601. Was there ever dog that praised his fleas?

Comment #24085 by the great teapot on March 4, 2007 at 5:45 pm

I am ashamed to say I bought the Dawkins delusion today. It took me back 25 years. I have never felt like this since I bought a porn mag back in the early 80's. First there was the toe curling embarrasment of standing opposite the religous section of the bookshop- nobody around to see me there though, not so embarassing, but if I am going to buy it how do I get it to the counter without being seen. No I shouldn't buy it, It is just pure exploitation. But how do you know until you have read it? I just do.Ok leave it , leave it. Walk away, walk away.It is a waste of money.
Just on the point of leaving when my curiosity gets the better of me, it is a stupid vacant looking man at the checkout, buy it ,buy it,he looks like he has read it himself. ok ok go for it.
I bought it. I feel so ashamed , so dirty.
The only difference was the magazine I bought 25 years ago was worth the embarrasment. Anyone want a copy of TRD?

602. Send The God Delusion to your MP

Comment #24026 by the great teapot on March 4, 2007 at 10:53 am

No way would I send a free copy to my MP.
My copy cost me twenty pounds and I earn a 5th of my MP.(and I earn it)
They get enough free crap as it is.
If Richard Dawkins wants some free press let him send them.
If anyone wants to send a copy of the Richard Dawkins delusion to their MP they can have my copy. I dont object to the £8 I spent on it but the 2 hours I wasted reading it I'll never get back.

603. Daggers Drawn

Comment #24011 by the great teapot on March 4, 2007 at 6:47 am

One of the witnesses or crossexamined said
(loosely)
"Religion or spirituality enables us to think outside ourselves and about others and the enviroment"
What does she thinks is going on in the head of atheists. Must go now.
Me need food, me need drink.
Mmmm me see woman.

604. Lewis Wolpert and William Lane Craig on Religion

Comment #24003 by the great teapot on March 4, 2007 at 5:21 am

I used to think there was a tiny tiny smidgen of a chance that there might be a god (out of politeness to others), but this final trace of doubt is being washed away by the fact that the only argument thinking believers have is that you can't prove anything to be right or wrong.
Belachelijk.

605. Lewis Wolpert and William Lane Craig on Religion

Comment #24002 by the great teapot on March 4, 2007 at 5:12 am

The female presenter then wrapped up the item by saying something along the lines of " so the debate is still unresolved then"
I wasn't sure which conversation she had been listening to, could it really have been the one we just heard.

606. Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots

Comment #23596 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 4:14 pm

Together we can work it out.

607. Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots

Comment #23592 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 4:04 pm

ok ok

It saddens me to read you write "we should have bombed your country more properly"

As any English schoolboy knows - It is
"We could have bombed your country more effectively"

608. Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots

Comment #23590 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 3:56 pm

Comment 12
Well said.

Cllr Merkel refers to we. So the whole of the EU is at one with her is it?
We are a christian nation are we?
I must live in a different country to her.
Oh , hang on a minute I do, I live in England she Lives in Germany.

609. Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots

Comment #23581 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 3:34 pm

@ the author comment 13

It saddens me to hear you say that we should have bombed your country more properly.

Didn't you learn anything in English lessons.
It's "we should have bombed your country properly." The more is superfluous.

610. The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum

Comment #23577 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 3:06 pm

surely God does not achieve knowledge-
that would imply god was not always all knowing.

By the way tk - regarding gods genitals, if I am created in Gods image - he is hung like a hamster.
I hope your creator was more more gifted than mine.

611. The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum

Comment #23570 by the great teapot on March 1, 2007 at 2:45 pm

I have not read the above article fully as I am getting bored with reading the same old arguments, but one thing I do notice is that atheists are increasingly being attacked for being philisophical light weights for trusting common sense over deep philosophical logic.
The bolt hole that religion seems to be cowering in is - nothing can be proven, admitting that religion is actually not verifiable logically, but nothing else can be proven either therefore any single claim to "truth" is as good as any other (pink unicorn included.)
How many religious people do they believe actually think like that. Most think God is a thinking being in the sky. If Moses came down from the mountain and said "hey, I've got these rules but the best we can say for them is the're as equally as likely or unlikely to be as true as anything else so it really is down to personal interpretation" do you think we would have a judeo-christian god still today

612. Bishops must not sit in reformed House of Lords

Comment #23425 by the great teapot on February 28, 2007 at 2:31 pm

how will all the other members of the reformed house of lords be selected?
What is the purpose of the house of lords?
If it is to ensure that MP's are required to think again when they pass laws etc based on knee jerk reactions thus preventing mob or popularist rule then I believe Bishops could do that job as well as anyone. Surely you can't object to them just becaus they are bishops. Will they then be the only non elected lords?

613. Faith

Comment #23281 by the great teapot on February 27, 2007 at 1:38 pm

Is this right ,StPetes has had his account removed?
I hope not, contrary views should, particularly on a site like this, always be welcome even if offensive. Surely it is freedom of thought and opinion over everything.
Bring back Pete
Bring back Pete
Bring back Pete.

614. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #23072 by the great teapot on February 26, 2007 at 5:45 am

Yawn

All this discussion over a usless constitution of a state that doesn't exist and a god that doesn't exist.

I notice that lots of people defend the constitution as Holy because it agrees with them.
Suppose the Constitution had started "We the christian nation .... ",would it be a holy document then or should it be changed.

615. Richard Dawkins on The Sunday Edition

Comment #22920 by the great teapot on February 24, 2007 at 12:57 pm

I used to like Anthony Wedgewood-Benn.
I had no idea he was so stupid. His rationale belongs to the 1600s.
This is not a debate between science and religion.
It is reason against faith (otherwise Known as a debate between thinking about things and jumping to cocnclusions)
He is saying "I won't listen to you because what you are saying is not cosy enough for me.
Please leave me in my own cosy little world."
Even an atheist believes we should all be nice to one another - stunning revelation Tony thanks.
Tony, Tony, Tony. I am so dissapointed in you.

616. Atheists come in last

Comment #22867 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 5:25 pm

Please read comment 18 on this string.
IPV4 - No this is not off message. This message is the only reason this whole website exists.
Please scroll upto comment 18 and read on everyone.

617. Atheists come in last

Comment #22859 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 4:32 pm

re comment 30
The Bible may have cultural worth. But as for a work of literature -it is very patronising to suggest it has any.
The bible is a translation of a translation of a translation..
I recently tried and I repeat tried to read the book of Job. The essential message can be understood by reading the 1st and last pages alone, the intervening pages ( and there are many)are repetetive horseshite and impoosible to understand horeshite at that. But then I supoose the thicker the book the more impressive it looks.

618. Atheists come in last

Comment #22852 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 3:41 pm

Bloody hell Neo gothic why didn't they write the constitution in english? So we could all understand it.

619. Atheists come in last

Comment #22848 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 3:30 pm

@Bizarro
So the old testament has nothing to do with christianity.
Why then is it in the christian Bible?
It must be the longest( and most boring) preamble ever written.
Thank god the Koran doesn't have the bible in it's foreward.

620. Atheists come in last

Comment #22842 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 5:30 pm

45 % would vote for an atheist.
What % voted for Bush. Was it more than that?
How many people don't vote at all because "all politicians are self seeking liars"?

621. Atheists come in last

Comment #22838 by the great teapot on February 23, 2007 at 2:16 pm

Bizzaro or is it spock.

Christianity says There is one God. Worship him alone.
The constitution of the USA I believe claims to be secular. Ie you can worship a 100 gods if you like.
That took me about 1 second of thought. I can not be bothered to waste any more time on your stupid christian logic, but I am sure there are 100's more examples.
Have a nice day. I hope never to hear from you again.

622. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22587 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 8:24 pm

Bizzaro I had a comprehensive school education are you saying i am thick. Is that what you're saying?
Why do you refer to all atheists as you?
I have never said any of the above or below or wherever this post has landed in relation to yours.

623. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22585 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 5:14 pm

@ look to windward

And supposing windy your national boundary gets swamped by a larger area containing predominantley religious fundamentalists who can then impose their will on you. How can you pick and choose you common areas when no one asks you which unions you want to be party to and that choice is not constantly under revision. Constitutions with religion in them or not aren't worth the paper there written on. The mob rules , might is right.

624. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22573 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 4:14 pm

Mind Rebel
If you are refering to Nazism their history is a shared Human History. All humans must be vigilant that they are not ruled or fooled by thugs. Also individuals are no more responsible for the actions of their forefathers than we are for the actions of our grand children. If anyone of us lived in Germany at the time could we be sure we would have objected to Nazism let alone acted alone against it.
Remember the allies were not at war with National socialism, or antisemmitism they were only at war with a foreign power who had invaded another countries territory. Is there a country in the world that has not done that.
There but for the grace of God go I.

625. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22548 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 2:49 pm

Religion in the UK is an institution a little like cricket and rugby. Nearly no-one participates but when asked or when a special occasion occurs millions of people claim allegiance like sheep. This is particularly annoying when the Boro - Bolton football match is on sky TV and the otherwise empty pubs are full of people watching Engerland play Australia/New Zealand/France eventhough they barely understand the rules of the game they are pretending to watch. C of E my arse. I am pleased to say that in England, although religion is a state protected species and an awful lot of people claim they are "Church of England", professing to have actual faith is a bit like admitting to being soft in the head.(unless you're the latest Primeminster- it doesn't lose votes but it may gain a few)

In reply to comment 15- couldbethelast.
Note the above is my intepretation of the actual situation in the UK.The church goers may disagree but given their track record on assessing reality who do you believe?

626. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22512 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 12:46 pm

@ The author

I believe I've said it. Not provocative just a statement of fact. Europe is another tier of government that this country,England, does not need. Not arrogance just my preference.

627. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22505 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 3:00 pm

A european constitution?
I have looked on the map but I can't see this country europe anywhere.It reminds me of something else that she wants to force on us.

628. Memo: Stop teaching evolution

Comment #22502 by the great teapot on February 19, 2007 at 11:51 am

Get a grip gimlibengon.
The likelihood that other creatures ,in whatever form ,exist is infinitely greater than a god who has all the contradictory attributes of the God that we in our anthropomorphic attempts to make sense of our own existance have clearly invented.
I can't give evidence for the above, just use your bloody commonsense man.

629. My critics are wrong to call me dogmatic

Comment #22160 by the great teapot on February 13, 2007 at 5:01 am

Richard you are an idelogical fanatic because you wish to educate people who refuse to be educated.
You have an unhealthy interest in not taking things on faith. Crazy in its self but you go too far you want other people to think as you do and you want to poison their minds with critical judgement.Burn witch.

630. The God Delusion

Comment #21867 by the great teapot on February 11, 2007 at 9:26 am

Let us have a serious Theological discussion.
What colour is the wall paper in hell?

A learned friend of mine says it is green.I do not wish to pull rank here but wittgenstein in his wonderfull essay on the subject has conjectured that it is red.

This just about sums up 2000 years of theological philosophy. Pointless.

631. The God Delusion

Comment #21863 by the great teapot on February 11, 2007 at 9:15 am

This is off topic,I know,but can anyone tell me why the fact that jesus was nailed to a cross has saved our souls? (Given that God knows everything anyway)

632. Interview with Alister McGrath, author of 'The Dawkins Delusion?'

Comment #21757 by the great teapot on February 11, 2007 at 1:43 am

what is "a leading atheist"
The title is as laughable as an expert in theology.
The whole subject is intellectual childsplay.
Take away long words that require a dictionary to understand and there is almost nothing to discuss.
No wonder the church clings to latin.

633. The questions science cannot answer

Comment #21564 by the great teapot on February 10, 2007 at 12:06 am

Problem : We can't understand something.
Solution : Let's make something up and say it is a greater truth than things we know for fact.Anyone who tries to tell us otherwise is an arrogant dogmatig fool.

This person seems to have little else to say.
They must be fascinating those books of his.

634. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #20546 by the great teapot on February 4, 2007 at 2:42 am

ok
I am wrong on this one.

635. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #20113 by the great teapot on January 31, 2007 at 1:03 pm

Probably, Yes.
Even bestiality can be conditioned.
Lots of child abusers were abused as children.
(Please do not assume I am suggesting Gay people where abused as children or abuse children. I know lots of gay people are the most decent people you can meet)
Also during the 2nd world war many women were raped in china and Germany by the enemy regardless of age and attractiveness (is that a word)
All of the rapists had erections.How many people under normal circumstances would be "attracted" to eighty year old women whilst still in their youth.

636. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19903 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 3:09 pm

Also ivan the not so bad
You say that Blacks and Gays are what they are but religious people only believe themselves to be religious.
While i agree Black people are what they are (they can not change their skin colour via thought alone) are Gay/Straight people really what they are or do they only believe it.I suspect that being Gay/lesbian/straight is only a matter of faith.
As a human myself with lots of human freinds, my critical observation is anyone who puts themselves in either camp is merely acting on a
belief.

637. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19899 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 2:31 pm

Ivan the not so bad.

It is strange that you should mention a racist bus service and the non racist service that follows.
I am still struggling as an individual with the issues raised here (free choice versus freedom from prejudice)and the no blacks bus service is always the analogy I keep returning to/wrestling with in my own mind.

But I still believe that freedom of opinion is the greatest freedom of all.
After all you would not want an atheist teaching your child would you?
Or worst still, imagine if one could testify in court or even stand for parlaiment

638. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19895 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 2:02 pm

Ms Widdicombe I could not agree more -it is so easy to judge everything by todays standards.
What we must remember is that twenty years ago touching a childs genitals or pulling down their underwear and inserting our penis into their vagina/rectum was considerd a loving faith confirming gesture and should not be viewed
as we do in todays more cynical times.

639. The God of the Bible is No Delusion!

Comment #19885 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 1:11 pm

shaunththboy

Near the beginning of this thread you dismissed the ridiculing of the laws of the old testament as outdated. Saying that current laws will be outdated and will not be appropriate in the future.
But were n't the Laws of the old testament revealed by an all knowing God. Why did he not just introduce the correct laws to us in the first instance?
if we are so imperfect that we need to be gradually introduced to the true laws why did he make us so.
Perhaps he enjoys playing games no matter who must suffer while he plays them.

640. Atheists in Jail

Comment #19878 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 12:26 pm

"How can an article like this be taken seriously"

The same occured to me.
Why it is almost as though he is trying to display a sense of humour (humor)rather than make a wholly scientific argument.
I hope this is not the case.
That would be most illogical captain.

641. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19811 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 3:25 am

So we agree then.

642. Atheists in Jail

Comment #19809 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 3:07 am

What keeps me out of prison is not morality or laziness, but fear.
Fear of prisons and those in it.
I am a good prison fearing citizen.
Every evening when I go to bed I pray to The Prison and thank him for his Fear and his love.
Prison is Love.

643. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19798 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 1:18 am

Blacks, jews, gays, atheists, straight single men it is all the same to me.
If I wish to be a bigot it is my choice no one elses.

644. No exemption from gay rights law

Comment #19787 by the great teapot on January 30, 2007 at 12:09 am

Why should n't the Catholic church be able to provide a service to the public which is in line with their own beliefs.
(Although I would agree that it should be privately funded if they do)
As a non believer in God I do not expect religion to impose their views on me and I won't force my views on them.
As a non meat-eater I am often suprised that people don't understand that I don't like buying meat for other people. This strikes me as being a similar imposition on the church.
If they want to live in a fantasy world who are we to stop them.

645. A Culture of Faith, Devoted Yet Complex

Comment #19211 by the great teapot on January 25, 2007 at 3:21 pm

would you buy a used book (let alone car) from this man?

what he says is not so outlandish, even his accusations of arrogance against Richard are reasonable.Dawkins has not met every bioligist.
But every bone in my body told me as I watched( a year ago)"don't trust this man"- It just goes to show the human mind can somehow appear to "Know" more than the intellect. My instinct was correct- aren't they all in hindsight.

(No sympathy though, it is one thing to be in denial and another thing to condem as evil the feelings you deny.}

646. A Culture of Faith, Devoted Yet Complex

Comment #19151 by the great teapot on January 25, 2007 at 7:58 am

Why is everyone out to get the Reverend Haggard?
He came across as such a sincere genuine chap on Richard Dawkins documentary. When did he turn bad.
You just can't tell, can you.

647. The Bright Revolution

Comment #19134 by the great teapot on January 25, 2007 at 5:30 am

oh boy.
I am glad I've never been in that position.
But humility does not mean not doing things, It just means not running around boasting about them.

648. The Bright Revolution

Comment #19130 by the great teapot on January 25, 2007 at 5:18 am

I retract the last comment anyway.
Women seem to like arrogance.

649. The Bright Revolution

Comment #19128 by the great teapot on January 25, 2007 at 5:11 am

Humility is, like most values, not solely based in religion.(obviously - as most of us would agree morals and values are independent of non existant gods)
Values are based on not acting like a rude selfish idiot in front of other human beings.
Go ahead lose your humility but don't expect me to like you for it. You may not care what I think but oneday you may lose somebody you do care for because you are an arrogant bore.

650. Britons unconvinced on evolution

Comment #19075 by the great teapot on January 24, 2007 at 4:42 pm

I hardly know anyone who is religous, and the believers I do know take the bible literally (but they only amount to about 5% fortunately)
But what absolutely baffels me is the fact that a large percentage of the people I know who do not believe in a God if asked their religion still tick C of E (church of England) or Catholic.
They seem to tick this box soley to indicate the fact that they are White and Anglo-Saxon. When you tell them they could have ticked a none or atheist box they are suprised. It is as though they did n't consider this an option eventhough they actually freely admit in private conversation to be non believers (atheist seems to be too strong a term for a lot of people who consider the idea of god laughable).
No wonder the census tells us there are more Jedi Knights in Britain than atheists. (Obviously it would be too presumptuous to assume that the jedi knigts etc are actually atheists)