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Comments by BAEOZ


1051. Man to die over insult

Comment #47048 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 11:44 pm

Bloody hell. They say Islam means peace, but really it means submission, to the will of the tyranical sky fairy. Then of course you have peace, if we are all deluded or killed for not submitting.
Thinking about laws, I just read some pap in the Sunday Herald Sun here, they have some guy who each week gushes rubbish about god and so called holy people like Mother Teresa and without the slightest shame assumes all his premises are factual. I was thinking that a law needs to be enacted that any claim you can't substantiate is either illegal, or at least comes with a clear disclaimer that this is not an empirical claim. It would be cool to see all churches having a large sign out the front saying "This church offers unfounded belief in a supernatural entity and claims to know the wishes of this entity and offers the unproven promise of a hereto unknown afterlife". I'm must be having an authoritarian day.....

1052. The Atheism FAQ with Richard Dawkins

Comment #47018 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 6:59 pm

reggiedixon, as a founding father of the tortellini sect (and only member, all other tortellini sects are heretical!) I feel it is my sacred duty to uphold the dignity and sanctity of our noodly creator. He is not to be taken in vain. A durum wheat curse shall be placed upon you! Ramen.

1053. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46989 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 2:41 pm

bouwe: great summary, made sense to me anyway.
tieInterceptor: Eres de Valencia? Cuando viví cerca de Castellón, decían que paella es comida tipica de la comunidad Valenciana. Aquí se cree España como una cultura singular con paella, la lidia y flamenco, no muchas distintas que hay en las comunidades autónimas....Ay perdon! No hablamos de la cultura española sino ateismo. ;-)
Oh and my head hurts now. Boags premium is too delicious and if you have too many, you get a sore head.

1054. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46915 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 7:38 am

Logicel, I followed the link and it was obvious (I hate saying that, because why would you state the obvious?) but putting on my believer tin foil hat the first explanation went so far past any "sophistcated theological discussion" to not merit thet attention." What you say is correct, but apart from the odd catholic who realistically wants evidence, you're pissin' up a rope. I reckon that the moment you choose virgin birth, you're strugglin'. Now, please don't take this as a "you hopeless atheist" or whatever. I'm just giving an impression, and I'm quite drunk. So, feel free to ignore all. Peace, love and prosperity ;-)

1055. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46910 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 7:10 am

non-atheistic entity. I should spank myself for that double negative!It's either theistic or not. Mea culpa. Still DaveK explain if you dein.

1056. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46909 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 7:05 am

DaveK, I like the statement, but define the premise. Why is atheism indefensible? I mean it's only indefensible if you hold to the criterion that is must falsify every imaginable non-atheistic entity. no? I hope I haven't begged the question, I just would like see where you're coming from.....

1057. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46903 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 6:16 am

Oh yes it is... in the civilised world anyway.
In the last day or so I've pointed out the logical fallacies in the arguments of many a believer, but they care not. But I think you're right, if people live in society where they can fulfill their idea of being successful, then they lose the belief in a provider. Because why do you need a saviour when you're all good and don't need to be saved. If I may be so bold, I reckon Richard Dawkins version of why America is so religious has little to do with there being no state religion, I'm Australian and there is none, but more to do with the survey that was posted here a while back, stating that people who can lose their job arbitrarily believe more than those who are supported by their society, whether they lose their job or not. That is, consider the religiousity of Norway, where you can accidentally conceive an ingrown toenail by the will of an angel and still get benefits. Then compare that to the US where you're screwed by some technicality of your employer, health plan or for the benefit of the economy. If you don't work, you're on the streets (sorry if that's a generalization, but I don't get out that much!). That would make me look for a big friend who understood my plight and has "my back" .

1058. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46900 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 5:47 am

emember, there is no concrete evidence for the supernatural--use that handle as a lodestone, to anchor yourself to a bedrock of logic and rationality while doubting your faith.

Can I get an Amen? Logiciel you just turned a 1000 of my ernest but poorly put anti-apologetics into something comprehensible. Thank Zeus you exist! Praise Thor!
And Russell, you stated clearly what I meant in the silliness of the trinity. Praise be Baal upon you.

1059. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46868 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 2:35 am

Hey James_the_doubter, I really didn't see the contradiction when I was growing up with catholic indoctrination. You get told it makes sense and leave it at that. But if god is all powerful and all good, then evil cannot exist because an all good god cannot allow bad to happen and as he's all powerful, he'd change the situation. I know lots of theologians will put limits on gods power (which then refutes their point that he's all powerful), saying he's logically omnipotent. Or that there is free will, but free will can't exist if god is omniscient at you may have read in the god delusion (if god knows everything you do, and god is timeless, god already knows any change of heart or mind you will have, therefore you have no free will, as it's all predestined or known by god).
As for the trinity, the catholic encyclopedia defines it as 3 distinct entities that are united as 1. 3 is 1, they don't deny that, they just say it's a mystery that we can't understand and to try and do so is sinful. But it's no mystery. 3 can't be 1.
Sorry, I've just crapped on, anybody care to test my logic? It's probably flawed.

1060. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46857 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 1:22 am

I am new to these discussions, so excuse my ignorance here, but I just read The God Delusion, and I would say that Dawkins has a very strong belief, and does set out to prove that god doesn't exist.

I think for a person who has or had religious faith it's a very easy mistake to make. Dawkins is quite passionate, and at times strident because he sees damage done in the name of god and religion. Atheism is the lack of belief in god or supernatural entities. It doesn't imply an alternate belief system competing with religion. Dawkins would change his position to accepting there was a god if there was evidence that could only be explained by god. That is he doesn't have faith in atheism. A believer in religion holds fast to their faith, inspite of a total lack of evidence and contradictions of their faith like an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god can't allow evil to exist and the trinity is 3 distinct entities but 1 entity at the same time. 3 is not 1 so that trinity is bunk. Did that explain it?

1061. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46834 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 10:10 pm

Yeah, I think it was in Carl Sagan's book where he said something along the lines of "even if you do get joy out of false belief, wouldn't you want to know the truth? Just as you'd want to know if a popular politician is on the take......" Probably didn't even paraphrase that, I think the point's there, everybody owes it to themselves to find out the truth...... (not the Bible truth TM)

1062. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46831 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 9:49 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot in my attack of giddyness. We are all atheists with respect to the tooth fairy, etc, is she suggesting that she is agnostic to it's existence? I don't think it's hard to be an atheist about the existence of god.

1063. TB and the Question of Evolution

Comment #46826 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 9:31 pm

Dr Benway, I humbly petition pardon. From now on we shall say bugs think about their lifestyle choices as christians say homosexuals do....Just kidding.

1064. Atheism shall make you free

Comment #46825 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 9:27 pm

Holy Zeus and Thor's Hammer! Is it possible that an Australian paper had an article that was reasonable and didn't just try a hatchet job on Atheists whilst practicing obscurantism about religious beliefs and how the atheist in question doesn't get their belief? I think I need a lie down. I'm suffering from some form of cognitive dissonance.

1065. TB and the Question of Evolution

Comment #46816 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 7:34 pm

You don't have to be an evolutionary biologist to understand how antibiotics and other interventions pressure infectious organisms over time. You just have to think like a bug, and you need to understand the host-parasite environment.

Ok, now are you suggesting bugs think and therefore are not adapting to their niches? Because that's absurd. You example of malaria certainly suggest evolution. I'm going to "play a straight bat" to this and let you tell me whether you're being cute or actually trying something else.
Over to you good Dr.

1066. TB and the Question of Evolution

Comment #46802 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 5:41 pm

I think we all need a good science education, especially evolution. I just read a book called "crimes against logic", which was so good I read it in a few hours. I think everybody should be taught to understand logic and to see woolly thinking too. I just visited a blog on a local newspaper http://blogs.theage.com.au/thereligiouswrite/archives/2007/05/the_great_debat.html
which recently started and let some guy have it, who was spouting stuff about evolution not explaining how life began, how it's full of inconsistencies. I didn't bother debating his point, just said he obviously hadn't bothered to read the most basic evolutionary textbook and had no idea that abiogenesis is not evolution etc. It's a pain in the arse when you get people who haven't even bothered to read, much less understand evolution. Still, he probably was indoctrinated from birth that evolution was evil. Charles Darwin was the devil incarnate and Richard Dawkins his archdemon.......

1067. Photos of The God Delusion Event in Second Life

Comment #46747 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 11:29 am

Somehow I see people who don't like Richard's message as nodding and saying he's just a 2 dimensional unreconstructed militant atheist or some such twaddle when they get a squiz at the picks. sigh.
I've not played 2nd life, is it any good? Good on Richard for getting involved in a cutting edge cultural thing.

1068. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46645 by BAEOZ on June 1, 2007 at 1:43 am

Animals engage in what humans would consider unquestionably reprehensible behavior

No they don't. Only humans (maybe higher primates/whales) have the ability to be reprehensible. As you state the rest follow a program, not a choice. We, therefore are probably the only animal that can be reprehensible, because we can choose to act in a way contrary to our natural instincts. Our instincts are to be generally good, work as a group, this is evident in the fact the we sucesfully form societies.

1069. Battle of the New Atheism

Comment #46634 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 11:31 pm

I'll have to write that down Russell. On that age blog that I spoke of before, a poster who called herself 7th day girl asked why us non believers bothered to post on a religious blog. I said because I dislike the attack on science and the fact that believers can't keep their beliefs to themselves and feel the need to vote in people who agree with them or otherwise impose on people their beliefs based ideas like banning abortion, condoms, gays, whatever. Richard can take credit for the fact that I bother. I wouldn't have once.
Good on you for having the balls to get up and talk. Dawkins, et al can't do it all.

1070. Battle of the New Atheism

Comment #46629 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 10:44 pm

Hey Russell, I'd be interested in hearing your talk. Give me more grist to write my songs that I post on myspace ;-) Seriously, what's the locale and time (and cost)? I haven't heard of the rationalist society here in Melbourne.

1071. Battle of the New Atheism

Comment #46594 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 6:35 pm

part of his blurb is:

He has a degree in theology and is part-way towards a doctorate in moral philosophy.
I thought maybe you may have crossed paths with him from his study of moral philosophy. Not to worry, he certainly did go to town on Onfray and did the usual "that's not my god" line.
Thanks,
Brian.

1072. Battle of the New Atheism

Comment #46583 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 6:03 pm

Hey Russell, if you're still around do you know of a Barney Zwartz who writes for the age? He started a blog about religion the other day at the age site and it's been inundated with the usual apologetics and counter apologetics (I've been quite prolific in posting). Anyway, what's your take on him, he seems upset that people wouldn't let him ask a question to Michel Onfrey or something.
Thanks,
Brian.

1073. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46519 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 2:28 pm

BAEOZ I think it's "Begging the Question"

There's a lot of that from religious types....

Hey Sam, that was a good start. It's just the other 832 words of un-fossilized coprolite....

I wonder if he's a coprophage?

1074. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46512 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 2:23 pm

While no stone should be left unturned in seeking to discover the nature of man's origins, we can say with conviction that we know with certainty at least part of the outcome

What's that logical fallacy where your conclusion is included in the proposition?

1075. Why Do Some People Resist Science?

Comment #46468 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 11:28 am

I enjoyed the guitar playing very much, however I was unable to understand the sung lyrics, and I noted that written lyrics for Sunday was not provided.

Hi Logicel, thanks for taking the time to listen and for you comments (I've played guitar for years, just learning to sing). It would seem my fears about my vocals were correct ;-). The lyrics for "controversy" were posted on myspace I believe the other tunes aren't really related to humanism and the struggle against faith but I'll post them on myspace now.
Anyway, I'm misusing this thread for my own benefit, so thanks to those who took the time to listen and sorry to anybody who's peeved with me.

1076. Why Do Some People Resist Science?

Comment #46466 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 11:20 am

I enjoyed the guitar playing very much, however I was unable to understand the sung lyrics, and I noted that written lyrics for Sunday was not provided.

Hi Logicel, thanks for taking the time to listen and for you comments (I've played guitar for years, just learning to sing). It would seem my fears about my vocals were correct ;-). The lyrics for "controversy" were posted on myspace I believe the other tunes aren't really related to humanism and the struggle against faith but I'll post them on myspace now.
Anyway, I'm misusing this thread for my own benefit, so thanks to those who took the time to listen and sorry to anybody who's peeved with me.

1077. Why Do Some People Resist Science?

Comment #46349 by BAEOZ on May 31, 2007 at 2:29 am

Shameless plug alert!
Hi guys, I've posted a little tune I wrote yesterday on myspace relating to a lot of stuff I've read on this site, and in Richard's, and others' books. It's really just a demo, and I'm not a great singer, so caveat auditor! I'm curious to peoples response to the lyrics, see if it makes sense.

If you dare, go to:
www.myspace.com/wearethecrap

The song is called "controversy". The other songs have no relation to this site, except maybe "she" which is me putting myself in the shoes of someone of faith and imagining it like dangerous infatuation.....

Cheers and don't worry, it won't cost you (except maybe in auditory trauma).

1078. Aiming for knockout blow in god wars

Comment #45441 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 7:11 pm

You need to attend more academic conferences - 5 books in 6 days tucked up in a freezing Canberra college in the middle of winter YAY! Still managed to have fun AND avoid the silver lechers :o)

Uhm, pass! freezing Canberra, silver lechers. Are you into pain? Just kidding. Cheers Russell!

1079. Aiming for knockout blow in god wars

Comment #45432 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 6:02 pm

Without sounding sycophantic, I'm glad guys like you and Richard Dawkins are out there fighting the good fight.

Russell, any books you could recommend to a wanna be philosopher? I just started reading Bertrand Russell's "Problems with philosophy".
If nothing else reading "The God Delusion" has opened my mind a bit. Due to reading it, I've gone on to read "End of faith", "Breaking the spell", "Atheist Universe", "god is not great" and others. I have not read so much in such a short period, except when studying for exams. Thanks to Richard Dawkins for that. I'm rambling, oh well.

1080. Aiming for knockout blow in god wars

Comment #45420 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 5:00 pm

Hey Russell, I just had a quick look online after you mentioned your quadrant articles. A fellow Melbournian! You're seem very learned man indeed. Good stuff. I'm an interested amateur, I'd love to have the philosophical chops to rip up the arguments of people like Sommerville. Anyway, back to work.

1081. Aiming for knockout blow in god wars

Comment #45394 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 2:38 pm

Here we go again, Richard is a fundamentalist. God is more likely than any celestial teapot or ancient god.....
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/fundamentalism-gets-us-nowhere/2007/05/27/1180205073490.html

1082. Observer Diary 27th May 2007

Comment #45293 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 5:45 am

I just watched the 2nd part of "The root of all evil?" on the ABC here in Oz. Loved it, there were many bits that I recall being in "The God Delusion". A book which I thought was a real eye opener.
Sounds like the Galapagas trip was amazing. Suffering a mild case of envy. I'd love to go there one day, but fear I'd add to the destruction that is probably being visited on the islands and the planet in general by catching a jet there and annoying the wildlife.
Anyway, keep up the good work RD.

1083. Aiming for knockout blow in god wars

Comment #45246 by BAEOZ on May 27, 2007 at 12:59 am

I want to add my support to the "Bring Richard Dawkins to Australia" movement. He can bring along Hitchens, Harris and Dennet too! It would be so cool to see some of those guys give a talk in public. Has anybody heard of Michel Onfrey? Apparently he's having a chat with Phillip Adams here in Melbourne in a couple of days.

1084. God help us all - The No. 2 book on Amazon right now is a

Comment #44851 by BAEOZ on May 25, 2007 at 11:57 am

Right! That's it! Between running out of oil in the next century and ensuing starvation/crash of civilization; the bloody greenhouse effect due to use of said oil; and these f*#k knuckles trying to kill us all for some holy book I think it's time I built an arc. I'll have two of every type of beer known to man. It'll be a refrigerated arc of course.
There, that'll show 'em.

1085. Mysteries to Behold in the Dark Down Deep: Seadevils and Species Unknown

Comment #43836 by BAEOZ on May 22, 2007 at 11:07 pm

Hey guys, any of you people here subscribe to the aussie online thingy called "crikey"? A few days ago a guy wrote that RD was a militant atheist after seeing "The root of evil". Today in a letter a guy compared him to Sheik Hilaly and labelled him a rabid. Anybody seen this?

1086. The root of all evil?

Comment #43793 by BAEOZ on May 22, 2007 at 4:56 pm

He had to pull out the lazy journalism bit: Militant Atheist. Yeah right. Veronique pretty much said it, we can be a lazy mob of dills, but generally ok. Probably like most people I guess.

1087. The Paradoxical Hatred of Christopher Hitchens

Comment #43212 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 9:01 pm

I didn't know Veronique, but am not surprised. Howard and his cronies are a bunch of mysoginists and/or people who long for a return to the secure past of their imaginations (who was it who said: the past isn't what it used to be?)
I'm glad Bob Brown comes from Tasmania, otherwise as an ignorant Victorian I'd conclude that all she exports is woodchips, Harradine and political corruption. Beautiful place though (or was), except they're shredding the forests and poisoning the wildlife......

1088. The Paradoxical Hatred of Christopher Hitchens

Comment #43207 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 8:34 pm

Hey Veronique, I think the dick who recently tried to make Gillard look mean or evil because she hasn't produced little bugger was Sen. Bill Heffernan. Brian Harradine, to the best of my knowledge is back in Tasi with his brood of god botherers.

1089. Evolution Opponent Is in Line for Schools Post

Comment #43094 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 2:05 pm

Whoops, had marsupial size issues, how about now..??!

1090. Evolution Opponent Is in Line for Schools Post

Comment #43093 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 2:02 pm

Thanks Baron, let's see how the friendly little marsupial looks....

1091. Evolution Opponent Is in Line for Schools Post

Comment #43083 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 1:37 pm

Hey bluebird. How do I set up an avatar image?
Thanks,

1092. Hubble Finds Ring of Dark Matter

Comment #43072 by BAEOZ on May 20, 2007 at 12:44 pm

Hey guys, it's a little off topic, but I was watching 'the root of all evil' last night on the ABC here in Oz. Very good. I loved Richard's comment about how he doesn't dress women where he comes from. Ted Haggard came across as an arrogant bully. He was the one accusing Richard of being arrogant. Richard's just so bloody polite. I don't know how he does it, but I'm glad he does....

1093. Freethinking Ruins All Things

Comment #42575 by BAEOZ on May 18, 2007 at 12:48 pm

since men have always been slaughtering and oppressing one another and they have tended to do more of it when they are less in thrall to their religious tradition than when they are strictly obedient to it

Really? And the whole "God commands you to kill your kiddies, friends or anybody else who doesn't follow religious variant X" isn't a good excuse for murder and division?
I'd love to see this guy have a debate with Hitchens or Dawkins. Still, unlike the mythical god, those guys can't debate every flea trying to suck a bit of sustenance from them.

1094. Antarctic 'treasure trove' found

Comment #42164 by BAEOZ on May 17, 2007 at 6:30 pm

What about plants? Did Noah get all terrestrial plants into his ark, because sure as sure they would've drowned.....

1095. Dobson, Armageddon, and Foreign Policy

Comment #41959 by BAEOZ on May 17, 2007 at 11:07 am

Oh bugger, I blockquoted everything! Pardon me fine people.

1096. Dobson, Armageddon, and Foreign Policy

Comment #41958 by BAEOZ on May 17, 2007 at 11:07 am

but we know that Jesus Christ is powerful and we know he is moving in the Middle East
And you know this how? F%$#ing scary that these functional and seemingly influential people can come out with this tripe.
Firemancarl, I saw a site the other day wiki.ironchariots.org that is a reference to god being unable to defeat someone or another. Great site for arming yourself against apologists and god botherers too.

1097. Christopher Hitchens to God: Drop Dead

Comment #41947 by BAEOZ on May 17, 2007 at 10:58 am

We cannot blame God for what we do not do to save ourselves.

No, because blaming imaginary beings helps nothing.

1098. Antarctic 'treasure trove' found

Comment #41943 by BAEOZ on May 17, 2007 at 10:51 am

In a more parochial vein I'd like to say: Our (ant)arctic is better than your artic! Go austral entities!
Hey, religions started it! Why can't I be parochial in my parroquia?

1099. Hitchens' flat world

Comment #41733 by BAEOZ on May 16, 2007 at 6:14 pm

All in all, what do you expect from a pig but a grunt.


Short, sharp and perfect. I have to remember that comment!

1100. One side can be wrong

Comment #40766 by BAEOZ on May 14, 2007 at 11:25 pm

"Natural selection involves merely the shuffling, rearrangement and degeneration of existing genetic information, whereas evolution requires encyclopaedic quantities of new information to be produced (over time) by unintelligent, natural processes—information coding for new types of organs, limbs, physiologies, etc."
You are a liar if you say that after reading any biology text worth it's ink. Again, you're just being a pain.

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