Comments by clodhopper

551. Happy Birthday Josh Timonen!

Comment #118902 by clodhopper on January 31, 2008 at 6:36 am

Have a great birthday Josh. Many thanks for all your hard work here.

552. What should a scientist think about religion?

Comment #118162 by clodhopper on January 30, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Yes, and is it not problematic that God explains everything but predicts nothing?

553. The Repeater

Comment #118144 by clodhopper on January 30, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Yet all these systems show the same thing: at the genetic level, evolution is, to a remarkable extent, a repeater.

Isn't that exactly what one would expect if selection goes with solutions that work in that environment. Aren't similarities inevitable?

554. Atheism and Violence

Comment #118125 by clodhopper on January 30, 2008 at 11:26 am

I can't stop singing run rabbit, run rabbit, run run run. It's all Edward T Cakes fault. Is there a cure?

555. Atheism and Violence

Comment #117920 by clodhopper on January 30, 2008 at 1:45 am

Against these realities, all that the new atheists can offer is only the most jejune, wan, and bloodless humanism

Gosh, I didn't know we had so much to offer.

556. The Group Delusion

Comment #110300 by clodhopper on January 11, 2008 at 12:01 am

No more Delusions.....please can we have
'Oblative Behaviour in Phenotypes'

oh, imagine the fleas!

557. Sam Harris debate with Rabbi David Wolpe

Comment #108539 by clodhopper on January 7, 2008 at 6:54 am

Like gary, I can't view this on the given link. Is it anywhere else?

558. It is possible to be moral without God

Comment #105332 by clodhopper on December 31, 2007 at 9:34 am

This is no surprise to monotheists who believe that all of us, whatever we believe or do not believe, have been created in the image of God

Right....so we believe it even if we don't believe it? Maybe he just missed out the elf after whatever. Whatever.

559. Man and God

Comment #103417 by clodhopper on December 25, 2007 at 1:59 pm

For doubt admits the viability of other views, and that is the basis of wisdom and tolerance.

No. It opens the door to being duped. It is the certainty of religion that poisons and the doubt of atheism that quests for truth.

This, surely, is where the new militant atheism is wrong. It is totalitarian in its prescription for human happiness.

No, wrong again, atheism gives no prescription. Go do some bleeding homework.

560. Jesus ad angers church groups

Comment #100834 by clodhopper on December 19, 2007 at 12:15 pm

Right....that's it. I'm going to market a Xtian Monopoly set next year.

Let's see, what shall we have after passing GO? Galillee maybe..

What shall we have on the Communion Cards; You Have Taken The Name Of The Lord In Vain - Go Back Three Spaces.

How about Last Supper Cards for the other deck?All the lead has been nicked off your church roof - Pay the bank 200 Sesterties

The year after I'm bringing out Islamic Monopoly.
Go straight to Mecca, Do Not Pass Go, Do not collect 200 dinars.

Suggestions Please?

If I survive the Fatwa I'm gonna be rich :-)

561. God rest you merry atheist

Comment #100233 by clodhopper on December 18, 2007 at 12:05 pm

Let us pray for poor Libby who sneers not

Alfalfa, who farts in Devon,
Bellowed be thy name.
Thy wigwam come.
Thy swill be scum
In Bath, which is near the Severn.
Give us this day our sandwich spread,
And give us our bus-passes,
As we give those who bus-pass against us,
And lead us not into Penn station,
Butter the liver and the weevil.
For thine is the wigwam, the flowers and the story,
For ever and ever are men.

562. Abstinence Programs Face Rejection

Comment #100207 by clodhopper on December 18, 2007 at 11:38 am

It's the youths in these states who are missing out."

Ain't that the truth?

563. CBC News: Sunday - Richard Dawkins

Comment #100182 by clodhopper on December 18, 2007 at 11:03 am

Comment #100143 by artemisa: Stalin, Hitler etc., are all idealogies just like religions. Maybe I'm being too simplistic here. If so I welcome any comments.

No, spot on. When will they ever stop bringing up this total red herring? The good Profs response was excellent: simple and to the point.
He managed to convey neatly both that the question is getting dumber by the minute and that H and S and so forth were just sick, evil twats driven by or making use of quasi religious ideologies to further their megalomaniac agendas.

564. Creationists plan British theme park

Comment #99786 by clodhopper on December 17, 2007 at 2:36 pm

WTF. I LIVE in Lancashire. They can't do this to me, can they?

565. An Open Letter to Richard Dawkins

Comment #98144 by clodhopper on December 13, 2007 at 6:20 am

When the Vatican stops sheltering paedophiles and offers them up for due process I will apologise for almost anything you like.

566. Voyager 2 probe reaches solar system boundary

Comment #97979 by clodhopper on December 13, 2007 at 12:14 am

If the Vgers are going into the heliopause, do you suppose they will get hot flushes?

567. The Pagan Christ

Comment #95378 by clodhopper on December 8, 2007 at 7:45 am

I can't see god getting tenure anytime soon, in even a micky mouse university.

He has only one major publication.
It is in obscure languages.
It has no references.
It is not published in a refereed journal
Some even doubt he wrote it himself.
It may be true that he created the Universe, but what has he done since then?
His co-operative efforts have been quite limited.
The scientific community has had a hard time replicating his results.
He never applied to the Ethics Committee for permission to use human subjects.
When one experiment went awry he tried to cover it up by drowning the subjects.
When the subjects did not behave as predicted, he deleted them from the sample.
He rarely came to class, just told students to read the Book.
Some say he had his son teach the class
He expelled his first two students for learning too much.
Although there were only ten requirements, most students failed his tests.
His office hours were infrequent and usually held on a remote mountaintop.

568. Nurses Told to Turn Muslims' Beds to Mecca

Comment #93990 by clodhopper on December 4, 2007 at 2:29 pm

What is 'fresh' running water exactly?

569. Fear of censure deflects The Golden Compas

Comment #93964 by clodhopper on December 4, 2007 at 1:52 pm

Oh bollocks....It seems I have a rabbit of some sort.

Comment #93898 by arogop.
Do you want the one with rusty steel armour lubed with seal blubber or the one with the shiny gold plate armour?

I'll ask Aditi, my rabbit daemon. Do you have both in stock?

570. Daniel Dennett Debates Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #93941 by clodhopper on December 4, 2007 at 1:31 pm

Is he taking lessons from Alister McGrath in swaying technique?

I'm up to Pascals wager.....and....and I don't think I can take it anymore. Where do I sign?

571. Fear of censure deflects The Golden Compas

Comment #93855 by clodhopper on December 4, 2007 at 10:25 am

I positively WANT an armoured bear for Xmas and there are no prizes for guessing its name.

A daemon would be bloody annoying, wouldn't it?

572. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore

Comment #91673 by clodhopper on November 29, 2007 at 12:31 am

Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan
3 Cleveland Row
St. James's
London
SW1A 1DD

others:
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Sudan/sudan1.htm

Would it help to tell them what we think?

573. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore

Comment #91515 by clodhopper on November 28, 2007 at 1:31 pm

Death to all who insult the Holy Prophet of Islam.

Neither shall his image be copied nor his name sullied.

Henceforth shall he be called Paddington....or possibly Pooh.

574. Turkey probes atheist's 'God' book

Comment #91502 by clodhopper on November 28, 2007 at 1:16 pm

I am taking Turkish Delight to court for causing cavities and inciting plaque. The punishment for insulting dental hygeine is 3yrs in Doncaster.

575. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #90110 by clodhopper on November 23, 2007 at 2:59 am

Comment #89944 by Ruht

Your question is flawed. Only one God is the real one. I believe what you're trying to ask is how do we decide what is written on him is true or not.

It would depend on the skill/reputation of the tatoo artist involved.

576. Make Richard Dawkins a Knight

Comment #89883 by clodhopper on November 22, 2007 at 3:27 am

Comment #80842 by BillySands

Would Richard have to sing god save the Queen at the ceremony?

It might have to be a stunt double at this point or maybe a duet with Alister McGrath?

577. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #89880 by clodhopper on November 22, 2007 at 3:00 am

Comment #89785 by Ruht

You asked for any proof/evidence of Intelligent Design, when you were sitting on it all the time

Thank you Lord for my bleeding piles and for making my tight irreducibly complex buttocks

578. The Transcendental Argument for God

Comment #88345 by clodhopper on November 16, 2007 at 5:37 am

Comment #88341 by DG

(And pi by the way is not an infinite number but an irrational number. Steve, you really should go out and study the issues at hand a little more or at least do some research before responding to my posts a few minutes after I posted them, for it's tiring for me to constantly find myself explaining simple stuff to you. Things are really not as trivial as you think, and I am sorry that Dawkins's TGD confused you into believing that they are.)

Yeah....c'mon steve....get a grip. Fancy not understanding the simple stuff DG is explaining! Tch.

579. The Transcendental Argument for God

Comment #88323 by clodhopper on November 16, 2007 at 1:46 am

Comment #88316 by jonjermey

It's sad that so many people have wasted so much time on it.

No one can say people here have not allowed DG a fair crack at the whip. He has had both courtesy and the courtiers response in equal measure. People have had the opportunity to look at some "sophisticated" theist agurments in detail and seen them refuted in equal detail....repeatedly. Patience will wear ever thinner the more the rewind button is hit.

580. The Transcendental Argument for God

Comment #88314 by clodhopper on November 16, 2007 at 12:35 am

Proposition 1: No sales = no xmas bonus
Proposition 2: god explains everything and predicts nothing

both contingent on performance review figures.

581. The Transcendental Argument for God

Comment #88184 by clodhopper on November 15, 2007 at 5:14 am

OOooo, I've missed so much Danielosity! But I thought he'd thrown in the towel over on the Flea Circus thread.......

DG: #85728 On Flea Circus thread...(So ultimately there is not really any difference between religious and humanist ethics).

Clodhopper #86565: Exactly so. Both are man made. Thank you.

DG: You conceding this?

Did I miss anything interesting?

*taps fingers* *sighs*

582. Why Science Will Triumph Only When Theory Becomes Law

Comment #88148 by clodhopper on November 15, 2007 at 12:28 am

Why should we play linguistic games on their terms? It's a recipe for a mess. So we say 'law' and they say 'ok, god made the law so he can suspend it whenever', and we than call it what? Where does it get us? Just demand the evidence neh?

583. Malaysia firm's 'Muslim car' plan

Comment #87972 by clodhopper on November 13, 2007 at 11:26 pm

It might not always be easy to find a Meccanic when things go wrong.

584. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #86565 by clodhopper on November 9, 2007 at 4:09 pm

DG:

(So ultimately there is not really any difference between religious and humanist ethics.)

exactly so. both are man made. thankyou.

585. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #86119 by clodhopper on November 8, 2007 at 7:42 am

the rightrev Graham Dow bish of carlisle...but not the only one obviously.

read it and weep

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/01/nflood201.xml

586. Suffering, Evil and the Existence of God

Comment #86071 by clodhopper on November 8, 2007 at 4:09 am

"The only satisfactory explanation for the origin of such 'end-directed, self-replicating' life as we see on earth is an infinitely intelligent Mind."

read....The explanation satisfies me...therefore God exists.

I am indeed self-replicating life and to this end is my end directed.

587. The New Atheism rocks

Comment #85899 by clodhopper on November 7, 2007 at 12:46 pm

While the Catholic Church claims not to seek the enforcement of any specifically religious doctrines, or religious teaching about morals, by means of the state's coercive powers, this seems dubious.

I don't think you need to shy away from much stronger language here Russell. For example, with regard to abortion, the official policy of the Catholic church is that Catholic politicians who vote for abortion are to refrain from taking communion until they change their political stance. This also applies to Catholics who vote for pro-choice politicians. The policy was re-iterated by Ratzinger in 'Sacramentum Caritatis' on 13/03/07.

They will similarly be trying to actively influence or interfere with policy formation in the reproductive technology and bio-ethical arenas.

I honestly don't know how many Catholics would sign up to the seperation of church and state without fingers firmly crossed behind backs.

Clear, concise, very well written and readable article. Are you submitting it to any UK publications?

You can have your mocha now ;-)

with chocolate sprinkles

588. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85776 by clodhopper on November 7, 2007 at 4:43 am

From whence is probably like saying Tuna followed by fish.

.....der

589. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85763 by clodhopper on November 7, 2007 at 3:10 am

DG:

It is commanded by God because it's moral. Obviously.

So morality is independant of God and he is bound by it, or morality is intrinsic to God's nature.

From whence comes this knowledge about the nature of God?

590. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85625 by clodhopper on November 6, 2007 at 2:11 pm

Oh....and we're the oppressors now! That's rich.

591. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85620 by clodhopper on November 6, 2007 at 2:03 pm

Ipetrich: see 193.

C'mon! Get to grips with Feminist Theology...it's the new Klack...Pettle....Bot.....oh bollocks!

http://www.womenpriests.org/body/beattie3.asp

(In which Ms Beattie accuses the Catholic Church of having a bigger cock than even Dr Benway....but you you need a severe case of penis envy to read that far in).

592. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85573 by clodhopper on November 6, 2007 at 8:18 am

Bonzai: it's here...

http://tina.beattie.googlepages.com/books

Of course they're not human silly....just look at them!

593. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85565 by clodhopper on November 6, 2007 at 7:43 am

".....This means that we need to cultivate a much greater awareness of both the limits and the oppressive effects of a debate dominated by the opinions of a small clique of white English-speaking men staging a mock battle about rationality and God, which fails to address the most significant humanitarian questions of our time. This includes the many different roles played by religion in sustaining and generating hope, meaning and creativity, without which we would be less than the humans we are."

Oooo...how good it feels to be dominated in such a small manly clique.

Would you care enough to turn up and discuss this Tina?

594. I didn't know the FLEA CIRCUS was back in town!

Comment #85549 by clodhopper on November 6, 2007 at 6:22 am

DG

At the risk of putting some of our friends into a coma....will you please answer the old Euthyphro dilemma: Is what is commanded by God moral because it is commanded by God, or is it commanded by God because it is moral?

595. Response to Theodore Dalrymple

Comment #85248 by clodhopper on November 5, 2007 at 11:02 am

Belief in belief again....yawn. Why, I wonder, does Dalyrymple offer so little other than criticism for the sake of it?