" by claiming that faith was good.
524. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162614 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:18 am
We should instead classify people by the intensity with with they hold beliefs, not by what they believe.
525. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162613 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 6:14 am
"Uncle Mark, is there a god?" "Er..., um... well, a lot of people think there is, but I don't, but I wouldn't like to tell you that there isn't, er.., um ..., bluster"
526. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162601 by Bonzai on April 17, 2008 at 5:56 am
Steve
Think of it like this. Smoking doesn't kill everyone, but we would not approve of people saying that it is not only harmless, but a jolly good thing.
527. Teacher Expelled Over Religion
Comment #162388 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 8:36 pm
JEDDAH, 17 April 2008 â€" Officials at the Jeddah General Court confirmed yesterday that they are dealing with the case of a Turkish barber who is allegedly facing the death penalty after being tried for swearing at God.
528. Teacher Expelled Over Religion
Comment #162386 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Goldy
Kardashovel does go on about time travel. Maybe the Disco Institute knows something the rest of us don't.
529. School bars same-sex partners at formals
Comment #162385 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 8:25 pm
'"Most parents send their children to our schools because of the Christian values that our schools espouse, because our schools stand for biblical values,"'
530. School bars same-sex partners at formals
Comment #162384 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 8:22 pm
MarieCooper
I don't think young people should be of one sexuality or another.
531. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162344 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Cos we're insane too. :-)
Signed:the rabbit.
532. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162342 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I don't think RM is pulling a double agent. If he is just playing Robertson why did he come back to post those trollish posts under the name D-I-Ogenes? I am very sure that was him.
But let's say I am wrong, I would still question the sanity of someone who would go through such an elaborate plot in order to "infiltrate" Robertson's Church, can anyone be actually that bored?! It is just the internet for fudge's sake.
533. Evolution fray attracts top scientist
Comment #162257 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Oh, no, not again. The man needs to get laid.
534. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162253 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Mind you they had it easy compared with the denizens of Cockermouth.
535. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #162251 by Bonzai on April 16, 2008 at 12:43 pm
But he [Richard Morgan]vomits that anywhere that he is not invited to vomit it then ...
536. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161920 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Time machines bring a whole new element to the concept of planning, Bonzai.
537. For sale: 13-year-old virgin
Comment #161915 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:31 pm
We need to be humble about our knowledge of the universe, and we need to understand that it is incomplete, but what I objected to is any implication that our knowledge was somehow relative to us. This seemed very much like a post-modern attitude.
538. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161907 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Oh yes. Jesus is central to my understanding of the afterlife, as well as this one.
539. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161905 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Whose "Plan"?
If it is a "developing" God, a God in training like an exploring child, how can it have a "plan"?
540. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161898 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Ok,
Just to clarify so that we won't misunderstand each other, you are some kind of mystic, am I right? Did you say you are a Christian?
541. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161889 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:13 pm
But you didn't answer how your idea of God conveys anything more substantial than my "mystical" metaphor.
542. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161878 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 8:05 pm
You are beginning to grok what I am saying... but more like a God in development.
Do you have any children, Bonzai?
543. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161863 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Karda
I did not suggest that randomness implies purpose. I am saying that it is not logical to suggest that randomness implies lack of purpose. Get it straight.
544. Religious education as a part of literary culture
Comment #161842 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 7:22 pm
The "disposable" attitude to PCs is a sheer waste of money.
545. Religious education as a part of literary culture
Comment #161790 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 5:10 pm
epeeist
The OP isn't quite as eloquent as Tolstoy, but has very much the same opinion.
546. Lying for Jesus?
Comment #161782 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 4:48 pm
So bringingithome4u concedes that ID is theistic, so it doesn't belong in science, whether science alone is sufficient "to build human intellect"is a separate issue (obviously the answer is no, "human intellect" would also include art and literature)
Since ID is not science, it doesn't belong in science classroom and scientific research.
Case closed.
I have no problem with teaching ID in creative writing or religious study classes, or in philosophy courses examining pseudo sciences.
547. Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss
Comment #161775 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 4:36 pm
"I have many opinions, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."
George Herbert Walker Bush aka Bush I
Worshiping oneself is not as easy as you think.
548. Religious education as a part of literary culture
Comment #161774 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 4:32 pm
This is a bizarre statement.
549. Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss
Comment #161768 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Clydey
You clearly have something against him. I have no objection to dissenting voices. I simply prefer that they make an effort to back up their argument.
550. Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss
Comment #161750 by Bonzai on April 15, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Who says it is objective?
But it is good to be the lone dissenter.
EDIT: Besides, I only hero worship dead people who didn't and obviously can't lead any movement and didn't want to be hero worshiped. Hence there is no danger of turning people into gurus.