Comments by rod-the-farmer

351. Scientists reshape Y chromosome haplogroup tree gaining new insights into human ancestry

Comment #154341 by rod-the-farmer on April 3, 2008 at 5:53 am

I would just like to see the kind of data you get back from National Geographic for your $100

352. Darwin told us so: Researcher shows natural selection speeds up speciation

Comment #154277 by rod-the-farmer on April 3, 2008 at 3:10 am

Well, this MAY be an answer to the fundie question "Has anyone ever seen evolution happening ?"

353. Scientists reshape Y chromosome haplogroup tree gaining new insights into human ancestry

Comment #154275 by rod-the-farmer on April 3, 2008 at 3:05 am

Wonder this is just too cool. I would like to participate as well, but my current financial situation is holding me back for the moment. For those of us who are very interested, could I ask that you publish somewhere what your results were ? I would be truly fascinated to see the sort of data that comes back.

354. CEAI Action Alert for Science Teachers

Comment #154272 by rod-the-farmer on April 3, 2008 at 2:53 am

Richard Morgan said of the FSM

Virgin Rosemary myth later on.

Now see, already we have evidence of a schism in FSM followers. The way I read that particular passage was that it was Virgin Olive Oyl.

355. BBC 'too scared to allow jokes about Islam'

Comment #154267 by rod-the-farmer on April 3, 2008 at 2:44 am

To Steve Zara

I wonder how recent that Marcus Brigstocke program is ? And would the beeb re-run it now ? I think we are seeing rapidly shifting attitudes in many countries. What was once acceptable may no longer be, even a few weeks later. The door to humour about islam may have been slammed shut.

356. My quest to get de-baptised

Comment #154156 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 7:08 pm

roakes said of the census

in 2006 there was an unusually large registration of Jedi Knights, and threats from the Bureau of Statistics to expunge returns from people who couldn't take the question seriously.

It made me proud to be Australian.

I am therefore proud to have BEEN to Australia ! G'die, mate.

357. Thy will be done

Comment #154142 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:44 pm

I do the same, when someone is saying grace before a meal, or in church, if I have to attend a wedding or something. I do not bow my head, nor do I close my eyes. If someone doesn't like it too effing bad.

But the idea of rotating prayers should therefore include one for the FSM. And what would an atheist prayer look like ? "Please save us from all these deluded people and their lack of reason, make it so."

358. BBC 'too scared to allow jokes about Islam'

Comment #154139 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:37 pm

This line needed an additional word in the middle

I think it all starts with people nodding off whenever anyone says, 'As a person of faith ...'

Sorry, I got distracted. Imam jokes are not forbidden ? OK, show us a recent one on the BBC. No ? The prosecution rests.

359. CEAI Action Alert for Science Teachers

Comment #154138 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:31 pm

I had to do a bit of searching to figure out what CEAI stands for.

Christian Educators Association International

I guess (hope ?) making that clear up front would sabotage the appeal to the politicians, right away.

Warning, Will Robinson. Christian alert Warning, warning !

360. Sean Carroll on the Today Program

Comment #154134 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I love the linkage of DNA in the courtroom, in paternity cases, to DNA in the evolution lab. Why did no one think to voice this before ? Excellent. If you believe the science in one arena, why not in another ?

361. Expelled Overview

Comment #154128 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:17 pm

Note Ben Stein has evolved into yet another career, financial analyst....this time on the N. Americna real estate market

http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080402.wreits0402/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business

362. Supreme Court to consider Ten Commandments vs. 'Seven Aphorisms'

Comment #153837 by rod-the-farmer on April 2, 2008 at 6:30 am

Two points. I agree strongly with those who say this is an opportunity not to be missed. We need to fund the making and erection of a stone monument (as close as possible, identical to the one with the xian 10 commandments), to be placed right beside it. Off-hand I can't remember if there ARE similar points for the FSM, but if not, surely they can be created in a short time. Once installed, the monument will get enormous press, plus draw the obvious comparisons for anyone walking by, who sees both items. Where do we send our donations to this worthy cause ? Let's roll.

Second point. The idea of multiple religious sects each having their own version of the 10 commandments carved on adjacent stone pillars sounds strangely familiar. Wait....wait.... NOW I remember where I saw this before. Stonehenge.

363. Christian Founders 3D Adventure Computer Game

Comment #153085 by rod-the-farmer on April 1, 2008 at 2:42 am

Re JohnnyO and the FSM Game

Amusing. I never got ANYONE, so I assume that is the point. But I did get a score, so maybe it works ?

364. My quest to get de-baptised

Comment #152459 by rod-the-farmer on March 31, 2008 at 5:07 am

This reminds me of the 1858 case of Edgardo Mortara, the jewish boy who was "baptised" by a catholic servant girl, when his parents were away and he took ill. The servant girl was afraid he would die and go to hell, as he had not been baptised. The baptism was reported to the RC authorities, who took the boy away from his parents, as it was illegal in the Papal States for jews to have catholic children, not even their own. We have progressed some in the intervening years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgardo_Mortara

I too did not want our son baptised, and refused to attend, but did not prevent my wife from doing it. Our son is now an atheist.

365. Anti-Quran Film Fitna Pulled From Web Due to 'Threats'

Comment #152305 by rod-the-farmer on March 30, 2008 at 4:38 pm

I watched it before it was taken down, and found it less "offensive" than I anticipated. The idea that muslims would object so strongly to a film critical of the violence in some areas of the muslim faith rather proves his point, I suggest. I wish I had the ability to personally host the movie. I will ask my ISP if they would allow it. If enough of us flood the world with the movie, it may help make his point.

366. Iowa county board gives initial OK for ghost hunters to investigate asylum

Comment #152046 by rod-the-farmer on March 30, 2008 at 3:52 am

Let's see now. People who believe an insane asylum is haunted by ghosts, want to check out if it is haunted, despite no evidence or reports to justify this idea. Let them in, then lock the doors behind them. Problem solved.

367. In His Name We Pray, Ramen

Comment #151934 by rod-the-farmer on March 29, 2008 at 5:17 pm

I think the ball has been dropped on the lawsuit issue. I think we all need to file this same sort of suit in every jurisdiction where ID is being proposed. Multiple lawsuits promoting the FSM. A veritable fusilliade.

368. Iowa county board gives initial OK for ghost hunters to investigate asylum

Comment #151460 by rod-the-farmer on March 28, 2008 at 6:28 pm

I agree with Corylus and mmurray

Brandon Cochran, museum operations assistant for the historical society, said there have never been reports of ghosts or bizarre happenings at the building and bringing in a paranormal team is "kind of taking the pre-emptive approach."

sounds too strange to be true. I get a lot of similar calls at my home, often during supper-time, asking if I would like to have my carpets, or more frequently, my ducts cleaned. (These are the hot air ducts used to pipe warm air from the furnace, if you have one. Apparently these collect dust bunnies over time.) I always say "We don't have any." (True statement, at least about the ducts. The bunnies we deal with ourselves.)

Based on the Iowa precedent, I guess I should NOW say "Sure, come on over !" Just as long as they don't disturb the other inmates at our house. (My wife looks pointedly in my direction.)

369. Expelled from Expelled: PZ story goes global

Comment #150447 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 11:31 pm

dragonfirematrix, I strongly agree with your sentiments, with a small addition

WE ARE A POSITIVE FORCE FOR HUMANITY, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT RELIGIOUS.

370. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #150135 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 1:35 pm

For those asking if charges can be laid, the following is a link to a story about a 19-year old Canadian man in a very religious family, who was tied to a chair for a week, during an attempted exorcism. The youth then died.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/International/2008/03/24/5085321-sun.html

According to a second link

http://www.rickross.com/reference/exorcism/exorcism8.html

the parents pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and the father was sentenced to four years in penitentiary.

371. Saudi Arabia Leader Calls for Interfaith Dialogue

Comment #150054 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 12:20 pm

I hoped my post was clear, that I do understand the penalty proscribed for muslim apostates - death. And that apostasy in other cults, like mormonism, is ostracism. There is, in my experience, even a little of the latter that is residual in certain roman catholics. I have no experience re apostasy with other cults, like the lds, amish, or southern baptists, for example.

Some months ago I sold a car I had owned for years. The person who purchased it, possibly a muslim, came to pick it up and brought several young children. One of them was a girl of perhaps seven. She wore a headscarf. I was uncomfortable seeing her, and only after the deal was done did I consider that I might have refused to sell him the car, based on his treatment of his daughter.

Comments please. I was thinking at the time that I perhaps should have "stood up/come out" and made it clear I thought it was reprehensible to force his child into a faith before she was even mature enough to understand what he had signed her up for.

372. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150020 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 12:02 pm

Ostrich ....in West Lorne ? Hah. We are approaching critical mass in wishing Richard a happy birthday. Rodney, over & out.

373. Gay scientists isolate Christian gene

Comment #149994 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 11:38 am

I LOVE it. Giggled all the way through it.

374. Saudi Arabia Leader Calls for Interfaith Dialogue

Comment #149982 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 11:31 am

The King, who pointedly invited only monotheistic religious representatives, is quoted as

...deploring "the disintegration of the family and the rise of atheism in the world �" a frightening phenomenon that all religions must confront and vanquish."

Ahhh. Atheism goes together with the disintegration of the family. And the proof for this is...? Of course, he MAY be referring to the custom in some religions, of ostracising any family member who leaves the faith. But then, maybe he WAS referring to literal disintegration, like the call to kill a muslim who renounces the faith. What would they do to a muslim who renounced his faith just before being beheaded for a civil crime ? How much further disintegration can they perform ?

I wonder does the King have the moxie to persuade all muslims world-wide that this particular apostasy tenet of islam is deeply offensive to most (all ?) other faiths, let alone to those with no faith. I wonder if he would be so bold as to exclude entry to Saudi Arabia to those who advocate suicide bombing, etc. Those people could pray to Mecca, but just could not visit.

And the Vatican spokesman who wishes to

foster a positive interfaith rapport

funny they never seem to offer an open mind to those with no faith, who just want to be left alone. Each of the Abrahamic religions always want more converts, and actively seek them out. We atheists DON'T have a dogma for others to adopt, unless you count common sense.

And what is the bit about omitting the religions with more than one dog ? Wait, I have it. Five gods, very bad. Three gods, bad. Two gods, not nice. One god, better. No gods, best.

375. How do you explain the lack of transitional forms in nature, the gaps in the fossil record?

Comment #149620 by rod-the-farmer on March 26, 2008 at 2:19 am

Here is yet another news item showing what looks to me like a transitional fossil.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325203453.htm

376. Wicked untruths from the Church

Comment #149415 by rod-the-farmer on March 25, 2008 at 3:22 pm

Colwyn Abernathy copied

Haven't you seen them on the streets and on your screens, all got up in their God Is Dead, Christians Should be Deader atheist headbands and red robes, burning Bibles, insisting on the teaching of Dawkins and Hitchens in school RS lessons, smashing icons and creeping up behind bishops and lifting their cassocks?

and then said

No, actually I haven't. Where are they? And WHY wasn't I informed?!

OK, such a deal I will make you. Whosoever hears about this first, will tell the other. We will draw straws on who does what. I will bring the headbands.

377. Wicked untruths from the Church

Comment #149223 by rod-the-farmer on March 25, 2008 at 9:22 am

creeping up behind bishops and lifting their cassocks

Hilarious. Good thing my mouth was not full of something....

378. Sue Blackmore debates Alister McGrath

Comment #149111 by rod-the-farmer on March 25, 2008 at 6:07 am

I laughed & shook my head when Sue, towards the end, described the bible as a horrible book - meaning parts of the new testament, I suspect. Then McGrath complaining about Dawkins comments about this same sort of nastiness, said "That's not how christians read the old testament".

Gee, the same old stuff - "Not my religion". Perhaps these apologists could pick out one of the offending passages, and show us how THEY read it.

379. It looks like Man crucified

Comment #149032 by rod-the-farmer on March 25, 2008 at 2:15 am

Spinoza, do you have a source/link you can direct us to, with more of the same stuff you mentioned about the Quran and the "lewdness of women" ?? I found this, about contradictions in the bible

http://skeptically.org/bible/id6.html

and I would like to have similar points or analysis when discussing islam.

380. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #148712 by rod-the-farmer on March 23, 2008 at 4:24 pm

I tend to agree with MPhil. The use of the words "goon" and "Gauleiter" are slightly over the top, and for someone as articulate as the good Professor, I am sure he could have found words less demeaning/inflammatory. After all, we ARE trying to take the high road when debating with these characters.

381. Sci-fi guru Clarke to have secular funeral

Comment #147165 by rod-the-farmer on March 20, 2008 at 1:24 am

I should correct a small omission from my previous post about funeral arrangements. My wife tells me if I get really silly when I get really old, she will dispose of me (while alive, and despite any objections on my part !) in the Inuit fashion - by pushing me out on an ice floe, on Lake Erie, near our house. (Erie is one of the Great Lakes, and it sometimes freezes in winter.) That would neatly avoid any chance of prayer by those attending, unless of course my wife asks for an off-shore wind.

On the other hand, both she and her older sister have made the identical comment to their respective husbands, on observing their mother, who is nearly 90 years old, and to be frank, some of her marbles occasionally escape........"Shoot me if I get like that."

382. Sci-fi guru Clarke to have secular funeral

Comment #146868 by rod-the-farmer on March 19, 2008 at 1:52 pm

Driver said

I have requested to have my body donated to the local Health Sciences Center. My very religious mother refuses to do so. I tried to compromise by agreeing to a religious funeral.

Surely you jest. You have absolute control over your own funeral, and disposal of your body, after discussion with the people performing whatever "service" you choose. I suggest you enlist the assistance of both the local Health Sciences Center, and your chosen funeral home, to make sure your wishes are followed. You might also check with the local police, to determine if anyone interfering with the wishes of the deceased, is subject to penalties under the law. I am sure all this will only cause a rift with your mother, but she gave up control over you when you reached the age of majority.

I have given instructions that anyone praying at my funeral, will be booted in the rear, out of the room. This will be announced at the start.

383. God's cure for gays lost in sin

Comment #146851 by rod-the-farmer on March 19, 2008 at 1:41 pm

I think I will check into the requirements to become a charitable organisation, where the mission statement is to help fundies escape from their belief system. There are obviously a lot out there to "cure" homosexuality, non-belief in the xian Dog, etc. so why not me. I am currently not gainfully employed....this might be the start of a new career. Do you think I should offer to do house calls ? I can imagine needing a van to carry around all the science books, for a start. Recommendations welcome. Group rates available.

384. Flipping particle could explain missing antimatter

Comment #146828 by rod-the-farmer on March 19, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Gbile said

This Bs meson reminds me of the BS boson, named Dinesh D'Souza, who changes his argumentation about as fast as our flipping particle, when confronted in debate by an atheist.

Funny. The bullshirt boson. Comprised of one part strange, too. LOL.

385. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146423 by rod-the-farmer on March 19, 2008 at 4:34 am

Wasn't there an article in the news recently about Mormons ? Arguably among THE most religious people. Seems they are far more subject to depression or some other ailment needing psychiatric care. Not sure how this squares with the article we are shredding here. And of course, you can't ask a religious person in front of "their" group, if they are happy. If the person said "No", there would be a mass movement to envelop that member with offers to pray with/for them. Maybe even to help, with whatever caused the unhappiness. So any possibly unhappy religious person will say "Of course I am happy". Hopefully the survey was done anonymously, and in private. It is really easy to make me happy. Classical music on the radio while I work building a rec room. (Secret divulged - sometimes - like yesterday- I dance to Beethovens' Pastoral)

386. They prayed to cast Satan from my body

Comment #145508 by rod-the-farmer on March 17, 2008 at 4:57 pm

Cannot the local Oz authorities investigate this place for performing quasi-medical treatment without a license ? Surely there are real doctors who have seen the results of their treatment, and who can apply pressure to the appropriate levels of government ?

387. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144652 by rod-the-farmer on March 16, 2008 at 2:10 pm

Ohhh, PLEASE will someone set up something like this in N. America and the UK. (How did it get started in India ? Surely there were people opposed ? Hats off to the people of India.)

Challenge those who preach the "power of prayer" to have all their followers pray for the recovery of someone with an amputated limb. Make that challenge PUBLIC, and promote the heck out of it. Surely there are TV people who have the courage to get something like this rolling ? Invite all those loony right wing political personalities to be part of the audience - supporting the preacher who agrees to the challenge. If no one will accept it, target the right-wingers to ask why no one will answer it. Oh, be still my beating heart, just thinking of something like this. Wait, a faint voice is whispering to me.....James Randi, and Christopher Hitchens..... We need a bit of funding to get this started, like buying the TV time slot. Then advertise the heck out of it, mentioning all those megachurch preachers who were invited to be the point man for prayer. Oooohh. I am all a-quiver. I have a PayPal account, if we need a place to collect donations.

388. 'Anonymous' takes anti-Scientology to the streets

Comment #144637 by rod-the-farmer on March 16, 2008 at 1:48 pm

I watched the long video posted by bnightm. Scary stuff. I had not paid much attention to Scientology before this, but the three guys hectoring the cameraman seem to me to have all the hallmarks of a cult. Multiple repetitions of a meaningless question, accusations of criminal bahaviour on the part of their target, etc. When one of them accused the cameraman of being a child molester I thought sure he would say "Right, now that I have you on camera saying that in front of my companions, you will be hearing from my lawyer re a suit for defamation of character". I thought maybe a ringer could have entered the event, whatever it was, with a tape recorder running in his/her pocket. I got the sense that newbies would be subject to a lot of pressure to join & buy a membership, or whatever they call it. It'd be interesting to hear all the sales pitch. But maybe they had airport scanners to detect that sort of stuff. How about cell phones with cameras ? With a long life battery, maybe you could be calling out to a tape recorder, and if caught, profess ignorance that it somehow got turned on accidentally.

I guess I better pay more attention to these guys.

389. The atheist delusion

Comment #144086 by rod-the-farmer on March 15, 2008 at 4:14 am

The many claims of this nut are enough to cause widespread headshaking. When he reports that Onfay claims

Many militants of the secular cause look astonishingly like clergy. Worse: like caricatures of clergy

I wonder what produced THIS idea. "Look like" ? In a physical sense ? Possibly, depending on your life experience. So what ? But sound like ? Not a chance. I never heard one of the Four Horsemen tell me what to think/not think, or especially what not to read. Or who I could marry, for that matter. This guy seems to want to attack atheists, because they are attacking religion. Pardon me for reading, but I didn't see much there defending religion. I got the impression he was ticked that he too was not, and should be getting some of the

enormous money-spinners

action.

390. I don't believe in atheists

Comment #143653 by rod-the-farmer on March 14, 2008 at 9:17 am

"I am just SO much more traveled than anyone else, that I MUST be right ."

Well, whoop de doo. I venture to say his brain was left at home. As for me, off to watch those two debates.

391. Deadly Sins 101

Comment #143617 by rod-the-farmer on March 14, 2008 at 8:50 am

I am imagining a forthcoming announcement by a team of Christian archaeologists, digging up things in the Sinai. "We have found some ancient pottery, with early Aramaic writing - seven distinct lines. These may be the missing Commandments, 11 through 17. The writer was able to fit seven on a single teapot, compared to the usual five, as some took only a single line - Don't". Suspicions that the nearly unintelligible writing has nothing to do with Dog, but were deliberately mis-interpreted to support the Popes' latest announcement of new sins, were discarded by Father John Fitzpatrick and his assistant (who made the actual discovery) Father Patrick Fitzjohn.

392. Oklahoma: One Step from Doom

Comment #142567 by rod-the-farmer on March 12, 2008 at 6:40 pm

CBC News (Canada) had the following article recently on "Science and Creationism"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_savory/20080311.html

plus it contains a link to the full court ruling (139 pages !) on the Dover PA School Board case.

http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/kitzmiller/kitzmiller_342.pdf

I read the entire thing. Riveting. Surely any U.S. state thinking of inserting religion into classrooms should read this ruling in detail, and note how they plaintiffs were awarded costs. I seem to remember hearing the insurance company said their policy did not cover this sort of thing, so the costs came from the school board budget for books etc.

393. The ethics of mixing science and religion

Comment #142564 by rod-the-farmer on March 12, 2008 at 6:29 pm

$1.5 million from the Templeton Foundation ? Almost certainly. The same amount from Microsoft ? Hmmm.

394. Oklahoma: One Step from Doom

Comment #141997 by rod-the-farmer on March 11, 2008 at 2:32 pm

I just found another scary fundie web site. It has a series of videos with the most distorted stuff you could imagine, but to see more than the first two or so, you have to register. I do not plan to do that.

http://www.silencingchristians.com/

395. Seven new deadly sins: are you guilty?

Comment #141405 by rod-the-farmer on March 10, 2008 at 11:05 am

I like the part where he says

coveting your neighbour's wife

which seems to me to be firm proof that after installing Bible 4.50 (or whatever version they are at now) they are still thinking only of MEN. No mention has ever been given to women coveting their neighbours husbands. Since they have been so specific about the men doing the coveting, and failed entirely to mention the women, even at this latest version, 2000 and more years later, then it must be approved.

I am not sure if that was the original intent of the RD web site, but I must say I get more comedy out of this than any other web site I frequent.

396. Oklahoma: One Step from Doom

Comment #141077 by rod-the-farmer on March 10, 2008 at 2:19 am

(shakes head) I thought for a minute I had somehow clicked on the wrong link, and was reading The Onion. You Oklahomans have my deepest sympathy. You are, like Kansas of a few months back, about to become the laughing stock of the world. Not really fair, but watch the reaction of the worlds media to a few of your elected officials. It will be interesting to observe job interviews for Oklahoma students in the coming years, if this bill stands. On a slightly related topic....anyone have any info on home-schooled students success in getting jobs in high tech industry ? Or even admission to university ?

397. Lords Approve Abolition Of Blasphemy

Comment #140405 by rod-the-farmer on March 7, 2008 at 9:00 am

Response to mdhutton1949 in comment #83

I don't like to see Palestinians injured or killed in "collateral damage", myself. But if you allow Hamas or others to launch dozens of rockets into Israel every day, you have to expect the Israeli military will defend their country by attacking the launch areas in Gaza. If those happen to be in residential areas then Hamas is the ones to blame. You can hardly expect the Israelis to sit there and take it. I am amazed they have not gone in and bulldozed everything out to 30 miles. Note that it is only Hamas-controlled areas launching the rockets. If Israel launched hundreds of rockets every year into Jordan, or Egypt, the world would be outraged.

398. Lords Approve Abolition Of Blasphemy

Comment #140396 by rod-the-farmer on March 7, 2008 at 8:52 am

In comment #35, jshuey said

The news is even better than that: In this week's Republican Primary a pro-evolution Republican beat a Creation Science nutter even though he outspent her 12 to 1! IN TEXAS!

This sounds like good news. Can you post the link ? I for one would like to read all about it, as they say.

399. Crossing the Divide

Comment #140156 by rod-the-farmer on March 7, 2008 at 2:39 am

Wait a minute, I now remember an incident about 30 years ago, where a couple of JW's came to my door. I actually engaged them in a discussion for several minutes. Maybe 10 or more. But when I made the comment that "Everyone is entitled to go to hell in their own way" they left in a huff. Must have been my tone of voice. I did not intend to offend. That was back in the days when I respected people of strong faith. Ah, the good old days. Perhaps someone else can try this, and see if the reaction is the same...early departure.

400. Crossing the Divide

Comment #140152 by rod-the-farmer on March 7, 2008 at 2:34 am

The best response I ever saw, and I think it was here, was to ask JW's about blood transfusions. Apparently they only began objecting to it around 1945, but transfusion technology was essentially perfected 50 years earlier.