351. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125703 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 9:36 pm

"Just because other's may take it and run with it in the wrong direction doesn't make it any less true."

But it is not true. Modern medicine keeps traits in the gene pool it doesn't take traits away. Also, who decides what is weak and what is not? A good example is Stephen Hawking, who might not have survived 100 yrs ago, but thanks to, you guessed it, modern medicine he has enriched our knowledge of science. Lastly, caring for people is a good trait.

352. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125690 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 9:09 pm

"...and with the help of modern science most anyone can have a child, etc., that the gene pool of our species is weakening."

I ordered a burger and she said 'would you like some Hitler with that?'

353. Feb 12th: Happy Darwin Day!

Comment #125687 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 8:59 pm

Fav e-card - 1st Place tie between AlanDicks and DamianPeterson.

Happy Darwin Day.

354. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #125681 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 8:40 pm

I just Googled transhumanism, cause I've never heard of it. Watch out! The borgs are coming! Although 7 of 9 could make it worth while :)

355. Why multiculturalism must be abandoned

Comment #125675 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 8:19 pm

"Those who are nationalistic are members of the tribe, the rest are dangerous outsiders, probably out to destroy the nation."

Yeah, sounds like paranoia.

356. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #125669 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 8:09 pm

Was it original or spearmint fresh? Oh stop it!

357. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #125659 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 7:54 pm

Hey, try this little experiment, take a drug addicts bag o powder away and watch the reaction. Insult a believers god and watch the reaction. Compare the two.

358. Why multiculturalism must be abandoned

Comment #125657 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 7:47 pm

al-rawandi,

We've got them in Australia too. Pauline Hansen's (former fish n chip shop owner) 'One Nation' party campaigned to stop immigration all together. Why are these parties always so passionate about nationalism?

359. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #125652 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 7:30 pm

The whole 'sack cloth 'n' ashes' thing.

360. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #125648 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 7:22 pm

"Because the religionist credits God with everything good about themself, so to attack God is to attack their own personal human dignity."

Yes, exactly. Also the person has a base emotional attachment to the concept of God itself. The idea of God fills them with feelings of wonder, like a drug.

361. Hitchens and Boteach Debate on God

Comment #125637 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 6:26 pm

Haha, very entertaining debate. I think Boteach did more for Hitchen's side than Hitchens. Boteach's arm waving reminded me of The Muppet Show.

362. Exorcism undergoes a revival across Europe

Comment #125634 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 6:19 pm

Anyone seen the movie Constantine, glad to see Keanu was cured of the smoking demon in the end.

363. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125607 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 5:05 pm

"I happen to think some of his views are dangerous."

Me too. I'm glad I was vaccinated as a child, no say in the matter, but nonetheless glad. For instance, my younger brother was not vaccinated for measels as I was and suffered terribly as a consequence, plus the potential long term effects it can have, luckily he's ok.

364. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125598 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 4:47 pm

Thanks Sarah95 for the link.

If anything Bill Maher is encouraging free speech and debate on important issues.

365. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125175 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 3:28 am

A possible candidate that springs to mind for me is V.S. Ramachandran.

http://psy.ucsd.edu/chip/ramabio.html

366. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125128 by LorienRyan on February 11, 2008 at 2:24 am

Big shoes to fill. Thank you Richard Dawkins. Your work in occupying this chair has been one of the reasons for my 'coming out' from the darkness that is religion, and have demonstrated the wonder of truth through science so effectively. All the best.

367. Conservative Rabbis to Vote on Resolution Criticizing Pope's Revision of Prayer

Comment #125007 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 4:56 pm

"... but it takes debates over religion for intelligent people to say stupid things."

And beer. Never, never debate religion while under the influence. We have our spirits they have theirs.

368. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #124764 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 7:11 am

Why do theists go to hospitals?

369. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #124759 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 6:56 am

Here is a link for anyone interested in the effect of education on crime, it also has a cost-benefit analysis:

http://ideas.repec.org/a/aea/aecrev/v94y2004i1p155-189.html

370. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #124738 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 6:19 am

Politicians.

371. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #124732 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 6:13 am

"Help should not be in the form of forced contribution through taxation to fund a consequence free lifestyle."

Like polies not getting speeding fines.

372. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #124725 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 6:06 am

"...albeit loans, grants and scholarships offered in a free market from those who freely participated, not forcibly so."

Would you return the favour? Also, as life is not so black and white for some, I think we need all types of people to 'help' on all sorts of levels in various different ways. Sometimes these helpers disagree with each other about were the 'help' should be concentrated and what sort of convictions we should follow, but people usually just do what they want. By the way, I'm a fully self funded student.

373. Battle of the Chambersburg billboards

Comment #124679 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 3:41 am

The new billboard looks like the cover of a Jack Chick tract.

374. The Passion of 'Anonymous'

Comment #124673 by LorienRyan on February 10, 2008 at 3:25 am

Scientology is obviously a scam. Galactic tyrants, E-Meters, Tom Cruise... need I say more.

I like to think of myself as a rational atheist, except after I've had a few drinks.

375. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #124340 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 5:46 am

the_assayer,

Can I have a go at guessing your grandma's name, is it, hold on I'm trying to concentrate... Agnis? No, maybe the voice was actually the devil deceiving me into thinking it was God.

376. Richard Dawkins talks about The God Delusion

Comment #124332 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 5:26 am

Wouldn't any truth claim be as reasonable as it's likelihood?

377. Richard Dawkins talks about The God Delusion

Comment #124323 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 5:12 am

Would someone please pinch dkv.

378. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #124314 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 4:58 am

"This is because religion allows people to give extreme weight to their subjective experience."

Oh but don't we love to be doted upon.

379. Are Darwin's Theories Fact or Faith Issues?

Comment #124303 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 4:18 am

Simmonds was introduced as a 'Senior Fellow' at the Discovery Institute, whereas he is actually listed as only a 'Fellow':

http://www.discovery.org/csc/fellows.php

Not that that adds any credos anyway.

380. Why Darwin matters

Comment #124287 by LorienRyan on February 9, 2008 at 3:11 am

"Here may lie the answer to a nagging puzzle in the history of ideas. After Newton's brilliant synthesis of physics, why did it take nearly 200 years for Darwin to arrive on the scene? Newton's achievement seems so much harder! Maybe the answer is that Darwin's eventual solution to the riddle of life is so apparently facile."

Also, Darwin's 'facile' solution was and is liable to hurt the feelings of those with a 'certain kind of mind'. Newton's physics doesn't directly attack the notion that we are 'special'.

381. Why Darwin matters

Comment #124220 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 8:25 pm

So much packed into a short article. Quality.

382. Inventor Doesn't Dare Say 'Perpetual Motion Machine'

Comment #124218 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 8:02 pm

This could be a scientific miracle! A miracle of science! A scientific miracle of science! Now even this comment is generating perpetual motion!

383. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #124213 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 7:34 pm

MPhil,

I thought he made some good points about the Aztec reason for sacrifice and the Indonesian Taliban's role in suicide bombing, but once again it was just nitpicking and completely missed the point. Also, I could be wrong about them being good points as they're not areas I've ever had any particular interest in. Either way the book is a flop and I definitely would'nt waste my time varifying any of that, rather down a Becks :)

384. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #123988 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 5:07 am

Having read Vox's book I must say he makes some good historical points, although he didn't really address the issue, that mainly Harris and Hitchens were trying to make about the potential toxicity of the religious mindset. Many of Day's points were nitpicking over specifics. I don't think Harris or Hitchens were out to produce an historical thesis. And even though their books make historical generalizations I don't think that negated the issue of religions incompatibility with rational thought. Day doesn't touch on the stark contrast between the metaphysical truth claims of religion compared with scientific knowledge based on evidence and what that implies. Wading through Day's polemic makes his book a tedious read and the main thrust of the whole book seemed to come down to an appeal of 'some people are good and some people are bad, science and religion has nothing to do with it'. Well, the Pulitzer is safe, but to be fair Day has obviously put a lot of work into his book and has given it a red hot go. 'The Irrational Atheist' misses the mark and amounted to a proverbial axe grind.

385. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #123972 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 3:39 am

"But if Russell hadn't have applied his genius to the problem, and nearly achieved it, Goedel would've been an unknown."

I'm tempted to use that as an analogy...flea ...except Goedel contributed to the field, rather than just stomping on the grass.

386. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #123967 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 3:26 am

Sounding like Bertrand Russell is better than polemical ranting - maybe he was trying to sound like Nietzsche, minus the substance.

387. Hitchens V. Boteach

Comment #123966 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 3:16 am

I've been following this thread, and I must say, it has been a pleasure. Keith, hats off to you - Remember that scene in The Karate Kid when Mr Miyagi takes on all those punks... you get the point. Don't mind me men, please continue...

388. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #123962 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 3:07 am

PJG - "I've only read a bit of it but MY GOD (!) what an angry man the author is!"

It must be intellectual envy.

389. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123947 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 2:40 am

BAEOZ,

You just gave me an idea for a cocktail.

390. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123944 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 2:35 am

"It's like having sex in a canoe. - Fucking close to water"

Haha, that's true but I still like it, and I do prefer water beds!

Margaritas - yeah.

391. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123942 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 2:30 am

Guiness - Dark humour.

392. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123939 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 2:27 am

Becks (as in the beer) man myself. My brother swears by Guiness, I don't care what anyone says, drinking that stuff must be some sort of mucho thing - it tastes terrible.

393. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123924 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 2:05 am

We could all build up our Dutch courage and drink German beer at an Irish pub.

394. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123908 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 1:26 am

MPhil,

Blame it on the Irish. With my background if I was to design a car it would be the most precisely engineered and only car with a five speed reverse.

395. Are Darwin's Theories Fact or Faith Issues?

Comment #123904 by LorienRyan on February 8, 2008 at 1:18 am

Eamonn Shute - Thanks for the link.

Simmons is a sore loser. It reminded me of getting throttled in an argument, as has happened to myself too, then going away and thinking of all the things you could've said. As for his dam wall analogy, at least a child goes and gets someone who knows what their doing.

396. Blasphemy

Comment #123880 by LorienRyan on February 7, 2008 at 8:18 pm

Christian *Science*, is that like a solar powered flash light?

397. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123879 by LorienRyan on February 7, 2008 at 8:12 pm

BeyondBelief,

Same, German/Irish background, Berlin(Mum)/Tipareree(Dad) to be exact. So you could be justified in calling me a crazy commie or a mad fascist. Thank God I'm a first generation Australian... oh yes, back to the topic... um, Hitchens, yes, wonderful vid, just wonderful.

398. Help Build The Reason Project Archive!

Comment #123870 by LorienRyan on February 7, 2008 at 7:52 pm

Read Sam's description of what the Reason Project will encompass at his site:

http://www.samharris.org/site/the_reason_project/

It's something I would support, but that's just me, and I've already sent a couple of links for the archive.

Peace.

399. Sharia law in UK is 'unavoidable'

Comment #123804 by LorienRyan on February 7, 2008 at 4:27 pm

"Instead of proposing the introduction of Sharia law to Britain, why did Rowan Williams not speak out on behalf of Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, the 23-year-old Afghan student journalist sentenced to death for downloading material from the internet? Mr Kambaksh’s crime was to distribute to his journalism class at Balkh university a document that commented on Koranic verses about women's rights. He was condemned by an Islamic court for insulting Islam."

Comment from:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/threelinewhip/feb/sharialawdemocracy.htm

400. Ad 'likely to offend gay people'

Comment #123526 by LorienRyan on February 7, 2008 at 10:09 am

#123456 "...on a great many things."

I knew you were the Dark Lord of the Sith.