Print
Kansas State School Board Bans Pokemon Due to Evolution Content
by DailyGaming.net
Thanks to Drew Orfetel for the link.
UPDATE: OK, this is totally a hoax. I wasn't sure at first, and I apologize to the first few readers who read the article without any type of disclaimer. This is comedy, no truth to it whatsoever. -Josh
Reposted from:
http://www.dailygaming.net/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=202
The Kansas Board of Education approved a controversial measure yesterday that will ban all Pokemon video games, trading cards, and related merchandise because of the franchise's blatant promotion of evolution. The vote, which passed by a narrow margin after weeks of debate amongst members of the board, is being hailed as a victory by conservatives and religious groups.
Teachers will now be required to search their students at the beginning of the school day to make sure that they aren't carrying any copies of the game. Any copies that are found will be immediately and permanently confiscated, and the student may be subject to punishments ranging from a temporary suspension to outright expulsion for repeat violators.
Above left: Pokemon Red, right: Pokemon Blue, the two games that started the controversy.
Pokemon is a popular children's game that first gained popularity in the United States in 1996 with the release of the Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue roleplaying games for the Nintendo Gameboy. Players capture the "pocket monsters" and train them to fight other monsters in the game world. With enough training, a monster will eventually "evolve" into a more powerful monster.
The controversy first started when religious groups discovered the prominent role that evolution plays as a gameplay mechanic in the Pokemon games. Several prominent churches in the Topeka area started distributing pamphlets to parents warning of "the subversive content" in the Pokemon games, and then turned their eyes to the school system, which has long been a hotbed of Pokemon activity.
Soon religious groups were organizing protests outside their local school systems and flooding politicians, and especially the board of education, with angry letters demanding that Pokemon be permanently banned from the schools. Many Kansas churches also held events geared towards encouraging children to drop the game, ranging from several "Pokemon burnings" where copies of the games were thrown into large bonfires, to programs that provided students with a free Bible for every game they turned in to church authorities.
Above: Protestors from the Calvary Glorious Christ Church Militant and Triumphant Baptist Temple gather singing hymns and burning Pokemon games.
Still other church groups, recognizing the addictive nature of video games, have started voluntary support groups for children where they can admit to their video game addiction and give over their life to a higher power in order to remain Pokemon free for the rest of their lives.
This isn't the first time that Kansas schools have been involved in a controversy over evolution's place in science education. The Board of Education received national attention in 2005 when they added Intelligent Design theory, an idea that many alarmed citizens likened to teaching religion in the schools, to the curriculum.
Evolution the scientific theory that living organisms adapt to their environment over time and has been subjected to rigorous testing with overwhelming amount of empirical evidence showing that it does in fact happen. Intelligent Design theorists believe that the world is only six thousand years old, that a supreme being designed the entire Universe but somehow remains outside the universe to avoid the pesky question of who designed the creator, and that rampant homosexuality amongst dinosaurs is what led to their fiery destruction at the hand of God.
The ACLU has promised to take the Board of Education to court over the decision, claiming that the state shouldn't make sweeping changes to the school system based on religious belief. It is unknown as of press time how the Board of Education will respond to another long and drawn-out court battle over the evolution issue, but Daily Gaming News will keep readers informed as the story develops.
UPDATE: OK, this is totally a hoax. I wasn't sure at first, and I apologize to the first few readers who read the article without any type of disclaimer. This is comedy, no truth to it whatsoever. -Josh
Reposted from:
http://www.dailygaming.net/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=202
The Kansas Board of Education approved a controversial measure yesterday that will ban all Pokemon video games, trading cards, and related merchandise because of the franchise's blatant promotion of evolution. The vote, which passed by a narrow margin after weeks of debate amongst members of the board, is being hailed as a victory by conservatives and religious groups.
Teachers will now be required to search their students at the beginning of the school day to make sure that they aren't carrying any copies of the game. Any copies that are found will be immediately and permanently confiscated, and the student may be subject to punishments ranging from a temporary suspension to outright expulsion for repeat violators.
Above left: Pokemon Red, right: Pokemon Blue, the two games that started the controversy.
Pokemon is a popular children's game that first gained popularity in the United States in 1996 with the release of the Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue roleplaying games for the Nintendo Gameboy. Players capture the "pocket monsters" and train them to fight other monsters in the game world. With enough training, a monster will eventually "evolve" into a more powerful monster.
The controversy first started when religious groups discovered the prominent role that evolution plays as a gameplay mechanic in the Pokemon games. Several prominent churches in the Topeka area started distributing pamphlets to parents warning of "the subversive content" in the Pokemon games, and then turned their eyes to the school system, which has long been a hotbed of Pokemon activity.
Soon religious groups were organizing protests outside their local school systems and flooding politicians, and especially the board of education, with angry letters demanding that Pokemon be permanently banned from the schools. Many Kansas churches also held events geared towards encouraging children to drop the game, ranging from several "Pokemon burnings" where copies of the games were thrown into large bonfires, to programs that provided students with a free Bible for every game they turned in to church authorities.
Above: Protestors from the Calvary Glorious Christ Church Militant and Triumphant Baptist Temple gather singing hymns and burning Pokemon games.
Still other church groups, recognizing the addictive nature of video games, have started voluntary support groups for children where they can admit to their video game addiction and give over their life to a higher power in order to remain Pokemon free for the rest of their lives.
This isn't the first time that Kansas schools have been involved in a controversy over evolution's place in science education. The Board of Education received national attention in 2005 when they added Intelligent Design theory, an idea that many alarmed citizens likened to teaching religion in the schools, to the curriculum.
Evolution the scientific theory that living organisms adapt to their environment over time and has been subjected to rigorous testing with overwhelming amount of empirical evidence showing that it does in fact happen. Intelligent Design theorists believe that the world is only six thousand years old, that a supreme being designed the entire Universe but somehow remains outside the universe to avoid the pesky question of who designed the creator, and that rampant homosexuality amongst dinosaurs is what led to their fiery destruction at the hand of God.
The ACLU has promised to take the Board of Education to court over the decision, claiming that the state shouldn't make sweeping changes to the school system based on religious belief. It is unknown as of press time how the Board of Education will respond to another long and drawn-out court battle over the evolution issue, but Daily Gaming News will keep readers informed as the story develops.
Add to del.icio.us
Posted: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 | PermalinkComments 1 - 50 of 50 |
Reload Comments | Back to Top | Page Numbers2. Comment #29733 by Frying Pantheist on April 4, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I had to check the date of the original article to make sure you hadn't posted an April fool's joke. Nope, they really are this stupid. Other Comments by Frying Pantheist
3. Comment #29734 by 42nd on April 4, 2007 at 1:58 pm
can someone verify this? It really really looks, like a hoax, or a bad dream, especially the fire. Other Comments by 42nd
4. Comment #29736 by rmonsees on April 4, 2007 at 1:59 pm
This has got to be someone's weak attempt at satire. Pokemon was big a few years back, but has been waning in popularity. The kids shouldn't be bringing games of ANY sort to school anyway. An exception might be if there are after school clubs where the games are played, but bringing them out during class is a good way of getting them confiscated.Of course, Pokemon evolution has no resemblance or relationship to biological evolution (other than the shared name).
Other Comments by rmonsees
5. Comment #29737 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on April 4, 2007 at 2:00 pm
This has got to be the work of the Onion. Surely nobody on earth can be as patheticaly stupid as this. I think more investigation may be required.Other Comments by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
6. Comment #29738 by MagGuy on April 4, 2007 at 2:05 pm
This has to be a hoax. I did a Google search of the news looking for Kansas and Pokemon and nothing showed up. If it were real there certainly would have been something in a Kansas newspaper.Other Comments by MagGuy
7. Comment #29740 by dinoboy on April 4, 2007 at 2:07 pm
"...turned their eyes to the school system, which has long been a hotbed of Pokemon activity."I can barely stop laughing
As to veracity, I can't say but that pyre photo doesn't look like buring video games...
-edit-
Found nothing in the Onion on Pokemon and Kansas...
did find this gem though:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/55807
Other Comments by dinoboy
8. Comment #29742 by Bremas on April 4, 2007 at 2:12 pm
I'm holding my tongue this time.Other Comments by Bremas
9. Comment #29743 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on April 4, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I call bullshit on this story - I can't find it anywhere other than on gameing websites and even those don't have an links to proper accounts.I did find this from a few years back though - bloody scary:
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/11/3/75145/6274
Bloody scary because - contrary to the report - Dungeons and Dragons is nothing like Magic: the gathering. Disgraceful I tell you, straw man attacks from all sides!!
Other Comments by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
10. Comment #29744 by Fishpeddler on April 4, 2007 at 2:15 pm
It's a hoax, which is too bad for Kansas -- a big bonfire like that would be a great time for them to get rid of some of their heretics as well. Other Comments by Fishpeddler
11. Comment #29746 by jayalenik on April 4, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Even Falwell laughed at this oneI found this at digg it I like the twain quote
Daily gaming news is satire. Of course, as Twain said, "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities, truth isn't."
Other Comments by jayalenik
12. Comment #29747 by dinoboy on April 4, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I second the hoax claim...It originated in The Daily Gaming News
http://www.dailygaming.net/index.php
their catchphrase, "Seriously satirical"
Other Comments by dinoboy
13. Comment #29748 by 42nd on April 4, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Maybe Dawkins is testing the gullibility of those of us who call themselves freethinkers here.... Other Comments by 42nd
14. Comment #29749 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on April 4, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Ah, just had a look at the source. The "Reader Favourites" on the left brings up a whole host of idioticaly funny (but fictional) stories. I personaly reckon this whole article should be deleted. At least the Onion throws it straight out there that its reports are a hoax, this one achieves nothing however.But I must say I'm disapointed. All you "militant atheists" not yelping at the hedious things that theists are doing? Doesn't that go against your "dogma". My - if you keep this up, people might start thinking that you aren't "fundamentalist" and actualy have the capacity to think for yourselves. I must say I'm disapointed!
Other Comments by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
15. Comment #29750 by justme on April 4, 2007 at 2:29 pm
They want to ban a fictional character that uses the word evolution *incorrectly* because they can't even stand the word being mentioned?I agree that this is an April 1st joke. Nobody is this dense...hmmm... .
Other Comments by justme
16. Comment #29752 by mtg101 on April 4, 2007 at 2:51 pm
This article should not be deleted. Dawkins should just say he got caught out by a hoax. We all make mistakes. Some us of admit them, others invent intelligent design to cover them up.Also it's pretty funny.
Other Comments by mtg101
17. Comment #29755 by Proud Okie Atheist on April 4, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I live too close to Kansas to have not heard anything about something THIS ridiculous. File this under "April Fools" folks. I can find no corroborating information.Pretty funny though!
Other Comments by Proud Okie Atheist
18. Comment #29757 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on April 4, 2007 at 3:05 pm
It's pretty funny, that's true. But it has no reference to anything going on in the world. At least when the Onion takes at stab at this kind of thing it almost always does it as a sarcastic attack at something that the religious windbags have done themselves. Otherwise this is nothing other than a strawman attack - something that is frequently claimed of theists on this website, and so should not be something that should be endorsed from persons on our side of the diacusion. Funny - yes, relevant to this site - no.Also I'm not convinced that Mr Dawkins personaly looks at all articles presented on this site.
Other Comments by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
19. Comment #29759 by dirtpiggy on April 4, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Intelligent Design theorists believe that the world is only six thousand years old, that a supreme being designed the entire Universe but somehow remains outside the universe to avoid the pesky question of who designed the creator, and that rampant homosexuality amongst dinosaurs is what led to their fiery destruction at the hand of God.
AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! Sweet.
Other Comments by dirtpiggy
20. Comment #29761 by stuartM02 on April 4, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Mr Dawkins has posted on several other articals that he neither posts articals on the website, nor really knows how - other than to get in touch with the guy that maintains it (I forget his name). I hope I don't do him a disservice here.I don't think having the odd hoax artical is all that bad - this one did come with a warning at the top. But it would be nice to keep them few and far between (perferably once a year - April 1st).
Other Comments by stuartM02
21. Comment #29762 by Bob Johnson on April 4, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Okay so it's an April 1st hoax. But check out that picture. Then go to http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Hatred/brnhry_BurningHarryPotter.htmlHum, did they get copyright permission?
Other Comments by Bob Johnson
22. Comment #29763 by mtg101 on April 4, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Oh yes it does have something to do with what's going on in the world. In a week in which Louis Theroux showed us America's Most Hated Family, and a poll told us 50% percent of Americans don't believe in evolution, and a third think the earth is less than 10,000 years old, this is very relevant. Other Comments by mtg101
23. Comment #29767 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on April 4, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I don't think you see my point. I watched Louis Theroux's program the other night and sat gobsmacked, even though I had already braced my self for what was to come. But that was real. Those polls that keep getting presented to us are real. I know I've mentioned the Onion a few times, but its usual output is in direct response to something that theists do - as a sarcastic response to something that is real.This article does not appear to be directly related to any current theistic activity. There seems to be no reason for it to exist other than to take the piss out of religious people - it has no relevant message or story to tell.
If the straw man attack is to be thrown around as frequently as it is on this website, then I think it is very important that as freethinkers we recognise it even if it comes from people who would claim to be on our side.
Other Comments by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy
24. Comment #29769 by DarwinsPitbull on April 4, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I am so happy I live in New York and this ridiculousness will never happen here. I am going to start a black market pokemon game enterprise and make millions selling pokemon games to those kids in Kansas.Other Comments by DarwinsPitbull
25. Comment #29773 by Civilized Worm on April 4, 2007 at 3:49 pm
There was a furore about Pokémon a while ago because one of the creatures used magic.The really sad thing is that a lot of people probably think that Pokémon gives an accurate portrayal of the theory of evolution.
Other Comments by Civilized Worm
26. Comment #29774 by mtg101 on April 4, 2007 at 3:51 pm
I accept that there hasn't been any news about this sort of thing recently. But in the past various religious groups have protested against the evolution in Pokémon and the witches in Harry Potter. As a piece of satire, it's quite valid. Maybe is shouldn't have been posted on this site, but it has been.
Other Comments by mtg101
27. Comment #29782 by ImagineAZ on April 4, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Can someone help me out here?I'm searching for a poll that has measured the correlation between UNDERSTANDING (not necessarily believing in) the theory of evolution and religiosity. It seems that every poll simply measures religiosity of people who ACCEPT the theory, and I'm wondering if that is because understanding it almost always means accepting it. But I'm assuming that it may be possible to explain the evidence and conclusions to another person, but not accept the conclusions.
Thanks for any help.
Imagine
Other Comments by ImagineAZ
28. Comment #29785 by ReligionProf on April 4, 2007 at 5:00 pm
This was hilarious, probably because it was just plausible enough to be scary! I hope this doesn't give any Kansas school boards any ideas! :) On a more serious note, the fact that so many people took it at face value says something important as well.http://blue.butler.edu/~jfmcgrat/blog/
Other Comments by ReligionProf
29. Comment #29788 by SuperStingray on April 4, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Okay, these guys have a serious problem.1. They're mixing up evolution. In real life, you must reproduce to evolve. In Pokemon, evolution is just a phase change in one lifespan, kind of like kid, teenager, adult.
2. It's a f***king game. Leave it alone and it will leave you alone.
3. Burning those games really does nothing. People are still going to buy them.
Other Comments by SuperStingray
30. Comment #29794 by steveroot on April 4, 2007 at 6:35 pm
This is a sort of kinder, gentler version of Landover Baptist satire (see www.landoverbaptist.org).The site about the burning of the Harry Potter books is pretty spooky. Can people (actual Homo sapiens) really be so stupid?
Steve
Other Comments by steveroot
31. Comment #29799 by John Pritzlaff on April 4, 2007 at 8:05 pm
It's a sad reflection of the world today that something like this could actually pass as reality.Other Comments by John Pritzlaff
32. Comment #29805 by steevo on April 4, 2007 at 10:10 pm
This may be a genuine hoax in the USA but actually happened here in the UAE a few years ago, reported in the main English daily, The Gulf News. Islamic 'scholars' actually declared that Pokemon, by supporting evolution, 'which Isalm rejects' should no longer go on sale.Other Comments by steevo
33. Comment #29806 by Roy_H on April 4, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Did you know the Irish government has banned "Snakes and Ladders " because all those years ago St. Patrick had banished all the snakes out of Ireland, so they do not want to upset his holy spirit?Yes it is a joke too!
Other Comments by Roy_H
34. Comment #29823 by Bremas on April 5, 2007 at 3:10 am
Something finally struck me.This happened the day after that I suggested something might be a hoax.
What struck me, was that I might have given an idea to a rightwingnutjob that monitors this site. I wouldn't think so, but the coincidence is just a little too close for comfort for me. To the person who sent this in (if you are a right wing nutjob)…. my friends are serving in Iraq right now and I bet you aren't. So… you can fuck off.
I just needed to state it. (I'm a little sensitive :-))
Other Comments by Bremas
35. Comment #29829 by Cdat on April 5, 2007 at 3:55 am
Interesting thought Bremas. One question though, what does your friends serving in Iraq have to do with this story?Other Comments by Cdat
36. Comment #29833 by Bremas on April 5, 2007 at 4:35 am
Cdat,Honest question.
Taking the high road maybe? I intend to go to Iraq shortly. (not sure yet)
Bottom line is that I dislike chickenhawks more than pacifists.
Other Comments by Bremas
37. Comment #29836 by macronencer on April 5, 2007 at 4:52 am
I think that if nothing else gave this away, surely the "homosexuality of dinosaurs" passage should have!LMAO.
Other Comments by macronencer
38. Comment #29838 by Rtambree on April 5, 2007 at 5:10 am
33. Comment #29799 by John Pritzlaff>It's a sad reflection of the world today that something like this could actually pass as reality.
Just goes to show that being an atheist gives you no immunity from falling for bullshit. Michael Shermer is flirting with the Ayn Rand Objectivists, becoming an ultra free marketeer while Sam Harris seems to be sympathetic to Buddhism and reincarnation.
Other Comments by Rtambree
39. Comment #29844 by Bremas on April 5, 2007 at 7:02 am
Cdat,A little more thought on your question......
Not sure where you are from.
In the US today, the single most polarizing thing is the Iraq war. If a bible thumping right wing conservative were monitoring this website I can almost guarantee that they are pro Bush, and thus pro Iraq war. It has become almost one in the same thing here.
Not sure if that answers your question.
I was just playing the game of one upsmanship. Because, I bet that they would also be a chickenhawk.
Other Comments by Bremas
40. Comment #29862 by DGN on April 5, 2007 at 8:27 am
Wow, imagine my pleasant surprise going through my referers and finding a link from Richard Dawkins website. This is definitely going down as one of the high points of my website's brief history.To those wondering about the origin of the article: this isn't very far from the truth. I grew up in a small Christian community in the Bible belt where some churches wouldn't allow parishioners to dance, the local Baptist Academy taught that evolution was evil in their Biology course, and yes, Pokemon was even seen as a tool of satan in some churches when it became popular.
So as with all of the articles I write, there was a large grain of truth to it that I just embellished a bit to poke fun at the theocrats. To those who think it isn't relevent these days: the party swings both ways in Kansas, and this flip-flopping about the teaching of evolution is something that has been going on for years. There is even talk of changing the Board of Education so that it is appointed by the governor (usually a conservative who would probably favor the IDers) rather than allowing direct election by the people (since the conservatives keep getting defeated every time they try to attack science standards).
And, as with everything I write, it just sounded funny to me at the time. That's the ultimate goal of everything on the site, and I hope some of you enjoyed it.
Other Comments by DGN
41. Comment #29864 by sane1 on April 5, 2007 at 8:38 am
@42. Comment #29862 by DGN Good for you. It does seem several people were intially fooled. That is not surprising, though, given that it appears here, and that there are other true but incredible stories that are not much different.
Other Comments by sane1
42. Comment #29886 by Satanburiedfossils on April 5, 2007 at 10:42 am
Additional entries on the Kansas School Board list of banned items:1. Globes. The scriptures clearly demonstrate that the earth is flat: Psalms 136:6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. Job 28:24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. See also Deuteronomy 28:64, 33:17; 1 Samuel 2:10; Job 37:3, 38:13; Psalms 19:4, 22:27, 46:9, 48:10, 59:13, 61:2, 65:5; Isaiah 11:12, 41:9, 44:24; Jeremiah 51:16; Ezekiel 7:2; Mark 13:27; Revelations 7:1, 20:8. Residents of Kansas need only to go outside and look around to confirm this with their own eyes.
2. Household cleaning products. Mold and mildew are forms of leprosy: Leviticus 13:47-49 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment; Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin; And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: Leviticus 14:37-38 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall; Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. Consult Leviticus 14:49-54 for the proper bible-approved means for dealing with common household leprosy.
3. Christmas trees. Jeremiah 10:2-4 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Other Comments by Satanburiedfossils
43. Comment #29906 by Paradigm on April 5, 2007 at 12:36 pm
And, here we see another verification of Poe's Law-"Any parody of fundamentalism is indistinguishable from the real thing"
Other Comments by Paradigm
44. Comment #29907 by Cdat on April 5, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Good luck Bremas, I was there in 90-91, brought home a few pieces with me. Just remember to duck, and try not to be a hero, I don't want to hear about you on the news.Other Comments by Cdat
45. Comment #29908 by Cdat on April 5, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Bremas, it does answer the question. Thank you. Don't let the anger burn you up, it is not worth it. Trust me.Other Comments by Cdat
46. Comment #29966 by lithium on April 5, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Oh my! See the bonfire. Air pollution. Is it the American style of "freedom of speech" that churches can canvass for the banning of a game just because they dislike it?ps: I am from China
Other Comments by lithium
47. Comment #29997 by Cdat on April 6, 2007 at 3:26 am
Lithium, technically yes, they can ask something be banned because of their dislike of it, but it may be put to a vote by the state or city government, or ignored all together. In some cases local shops may take it on themselves to not carry the offending item. You realize this particular story is a hoax, Lithium?Other Comments by Cdat
48. Comment #30006 by lithium on April 6, 2007 at 5:36 am
Well, Cdat, this story is really ridiculous. Are these churches trying to haul Kansas people back to some immemorial era? I think you Americans may lose too much more than gain from the influence of churches on education and scientific research. I have to say that these stories make me confused about the US.In addition I have a question for Satanburiedfossils the items listed in your comment are really banned or that is only a joke?
Other Comments by lithium
49. Comment #30542 by Cdat on April 8, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Of course it is ridiculous, but they have a grain of truth to them. I am sure that there are some who harbor beliefs like these. Hence the hesitation to condemn it as a hoax at first. And yes, many people do not understand th link in the success of mankind, the offshoots it brings, such as video games, and the conflict with antiquated religions that occur. They want it both ways. They want the benefits of modern life, but have it follow a 16th century belief structure. Something like Amish with cars. It doesn't work.Other Comments by Cdat
50. Comment #30543 by sane1 on April 8, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Lithium: "Hoax" means it is NOT true. Not true. A joke. Not real. It didn't happen. Other Comments by sane1
Upcoming Events:
About this site
Mailing List Signup: Enter your email
Go to The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
Richard Dawkins Articles | Comments | Tour Journal
Atheist Resources | Local Groups
Debate Points | Latest Responses
Links:
Quotes of Note:
"Beliefs are what divide people. Doubt unites them."
Peter Ustinov
"There was no place in the land where the seeker could not find some small budding sign of pity for the slave. No place in all the land but one-- the pulpit. It yielded last; it always does. It fought a strong and stubborn fight, and then did what it always does, joined the procession-- at the tail end. Slavery fell. The slavery texts in the Bible remained; the practice changed; that was all."
Mark Twain
"I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology.."
Thomas Jefferson
"The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike."
Delos B. McKown
"The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus…will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."
Thomas Jefferson
Other Recommended Reading
The Secular Conscience
Austin Dacey
Read the 1st Chapter!
The Demon-Haunted World
Carl Sagan
Your Inner Fish
Neil Shubin
Before the Dawn
Nicholas Wade
Darwin's Dangerous Idea
Daniel C. Dennett
More Books
Adjust font size: 
"If this book doesn't change the world -- we're all screwed."
-Penn (Penn & Teller)
The God Delusion
by Richard Dawkins
Over 1.5 million copies sold
DVDs
'Break the Science Barrier' DVD
'The Four Horsemen' DVD
'AAI 2007 Conference' DVD
'Root of All Evil? The Original Program' DVD
'Root of All Evil? The Uncut Interviews' DVD
'Growing Up in the Universe' DVD
Books by Richard Dawkins
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing
by Richard Dawkins
The Ancestor's Tale
by Richard Dawkins
The Selfish Gene
by Richard Dawkins
The Blind Watchmaker
by Richard Dawkins
Unweaving the Rainbow
by Richard Dawkins
1. Comment #29732 by sane1 on April 4, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Other Comments by sane1