1. Shaw TV Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #175315 by PLAYBALL on May 5, 2008 at 8:08 am

MPHIL said:

Me: "Not 'provable', but every statement about alleged matters-of-fact about the world has to be testable."

She: "But why?"


Is she serious? Because otherwise you're not teaching what it means to know something. What a frustrating conversation. I might have needed a drink as well.

Anyway, I very much enjoyed the interview. I think some here are being needlessly critical. I wish I could see something like this on TV here in California.

2. How to reconcile Richard Dawkins?

Comment #172951 by PLAYBALL on April 30, 2008 at 7:44 am

FightingFalcon said:

"Everyone keeps forgetting the fact that just because religion makes you feel good...."

You know I hear this a lot and just for the record, my religion never made me feel good. Never. Just guilty.

I thought the priest in their robes were creepy and they always had bad breath. I thought something really bad might happen to me because I never felt good at church, just creeped out.

I used to look at Jesus up there nailed to the cross and thought, "wow if that happened to him, what's going to happen to me?" And confession, I hated that. I hated that the priest knew all of my secrets and I didn't even have that many back then.

Anyway, I liked the article. I think more than a few Christians might be looking for information like this just as I was.

3. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #171795 by PLAYBALL on April 28, 2008 at 8:45 pm

Teratornis Said:

So I responded to the irrelevant dis with a joke.....

Well funny man, you should be a comedian with your ability to make people laugh.

Also:

I don't make the news, I just report it.

Oh, so you're a journalist now. You funny bird.

Also:

While I can't speak for all women

Yes please don't. I don't think it would prove successful. But I still enjoy talking with you.


Personally, I don't see anything wrong with exploiting people for money, if they want to be exploited. Nice work if you can get it. I admire the business acumen of any woman can get between a rich man and his money, and convince him he's enjoying it.

You are so bad. I'll tell you what, the next time you're out in California I'll take you out for an ice cream. Don't tell me.....Vanilla.

4. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #170243 by PLAYBALL on April 27, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Steve, this was the program I was referring to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eubDSQrFako

5. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #170222 by PLAYBALL on April 27, 2008 at 1:47 pm

Rian said:

Plus, it's not batman, it's Havok. He's an X-Man you know.

I'm sorry. I got my superhero's mixed up.

Gr8hands said:

I own no Barbara Streisand, Bette Midler, Judy Garland or Madonna recordings.

Oh, you are missing out!

6. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #170186 by PLAYBALL on April 27, 2008 at 1:17 pm

riandouglas said:

We men are without feelings, except for anger. Oh, and perhaps jealousy. You're sensitive friends are obviously accomplished actors.

Very funny you in your batman suit. Most of my male friends are gay.

Also:

Joking aside, I think men are/have been trained to not pay attention to feelings, or carry on as if they don't have them. Just my opinion mind you.

Yes I think this is true, but it stinks! I remember falling in love with my first boyfriend. We had been dating awhile and went to see the movie Beaches. I thought it was sad but he started crying at the end. I thought it was kinda sweet. It was an aphrodisiac of sorts, at least for me. I love it when you get raw emotion. It's sexy.

7. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #170143 by PLAYBALL on April 27, 2008 at 12:44 pm

Bonzai said:

Yeah, the ability to remember details is quite freaky, like my straight friends told me, whenever they had break ups, the girl friends would go over a litany of old complaints and grievances that the guy couldn't even remember and their jaws just drop, not knowing how to respond at all.

I remember reading somewhere that we don't remember events but rather how the event made us feel. Maybe feelings are more important to women. Maybe that's why we do this. I don't know, I have many sensitive male friends, but in a good way. Not too emotional, just caring human beings.

8. Student's 'Be Happy, Not Gay' t-shirt ok

Comment #170135 by PLAYBALL on April 27, 2008 at 12:34 pm

Steve Zara said:

Heard of Bonobos?

Wow I just looked that up on Wikipedia. I couldn't stop laughing. I had seen a science documentary on these Bonobos awhile back. Funny.

Teratonis said:

I suspect women may be more turned off by men who exhibit fear than simple rudeness.

No we pretty much don't enjoy either, but who does?

Also:

"Yes, and I expect you have to pay for their services."

Doesn't everyone?

Wow, how disappointing to read this. I'm surprised. What kind of women do you know?

9. Sexpelled: No Intercourse Allowed

Comment #162958 by PLAYBALL on April 17, 2008 at 5:57 pm

So very good!!!
I've seen their commercial run a few times now on both The Military Channel and The Science Channel. I can understand the Military Channel with it's Republican audience but the Science Channel? I could barely stand his (Ben Stein) voice. So annoying!

46. Comment #162938 by Teratornis on April 17, 2008 at 5:24 pm

How appalling to see an astorkist like Dawkins who has never so much as taken one college-level course in storkeology having the temerity to question the centuries of serious scholarship by leading storkeologian

10. Religious education as a part of literary culture

Comment #160902 by PLAYBALL on April 14, 2008 at 2:31 pm

Comment #160810 by Teratornis

That's an excellent start. Now there are only 137 more essential authors to go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books#Sample_list

This is why I want to live forever. Having to die before I have enough time to get through all the good stuff, let alone maybe think about contributing something, is annoying.

Another option would be to speed up our minds. Imagine being able to experience a whole life's worth of thought in one second. Then a year would start to look like a reasonable amount of time.

Comment #160850 by Teratornis

To call paper "zero energy" one has to deliberately overlook the manufacture, distribution, and care of paper. Paper is one of the most energy-consuming industries we have.

11. Religious education as a part of literary culture

Comment #160776 by PLAYBALL on April 14, 2008 at 11:37 am

robotaholic:

I think it shouldn't. As long as people keep saying "oh it's part of the historical culture...and you must know about the bible and what it says to appreciate the context of a lot of our history" then it will be true that you must... We should just drop it like the plague if you ask me.

12. 'Expelled' ripped off Harvard's 'Inner Life of the Cell' animation

Comment #160282 by PLAYBALL on April 13, 2008 at 10:06 pm

80. Comment #160061 by rod-the-farmer on April 13, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Sunday 13 April at 1835 on The Military Channel, I just saw an TV advert for "Expelled". Ben Stein raises his hand in the back of an "evolution" class, and ask "Where did life originate from ?" Then he is shown outside the principals' office, beside another student, who asks "How come you are here ?" The response "Because I made a movie". "Wow, must be some movie".

Opening soon, at a theatre near you. If they resolve the copyright issue, and if any theatre agrees to host it.

13. Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Paula Kirby

Comment #160259 by PLAYBALL on April 13, 2008 at 9:10 pm

I just had a chance to watch this. Amazing! It was fantastic. I wish I could bring my parents to something like this.

Paula your voice is beautiful.

14. Richard Dawkins and Bill Maher

Comment #160096 by PLAYBALL on April 13, 2008 at 4:05 pm

200. Comment #159954 by Julius Morche on April 13, 2008 at 1:15 pm

You can perfectly listen to a priest performing the rite of transubstantiation without actually believing that he is "apparently transforming bread into flesh".

Really? You seriously can do that? That entire little ritual seems laughable to me.

201. Comment #159969 by Geoff on April 13, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Here's a current example of the sort of thing I mean:
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n09290708-pope-usa-abuse/

15. Richard Dawkins and Bill Maher

Comment #159502 by PLAYBALL on April 12, 2008 at 10:46 am

Richard you were fantastic. I think we caught a glimpse of your playful side. Nice tie.

16. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #149987 by PLAYBALL on March 26, 2008 at 11:33 am

Hugs and kisses Richard from California.

Your work has brought such quality into my life.

Thanks!!!

17. EXPELLED!

Comment #147703 by PLAYBALL on March 21, 2008 at 6:23 am

Geoff said:

And that student trying to suggest that ID is not creationism? Did he miss the Dover trial? Pandas: "cdesign proponentsists"?

18. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #141818 by PLAYBALL on March 11, 2008 at 8:57 am

The problem lies in right here. Atheists always try to see something with their eyes rather than their eyes of mind and heart. The mind of heart is faith and without faith this is what will be told; I do not see so it does not exist.

19. Leaving the Faith

Comment #140460 by PLAYBALL on March 7, 2008 at 12:06 pm

MaxD

My confusion is an embarassment to all of my reasoned brethren. I go now away from thee(s) in head hung shame

20. Leaving the Faith

Comment #140369 by PLAYBALL on March 7, 2008 at 7:55 am

Hi there MaxD,

thanks for the links but I have already seen this (and loved them). Eckhart does not make an appearance.

21. Leaving the Faith

Comment #139969 by PLAYBALL on March 6, 2008 at 9:10 pm

Hello MaxD,

Well I just might be a little intimidated to argue with you about anything with that photo of yours. My only shot would be that I could perhaps out run you.

He didn't look like walking happiness when he was on the end of Dawkins questions in Dawkins' reason specials.

I meant that last line to read as follows,
"Don't worry about me, worry about Mr-I-need-something-else."
As in worry about qster who needs something more than the dead of atheism.
Sorry that was unclear.

Judging from your avatar photo I would imagine most of your dinner partners seem unusually happy.

22. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #139740 by PLAYBALL on March 6, 2008 at 12:56 pm

Comment #139466 by Teratornis

I really enjoyed reading your response to wooter. You are very patient; a quality of an excellent teacher.

23. Leaving the Faith

Comment #139451 by PLAYBALL on March 5, 2008 at 9:48 pm

Not sure of your position Playball but I find the likes of Chopra and Tolle to be far more enlighteneing and positive than the plethora of popular atheist texts.

Yes, i was thinking of Tolle when i was reading Sam's 'the end of Faith'

They put joy and love into Atheism, although, i'm quite sure neither of them actually use the word 'atheist.'

24. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #138549 by PLAYBALL on March 4, 2008 at 2:00 pm

25. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #138547 by PLAYBALL on March 4, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Richard's smile in the poster is adorable!

Comment #138076 by Teratornis

Seriously, exactly what additional information could you possibly gain by sitting in a room and listening to the same lecture, that you don't get just as well by watching the video?

For example, every time a speaker mentions something you don't know (a jargon term, a concept, a scientific reference, a literary allusion, a British idiom such as "whip-around"), if you are sitting in the audience at a lecture hall, you are pretty much screwed.

With a well-implemented "Multimedia Dawkins" you could watch his lectures straight through, or pause to click on the related links, and read more information about all the background bits he merely touches on in his talks.

Even the not-so-well-implemented "YouTube Dawkins" makes this manageable. Just keep Wikipedia open in another browser tab, along with your favorite search engine in another tab, etc.

26. Ayaan Hirsi Ali to get EU protection

Comment #136336 by PLAYBALL on February 29, 2008 at 10:51 pm

Comment #136035 by nattyadams on February 29, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Wonderful news, although using the term "enjoyed" in the phrase "she enjoyed special 24-hour Dutch police protection" doesn't color the situation very accurately. The security hasn't done anything to make her life easier, just safer.

27. Leaving the Faith

Comment #136334 by PLAYBALL on February 29, 2008 at 10:40 pm

I think those books are largely westernised repetition of Buddhist ideas - something Sam has studied in great deal.

28. Leaving the Faith

Comment #136301 by PLAYBALL on February 29, 2008 at 8:49 pm

Sam's definition of happiness is similar in every detail to that of Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and A New Earth. I wonder if he's read them.

29. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #136244 by PLAYBALL on February 29, 2008 at 3:07 pm

One easy way to demonstrate the universal shortcomings of standard education is to see how easy it is insult people, even inadvertently. Most people behave as if they have received no training whatsoever on how to consider even mild criticism on its logical merits. People who are hysterically hypersensitive to criticism haven't received the most central component of education at all, in my view. They are at high risk of succumbing to the standard rhetorical tricks.

30. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135783 by PLAYBALL on February 29, 2008 at 9:10 am

In reply to Teratornis:

It was great for me too. I trust you got through all eight parts.

(Have our friends on the old side of the Atlantic heard of Chuck Norris?)

all the obscure words have links to articles which define them.

For all I know, maybe that's just some model you hired or clipped from somewhere.

(I will admit, I'm not a giant prehistoric carrion-eating bird of prey as my avatar suggests.

You're probably noticed audience members in political or religious debates tend to all come away thinking their man carried the day, regardless of which side they are on. That's because people automatically and subconsciously filter incoming data, selecting and reinforcing everything which supports their current beliefs, and rejecting whatever contradicts them.

Do you ever catch yourself silently praying to God, out of long habit, before you realize there is no reason to suspect anyone is listening? I think religion is like combat experience in some ways. It's interesting to see those WWII veterans who recount the horrors they saw as if the war was only yesterday.

I'm going to take a few minutes and gloat over this for the benefit of all those who accuse me of having no sense of humor.

Who should I make the check out to?

31. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135410 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 11:22 pm

Bonzai-

On the other hand, some of the people with ultra high IQ are so completely dysfunctional in other ways that they cannot even look after themselves, let alone having original contributions to the arts and sciences.

Many Ultra high IQ people are socially awkward, they drop out from school early because they were led to believe that they were too good for their peers, They end up gravitating towards low end jobs if they can hold down a job at all, otherwise they collect social assistance. Some of them are in and out of prisons because of violence and other behavioral problems. I saw an excellent documentary on this, I wish I can find a link to it.

32. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135376 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 10:17 pm

Check out Prof. Albert Bartlett's famous lecture "Arithmetic, Population, and Energy":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY

33. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135367 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 9:55 pm

Oh, I hardly think so; not many persons of merely average intelligence have read books by all four of our ungodly horsemen. Not many persons of merely average intelligence can perform a self-rescue from the Catholic meme complex.

I admit there is some possibility my preliminary estimate of your intelligence is being skewed upward by that fetchingly attractive woman gazing at me from your avatar. I've read about psychological studies which find this sort of thing tends to happen.

Far from it. Rather, you have a credential that a person raised to be reasonable doesn't: you can take credit for becoming reasonable. You didn't just mindlessly absorb it from infancy. Not everyone can do what you did!

However, it's a rare day when I don't feel like arguing

One way to "argue" with religious people is to ask them if there is anything about what they have been told to believe that they find troubling in any way.

You'll have to check out Christopher Hitchens then. He's particularly devastating when partly sober

34. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135188 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 5:07 pm

Quetzalcoat1-


Thanks!

(and indeed, curing the disability of merely average intelligence).

35. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #135029 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 1:12 pm

You pass the test; you will go into the West and remain Galadriel.

Question 2: how do you do "nested quotes" as above?

As regards your experience, maybe you'd like to add your story to the "convert's corner" section here?

36. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134907 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 10:04 am

Wwelcome, PLAYBALL!

to put a quote in a box, put (blockquote) and (/blockquote) outside the text you're quoting, but use <> brackets instead of ().

37. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134801 by PLAYBALL on February 28, 2008 at 8:15 am

64. Comment #134732 by 4horsefins on February 28, 2008 at 6:34 am
How to convert a theist in the US

Allow them to get to know you before you tell them your atheist. They probably have not met an atheist before.(as you can tell by the callers) Remember their preconceived notion is we are the scum of the earth. When they get to know us first, they are forced to change their opinion in their own mind. They might not say it out loud, but if you have a close relationship with them, you will instantly see a change in the way they speak theologically toward you. This I see as progress.

Sorry, I'm new. I don't know how to put that box around a post I wish to comment on and can not find instructions on how to do it. So you get a copy and paste here.

I think this approach by 4horsefins is very effective. I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school and was even a youth minister in my church and never read the bible. Yeah I know, how embarrassing. I'll tell you this, as an employee of the Catholic church and seeing everything that goes on at an administration level, I'm pretty sure most of the people I worked with had not read the bible, even the priests. And forget about asking a question, you do know that's not allowed. And let me share with you, growing up, I was not told an atheist was scum of the earth, but a devil worshiper.

In any case, reading The God Delusion, End of Faith, God is Not Great and Letter to a Christian Nation was such a powerful experience. I finally read (most of) the bible and it's terrible, but don't think it's necessary to run out and tell everyone, I'll leave that to Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens and Dennet, they're doing a great job. When it comes up, I just say I don't believe. I think people are really more curious than anything else, at least that's been my experience when people discover I don't believe in god. But I must confess, I think it's hilarious when Richard has a laugh at some of the completely stupid questions asked of him. Richard you are delightful to watch.

38. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #134356 by PLAYBALL on February 27, 2008 at 4:15 pm

I love Richard's enthusiasm and his voice is very sexy!!

39. Secret Swami - About Sai Baba

Comment #105143 by PLAYBALL on December 30, 2007 at 5:45 pm

I had a very difficult time with this information. Why can't someone fly a plane into his house?

40. Daniel Dennett Debates Dinesh D'Souza

Comment #93126 by PLAYBALL on December 2, 2007 at 9:11 am

The reason why I found Mr. D'Sousa's presentation difficult to sit through was not only the content but the way in which he delivers his "message." It's hostile and abusive. His intention is clearly intended to manipulate, control, intimidate and demean. Yelling at someone in addition to all of his animated hand gestures is an attempt to put the receiver off balance and is a form of verbal abuse. As a Christian you'd think this would bother Denish that he speaks to people in this manner. I wonder if he speaks to his wife and children using this same "technique."

On the other hand, Mr. Dennett in a sincere attempt to educate his audience delivers his information in a respectful manner. His presentation was organized, had structure and easy to follow. Instead of making accusations of Dinesh he asked simple questions, most of which Denish chose not to answer. Why does he do that?

Next Sunday I will be attending the debate between Sherman and D'Sousa at Cat Tech. Although I'm looking forward to the event it's unfortunate I will not be able to turn the volume down when Denish is speaking as I always do at home. He is an extremely unpleasant man.

41. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #92463 by PLAYBALL on November 30, 2007 at 2:48 pm

20. Comment #92455 by steve99

Hilarious Steve!!!

42. War in Heaven: Hitchens Meets D'Souza on Home Turf

Comment #84221 by PLAYBALL on November 1, 2007 at 12:44 pm

Marshall 1

Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky. It is more than 1000 light years away.


1 light year = 5,865,696,000,000 miles

1000 light years = 5,865,696,000,000,000 miles


Edge of the universe is around 15 billion light years a
visit:

http://www.co-intelligence.org/newslett ... isons.html

Also:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y4h_YQ7VhKw

(In the video unfortunately they mention a creator. You can find plenty others that do not.)

43. Debate between Christopher Hitchens and Alister McGrath

Comment #79308 by PLAYBALL on October 16, 2007 at 8:41 pm

What an amazing presentation by Mr. Hitchens. There is such force behind the penetration of his message, I can't understand how anyone could walk away from that and not be effected.

As for Mr. McGrath, what he lacks in argument he makes up for in enthusiasm. Poor guy, I kinda felt sorry for him.

44. Ayaan Hirsi Ali: abandoned to fanatics

Comment #78101 by PLAYBALL on October 11, 2007 at 9:09 pm

Three Men on a Hike

Three men were hiking through a forest when they came upon a large raging, violent river. Needing to get to the other side, the first man prayed: "God, please give me the strength to cross the river."

Poof! ... God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swim across in about 2 hours, having almost drowned twice.

After witnessing that, the second man prayed: "God, please give me strength and the tools to cross the river."

Poof! ... God gave him a rowboat and strong arms and strong legs and he was able to row across in about an hour after almost capsizing once.

Seeing what happened to the first two men, the third man prayed: "God, please give me the strength, the tools and the intelligence to cross the river."

Poof! ... He was turned into a woman. She checked the map, hiked one hundred yards up stream and walked across the bridge.

Sure I'll sign. She is absolutely amazing!!

45. Debate between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox

Comment #76143 by PLAYBALL on October 4, 2007 at 9:28 pm

I think Richard you deserve an award just for talking with Mr. Lennox. He doesn't listen and it's very annoying. Your British etiquette was delightful as always.

I find it amusing when Christians talk about god like they had lunch with him last weekend.