1. Dumb and Dumber: A discussion between Ben Stein and Glenn Beck

Comment #175460 by ChrisMcL on May 5, 2008 at 1:11 pm

I saw this thing as it was being telecast. Talk about the blind leading the blind; here's the ignorant leading the ignorant.

2. The emerging moral psychology

Comment #175450 by ChrisMcL on May 5, 2008 at 12:47 pm

"divinity (sanctity and purity of the soul)"

Seriously, I really don't understand what that means. I have had little exposure to this kind of "god-talk". I know that souls don't exist, divinity is something related to gods, and that sanctity can mean precious.

Is Shweder trying to say that religious belief is one of the three ethical domains?

3. Discovery Challenges Finding of a Separate Human Species

Comment #142314 by ChrisMcL on March 12, 2008 at 9:50 am

Did any of these so-called "scientists" even stop to consider that maybe they found Fairy People skeletons? Or maybe the bones of ancient angels? We all know Hobbits existed. I've seen the movies.

4. Bill Maher on Larry King Live

Comment #125498 by ChrisMcL on February 11, 2008 at 1:12 pm

Bill Maher is a deist, not an atheist. He has explicitly said that he is not an atheist and that he believes that there is a single god.

Still, I gotta love the the guy if only for the way that he goes after religion.

5. Happy Birthday Josh Timonen!

Comment #119046 by ChrisMcL on January 31, 2008 at 9:28 am

Happy Birthday Josh! I've told you this before- you are my hero.

(From Chris McLaughlin)
http://www.atheistjournal.com/ccmclaugh

6. MySpace: No place for Atheists?

Comment #118108 by ChrisMcL on January 30, 2008 at 10:56 am

There's a new atheist community website for Americans that offers streaming video, and it's run by atheists at http://www.atheistjournal.com . You'll find many of the same elements of MySpace, YouTube, FaceBook, Meetup.com, and other similar sites, but this one is exclusively for atheists (so no censorship) and as of now has no advertising.

7. New atheists or new anti-dogmatists?

Comment #117047 by ChrisMcL on January 28, 2008 at 6:45 am

This is the article that I wish that I had written.

8. Math Religion Trouble

Comment #116742 by ChrisMcL on January 27, 2008 at 10:16 am

Awesome!

I was holding off from buying Paulos' book. But now after reading this review, I have to get it this week.

9. George Scales, War Hero and Generous Friend of RDFRS

Comment #111346 by ChrisMcL on January 14, 2008 at 12:07 pm

To a war hero and a hero for science and reason, George I wish you a long and peaceful life.

10. Can Atheists Be Parents?

Comment #107566 by ChrisMcL on January 4, 2008 at 6:54 pm

I know not if it is appropriate say such things here, but...

THAT FUCKING PISSES ME OFF!!!

My wife and I are atheists and we have a 3 year old son, and are expecting another child before September. My sister was adopted, and we grew up together in a godless household. Who the fuck does that judge think he is to deny atheists the same rights to be parents as anyone else!

I hope that the ACLU kicks the judges ass, and that he gets run out of town.

11. Disquiet over schools' moment of silence

Comment #103041 by ChrisMcL on December 24, 2007 at 8:43 am

"As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in school."

12. THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Available Now on DVD!

Comment #98868 by ChrisMcL on December 14, 2007 at 7:22 pm

OMG! I think I just popped my sprocket.

13. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98560 by ChrisMcL on December 13, 2007 at 9:33 pm

QT is good.

14. What is the role of free will to an atheist?

Comment #98457 by ChrisMcL on December 13, 2007 at 4:05 pm

Who says I don't have free will?

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

Comment #98408 by ChrisMcL on December 13, 2007 at 2:57 pm

When do we get a nice summary of the best answers?

16. Here's an improvement on democracy

Comment #98254 by ChrisMcL on December 13, 2007 at 11:32 am

I think that we in the West might describe China's government as brutal and totalitarian. It may be very secular and therefore stable and prosperous, but I would not want to live there.

17. Believe it or not

Comment #97599 by ChrisMcL on December 12, 2007 at 12:06 pm

YES!!!

Finally someone else who agrees that things like saving Christmas is not the work of atheists. Our priority at this time in history should be community building. Once we have a cohesive community with effective leadership we can start to permanently win some battles. Atheists, brights, freethinkers, skeptics, humanists should start actively working together to create a larger godless community.

18. An Open Letter to Richard Dawkins

Comment #96630 by ChrisMcL on December 10, 2007 at 7:19 pm

Wait, I just read his tripe...

Is he implying that atheists don't reject the evil actions of atheistic dictators?

What a tool.

19. An Open Letter to Richard Dawkins

Comment #96622 by ChrisMcL on December 10, 2007 at 7:09 pm

Sorry, I know it's ad hominem, but I have to say it:

Father Jonathan is a tool.

20. 'Boycott Worked': Compass Flops - Opening Weekend $26 Million; Narnia $63 Million

Comment #96619 by ChrisMcL on December 10, 2007 at 7:00 pm

I joined a group of about 20 atheists who went together Sunday to see this film. The theater and the entire cineplex was mostly empty on this Sunday afternoon.

The movie makes absolutely no reference to Catholicism or Christianity or even atheism. I don't know why these religious meatheads give a care about a movie that is no more religious or irreligious than Star Wars.

21. Springer opera court fight fails

Comment #94396 by ChrisMcL on December 5, 2007 at 3:21 pm

You know, as backwards as the U.S. can be in regard to church and state issues - WE DON"T HAVE LAWS AGAINST BLASPHEMY!!!

You Brits really need to get rid of the monarchy and the church.

22. Chimps beat humans in memory test

Comment #93674 by ChrisMcL on December 3, 2007 at 10:21 pm

82abhilash:

If you'd paid attention to more movies (duh!) you would know that robots take over the world first, then monkeys, but humanity ultimately learns to make peace with the evil simians and androids. This experiment is all the more frightening because we see proof that monkeys are learning to use computers. If monkeys and robots ever team up, we are all surely doomed!

I would like to hear Sam Harris address this issue- maybe in "Letter to a Planet of the Apes" or "The End of Rust".

23. Boy dies of leukemia after refusing treatment for religious reasons

Comment #92077 by ChrisMcL on November 29, 2007 at 8:48 pm

This article made me sad an afraid. Today I am an anti-theist because I don't ever want to hear another story about a child's (or anyone's) religious belief carrying so much weight that it can justify the loss of life. I am ashamed that the legal system of my country is complicit in this deranged practice.

Some days I think, "I live in the U.S. in the 21st century, there's not much reason to be anti-theistic; not like in the Middle-East." Then I read this article and I realize what a thin line there is between religious freedom and insanity.

I encourage anyone with the stomach for it to go to the original website where this story was posted and read the responses supporting the judges decision.

24. This Friday: Debate between Dan Dennett and Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #91617 by ChrisMcL on November 28, 2007 at 4:58 pm

YES! This is a debate that really needs to be shared with the world. Is someone going to share a recording of this event?

Dan, if you're reading, please get this debate on tape.

25. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91605 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:26 pm

Holy Smoke!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

26. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91604 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:25 pm

Holy Sh!t!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

27. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91602 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:25 pm

Holy Crap!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

28. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91600 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:24 pm

Holy Sh!t!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

29. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91599 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:24 pm

Holy Sh!t!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

30. Megachurches Add Local Economy to Their Mission

Comment #91598 by ChrisMcl on November 28, 2007 at 4:24 pm

Holy Sh!t!!! $2.7 billion!

Us atheists are so far behind. We really need to get started building secular community centers and taking care of our own. If we don't, we are going to get steamrollered by the religious every time that money and cohesive associations play a role in shaping the larger community.

31. Man-sized sea scorpion claw found

Comment #89659 by ChrisMcL on November 21, 2007 at 12:13 pm

Giant freakin' scorpions?!? Now how am I supposed to sleep tonight!

32. The Psychology Behind Cults/Religion

Comment #87186 by ChrisMcL on November 11, 2007 at 12:03 pm

I don't know much about the psychology of cults and brainwashing, but it seems that the definitons given by the author are so broad as to include a university education. Was I "brainwashed" as I took exams, and when I learned how to develop my reasoning skills?

One of the principal dishonesties that I associate with Christianity is that its religion "offers" us things; that it makes one seem ungrateful to not accept its deeply menaingful offerings. Jesus died for you. God offers you forgiveness and peace and eternal life. It's as if you'd have to be jerk or an idiot not to accept these wonderful gifts.

33. The good that comes from belief

Comment #86631 by ChrisMcL on November 9, 2007 at 7:18 pm

Idiot!!

34. Georgia plans service to pray for rain

Comment #86630 by ChrisMcL on November 9, 2007 at 7:13 pm

Idiot!

35. Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial

Comment #86120 by ChrisMcL on November 8, 2007 at 7:46 am

There! I got my login problem worked out.

BCReason, don't worry buddy, I'll get the program to you (and others) one way or another.

We should start a file sharing hub on DC++ just for atheist media. I would do so myself, but there is no hub hosting software for Mac.

36. Response to Dinesh D'Souza op-ed

Comment #85282 by ChrisMcL on November 5, 2007 at 12:07 pm

It's difficult to criticize a fellow atheist, unless that atheist is criticizing another atheist.

Atheists really need to get over their worship of fellow atheists. Some atheists just have some bad ideas (me?). I admire Hitchens, Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, the folks at RRS, and many other prominent atheists. But being perfect is reserved for imaginary sky-daddy's. Our atheist heroes can be as flawed as anyone. How about if some of us try to curb our knee-jerk reaction of calling into question the integrity of anyone critical of our atheist brothers and sisters.

37. What the New Atheists Don't See

Comment #84287 by ChrisMcL on November 1, 2007 at 4:08 pm

Dalrymple misread Breaking the Spell. He should re-read it. Dalrymple also assumes a great deal about how the universe works. He is an atheist who wants for a purpose outside himself.

It is true that many of my favorite atheist writers of late make some outrageous statements. But even if they are mistaken in a few of their statements, we are better off for having considered what they have to say.

38. Believe it or not, courtesy counts

Comment #84275 by ChrisMcL on November 1, 2007 at 3:37 pm

Most Christians don't know much about their holy text. Maybe they need a discourteous challenge from atheists in order to get them to actually try to understand what it its that they profess to believe in.

39. Face to faith

Comment #82979 by ChrisMcL on October 28, 2007 at 12:16 pm

Excuse me, but what's so great about the kind of "contemplative wonder" that the author describes? Why do we need it?

40. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #82675 by ChrisMcL on October 27, 2007 at 7:40 am

We might do better to debate this and other issues via voice using Skype or something similar. I was so disappointed at the loss of my post that I lost the will to invest much effort into typing responses. Text forums are nice for short, say one paragraph, resposes. But for lengthy discussins, there is no beating the efficieny of speaking. When something comes up that is debate worthy, maybe a different type of forum is appropriate.

Quickly though, I too am uncomfortable with any criticism of atheists and atheist leaders. It's as if we are too weak and too far away from achieving our goals to start in-fighting that may cause some kind of loss to our cause.

But maybe this one reason is why we have not progressed very far in the last 250 years. Maybe we need to set high standards of achievement for our leaders. Maybe we need to expect timely results. If we are satisfied with the status quo, then maybe not. I have seen first hand how things like fighting to keep nativity scenes out of the public square distracts us from our goal of being a major cultural force. In this sense, for all of their successes, Tabash and others leaders/activists in the atheist community have let us down.

41. Science owes its origins to Christianity or Religion

Comment #82445 by ChrisMcL on October 26, 2007 at 10:54 am

Successful religions are successful in large part because they plagiarize human nature. Religions make claims that their gods and the philosophies inspired by their gods are the origininators of those moral values that people respect. It is just as natural to assume a god as is to assume that that god brings certain things with it. It's just another form of creationism; in this case, it's the moral universe that is created by god.

42. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #81824 by ChrisMcL on October 25, 2007 at 8:42 am

BTW, Tabash IS one of the most undynamic speakers- ever! His activist methods aside, he really does put me to sleep when he speaks. A local group of atheists are planning a trip to see him speak. It's a four hour drive one way. I just can't imagine...

43. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #81821 by ChrisMcL on October 25, 2007 at 8:36 am

Veronique:

My initial and well-stated "Comment #81299" which was lost, would have precluded some of what you ask. I may agree with the content of Tabash's argument. It is primarily his methods that I disagree with. He has been largely unsuccessful in his attempts to nurture a more secular nation.

There is a tendancy here to consider the source of criticism rather than the critical ideas. If you would like to speak separately about my contribution to the atheist cause, we can do so. But it in no way adds or detracts from my criticism of Tabash. It is in fact a distraction. I make no argument from authority. If "Who the hell are YOU to say that?" is an appropriate way to find the truth, then I suppose we could ask each other that question until no one really learns anything.

44. A new website addition: Debate Points

Comment #81419 by ChrisMcL on October 24, 2007 at 5:34 pm

D'Souza argues that Christianity can take credit for everything good over the last 2000 years, including science and morality.

45. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #81299 by ChrisMcL on October 24, 2007 at 2:50 pm

crap. I spent a considerable time answering you, Diacanu, only to lose my post when I tried to submit it. :-<

In a nutshell:

Your questions miss the point. We are worse off now than when Tabash started. Proof that he has been ineffective in his struggle. He should try something new.

The big battle we face is inserting ourselves into the American political, social, and economic landscape in such a way as that we are taken seriously as an important interest group.

Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, and others have achieved good results through their methods. We need more leaders who emulate and further develop their (Dawkins, etc.) successes.

46. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #81245 by ChrisMcL on October 24, 2007 at 1:25 pm

It appears that some things ARE holy. And for some atheists, it's Eddie Tabash.

Granted, my posts are provocative [dick-ish if you prefer]. But I hope that that didn't hide my fundamental reasoning. If Teratornis gets it, then probably so does eveyone else. So instead of making ad hominem attacks on me, tell me how I am wrong in my assessment of Tabash. Have his efforts as a leader among the atheist movement shown any substantive results?

47. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #81109 by ChrisMcL on October 24, 2007 at 6:17 am

"he's a good speaker"
"is deserving of at least some respect"

That's the kind of tepid defense that I expected to see. And it's the resume of accomplishments that many of the old guard atheists have to show for themselves.

Atheism needs leaders with a record of real accomplishment. Tabash and his ilk have had decades to organize atheist Americans into a serious social, economic, and political force. They have failed. They fight to remove Christmas nativity scenes from City Hall lawns; all the while, winning their little battles but losing the war.

Hitchens and Dawkins have accomplished far more in the last 12 months to further the atheist cause. And they have a plan.

Eddie Tabash bores me. But if that's the kind of activism that you like, then you'll always be an underclass. Enjoy.

48. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #80928 by ChrisMcL on October 23, 2007 at 2:43 pm

Wait, wait!

Here's a slogan for Eddie:

Winning the small battles, one distraction at a time.

49. Eddie Tabash at AAI 07

Comment #80926 by ChrisMcL on October 23, 2007 at 2:32 pm

Eddie Tabash: The flaccid vestigial tail of the "old" atheism.

In one year, a small group of atheist spokesperson newcomers has done more for the cause of athiesm in America than decades of Tabash and his compatriots.

With that kind of track record, Eddie Tabash I salute you: YAWN!

50. Make Richard Dawkins a Knight

Comment #80408 by ChrisMcL on October 21, 2007 at 5:11 pm

Well said, Jack.