1. Woolly rhino's ancient migration

Comment #286038 by Jamie V on November 18, 2008 at 2:13 am

The team says the find from Germany fills a gap in our understanding of how these animals evolved.

In other news, the God Of The Gaps was evicted yet again on grounds of trespass and criminal damage to young minds...

Every time I read something like this, it makes me want to invite a theist to sit down, examine the evidence and then enunciate in clear and ringing tones "Just what the hell is there NOT to accept, you willfully blind moron'"

Politely, of course...

2. Islamic radicals make mockery of hate laws

Comment #281948 by Jamie V on November 11, 2008 at 6:10 am

The Appeal Court ruled that Qatada would not get a fair trial in his native Jordan, where he is wanted for terrorism offences, because statements against him may have been extracted by torture.

I really couldn't give a damn if he doesn't receive a fair trial in Jordan - he should be deported back there immediately.

"Women need to be covered up, men lashed for fornication [outside marriage] and hands cut off for theft and breaking Sharia law," Abu Rumaysah said.

It becomes easier every day to see why the BNP are gaining ground. Abu Rumaysah may be wanting to incite Muslims, but he's also managing to incite perfectly normal, non-violent Brits into holding views that might have been considered extreme a few years ago, but are rapidly becoming more mainstream.

My own views are tempered by the fact that my mistrust and dislike of religion will never translate into racism. That may not be the case for many others.

3. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278774 by Jamie V on November 5, 2008 at 7:10 am

When I got into work this morning, I typed in "Victory for Obama" (or something like that) in the search box.

The first link that came up was for Stormfront, the Nazi website. I didn't click on the link, but the blurb on the Google page mentioned something about tactics and strategies that they were considering if Obama won. Scary stuff...

4. Somalia: Rape Victim Executed

Comment #274666 by Jamie V on October 30, 2008 at 9:47 am

As soon as I saw the headline of this story, I immediately thought it would be down to Islam. When was the last time you heard about an act of kindness and associated it with the "religion of peace"'

Where is the "moderate Islam" outrage' What the fuck is wrong with these people'

5. Children need to be sprinkled with fairy dust

Comment #272200 by Jamie V on October 27, 2008 at 5:31 am

I second Laurie's comment.

I was going to quote some especially salient points, but then I realised I'd just be reposting the whole post.

I viewed magic as a child in much the same way I view God now. I never managed to perform magic, and I never saw magic being performed. I examined the available evidence and found it to be non-existent - hence I knew magic wasn't real. It would have been very pleasing to me to have been able to perform magic, and it still would - however, just because it's a pleasing thought, it doesn't make it true.

I enjoy Star Wars (early ones only), The X-Files and Harry Potter for what they are - stories. That said, I would be delighted if someone invented a rifle that shot laser bolts - mainly because I have a feeling it could be possible one day. I shan't hold my breath though.

6. 'People say I'm strident'

Comment #271941 by Jamie V on October 26, 2008 at 7:25 pm

He sold 1.5m copies of The God Delusion

Time for some up to date sales figures - it must be pushing 2 million by now.

Bluesingincat said:

I sense an arrogance here

Childish provocation doesn't work around here anywhere near as well as a decent alternative theory (as in "scientific theory", which you'll have hopefully read up on before you post again).

7. NEW DVD: Richard Dawkins: Appearances & Events 2007-2008

Comment #270359 by Jamie V on October 24, 2008 at 4:58 am

Clarification please: NTSC works in UK, or not'

I work for a major entertainment company, and we put out lots of DVDs. The standard is NTSC as they can play in any territory.

If your DVD player doesn't like it, I would suggest buying another. My own multi-region player cost less than thirty quid, so it's well worth doing.

8. Convert or we will kill you, Hindu lynch mobs tell fleeing Christians

Comment #267016 by Jamie V on October 20, 2008 at 5:34 am

I would conclude by saying that I will excuse any Hindu who says that the VHP is in no way representative of Hinduism while I will not offer the same courtesy to a Muslim who attempts to distance himself from AlQaeda by saying that they are unislamic.

I am no authority on Hinduism, but I would agree with you. My father is an Indian Hindu, and I can picture the scorn on his face if I was to speak to him about this - scorn for the extemists. He's not a religious man in any way - he married my mother in a Church of England church, and both my sister and I were christened as Church of England. He and my mother had a chat about everything before they had us and decided that as we were going to be living in England, we should have English names, English religions and so on. I'm very grateful for that, and it does rather make me despise people who refuse to integrate and keep themselves separate from the country they choose to live in.

Anyway, I don't think these actions are representative of Hinduism in any way. I've always felt it to be a benign religion in the same way the Church of England is - or as we picture it to be before priests start wanting to be listened to and taken seriously.

I used to tell my wife that when I died, I expected her to throw herself on to my funeral pyre. She used most unchristian language at that suggestion. I can't even remember if that's an old Hindu tradition that only exists in remote areas of India or if it belongs to some other sect. I think a large part of the problem is lack of education. It saddens me to read about this nonsense, but as I said, I honestly don't think it is representative of Hindus or Indians in general.

9. [UPDATED] Richard Dawkins on Harun Yahya's Atlas of Creation

Comment #265684 by Jamie V on October 17, 2008 at 7:47 am

Apologies for a slightly off-topic post here, but I wanted to ask "daabbah" if his or her name is derived in any way from the Al-Daabbah mentioned here islammedia.ws).

Before I read the thread, I thought it was derived from George "Daabbah" Bush.

Roger Stanyard

Thank you for your compliments. You are so cute.

Why all atheists are getting angry very easily? I feel pity when I see you like this.

Oh no - he pities us! Now I feel all humiliated and shy.

I imagine that was the response you were after. Daabbah - you can be read as easily as a book. By the way, have you ever read anything other than fiction?

10. Why Evolution is True

Comment #264126 by Jamie V on October 13, 2008 at 5:49 pm

It might be a little too basic for some, though.

That sentence is one of the main reasons why I will buy this book. No scientific explanation is too basic for me, sadly.

11. Math Skills Suffer in U.S., Study Finds

Comment #263536 by Jamie V on October 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm

By the way, whenever a girl says "I'm completely ignorant about math" I take it as the perfect time to introduce myself to her.

"Wow - we have so much in common! What are the odds of us meeting here?"

"Well, we could work them out using Probability Theory."

"Bye..."

12. Big Bang or Big Bounce?: New Theory on the Universe's Birth

Comment #261569 by Jamie V on October 7, 2008 at 4:06 am

Using the difference equations, we can try to reconstruct the deep past.

So cool!

"A long time ago in a singularity far, far away..."

13. The rival to the Bible

Comment #261500 by Jamie V on October 7, 2008 at 12:33 am

Fundamentalists, who believe every word in the Bible is true, may find these differences unsettling.

I weep for their pain...

14. Christian review of the Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing

Comment #253972 by Jamie V on September 25, 2008 at 5:04 am

The Oxford anthology has only one contribution by an identifiable evangelical, Russell Stannard, and he is British. This is disappointing but is not, I think, the result of any untoward editorial selection process. America has a population of evangelicals larger than any country in Europe. There are more than 200 evangelical schools with science divisions. And yet we don't have a single science writer with the stature to get included in this volume. (There is one exception: Francis Collins would be a candidate for inclusion, but, given how recently he has emerged as an important science writer, it is easy to see how he did not make the lineup.) Shame on us.

A situation I think that is unlikely to change.

15. Jewish 'ultras' defend morals with menace

Comment #252474 by Jamie V on September 23, 2008 at 6:12 am

Haredi or Wahabbi? Choices, choices...

16. Discussion between Richard Dawkins and Clive James

Comment #248916 by Jamie V on September 17, 2008 at 6:38 am

That was a very enjoyable interview - Clive James had done his research and his interest was obvious. I always enjoy listening to Richard, and his take on the crucufiction wasn't one I'd heard framed exactly like that before (although he's expressed his view in similar terms elsewhere). Richard's outrage was infectious, and hopefully the people in the audience who gasped when he said it will have taken the time to think about what he said.

Jamie

Author of "Police Academy - A Defence"

17. Large Hadron Collider readies for world's biggest experiment

Comment #245076 by Jamie V on September 10, 2008 at 7:44 am

I've been checking the comments on the BBC Have Your Say website. The Luddism and ignorance being displayed is both astounding and exhausting. It's not just a few god-botherers - it's lots of people who have suddenly developed a moral high ground about how the £5 billion cost should have spent on feeding the hungry, finding the cure for cancer, etc. They all assume the experiment will have no value, therefore they condemn it before the evidence is in (sound familiar?).

I do sometimes wonder how we became the dominant species on this planet...

18. Pakistan investigates 'honor killings' of 5 women

Comment #241442 by Jamie V on September 2, 2008 at 8:53 am

I've never had any truck with colonial guilt, and I hate people who want to endlessly apologise for it. Sure, not all of it was good - but not all of it was bad either.

My viewpoint on multiculturalism is kind of the other way round - not all of it is bad, but not all of it is good either.

19. Theocratic Sect Prays for Real Armageddon

Comment #241063 by Jamie V on September 1, 2008 at 5:13 pm

Bentley describes God ordering him to kick an elderly lady in the face: "I am thinking, 'God, why is the power of God not moving?' And He said, 'It is because you haven't kicked that women in the face.' And there was, like, this older lady worshipping right in front of the platform and the Holy Spirit spoke to me and the gift of faith came on me. He said, 'Kick her in the face ... with your biker boot.' I inched closer and I went like this [makes kicking motion]: Bam! And just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell under the power of God."

To paraphrase Hitchens, I think my best comment on this is to underline it.

"Behold my steel toecap of justice!"

20. The rise of Miliband brings at last the prospect of an atheist prime minister

Comment #234729 by Jamie V on August 22, 2008 at 12:33 am

I quote Frankie Boyle from "Mock The Week":

"People say David Milliband would be a breath of fresh air. No he wouldn't - he'd just be very slightly different. Vin Diesel would be a breath of fresh air. Sergeant Bash from Robot Wars would be a breath of fresh air."

If Milliband is an atheist, then good for him. I suppose a reason we're glad about that is because Blair's faith helped take us to war, and we can't ever have such shaky reasoning endangering us again.

I was wondering if US voters were faced with a choice between a Christian Democrat and an Atheist Republican (unlikely as that scenario is), would that have any real impact on their voting decision?

21. Last Night's TV: The Genius of Charles Darwin, Channel 4

Comment #233341 by Jamie V on August 19, 2008 at 6:26 pm

I don't know how Richard contains himself - I really don't. Still, despite all the fundamentlist foolishness, I found myself overwhelmed when I was reminded that every single one of my ancestors had reached adulthood and got laid. I wish I'd thought of that when I was a teenager - "It's BOUND to happen at some point!" It's a brilliant point to make, and when it's coupled with the one about the odds of each one of us actually being here, it's as close to a spiritual feeling as I'll allow myself to describe.

On a different note, I also enjoyed The Hairy Bakers. I'd never watched them before, but I got sucked in by their enthusiasm and their bread.

22. The rebellion of the child-brides

Comment #230658 by Jamie V on August 15, 2008 at 3:02 am

Raping children is one of the most serious criminal offences there can possibly be.

So why has no Muslim been prosecuted in the UK for marrying and raping children?

Are the police incapable of dealing with this or are they frightened to do so because of potential allegations of being "anti-Muslim" or racist? Who is protecting their backs for the lack of action? Or forcing them into lack of action?

And yet it's us atheists in the degenerate West who have no morality...

Prosecute every one of the child-raping scumbags to the full extent of the law. There's no reason this shouldn't happen apart from worries about being seen to be "intolerant of other cultures".

So now, for the first time in my life, I am forced to use the words of the so-called Moral Majority and say "What about the children?"

If Western societies are tolerating this behaviour and not prosecuting people, then we truly are immoral, spineless and cowardly.

23. We need to stop being such cowards about Islam

Comment #229987 by Jamie V on August 14, 2008 at 6:05 am

We have for decades endured a barrage of postmodernism and relativism and multiculturalism that has had, at it's root, only one desire: to destroy the legacy and achievement of the West, to make people think it isn't worth defending.

Thank you for elucidating that so clearly.

One of my friends at school told me I was very Western in my attitudes (this was over twenty years ago), and I got my own back when I made a speech at his wedding by telling everyone he'd trumped an Edina Monsoon line in Ab Fab by a good six years.

Of course, my perfect answer now would be "So which Western attitude is that? The one that abhors honour killings and female circumcision or the one that promotes freedom of speech?"

Excuse me now - in the interests of multiculturalism, I've got to go out and attack any women unaccompanied by men or small male children. They'd better hope they haven't been buying the wrong kind of vegetables...

24. Evolution as Described by the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Comment #229070 by Jamie V on August 13, 2008 at 4:26 am

It means that evolution isn't really that special, and it isn't improbable. It is likely to be a fundamental part of nature.

I think that's beautiful.

Ha - I find it really hard to post any comment without my last words being "Why are creationists such willingly blind idiots?". If everyone can take that as read, then I'll be happy to mnove on...

25. On TV: The Genius of Charles Darwin: Presented by Richard Dawkins

Comment #228582 by Jamie V on August 12, 2008 at 8:19 am

Nazareth did not actually exist as a town at the time of Jesus, so it seems unlikely there was a Jesus of "Nazareth". Nazareth was a necropolis at that period.

Really? I didn't know that. Yet another reason to laugh at them.

A reading recommendation needed from one of you fine people. There seem to be masses of books about biblical contradictions, but is there one that encompasses everything else? What I mean is you can get books where the scriptures are shown not to make logical sense, but are there any that include stuff like Nazareth not existing, the flood never happening, Jericho not having walls and things like that?

26. Saudi Arabia Bans Dog Walking in Capital

Comment #228576 by Jamie V on August 12, 2008 at 8:08 am

One Muslim - councillor Asif in Dundee. Had to be pointed out to him that some of the Muslim shop owners that he was "defending" also sold pet food. In fact, they had been selling pet food for a while. Nothing strange about that other than the cans also had pictures of dogs on them...and no one complained.

Such tactics have triggered a backlash among Sunnis, whom Al-Q'aeda had claimed to be protecting, the sheikh and military leaders said.

"The self-described protectors of the Sunni community now kill more Iraqi Sunnis than anyone else."

Both sets of nutters claim to be looking after the interests of other people, yet those people who apparently need their "protection" either aren't bothered about what is supposedly causing offence, or they're getting actively pissed off at being oppressed in the name of that "protection".

It's just total fucking lunacy. I know that, you know that, we ALL know that - but I just had to say it. In fact, I'm going to say it again - with capitals.

IT'S TOTAL FUCKING LUNACY!

And no, I don't feel better now. In fact, I feel worse.

27. On TV: The Genius of Charles Darwin: Presented by Richard Dawkins

Comment #224423 by Jamie V on August 5, 2008 at 12:39 am

I was genuinely shocked though at the extent of creationism shown, and in what appeared to be an average state school.

I don't recall anything like this in my old school. What on earth has happened??

My exact reaction.

It was a wonderful programme - I can't wait for the next two.

Also, I don't know how anyone could ever describe Richard as strident. The evidence clearly shows otherwise.

Ah...

28. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #224179 by Jamie V on August 4, 2008 at 9:15 am

According to the results of a survey conducted on its web site by the daily Ekstra Bladet, one of Denmark's highest-circulation publications, asked "Do You Think That Human Beings Are Descended from Apes?", 88% of the Danish public answered "No."

That's correct - we share a common ancestor.

Good to see 88% of Danes know their evolution. I suspect the website you cut and pasted this whole post from doesn't have the first clue about how evolution works, and they thought this would support their viewpoint. The fact that you quoted it in support of your own position shows you don't have the first bloody clue either.

Seriously, Joe - what the hell is wrong with you? I know you had girl problems, but your constant blathering is surely an overreaction - if not a clue as to why you were having problems in the first place...

29. Embracing goodness, without God

Comment #224081 by Jamie V on August 4, 2008 at 5:02 am

If some religion comes along that worships squirrels,its members will force it on their kids, push it into science class,and vote for candidates of the Squirrel Party

The Benevolent Nutkin cares only for nuts - unlike God, who is only cared about BY nuts.

30. Catholics To Pope: Lift Birth Control Ban

Comment #220702 by Jamie V on July 29, 2008 at 12:15 am

Churches require their members to not use condoms because they want (need) them to procreate. The more kids a family has, the greater number it indoctrinates, the greater chances of survival (financially anyway) the church has.

I'm ashamed to say that this has never occurred to me before.

I like to think I'm a cynical type of person, but it appears that deep down, I'm still a trusting soul to whom perfidy isn't the automatic reason for everything.

31. How Anecdotal Evidence Can Undermine Scientific Results

Comment #217183 by Jamie V on July 24, 2008 at 2:37 am

I'd never heard of Kaballah or Scientology before reading about a celebrity who had taken up with them. If you don't have someone close to you to keep you grounded, it could be quite easy to be swept up in a fad. I guarantee you Britney Spears doesn't have five or six genuine mates that she could sit in a pub with for an evening and have an honest chin-wag. If she'd had someone to tell her not to be so bloody stupid about various things - or even to call her a cab or give her a lift when she got a bit tipsy - she wouldn't be in the fucked up state she is now. I know that's not strictly about religion, and I don't want to drag this into a Britney-Bash - but I think the parallels are the same.

My first encounter with Buddhism was watching Monkey on television. I also read an abridged translation of the original book at a young age. There's some nice stuff in there - much nicer than the Bible. Still nonsense, but a much more appealing sort of nonsense.

32. Islam subway ads cause stir in New York

Comment #216488 by Jamie V on July 23, 2008 at 8:41 am

Islam is Joe's revenge against women, who dared to reject him and choose another

I was thinking something along these lines the other day.

As a young heterosexual chap, there is absolutely no feeling more meaningful and fulfilling than lying in the arms of a beautiful woman who is not related to you, has absolutely no obligation to be there if she doesn't want to, and actually wants to be with you.

You know as a teenager that this will happen to you at some point, but until it does, it's a very lonely and frustrating way to be.

Now I'm imagining what would happen if my religion mandated that I never experience this. I would have gone through my whole teenage years as a mass of sexual frustration and with absolutely no idea about what women were like. I would have ended up married to a woman I'd barely spoken to and never even seen properly, and it would be down to pure luck if I fancied her, if she was a good person, if she had a brain and whether she'd be good company. Of course, since I would be completely dominant and she would be completely subservient, most of the above wouldn't matter.

But how much would I have missed out on? I wouldn't know the joy of flirting, the incredible feeling of mutual fireworks going off, the wonder of talking to someone all night about everything and nothing when I fancied the pants off her and knew she liked me as well.

There is a good chance that my entire view of women would have been warped, and I would never have had the opportunity to discover the truth for myself.

And for this, I'm meant to be grateful to Allah for all his blessings?

You know, fuck that!

33. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #216355 by Jamie V on July 23, 2008 at 2:34 am

One thing which surprises non-muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected.

This is true. I was expecting it to be a lot less violent and nasty than it actually is.

34. Islam subway ads cause stir in New York

Comment #216299 by Jamie V on July 23, 2008 at 12:29 am

I took my three year old to the fair at the weekend. As we were queuing to pay to get in (yes, I know!), there was a sign by the entrance saying something to the effect that the fair was a multicultural event for people of all beliefs and cultures to enjoy.

That floored me - why on earth would they have a sign like that up at a funfair? It had perfectly normal fairground rides (and I might at this point advise anyone with a three year old not to take them on a Waltzer, even if they do say they want to), and it was slap bang in the middle of a pretty diverse area in London. What on earth did people think was going to happen to them?

One thing did strike me while I was standing by one of the rides. There was a lady standing next to me who was waving and smiling at her child as the ride went round. A Muslim lady in full Burka was sitting on the steps on my other side while her child was on the ride. How on earth are any Muslim children to get any affection outside their home when they can't see their mother's face?

35. Richard Dawkins on Al Jazeera English

Comment #215724 by Jamie V on July 22, 2008 at 9:27 am

2nd rule: you do not talk about....sorry. The second rule is "No Smoking."

CEASE!

36. Richard Dawkins on Al Jazeera English

Comment #215524 by Jamie V on July 22, 2008 at 3:50 am

"Professor Dawkins, you must be asked these kinds of questions quite often."

I honestly don't know how he remains patient. I suppose that's one of the qualities you need to be an effective teacher.

That was a very good interview. I approve very much that Riz Khan addressed Richard as "Sir". Calm, interesting questions and polite with it.

Poor old Abdul - I think I'd go nuts if I had to constantly punctuate my conversation with "Peace be upon him"...

37. Losing Sight of Progress

Comment #215515 by Jamie V on July 22, 2008 at 3:35 am

I'm always pleased to see a new article by Christopher Hitchens, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Whoever benefits from this inquiry, it cannot possibly be Coulter or her patrons at the creationist Discovery Institute. The most they can do is to intone that "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." Whereas the likelihood that the post-ocular blindness of underground salamanders is another aspect of evolution by natural selection seems, when you think about it at all, so overwhelmingly probable as to constitute a near certainty.

I'm not so naive as to think that hardcore creationists won't disagree, but if one looks at the above article dispassionately on the whole issue of evolution versus design, surely this point is CONCLUSIVE in favour of evolution.

Existence is far more interesting than it would be if there was a 'magic hermaphrodite sky elf'

I am proud to associate myself 100% with this comment.

38. Fury at funeral songs ban

Comment #212346 by Jamie V on July 17, 2008 at 3:58 am

The minister (from the Free Church of Scotland) had declared to the grieving family and friends that the dear departed was right now burning in hell and would be in torment for all eternity because he hadn't accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.

The Free Church Of Scotland, you say? Who'd have thought someone from there would say something so utterly inappropriate and wrong...

39. MnIndy interview: Unrepentant science-heathen PZ Myers still intends to prove 'this cracker is nothing'

Comment #211550 by Jamie V on July 16, 2008 at 6:20 am

A SOUTH African Catholic cardinal says the rampant HIV infection rate in Africa would not change if the church ordered its faithful to use condoms during sex.

The Catholic church is directly responsible for people dying. DIRECTLY responsible by their adherence to unproven assertions.

The church had faith in the ability of people to control their own lives and avoid HIV infection, Cardinal Napier said.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE EVIDENCE?!?!? Oh, of course - you're not fans of evidence, are you?

Sheesh...

40. Fury at funeral songs ban

Comment #211541 by Jamie V on July 16, 2008 at 6:09 am

Jamie: When the vicar starts with the "religious aspects" of the funeral, it helps if you silently sing "la la la, la la la" at the top of your brain.

I spent most of the time analysing what was being said and coming up with "But this is nonsense!" the whole time. During the prayers, I sat and thought my own thoughts.

I do have to say that Richard was spot on in TGD when he talked about the beauty of language in the Bible. I don't think it's an actual quote, but I did like it when the vicar said "May she rest in peace and rise in glory". Even though I don't believe that at all, I thought the words were beautiful.

I do feel sad that my grandmother is gone, and that there's no spiritual afterlife. However, I looked around at my family after the service, and I knew that she was living on through her children and us and our children.

And to wander off at a tangent, you could take that back to our ancestors at any time in human history. Be it Victorian, Edwardian, Tudor, Medievel or whenever, there's a lord or peasant or soldier or farmer or milkmaid or blacksmith or archer or ANYONE whose actions are directly responsible for you being here right now. Hundreds of years in the future, when our descdendents are asking the same question, they'll be thinking about us.

In my first post on this site, I mentioned how much more I was able to appreciate the beauty of the world since I really started looking at it - but I don't think I truly realised that the experience just gets richer and richer. We are so lucky.

41. Fury at funeral songs ban

Comment #211513 by Jamie V on July 16, 2008 at 5:16 am

I loathe the false comfort of religious funerals, with the priest mouthing empty promises about the deceased's soul being received by God. It is a great temptation to stand up and shout 'Evidence, please!' Humanist funerals are much more moving and uplifting, because they are rooted in reality. We know we will never see the dead person again, so we are free to weep, if we wish, and/or rejoice in having had the privilege of knowing him or her in life. There is no pretence that the person somehow continues to exist somewhere else. And usually the music is better, too. No ghastly, dirge-like hymns, with the congregation battling it out with the organist to see who finishes first (or last).

I went to my grandmother's funeral earlier this year, and all the religious stuff passed me by completely. I chatted with the vicar in the pub afterwards, and I got very close to starting a debate with him, but he was a nice guy and it wasn't the time or place for it.

He told me that a few years ago (and before he went into the church), his mother dropped down dead on the morning of his father's funeral. I wanted to ask him why he felt a loving god would allow something like that to happen, but I didn't.

None of the religious aspects of my grandmother's funeral provided me with the slightest comfort. I also didn't receive any indication of why a loving god would allow her to become blind, deaf and virtually immobile in her later years, but leave her mentally capable and therefore trapped in her body. She was 100 when she passed away. Her wish had been to be found in her garden, face down in her flowerbed. The lord of mercy decreed she died in hospital after spending two weeks in a coma.

She was the nicest person you could hope to meet. She was loved by friends, family and neighbours. She would have died peacefully at home a few years previously if there was any justice. This is yet another reason why I know there is no god.

"His love passeth all understanding"? Yeah - some love...

42. MnIndy interview: Unrepentant science-heathen PZ Myers still intends to prove 'this cracker is nothing'

Comment #211497 by Jamie V on July 16, 2008 at 4:51 am

There are many Catholics who do practise their own religion and keep it to themselves. I have a Catholic friend who came to my (same-sex) wedding.

A friend of mine got married to a Catholic Polish girl a few years ago. Not only was the wedding service interminably long, but a lot of it had to be repeated in Polish for the benefit of the bride's family. I love weddings, but the Catholics do tend to drag the ceremonies out.

43. Dalai Lama defends Islam as peaceful religion

Comment #210426 by Jamie V on July 14, 2008 at 2:08 pm

The Dalai Lama said Sunday that "it's totally wrong, unfair" to call Islam a violent religion.

Just as it's totally wrong and unfair to call China oppressive.

That's the trouble with religious leaders - they forget that they're no longer the ultimate authority or last word on anything.

44. Lourdes fears priestly scandal will make profits dry up

Comment #210179 by Jamie V on July 14, 2008 at 3:59 am

Part of me is saddened by the fact that so many people get taken in by this scam.

An altogether less noble part of me also wonders how I can get in on the action. People seem desperate to throw their money away, and I'd like to catch it!

However, being an honest sort, I wouldn't do it. I do wonder why not though, as I'm an atheist and therefore don't have any morals.

WHY DO PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN THIS NONSENSE?!?!?

45. PLEASE WRITE IN SUPPORT OF PZ MYERS

Comment #208667 by Jamie V on July 11, 2008 at 6:14 am

I'll be writing an e-mail in support of PZ Myers.

If the worst comes to the worst, has anyone mentioned an upcoming vacancy at Oxford University that the good Professor might be interested in applying for?


Dear President Bruininks,

I am a scientifically illiterate music industry employee from London in the United Kingdom. Via his blog, PZ Myers has done more to interest me in science than was ever achieved during my time at school. I urge you to ignore the publicity-seeking tactics of the Catholic League and retain the services of Professor Myers - he brings great credit to your university.

Yours sincerely,

46. Thousands Flock to Revival in Search of Miracles

Comment #208437 by Jamie V on July 11, 2008 at 12:20 am

Not a single claim of Bentley's healing powers could be independently verified.

Bingo!

Bentley seems to have had a horrible life growing up, yet he managed to break the cycle on his own. Trouble is, he'll never see it that way.

If people would realise that the power to change their lives for the better came from within themselves and not from an imaginary higher power, it would do no end of good for their self-esteem. It saddens me that religious beliefs not only stop people taking responsibility for their own thoughts and prejudices, but it also robs them of any genuine feeling of self-achievement.

47. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207835 by Jamie V on July 10, 2008 at 8:01 am

The long posts are fascinating, but, and this is just my opinion (learned from experience), if targetted directly at the troll, they can actually be counterproductive. It can flatter the troll with attention, and seem like a sort of "taking the bait".

That's why my original post went up only after long hesitation on my part.

It's like Richard responding to Liberty University students when he was at Randolph-Macon Women's College - he made them look ridiculous and the rest of us learnt something. To use a dubious analogy, I'm speaking on behalf of the people in the audience who applauded, but didn't ask a question.

48. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207783 by Jamie V on July 10, 2008 at 7:09 am

Just don't try to take on all the stuff that Calilasseia or MPhil post at once ;-)

Thanks Eepist (and indeed everyone) - I'll pick up the basic chords where I can and leave the solos to the experts.

49. [UPDATED] Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya

Comment #207741 by Jamie V on July 10, 2008 at 6:33 am

Good afternoon, everyone.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Very quick summary - used to be agnostic (with emphasis towards atheism), then I read TGD and everything fell into place. I'm happy to declare myself an atheist, and I've found my life to be a lot more fulfilling. One of the main reasons (silly as it may seem) is that if something goes wrong in my life, I'm now 100% convinced it's not because I'm being punished for anything by some sort of divine being. It's also allowed me to view the beauty of the world and universe with a renewed sense of wonder.

I'm a complete ignoramus when it comes to science. I've always been bad at it and don't have a single school qualification in physics, chemistry or biology. Having read The Ancestor's Tale (the first Dawkins book I read), I was absolutely fascinated by it, although still completely unable to retain any meaningful information - I have some sort of mental block when it comes to science, and even being interested in it doesn't seem to have helped. Oh well.

ANYWAY, the main point of this post is an observation / request. In responses to trolls, there have been long posts detailing the scientific facts and evidence to refute their claims. Some posters feel this is a pointless exercise as said trolls never bother to read the long responses properly and carry on with their creationist rants, and to a large extent, I agree with them. However, for someone like me, the scientifically detailed posts are both fascinating and educational, and I would very much hope that they continue. They are of far more practical use to those with a more scientific mind than I have, but they are also greatly appreciated by lurkers such as myself (sorry all - I appear to be providing Evidence from Personal Experience here, if you'll forgive me).

I don't expect to post too much as others here are far more practised at arguing against theists than I am, and I have practically nothing to contribute on any science topics. I do greatly enjoy reading all the threads, and indeed learning from them - and considering Richard Dawkins is Professor of Public Understanding of Science, I think that's quite appropriate!