Comments by chewedbarber

1. Science can't explain the big bang - there is still scope for a creator

Comment #314946 by chewedbarber on January 7, 2009 at 7:03 pm

I've recently engaged in an ongoing discussion with someone who has already claimed that scientific theories are inherently flawed, and that the problem with scientist like Dawkins is that they want to draw finite conclusions from what is probably an infinite source.

This article must be a great boon to this type of thinking.

2. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #313510 by chewedbarber on January 6, 2009 at 8:11 am

JG, get over your religious experience, we all did.

We are not all atheist because we haven't had a religious experience, but we are all atheist because we use reason.

-whew, almost went testimonial.....breathe, nobody's life is being saved, JG is just one of a few billion deluded christians...ok, back to normal.

3. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #313503 by chewedbarber on January 6, 2009 at 7:55 am

Quine, doesn't the last post by jg push her closer to the troll column?

I don't care what you say, somebody out there disagrees with you and that is enough for me.

At least--I think anyway--that people usually resort to this kind of gibberish after realizing that they can't refute any of the arguments against their position. It's a step in the right direction, maybe?

4. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions - 28th Dec 2008

Comment #313480 by chewedbarber on January 6, 2009 at 7:16 am

Never eat a taco bigger than your own head.

How about a 'big as yo face' burrito?

What if you have a really small head, but your mouth is say 80% of it?

Chewedbarber taught isthatclear's gifted students that there are no absolutes.

5. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions - 28th Dec 2008

Comment #313038 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 8:04 pm

How would you protect the poor and brown from bearing the brunt of this policy in much the same way that they are disproportionately sent to prison or receive a death sentence?

I wondered if anybody would notice that reality. I think it is an excellent question.

On another note, why should anyone accept the hitherto unsubstantiated assertion that mandatory contraception will result in decreased incidence of child abuse?

Assume I'm only willing to concede that fewer children means fewer cases of child abuse. Convince me that mandatory contraception means something different.

note: I'm not arguing against mandatory contraception as a necessary tool for other reasons.

6. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions - 28th Dec 2008

Comment #312940 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 5:42 pm

Might I not be granted a moments privacy master?

7. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions - 28th Dec 2008

Comment #312937 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 5:40 pm

My selfish genes are in a fucking rage.

8. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312738 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 1:22 pm

What do you think about me? (cymbal crash)

Soul catcher -

edit: Oh! I almost forgot the paisley background.

9. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312619 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 8:16 am

I am not trying to be nor will I ever be holier than you.

Ruach HaKodesh dwells within you, you are holier than me by default!

Or is this more of the same Christian confusion?

Set apart from the herd, yet the same -- washed clean unlike the unrepentant sinner, but a sinner all the same -- made worthy of heaven, but unworthy by your own flesh -- newly alive in Jesus, but only truly alive after death --

someone said drugs?

edit:

Or this semantic arse-gravy

Christ Allan, your imagery!

10. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312605 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 8:03 am

I think I should warn everyone here, that the more you disagree with the Holy Spirit, the Holier the person within whom it dwells becomes!

This is one of the seven magics of Christianity -- you have been warned!

11. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312598 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 7:55 am

They have found human footprints alongside of dinosaur footprints, thus proving that at least in Texas, cowboys rode the big Rex.

12. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312595 by chewedbarber on January 5, 2009 at 7:45 am

JG, you never said whether or not your dad is actually a doctor, and if so, whether he was the one who put the finger back together and witnessed the miraculous healing.

13. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #312311 by chewedbarber on January 4, 2009 at 8:18 pm

What gets me going is a severed finger being reunited with its palm--via magic. Barring that, a drop of LSD and a trip through a Southern Baptist Haunted Hell House.

Sorry, I thought a silly response was necessary.

It was either this or a comment about how alike the simpletons from old Star Trek episodes--you know the ones where some poor civilization is held captive by an ancient machine nobody remembers having built, and therefore it must be God--how alike those people are to some fundies.

And now that I've mentioned LSD, Star Trek, hell, and haunted houses all in one post -- and kept it completely irrelevant, I bid you adieu.

14. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #311812 by chewedbarber on January 4, 2009 at 8:06 am

jgirolamo,

This is unimportant but I am curious, is your dad really a doctor?

If so, is he the doctor that put the finger back together, and the same doctor that was surprised that it had healed in one day and without a scar?

15. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310736 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 9:23 pm

God asked Abraham to kill his son.

That isn't just difficult to understand, it's fucked.

Then God killed himself. For thousands of years since his minions having been making people feel guilty about it, and even killing people who don't.

But hey, maybe some asshole did know the earth was round all those years ago -- the earth is fucking round, you know -- and maybe that is enough to make everything alright, but I'm betting that you know better.

16. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310606 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Ok jgirolamo, I'll do a little of the work for you then.

SOME THINGS THAT REQUIRE FAITH:

God exist.

Jesus is God.

God/Jesus has all the attributes commonly attributed to God by my church.

God/Jesus punishes sin.

God/Jesus requires a blood sacrifice to atone for sin.

All sin has been atoned by the very blood of God.

God’s blood was shed from Jesus body.

This atonement is available to the world because Jesus/God died on a cross.

God/Jesus did not stay dead but came back to life after three days.

After coming back to life Jesus/God went back to heaven.

Once in heaven Jesus/God sent himself back to people, this time in the form of an invisible spirit that lives inside certain people.

-----------------------------------------------

Now imagine your list of things that don’t require faith. Now further imagine your statements of belief, or the assertions of your church. From which of these two lists do your assertions draw most heavily?

Obviously the only assertions that can be said to make Christianity even remotely unique and ‘spiritual’ are taken from the reservoir of faith.

Anything taken from the reservoir of reason and evidence can only be used to construct something like a code of ethics or a history of an offshoot of Judaism etc. and there simply is no comparing the two.

It is too obvious that reason and evidence have played no part in the development of the supernatural claims of Christianity (Well duh, right?) – and who cares about a natural Christianity?

Although I will say that having quickly written up a few of the things on the faith list I realized just how much better Christianity is if you take all that shit out.

17. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310443 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 12:54 pm

I have several times admitted to much of it being faith because I was not there, You were not there when the world was created therefore you have a degree of faith based on the evidence you accept.

Christianity is a faith proposition. You seem to be trying to lend it some credibility by being vague on exactly where you see the need for faith versus reason.

As though by not spelling it out you might successfully blur the line between the rather reasonable assumption that a 1st century Jewish sage existed, and the unbelievable assertion that he could raise the dead.

It might help you if you were to actually spell out all the elements of your position that require faith.

Make a list, and then tell us exactly what is left of Christianity that makes it something worth getting excited about.

edit: More to the point I was making earlier, what is left that justifies any pretense of reason in your belief statements?

edit again: because apparently I have difficulty speaking. :p

18. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310434 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 12:35 pm

Quetzalcoatl, jgirolamo hasn't read the bible.

Or, for some weird reason thinks that a book that describes an actual river and the resurrection of the dead can be trusted about the later because, "hey, the river was real." wth is that anyway?

"scriptures are reliable historical documentation"

19. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310404 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 11:54 am

Jgirolamo said,

instead some of you act as though I have insulted you.

When you state that a belief is valid, and that you have arrived at this conclusion by means of reason and its methods, then you can’t be surprised to learn that people who have taken the time to effectively argue against your belief using reason, might be angry that you mislead them into thinking that such a thing was even possible in the first place.

People will be less insulted if you admit your position is one of faith.

Of course they might not try to reason with you either. But what is worse, admitting you have accepted something on faith alone and getting almost no feedback, or giving the impression that reason has an impact on your thinking and making others upset when they find out that it doesn't?

20. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #310379 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 11:04 am

When I read jgirolamo’s response to Sarmatae1 I was struck by its juvenile nature.

Fuck your mature reason and understanding, you’re just wrong. Ok, you’re wrong. Why do you even want to do this to me anyway?

Something about pearls and swine.

21. Atheists Sue to Get Prayer, God Out of Obama's Swearing-In

Comment #310359 by chewedbarber on January 1, 2009 at 10:22 am

How many more religious people will be aware of this controversy, than will be able to repeat anything from the inaugural address?

Someone find a poll.

22. For Good Self-Control, Try Getting Religious About It

Comment #309739 by chewedbarber on December 31, 2008 at 1:56 pm

Researchers around the world have repeatedly found that devoutly religious people tend to do better in school, live longer, have more satisfying marriages and be generally happier.

What a fucking extraordinary claim!

I'm going to go get drunk now.

Happy New Year!

23. Religious Test

Comment #309679 by chewedbarber on December 31, 2008 at 11:59 am

Did Huckabee really say that our constitution should be brought into line with Gods word, instead of Gods word being brought into line with any contemporary idea of how people should treat each other?

Holy Shit-Is he proposing that we stone our children?

I think we have set ourselves too great a task, religion can never be overcome.

24. God: Philosophers Weigh In

Comment #309467 by chewedbarber on December 31, 2008 at 7:36 am

Yeah right, stealing is worse than writing laws that would justify the christian rights belief that an entire group of people are second class citizens.

25. Dawkins warns of human extinction

Comment #309140 by chewedbarber on December 30, 2008 at 7:49 pm

Relax skb, God doesn't say anything in the bible.

26. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #309133 by chewedbarber on December 30, 2008 at 7:39 pm

Ok, time to demand those nasty specifics.

Who leaves out what facts exactly?

27. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #309106 by chewedbarber on December 30, 2008 at 6:53 pm

Brain, what other kind of values are there?

Before God revealed himself to Abraham and later through Jesus, mankind had no values.

Don't you get it?

28. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #309103 by chewedbarber on December 30, 2008 at 6:47 pm

Oh joy, Christians and history!

Did you guys know that without Christianity we wouldn't have modern medicine?

In the time of Jesus if you were sick they just let you die in the road. Did you guys know that, huh, did ya?

Christianity is responsible for hospitals.

Christianity is also responsible for our universities.

My favorite, Christianity is even responsible for the creation of modern science!

Yep - yep - yep - the Church is responsible for all these things.

That is what a close relative recently emailed me anyway.

29. Would you Adam and Eve it? Quarter of science teachers would teach creationism (Response by Dawkins and Jones)

Comment #308198 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 3:27 pm

What about the nymphos for Christ, it might be a mistake to overlook this variable.

30. Would you Adam and Eve it? Quarter of science teachers would teach creationism (Response by Dawkins and Jones)

Comment #308133 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Steve, sorry I stepped in the way. I couldn't resist.

(I'm glad you decided not to leave this forum. I learned very early here to value your input.)

31. Would you Adam and Eve it? Quarter of science teachers would teach creationism (Response by Dawkins and Jones)

Comment #308122 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 1:43 pm

Steve - this is interesting. I am wicked, bigoted and enough to make any decent person angry because I happen to think that it is perfectly reasonable to let children know different points of view and to discuss them from a scientific and rational perspective.

You're not wicked dude, you're stupid.

You really think that ID is at best an alternative to evolution, and at worst just another point of view.

That doesn't make you evil, or bigoted, it makes you at best misinformed, and at worst stupid.

Unfortunately, you're not misinformed. You can't be, because too many people have spent too much time informing you or else pointing you to the necessary resources to inform yourself. Therefore, you are stupid.

32. For scholars, a combustible question: Was Christ real?

Comment #308093 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 12:26 pm

Even so, the Jesus Project is proceeding from point zero, billing itself as "the first methodologically agnostic approach" to the question of Jesus's historical existence. It promises "the most rigorous methods, data, and open debate."

So, wait a freaking minute, all of Christianity has proceeded for all of over two thousand years, and this is the first fucking time anybody has bothered to rigorously investigate whether the supposed founder of the religion even existed?

Oh for fucks sake, the fact that we even have to ask sinks Christianity, how far is this investigation going to go!?

33. God: Philosophers Weigh In

Comment #308045 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 10:37 am

I thought the issue was resolved.

Either you can demonstrate a consequence of having been raised by homosexuals that is both negative and directly the result of homosexuality, or you can expect reasonable people to continue to ignore fear mongering, and to support the rights of all people.

edit: removed "regardless of their sexuality." from the end -- obvious, right? :)

34. God: Philosophers Weigh In

Comment #307990 by chewedbarber on December 29, 2008 at 8:28 am

I am unable to imagine a consequence of being raised by homosexuals that is both negative, and directly the result of homosexuality.

Someone please enlighten me.

35. Heaven for the Godless?

Comment #307873 by chewedbarber on December 28, 2008 at 6:25 pm

Well, thank goodness.

A survey, really, for this?

Being human is wonderful, but really, sometimes you do hope nobody is watching.

36. Hobbyists try genetic engineering at home

Comment #307746 by chewedbarber on December 28, 2008 at 2:14 pm

The Internet is our Library of Alexandria.

37. What do atheists do at Christmas?

Comment #306257 by chewedbarber on December 24, 2008 at 8:44 am

Happy Holidays

38. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #306208 by chewedbarber on December 24, 2008 at 7:55 am

jgirolamo,

Are you a bot?

39. What do atheists do at Christmas?

Comment #306151 by chewedbarber on December 24, 2008 at 6:56 am

Food, wine, friends, family -

40. What do atheists do at Christmas?

Comment #306149 by chewedbarber on December 24, 2008 at 6:54 am

None of you volunteer at a soup kitchen -- on christmas day? Typical atheist selfishness.

:P

41. Executing Saddam Hussein was an Act of Vandalism

Comment #305526 by chewedbarber on December 23, 2008 at 6:36 am

What satisfying justice!

A victim suffers first when their family is murdered, and then again when the perps life is spared, and now indefinitely because the perps life has been deemed valuable to society.

edit: removed the curse :)

42. Saudi court tells girl aged EIGHT she cannot divorce husband who is 50 years her senior

Comment #305061 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 3:10 pm

Clairebear, let her become a Christian.

43. Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God

Comment #305056 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Steve, couldn't that be because he is misrepresenting another persons position?

I thought most of what he said was unintelligible. It became clear why in one of his most recent post where he presented an argument by Aquinas.

44. Saudi court tells girl aged EIGHT she cannot divorce husband who is 50 years her senior

Comment #304911 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 12:56 pm

Their society and religion views women as objects.

Yes, and the problem is much bigger than is being reported.

So sick to watch a girl of normal means be married to a retarded man she has never met, and another girl to a schizophrenic she has never met.

But there are girls in our universities!

:)

45. Saudi court tells girl aged EIGHT she cannot divorce husband who is 50 years her senior

Comment #304839 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 11:28 am

I'm asking how a father can do that religion or not.

The father had agreed to marry off his daughter for an advance dowry of £5,000, as he was apparently facing financial problems, they said.

For money obviously.

46. Obama Chooses Divisive Inaugural Pastor

Comment #304827 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 10:41 am

"Let me just get this over very quickly. I love Muslims. And for the media's purpose, I happen to love gays and straights."

Yes, in the same way that God loved Noah's contemporaries.

I'm sick of his attempt to make legitimate complaints against him seem like the imaginings of a bored media--bullshit sir, we have legitimate concerns.

47. Obama Chooses Divisive Inaugural Pastor

Comment #304775 by chewedbarber on December 22, 2008 at 6:23 am

So, do his appointments of scientist justify his decision to invite Warren?

I don't understand your question epeeist, except as an attempt to say lay off because Obama made some other excellent choices. Is that what you mean?

48. Obama Chooses Divisive Inaugural Pastor

Comment #304698 by chewedbarber on December 21, 2008 at 7:58 pm

http://www.rickwarren.com/

The Church will last for eternity, and because it is God’s instrument for ministry here on Earth, it is truly the greatest force on the face of the Earth. That’s why I believe tackling the world’s biggest problems – the giants of spiritual lostness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and ignorance – can only be done through the Church.

That's why I believe tackling the world's biggest problems -- the giants of spiritual lostness,

That deserved repeating.

Oh, and the Obama team should request that Chinet be used for the dinnerware.

49. Obama Chooses Divisive Inaugural Pastor

Comment #304531 by chewedbarber on December 21, 2008 at 7:54 am

RainDear, twice now you have minimized the impact of Obamas decision.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081221/ap_on_re_us/warren_speech

The inauguration might be entertainment to you, but it will prove to be much more than that for Warren and his flock.

50. Obama Chooses Divisive Inaugural Pastor

Comment #303931 by chewedbarber on December 19, 2008 at 7:05 pm

Could be politcal pandering to the conservative right wing in hopes of gaining there support for a future election.

Yeah, yeah, if it had been another pastor whose church held a pseudo debate during the election they would be opening and not Warren.

ratings people --

Oh, and you build bridges to places you want to go, no thinking American wants a bridge to Warrens world.

More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 | Next