Comments by ZT

Comment #234392 by ZT on August 21, 2008 at 9:44 am

just want to say that Herbs should not be lumped into the same pot as wacky alternative methods.
Companies such as Nature's Aid and Quest carry out extensive double blind trials as do many other labs. These results are published and many supplements offer relief of some smyptoms. These products contain partiular chemical properties that are based on extracts of particular herbs. These are physical properties that exist and have been proven.

very very different from wacked out hippy shit!

just thought id say!

2. No credit for creationism

Comment #233149 by ZT on August 19, 2008 at 7:25 am

by the way...

Go UCLA!
fight on!!
conratulations and good luck!!

3. No credit for creationism

Comment #233148 by ZT on August 19, 2008 at 7:23 am

Here is a long snippet from a clever chap for further info on this matter:-

Below is a review of the case drawn from the Court's Decision. All quotations are from NO. CV 05-06242 SJO (MANx) "ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS' "MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON PLAINTIFFS' AS-APPLIED CLAIMS" [Docket No. 172]. I take each rejected course in the order found there.

English, Course title: "Christianity and Morality in American Literature" This class was rejected by the University for several reasons- none of which were because it has a Christian bias. The objections included that the textbook, published by A Beka titled "Classics for Christians," did not cover important writer's key works, insisted on exclusive interpretations dictated by the textbook, and failed to teach critical reading skills. Further, the text is merely an "anthology of excerpts," which UC does not approve, no matter the content of the excerpts. From the UC Guidelines, "College-preparatory courses are expected to require students to read full-length works."

History, Course title: "Christianity's Influence on America" Text: Bob Jones University ("BJU") titled "United States History for Christian Schools."

Professor James Given initially rejected this course because it failed to "teach critical thinking and modern historical analytic methods." He wrote that the textbook, titled "United States History for Christian Schools" published by Bob Jones University ("BJU"), "… instructs that the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events, attributes historical events to divine providence rather than analyzing human action, evaluates historical figures and their contributions based on their religious motivations or lack thereof and contains inadequate treatment of several major ethnic groups, women, and non-Christian religious groups." University expert witness Professor Gary Nash found that "the text failed to encourage "historical thinking skills and analytical thinking" and failed to cover "major topics, themes, and components of United States history."

Calvary replied that an secondary textbook, "Pilgrims in Their Own Land: 500 Years of Religion in America," was secular and taught all the materials sought by the University. However, they provided no evidence beyond mere assertion. The History expert employed for the trial by Calvary and the ACSI, Professor Paul Vitz, did " … not refute Professor Given's and Professor Nash's conclusions that the text fails to teach historical analytic methods. Professor Vitz also does not opine that Defendants unreasonably rejected the course."

Government, Course title: "Special Providence: Christianity and the American Republic" Textbook: "American Government for Christian Schools" BJU

University Government expert, Professor Mark Petracca concluded that the BJU Government text used "… as the principal text in a United States
Government course will not provide adequate preparation for study at UC." Professor Petracca wrote that this textbook made, "… many factual and empirical assertions that are not generally accepted among political scientists [or] historians and that are nevertheless not substantiated within the text by evidence." Notice that he is not claiming that a book cannot make these assertions, but when they are contradicted by general scholarship they must be supported by evidence.

World Religions (offered for History and elective credit): The proposed textbook, "World Religions" by Dan Halverson is not found on any major catalogs nor is the author known to have any scholarly publications in religion. Calvary failed to respond to the University's request for correct publication information. Also, Calvary failed to respond to specific deficiencies in their course description. Nor did Calvary respond to the question of how the course treats the study of religion from the standpoint of scholarly inquiry. Professor Sharf, Director of Religious Studies at the University of California, Berkeley found that these problems were reasonable grounds to reject the course. The religion expert retained by Calvary and ACSI, Professor Daniel Guevara, offered no opinion specific to this course, or to the objections raised by the University.

Biology,

The course challenged was not offered by Calvary Chapel Christian School, but rather was taught by Calvary Baptist School. The textbook used was titled Biology: God's LivingCreation (A Beka).

In the initial review, UC Biology Professor Barbara Sawrey found that this textbook, "characterized religious doctrine as scientific evidence, included scientific inaccuracies, failed to encourage critical thinking, and took an "overall un-scientific approach to the subject matter." She wrote that, "judgment was based not on the fact that the textbooks contained religious references and viewpoints, but on [her] conclusion that [the texts] would not adequately teach
students the scientific principles, methods, and knowledge necessary for them to successfully study those subjects at UC." In fact, a number of private Christian schools have also rejected the A Beka book, and an alternate published by BJU because they fail to adequately prepare students to study biology beyond the high school level, and particularly failed to present evolutionary biology in a competent manner.

These concerns are also addressed in the University of California Position Statement on Science Courses: "The texts in question are primarily religious texts; science is secondary. . . . Courses that utilize these texts teach students that their conclusions must conform to the Bible, and that scientific material and methods are secondary. Students who [are] taught to discount the scientific process and the scientific conclusions validated by a wealth of scientific research are not being provided with an understanding of scientific principles expected by the UC faculty."

Expert witness Professor Donald Kennedy wrote for the University that, "[b]y teaching students to reject scientific evidence and methodology whenever they might be inconsistent with the Bible . . . both texts fail to encourage critical thinking and the skills required for careful scientific analysis." Similarly, University Professor Francisco Ayala found that the texts "reject the methodology generally accepted in science, which relies on observation and experimentation and on the formulation of laws and theories that need to be tested rather than accepted on the basis of the Bible or any other authority."

The plaintiffs, Calvary and ACSI, hired Professor Michael Behe to serve as their Biology expert. Professor Behe is best know for his promotion of creationism in the form of "intelligent design." He submitted to the Court that the BJU textbook he reviewed did "mention" the standard scientific topics for a biology course. However, it was notable that he did not address "how much detail or depth" the texts gave to this standard content."

The court wrote, "Therefore, Professor Behe fails to refute one of Professor Kennedy's primary concerns that the nature of science, the theory of evolution, and critical thinking are not taught adequately.

Accordingly, there is no genuine issue of material fact as to this issue. Defendants had a rational basis for rejecting Calvary Baptist's proposed Biology course."

This latter phrase is found throughout the Court's Decision, "Accordingly, there is no genuine issue of material fact as to this issue. Defendants had a rational basis for rejecting Calvary's proposed _____ course."

It is obviously appropriate and true.

quote from Dr gary Hurd 18/08/2008 in response to some bullshit from WDEF News 12 and CNN called
'No School Credit for Creationism'

link as follows

http://www.wdef.com/news/no_school_credit_for_creationism/08/2008

4. No credit for creationism

Comment #233134 by ZT on August 19, 2008 at 7:06 am

Calvary Chapel Christian School

Mission Statement

It is our mission, as a Christ-centered school, to challenge our students academically, spiritually, socially, and physically to become servant-leaders who serve God, honor their families, and embrace Christ's call to transform the world.

scary shit!

seems to be their aim to turn the world back into some form of medEVIl ignorant cesspit.

'servant leaders' appears to be equivalent to dumb sheep that flock together to lead their contemporaries nowhere!

Go JHJEFFERY go!
Looks like the world will need good people like you to counter and cure this self-perpetuating mental illness.

5. Religion out of medicine, a new message for Ontario doctors

Comment #232481 by ZT on August 18, 2008 at 7:39 am

The Doc is in a position of trust to provide everything that is in the patient's best interests.
This is based entirely on their health not their desires or beliefs.
An individual who commands specific treatment should pay privately and a Doc who refuses treatment or advice because of personal bias shouldn't be a doctor.

Simple.

Take the following scenario-
Doc refuses morning after pill and referal becuase he views patient as a whore who deserves to burn in hell for having sex out of marriage and attempting to murder her unborn child.

Completely mental right!
anything that prevents this is good news for humanity.

say it was the following-
Doc refuses morning after pill and referal becuase patient is a young african carrabian women.
still mental but she could promptly sue the pants off the clinic and the doc for breach of professional responsibility, rasict abuse and ill treatment or something and get masses of compensation. Doc would get struck off and the surgery would get an unsavory reputation.

religion should have no pride of place in healthcare( or anywhere in the real world for that matter) just like racism or any other intollerant worldview.

6. Novel on prophet's wife pulled for fear of backlash

Comment #227504 by ZT on August 10, 2008 at 4:23 am

The only way is to stand up and say Fuck Off!
This is our country and our way of life so we should express our freedoms that have been fought and died for by generations past.
Think of the thousands of young men and women who have sacrificed everything so we could be free.

And now we become so timid we wont even let a wee book be aired in case some crazies start to flap their towels about.

One point here is that the outcry after the Danish cartoons was orchestrated by a an international ring; I'm sure the professor discussed this in the God Delusion. If not Sam Harris or one of the others did.

Anyway, stand up and we need to start bellyaching and moaning and pissing off people who want our votes.
We need to realise that a rational debate will never happen with these people. They have no Rationale to argue with and instead screech indignanties whenever the opportunity arrises.

We have let it come to this and by inaction we have silently leant support to our politicians own bullshit about offending religious beliefs and forgoing our own rights in the process.

stand up, be loud and dont stop till our politicians listen in fear of loosing their seats.

7. Richard Dawkins, the naive professor

Comment #227084 by ZT on August 9, 2008 at 9:50 am

I thought the purpose of the series was to explian Darwin, evolution and athesim?
At least that has been how all the adverts for it have explained.

It appears to me that Darwin gave humankind the only theory that has actually explained where we have come from and been backed up with actual evidence from millions of years of evolution.

You can take your pick from however many hundreds or thousands of Gods from any religion since Early Man was able to theorise and develop superstitions.

There has been to my knowledge, (which I will admit is limited as I am only human after all) ZERO answers provided by religion or a god with ZERO evidence to back up ANY claim.

I really dont see why religious faith has lasted so long and endured so many wrong turns.

You can weigh it up, one correct demonstrable answer or a thousand* that are bullshit!

*is an estimate on my part having no idea how may dieties have been worshiped over time.

Libby - "maybe the Creator works in more mysterious ways than the Genesis myth"

However way the bible calculates time I thought the largest amount of time since creation was
10 000 years tops.
As evolution has taken place over millions of years as fossil records illustrate; I would have thought there would be a direct link to the God or evolution claim.

Or did I miss some logical step of Libby's mental gymnastics?
Maybe her god altered time as well to allow the Aeons to pass for evolution to occur naturally without god shaping it.
That could explain it all. Except for the sheer lunacy of it ALL!

before I choke on this horseshit...
"Genesis Myth"...
Guess who's gonna be Damned!
She is toying with the Direct Translation from God, how dare she the blasphemer!

I'm going to go away and drown my self so I dont have to cry over this insanity!

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

Comment #209379 by ZT on July 12, 2008 at 4:36 am

As they have money to burn making this propaganda I sincerely hope they get the pants sued off them for copyright theft from Graham Owen.
I have looked at his flies and they are quite fantastic but his site does say
'All content (including source) on this site are protected by copyright.
Unauthorized use is prohibited.'
Hopefully read soon of a painful and expensive settlement
Maybe our professer and his fellow scientists will receive yet another edited copy with maybe a different coloured cover containing at least some real species!

9. Evolution: What is 'Natural'?

Comment #178417 by ZT on May 11, 2008 at 11:32 am

sadly the numbers of intelligent and aware people on this planet are few and far between.
we are screwed because our western materialistic society has lost all long term goals, instead focusing on short term material gain.
'the brain' may be able to see a long term view, but who's eaxtly going to act on it when we have such a herd mentality?

in a darwinian selection process it will be those who survive the starvation and disease as our planet goes down the pan from global warming, overcrowding and lack of resources. this is presuming a nuclear holocaust doesnt exterminate everything!

life will find a way through it all, it just might not be humankind!

10. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #177000 by ZT on May 8, 2008 at 12:49 pm

If the media will edit your letter or aticle to remove half the ammunition and your movie isn't aired in case it inflames minority opinions, your in danger of being arrested for inciting religious hatred if you physically speak out and the politicians are mute; how do we complain?

I think that the rationalists should set up a free thinking satelite channel. I mean if people out there bother to watch the god channel which is REALLY bad there could be hope if several billion people can access it if they choose.
You could air debates, screen movies and actually put some rational points accross without fear of censorship.

Prob daft and too expensive but I dont know how additional critisicm is possible when all the players are scared and self censor to avoid hassle.

Of course a secular political party would be good to acutally shout about it, but that's just wishful thinking right now. Just support the green party eh?

11. URGENT APPEAL: Please Help Protect Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #89021 by ZT on November 19, 2007 at 2:04 pm

It all very well to discuss hows and whys of procurement of funding but it detracts from the very real hell that this woman has lived through.

And not just lived through but emerged as a hero, with a voice of reason and experience and more balls than a lot of politicians and individuals in our world. She is the very role model we need for muslims to see through the lies and hate and throw off the religious dogma that holds them back from living.

To be fair the governments should pay to secure her safety as they entered the agreement to entice her into the political arena, they should not then attatch conditions once the deal has been struck...

The real threats started after her associate was stabbed to death in the middle of the street. A vile letter promising Ali's death was pinned to his chest by the murderer's knife. Can a threat be much more in your face?

I believe we should do what little we can to defend those who can make the differences and say what need to be said on the global stage.

I know where my money is going I only wish there more more strong people like her out there!

12. When Congress Interferes With Science, Who You Gonna Call? (Hint: It's not Ghostbusters)

Comment #86955 by ZT on November 10, 2007 at 2:12 pm

Bizarro comment 44

If you look at the statistics in America where abstinence is preached, STDs such as chlamydia are acutally increasing as more american students participate in anal intercourse. Strange in a way if the reasons are basen on religious belief as this in itself is illegal in so many sated still.
Look at the sources for Sam Harris's book writted for people like you to understand how wrong you are.

Is it possible as well that having faith in an illusionary god will somehow protect you from nasty diseases?

As for condoms not being effective...
"However, condoms are not effective in a good percentage of cases."

What are you on about man?

The actual percentage of effectivity is close to 99.9%
You may say that abstinence is 100% effective, and you are right.
But we are alive and making love is a very large part of being alive and being able to love and reproduce. To take that away is to deny what you really are.

If you look around the word where condoms could and should be issued; I mean primarily Africa.
Religous nations such as America are refusing aid and vital medical supplies and information about Sexual Health on the basis of thier own religios beliefs. This will condem innumerable young people to an early grave through ignorance.

The only illusion is on your part in believing that abstinence is the cure.
The truth is that only knowledge and choice will ultimately solve these probelms.

13. Better God-fearing than sneering

Comment #38692 by ZT on May 9, 2007 at 1:14 am

"so they no longer believe that a man should stone his wife to death if she is not a virgin."

Picking and choosing which aspect of 'God's' Infallible word is not eactly having faith in it is it?

"Grayling tries the same trick by arguing parity between all beliefs in the supernatural, reducing God to the status of unicorns and fairies"

Exactly, didn't the Original King James Bible translation have dragons, uniciorns, cockatrices and other myhological entities getting mentions?
And wasn't the Quoran detailing how the sun was witnessed by a man setting into a puddle?

Its all nonsense anyway!

Superstitios Primitive Twaddle!

14. The questions science cannot answer

Comment #21613 by ZT on February 10, 2007 at 5:59 am

Some very Basic points, most covered already by folks;

The onus on proof is to prove a positive i.e. God does exist. It is not feasibly to prove something isn't there as it is already noticeable by its lack of substance.

The God spouting references of scientists has been covered by Professor Dawkins and David Mills and a number of people. Did McGrath read any of these books? Did he not understand that these references do not necesarily indicators of belief? Usually these are puns, or metaphors to indicate the depth of the knowledge being relaesed by scientific research.
Another case of counting the 'Hits' and ignoring the 'Misses'.

Also Didn't C.S. Lewis renouce his religion alter in his life? I am not positive on this but it sticks in my mind as he was pretty involved, especially with the whole Narnia / Aslan Heaven / Jesus thing going on. Maybe not the best reference to use, a believer losing their faith.

Anyone read McGrath's book 'Dawkin's God', he can't even get a handle on concepts laid down by Professor Dawkins never mind pick them apart to illustrate they may indicate existence of his God of the gaps!

The positive thing about McGrath is that we can see how belief can make you become so irrational and hopefully enough sane people will put their name onto the petition so we can prevent childish myths like these being taught as fact.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/faithschools/

15. Collateral Damage 1: Embryos and Stem Cell Research.

Comment #1082 by ZT on October 9, 2006 at 11:00 am

Basicly Pro-life right wing religious fanatics will damn to hell the prospects of using blastocysts to advance our civilisation through amazing leaps and bounds in medicine. This is all due to God somehow giving a blob of a hundred and fifty cells an 'imortal soul'. Even though it has no brain to comprehend and no nervous system to feel pain it has the 'potential' to be human.
I'm sorry but what's so great about that?
What other species has managed to screw an entire planet in less than a few hundred years.
If I was a blastocyst that had this amazing ability to comprehend my God given right to be human I might think that SCR was a blessing to escape it all before I was born into the hell that is humankind.
What other species committs attrocities on par with Humans, either to humans or to other animals?
Yeah maybe Chimps do not have a concious morality, but do fundamentlist Christains or Muslims?
Folowing some outdated philosophy from when the Earth was at the centre of the Universe, was probably still flat and to top it all whipped up in six days is not going to help us evolve, adapt and advance (individually or as a race as a whole).
We need to embrace rational debate and clear thinking, there is no chance to further ourselves whilst wacko religious ideas have even the remotest credibility. Bush an other fanatics will only try and drive their systems of belief deeper into society, we can see it happening in schools, universities and courts. Hypocrisy in deeming who's life is more sacred;a blob that may one day possibly be human or an actual real living breathing person just adds weight to how having belief can tip a person over the edge of reason. There are more cells in a fly's brain than in an entire blasocyst, anybody show some kind of remorse when its swatted? I probably kill more human cells when I blow my nose than in a single SCR experiment, will I go to hell for that I wonder?
I didn't mean to go on a rant, but religious systems of belief pose the greatest threat to civilised society. We will only regress back to the cusades if religion is not ejected from the state bodies of law and politics.
It is so arrogant to assume that we have a right to fuck it all up for everything else on the entire planet because some old fusty book said that one particular God character created us in his image and that everything we see is ours for the taking.
It all seems so insane that in the 21st Century people can imagine that all this God hype is real!