801. Bill O'Reilly Interviews Lori Lipman Brown

Comment #95522 by Geoff on December 8, 2007 at 2:07 pm

I'm not from the US, but I understand a new president has to swear to "preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States" (or words to that effect).

Sounds to me as if he couldn't honestly do that.

OK, I realise that honesty and politics don't mix all that well, but still...

802. Sudan demo over jailed UK teacher

Comment #93569 by Geoff on December 3, 2007 at 2:09 pm

A quote from the BBC article:

Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Britain told BBC News 24 that the whole saga had been very damaging for the image of the Muslim faith as it could lead some people to "feel that Islam has no place in modern society".

It could; it could indeed.

803. Double-checking Dawkins

Comment #92880 by Geoff on December 1, 2007 at 4:34 pm

Someone with wayyyyy too much time on their hands...


kinda fun, though, yep!

804. Tests of faith over 'The Golden Compass'

Comment #85257 by Geoff on November 5, 2007 at 11:20 am

In one of my many idle moments, I was wondering if Marisa Coulter is related to Ann?

805. Internet used to target extremism

Comment #83828 by Geoff on October 31, 2007 at 12:16 pm

The politicians still don't get it, do they?

"By getting in early, by helping them understand their religion, equipping them with the confidence and skills to challenge and reject those preaching conflict, we can make today and tomorrow's communities more resilient to the violent extremist message."

The extremism is the message; haven't they read the books?

806. Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

Comment #83825 by Geoff on October 31, 2007 at 12:11 pm

Excellent article.

I'm waiting for the "well, he's obviously not a REAL theologian" responses from the theodrivellers.

807. Tests of faith over 'The Golden Compass'

Comment #83312 by Geoff on October 29, 2007 at 3:41 pm

I read the books about ten years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed them, although until I read down the article I was confused by the title (Northern Lights, originally)- why do publishers change book titles for the US market? They did it with the first Harry Potter too.

Any publicity is good publicity - let them make all the fuss they want (just as they did with HP, and "Life of Brian", to name but two). They're just narked because it doesn't agree with their favourite fiction book.

808. Sam Harris at AAI 07

Comment #82891 by Geoff on October 28, 2007 at 6:56 am

I'm completely against the "under the radar" philosophy, primarily because it doesn't work.

Think of all the "movements" of the last century or so - suffragettes, feminists, Vietnam war protesters, civil rights, gay & lesbian, Greenpeace, whatever; they were successful by being very much "in your face".

RD tried a similar approach with his early books, discussing evolution without being overtly anti-theist, effectively disguising his atheism as rationalism, but none got the massive publicity that TGD has received.

809. FFRF 07 Conference Footage

Comment #82698 by Geoff on October 27, 2007 at 9:00 am

Although of course I agree with the sentiments expressed, am I the only one (apart from Sam Slater, above) who thinks the whole presentation is sick-making? It came across like the worst kind of self-congratulatory, twee, religious program - complete with hymns.

I've only watched the Friday segment so far, might just watch the Hitchens part of the rest.

810. Help Counter the New Atheist Crusade to 'Evangelize' America!

Comment #79477 by Geoff on October 17, 2007 at 11:39 am

There is a misprint in the introduction.

It should read:

"The following is spam sent out by Coral Ridge Ministries..."

811. Crisis of faith in first secular school

Comment #73445 by Geoff on September 25, 2007 at 2:28 am

I don't see the OFSTED points deduction as being a problem; all the schools & colleges I've taught in have behaved very differently when the inspectors are in, and they give several months notice of an inspection.

Those months are spent "preparing for the Inspection" rather than teaching.

812. Is 'Do Unto Others' Written Into Our Genes?

Comment #73430 by Geoff on September 25, 2007 at 2:07 am

regarding Comment #72524 by devolved

"And how would you distinguish between cutting your neighbour's lawn when he's in bed with a bad back and taking his car without his permission?"


Very easily; it's called the Golden Rule.

813. Rational Atheism

Comment #64835 by Geoff on August 22, 2007 at 3:04 am

"Atheists cannot simply define themselves by what they do not believe"

Err, yes they can; that is the precise definition of the word. Although the implication of embracing science & reason is there, it isn't a necessary condition for lack of belief in a god.

814. Another Flea is Born

Comment #62602 by Geoff on August 10, 2007 at 9:29 am

I was particularly tickled by the "First Assembly of God" sign.

Who assembled him? Was the second assembly any better? How long did it take, 6 days? Were there any screws left over? Were batteries included?

815. Hitler Was an Atheist Who Killed Millions in the Name of Atheism, Secularism?

Comment #56400 by Geoff on July 15, 2007 at 3:42 pm

http://www.bedfordgaol.com/buckle.jpg

816. LA Church 'agrees abuse pay deal'

Comment #56399 by Geoff on July 15, 2007 at 3:36 pm

I knew it was going on, but I didn't realise the severity of it until I read this, which is why I submitted it.

$2 billion, in the US alone!

Did you spot this bit?:

...the rest of the sum being covered by insurance...


They take out insurance against it? Which firms underwrite that?

817. Floods are judgment on society, say bishops

Comment #53653 by Geoff on July 2, 2007 at 12:17 pm

Of course the good bishop is correct; that's why we Lancastrians were relatively unaffected, while those evil Yorkists got the 'flud'.

I'm reminded of the classic Stanley Holloway monologue:

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Three_HaPence_a_Foot.htm

818. Religion and Child Abuse

Comment #47565 by Geoff on June 5, 2007 at 1:34 am

Comment #47498 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
"What worries me is that there needs to be something specificaly aimed at children at all. By declaring they need their own separate rights from adults implies that they are not equal to adults in some way - as though they were lesser humans."

819. Christian sports workers degree ridiculed

Comment #44926 by Geoff on May 25, 2007 at 3:37 pm

I couldn't resist...

http://www.glos.ac.uk/subjectsandcourses/postgraduatetaught/sco/entry2007.cfm

"The course focuses on the ways in which Christian churches and parachurch organisations can use sport as a medium to connect with a range of populations."

820. Exorcism exercise for fired-up faithful

Comment #44854 by Geoff on May 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm

I wonder if there's a practical exam in order to pass the course.


OK, Abner, just keep praying till this guy's missing leg grows back...then we'll start on the demons.

821. Adam and Eve in the Land of the Dinosaurs

Comment #44849 by Geoff on May 25, 2007 at 11:56 am

Just come across this clip about it from ABC news:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3211807

822. Heliocentrism is an Atheist Doctrine

Comment #44843 by Geoff on May 25, 2007 at 11:47 am

I love it! Let's teach all the controversies!

Next week: Gravity!

823. Adam and Eve in the Land of the Dinosaurs

Comment #44841 by Geoff on May 25, 2007 at 11:41 am

I'd love to see it, especially this:

..."a supposedly full-size reproduction of a section of Noah's ark."

824. For the God Question, a Biological Perspective

Comment #43709 by Geoff on May 22, 2007 at 10:36 am

"I found on every page of The God Delusion passages worth underlining that I want to turn to again and again."

825. Bible drawn into Hong Kong sex publication row

Comment #41865 by Geoff on May 17, 2007 at 8:12 am

Comment #41859 by vertigo25 on May 17, 2007 at 8:03 am

Wish truthbible.net had an English version.

826. Bible drawn into Hong Kong sex publication row

Comment #41862 by Geoff on May 17, 2007 at 8:07 am

"If there is rape mentioned in the Bible, it doesn't mean it encourages those activities," said Reverend Wu Chi-wai.

827. Ask Richard!

Comment #41722 by Geoff on May 16, 2007 at 5:15 pm

Why feature The Selfish Gene? It's more than 30 years old now, surely all the sensible questions have been asked and answered by now?

I've heard that there's a more recent RD book around...

828. Pope Warns of Globalization, Marxism

Comment #41499 by Geoff on May 16, 2007 at 7:49 am

"Pope Benedict XVI...told priests to steer clear of politics..."

"...the 80-year-old pontiff denounced Marxism in an hour-long speech..."

829. Christopher Hitchens is Not Great

Comment #41035 by Geoff on May 15, 2007 at 11:33 am

"...understanding the particular nature of truth that belongs to the religious."

That made me laugh.

830. Hamas 'Mickey Mouse' calls for Muslim domination on kids' show

Comment #39128 by Geoff on May 10, 2007 at 4:08 am

Child abuse!

831. Pope abolishes limbo

Comment #34018 by Geoff on April 23, 2007 at 3:58 am

No evidence for the existence of Limbo?

Hmmm.
What about the rest of it, then?

832. In the beginning

Comment #33936 by Geoff on April 22, 2007 at 6:26 pm

"...if the Christian church teaches things about the physical world which are manifestly false, then everything else the church teaches might be discredited too."

Quite.


Some people still don't get it, though.

833. Almost Human, and Sometimes Smarter

Comment #32686 by Geoff on April 18, 2007 at 2:46 am

"Sometimes Smarter..." in another way, too; as far as we know, they don't worship imaginary sky-chimps.

834. E.O. Wilson Accepts his 2007 TED Prize

Comment #30433 by Geoff on April 8, 2007 at 3:30 am

But, of course, he's an unbeliever, and therefore cold and unfeeling.
The only people who can see beauty in the world are those who realise that it was created by some supernatural sky daddy.

Yeah, right.


Anyway, we don't need to do all that encyclopaedia stuff, we've only got a week or so (subject to availability) till the "Rapture", so why bother.....

835. Militant atheists: too clever for their own good

Comment #30161 by Geoff on April 7, 2007 at 5:38 am

Just a small point regarding the gender differences; most of the churches round my way seem to have a disproportionally large amount of single elderly ladies in the congregations.
Not statistically rigorous, admittedly, and I wouldn't attempt to analyse it too deeply, but I strongly suspect that the social aspect is a big factor.

836. Snake Oil and Holy Water

Comment #28162 by Geoff on March 28, 2007 at 7:17 am

"I haven't found a book on quantum feminism, quantum financial management, or Afro-quantum theory, but give it time."

http://www.mcluhan.utoronto.ca/academy/carolynguertin/4ii.html

837. In Lice, Clues to Human Origin and Attire

Comment #25366 by Geoff on March 12, 2007 at 4:01 pm

"Samples of gorilla lice were obtained..."

Hmmm.

Carefully, one hopes.

838. Christian Shrine Needs Two Exits, Israel Says

Comment #17878 by Geoff on January 17, 2007 at 7:14 am

15. Comment #17851 by Luthien on January 17, 2007 at 3:36 am

Re. the lightning rods on churches comment, I seem to remember someone saying that was the first great victory of science over religion.

That was Isaac Asimov.

839. Questionable Mission

Comment #16861 by Geoff on January 9, 2007 at 8:58 am

16. Comment #16645 by Nazgul on January 7, 2007 at 8:48 pm

This sounds like the prologue to a not-very-happy-ending sci-fi novel. Oh Sh#%@# !!!

Yep! This one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22If_This_Goes_On%E2%80%94%22

"If This Goes On—" is a science fiction short novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first serialized in 1940 in Astounding Science-Fiction and revised and expanded for inclusion in the 1953 collection Revolt in 2100. One of his Future History series, it recounts a future theocratic American society, ruled by the latest in a series of "Prophets." The First Prophet was Nehemiah Scudder, a backwoods preacher turned President (elected in 2012), then dictator (no elections were held in 2016 or later).

That last part is worth repeating:

(no elections were held in 2016 or later).

Geoff

840. Danger ahead - there are good reasons why God created atheists

Comment #2495 by Geoff on October 21, 2006 at 1:46 pm

Can God create a mountain so big he can't move it?

841. Huw Edwards Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #1380 by Geoff on October 11, 2006 at 7:52 pm

And those laws created by mere atoms bouncing around in a certain way, whether they are your parents or whatever, have no ultimate meaning. They are subjective and any person who is thorough enough will set them aside as easily as they arrived.

But that isn't the morality we use. We use a morality that requires theism. Including Richard Dawkins.

842. Huw Edwards Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #1354 by Geoff on October 11, 2006 at 3:18 pm

Richard Dawkins is not a consistent atheist.

First, his little interview is dripping with meaningful morality. And as much as Dawkins may protest about philosophy, etc... if God doesn't exist, all things are permissible. You can't have moral laws without a law giver.

Secondly, Dawkins as an atheist says he wants people to make up their own minds. Well, if our minds consist of atoms bouncing around constrained by the laws of chemistry and physics, we don't believe what we believe because it is true. So Dawkins, according to his own beliefs, has to admit that he believes what he believes not because they are true. His atheism undercuts any attempts to utilize logic (which is immaterial btw) and reasoning.