1. Louisiana's latest creationism bill moves to House floor

Comment #185540 by animavisual on May 28, 2008 at 3:34 am

Caroline Crocker's rhetoric disturbs me, particularly when she invokes the very modern American defense that her views are somehow validated by the victimization she has suffered for them.
I recently got into an argument with a schoolmate as to whether or not Americans have a constitutional right to remain blissfully un-offended (I was saying that no, we clearly don't, and he seemed to have read a different document than I had).
It's as if the lot of us have forgotten that sometimes, people can simply be incorrect.

2. That's it. Texas really is doomed.

Comment #185313 by animavisual on May 27, 2008 at 12:13 pm

@ Laurie B: I don't see religion as particularly imposing in Boston.
For the record, I live in the Back Bay. Most of the people I work and study with are at the worst agnostic, and usually quite frank about their unbelief in a god. In fact, I can only think of one person I'd call an observing Christian among my group of friends.

Guess it all depends on who you hang out with.

3. Richard Dawkins Responds to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Comment #181238 by animavisual on May 16, 2008 at 5:42 pm

I really do hope this puts an end to this whole charade (doubtful, but still. One can always hope).
I watch the debate Boteach had with Hitchens in New York before I go to bed on nights when I'm in a bad mood, and I have to say: it's difficult to imagine how Boteach could bring any less credibility upon the stultifying ignorance that he preaches in public discourse.
Somehow, though, he found a way to do it. His infantile attempts to diminish the arguments leveled against him based on a perhaps less-carefully considered (but nonetheless accurate) comparison are just painful to endure.
Seriously though. Tea for all, please. And to all a good night.

4. Richard Dawkins interviewed by John Humphrys on Cardinal Murphy O'Connor

Comment #177560 by animavisual on May 9, 2008 at 10:00 am

Oh man. Boteach and now this.
There's something poignantly oxymoronic about "a dictatorship ruled by reason," no?

5. Richard Dawkins on The Alan Colmes Show

Comment #143955 by animavisual on March 14, 2008 at 6:07 pm

That last caller was something else.
It's as if he's never heard of a historic precedent for politicians to use religion as a means to control people...but I suppose that comes from a lifetime of reading doctored textbooks that would make the North Korean authorities blush.

It's also great to see Professor Dawkins loosening up a bit in interviews. At least by the sound of his voice, it seems he's having more fun.

6. Hitchens and Boteach Debate on God

Comment #125520 by animavisual on February 11, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Anyone else catch that bit where Shmuley talks about how Christopher Hitchens has a four-word name for the force that propels the universe, while his idea of that same force contains three?
I was honestly confused for a moment. I thought the rabbi was actually on the brink of landing a joke that'd get the audience to laugh for once with something about The Flying Spaghetti Monster (4 words), but alas, it was merely his temper getting the best of his vocabulary, thus leading him to confuse "word" with "letter."
Oh well. Keep it classy, Mr. Hitchens.
Mr. Boteach, you should retreat back to whatever dimly lit place you came from. Please do not forget to pack up your reams of bogus half-science, your defamations of Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, etc, and your childish histrionics as you go.
Along with your Grossly Obsolete Deity (three words).