Comments by moderndaythomas

151. 16% of US science teachers are creationists

Comment #182656 by moderndaythomas on May 20, 2008 at 7:04 pm

says Linda Froschauer, past president of the National Science Teachers Association based in Arlington, Virginia. "We do know there's a problem out there, and this gives more credibility to the issue."

At least someones admitting this is a problem.

Berkman, who notes that requiring all science teachers to take a course in evolutionary biology could have a big impact on the teaching of evolution in the schools.

An absolute novel approach to education. First educate the teachers. Why haven't they thought of it before?

152. Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

Comment #182649 by moderndaythomas on May 20, 2008 at 6:38 pm

London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society"

A wealth of steaming horse shit maybe.

So the word cult is not to be used in England eh?
Is there a site that someone from a humble commonwealth country such as mine, can email a little note on what I/he thinks of that I wonder?

153. Brown says embryo research is key to life

Comment #181856 by moderndaythomas on May 18, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Nancy supports stem cell research because Ronnie had Alz

Ronald and Nancy Regan both regularly sought psychic advice. So to say that she supported stem-cell research isn't saying much.
Had she given birth to an autistic child, to Nancy, facilitated communication would have been as good a treatment as any.

When a person with an active belief engine chooses real science, it's probably not the science that they're choosing.

154. These dim-wits believe in anything but God

Comment #181464 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 9:02 am

Ailes

The real issue this brings up is, and excuse again my lack of expertise, the nature of the religious classes. I assume this is about courses in public (state-run) schools ? Are they (a) non-proselytizing and do you learn facts about world religions, history and culture, or is it (b) just an extension of sunday praise and worship ?

A good question. I'm not from the UK myself and and across the Atlantic in Canada, my kids have had some lessons in ancient cultures as well as aboriginal(native) cultures and spirituality.
But a modern, powerful and influential religion gets no time in schools.

155. Face to faith

Comment #181459 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 8:53 am

Atheism is amoral. Amoral = Without morals.

I understood the different meanings between the two myself, but the connotations wind up being the same when they are thrown around by the wrong person.
Henri, I'm sure, isn't that person, but somebody is.

I'm particularly sensitive to misinterpretation and what many here call quote mining. I don't know about anybody else but it makes me cringe sometimes.

156. These dim-wits believe in anything but God

Comment #181449 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 8:41 am

Henri

It is important, I believe, that children know about religion so that they can realise how absurd it is. Knowledge is power.

I also agree, but young children do little differentiating between real science and the impostor. Teaching about religion should be an elective at a later age more along the lines of anthropology, say.

157. These dim-wits believe in anything but God

Comment #181445 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 8:36 am

Are they seriously suggesting that the only pupils for whom religious education should be compulsory, against their will, are the immature, thick and ignorant?

You said it, not me.

intone the parliamentary thought police.

Thought police that allow you to chose what to think for your self? Say that out loud and tell me if it makes sense.

We can easily substitute education for God.

They're on to us!

158. Face to faith

Comment #181434 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 8:25 am

asinine

Good word usage! Going to start working that one in more.

159. Face to faith

Comment #181429 by moderndaythomas on May 17, 2008 at 8:18 am

When we have a curriculum subject such as RE that aims to increase children's understanding of all the different beliefs and values people live by today and to allow all children to reflect on and find their own answers to the "ultimate questions" in life

I suppose that this can be looked at as a step in the right direction, but to look at "humanism" as another belief system can be damaging unless the lesson stresses the pursuit of the naturalistic, organic evidence that these beliefs are built up from.

160. Richard Dawkins discusses Einstein's new letters

Comment #181306 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:46 pm

ericross.

I'm not convinced that Einstein was an atheist. It seems more likely that he was a deist -- by saying that he did not believe in a personal god, he was implying that he did believe in some sort of a god. I also read in Time (in an article based on the recently published biography of Einstein) that he repeatedly denied being an atheist.

Anyone care to try to convince me?

Whether he did or did not harbour a belief in god is irrelevant. As a scientist, he knew full well that if it is a matter of belief, it therefore lacks evidence.
If you have a choice of believing, you have no proof. If you jump off a ten story building do you have a choice of believing in gravity?

161. Richard Dawkins Interview on TVOntario

Comment #181300 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:30 pm

NowlinMD.

This is old.
It is possibly the most annoying Dawkins interview I have ever seen.

It's entirely old because these type of panels are, as always, relying on a two thousand year old "text book" for their information. But it serves as an indicator that there is still no progress of knowledge within the church.
They have nothing.

In the face of stark reason, if reason in not abandoned, they can never win.

162. Richard Dawkins Interview on TVOntario

Comment #181298 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:21 pm

"If something is immune to criticism then a very special case must be made" Go Richard.

I tell my kids that they should always be suspicious of an organization that discourages open inquiry.

163. Richard Dawkins Interview on TVOntario

Comment #181296 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:17 pm

"Are we good because of God?"

I like to think that I'm good because I'm good and not because I may go to hell. I have always found it humorous that Christians never seem to remember secular charities when boasting about their values.

164. Indian village proud after double 'honor killing'

Comment #181292 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:04 pm

"The people who have done this should get an award for it," said 48-year-old Satvir Singh. "This was a murder of morality."

Un-fucking-believable!

165. Pelosi, Reid shunning Ten Commandments?

Comment #181284 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 8:44 pm

Diocletian said;

After all, doesn't reading the 10 commandments sort of make you want to go out and get drunk?

Yes, drink beer and perhaps pull out the golden calf.
Oh, how would they feel if Ten Commandments week was followed by Golden Calf day?
There would be beer.

166. Pelosi, Reid shunning Ten Commandments?

Comment #181281 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 8:37 pm

And if it has anything to do with the cause of Christ or with social values or family values, it's just totally ignored

I come into contact with the Christian "higher ground" theme frequently. As if Christianity has it's own brand of values out of reach of all who don't pray before every meal.

167. Bible Theme Park Faces Opposition in Tennessee

Comment #181081 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 12:00 pm

I wonder if they'll have a Slutbucks?

168. Group finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle

Comment #181077 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 11:55 am

the company might as well call themselves Slutbucks

Had a cup of Slutbucks this morning, mines a grande. little anti-climatic though. Finished it too quick, going to have to recite the alphabet backwards next time.

169. Is Science Killing the Soul?

Comment #181016 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:40 am

our sense of justice and fairness, were selected for because it did our ancestors good in the long run

Here, here.

170. Is Science Killing the Soul?

Comment #181013 by moderndaythomas on May 16, 2008 at 9:35 am

We can think of the long-term consequences, and we can imagine what society would be like if everyone acted on a particular motive. The part of the mind that has those thoughts can disengage the part of the mind that has less noble motives.

Lets also not forget that the noble motives that we do act out are too rooted deeply in our evolutionary past.
Our very survival hinges on love, empathy and compassion. Otherwise we would not rush into a burning building to rescue a stranger, or jump into a rushing river without a moments thought of our own safety to pull from it a drowning child. We feel pain from the loss of our loved ones because we live longer when we value life. We go out of our way to prevent death.

I always bring this up when confronted with the morals dilemma from Christians.

171. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179190 by moderndaythomas on May 12, 2008 at 9:05 pm

"Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices," Twyman said to a chorus of "amens".

I know that they're from Washington and not everybody from Louisiana are Christian, but I swear I can detect a southern drawl.

172. Church of Scotland mediators to quell disputes

Comment #179136 by moderndaythomas on May 12, 2008 at 6:34 pm

"Every professional these days is more readily questioned, people are more prepared to challenge what they're being told and that can lead to conflict,"

My wife tells me that we don't argue enough. Trouble is that when I argue with her, I disagree with her and that just pisses her off.

The Church of Scotland is like my wife.

173. I Am Evolution

Comment #179132 by moderndaythomas on May 12, 2008 at 6:21 pm

Encouraging and honest. Makes me want to join her.

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

Comment #178335 by moderndaythomas on May 11, 2008 at 9:00 am

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor said non-believers should be respected, right up to the point of death when they will finally come face to face with Satan and his blood-soaked pitchfork.

The leader of the Romas Catholics in England and all he's got is blood-soaked pitchforks? Is he going to tell me now that playing with myself will make me go blind?

"This is the most devastating failure of American intelligence imaginable," Hayden added. "We are completely helpless."
-exploit essential weaknesses in our country's defenses and expose them to mass destruction.

I guess they must be the real ingredient to what Jesus and Beezabub are cooking. What a lovely couple

175. $271 Million for Research on Stem Cells in California

Comment #177738 by moderndaythomas on May 9, 2008 at 3:14 pm

A nice first step.

Perhaps somebody's tired of seeing the foreign students take their education back to their countries where they can actually practice some science.

176. Citing Faith, Bush Defends War Actions

Comment #177735 by moderndaythomas on May 9, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Reagan warned that "freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

I do believe his psychic told him that. No? That and "you owe me another fifty bucks mister pres".

177. Citing Faith, Bush Defends War Actions

Comment #177725 by moderndaythomas on May 9, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Bush cast the stakes in stark terms, repeatedly invoking his desire to spread freedom and democracy, the central themes of his foreign policy

Let us not forget about Christianity. "Make the world Christian" you can almost hear him say.

178. The detail in the Devil

Comment #176200 by moderndaythomas on May 6, 2008 at 10:01 pm

The retired minister and academic from St. Louis

Give a man an education and a Bible and he thinks he's infallible.
It won't be long before we're burning women at the stake for our failed crops again.
How backwards we slide when we wave a Bible in our hands.

179. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #175431 by moderndaythomas on May 5, 2008 at 11:58 am

to reiterate, In my non-politically scientific opinion because I'm not in the mood, these fundamental hard liners realy gotta deal with their inability to please their wives in a more constuctive manner.

How's that for combustable?

180. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #175423 by moderndaythomas on May 5, 2008 at 11:38 am

religious fanaticism and the free world's submission to it.

The point is that only the Muslim community is combustible in this way.

Enough already! Bunch of wiener-less uptights.

181. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #175386 by moderndaythomas on May 5, 2008 at 10:34 am

phil rimmer.

Talisker? You're a scotch purist, I think.

182. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #175193 by moderndaythomas on May 4, 2008 at 7:41 pm

Gaffer

The dogs became the 'ears and noses' of the homosapiens, allowing the 'saps to focus their brain resources on developing language and creative thinking. Which then allowed them to overcome the neanderthals (either through direct or indirect competition).

What ever the instigator to this transition, I do know that it was predominantly our colour vision that did away with our olfaction. With absent colour vision, an organism is dependent on it's strong sent of smell and hearing to distinguish friend from foe, and to determine what is tasty and otherwise bad for the health.
With colour vision, the dependency was relaxed and this allowed for subsequent mutations to accumulate without effecting the overall health of the organism. Our ancestors.
It's known now which olfactory genes have gone into disrepair. Carroll calls them fossil genes.

Look into Sean Carroll's "The Making of the Fittest"

I've just pliagorized the thing.

183. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #175168 by moderndaythomas on May 4, 2008 at 5:45 pm

Friggertool

Perhaps in the future freedom will depend on who's got the best Americans.

Like hockey. You Americans already have all the best Canadians.

phil rimmer

And little Joanne I hear you ask? (Pauses, swigs the last of the scotch and pops another beta blocker.) Little Joanne is headed straight for the kitchen, whether she likes it or not.

Keep em barefoot and pregnant. Sounds like a little movement I heard about back in 1933 when a soon to be murderer became chancellor of Germany.

And if that's some Johnny Black, I'll have some.

184. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #175087 by moderndaythomas on May 4, 2008 at 11:18 am

debbyo

Did Neanderthals have a soul?

Good one! If science succeeds in cloning a human, will the christian population deny him/her a soul?
Who's a Nazi now?

lievemebe

I take your point that we need to start with evidence

Ooops, I goofed. Discovery in science begins with no evidence, just an idea. But if in the end there's no evidence.....So sorry.

185. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #175082 by moderndaythomas on May 4, 2008 at 11:00 am

One thought just occurred to me.

What about the apocalypse?

186. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #175078 by moderndaythomas on May 4, 2008 at 10:53 am

irate_atheist

Note to self: All empires end. None end happily ever after.

Problem is that this empire has lots of things that go Boom.

rod-the-farmer

How do you grade such responses ? Is there a chart of possible non-evolution answers ? Who created & approved it ? Evangelical xians ? Which one(s)?

There in lies the problem, rod. There would be little set guidelines, I would think. A student could answer test questions with what they gathered from new-age literature ( a word used losely).
Seal penise and bear gallbladder instead of antibiotics and vaccines. The horiscope section of the latest fashion magazine instead of anything out of their social studies textbook. This line of "reasoning" can infect all academic studies.

187. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #174922 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 9:03 pm

I will say whatever needs to be said. My posts are not governed by the stupid machinations of creationists.

That's fair, but what's good for the goose.......

188. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174919 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 8:29 pm

I want to pick up a nice 42 footer and sail off the grid.

189. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174917 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 8:26 pm

I don't know what the universities are like in the US, but here in Canada, our colleges and universities are comprised of a large percent of foreign students.
And as was said earlier by BW022, this so called academic freedom bill, if passed, will lead to universities refusing to accept course credits from schools.
As is what's already happening in the US, foreign students are getting their education over here only to go back to their countries that are financing scientific endeavoures in the absence of religious persecution.
This foreign enrollment will only increase while American students enrollment will decrease.

Oh how this thing can come back and bite you in the ass.

190. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #174906 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 7:26 pm

Comment#174895 lievemebe

I find it difficult to believe that humans did not actively war against Neanderthals and other species that would have been competing for resources in the refugia.

It's the clear propensity for warfare by humans today that perpetuates this idea that early human populations may have clashed with Neanderthal (in fact our nearest living relative, the chimp, also engages in organized warfare if I'm not mistaken). The trouble is that there is no physical evidence to support a clash.
Early humans had a good tool kit for hunting and slaughtering and this is evident in the fossilised mammal bones left behind near their camps; evidence of butchering and the like.
But there is no sign of a clash between Saps and Neanderthal in the same way.

It's also important not to project such things with so many creation minded people mis-interpreting the suppositions of scientists these days. Many claim that dinosaures and humans have coexisted but clearly there is no sign of slaughter and butcher with dino bones either.

No evidence is no evidence

191. The Neanderthal Debate

Comment #174840 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Comment#174815 Mitchell Gilks

Who'd interbreed with them? Did you see that skull? I can only imagine what trolls their women must have been. I doubt even the furry community would want any Neanderthal lovin'.

At least not until they fermented potatos.

And after all the articles and what on fools and idiots, it's refreshing to take in some authenticity for a change.
Though as sarah95 said, the last question was right out of fantasy land. It takes one stupid journalist to spoil an otherwise excellent article.

192. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174827 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 3:45 pm

"So activists regrouped. Their new tactic: Embrace lessons on evolution. In fact, insist students deserve to learn more -- including classes that probe the theory for weakness. They believe -- and their opponents agree -- that this approach will prove more acceptable to the public and harder to challenge in court."

If creationists feel the need to probe established scientific theories, they should begin with gravity and jump off a ten story building.

193. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174823 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 3:37 pm

From MPhil.

A tag team of fools. The Vatican and Iranian delegations condemning "deversion of religious beliefs"

They are sacred and should not be questioned or ridiculed?

What do they say about absolute power?

194. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174775 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 12:58 pm

I guess we could lobby the legislators to pass laws so that Darwinists can go into the churches and teach evolution every Sunday morning.

This is a good idea!

I like it, i'm going to use it I think.

195. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174763 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 12:33 pm

a small group of scientists who find it implausible.

implausible compared to what? Spontaneous generation?

What kind of money are these "scientists" (my ass) getting payed to say this?
Has their minds been twisted into the very thing that science cautions us about?

"This is America," Mr. Cowan said.

196. Evolution's Critics Shift Tactics With Schools

Comment #174759 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 12:26 pm

the state Senate this week unanimously approved a bill ensuring that teachers can go beyond the biology textbook to raise criticisms of evolution

Lets just start teaching our kids from the new age section of the library while we're at it.
When they go beyond the textbooks they can tell them what ever they damn well please.

And that scares the shit out of me!

197. A New Jack Chick Tract: Moving On Up!

Comment #174752 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 12:16 pm

Christians are theives!
They're robbing their children blind.

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

Comment #174742 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 11:47 am

Sharon, very funny! It's like an honorary Darwin award.

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

Comment #174736 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 11:42 am

Comment from JesusChrist

Surely this seems bizarre by our standards, but if it is true that there has been no evidence of physical harm, then how can we condemn them from the outside? If there really have been no injuries or fatalities this is a great testament to the care these people are taking. To their credit they must understand the danger of what they are doing and are taking what they believe to be the appropriate precautions. This practice still doesn't sit well with me, but we all must be willing to follow the evidence even to uncomfortable places.

I have little trust in the record keeping from areas like this. So to say that for all this time there has been no effects or fatalities is a risky bet. In anycase this is only testimony, and we know that that doesn't count right?

I'm also going to say that because there has been no revealed injury or death, does not remove the obvious risk of injury from the equation.
People cross bussy streets without injury all the time but that doesn't make bussy streets any less dangerous.

200. Was the new finger a 'natural' miracle?

Comment #174708 by moderndaythomas on May 3, 2008 at 10:06 am

"Science" reporting like this can do more harm than good, even if it was meant to be funny. Frankly I fail to get the humor, if that is what was intended.

I agree. The frivolous reproting of science by the media leads to a "what now" responce by average joe.
It usually comes in the form of "a new study shows that it's harmfull........."
And in this case the media is, in it's ignorance, passing a probable hoax off as science.
Is it any wonder that people not familiar with the method don't understand science and fail to differentiate fact form fiction.

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