Comments by markg

51. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179173 by markg on May 12, 2008 at 8:20 pm

Where are these places you speak of, Burma and China? Are they in California? What, there's a whole world outside the US? [/sarcasm]

52. The Stupidity of Dignity

Comment #179161 by markg on May 12, 2008 at 7:50 pm

comment by Prieten
It takes billions of years to make oil. Our food supply has been expanded by confounding nature through the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, all by-products of fossil fuels.

The cheap energy we have been using to overcome nature's limits is running out. What does this mean for the Earth's ability to sustain its population (one that is also living longer and longer)?

Are you really Teratornis posting as Prieten?

Just kidding...

53. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #178660 by markg on May 11, 2008 at 8:56 pm

If anyone needs any more proof txpiper is not here to seriously discuss evolution then check out his posts here: http://www.christianinformant.com/index.php?board=12.0

54. Evolution: What is 'Natural'?

Comment #178549 by markg on May 11, 2008 at 3:19 pm

Dr. Benway,

I'm not sure if this was ever clarified, is it the "three strikes" rule as in baseball (where he may bat the next inning) or as in legal system where he goes to prison?

55. Atheists are nice people who will roast in hell, says Cardinal

Comment #178369 by markg on May 11, 2008 at 10:01 am

"wanker" is a mighty big word for a Yank ... hope you didn't hurt yourself ...

Ha ha, very funny. Of course, I was joking around when I commented, if that wasn't clear to anyone. Just trying out some British slang, and no I didn't hurt myself.

Incidentally, my avatar is a character from this idiotic old show on Comedy Central: http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/crank_yankers/index.jhtml

56. Atheists are nice people who will roast in hell, says Cardinal

Comment #178091 by markg on May 10, 2008 at 1:25 pm

comment by Border Collie
Hey, will one of you Brits translate "nipping to the shops"? At least I'll learn something. Thanks.

I'm not a Brit, I'm a Yank but I'll take a bloody stab at it, in case they are having tea or at the Pub. 'Nipping' means 'going' according to this British slang dictionary: http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/n.htm
Now piss off ya wanker.

57. Atheists are nice people who will roast in hell, says Cardinal

Comment #177810 by markg on May 9, 2008 at 6:25 pm

Great, it's about time we had a roast. A few weeks ago it was baking night at RD.net. I was sick for days from all the baked sweets.

I'll bring the suckling pig, oysters and get some marshmallows for the kids.

58. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #177254 by markg on May 8, 2008 at 8:32 pm

MPhil,

Sorry, I wasn't trying to criticize. I didn't understand and so my lame attempt at humor...

Thanks for explaining it.

59. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #177245 by markg on May 8, 2008 at 8:14 pm

Mphil, sorry this is from a few pages ago:

Something that is not a FACT can never become a FACT.

If I say, 'Barack Obama is the President', that is not a fact. However, if he is elected in Nov. and I say the same thing again, it is now a fact. As Ricky Ricardo would say, 'You've got some 'splanin to do'. hehe

60. Truly Bizarre : Indians Throw Babies 50ft From Roof To Thank God.

Comment #174907 by markg on May 3, 2008 at 7:32 pm

comment by RationalistHT

Aren't babies' brains hurt by jostling around in their skulls? And wouldn't this tend to do that?

I was wondering the same thing. Even though some of the force of impact is absorbed by the catching, I wonder what is happening to the infants' brain inside it's skull. Or what if they landed in an odd position and broke a bone or did other damage? I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.

edit Notice they don't do this to anyone old enough to put up a fight such as older child or adult? Gee, I wonder why.

61. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #174184 by markg on May 1, 2008 at 8:17 pm

Here is an update http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=745889

The parents have been charged with second-degree reckless homicide.

62. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #172553 by markg on April 29, 2008 at 6:01 pm

MPhil,

You look like you could be in Metallica (before they got old and cut their hair) or some other band. No offense meant.
How did you animate your picture? Also, it's nice to see what people really look like - I imagined you older. Seeing you, al rawandi and others makes me feel older now.

This from a guy who's avatar is a puppet -non sock variety.

63. Anti-Evolution Film Misappropriates the Holocaust

Comment #172526 by markg on April 29, 2008 at 4:59 pm

comment by dloubet:
Is there some official Hebrew lower caste that Ben can be a member of, or do we just get to call him unclean?

If you look in a Yiddish slang dictionary, these words would describe Ben Stein:

bubkis - nothing, but less than nothing if possible
shmuck - idiot
shmendrik - jerk, but so much more
shlemiel - clumsy dope, klutz
shmeckle - penis

64. Is religion a threat to rationality and science?

Comment #170150 by markg on April 27, 2008 at 12:46 pm

clearmind had a brain fart:
I do not need to see such a dream. I believe in God already.

(Do you ascribe supernatural character to them, such as messages from God? If so, are all of your dreams messages from God, even the naughty ones you occasionally have? If not, how do you tell the difference? Do you only get "God" dreams after you've stopped taking your meds for a period of time?)

I explained it already. But let me put it another way:

Dreams are the reflections of our daily life, our beliefs, fears, loves, likes dislikes; They are like a mirror which reflect what we are what we do and we have in our minds; Divine dreams are the true ones which God helps us if we are doing something wrong.

If your mother says, Rian, please believe in God or Allah. Please I am begging you. Or in your dream, you died and they put you in grave and they left. Suddenly you noticed that you are not dead and your soul leaves your body dress and go up to heaven to face God. Suddenly you woke up. It was a dream and you just said abruptly "THANK GOD it was a dream."

Each of us have faith in our hearths but a few of us just buried it with some illogical ideas and we can't revivify it.

To MAXD
Why should we take anything from dreams too seriously?

Dreams can be divided into three categories;

1. Divine ones that can help people to lead to the truth
2. If you think of something deeply in a specific day, then, you can dream something about that thing which boggled your mind all day.
3. That depends on person's state of mind; some people can have bad dreams because of their abnormal psychology and mental state of their mind.

Yours go for item 2.

I know that atheists avoid talking about spiritual; based conceptions but dreams are true and we see our dreams WHILE OUR EYES ARE CLOSED. How is that possible? Because our eyes are the windows of our souls.

This may make sense to you then, a quote by a famous American who seems to speak your language:
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/multimedia/bushism_wings_take_dream.mp3

65. Soldier Sues Army, Saying His Atheism Led to Threats

Comment #170086 by markg on April 27, 2008 at 10:55 am

Michael P. said:

Jeremy Hall's story, and related issues, are being covered right now on CBS Sunday Moring; I don't know if it will be available online.

Here it is:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/27/sunday/main4048492.shtml

66. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169349 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 7:56 pm

riandouglas,

Someone else can probably explain this much better, but you can reload comments while you are composing your post.

The alternate thread is where posts may end up if the poster is offensive and a complete troll. It takes a lot of obnoxious posts to end up there (see Vox Day/Irrational Atheist thread).

edit: Diacanu beat my slow typing fingers.

67. Is religion a threat to rationality and science?

Comment #169347 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 7:47 pm

clearmind said:

silkworms...How come they eat leaves but produce milk?

Are you aware their are other creatures that eat leaves and produce milk? Cows, goats, sheep, humans, etc?

68. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169280 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 5:12 pm

So Caesar created himself?

Not sure about this, but he definitely created a tasty salad.

69. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169278 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 5:05 pm

Corylus, do you have any baking advice for Devil's Food cake? For the sponge cake, what temp. and how long in the oven?

70. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169268 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 4:52 pm

Corylus

One question. Where did the eggs, flour, sugar, butter, etc. come from?

71. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169258 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 4:47 pm

Remnant said:

I might tell you later about a new theory of nothing from something or nothing from nothing.

Oh great, here we go again with more proselytizing and bible quoting.

72. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #169240 by markg on April 25, 2008 at 4:32 pm

Christian Definitions

God is the creator of the universe

ID teacher(at an unaccreditted Christian school): Today we are going to study the universe.
Student: Who made the universe?
ID teacher: God did, let's just talk about the universe.
Student: Where did God come from?
ID teacher: God has always been here.
Student: But God can't just happen. Someone or something had to make him.
ID teacher: We are here to talk bout the universe.
Student: Yes but God can't just happen out of nothing. There must have been a God maker.
ID teacher: That's not true. Biblical research has shown that a God maker is unnecessary.
Student: But...
ID teacher: We cannot discuss old myths and
your mis-guided beliefs. Do you want to get me fired?
Student: But there must have been a God maker.
ID teacher: You are not being biblical, you believe the bible and better get with the program if you want to succeed in life. Christian people don't believe evolution.
Student: But I learned...
ID teacher: You are being disruptive! do you want detention or a referral?
Student: No
ID teacher: Then sit down, be silent, and listen. Now students, let's talk about this universe.
Student: What about the Flood?

73. Rep. Davis: The Worst Person in the World

Comment #163698 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Check out this recent "Worst Person" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24116754#24116754

Olbermann names atheist Rob Sherman worst person for referring to Rep. Davis as "Negro".

74. The Child Preachers

Comment #163690 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm

Son.of.God

I want to be a preacher.

As I recall, you were a preacher, about 2008 years ago. Edit: Is old age getting the better of your memory?

75. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #163678 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 6:54 pm

I now understand why creationists don't agree with evolution, Christians don't believe in reason and logic. That's simple enough to explain. To bad as a Christian you can't explain how God created anything. That would give a little validity to your 'Theory', that is, it is only a theory and NOT a proven fact. I do have one question though, how can you possibly believe that modern science (in multiple fields) is falsified by a bunch of Bronze-Age myths written by dumb goat-herders.

76. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #163658 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 6:07 pm

comment by tstinchcombe:

...except that apparently Robertson didn't actually say it: http://www.snopes.com/katrina/satire/robertson.asp

If that's true, and it seems likely now, I stand corrected. Looks like an urban legend that maybe originated from a satirical "news item."

edit: Here are some real crazy things (alegedly) said by Robertson: http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/pat_robertson/

77. The simple falsehood at the heart of Expelled

Comment #163647 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 5:27 pm

comment by theonlything2fear

I just can't seem to get beyond the title

This seems to be the problem of many recent visitors linked here from Expelled website. Try opening the book and reading it. It's easy, hold the book in your right hand, with your left hand grasp the cover and open it to your left. Continue this procedure with each page until you get to Chapter 1. Next use your eyes to read the words on the page...

78. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #163641 by markg on April 18, 2008 at 5:12 pm

comment by BillySands

No idea who Ellen Degeneres is

Ellen Degeneres is a comedian who happens to be a very out Lesbian. She now also has her own nationally syndicated talkshow. She's also famous for partially causing Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, according to Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.

Sorry for more U.S. references, that's one area I'm an expert, having lived here my whole life.

79. Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops

Comment #162379 by markg on April 16, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Thanks for the entertainment, have to go count sheep now.

80. Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops

Comment #162377 by markg on April 16, 2008 at 7:23 pm

Roland_F quoting from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=115258

when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes

So because I view porn at home, that causes priests to abuse children? That is to say, if I viewed porn at home...

81. Richard Dawkins and Bill Maher

Comment #162375 by markg on April 16, 2008 at 7:09 pm

Hey Ignoramus, er, I mean theonlythingtofear,

check this out: http://richarddawkins.net/article,2466,A-New-Flea,RichardDawkinsnet

Alister McGrath already beat you to that title. And the Lowered of the Fleas, David Robertson, has written "The Dawkins Letters" So you can't use that either.

82. Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops

Comment #162360 by markg on April 16, 2008 at 6:19 pm

Cartomancer,

That sure beats the hell out of my list. Very funny. Or as the kids on the interwebs say, LOL.

83. Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops

Comment #162332 by markg on April 16, 2008 at 4:06 pm

So the Catholic church hierarchy goes like this?

God
Jesus
Holy Ghost
Pope
Bishop
Cardinal
Rook
Knight
Priest (pedophile & non-pedophile, for this category and most of the above)) - edit
Laymen

What's with all the middlemen? When I was a Baptist it was so much simpler.

84. Reviews of Expelled

Comment #159277 by markg on April 11, 2008 at 8:31 pm

comment by Jaffas85

I really enjoy and respect Bill O'Reilly

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Personally, I think he's one of the biggest tools on American TV.

Check out this video clip of him "disagreeing" with Geraldo Rivera on immigration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFZB7dKJk5c

85. 'Expelled' ripped off Harvard's 'Inner Life of the Cell' animation

Comment #159271 by markg on April 11, 2008 at 8:06 pm

comment by Dr. Benway

The stoopid..... it burns!

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_040808/content/01125112.guest.html

A good description of Limbaugh:

[Rush Limbaugh
Imagine if a Democratic candidate for office had a past that included three failed marriages, a dubious reason for avoiding the draft during the Vietnam War, a voting record that didn't commence until he was 35, addiction to painkillers, questionable public remarks about women and minorities, and an incident in which he was detained by customs because of a mislabeled bottle of Viagra. Think the Sean Hannitys of the world would be having fun with this guy?
Not if it's Rush Limbaugh, voice of the Moral Majority.

The low point for Limbaugh this year came in October when he accused Michael J. Fox of "exaggerating the effects of his disease" in a political ad. "He's moving all around and shaking, and it's purely acting," said Limbaugh. "This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox."

You should know from shameless, sir.]

from: http://www.suntimes.com/news/roeper/187217,CST-NWS-roep27.article

86. Rep. Davis: The Worst Person in the World

Comment #159243 by markg on April 11, 2008 at 6:13 pm

comment by Quill

What kind of church even has a "board of directors" in the first place?

As a person who formerly attended church (with my parents,when I was younger) I can tell you this is common in baptist/evangelical churches, and does not have the same connotation as in a corporation. The "board" helps the pastor with all the functions of the church.

87. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #159224 by markg on April 11, 2008 at 5:20 pm

I'm getting a feeling about that hourglass symbol and book also. Notice the hourglass is around the halfway mark. The book is probably a cookbook full of baking recipes. So, to me, ASMarques is half baked.

88. Get out of here, atheists!

Comment #156538 by markg on April 7, 2008 at 7:17 pm

I live in southern Wisconsin and commute to and work in Illinois, so I'm quite familiar with IL politics (also lived there 1st 30 some years of my life).

Can't really add much more to what's already been said. I just want to point out something about IL. The news is not all bad from that state.

In a recent election to fill the seat of retiring former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, in the U.S. House of Reps, Bill Foster(D) won against a right-winger, of the G.W.Bush persuasion.

And who is Bill Foster? He's a scientist/ businessman who formerly worked at Fermilab near Chicago. It's not often we hear of scientists being elected to political office in the U.S.
Good Luck to him!

http://www.foster08.com/2007/12/meet_bill_foste.html

89. Fleabytes

Comment #156093 by markg on April 6, 2008 at 5:09 pm

I've just found this
http://www.rzeppa-vs-dawkins.com/

Someone else mentioned this earlier today in another thread. They said RD could do the challenge and donate the $64,000 to charity.

Does anyone want to speculate what the question might be?

90. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #156080 by markg on April 6, 2008 at 4:29 pm

Atheist 1- The bible is a streaming pile of horseshit!!

Atheist 2- No, It's a GLISTENING pile of BULLshit!!!

Atheist 3- I thought it was a heaving maggot ridden pile of pig shit that has been pissed on from a great hieght by a giraffe with cystitis. Or was that the Dawkins letters I'm thinking of?

That' heresy. I'm quite sure it was a stinking load of chicken shit sprayed by a rabid skunk suffering from acute halitosis.

91. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #156027 by markg on April 6, 2008 at 2:10 pm

Hey, not everyone here is straight.

Yes, I know that. No offense meant to anyone else but sdbranum.

92. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #156023 by markg on April 6, 2008 at 1:57 pm

sdbranum

I know you'll read this because you've said three times you had to go, and yet still post here.

Is that you in the dress here:
http://profiles.yahoo.com/sdbranum

If so you're pretty hot. If not, then go fuck off.

93. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #155918 by markg on April 6, 2008 at 9:59 am

This may be relevant to the religious discussion. Moses has died, yet again:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080406/ap_en_mo/obit_heston_18

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

Comment #155782 by markg on April 5, 2008 at 7:04 pm

As for Brian and his sock puppet, I'm trying to recall what thread it was on. If it's Fleabytes, I'll be damned if I'm going back paging through there.

Edit: I just clicked on Richard M's Myspace/fleabyte link in another thread and he deleted that also.

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

Comment #155774 by markg on April 5, 2008 at 5:48 pm

Dr Benway

I also noticed RM deleted posts here and on other threads also. What is it with people and their sock puppets getting all bent out of shape and abandoning RD.net? A week or 2 ago it was Brian English - same scenario.

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

Comment #155770 by markg on April 5, 2008 at 4:58 pm

robotoholic

LOL I forgot about the penis pump judge, which reminded me of a recent Letterman Top 10 about the guy from Ohio caught having sex with a picnic table.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/15734256/detail.html

97. Who wants to kill the elderly?

Comment #154109 by markg on April 2, 2008 at 4:54 pm

Someone once asked me what I thought about euthanasia and I said, "I think there's plenty youth in Asia." Then I realized what he'd said...

And for the record, I am a smacktotaler. (See Teratornis' earlier post.)

98. Fleabytes

Comment #154092 by markg on April 2, 2008 at 3:32 pm

mmurray
I think you're right about Midnight Oil. And now that I think about it, I can't actually recall them singing about anything religious. They were all about social and political issues.

I recall reading that the lead singer, Peter Garrett, was Christian. Now I can't find where I read that. I even went back to his Myspace page and his official Australian MP website.

99. Fleabytes

Comment #154051 by markg on April 2, 2008 at 1:11 pm

comment by ForestMist

I just don't get why you posted the list though.

mixmastergaz asked if anyone knew of any atheist or freethinking music artists. So I googled "atheist" and "music" and found that website and posted it.

No offense, but I think you're reading to much into it.

100. Fleabytes

Comment #154041 by markg on April 2, 2008 at 12:44 pm

ForestMist,

See this post:
7485. Comment #153946 by mixmastergaz on April 2, 2008 at 8:55 am

There's certainly nothing wrong with listening to religiously themed or inspired music.

I happen to like some U2 and Midnight Oil (both said to be Christian, at one point or other) although I appreciate the social and political, rather than any religious, commentary more in the lyrics.