1. Yoko Ono sues over use of John Lennon videos

Comment #169497 by ericcolumba on April 26, 2008 at 7:55 am

Grantaire of JC

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

This is the kind of flawed logic that has seen many left wing people in Europe make alliances with rightwing Islamic Fascists.

Just thought I'd point that out.

2. Ayaan Hirsi Ali asks for protection

Comment #128824 by ericcolumba on February 18, 2008 at 3:06 am

robotaholic and linda k

I am a uk citizen who is continually dismayed by the anti american anti israel rantings of so called liberal people in Europe.
Even on this forum. Hughcaldwell being a typical example of the psuedo left who support the likes of George Galloway and hate the west.

I recomend watching this. I would like to see this video featured on this site. It's called "How To Hate America"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7PQw4J3ilo

3. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Madeline Bunting

Comment #126955 by ericcolumba on February 14, 2008 at 2:53 pm

I wish Richard would stop using hitchens arguement that you cant appreciate literature if you don't understand the bible.

4. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Madeline Bunting

Comment #126946 by ericcolumba on February 14, 2008 at 2:41 pm

This lady speaks gobbledygook.
It really is like listening to the insane

5. Female Muslim medics 'disobey hygiene rules'

Comment #122608 by ericcolumba on February 5, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Bronze-age morals elicit bronze-age behavior.
-Raymond Moen 1971 -

6. Hitchens V. Boteach

Comment #120603 by ericcolumba on February 2, 2008 at 5:39 am

Scooternyc
So far so good.

7. Hitchens V. Boteach

Comment #120589 by ericcolumba on February 2, 2008 at 4:55 am

It depresses me to see that even on this forum there are those among you who can't see through Galloway.
As someone who considers himself a socialist and an internationalist. I am dismayed by the actions of the pseudo left personified by Galloway and Ken Livingston.
These people have found common ground(anti west, anti american and anti semitic) with Islamo fascists in the arab world.

Instead of backing secular academics, womans groups and trade union leaders they have aligned themselves with Hezbollah to the extent that so called liberal and left wing british middle classes marched against the war holding banners saying "We Are All Hizbollah Now"

The same Islamic fascists who are homophobic, misogynists who 2500 Arab secular academics have petitioned the UN to condemn.

So no I can't sit here and read comments lavishing praise on Galloway and his ilk and not say anything.
I believe that everyone on this planet should have the right to change their government and we have a duty in the west to promote the basic democratic values of equal rights, democracy and freedom of expression.
And to all those anti war people I don't know what kind of logic says democracy is good for you but not for others.

8. Richard Dawkins on The Big Debate

Comment #118111 by ericcolumba on January 30, 2008 at 11:00 am

Doh! forgot the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5HBfmhGSzU

9. Richard Dawkins on The Big Debate

Comment #118107 by ericcolumba on January 30, 2008 at 10:55 am

Here is a the youtube link to this debate.

10. Britain cannot put its faith in religiously divided schools

Comment #113572 by ericcolumba on January 20, 2008 at 4:27 am

Not all faith schools represent the same danger as not all religions are equally repressive, homophobic, mysoginistic and intollerant of the individuals right to abandon the faith that they never chose.

The creation of state funded muslim schools amounts to government sponsored fascism, all done in the name of multiculturalism and trying not to offend those who believe in the supernatural

11. Controversial Anti-Muslim Dutch Film Adds to Already Simmering Tensions

Comment #97571 by ericcolumba on December 12, 2007 at 11:23 am

You might find this worth watching/listening to.

Nick Cohen criticises what British liberal left has become 1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=agQO69H7ckc

Nick Cohen criticises what British liberal left has become 2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EQvFP4yrZrI&feature=related

12. Controversial Anti-Muslim Dutch Film Adds to Already Simmering Tensions

Comment #97569 by ericcolumba on December 12, 2007 at 11:18 am

I think it's important to remind people that being a muslim is not a race just a religion and a particularly intollerant one at that.
It is with great dismay that I look how the left in britain and elsewhere are prepared to defend a dogma which is mysoganistic, homophobic and racist.
How on earth can the left and the so called liberals align themselves with the extreme right?
In the UK, the pseudo left of George Galloway depend on Muslim votes and revel in anti American and anti Israeli rhetoric, while at the same time abandoning leftwing arabs including a group of two and a half thousand arab intelectuals who have pettitioned the UN about the preachers of hate. The same preachers of hate who are members of the Muslim Brotherhood that Ken Livingstone (leftwing mayor of London) have aligned themselves with.
Anyway, I thought that was worth mentioning.

13. 'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

Comment #91114 by ericcolumba on November 27, 2007 at 9:13 am

Just as well it wasn't a toy pig.

14. Holy communion

Comment #86917 by ericcolumba on November 10, 2007 at 12:37 pm

Oh, and calling yourself a bright sucks too.

15. Holy communion

Comment #86914 by ericcolumba on November 10, 2007 at 12:35 pm

Just wanted to make a small point on Humanism.
While living in Spain in the 90's I found it hard to believe that the main right wing party had chosen to call itself Partido Popular.Yes the popular party. They were still Partido Popular when they lost elections.The name sucks. It implies those who are not members are somehow inferior.
Well, in my opinion, the name humanism sucks a bit too.

This is the kind of supremacist thinking common to members of a particular religion be they Catholics, Muslims or any other.

Just wondered if anyone else shared my concerns

16. Sir David Attenborough on God

Comment #86742 by ericcolumba on November 10, 2007 at 3:40 am

I thiught someone might like to see my vid on possible origins of religion.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HZluiHkv9Mk

Monoape
As someone who teaches in a non faith school in
England I would agree that there is no room for being complacent.
In the last month during assembly with my tutor group I have had to listen to The Gideons openly declare their belief in the existence in the Devil before giving them all a little "gift" to read.
This was followed this week with another guest speaker clutching his bible and proclaiming that he believed in it 100%.
As for the Religious studies teachers, some, not all, happily present their fairytales to kids as if they were presenting facts. "Jesus did this and God did that."

17. Sam Harris at AAI 07

Comment #82631 by ericcolumba on October 27, 2007 at 3:34 am

Until the last few years,I am now in my 30's, for some reason I took the word atheist to mean "hater of religion" and "anti-religion". It is a label given to us by theists and yes I do feel it's their label for me.
Sam is right, in my opinion. Even those who do not regard themselves as religious still seem to be hung up on the idea of "spirituality". Therefor, if we can reach them through this, then fine.
Oh and by the way, I tend to describe myself as someone who doesn't believe in the supernatural.

Finally, I made a vid on the origins of religion if anyone would like to see it. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HZluiHkv9Mk

18. Scientists Feel Miscast in Film on Life's Origin

Comment #74371 by ericcolumba on September 28, 2007 at 9:59 am

Lies,Damn lies and fundies

19. Interview with BHA President Polly Toynbee

Comment #68006 by ericcolumba on September 5, 2007 at 2:53 pm

Polytoynbee deals well with the typical faith head arguement.
It really is pathetic how many of our fellow humans can be so blind.

20. A Matter of Faith

Comment #64750 by ericcolumba on August 21, 2007 at 3:52 pm

Memo to self.
When being interviewd by CBS make sure there is a large stack of books in the background to prove that I am a knowledgable individual.

21. Atheists and believers have got religion wrong

Comment #63615 by ericcolumba on August 15, 2007 at 5:12 am

Mark Steel is an intelligent quick witted and charismatic individual. I would recommend looking at his BBC lecture series on you tube.

However, as a member of George Galloway's Respect Party it comes as no surprise that he downplays the dangers of religion. Especially since this party draws its support not only from the left but from British Muslims whose main motivation is the perceived persecution of fellow muslims by infidels(including the evil Jew).

Unlike Galloway Steel is an Atheist but he comes under the category of "I'm an Atheist but". Those who think that it while they don't believe in such superstitious nonsense it is somehow ok for others to do so. An arrogant point of view in my opinion. Also, I suspect that Mr Steel and his ilk are reluctant to admit that they might have been downplaying the role of religion in the middle east conflict. They have been out thought by Harris, Hitchens and Dawkins.
So how do the left react? Well, it would appear rather than evolve/reassess their firmly held political beliefs they mock.

22. Come Out!

Comment #59524 by ericcolumba on July 29, 2007 at 10:56 am

I think it's cool. As soon as I get paid on Tuesday I will be ordering one.
Time to stand up and be counted.

http://outcampaign.org/">http://pharyngula.org/images/scarlet_A.png" border="0" alt="image" width="143" height="122" />

23. Camp Joins Summer Fun With Teaching Hindu Faith

Comment #58598 by ericcolumba on July 25, 2007 at 10:33 am

Good grief!

I for one will not be joining in the praise for Hinduism. What do I take from this article? That 10,000 children are being indoctrinated with other peoples irrational beliefs. It does dismay me at times to read posts which seem to conveniently forget that teaching lies to children is wrong. Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy etc being exceptions as the parents will eventually turn round and tell their children that they never existed. The same cannot be said of this or any other religion. Therefore, however benign, harmless or cool you think it is, why afford respect to this tissue of lies ?

I don't know, I'm only guessing but it seems to me that some of you can't deal with the fact that one day you die and that's it. You have rejected the religion (probably Christian) of your parents but are still on the look out for something to take it's place.

Life's too short for praying and chanting.