51. To beat extremism we must dissolve religious groups

Comment #222066 by D'Arcy on July 30, 2008 at 2:16 pm

Now if Muslims get nuclear weapons, that will be interesting.

Pakistan?

52. Religions thrived to protect against disease

Comment #222040 by D'Arcy on July 30, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Here's another hypothesis:

1/3 of the world lives or dies on less than $2.00 a day. Religions claim about 5 billion of the world's 6 billion population. 30,000 children die every day of poverty related issues. Therefore a caring God does not exist, whilst religions very much do.

Send for Karl Popper!

53. Atheism FLEAmix

Comment #221959 by D'Arcy on July 30, 2008 at 11:24 am

epeesist is going to Scotland. So am I.

I am taking a few weeks off shortly (significant birthday) and will be wending my way slowly up to Skye. I intend taking a number of the books I have bought on the recommendation of MPhil and others on this site. Mackie's "The Miracle of Theism" will be one of them.

I will be going to the Isle of Arran and I might take a Bible, but am far more likely to take my 6 or 7 unread New Scientists. ( I spend far too much time just reading on this site). I honestly think the theologians, like philosophers, are increasingly being pushed into the more and more obscure areas of human thought. I won't say "never", but it strikes me as extremely unlikely that any theologian will convince me of their deity's existence.

54. Faith is not the answer

Comment #221354 by D'Arcy on July 29, 2008 at 2:30 pm

Generally a good article. One thought occurred to me: Will no-one rid us of these troublesome priests?

55. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #221329 by D'Arcy on July 29, 2008 at 2:05 pm

As regards "Mad Tony" bagman for the mob, it should be "Fat Tony"
http://richarddawkins.net/article,983,My-response-to-the-GOP-evolution-question,Brian-Coughlan

The powers of the state to coerce payment make the mafia look like Sunday school amateurs.

56. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220560 by D'Arcy on July 28, 2008 at 3:14 pm

My thanks to Al Rawandi (message 72 way back) about other sources of finance and support for aggressive Islam. My point is that whoever is financing and encouraging it has enough money and capital to be able to do so, and is probably based on oil revenues! It certainly isn't the Catholic Church paying for all those new mosques.

As to socialism: here is Al's definition:

I define socialism as a state takeover of critical aspects of society. People's individual rights (traditionally held) are made subservient to the power of the state, for the "common good". Socialism entails either state takeover of or involvement in industry and business.

Socialism in short, is overriding central power to operate a social system designed to benefit all equitably.

Here is D'Arcy's definition:

A system of society based upon the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments of producing and distributing wealth, by and in the interests of the whole community.

Al's criticism of his "socialism" is a criticism of the different flavours of capitalism that he sees in the world around him. From North Korea, Chile, China, Russia, China, Britain, Cuba, Israel, Egypt, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Nazi Germany and all the other countries, whose ruling party claimed that they were socialist and acting for the common good, the rulers in all these countries use/d the word "socialism" precisely because they thought it would give the impression that they were on the side of the ordinary worker, whereas in fact the opposite was true. Since when did Stalin or Mao believe in common ownership? Never! Just look at those countries. Up till recently, state capitalism personified. Now they are major players on the world markets. The ordinary worker in those countries was/ is the same economic position as those in the wealthier western countries, lucky to be employed and struggling to make ends meet.

Unlike other posters, I don't regard the state as some sort of "protector" of ordinary people. The existence of the modern state is as the defender of private property rights against those who own little property. "Socialist" North Korea e.g. has a very powerful state machine to suppress opposition to its (the state's) existence. As Marx put it in the Communist Manifesto "The state is the executive committee of the bourgeoisie."

The state does what is has to, and at the lowest possible cost of ensuring that the golden geese of capitalism, the workers, are kept in some sort of state of repair so that they can keep on laying the golden eggs. The amount of state assistance differs in the various countries as Al has pointed out, he doesn't see dead bodies from his 21st floor office, and that's in laissez faire USA!

Bed now. Will look in tomorrow.

57. A third of Muslim students back killings

Comment #220006 by D'Arcy on July 28, 2008 at 12:21 am

I'm part of the 79% of atheists who don't believe in God. As to muslims being willing to kill in the name of their religion, let's be fair in our criticism. There's plenty of Christians and Jews who feel the same way. In WW2 the various Christian clergy were falling over themselves to bless the bombs of their respective countries aimed at, largely, civilians and other Christians.

Agressive Islam is being fostered and financed by Saudi Arabia as part of a political programme.

58. Biology Enters 'The Matrix' Through New Computer Language

Comment #219998 by D'Arcy on July 27, 2008 at 11:53 pm

Scepticism yes, but:

"Sure, it's a long way off," says Gunawardena, "but we're getting there."

59. Sydney brothels say Pope's visit will give business a leg-up

Comment #219272 by D'Arcy on July 26, 2008 at 2:57 pm

So Catholics are going to continue ignoring the pope,and what else is happening?

60. Texas Fiction Science

Comment #219251 by D'Arcy on July 26, 2008 at 2:19 pm

I just hope that characters like McLeroy apply the same standard of evidence towards the existence of the historic Jesus as towards the supposed "gaps" in evolutionary theory.

On another message board today, I was referred to Josephus, Tacitus, and others as actual historical recorders of the life of Jesus. Needless to say these people were writing some 100 years AFTER the supposed life of Jesus. What was Jesus doing on his 14th birthday? It's one rule for the scientists and another for the creationists. The gap of the god's history.

61. Cardinal accuses Anglican Communion of 'spiritual Alzheimer's'

Comment #218647 by D'Arcy on July 25, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Maybe we should let a few ferrets loose among the bishops. Also smelly but not as bad as skunks.

62. Toward a Type 1 civilization

Comment #218631 by D'Arcy on July 25, 2008 at 2:53 pm

Shermeer's Type 1 civilisation:

Type 1.0: Globalism that includes worldwide wireless Internet access, with all knowledge digitized and available to everyone. A completely global economy with free markets in which anyone can trade with anyone else without interference from states or governments. A planet where all states are democracies in which everyone has the franchise.

I suggest Type 1.1 civilisation:

Globalism that includes worldwide wireless Internet access, with all knowledge digitized and available to everyone. A completely global economy with no markets and one where the Earth's resources are owned in common, in which anyone has free access to what is produced. A planet where all citizens have equal rights and in which everyone has the franchise.

63. Cardinal accuses Anglican Communion of 'spiritual Alzheimer's'

Comment #217593 by D'Arcy on July 24, 2008 at 12:57 pm

Sorry. Haven't read all the posts yet, but I just felt the urge to comment quickly:

Dias told bishops the battle to bring Christ to the world must be placed in the "wider context of spiritual combat" with Satan. "If this context is ignored in favour of a myopic world-vision, Christ's salvation will be conveniently dismissed as irrelevant."

As one who is always willing to join in "spirtual combat", the cardinal may have a point. The less people believe the Christian hogwash, the more "irrelevant" does Jesus become. As one who doesn't believe in any kind of supernatural spirits, I'm not working against God, nor am I working for Satan. Probably some of the finest "spirits" in the world come from Scotch single malt whisky, especially Islay. But these spirits are real and take live human beings to create them. Puck has nothing on them!

64. Losing Sight of Progress

Comment #216767 by D'Arcy on July 23, 2008 at 1:49 pm

I like the idea of the little Gollums down in the cave, "What's it got in its pockets?" It seems to me that the creationists are the blind Gollums obsessing on their "precious" so much that they are incapable of seeing what's in front of their faces.

The so-called "Discovery Institute" has added precisely nothing to human knowledge. It's just a think tank and propaganda machine for free enterprise, big business, Christianity.

65. Richard Dawkins on Al Jazeera English

Comment #215935 by D'Arcy on July 22, 2008 at 2:11 pm

Abdul from Scotland or Jock from Saudi, it matters not. For anyone to still believe that there was a first man and his name is Adam, and that he was created by God, just shows the social power of religion over people's minds. Where would the Saudi rulers be without Islam? Probably deposed.

In Europe after the French Revolution, the various rulers came to encourage the mind shackling effects of religion, whereas before, they had previously welcomed the ideas of the Enlightenment.

66. Losing Sight of Progress

Comment #215893 by D'Arcy on July 22, 2008 at 1:17 pm

I think I'm right in saying that evolution has no "direction". In the case of the salamanders living in dark caves, there was no useful purpose for eyes, indeed as other posters have pointed out, the possession of eyes could be and probably is, disadvantagous.

As well as evolution going "backwards" and "forwards", there are countless examples of convergent evolution, where similar features have evolved independently in different organisms. Wings and fins for example. Mammalian eyes are different from (and inferior to) birds' eyes, but we can still see our surroundings well enough to do what we need to. More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution

Goddinaedoit!

67. Jefferson Bible reveals Founding Father's view of God, faith

Comment #214380 by D'Arcy on July 20, 2008 at 11:01 am

Maybe those US soldiers got it right in Iraq when they shot holes in the Koran. It might make more sense then.

68. Texas State Board of Education approves Bible course for high schools

Comment #214128 by D'Arcy on July 19, 2008 at 4:18 pm

Perhaps Bibilical studies could be included along with the sports results:

God 100,000, Satan 0,
Daniel 0, Lions sated,
Serpent 1, Eve 0,
Cain 1, Abel 0,
Noah 6, Rest of Humanity 0,
Goliath 0, David Beckham 15,
Mary 1, Holy Spirit mmmn yes please.

I'm sure there are more inventive minds than mine to add to the results.

69. Researchers Discover Remnant of an Ancient 'RNA World'

Comment #213500 by D'Arcy on July 18, 2008 at 1:58 pm

Brilliant stuff! The pursuit of knowledge about how the real world works can only be good. Yes, squinky's right loads and loads of things we don't know yet, but then when I was growing up computers took up whole buildings and had little pieces of card with holes punched in to process data.

If this research has medical implications, then hopefully the patent people can't ration the knowledge.

70. The Return of Religion

Comment #212642 by D'Arcy on July 17, 2008 at 1:43 pm

Auraboy has a brilliant idea:

Now seriously I want a real battle of the bishops game show, where Peter 'The Hammer' takes out his latent homosexual angst on pinko liberal american god-botherers in a ring of combat. Like gladiators in silly frocks. Now if that doesn't bring the faithful flooding in I don't know what will. Lambeth conference? Pah. Lambeth Smackdown! God bringeth the rumble.

The Anglican Olympics! Just think of all the theological tourists it will bring to Lambeth Palace! Events could include the three legged race, for consenting bishops only; bishop v lions as a test of faith; snake handling with extra points for conversing; mental gymnastics; and of of course the marathon where bishops have to discuss theology with each other. The last three remaining awake get the medals! Forget the Open Golf, this could really be riveting viewing!

71. The Return of Religion

Comment #212096 by D'Arcy on July 16, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Philosophers can build palaces with their words, but woe betide anyone that wants to step inside.

Having "scrutonised" the article, the author says something I think is very true:

It is this mystery which brings people back to religion.

Exactly! Religion is nothing more than organised superstition, which in turn is based upon ignorance (mystery) of nature. At least the authors of the Bible and Koran had no way of knowing what we know now, but modern Cambridge dons have no such excuse. To resort to the "uncertainties" of quantum physics, as some sort of evidence for God is pretty pissquick stuff. And he gets paid plenty for his very comfortable lifestyle perptuating superstition.

Grrrrr!

72. Fury at funeral songs ban

Comment #211946 by D'Arcy on July 16, 2008 at 12:12 pm

My family members have been personally promised by me, that if any priest, witch doctor or other mumbo jumbo merchant, is allowed anywhere near my corpse, then my spirit will make its soul purpose to come back and haunt them! For those that want to attend my funeral, instructions have been given that a good dram must be available for all and hopefully plenty of upbeat music.

Too bad about the jazz player, but then the answer obviously lies away from the Catholic bully bhoys.

73. MnIndy interview: Unrepentant science-heathen PZ Myers still intends to prove 'this cracker is nothing'

Comment #211207 by D'Arcy on July 15, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Steve says:

Thanks all for the discussion. It has been useful. I think my mind has nearly been changed. I am definitely wavering.

Bill Donahue says nothing so concilliatory. The attitude that man expresses makes me think that he would happily be the grand inquisitor or the witch finder general.

Respect for the body of Christ? Bollocks to superstition!

74. Taking a Cue From Ants on Evolution of Humans

Comment #211165 by D'Arcy on July 15, 2008 at 2:38 pm

If Marx's ideas are to be confused with economic determinism, ( an ant's gotta do what an ant's gotta do), let's see what the man actually said as regards how humans can influence their own history:

Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1852/18th-brumaire/ch01.htm

I agree. Everyone of us can influence history, but only with the materials at hand, unlike Dan Dennett's ant.

75. Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of memes

Comment #211135 by D'Arcy on July 15, 2008 at 2:16 pm

Despite your incoherence mudmind, evolution is a proven fact.

76. Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of memes

Comment #211131 by D'Arcy on July 15, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Hell! I thought I was going nuts. I listened to Dennett and then read through all these articulate replies to clearmind, whose original message wasn't to be found on my screen. Clever stuff Josh; at the top of the first post is the "alternate comment thread" to which (searches for Biblical reference), mudmind has been exiled.

If memes are ideas socially passed from one human generation to the next then undoubtedly some can be harmful and others beneficial. Those muslims who hijacked the planes on 9/11 were undoubtedly in the grip of memes more powerful than that of Dennett's ant. But then the human brain is bigger and more powerful.

77. Man Sues Church Over 'God Injury'

Comment #209916 by D'Arcy on July 13, 2008 at 1:59 pm

If God loses this case, who is going to enforce the judgment?

78. Church Cancels Teen Gun Giveaway

Comment #209908 by D'Arcy on July 13, 2008 at 1:46 pm

Christians have always loved firepower. As Jesus Himself said:

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)

If the last sentence isn't condoning martyrism, I don't know what is.

79. Host Desecration is Old Anti-Semitic Nonsense

Comment #209879 by D'Arcy on July 13, 2008 at 1:13 pm

With a name like D'Arcy, I should be a Catholic, (Irish/French), but I'm not, thanks to my dear father who lost his temper with a bullying priest for telling him that he, (my father), couldn't read anything written by Alexandre Dumas. My father's copy of The Three Musketeers was thrown accross the room by the priest, and my father stormed out saying something like "no bloody priest is going to tell me what I can read!" This all happened before I was born, but the result for this D'Arcy was that he was not subjected to any religious indoctrination. I'm lucky.

Maybe the Christians will realize that science is their best friend, since they are all waiting for Jesus to return, and they have access to Jesus's flesh and blood, science can bring them what they have been waiting for all this time!

Since when did faith need science? Never. If there were ever any evidence at all for God, we would be hearing it shouted form the rooftops and in our dreams. Faith is a leap in the dark. I'm reminded of that crazy Christian 2-3 years ago in ?Kiev who literally climbed into the lion's enclosure in the zoo saying something like "God will protect me!". Needless to say the lions killed him.

80. Lourdes fears priestly scandal will make profits dry up

Comment #209796 by D'Arcy on July 13, 2008 at 11:14 am

'Without the shrine, most of us would be out of business, so we have to get on,' said Philippe Bianco, head of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Ah yes of course! I forgot God smiles on the entrepreneurs and risk takers! The Zambelli affair may just be warning for them from on high.

81. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #209531 by D'Arcy on July 12, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Moron says:

I did write a lengthy post sending up the mental gymnastics of the religious appeasers on the "Goddamn cracker" thread.

It went missing.

Next time type it into your word processor first and save it, then post it in the normal way (copy, paste). It's annoying isn't it? The Dawkins' site give you about 30 minutes before it forgets you're logged on.

82. France rejects Muslim woman over radical practice of Islam

Comment #209525 by D'Arcy on July 12, 2008 at 2:12 pm

The women's lib organisations used to have the slogan "ban the bra". When will muslem women start shouting the slogan "ban the burqua"?

83. Weak US dollar hits papal profits

Comment #209519 by D'Arcy on July 12, 2008 at 1:49 pm

10 Hail Marys and the stock market will be forgiven.

84. Religious bigotry upheld in court

Comment #208122 by D'Arcy on July 10, 2008 at 3:39 pm

Religious liberty

Bollocks to "religious liberty". The very notion is a contradiction in terms. Since when did Christianity, (add in religion here) ever give "liberty" to anyone? Organised superstition requires social control.

85. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #208078 by D'Arcy on July 10, 2008 at 2:55 pm

J. Anderson has come and read some posts, has been suitably shocked, and has labled the posters as "assholes". He/she has now buggered of to be offended elsewhere.

As one of the "assholes", I stick to my remark about Lennox being a gasbag.

If words alone could create anything, then Lennox should be able to create a very nice universe to suit himself. The reality is that Lennox has the gift of the gab in this particular universe, has himself a very nice job in Oxford University talking about theology, and probably has to every so often, endure the odd banquet involving very fine claret, and of course the best of spirits, some 15 year old Scotch malt whisky.

It's a hard life being an academic at Oxford!

86. New legal threat to school science in the US

Comment #207336 by D'Arcy on July 9, 2008 at 2:16 pm

Questioning the basis of any scientific theory can only be a good thing, as long as the evidence for the theory remains clear. As I understand it, a scientific theory is the best available current explanation of reality. Theories are necessarily provisional. If the Flinstones of Louisiana really want to discard modern science, then they will also have to discard any benefits that are derived from its ("just") theories. Go and join the Amish and ride horses, put down your guns and pick up a spade. Don't use modern medicine, that's based on the scientific method which is all "just theories".

I hope the teachers will be able to explain just how the Earth, sorry the sun, stood still for a day to help Joshua. I never could understand it.

87. The BBC announces a major season marking the life and work of Charles Darwin

Comment #207284 by D'Arcy on July 9, 2008 at 12:52 pm

Bring on the Darwin programmes! It should provide some counterbalance to the daily, mainly, Christian religious broadcasts. Most CoE believers accept Darwin's ideas because they have become "sophisticated" and look for metaphors rather than literal truth in the Bible. The fact that Darwin's own observations gradually turned him away from his religion must be a clarion call for everyone to investigate nature more.

88. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #207276 by D'Arcy on July 9, 2008 at 12:36 pm

Richard, you may well have enjoyed this encounter with Lennox because he was being so frank about what he believed, instead of creating a smokescreen of, as you say, "that's not my God" type argument. However for this particular listener, it was boring in the extreme. Even when you responded to his remarks, you were interrupted after just a few seconds with yet another monologue from Lennox. Yes give them enough rope, but not too much rope , please!

With McGrath and Lennox both at Oxford, I now understand better your view about theology as a non subject. Are the Christians at Cambridge any more worthy?

89. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #206631 by D'Arcy on July 8, 2008 at 3:29 pm

However, according to Tegmark, if you hit him with the saucepan and it is a quantum event, then a version of him has not been hit in the multiverse, so why should he care?

Ah the great multiverse where all possible worlds occur. Elvis is still alive, Elvis is convicted of mudering hamburgers, Elvis climbs Everest backwards and blindfold, Elvis joins the Beatles, Elvis marries Kylie... the possibilities are endless. Schrodinger's cat must have 9 times an infinite number of lives to lve.

For all that there is more possibility of the multiverse than there is of Mohamed riding a winged horse into the next field.

90. Landlords protest after pub swearing ban gets them sacked

Comment #206617 by D'Arcy on July 8, 2008 at 2:50 pm

The Flemings have been together for seven years and have six children. Three of the children live with them above the pub in Islington.

Now that is a fucking miracle, unless of course divine intervention (or other human partners) explain it. People that breed like that and only look after 3 of their 7 children, have no fucking right to tell me whether to swear or not. As it happens I don't go in their pub, nor will I.

91. Conversation between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #206606 by D'Arcy on July 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm

What a waste of an hour. If Lennox's first evidence of a creator is the "fine tuning" of nature's constants then that is pretty piss poor. Whilst the Christian religion is based upon almost zero evidence for superman/god, it has nicked most of its ideas from previous religions, and only developed any strength, as the religion of the slaves, under the Roman Empire, it is still built as firmly as a sandcastle. As long as the water and wind keep off, so long will its ramparts stand. The tide of knowledge has filled its moat and is now rapidly undermining those dodgy foundations.

Has it not occured to Lennox that if one of the "finely tuned" constants of nature was different then all of the others would also be?

I suspect Lennox talked himself into his job at Oxford and it will probably need divine intervention to remove him. Gasbag.

92. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #205626 by D'Arcy on July 7, 2008 at 2:27 pm

Turkey's equivalent of Ron Hubbard? Or what's his name (Colliding Worlds) Van Daniken?

93. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #205593 by D'Arcy on July 7, 2008 at 1:46 pm

The man is a fraud, and recognized as such even in Turkey.

I don't know enough, but I suspect Al is 100% right.If you write a book about evolution, surely you would know the difference between eels and snakes.

The cost of production of such a book must have been extremely high, and one is bound to wonder where the money came from to produce it and then distribute it gratis in so many copies and so many languages.

Ah here's the rub! Who did pay for the production of this book? If it wasn't the Saudis, then certainly someone or some group who feel threatened by the fact of evolution. Or could it have been the author? Did he make enough on the holocaust book to finance this one? Conspiracy theories abound.

For all I know it could have been the same people who fund the Discovery Institute. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

I don't suppose the book has any references to the rapid evolution of SARs, HIV, Avian Flu or other pathogenic critters out to eat humanity given the chance. All part of Allah's wonderful creation!

94. Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection

Comment #205099 by D'Arcy on July 6, 2008 at 2:44 pm

SupportsChrist is probably watching the same game as Al Rawandi. As to this stone tablet "solidfying his faith", well Christianity is already so dense and impenetrable that it always falls to the bottom of the ocean of knowledge, just like the gangster with concrete wellingtons.

Jesus can't and didn't revive corpses, the best he could do was curse a fig tree to death because it didn't produce fruit out of season. Why kill a tree just cos you're pissed off?

And why didn't Adam and Eve have the chance to enjoy childhood? Adam was no man without a childhood behind him and the same for Eve. Just robotic clones in the eyes of the Bible writers.

95. The Boundaries of Belief

Comment #205082 by D'Arcy on July 6, 2008 at 1:53 pm

I'm getting confused. So just when do believers think John Frum is going to re-appear from under his volcano? He won't be dressed as a pirate, He will be dressed as a G.I.

96. Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection

Comment #204887 by D'Arcy on July 6, 2008 at 4:51 am

My favourite piece of music is the Mass in B Minor by J. S. Bach.

Yeah, ok, religious music, but music written and played by real live human beings. In fact the same sort of two legged creatures that made this mysterious stone, which appears to tell us nothing new.

What could possibly be new or modern about religion? It's a social hangover from the days of ignorance.

97. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #204703 by D'Arcy on July 5, 2008 at 2:47 pm

For once, I find myself in agreement with David Robertson (clearthinker). No child should be forced to pray nor should any child be forced into any religion. Let them reach an age where they can make up their own minds about whether or not to follow any particular religion.

Yes, I know it doesn't work that way in the real world, including Robertson's Free Church of Scotland. If someone like Robertson can say that children shouldn't be forced to pray, I'm sure there are many "closet" muslims who feel the same way. There must be muslims who feel their religion is a burden to be jetisoned or at least "modified" to suit life in the west.

The western European Catholics are mostly quite happy to ignore the pope on birth control and still go to mass once in a while.

98. Muslims outraged at police advert featuring cute puppy sitting in policeman's hat

Comment #204693 by D'Arcy on July 5, 2008 at 2:18 pm

I have some admiration for dogs, but I don't particularly like them. I do hate the obnoxious ideologies of ALL of the religions including Islam. Religions throughout the world are used by our rulers as part of the thought control process.

The up and coming capitalists in Europe in the 18/19th century were happy to embrace the attacks on religion and its social power represented by enlightenment ideas, until such time as they saw what had happened in France with its revolution where everyone's head was fair game. Certainly in England, religion (Christianity) was encouraged, mainly as a force for stability.

Where would the Saudi Kingdom be without Islam? I may be wrong, but I believe that Saudi Arabia is still the No. 1 exporter of oil in the world. No wonder Iraq, with its large reserves of oil, is populated by foreign armies.

99. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #204620 by D'Arcy on July 5, 2008 at 11:31 am

Some of the richest footballers in the world live in Cheshire. They need protection. If Cheshire County Council is really going to thoroughly investigate the complaints, can I suggest they call in the Dundee Police?
http://richarddawkins.net/article,2806,Muslims-outraged-at-police-advert-featuring-cute-puppy-sitting-in-policemans-hat,Daily-Mail

100. When too much Rapture is barely enough

Comment #204610 by D'Arcy on July 5, 2008 at 11:13 am

Dear oh dear! This Christian (male Jewish virgin?) is seriously deluded. He appears to have already lost his head well before the rapture.

The best "Rapture" was of course the one done by Blondie. (The man from Mars that eats guitars).