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

Comment #207060 by Ygern on July 9, 2008 at 6:11 am

Comment #206645 by Calilasseia

I for one appreciated your long response. I learned something from it, even though I suspect that the intended will make sure he does not.

52. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #207054 by Ygern on July 9, 2008 at 6:02 am

What I don't like about this whole episode is that it seems that fundamentalist Catholics are imitating the good example of how to behave in these situations straight from the pages of our good friends the fundementalist Muslims.

Death threats?!

While I think that stunts like this are unnecessary, the reaction proves to me that society is never going to evolve while religions exist.

53. The Boundaries of Belief

Comment #205335 by Ygern on July 7, 2008 at 5:44 am

Perhaps the 'confused' participants of the Pew survey thought atheist = A Theist.

Very odd.

But then again, the UCCS survey recently linked to here
http://richarddawkins.net/article,2702,New-Online-Survey,UCCS
was one that I thought wasn't as well constructed as it might have been. I thought that many of the questions were poorly worded and very vague ie open to more than one interpretation.

So sometimes, its not necessarily the participant's fault that they give seemingly conflicting answers.

54. Prayer refusal pupils 'disciplined'

Comment #205310 by Ygern on July 7, 2008 at 3:47 am

Comment #205113 by Cartomancer

...comedies of Aristophanes ...

55. Does the Pope wear Prada?

Comment #205307 by Ygern on July 7, 2008 at 3:37 am

Does anyone else notice that the 'mainstream' religions are getting noticably more conservative of late, reviving old outdated practises and re-stating old dusty doctrines that had long been ignored?

I can't help but feel that the more visible and outspoken atheists in the last couple of years are partially responsible for this shift.

If so, I think it is a good thing. It will force a lot of fence-sitters to have a good long think about whether they really want to be associated any longer with these misogynistic, racist and flat-out antiquated superstitions. Its one thing to belong to a church with a nebulous, mild and 'innocuous' outlook; quite another to belong to a church where its leaders are falling over themselves in haste to bring back all the really objectionable and nonsensical elements of their faith.

56. Science is thrilling - except in our schools

Comment #203597 by Ygern on July 3, 2008 at 8:04 am

I had two completely different experiences with science teachers. In Junior High, we had a wonderful, deeply committed science teacher who not only did experiments as often as possible, but encouraged us to reproduce them too (in the lab, of course!). He is partially responsible for my life-long fascination with the subjects of physics and chemistry, even though I am purely a 'layman'. My senior high school science teacher was a disgrace to his profession. He never did experiments, was largely unprepared for class, teaching consisted of reading verbatim out of a textbook. How he managed to not be kicked out of his job is still a source of bemusement to me. Who knows how many children had to endure his classes and left school in complete ignorance as a result?

57. Did newborn Earth harbour life?

Comment #203590 by Ygern on July 3, 2008 at 7:56 am

Thanks for clearing that up for me Steve :-)

58. Did newborn Earth harbour life?

Comment #203582 by Ygern on July 3, 2008 at 7:48 am

As a complete non-scientist, I have a question: would it have been possible for rudimentary life to have evolved, then be wiped out by the Late Heavy Bombardment and then re-emerge all over again?

59. Evangelical Christians sign up to a 'Church within a Church'

Comment #203478 by Ygern on July 3, 2008 at 2:22 am

If anything, they shoul be prosecuted under Racial & Religious Hatred Act.

After all, isn't this clearly a case of incitement to religious hatred? The wording goes: "religious hatred" means hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief

I think a case should be made.

60. Charles Darwin was not the father of atheism

Comment #201767 by Ygern on June 30, 2008 at 8:40 am

Oh good grief.

What's that excellent word Irate_Atheist uses again? It really applies here.

61. World Youth Day condom protest against Pope

Comment #198546 by Ygern on June 24, 2008 at 8:39 am

Hmm, the Raelians are nutters themselves
http://rael.org/rael_content/rael_summary.php

But I'm all for letting the Pope know how many people oppose his Church's immoral and naive teachings on contraception.

Their policy on condoms is also killing people by the millions in Africa, to say nothing of perpetuating poverty.

62. Rapture site sends unbelievers their last chance ... via email

Comment #194787 by Ygern on June 17, 2008 at 9:16 am

Apparently they do not think that the Rapture (or whatever) is going to end the world. The ungodly and unsaved will still be around afterwards - these are the ones who will be the recipients of the paid-for e-mails.

I should imagine they all run along the lines of 'I told you so'.

Still, one is tempted to try and trigger a Rapturous Response from the server :-)

On the other hand, there can be nothing more humiliating than logging on day after day, year after year, just to type: Still no Rapture. Damn.

63. Vatican bans Dan Brown film Angels & Demons from Rome churches

Comment #193955 by Ygern on June 16, 2008 at 8:39 am

I don't like Dan Brown's novels, I think they are poorly written. But this will guarantee that this one leaps onto the best-seller charts again, both in paperback and movie form.

Own Goal! Well done, all you Really Smart People at the Vatican.

64. Logical Proof of the Existence of a Divine Creator, Why Atheism is Not Logically Sound

Comment #190546 by Ygern on June 9, 2008 at 8:44 am

Good grief.

The author gets it wrong on so counts I don't know where to begin. He's not so much barking up the wrong tree, as in the wrong forest..

Proof of a conscious Creator is readily available ... my foot.

65. Top 6 Incestuous Relationships In The Bible

Comment #185167 by Ygern on May 27, 2008 at 6:09 am

Hmm. If memory serves Cain's wife was from the Land of Nod - ie no relation whatsoever of the Adam's Family. (apostrophe intentional!)

Ironically the Land of Nod proves that Adam and Eve were not the only humans on earth in spite of what Genesis claims but a few paragraphs earlier.

Genesis 4:16 in fact (after googling it!)

66. The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing, ed. Richard Dawkins

Comment #180987 by Ygern on May 16, 2008 at 8:41 am

BigJohn wrote:

Could someone please explain to me what it is about 'first post' that is so exciting to some? I can't imagine that all 'first posters' are pre-teens or are mentally retarded...

67. Youngest galactic supernova (not aliens) found

Comment #180469 by Ygern on May 15, 2008 at 3:30 am

Links to older pictures (1985)
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2008/g19/more.html

NASA's Chandra site article on the story
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/photos08-062.html

68. Churchgoing on its knees as Christianity falls out of favour

Comment #177500 by Ygern on May 9, 2008 at 7:40 am

The whiney lament about water bills had me confused at first. Water bills? What? Then I realised that they were moaning about the loss of their Special Exemptions & Privileges.

Why should the secular (or other religions for that matter) in Britain fund the maintenance of Church of England establishments?

I'm sure that some of them regard it as the work of the devil though. I just know I'm right :-)

I also predict that this article will be used in some pulpits as a scaremongering tactic to guilt some folk into going back to church next Sunday.

This is probably not just a British phenomenon. Here in Ireland most people enjoy a good lie-in and a leisurely brunch on a Sunday morning, even if they said on their census form that they were Catholic.
I'm wondering if this isn't similar in the USA too?

69. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #168545 by Ygern on April 25, 2008 at 7:38 am

With apologies to Monty Python

How sweet to be an IDiot,
As harmless as a cloud,
Too small to hide the sun
Almost poking fun,
At the warm but insecure untidy crowd.
How sweet to be an IDiot,
And dip my brain in joy,
Children laughing at my back,
With no fear of attack,
As much retaliation as a toy.

How sweet to be an IDiot, how sweet.

I tiptoed down the street,
Smiled at everyone I meet,
But suddently a scream,
Smashes through my dream,
Fie fye foe fum,
I smell the blood of an asylum,
(Blood of an asylum,
But mother I play so beautifully,
listen. ha ha)
Fie fye foe fum,
I smell the blood of the asylum,
Hey you, you're such a pennant,
You got as much brain as a dead ant,
As much imagination as a caravan site.

But I still love you, still love you,
Oooh how sweet to be an IDiot,
How sweet. how sweet. How sweet.

70. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #168505 by Ygern on April 25, 2008 at 7:16 am

Epeeist wrote

The one argument against it is that it doesn't really fit with the "Be Who You Are" theme for the day.

71. Humans nearly wiped out 70,000 years ago, study says

Comment #168484 by Ygern on April 25, 2008 at 7:07 am

Humans nearly wiped out 70,000 years ago

72. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #168475 by Ygern on April 25, 2008 at 7:01 am

He should absolutely be allowed to wear it.

Let ignorant hate-filled bigots expose themselves for all to see.

However, when people tell him what a small-minded retard he is, I hope he will respect their freedom of speech.

73. Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital

Comment #167539 by Ygern on April 24, 2008 at 6:38 am

The reason why these sort of wild rumours are able to get started are because of these rather horrific cases:
Tanzania
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7327989.stm
Botswana
http://allafrica.com/stories/200712050948.html
South Africa
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1525543.htm
And even in England
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1602477.stm

74. Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital

Comment #167398 by Ygern on April 24, 2008 at 1:58 am

Much as this story is eliciting giggles and sniggers (and yes, it is in a way quite funny); it has a very serious and ugly side to it.

The concept of witchcraft is alive and well in parts of Africa, and among its victims are innocent children who are abducted, murdered and mutilated for body parts to be used in 'medical' concoctions; as well as innocent 'scapegoats' who are murdered by mobs who have decided that they are responsible for bad weather or crop failure or (insert natural phenomenon of choice here).

In short, ludicrous as it may be, it is the cause of some very real suffering & death in Africa.

75. Investigating Atheism

Comment #167379 by Ygern on April 24, 2008 at 1:19 am

Well, I'm not surprised that this exists. And on the whole, I can't see anything wrong with the idea in principle.

However, the tone of the site is far from neutral when they use phrases such as 'the strident atheist Sam Harris'. I think they are trying to remain objective.

I would like them to change this point under Atheist Goals

Religious education of children is 'child abuse'.

http://www.investigatingatheism.info/newatheistgoals.html


I think Dawkins et al have all said that children need to be educated about religion. It is religious indoctrination that is child abuse.

Maybe the Divinity Department cannot understand this distinction ?

76. A Conversation with Expelled's Associate Producer Mark Mathis

Comment #166471 by Ygern on April 23, 2008 at 9:05 am

Greyman wrote:

His defense for not seeking other sources being that, surely the Discovery Institute wouldn't lie about something like that, seems rather naïve

77. Pope's Views on Science Invoke Spirited Debate

Comment #166332 by Ygern on April 23, 2008 at 6:43 am

Its verdict against Galileo was rational and just, and revisionism can be legitimized solely for motives of political opportunism

78. Responses to 'Gods and Earthlings' by Richard Dawkins

Comment #166316 by Ygern on April 23, 2008 at 6:02 am

The simplest way to explain the Creationist/ID way of thinking - and why you usually can't ever get through to 'em is neatly encapsulated in Sidney Harris' brilliant cartoon 'Then a miracle occurs':

http://www.sciencecartoonsplus.com/gallery.htm

The vital bit that they do not get is that I don't understand it does not equal God did it.

79. If God Is Dead, Who Gets His House?

Comment #165655 by Ygern on April 22, 2008 at 1:44 am

Atheist Church ?!?

I am sorely tempted to hit my own head, but Reason prevents me.

*sighs*

80. Pope's Views on Science Invoke Spirited Debate

Comment #165653 by Ygern on April 22, 2008 at 1:39 am

Ugh. I can't imagine why anyone cares what this rather dubious man has to say about science.

I think Irate_Atheist somes it up rather succinctly.

81. A Conversation with Expelled's Associate Producer Mark Mathis

Comment #165646 by Ygern on April 22, 2008 at 1:20 am

I enjoyed listening to this.

I felt a tint twinge of sympathy for Mark Mathis being the only one in the room trying to defend the film in the face of the surgically-precise criticism of scientifically sophisticated adults.

I was also quite stunned by how many 'gaps' were exposed in Mr Mathis' knowledge - some of the things he said about things like the Dover trial displayed that while he may have read 'many' books, they have clearly all been written by one side, and a rather biased and not particularly truthful side at that.

I was also quite surprised at Mr Mathis denial that the film tries to pin a causal link between Darwin / evolution and the Holocaust. Perhaps someone will point him in the direction of the recent correspondence between Mr J & Michael Shermer.

82. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

Comment #163095 by Ygern on April 18, 2008 at 1:42 am

This is a very interesting collection of articles.

The comments section on New Scientist are a bit depressing. So many idiots rushed in to defend their various gods as if articles in a Science Journal were an affront to their dignity.

83. Sexpelled: No Intercourse Allowed

Comment #163078 by Ygern on April 18, 2008 at 12:54 am

Just what I needed with my morning cup of coffee.
Hehehe!

Those dark glasses are a superb touch!

84. Evolution fray attracts top scientist

Comment #162439 by Ygern on April 17, 2008 at 1:28 am

If there is one thing I hope will come out of this seemingly endless scuffle with Creationists; it is that biology begins to be taught better at schools.

I always accepted evolution as fact when I was growing up, but I knew very little about it. Probably even my teacher didn't know much about it. I had to educate myself later on.

I hope that this sort of controversy makes biology teachers make sure they really know their facts, and make sure that their students learn them too.

If this happens, then the whole ID episode will ironically have benefitted science.

85. Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops

Comment #161988 by Ygern on April 16, 2008 at 1:16 am

As an ex-Catholic, I have seen first hand how the Church covers up and protects criminal priests by removing them to a new parish and hoping the scandal would go away.

This incident was in South Africa where the local priest was arrested for shop-lifting condoms. To his credit, at least his tastes were for consenting adults. A trivial 'crime', but none the less, one he should have had to face in court.

I also listened to the sickening excuses of members of the congregation trying to justify what had been done by the Church.

I couldn't stick with an immoral organisation like that. I hope that other Catholics start to feel the same way in the US.

86. For sale: 13-year-old virgin

Comment #161373 by Ygern on April 15, 2008 at 8:16 am

Wendelin,

You're making it sound a little easy. This 13 year old may well accept this as normal. That doesn't mean she has had the opportunity to make an informed decision for herself, or that she has any other real options.

If you would like some more info on the issue take a look at some of these links

http://gvnet.com/childprostitution/India.htm

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/india.htm

http://www.street-children.com/pages/uk/experiences_inde.asp

http://www.jubileeaction.co.uk/reports/CHILD PROSTITUTION IN INDIA.pdf

There is no circumstance where an under-age girl has to consider selling her body should be regarded as acceptable or justifiable.

87. Science Debate 2008

Comment #161362 by Ygern on April 15, 2008 at 8:00 am

I think there's a fear on many people's part (including the candidates) that they are not smart enough to talk about science or follow a discussion about science.

However, this isn't about getting candidates to pretend that they are budding physicists or can elaborate on string theory the most. It's about more basic issues like how science is taught in schools, and what their thoughts are on issues like global warming, research etc.

Any lay person can have an opinion on this.

88. Science Debate 2008

Comment #161253 by Ygern on April 15, 2008 at 4:29 am

I'll link to the site from some other forums I participate in & try to raise some awareness about the debate.

I am disappointed in how few people care about this issue, even on this site of all places. It seems that we prefer the cheap and easy wisecracks about politicians' religious nonsense.

BTW, the last link in the article is wrong - could admin fix it.

89. Richard Dawkins' secular army must be stopped. God is behind some of our greatest art

Comment #160600 by Ygern on April 14, 2008 at 8:18 am

Hmmmm. Okay, he obviously didn't read the book he is criticising, or is too stupid to remember it very well.

Hint to Ravenhill: you are allowed to re-read sections of a book you are reviewing or commenting on. In fact, re-reading in highly recommended if you are hoping to sound like you actually know what you are talking about.

Also: Dawkins Army? Falling at His Feet?!

As one who has both read & understood & agreed with TGD, I honestly don't recall signing up for an army. Or engaging in Foot Fetishist Orgies. Unless I am missing whole chunks out of my life. Was there an invisible binding document appended to the copy I picked in the bookshop that went like this:

By allowing your eyes to fall on this book you are now a card-carrying member of the Dawkins Army and are required to present yourself on Mondays for Foot Worshipping Sessions. Mwahahaha.

90. Commentary: Democrats finally getting religion on religion

Comment #158121 by Ygern on April 10, 2008 at 5:13 am

This is a bit depressing.

How many of these candidates who fall over themselves to 'witness' to their piety are going to turn up here?

http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=21

As I'm not from the USA and we don't hear anything about it in Europe, could anyone tell me how much support the Science debate is getting - its happening pretty soon?

91. Hitchens vs. Hitchens

Comment #157417 by Ygern on April 9, 2008 at 4:26 am

Serdan, I think the point that Christopher Hitchens was making was that an atheist is no more a satanist, than a vegetarian is someone who enjoys a good steak once in a while.

Peter Hitchens is probably one of the more intelligent opponents that I've watched debating CH; however, he did trot out all the hoary auld non-arguments regarding atheism as well as make a lot of people fairly incredulous when he started advocating ID. After doing a bit of hunting it seems this is something he feels strongly about
http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2006/11/fanatics_in_the.html
and
http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2006/12/how_do_you_like.html

Even his fans couldn't believe it.

92. Whale 'missing link' discovered

Comment #155061 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 5:54 am

Aragorn2007

Your feelings?Your sense of existence?Your love for your family?

93. Protests no concern for outspoken atheist

Comment #154991 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 3:43 am

The problem is that it is a rather large and menacing idiot.

94. Protests no concern for outspoken atheist

Comment #154950 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 3:00 am

To my mind the real debate is between science and 'rational' Christians - whether one can really reconcile the two or whether the one flat out disproves the other.

Creationism is just a gibbering idiot frothing on the sidelines, it doesn't really belong in this debate at all.

95. Anti-gay Okla. lawmaker attracts 1,000 backers

Comment #154946 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 2:56 am

Cartomancer wrote

The only way this topic is ever going to die down is if we manage to do away with homophobia entirely, and I for one would be very glad if that were to happen!

96. Upside-down church sculpture on hit list

Comment #154930 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 2:06 am

I'm all for artistic expression, but this one is about as obvious as a spade.

Put it in a museum.

Epeeist - hehe! The Tart with a Cart, as she is affectionately known by some. Just pipping Dublin's other sculpture The Hags with the Bags
http://www.bermant.com/blog/uploaded_images/hags-with-bags-797435.jpg

97. Anti-gay Okla. lawmaker attracts 1,000 backers

Comment #154929 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 2:01 am

ThoughtsOnCommonToad wrote

The 72 virgins claims is bogus isn't it though? There is no mention anywhere in the Koran of the actual number of virgins available in paradise, and aren't the "dark-eyed damsels" available to all Muslims, not just martyrs.

98. Cult leader Pyotr Kuznetsov tries suicide after realising he was wrong about doomsday

Comment #154921 by Ygern on April 4, 2008 at 1:30 am

I feel a little bit of compassion for a clearly troubled and ill man [as a side note, isn't it getting really obvious to everyone that so many religious leaders are mentally unstable?] He seems so utterly lost.

I feel less compassion for the presumably mentally healthy twits who followed him. The police should have left them barricaded in their cave, what a waste of police time & resources. I confess to having had a good long giggle about their antics.

99. Anti-gay Okla. lawmaker attracts 1,000 backers

Comment #154459 by Ygern on April 3, 2008 at 9:58 am

I'm afraid the New Testament isn't much better when it comes to hate-mongering & bigotry & subjugation of (well, to be honest) just about anyone different - see the Rantings of Paul aka Epistles.

Al-Rawandi, seriously, ask anyone using the 'New Testament changes all that' argument how they reconcile Paul's teachings with the new enlightened soft-focus stuff they think is in there.

It saddens me that people would rally to show support for such an ugly hateful human-being.
Oh well, Jesus must be proud.

100. Vote on freedom of expression marks the end of Universal Human Rights

Comment #153770 by Ygern on April 2, 2008 at 3:43 am

I'm prepared to stop criticising religion AFTER all offensive hate-mongering and abusive passages have been removed from the Koran, the Bible and the Torah.

Until then, if it's ok for them to publish Holy Books that recommend violence, then its ok for me to say I think that's bad.