1. George W Bush meets Pope amid claims he might convert to Catholicism

Comment #193540 by Grantaire of JC on June 15, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Nicely done Count!

2. George W Bush meets Pope amid claims he might convert to Catholicism

Comment #193535 by Grantaire of JC on June 15, 2008 at 7:39 pm

I'd be impressed to receive such a honor too! To meet the head of the Catholic Church the institution that has helped millions of poor people, and at the same time stood firm in insisting that their God is the one and only, thus causing a religious strife that won't resolved for generations!! Maybe he felt in true awe of the power of government. Maybe his own religious doubts are driving him to Catholicism. But maybe, just maybe, he's looking for a little absolution for his sins and the Pope can make him be more at peace. If that's what works for him good luck.

3. Trailer for Religulous

Comment #190533 by Grantaire of JC on June 9, 2008 at 8:36 am

Very nice. But will this be seen by a large audience? It's a delicate topic for any studio to do, but to be seen in the theaters requires some significant pull. I'd love to be there opening day.

4. 16% of US science teachers are creationists

Comment #182607 by Grantaire of JC on May 20, 2008 at 4:02 pm

First of all, where did these 2000 teacher surveys come from? All public schools? Private schools? A random average of schools scattered from all over the United States? Of course there were 16% who chose to delicately use their influence and shape the curriculum in their favor. They personally did not believe the evolution was the answer and so taught the class giving it the briefest cover. Did the teachers feel that a counter proposal was necessary? If you were a teacher and you were religious, how enthusiastic would you be teaching evolution when you've put your soul (and eternity) on there being a "divine" purpose? Wouldn't you feel that you were damning your students by taking god out of the picture? I am actually glad that the number is only 16% and I hope it drops as time goes on.

5. Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

Comment #182599 by Grantaire of JC on May 20, 2008 at 3:42 pm

The Webster's Dictionary describes a cult as "a devoted attachment or admiration to a person or principle". Well, there was no insult here. If you chose to accept the more vulgar definition that is open to interpretation. We know which definition he was going for, but the message is left to the reader's judgement. Now as far as we are descendants from Thetans, I ask you which religion is the most wrong on this issue and does it really matter?

6. Mayor challenges pope during Genoa visit

Comment #182299 by Grantaire of JC on May 19, 2008 at 3:55 pm

Pythagoras,

Yes, the politically correct phrasing here is "pro-choice" which allows the option to choose to the pregnant person. It leaves open both options, however the choice is still the woman's. We've gotten a tad sensitive around here with pro-abortion even though we do mean the same thing. Here "pro-abortion" would imply the intentional push to seek abortion over childbirth and would been seen as an abomination both morally and politically. It would greatly hurt the future for women trying to get an abortion here in the States so we tread lightly.

7. Texas Megachurch Minister Busted in Internet Sex Sting

Comment #181620 by Grantaire of JC on May 17, 2008 at 5:18 pm

$7,000.00 bail? Wow if that happened in Jersey City it would be at least 50K! Talk about compassion. And let's not forget the condoms and webcam. What, is it okay because there actually wasn't a minor on the other end of the computer? The whole article makes me sick. This could have been a real thirteen year old girl!!

8. Bible Theme Park Faces Opposition in Tennessee

Comment #180777 by Grantaire of JC on May 15, 2008 at 7:06 pm

A roller coaster would be a great thing! A coaster named The Road To Perdition, or The Seven Deadly Sins, Or The Fall (From Grace). They could eat at Cana ( where the wine flows freely), sleep at "The Manger (where you can sleep like a baby) and become a new person by going to The Resurrection Spa. But in the end, it's mindless entertainment. Kids remember Space Mountain for the ride not the symbolism. Let them have their fun because it only creates an impossible sensation to duplicate in real life and it will make people more unhappy as the "word" proves to be less rewarding than the ride.

9. Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens

Comment #179808 by Grantaire of JC on May 13, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Gee, what's next, a rewrite of the bible indicating that the entire Earth was the Garden of Eden and that the early writers misunderstood the meaning of the word of God? Boy that allows all future "edits" also. How creative. Well catholic does mean universal doesn't it?

10. Computer game's high score could earn the Nobel Prize in medicine

Comment #178590 by Grantaire of JC on May 11, 2008 at 4:40 pm

Could this become the Rubik's Cube of the internet? And with such a lofty reward in sight, I can see gamers at least giving it a try. Nice!

11. Church of Scotland mediators to quell disputes

Comment #178583 by Grantaire of JC on May 11, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Throughout history churches have been afraid of how it's congregation takes in information from outside sources. Victor Hugo's statement in The Hunchback of Notre Dame about how the book would destroy the edifice comes to mind here. The assault on the church by unhappy members is a pleasant side effect of people looking for their own answers. The church's need for an external arbitration is in itself the losing end of the argument because the church admitted that forces beyond its control need to be decided beyond their policy and God's. So they already lose those who were on the fence about serious faith issues.
I have a brother who is working for his Deacon title and he admits that even he has been told that when a personal opinion differs from church doctrine, he must always yield to church doctrine because that is the right answer (and policy). As you can guess this makes for excellent discussions as I am a non-believer.

12. Atheists are nice people who will roast in hell, says Cardinal

Comment #177817 by Grantaire of JC on May 9, 2008 at 6:59 pm

I always figured when I was catholic that if I were to go to hell I'd be so busy meeting friends that wouldn't know I was there until eternity ended. I'm glad that he thinks that he has a sense of humor with that needing new hats statement. I'm sure that his parish has lost a lot of income over the years.

13. Truly Bizarre : Indians Throw Babies 50ft From Roof To Thank God.

Comment #174899 by Grantaire of JC on May 3, 2008 at 6:57 pm

I think that this may just make the next Darwin Awards book.

14. Mount Vernon schools to hire investigator in Bible case

Comment #169263 by Grantaire of JC on April 25, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Embugogo,
Well stated! Its less a news story because it is a bible!

15. Yoko Ono sues over use of John Lennon videos

Comment #169254 by Grantaire of JC on April 25, 2008 at 4:44 pm

Well Yoko hasn't made the news in a while, so at least its for something important to us and her. Any one against Expelled is a friend of mine. This has the Godfather feel to it. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

16. Judge orders La. school district to stop Bible giveaways

Comment #167221 by Grantaire of JC on April 23, 2008 at 6:17 pm

I love what the email said that it should be stressed that the students did not have to take a bible (wink wink). The peer pressure alone in not taking a bible probably would have been worse. Pandering is what this called. Shame on the school as well as the givers of the bible.
If the decision gets reversed can I go down there and distribute the opposite materials? Will we get equal time and opportunity so that there would be no discrimination?

17. Science 2.0 -- Is Open Access Science the Future?

Comment #167202 by Grantaire of JC on April 23, 2008 at 6:00 pm

Raw data huh? So if an up and coming company were to intentionally post results that would prove to be false through vast statistical analysis they would still gain fame. It is an excellent form of stock manipulation. I found the big cure, get on board now before we go public. There is a reason why raw data is called such. As for thievery, the reverse can also be said. If two different companies are pursuing the same idea such as the telephone, the one who posts it on the site can make the accusation of theft without needing to support it. I say let the end result be posted and all other forms of data be banned.

18. Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital

Comment #167190 by Grantaire of JC on April 23, 2008 at 5:45 pm

I had always known that there were short comings to religion, but this takes it to a new level.

19. Sex for diploma offer caught on tape

Comment #164162 by Grantaire of JC on April 19, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Well he was a "lay" faculty member of the school

20. A New Flea

Comment #160151 by Grantaire of JC on April 13, 2008 at 6:17 pm

Let the books come. Let the "perfectly rational case" be made. Pick a public forum for all to see, and let's watch what I'm sure will be the most interesting debate. And as for all those books trying to refute Dawkins, keep them coming. The more they attack the man the more credibility he has to the average person in the local bookstore. When the book tables in spiritual sections are flooded with attacks on Dawkins, hundreds will want to know why. The best they could have done, was to leave us alone. Instead they give us a soapbox to shout from!

21. Richard Dawkins: 'Growth in creationist beliefs a problem for schools'

Comment #156508 by Grantaire of JC on April 7, 2008 at 5:12 pm

Darwinist? Let me think: Darwin was a human. A humanist believes in a way of life centered around human interests. Therefore a Darwinist believes in Darwin's theory of human centered life? I could certainly live with such a comment! Its a sophmoric answer but it works. I'll take it. It's better than being called anti-god!
DARWIN PLUS HUMANIST = DARWINIST

22. Get out of here, atheists!

Comment #156498 by Grantaire of JC on April 7, 2008 at 4:56 pm

I wonder if we could have gotten the Governor to direct some of the money our way to show that he was an equal opportunity employer. Did we miss out not keeping quiet? (silent chuckles!!)

23. Biologists Take Evolution Beyond Darwin Way Beyond

Comment #155890 by Grantaire of JC on April 6, 2008 at 8:49 am

Does the genetic changes cause the needed social structures to evolve as a tool for the its own survival? Does it make sense that outcasts cling to each other? Does it sound reasonable that these changes, which eventually become a common trait, allow the social structure to form as a defense to survive? The old strength in numbers thing? This sounds very interesting.

24. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150425 by Grantaire of JC on March 26, 2008 at 10:05 pm

Happy Birthday!!!

Thank you for your works to date and may we look forward to seeing more from you in the future.

Continue to enlighten!

25. The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing

Comment #144362 by Grantaire of JC on March 15, 2008 at 5:57 pm

The release date for the book in the U.S. is May 15th according to the Amazon site, but they are taking advanced orders. I look forward to reading everyone's opinion on the book until then.

26. The business of natural selection

Comment #144355 by Grantaire of JC on March 15, 2008 at 5:35 pm

I am a skeptic, show me proof! Show me a successful test run with 50 Fortune 100 companies and you may have my attention. Show me a wide range of success with companies from utilities to drug companies to penny stocks and then I am interested. ( Did they predict the housing market crisis in the U.S.? )

Oh, MrPickwick, hold on to that swampland. In New Jersey that's prime property these days.

27. Deadly Sins 101

Comment #143217 by Grantaire of JC on March 13, 2008 at 4:59 pm

It's a shame that the Vatican needs to take this step. Like the extreme fundamentalists didn't already believe this? Now the Pope wants to take this mainstream? Oh well the church will continue to lose people as they inflict their perception of the "modern" world onto their congregation. I hope these "believers" remember that stem cell research is evil when they need the technology to cure what ails them.

What is Shakespeare who wrote that there is no good or evil but thinking makes it so?

28. Bart Ehrman, Questioning Religion on Why We Suffer

Comment #129884 by Grantaire of JC on February 19, 2008 at 5:55 pm

Mr Erhman can at least take comfort that his educated sense of logic has brought him to this conclusion and if he is still concerned about the suffering of this world, he can actively participate to make a difference without god being a reason. I hope he encourages people to be active in eliminating suffering instead of being passive through prayer. If such an issue is important god's existence (or not) would be irrelevant and everyone involved would be better for it. I welcome him to our side of the argument and hope he understands that god has nothing to do with who he is. He can find comfort in that.

29. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128339 by Grantaire of JC on February 16, 2008 at 6:51 pm

Quill,
We are slow to learn. We have failed miserably in going to the metric system, we have constant fights among ourselves over which is more important big business that drives the economy or the environment which is our global future. But we can learn and have the potential to lead the world in this cause if we successfully get the masses involved.

30. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128333 by Grantaire of JC on February 16, 2008 at 6:43 pm

Tis okay. A little reality is a good thing.

31. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128331 by Grantaire of JC on February 16, 2008 at 6:41 pm

Quill,
The American belief in profits will deem it acceptable.

32. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128318 by Grantaire of JC on February 16, 2008 at 6:33 pm

The nuclear reaction is not immoral in itself, but the application as a weapon can be considered immoral. But then we'd probably justify as it saving lives in the long run like we did in WW2. The nanotechnology offers the same concern. But then again we thought the same foolish thing about microwaves and almost every American household has one. Show us a truly positive reason to have it and we will change our minds.

33. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128312 by Grantaire of JC on February 16, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Most Americans do not know about nanotechnology and most of those who have heard of the word associate it Sci-fi lit. such as Michael Crichton's Prey or worse television. The immorality lies in the foolish belief that, once again, mankind is trying to upscale god.