601. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118540 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 6:34 pm

Becomethearrow - did they all start with 'run betty run'

602. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118534 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 6:31 pm

Ok... phew.

603. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118529 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 6:27 pm

Becomethearrow - say that to tsunami victims, or a woman in iran beaten everyday.

Diacanu - I meant the trolls not you.

604. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118510 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 6:08 pm

Diacanu - "And here comes the next troll.

Like the next sheet of tp."

Just wipe to develop the next troll argument.

605. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118423 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 4:48 pm

Cartomancer - "But seeing as how you can just get rich spouting ill-conceived right-wing bollocks online these days I'll probably start my own militant feminist neo-nazi evangelical wahabi muslim hate blog instead."

lol

Hey, at least it would be well written!

606. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118411 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 4:37 pm

Cartomancer,

Brilliant. Have you considered writing a book?

607. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118390 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 4:22 pm

Blacknad - woof woof

Vox Day - here boy

608. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #118361 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 4:05 pm

There are so many arguments for and against the existence of God, and all of them are presumptuous. None of the arguments actually provide any evidence for the existence of God. Can't someone trap some of God's essence in a jar or something?

609. Scientists discover way to reverse loss of memory

Comment #118281 by LorienRyan on January 30, 2008 at 2:46 pm

Can they hook me up for my next exam!

610. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #117832 by LorienRyan on January 29, 2008 at 6:50 pm

Mphil,

Watched the other vid. Have to agree with you now.

611. Atheism and Violence

Comment #117830 by LorienRyan on January 29, 2008 at 6:41 pm

The author accuses the new atheists arguments as being 'shopworn, stale hand-me-downs' then proceeds to dust off the typical responses to them - astounding. I found the article cumbersome to read under the weight of the authors overly polemical representation of his own personal feelings on the matter, which obviously biased his interpretation of the facts. Two thumbs down from me.

612. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #117822 by LorienRyan on January 29, 2008 at 6:19 pm

Great discussion, I thought it was conducted very well. Lets talk, debate and discuss issues more, and more openly. It seems some of the commenters in this thread would not be able to participate in a reasonable discussion.

613. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #117435 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 7:46 pm

Day - "...because atheism will never be a widespread phenomenon. Like socialism, it's a parasitic phenomenon that can't survive on its own."

Just like Day's parasitic book - just another flea.

614. Belief in Belief

Comment #117362 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 4:24 pm

Wonderfully written by Hitchens of course, inspirational. It's unfortunate such enlightened reasoning can only be understood by the enlightened.

615. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117346 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Cartomancer,

I think religious belief habours and justifies such behaviour, because it gives license to irrationality. Dangerous people should be physically separated from harming others.

616. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117335 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 3:12 pm

Yes, also I think it is ludicrous to blame atheism for certain atrocities because atheism is really a non-position. Atheism denies the existence of God/gods although does not inherently pose a position in itself - that is where science and reason must play a role.

617. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117327 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 3:02 pm

Cartomancer - wow.

I think I agree with you - are you saying it comes down to attitude?

618. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117314 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 2:41 pm

quote

619. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117304 by LorienRyan on January 28, 2008 at 2:29 pm

I don't think the four were ever 'anti-dogmatists' per say, but pro-rationalists or pro-reasonists. This automatically implies an anti-dogmatic position. To call oneself an anti-dogmatist is inefficient and carries a negative conotation.

620. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116454 by LorienRyan on January 26, 2008 at 2:15 pm

The width of the universe? Dark Matter, stuff we can't see or detect? This sounds familiar. I really doubt they spent six billion dollars just to answer ridiculous notions. I thought the big bang theory had already been disproven in favour of the more evidence based plasma and electromagnetic universe.

621. New Website on Secular Philosophy

Comment #116242 by LorienRyan on January 26, 2008 at 12:37 am

Steve Zara - "The Jonathan Miller/Denys Turner discussion is compulsive viewing. Miller has the knowledge and persistence required to strip away all the theological nonsense from Turner's arguments."

A great interview, Jonathan Miller is impressive and I'm glad to be on his side. Denys Turner's recourse was always on the mystery of hows things came to be, the 'big question', but then assumes God as an answer - typical.

622. Loneliness Breeds Belief in Supernatural

Comment #116238 by LorienRyan on January 26, 2008 at 12:07 am

There's nothing like spending time with family and friends to keep one's feet on the ground. I believe a very important aspect of socializing is being a positive contributer to the dynamic. It's unfortunate that some religious ideologies seem to be designed to trap the lonely by isolating people's minds and suppressing freedom of thought.

623. Richard Dawkins talks about The Out Campaign and Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #116132 by LorienRyan on January 25, 2008 at 3:19 pm

Wow! Powerful video snipets. All success for your tour.

624. A Letter From Hell

Comment #115847 by LorienRyan on January 24, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Josh dictated the letter to Satan who wrote it in the blood of innocent puppies killed by sadistic children scared to death by videos like that.

625. A Letter From Hell

Comment #115842 by LorienRyan on January 24, 2008 at 10:55 pm

Jesus Christ! Fear mongering and emotional blackmail made especially for the kids. How low will these small people sink to? - the depths of hell maybe?

Diacanu,

Come on, we know you were scared.

626. Heath Ledger Death: Baptist Group To Protest At Memorial

Comment #115731 by LorienRyan on January 24, 2008 at 3:09 pm

mesomodel,

Unfortunately sometimes they do explode.

627. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115302 by LorienRyan on January 24, 2008 at 1:18 am

Tony Campolo, a religious man working with the only tool he's got - fear. It's really quite pathetic.

628. Death Sentence for Afghan Student

Comment #115196 by LorienRyan on January 23, 2008 at 6:26 pm

Many elements of some cultures are expressions of mental illness.

629. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115184 by LorienRyan on January 23, 2008 at 6:13 pm

Isn't this just the 'you can't have morals without God' arguement re-packaged?

630. Florida in the process of approving new science standards

Comment #114304 by LorienRyan on January 21, 2008 at 8:41 pm

MPhil,

Evidence validates scientific theories, although theories are needed in order to initiate the process of scientific enquiry. The point I am trying to make is to let the evidence do the talking, so to speak. I do agree with your point, it's just not exactly what I was implying. On second look I didn't phrase it very well.

631. Florida in the process of approving new science standards

Comment #114299 by LorienRyan on January 21, 2008 at 8:20 pm

Intelligent Design is just as valid a theory as Evolution is - although the evidence supports Evolution as the reasonable conclusion.

632. Interview with Ian McEwan

Comment #114295 by LorienRyan on January 21, 2008 at 8:06 pm

Great comments by Ian McEwan.

633. This Week's Flea

Comment #114189 by LorienRyan on January 21, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Mr Dawkins your going to need a flea powder fund.

634. Gay Jesus play blasted by bishop

Comment #114182 by LorienRyan on January 21, 2008 at 1:48 pm

There is virtually no evidence that the jesus character existed historically. That then begs the question of what this is really all about.

635. Violence fear over Islam film

Comment #113827 by LorienRyan on January 20, 2008 at 5:13 pm

People can, and do, what they want. I'm with Christopher Hitchens on this one.

636. Minnesota Atheists Interview Richard Dawkins

Comment #113821 by LorienRyan on January 20, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Theists reaction to the word 'atheist' is probably not so much to do with the atheists themselves as it is a threat to their belief system, which in many cases takes precedence over rational thought.

637. New Findings Confirm Darwin's Theory: Evolution Not Random

Comment #113386 by LorienRyan on January 19, 2008 at 1:24 pm

"through the natural selection of successful traits"

Wouldn't it be more acurately put - 'through the natural interaction of an organism with it's environment successful traits emerge.'

638. King Me!

Comment #113376 by LorienRyan on January 19, 2008 at 1:08 pm

God can suspend the laws of chess and make a pawn move like a queen... it's a miracle!

639. Questions Delay Creationist Master's Degrees

Comment #113224 by LorienRyan on January 19, 2008 at 2:52 am

Teapotology 101, Spagetti-Monsterism 102.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

640. The New Theology

Comment #113208 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 11:27 pm

Plan9,

Precisely, fear of death is the driving force behind religion, deism, whatever - same thing.

641. The New Theology

Comment #113180 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 7:34 pm

This reminds me of how Pigmys would catch monkeys by placing pumkin seeds in a hole in the side of a tree, when the monkeys put their hand in and grab the seeds they wouldn't let go of the seeds - hence would become trapped by their clenched fist - the Pigmys would then bash the monkey on the head.

When are these psuedo-religous people going to realize - just let go of the proverbial pumkin seed!

642. Gigantic fossil rodent discovered

Comment #113012 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 12:44 pm

Did this rodent start the rat race.

643. The God Delusion: Now Available in US Paperback

Comment #113005 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 12:33 pm

American's have always needed a bit more sugar.

644. The God Delusion: Now Available in US Paperback

Comment #113001 by LorienRyan on January 18, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Congatulations Richard on the success of your book.

645. Gigantic fossil rodent discovered

Comment #112704 by LorienRyan on January 17, 2008 at 11:24 pm

You saw what happened to Anakin Skywalker when he tried that in episode II

646. Gigantic fossil rodent discovered

Comment #112699 by LorienRyan on January 17, 2008 at 11:04 pm

Don't think jumping on a chair would help if I saw one of those in the kitchen.

647. Questions Delay Creationist Master's Degrees

Comment #112692 by LorienRyan on January 17, 2008 at 9:04 pm

The only valid subject would be the 'history of the creation science movement.'

Also, what legitimate industry would a graduate be qualified for accept perpetuating it's own dogma?

Seems like a vicious self serving cycle of nonsense.

648. Dinesh D'Souza: Winner of the 2007 Bad Faith Award

Comment #112345 by LorienRyan on January 16, 2008 at 11:46 pm

There is something disingenuous about DSouza, but he has found a nice niche for himself.

I watched the Tom Cruise vid (thanks for the link Paula). While I believe Scientology is, to say the least, a bit weird, is Tom really spreading a bad message?

649. George Scales, War Hero and Generous Friend of RDFRS

Comment #111520 by LorienRyan on January 14, 2008 at 10:44 pm

An inspiration to us all. A real reminder of honour, courage and sound mind!

All the best for your op and speedy recovery.

650. The Moral Instinct

Comment #110807 by LorienRyan on January 12, 2008 at 3:59 pm

phil rimmer, "Remembering that every war was a just war, aligning our moral sense becomes hugely important and Pinker's (and Chekov's) path, i.e. to objectively understand ourselves and each other, is the only rational course to take. Religion stands squarely in the way."

here, here!