Comments by Quetzalcoatl

2101. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #134605 by Quetzalcoatl on February 28, 2008 at 3:24 am

Juxtamonkey- (at the risk of sounding smarmy) you are currently my favourite poster on this site!

A furious noodle came to all of those that refused Quetz and Juxta--THE GOD-GOD

And the terror of Kevin Jones was intensified when he gazed upon the furious noodle and saw that it had been torn from the lesser god-ling known as the FSM. And his murderous kittens were stricken by panic and fled, and were drowned within the Sea of Earwig Tea.

And the people witnessed this and did praise the God-God Quetz and Juxta. And those who did not were stricken, and became inexplicably fascinated with the contents of each other's ears. Then fire burst from their ears and consumed them utterly.

And the God-God looked upon this and spake the sacred words: "I/We do love a good barbecue".

2102. Fleabytes

Comment #134595 by Quetzalcoatl on February 28, 2008 at 3:10 am

There are guys over on my blog who believe in the "eternal separation from God" thing for Hell. This baffles me somewhat, as I can't honestly understand how that would be so terrible. What is the difference between that and the way I am now? I don't hear God's voice or feel his presence. Am I not separated from him? If not, in what way am I still joined to him? Strange.

2103. Fleabytes

Comment #134587 by Quetzalcoatl on February 28, 2008 at 2:51 am

Possibly in combination with The Trousers of Time.

2104. Feb 12th: Happy Darwin Day!

Comment #134545 by Quetzalcoatl on February 28, 2008 at 1:13 am

Steve-

Sorry to be pedantic, but not quite. If we found a fossil of a T-Rex looking up at the sky in horror as the meteor approached, thinking the dinosaur equivalent of "oh bugger!", it could not honestly be thought of as transitional.....

I disagree. The T-Rex in question was obviously making the transition to extinction.

2105. The Encyclopedia of Life, No Bookshelf Required

Comment #134304 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm

Brian-

Praise be Quetz. Who spontaneously burst into existence and created the primordial tea whence all life arose.

I also seeded the primordial tea with sugar. Useful substance, that, it gave life a kick-start.

2106. Feb 12th: Happy Darwin Day!

Comment #134299 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:48 pm

I've always liked the Snowball Earth idea. I first found out about it from an episode of Horizon, before the series went downhill.

2107. The Encyclopedia of Life, No Bookshelf Required

Comment #134296 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:46 pm

Gimlibengloin! I didn't know you were back. It's been a while. How have you been?

However, in regard to the alleged confusion of the origin of life with evolution this is really an evolutionists attempt to 'confuse the issue'

Not really. Abiogenesis relates to the start of life, evolution its subsequent diversification and expansion. Admittedly we currently know far more about evolution than we do about abiogenesis, but we have some sound theories, and they are being tested.

As low as the probability of life starting might be, it only needed to have happened once.

2108. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134290 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:42 pm

DasSquid-

I've got to agree with you, her voice is irritating!

2109. Fleabytes

Comment #134116 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 9:20 am

Hey, where have all the newbies gone?

2110. Fleabytes

Comment #134088 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 8:25 am

My, we do seem to have a lot of new arrivals today. And all of them advocating a debate between DR and RD! What are the chances?

As Annabanana would say- [/sarcasm]

2111. Evolving Mistakes

Comment #134081 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 8:10 am

Excellent article. This would be a good reference next time a creationist tries to argue that mutations only damage the genome.

2112. Fleabytes

Comment #134072 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 7:39 am

Billy-

Quetz, can we take one of those wafers and drive a stake through it? I remember hearing a story of a child who was punished once for puking up jesus.

Really? Was it an FCOS church?

Are you sure we shouldn't try sprinkling the wafer with Holy Water first? That is how you stop the undead, isn't it?

2113. Fleabytes

Comment #134068 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 7:33 am

Epeeist-

Do they actually believe that the host is the transubstantiated body of Christ though?

I honestly don't know. Not sure what the point is if they don't. But never mind.

2114. Fleabytes

Comment #134056 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 7:14 am

"Imneverwrong"

2115. Fleabytes

Comment #134052 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 7:06 am

Epeeist-

I don't know. My aunt's Moravian church has Communion, and so does the Pentecostal church I used to got to. Not sure if that's the same thing as the Catholics or not.

2116. Fleabytes

Comment #134045 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 7:01 am

Billy-

I agree with you there. Even if we did find Jesus' corpse, how would we prove it was him? It's not like there's a lot of his DNA around.

Of course, we could just go to mass and steal one of the communion wafers from a priest's hand. They're the Body Of Christ, after all.

2117. Feb 12th: Happy Darwin Day!

Comment #134033 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 6:46 am

Tyler-

stay calm. Think of your blood pressure.

2118. Fleabytes

Comment #134013 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 6:27 am

NMcC-

cheers.

PS- you can ignore the PM from me, it just says the same as my original reply.

2119. Fleabytes

Comment #133995 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 6:00 am

NMcC-

I apologise unreservedly. Believe me when I say that no lies or distortion were intended.

Having looked back, I was responding to what Robertson had said, and I made the considerable mistake of not checking the comments in question before making my reply. Given his "standards", I should have. I can only put that down to haste and carelessness on my part.

I misunderstood what was going on, and I am now very embarrassed by it. I hope you will realise that no offence was intended, and I withdraw my earlier comment.

Once again, my apologies.

2120. Fleabytes

Comment #133942 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 3:37 am

Brian-

a lot of us are now talking about him, not to him. But I take your point.

2121. Fleabytes

Comment #133923 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 3:09 am

Epeeist-

true. I'm trying to argue with him less as well. I do however reserve the right to point out things like his misquoting (although obviously you saw it first).

I seem to remember he said one of our creeds was materialism or scientific materialism. I can't honestly be bothered to trawl through his comments to find it.

2122. Fleabytes

Comment #133914 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:55 am

Epeeist and everyone-

Clearthinker said-

I was responding to the claim that " all of the scienctific and philosophical pursuits of the greatest minds in history" were on the side of atheism." (Lorien 936). Something that is demonstrably false

Lorien's actual comment was-

If you really tried to be an atheist, objectively considering the evidence, and you really think that the notions in your mind are greater evidence that all of the scienctific and philosophical pursuits of the greatest minds in history, well, what can I say, bring on the ad homs

Now, who would like to join me in a game of "Spot the Glaring Differences?"

2123. Fleabytes

Comment #133909 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:46 am

Rev (do you mind if I shorten your name to that?)-

RD is a professor at Oxford. Debates there can be brutal :)

2124. Fleabytes

Comment #133898 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:26 am

Paula-

thanks. Couldn't remember the country in question, so took a guess. Now corrected.

2125. Fleabytes

Comment #133892 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:19 am

Peacebeuponme-

Dachau was the name of a concentration camp in Germany.

2126. Fleabytes

Comment #133890 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 2:14 am

Epeeist-

I believe in Phlogiston, but in a transcendental sense! :)

2127. Fleabytes

Comment #133871 by Quetzalcoatl on February 27, 2008 at 1:53 am

Clearthinker-

just to say- Paula's article IS on the front page, under the "Latest News" column on the right. You probably have it on the "Featured" column. Click on "Latest News" to see it.

2128. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133643 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 1:03 pm

If I may interject here- I have some experience in this. My martial arts instructor is a fairly short guy, probably only a few inches above Anna's height. He could without question beat the crap out of the biggest and heaviest guy in our class. While the bigger guy will almost certainly have the power, he won't have the speed. The smaller guy will be more agile as well. And with a sufficient degree of skill, he can deliver blows with precision that will be more effective than the bigger guy's probably wilder efforts.

2129. Fleabytes

Comment #133586 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 11:56 am

Steve-

really? As one of the more erudite people on this site, I see it as more of an honour when YOU respond to something I'VE written.

But you are right. What would we do without him? And let's not even talk about Wooter...

2130. Fleabytes

Comment #133580 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 11:49 am

Just think how boring the site would be without him. Whatever would we talk about? I think it is fair to say that the site revolves around him, as so many other things apparently do.

EDIT- if that's true, I'm definitely glad I'm not going to Heaven.

2131. Fleabytes

Comment #133564 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 11:22 am

Diacanu-

keep those scalpels sharpened. He'll be back...

2132. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #133501 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:56 am

Frankus1122-

you'd better be......

2133. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #133494 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:41 am

Hmm. Challengers are coming from every quarter.

Time for some divine wrath.....

2134. Pakistan blocks YouTube over blasphemous video

Comment #133486 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:34 am

Al-rawandi-

fair enough, I agree with that. Previous British imperialist policy has created problems, there's no doubting it. But in this specific case, the Falklands do belong to Britain, and the people themselves consider themselves British. When Argentina invaded, I don't think we behaved inappropriately in response. That's all I'm saying.

2135. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #133484 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:27 am

Kevin a Jones-

leave Juxtamonkey alone! I saw her first :)

2136. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133482 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:25 am

Sigh- everyone, let's stop apologising! At least to each other :)

2137. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133474 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:15 am

Steve-

the only one who should have apologised was Thermoturd.

2138. Pakistan blocks YouTube over blasphemous video

Comment #133466 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:07 am

Al-rawandi-

a quick web search tells me that the British were the first to discover the islands in 1592, and claim them in 1690. Then there was the usual squabbling between us, France and Spain, the naval powers of the time. But from 1832 we controlled and settled them.

2139. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133458 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 8:01 am

Philip-

as I recall it wasn't just her intellect he attacked, the turd.

Anyway. I think stupid arguments like the ones this author is making are how they get books sold. It just taps into ignorance.

I guess if we want things to change we need to show them that atheists are just as decent and moral as anyone else, despite the fact that we don't believe in the invisible sky-fairy of choice.

2140. Pakistan blocks YouTube over blasphemous video

Comment #133451 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:49 am

al-rawandi-

I totally agree with you about the bigotry issue, and as I said, I disagree strongly with the comment that was made.

I admit I don't know much about how England first acquired the Falklands. But the people there did consider themselves British, and Argentina attacked us. Under those circumstances, I don't know if it can be called imperialism.

2141. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #133447 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:43 am

If we're doing this-

Wooter-

everything I post is a lie.

2142. Pakistan blocks YouTube over blasphemous video

Comment #133442 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:37 am

Al-

(incidentally I don't approve of Ashton's generalisation)

you raised the Falklands in a previous thread. The circumstances there were completely different, as I and others said.

2143. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133439 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:34 am

GROAN.

2144. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133430 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:20 am

Anna-

Oh yes, I forgot...back to fattening my self up...

why do you need to do that? I'm sure you're deadly enough as you are.

Steve-

Well, I am having mint tea...

Guess why?

Because it inspires humour and happiness?

2145. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133421 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:14 am

Anna-

Ummm....what was the topic again?

skipping back 112 comments- a new flea, and why atheists (particularly you :)) are a threat to life, liberty and small animals everywhere.

2146. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133413 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 7:08 am

Milk, and two sugars.

- Reads Al-Rawandi's comment -

Er, yeah, come on guys, back on topic. I blame Anna and Philip for this.

2147. Pakistan blocks YouTube over blasphemous video

Comment #133403 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 6:56 am

Mikejswalker-

Are their ever any merits to keeping quiet or being more 'subtle' about oppression and injustice? I ask this seriously, as a point of genuine discussion

In this case, I would say no. A stand has to be made against the massive over-sensitivity demonstrated by many in the Islamic world. Not to mention the whole mess was STARTED by a group of mullahs in the first place, as I seem to recall.

2148. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133399 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 6:51 am

I concur. Tea is a most Blessed Drink. I have just finished a cup, and it was delicious.

2149. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #133387 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 6:40 am

Why?

2150. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #133381 by Quetzalcoatl on February 26, 2008 at 6:35 am

Or possibly the weather. Might be a safer topic.