Comments by Colwyn Abernathy

251. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #180142 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 9:13 am

Who the hell is mat? Now I'm totally confused :)

HA HA HA! Exactly...

252. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #180067 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 6:54 am

Ah, perhaps you meant "you're welcome".

SEE how much clearer that is? I thought he left out "mat" at the end of it. Doesn't make it any less funneh, tho. ;)

EDIT:

careful, he has a problem with people who are picky about punctuation.

HA HA HA! Anal...

253. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #180057 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 6:44 am

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Smells like...sweat...no, like....oregano. NO! Like VICTORY! Yeah, that's the ticket!

254. A natural selection

Comment #180001 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 4:49 am

I've been doubly amazed by the number of people outside the church who've called to express their admiration.

What's their number? They accept intl calls? :)

255. A natural selection

Comment #179983 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 4:11 am

Sponsoring the exhibit would also make a statement: if a small faith-based operation like ours isn't afraid to support a museum exhibit that encourages people to think about their place in creation, then large secular corporations shouldn't be afraid either.

Damn, talk about sticking it to the man. Kinda reminds me of DonExodus debunking creationism...as a Christian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_5Vstf6OHk

256. Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens

Comment #179977 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 3:51 am

Perhaps we need to request an audience from the Queen Spider

Rabblerabblerabblerabblerabble...RABBLE!

257. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179971 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 3:38 am

SSG Davis,
I suppose a little .223 buys a lot of influence in such situations!

Max, how much do you think I could get for .45? ;)

EDIT: ...On second thought...perhaps MINE is too flippant? Especially after Christopher's note on not having the bullet pass through the initial target into an innocent bystander...

258. Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens

Comment #179944 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 2:54 am

What if these aliens are gay?

Will the Vatican be as welcoming to an 'extraterrestrial brother' then?

Considering the Gilgamesh vagina is four feet wide and filled with razor sharp teeth...I'd make an exception if I were Emperor Pal...I mean, the Pope.

259. Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens

Comment #179942 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 14, 2008 at 2:50 am

All of a sudden, I got an image of Gilgamesh Catholics...thank you Trey and Matt! ;)

Jeez, go on, it's okay to believe anything you want, but PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF DOG, COME BACK TO MASS!

(We need the money)

260. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179636 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 1:00 pm

Is this actually the same group that, 3 hours ago, was debating whether honor killing had religious or tribalistic underpinnings?

Well, we're human, and we require a jolt of humour to keep from going bananas...or going anabananas...I think. Lightening the mood helps keep the rest of us sane. ;)

261. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179632 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:57 pm

if only there was a book that explains the concept...

He said...stating the obvious. ;)

262. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179629 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:53 pm

A selfish gene does not mean we can't have deep instincts for fairness, empathy and attachment. for goodness sake.

In fact, it's entirely feasible that we HAVE selfish genes for fairness empathy and attachment. ;)

EDIT:

The mind seems to have the ability to transcend itself and merge with a larger presence that feels more real.

It FEELS more real...ergo it IS!

Paging Mr Barnum...paging Mr. Barnum, you have a sucker on line 1.

263. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179624 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:51 pm

:-) Now if only I had an actual emoticon.

You don't need it...you're obnoxious enough. ;)

BUUUURRRRRRN! Apologies...that was a gimme. I hope you don't mind, Max. ;)

264. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179622 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:50 pm

Mysticism and science are joining hands?

Don't we have a number of members who argue for the veracity of mysticism/metaphysics? I haven't been on in a while, so their handles escape me.

265. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179620 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:49 pm

Minicons, eh? That explains a lot. Thanks, that would've bugged me the rest of the day.

266. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179616 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:42 pm

No, no it doesn't. Like one of those itty bitty ones that feature heavily into the new storyline. Forget what they're called, but they enhance its owner's power. The Emoticon would make its owner twice as obnoxious.

267. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179613 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:37 pm

I like the term "bewildered herd", and here we see the sheep dog.

Which reminds me of Bill Hicks talking about being the angry sheepherder ranting to his flock, who tend to look at him "like a dog who's just been shown a card trick."

268. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179610 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:31 pm

Dangit, it's impossible to convey tone through text, innit? ;) S'why I employ the mighty, yet highly annoying EMOTICON!

Sounds like a Transformer, doesn't it?

269. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #179608 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:30 pm

Geez, I said I was joking...

And he's fucking with you. ;)

I think.

270. Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

Comment #179604 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:28 pm

"You can doubt and question it all you want (hey, the bible asks us to, right)

Which is ironic, for the ONLY unforgivable sin, evidently, is to deny the holy spirit exists, and to come to that conclusion, first you must doubt and question it. ;)

271. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179599 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Bottom line, religion is for those too weak psychologically to cope with life; or too stupid to open their eyes. These people may always be with us, but hopfully we can remove the hatred and obsessiveness of their teachings.

I concur, Nails. It also differentiates those who are "spiritual" from those who are merely "faithful".

272. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179593 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:19 pm

The two sides have argued about whether it is reasonable to conceive of a soul that survives the death of the body and about whether understanding the brain explains away or merely adds to our appreciation of the entity that created it.

Begs the question:

What is this entity made of? If it exists outside of us...it must be material, yes? So then, what material is it?

273. The Neural Buddhists

Comment #179584 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:15 pm

Wolfe understood the central assertion contained in this kind of thinking: Everything is material and "the soul is dead."

False analogy. The soul would have to EXIST first before it could die. ;)

EDIT: IE, if it never existed in the first place, that, in reality, is a failed explanation for behaviour, probability of an afterlife, etc., how can such an entity "die"? Unless he's being metaphorical and means that the "IDEA" of the soul is dead.

"I'd like to see a forklift carrying a crate full of forks...It'd be so damn LITERAL."
-Mitch Hedberg

274. Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

Comment #179580 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:13 pm

Indeed. A truth that is infallible, and therefore, beyond questioning and doubt. That's what I find MOST distasteful about dogma: an infatuation with and pride of ignorance.

It's like what Chris Rock says when he talks about the difference between black people and niggas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpUSElgJcyI
Starts at 2:58

"Nuttin make a nigga happier than NOT knowing the answer to your question."

What I find so funny is that you can replace the racial with the religious, and it'd STILL make sense.

275. Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

Comment #179567 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 12:02 pm

riandouglas:

I thought the "our" was because the genesis accounts were cribed together from polytheistic myths. Hence the El, Elohim, council of gods etc.

Hmmm...I hadn't heard that before. Interesting. The trinity is an answer I get from Christians when I press them on it.

276. Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

Comment #179559 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 11:54 am

Lucas:

Colwyn - The two creation accounts were written by two different people, or groups of people, at different times. (This is why we need more education in the history of religion.) That's why you get no answer from theists; as far as they're concerned, God wrote it.

See, I knew that because it's the most logical answer. As well as the "make him in OUR image". I get that the "our" means "the holy trinity" from them, citing yet ANOTHER alleged fulfullment of prophesy. But doesn't it make MORE sense that to make the idea of a single omnipotent being palatable to a largely pantheistic population, an author would use language that would be recognisable to them. After all, monotheistic faiths seem perfectly comfortable with assimilating pagan symbols into their rituals and practices, why not language?

EDIT:

IQHQ:

do you honestly believe that Brooke, a fellow biographer, would just casually attribute false perspectives to the great man, and what's more do so without a shred of proof?

Yes. He's human, with a religious bias (apparently) and so it's very possible he could make such a biased error. Without citation, I cannot take such a claim seriously either.

277. Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

Comment #179321 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 5:48 am

The second creation account in Genesis (Gen. 2.4-3.end) gives more emphasis to the origin of the human race than does the first account.

ORLY? Says you...If the second has more emphasis...WHY ARE THERE TWO OF THEM?

I can never get a straight answer from theists on that.

278. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179299 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 4:58 am

Dammit, I want my electric car! Chevy's promoting it's "Volt" concept, which is ironic considering GM's EV-1 line a few years ago. Where'd it go? Its test market in California RAVED about it, they even built the infrastructure for charging en route. But, with no option to buy leasing, shitty advertising, they eventually scrapped it, citing low interest in it. BULL! Everyone who had an EV-1 LOVED it! Course you wouldn't know that from the press. Tesla Motors...you're our only hope.

279. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179297 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 13, 2008 at 4:52 am

Lord, give me cheap gas. POOF. A burrito appears.

Which would easily demonstrate the Lord's preference to the King's English. (Or is it the Queen's?) And also his non-omnipotence.

That made my morning...brllnt! :)

280. The Stupidity of Dignity

Comment #178983 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 10:43 am

Worst of all from this point of view are those more uncivilized forms of eating, like licking an ice cream cone--a catlike activity that has been made acceptable in informal America but that still offends those who know eating in public is offensive.

'Course, all I can think of is, "LOOKA THA TONGUE ON HER! WWWWOOOOOOWWW!'
-George Carlin

In olden days, a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking.

Oooohhh, Heaven knows! Anything goes!

SORRY! I was in that show, it's like a damn reflex.

281. The Stupidity of Dignity

Comment #178974 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 10:26 am

Yet, aside from two paragraphs in a commentary by Daniel Dennett, the volume contains no critical examination of any of its religious claims.

I am Jack's Complete and UTTER Lack of Surprise.

EDIT:

The years that would be added to other people's lives, he judged, were not worth living:

Yeah, Hugh Hefner's extended years are utter crap. Oh, how can a sinful sinner live SO LONG?!

282. The Stupidity of Dignity

Comment #178952 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 9:47 am

I still think I'd look awful dignified with a pair of bat wings...either bionic or engineered, I'm not picky. ;)

EDIT:

Although the Dignity report presents itself as a scholarly deliberation of universal moral concerns, it springs from a movement to impose a radical political agenda, fed by fervent religious impulses, onto American biomedicine.

I am Jack's Complete Lack of Surprise.

283. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #178947 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 9:42 am

Why they bother with this intelligent design stuff is anyone's guess.

My guess is that reality is just too damn scary, so they'll accept comforting fantasy. The rest of us grew up. I much prefer what is true, not what I want to be true. 'Course, I wasn't ALWAYS like that, but I grew up. ;)

284. Evolution: What is 'Natural'?

Comment #178944 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 9:35 am

This is our planet if we don't use our reasoning skills to overcome our Darwinian instincts to avoid this outcome.

Which, according to Chris Hedges...is "a leap of faith."

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080511_render_unto_darwin_that_which_is_darwins/

'Course, his arguments don't prove religious "leaps" are helpful in any way other than reinforcing an irrational belief...but what do I know? ;)

285. My Response to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Comment #178937 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 9:10 am

"If you grow a little square mustash, expect to be reminded of hitler"

Which is so annoying as he stole the look off of Chaplin. I grew a mustache like that for a Chaplin costume one Halloween, most oft used comment?

"Damn, you SURE you didn't REALLY want to dress as Hitler?"

Considering Chaplin created The Tramp before WWI, WAY before Adolf swiped it, I'd say...I'm sure.

EDIT: "You know you look...an awful lot like him. ADOLF, I mean. You know, with the mustache. I think HE STOLE YOUR ACT!" -Kevin Kline, "Chaplin" ;)

286. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178928 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 8:34 am

Naug:

There are more motivations than religion to a persons actions. We as atheist should undoubtedly know this :>

Thanks for the reminder. I tend to forget this as well. Tho while religious motivations aren't the sole reasons, they are often prioritised as the most important.

EDIT: As evidenced by the reasoning behind the motivations of the father in the "My daughter deserved to die for falling in love" article. (Qader?)

287. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178918 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 8:21 am

Yes, I'm purposefully confusing you by being confused myself. ;) (Divided attention's a bitch, I tend to lose track)

EDIT: Apologies.

Without the respect religion garners by default, its foundations would crumble. This is the point Sam Harris continually makes. Individual believers aren't the problem, or the source. Islam would continue to garner believers as long as it remains unchallenged, even if all the current believers simply weren't. Some people would pick up the Koran and take it for what "former" believers take it for, and they would teach it to their children, and EDIT: the cycle would begin anew. :EDIT It gets harder to propagate as people learn more about the world. Education won't help those already ensnared, and those so ensnared seem adamant about their children "being corrupted" by "evil Western ideals". It teaches to fear and hate what it doesn't understand as opposed to attempting to understand what it fears.

288. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178902 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 8:04 am

Colwyn, I know you were speaking metaphorically and that you don't believe religion is an actual physical illness. Please, credit me with a little intelligence.

What don't you get about the analogy?

289. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178876 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 7:23 am

Can you have a religion without people?

Sure, we still look at the Greek pantheon as well as the Egyptian, and many others, which begs the question: "Why don't people believe in them? They're religions too."
And I think this mainly deals with a religion's palatability. (for lack of a better word) Take, for instance, Lucas's invention of the Jedi. It isn't a "real" religion like others, yet a notable portion of the UK population describe themselves as "Jedi". Why is this when none of them can manipulate "The Force" like the fictional Jedi can?

As for my use of "illness", I'm strictly speaking metaphorically. I don't think it's an ACTUAL disease caused by anything physical. Apologies for the confusion. I merely use it as an illustration.

290. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178853 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 6:37 am

I can imagine me saying that "the problem is not Jews but Judaism", since many Jews (so I understand) are basically atheist even though they still call themselves Jews (I know a few who celebrate christmas).

We tend to associate Judaism with a racial heritage, when there really isn't a genetic basis for such an attribute. (I think, I could be wrong.) It's clear that Islam is NOT racially based, yet they STILL want to claim criticism of it as racism like the Jews, like simple bigotry.

291. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178844 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 6:30 am

Please help me make some sense of this because I've heard it so often, even on this site, that I suspect I must be missing something.

I think you are missing the point. If there were no Muslims, but Islam still existed...people would become Muslims. The followers who are willing to do the unimaginable are symptoms of the "illness" of dogmatic thought. If we disempower the source, the symptoms will eventually dissipate, like with the KKK. Ridicule and criticism has completely disempowered them, so now they are relegated to gag material on sketch comedy shows. Where once they wielded considerable political power, now nobody takes them seriously. Sam Harris explains this much better than I in his book, "The End of Faith".

292. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178831 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 5:46 am

And by the way, is there someone who has something positive to say about 'the diversity of muslim cultures'?

It's doesn't yet have a stranglehold on the world?

293. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #178820 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 5:27 am

Sometimes I really wish there was a GOD, as I'm sure he'd take great pleasure in sending these fucktards to hell!!

Who's to say god wouldn't laud and praise him? You're assuming attributes of said assumed god would coincide with our Western beliefs of equality and human rights. It's equally probable that a fucktard god would praise a fucktard follower for following fucktard 'rules.' I could wish, but that wouldn't solve anything...kinda like praying. ;)

EDIT: And a loving god wouldn't take pleasure in torturing someone, regardless of how rotten he treats his fellow creations.

EDITEDIT: What riandouglas said. ;)

294. On Fitna, the Movie

Comment #178805 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 4:59 am

How dare he equate all of us as one and the same with the political Islamic movement? It made me quite angry actually.

Yet I don't hear a PEEP out of you when 8 young Muslim women burn to death because they aren't properly covered, or a father murders his own daughter for having a crush on an English soldier. Where's your anger THEN? Cut the self-righteous indignation. He dared because it's TRUE. You don't like being compared? Stand up and SAY something when the fundies "hijack your religion".

EDIT: While I agree that Fitna isn't a very good film in and of itself, I refuse to say it shouldn't have been made, for the same reason Catwoman "shouldn't have been made." Free speech for all...including supremicist douchebags.

295. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #178786 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 12, 2008 at 3:39 am

Jazzguitar:

I cannot imagine that he will not be haunted and even tortured by the memory of having done this. He may not realize what he's done right away, but I think when he does, he will likely end his own life.

This is exactly what Abdel-Qader means by Westerners finding this shocking. It's difficult for us to comprehend any of US doing this, at least not outside the heat of passion. The problem with this line of thinking is that we assume he KNOWS what he did is repellent when he full out believes he did the right thing...the ONLY thing. If you really think he'll be regretful of such a heinous act, then you don't understand the power of religion. He is ill, poisoned by bronze age dogma. Qader isn't the problem, he's a symptom. It's religion he's ill with. As John Pritzlaff commented, another vindication of Sam Harris. Now how many Western Muslims are going to raise their voices in outrage?

Next to NIL, Muslims never miss an opportunity...

...TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY! :(

EDIT:

JohnPritzlaff:

Unfortunately, that is commonly seen as a rude thing to say, for some reason (more like unreason).

The reason is as thinkers and critics have described it: it's considered ignorant, bigoted, and racist to criticise religious beliefs. It is the ONLY belief/idea system that demands respect without earning it thru ridicule and critique. Every OTHER type of idea (political, social, scientific, etc) is allowed to be lambasted, and those that hold up under scrutiny are the ones that propagate. (democracy, human rights, etc) People identify themselves by their religious beliefs, and to attack the beliefs is akin to attacking the person, regardless how you word your argument.

296. Computer game's high score could earn the Nobel Prize in medicine

Comment #178400 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 11, 2008 at 10:59 am

Good point, mordacious. Tho Einstein DID wi..er, EARN the Nobel for his energy/matter transferrence (izzat right?) equation, right?

297. I Am Evolution

Comment #178396 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 11, 2008 at 10:55 am

I listen to evolution, I observe it and I do evolution.

And evolution never calls, and I bump into evolution at Starbucks and there's an awkward exchange of words that include "I meant to call you, but I've been busy, y'know, with evolving an shit."
"That's kewl," I say, sheepishly, and all the things I want to say to evolution are lost in my throat, never to be born, and I hope and pray that evolution WILL call, but evolution never does...evolution's a heartless bastard.

Wait...that's not what she meant, is it?

298. Computer game's high score could earn the Nobel Prize in medicine

Comment #178389 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 11, 2008 at 10:43 am

Well...the Nobel Prize is a bit much, but I LOVE the idea! I'd never heard of FOLDIT before. Purty kewl.

EDIT:

"Long-term, I'm hoping that we can get a significant fraction of the world's population engaged in solving critical problems in world health, and doing it collaboratively and successfully through the game," Baker said. "We're trying to use the brain power of people all around the world to advance biomedical research."

Thru gaming. A very novel approach. Spot on

299. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #178379 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 11, 2008 at 10:13 am

'I don't have a daughter now, and I prefer to say that I never had one. That girl humiliated me in front of my family and friends.

YEAH! IT'S ALL about YOU, you self-righteous, backwards fucktard. She OBVIOUSLY hated you and only fell in love JUST TO SHAME YOU. I'm...I'm...so furious I...I don't want to say anything else that'll get me banned, I can't let my anger erode my rationality.

Oh...and a Happy Mother's Day from a Yank's son to all you Mamas out there. :)

EDIT:

Our girls should respect their religion, their family and their bodies.

And if they don't, you'll kill them...fucking barbarians.

300. Richard Dawkins interviewed by John Humphrys on Cardinal Murphy O'Connor

Comment #178343 by Colwyn Abernathy on May 11, 2008 at 9:21 am

Off topic, but it's current events at the moment:

I HAVE A SOCKPUPPET! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/user/ColAbernutty

First saw it on Pat Condell's "The Curse of Faith"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPG3-1gogXU&