1. Dawkins preaches to the deluded against the divine

Comment #470173 by Vaal on March 17, 2010 at 10:50 pm

Oh Melanie, what an embarrassing venal rant, chocked with ad-hominem's, straw men, and tasteless codswallop. The whole article stinks of mean-spirited propaganda. Indeed, you are left with the impression of paper drenched with spittle from the venom of the writer.

I am afraid, my dear Melanie, that religion is rapidly losing its veneer of automatic respect, is being questioned, found wanting, and, if your risible missive is any measure, has got religious apologists in complete rout.

I am afraid us "credulous" atheists are not going to be silenced, and are growing in number. Demonizing a large and growing proportion of people who have the audacity to ask serious questions of superstitious quackery; you will find that your supercilious conceited tirade will prove, as demonstrated here, counterproductive.

You really have lost the plot.

2. The Great Catholic Cover-Up

Comment #469752 by Vaal on March 16, 2010 at 12:29 am

Good grief. Are there no depths that the criminal Catholic hierarchy will not stoop to? The entire edifice is rotten to the core.

This despicable charlatan is more concerned about the reporting of these repugnant sexual assaults to the authorities, to the point, astonishingly, of threatening to excommunicate any priest who does have the mettle and moral backbone to try to bring to light these detestable offenses. Do they have no shame at all? Hitchen's is entirely right when he describes Ratzinger as evil, if the man is in any way complicit in these abominations.

So much for all the fulminating of mindless Catholic bigots defending the indefensible, crying victim to secularism. That backfired big time, and they are now firmly on the back-foot, for all to see.

I am amazed at the corruption endemic to the Catholic Church, but perhaps the best thing that Ratzinger can bring to his time on this mortal coil is the demise of this detestable arrogant, corrupt organisation.

How about an apology and compensation to all the victims of your institutionalized abuses Mr Ratzinger? No, too much egg on the face for the Infallible one? There are no words that can sufficiently emphasise my disgust.

3. The fires of Hell are real and eternal, Pope warns

Comment #462908 by Vaal on February 22, 2010 at 3:39 pm

What a dick!

Wrong Century, Darth.

4. French report wants limits on Muslim face veil

Comment #455401 by Vaal on January 27, 2010 at 4:31 pm

Vile garment. I see it regularly in Slough. Everything it represents sticks right up my gullet, and I am disgusted at the sight of this repugnant black armour in modern day Britain.

What it says about the poison of Islamic ideology, the implication that all men are sexual predators (which really gets up my nose), the subjugation, willing or otherwise, of half of the population from this foul misogynistic aggressive medieval religion turns my stomach.

Perhaps Islamic men should be forced to walk around like Darth Vader? One wonders how long this particular meme would survive for, if that was the case.

I am in two minds about banning this debilitating, humiliating and segregationist garment. To ban it will martyr those who see it as an expression of their religion, yet on the other hand, anybody who walked around in a bank, train, school, or airport wearing an all encompassing balaclava would probably be arrested, so perhaps there is merit in the French initiative.

I don't see this problem going away soon, but as I reflect on the growing sight of these black empty coffin garments, shuffling along like wraiths every day in Slough, I see it as a growing cancer on our society, and an erosion of the hard fought enlightenment, slowly slipping through our fingers.

5. Haiti earthquake: religion fills the void left by aid agencies

Comment #454441 by Vaal on January 25, 2010 at 12:34 pm

As I put on another thread...

It is a great sell for the preachers when a natural event does occur, as they attribute it to their deity, keep themselves in a living, and maintain their power over a superstitious population, with not an iota of shame.

6. The Bible : A History - Creation

Comment #454437 by Vaal on January 25, 2010 at 12:26 pm

Quetz:

I wouldn't waste your time watching it Quetz.

You will probably need a new TV afterwards, or your neighbours will report you for noise pollution :)

7. Suffering and the vain quest for significance

Comment #454434 by Vaal on January 25, 2010 at 12:19 pm

Border Collie:

Well said. I would like to see aid and government initiatives going into preemptive building (rather than reactive), such as you can, in an earthquake zone. As I have pointed out, with the vast human population, there is hardly anywhere in the world we don't inhabit, so geological events on an active planet will always take a greater human toll.

nalfeshnee:

Thanks nalfeshnee. Interestingly enough, if alien paleontologists arrive in our solar system, they would most likely only find evidence of our existence, with the debris we have left on the moon. I have always wondered how we would react if we found a moon buggy left by our dinosaur ancestors :) Who says we are the only intelligent life to have ever evolved on the planet?

j. Mills

I stand corrected. I did, of course, mean the edges of the tectonic plates :)

8. The Bible : A History - Creation

Comment #454419 by Vaal on January 25, 2010 at 11:34 am

Nauseating deepity.

I thought that it may be a promising start, as he opened up with the question of "Is it true or false". Everything else is moot. He singularly failed to grasp his own question, as he then descended into the most appalling accommodationist, anti-intellectual, embarrassing drivel. He singularly misunderstands atheism, spouting the usual religious metaphors and blatant propaganda about "fundamentalist" atheism, aping most of the worst of vacant, lazy, apologist journalism.

His attack on Dawkins, and his misrepresentation was shameful, and I would have liked him to challenge RD in person, if he had the courage of his convictions.

AC Grayling was magnificent, as usual, and reduced him into a gibbering fool, as he didn't listen to a word he said.

I would have liked a proper rebuttal of the fine-tuning argument, but that really set the tone of the whole programme, skewed towards the intellectual capitulation of "Goddidit".

In all, very disappointing, but not unexpected. I am astonished that the man is a Cambridge academic, as it looks as if he has lost his marbles.

9. Church of England congregations fall again, and half are pensioners

Comment #454002 by Vaal on January 23, 2010 at 6:54 pm

Perhaps, but the name Muhammad in the Islamic world is rather ridiculously overused

Must be very interesting in an Islamic school, when the teacher asks Muhammad to read his essay, or even when the girls are asking which boy they fancy :)

It is a really crap name as well.

10. Suffering and the vain quest for significance

Comment #453922 by Vaal on January 23, 2010 at 3:32 pm

Great lucid article Paula. Like Hitchens, you get right to the meat of the subject, dissecting religious anthropism, as the arrogant narcissistic ignorant superstitious hogwash it really is.

It it scarcely a couple of centuries ago when people were put to death or tortured for the heresy of claiming that the Earth wasn't the centre of the Universe, so the fact that we are still having nearly these same arguments with the malevolently stupid, in the light of the vast knowledge we have available to us today, is, to say the least, exasperating.

In fact, the religious have got it the wrong way around. It is remarkable how few natural disasters occur on such an active planet. If you live on a tectonic plate, then you are playing the lottery, and an earthquake is likely to occur at anytime. The fact an event may rarely occur in a human lifetime leads inhabitants into a false sense of security.

It is a great sell for the preachers when a natural event does occur, as they attribute it to their deity, keep themselves in a living, and maintain their power over a superstitious population, with not an iota of shame.

Now, with the cocktail of a gargantuan and expanding human population, natural geological events are going to take a far greater toll on humanity, and there will inevitably, be more disasters such as the tsunami, hurricane Katrina's, floods, droughts, especially with the effect that humanity is having on the climate. In fact, we can consider ourselves very lucky that we have not encountered a super-volcano, or a Tungusksa meteor strike has not exploded over a large city such as New York, or California hasn't fallen into the sea. It will happen, as sure as we breathe.

The solar system is a lot more active than many anticipated, as the comet strikes on Jupiter, that many astronomers considered as once in a millennium events, have struck the planet, like a sledgehammer, over twice in a decade. Does God hate Jupiter?

I think the problem is that people can only perceive time in terms of their own paltry lifetimes. The inconceivable lifetime of the Earth is just incomprehensible to us. Dinosaurs lived for over 200 million years, so could be argued as a far more successful species than humanity. They were snuffed out in a geological second. If humanity or even the earth suffered a catastrophic event, such as a massive asteroid impact, changes in solar radiation, cosmic violence such as a nearby supernova, then the rest of the Universe would just indifferently carry on, just as it did in the several billion years before our solar system even existed.

It kind of puts religious arrogance into perspective.

11. Interview with Ophelia Benson

Comment #452986 by Vaal on January 21, 2010 at 1:42 pm

Flying Goose:

There is no evidence that there were any ( Epeeist: some early cultures were matriarchal)

That is very interesting FG. I had always thought that the Amazons were an example of a matriarchal culture, or were they just pure myth? Not that I am an expert, of course :)

EDIT: Ah, prehistoric societies. My apologies.

12. Bowling for Atheists: Haiti Proves that Nonbelievers Care Too

Comment #452957 by Vaal on January 21, 2010 at 12:06 pm

116. Comment #452929 by Veronique

Marked as Excellent.

As for donating as an atheist – I would never donate to any church run aid group and never have. I am not convinced that some holier-than-thou religite doesn’t skim a tidy number of salaries from the donated dosh. There have been news reports over the years that have exposed such thievery and people have been incarcerated because of their skimming

Totally agree Veronique, and that is why I only contribute to non-religious sites, as well as the inherent nauseous proselytizing that is part and parcel of their agenda.

I regard Richards initiative as commendable. I respect other peoples points of view about the political aspect, but don't agree with them. Most of what I have heard is just carping, and I haven't heard anything as yet that has changed my mind.

13. Atheists Love You. They Just Don't Know Why.

Comment #452505 by Vaal on January 20, 2010 at 11:12 am

I love the conclusions that these imbeciles come to. It makes you wonder how they are capable of even turning the kettle on, without invoking their Abrahamic monster.

While Dawkins argues that he can be good without God, I think he’s actually only proving that Richard Dawkins can be good while not acknowledging God

No, Dawkins and all atheists do not believe in God, so why bring God up at all?

Lets modify that sentence shall we, and see how much sense it makes....

While Dawkins argues that he can be good without Odin, I think he’s actually only proving that Richard Dawkins can be good while not acknowledging Odin

Why is other human life worth anything if there is no God?

Nothing quite like Religdroid humility, is there? Why is human life worth anything if there are no unicorns? For goodness sake, try and take those iron-clad opaque God-goggles off and try and answer the question yourself. It is pitiful that sentient humans waste so much time, money and energy worshipping something that doesn't exist. The universe doesn't revolve around you my friend, make the most of the one life you have got, and be grateful that you have got that life.

But let’s give Dawkins the benefit of the doubt because us religious types like to do that

ROFL

I almost hate to inform Mr. Dawkins that his little plot is actually helpful to believers as we believe that no matter what you espouse verbally each man has written on his soul the ability to tell right from wrong.

How is it then you nearly always get things wrong?

Even the title of the article itself is condescending cant. "Atheists Love You. They Just Don't Know Why"

No, you prat. I don't love you, you are a complete drongo. I don't love the Haitans either. I don't know any Haitans, and I certainly don't love most of the people I meet, but I am capable of empathy, without God-goggles on, although that may seem incomprehensible to you. You will have to thank millions of years of evolution for that, not your naked emperor.

EDIT: Do we really need these risible moronic articles published on RD net?

14. [UPDATE 21-Jan - Video Added] Richard Live on 'The Daily Politics' Today

Comment #452479 by Vaal on January 20, 2010 at 10:42 am

Ah Wooter, that time of the day they let you out of the straitjacket?

EDIT: Sorry Veronique, couldn't resist it :) I will desist.

15. If anyone's a real Christian, it's Pat Robertson

Comment #451647 by Vaal on January 18, 2010 at 1:51 pm

113. Comment #451579 by Philip1978

Furthermore, the version of the Bible we have today is absolutely nothing like the version accepted as scripture from the Jewish side of things

That is very interesting Phillip. I had never thought of that before. I had always assumed that the Jewish scripture is more or less identical to the old testament. Is that not the case?

Does that mean that a "real" Christian and a "real" Jew are barking from completely different texts?

16. Atheist Richard Dawkins aids Haiti, touts God-free giving

Comment #451586 by Vaal on January 18, 2010 at 10:34 am

Sorry. I agree with Cartomancer on this. Bleating on about politics just strikes me as petty and whining. Who cares where the money comes from so long as it is helping the victims of this catastrophe?

If it shows evil atheists as caring, empathic, and helping others not from self-serving motives (such as the example below), then all the better, particularly as atheists, especially in America, are virtually demonised by the Godbots. I am pleased that my money is going to help the victims and that it exhibits, even though we shouldn’t need to, that atheists do provide to charity, instead of the scurrilous myth that is regularly portrayed by the mendacious religious.

I recall going to a church after the Tsunami, reluctantly, as a friend of mine asked me to attend his son's christening, where the preacher saw the disaster as a “God-given” opportunity to proselytize, and of feeling good about themselves, secondary to assisting the victims; an attitude I found repugnant and distasteful.

If this flags atheists as charity-givers, then I can’t see any downside in that, and if that is a political statement, then good.

17. Oh no! "Licentiousness breeds extremism"

Comment #450140 by Vaal on January 12, 2010 at 12:58 pm

What is it with religion and sex?

This is a shame, as Yasmin has written some excellent hard-hitting articles in the past, condemning Islamic fascism, denunciating Sharia law, and fighting for the rights of Islamic women, even when some of those same daft women are determined to dissolute their own basic human rights under the misguided banner of religious and cultural freedom.

Yasmin, you have gone awry here, and you really should know better. The article isn't deserving of your normal high quality, progressive, enlightened journalism.

Hopefully Russell's commendable dissection may cause Yasmin to reflect on the absurdity of this particular missive.

18. Vatican cardinal blames Christians over 'Islamisation' of Europe

Comment #448852 by Vaal on January 8, 2010 at 12:30 pm

There is another interesting facet to the staunch Islamists, in that they preach democracy as UnIslamic. So, if they are not going to the ballot-box, then how else will they affect policy, other than by threats, and foot-stamping?

EDIT: Actually, on reflection, they have done pretty well with threats, and foot-stamping, thanks to our pusillanimous press, spineless politicians, and a police force hamstrung by political correctness.

19. The Cowardice of Richard Dawkins

Comment #448773 by Vaal on January 8, 2010 at 10:02 am

What a drongo

20. Godless science fiction writers; godless science fiction

Comment #448429 by Vaal on January 7, 2010 at 2:08 pm

I like the look of "The Star" epeeist. I haven't read that. I have always favoured Arthur C Clarke. Time to go to a book store. I haven't read Sci-Fi in some time.

No problems MattHunX :)

21. Godless science fiction writers; godless science fiction

Comment #448421 by Vaal on January 7, 2010 at 12:47 pm

You would have thought the religdroids would have been happy with science fiction. After all, their world view is based on fiction, so they are half way there :)

Most science fiction writers, correctly assume that the piffle of religion is something that civilisations grew out of. It may have been OK for ignorant desert nomads to try and explain the mystery of the Universe, but for space-farers and any advanced civilisation, it would just be anachronistic nonsense, to be chuckled at in history lessons.

I liked the original Star Trek message, which reflected the thoughts of Gene Roddenberry about religion ..

Although Roddenberry was raised as a Southern Baptist, he instead considered himself a humanist and agnostic. He saw religion as the cause of many wars and human suffering and made it known to the writers of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation that religion and mystical thinking were not to be included. According to Brannon Braga, in Roddenberry's vision of Earth's future, everyone was an atheist and better for it.

Roddenberry attacked religion several times, where god-like entities are destroyed, or are uncovered showing what they really are. This happens in, "Return of the Archons", "A Taste of Armageddon", "Catspaw", "The Apple", The Paradise Syndrome", "Who Mourns for Adonais", "And the Children Shall Lead", "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" and "Plato's Stepchildren", to name a few.

And of course, my username is based on Vaal from "The Apple" :)

22. Pictures of the year 2009: space

Comment #448393 by Vaal on January 7, 2010 at 11:02 am

Sensational.

23. [UPDATE-07-Jan: commentary by Russell Blackford] Prejudiced Danes provoke fanaticism

Comment #448052 by Vaal on January 6, 2010 at 1:56 pm

Quetz:

Apologists like Nancy Holm almost encourage violence and intolerance, in the name of cultural relativism. In that way, our media and liberalism are the enlightenment's own worst enemies, as we see by the increasing apologist drivel, which used to be a trickle, now cascading into a torrent, from some of our most respected newspapers.

As you say, what will not offend some Islamists who actively seek to portray any criticism of their medieval religion as an attack on race or kick up the hackneyed non-word of Islamaphobia, to instantly arrest debate.

Will theatres and art-galleries be next to be shut because of causing offence? In some Islamic countries, sport and even music is banned for being "Unislamic", and on another thread we see the Islamic "moral" police, interfering on what consenting adults get up to in the privacy of their own bedrooms.

We must remember that it is not all muslims who jump on the bandwagon of offence, and we do a disservice to those who fight against this political censorship, by the mullahs who know they can manipulate the media, with their "angry-man" actors waiting on the sidelines to jump on any considered offence, flags aready. The moderates should be encouraged to say "not in my name", as they did on-mass with the Jordanian bombings, otherwise the death of a thousand cuts will continue, before we wake up living in a society we do not recognise.

EDIT: Cartomancer, marked as excellent.

24. [UPDATE-07-Jan: commentary by Russell Blackford] Prejudiced Danes provoke fanaticism

Comment #448016 by Vaal on January 6, 2010 at 12:26 pm

327. Comment #448000 by Steve Zara

If people don't think that the cartoons were offensive to a particular group, then substitute something else

Would that include the atheist bus campaign, Steve?

Personally, I detest seeing the omnipresent religious advertising wherever I go, and could crow the offence caused by the religious damning anybody not in their particular sect to eternal torture.

The fact is that whoever wants to find offence about anything will find it. If you don't like it, ignore it, turn over, debate it, but don't threaten violence, intimidate or seek to muzzle, as political Islam seeks to do.

We should also remember that it is a certain subset of Islamists, who seek to be offended by cartoons. They are also muzzling other muslims who regard their poison as nonsense. In fact one of the muslims at my work enjoys the Jesus and Mo cartoons, and there is a rich tradition of satire and portrayal of Muhammad in early Islam, as has been pointed out by other better read contributers about Islam on RDnet than myself.

Yes, as Richard points out, pornography and violence is beyond the pale, but religion, particulary the poison of Islam, should not be entitled to a free ride, just the opposite.

25. [UPDATE-07-Jan: commentary by Russell Blackford] Prejudiced Danes provoke fanaticism

Comment #447960 by Vaal on January 6, 2010 at 10:02 am

Richard Dawkins:

And, while I am about it, may I more generally recommend Ophelia's excellent 'Butteflies and Wheels' website, and welcome her as a distinguished guest on this one

Well said Richard.

Ophelia, please don't abandon this excellent site. I, for one, look forward to your erudite articulate contributions, and links to your devastating articles.

26. [UPDATE-07-Jan: commentary by Russell Blackford] Prejudiced Danes provoke fanaticism

Comment #447520 by Vaal on January 5, 2010 at 5:39 pm

I am with Steven Fry on this one..

If I had a large amount of money I should found a hospital for those whose grip upon the world is so tenuous that they can be severely offended by words and phrases yet remain all unoffended by the injustice, violence and oppression that howls daily

Can't be enough satire in the world to expose religion for the nonsense it is, and as for the offence brigade stamping their feet like a petulant infant every time they see something they don't like. Well, grow up.

People demanding respect for religion through murderous threats only earns contempt, not respect.

One wonders why Islam is so weak that it requires its adherents to threaten anyone who criticizes or satirizes it. Surely God doesn't need spittle spitting, bulbous eyed, frenzied automatons to defend him. Not much of a God is he? Could it be he doesn't exist?

27. Kepler Planet-Hunting Mission Finds 5 New Lightweight Worlds

Comment #447437 by Vaal on January 5, 2010 at 2:44 pm

Excellent news. Don't you just love science?

I do find it strange that we are finding so many Jovian sized planets so close to their parent stars, orbiting their suns rapidly, in mere days. I would be interested to know what type of stars they are orbiting, mass, luminosity, sequence type, age? Have they observed many small G type suns like our own?

You would have thought that a template for planet formation would have been much like our own solar system, so that is quite a surprise. Solar system mechanics looks like an enthralling topic.

I look forward to the exciting day we find an earth sized body with water. Lets hope it isn't too far away! What a shame nothing has been found on Alpha Centauri (as far as I know). That would almost be reachable by future stellar probes, and what an incentive to explore!

28. Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011

Comment #446672 by Vaal on January 3, 2010 at 12:10 pm

Rod, if he is so convinced, then he should bet his house on it. I will take him up on that, or any other theist. We shall see how convinced they really are, or if it is the usual empty rhetoric.

So, Mr Camping, my house against yours? Put your money where your mouth is.

29. Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011

Comment #446669 by Vaal on January 3, 2010 at 11:57 am

15. Comment #446471 by Steve Zara on January

The future of life on Earth isn't predictable. It's up to us what happens

Well said, Steve. Spot on.

The world will end May 21, 2011

You have to be almost in awe of the tenacity of the religious. They have been predicting the rapture since Jesus died. You would have thought they would have been a little sceptical by now, after 2 millennia, but not a bit of it. In fact, I know some theists who are convinced that the rapture will occur in their lifetimes, probably as every Christian in the last 2 thousand years believed. That may be fine for the average crackpot, but when fruitcakes like Sarah Palin spout such dangerous codswallop (when they have the potential to cause mass destruction) then it is something we, as rationalists, have to take very seriously.

I remember when we had the solar eclipse in 2000, I went down to watch the eclipse in Cornwall, as solar eclipses in the UK are so rare. As it was the beginning of the new millennium, the "end of the world" brigade were out there in force, with their banners jubilantly informing us all we should repent (one wonders why they are so content seeing the rest of us fry for eternity?)

Unfortunately, it turned overcast, but that added to the effect as we could see the shadow of the moon rushing towards us, like a wing of doom.

When the eclipse started, the credulous cheered in jubilation. When the eclipse finished, the rest of us cheered in laughter, with a ring of contempt. Do you know, the doom-sayers looked very disconsolate, as they forlornly packed up.

One wonders how the rapture brigade will equate the rapture when we have become a species living on different worlds. Will it become the end of the earth, or the end of the universe? No doubt that will puzzle the doom-sayers, as they shift their goal-posts once again :)

30. The Animal Noble Prizes of the Decade

Comment #446066 by Vaal on January 1, 2010 at 3:48 pm

Animals seem to be getting smarter all the time.

We are animals, despite the insane protestations of the religiously deluded.

Mind you, I don't think humanity is getting smarter every year. Every time I turn the news on, humanity seems to be getting dumb and dumber.

EDIT: I am sure I saw a story of a parrot who was capable of a 900 word vocabulary, and who could initiate conversations, with a good understanding of grammar.

31. Atheist Ireland Publishes 25 Blasphemous Quotes

Comment #446028 by Vaal on January 1, 2010 at 12:32 pm

Richard Dawkins:

What a great own goal by the Irish government, especially at a time that coincides with the humiliating disgrace of the disgusting Catholic church in Ireland.

Hear hear. It can't be said enough!

32. Rabbit is the question

Comment #446024 by Vaal on January 1, 2010 at 12:22 pm

Laurie, ya bugger. It is freezing here. Haha!

Mind you, when I went out last night to see the fireworks, there was a magnificent full moon with a huge ring of light around it. Spectacular. It was also a rare blue moon, where the full moon occurs twice in one month (next appearance 2028).

"The most common modern version states that a person should say “rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit” or simply "rabbit, rabbit" upon waking on the first day of each new month, and on doing so will receive good luck for the duration of that month"

So, rabbit rabbit to you. LOL.

33. Rabbit is the question

Comment #446014 by Vaal on January 1, 2010 at 12:14 pm

Excellent article Miranda. The flim-flam obscurantism of the likes of Karen Armstrong are arguably the more frustrating of the religious armoury, as it appeals to the non-word "spiritual" that many people find appealing, yet, when analyzed, turns out to be vacuous twaddle. Deepity is a polite way to describe it. Complete bollox is probably a more apt description.

I see you are an English professor, no wonder you write so well. I will have to watch my poor English :(

Whenever I see these puerile articles endlessly reposted by these empty-headed windbags, I think, here we go again, more rabbit, rabbit, rabbit :)

Talking about rabbit, rabbit. I am amazed at the superstitions arising from rabbits..

Rabbit rabbit

Humans really are barking mad sometimes.

EDIT: Miranda, your blog says you are 31. I am amazed, you look like a 19 year old.

34. UPDATED 1/1/10: Last minute offer! A HUGE Thank You! The last day of our fundraising drive

Comment #445820 by Vaal on December 31, 2009 at 4:52 pm

Ian, Steve, Mark

Don't feed the troll.

EDIT: Congratulations, Richard, nearly 150K!

35. Does Morality Need God?

Comment #445786 by Vaal on December 31, 2009 at 2:21 pm

Flying goose:

In the end it shows me that we create the gods. They are created as idiot guides to morality

HaHaHa. I would love to see that sermon :) You are just trying to get me back to church, aren't you, Flying goose?

Happy New year to you FG

36. Darwin’s Deathbed Conversion—a Legend?

Comment #445486 by Vaal on December 30, 2009 at 4:49 pm

Tommy Mitchell: It is unfortunate that the story continues to be promoted by many sincere people who use this in an effort to discredit evolution when many other great arguments exist, including the greatest: the Bible.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha... *draws breath* .. hahahahahahaha....

Man, another monitor gone, sprayed in coffee :(

I thought that just for a moment there, there was a glimmer of light in the article. As Richard points out, practically to a man, thiests I have debated with have raised the Darwin deathbed conversion. Of course, even if he had a conversion, so what? It doesn't make evolution any less true.

He is right to worry, evolution puts paid to God, as it relegates humanity to a blind God throwing dice, poorly. The odds of humanity arising again, should time be rerun, are practically non-existent.

Still, perhaps a chink of light in the armour of ignorance. Keep chipping, and the blinds may one day fall free, so that is to be celebrated.

37. Ask a Nobel laureate!

Comment #445259 by Vaal on December 29, 2009 at 3:56 pm

J.Mills:

Wow, that image is spectacular. God's tattoos? LOL

How far we have come since the first Mariner missions (which I am old enough to remember) :(

38. [Update:Audio Link to Richard's interview added] Start The Week - BBC Radio 4

Comment #445241 by Vaal on December 29, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Thanks for that epeeist. I will carry a copy of that. Very handy.

Get her to call the police, she hasn't a leg to stand on since it was in a public place

Do you know, I was so shocked by her reaction, that it never even occurred to me.

Flying Goose: You should see some of Tylers work. Spectacular.

Sorry to derail, but I think this is a very important topic. Back to subject... :)

39. Two avenging angels in Ireland

Comment #445228 by Vaal on December 29, 2009 at 1:30 pm

Ryan and Murphy have shown us beyond any shadow of doubt that it is time to kick religion off its pedestal - it never deserved to be up there anyway - and to start treating it exactly the same as every other human institution. If these two reports mean that we all, finally, come to realize that, then this will have been a very important news story indeed.

This final paragraph illustrates exactly why this is such an important story. I personally believe that this appalling tragedy will be something that the Catholic church in Ireland may never recover from. What concerned parent would trust their children to an organisation which puts its own reputation above its responsibility to the children in its care, and then have the bare-faced cheek and audacity to preach morality to the rest of us, when they have demonstrated the altruism of a fox (apologies to the fox).

A note should be made about the bravery and determination of junior members of the Garda to bring to light the iniquities and injustice of the church's cover-up, and of the complicity of their own superiors in this disgraceful episode.

One wonders how many priests would have resigned, had it not been for the Ryan/Murphy reports, and how many priests are still protected by this rotten institution? It stinks of the insincerity and shallowness of our own politicians when they were found with their fingers in the pie.

As you say Paula, the rank hypocrisy of crying out that they were the subject of victimisation, turning the perpetrator into the victim (based on the Islamic model) has backfired spectacularly, with no credit to the church. The back-peddling has been a marvel to behold.

The pillars of the church are crumbling, and with no help from anybody, but themselves. Keep up the good work Ratzinger, as your cult hurtles towards irrelevancy.

40. [Update:Audio Link to Richard's interview added] Start The Week - BBC Radio 4

Comment #445212 by Vaal on December 29, 2009 at 11:34 am

Flying Goose:

As an amateur photographer, I am a bit concerned about the "rights" of people not to be photographed. Agreed, that "in your face photography" and the vile paparazzi phenomenon is an unwelcome violation of peoples privacy, but to hamstring the superb photography of great artists, catching the human condition, the pathos, grief, joy of humanity would be an unacceptable loss.

I was at Herstmonceux in 2004, watching the very rare transit of Venus across the sun, and took some pictures of the projection of the sun onto a large screen, with Venus looking like a large blot on the sun, when I was approached later by an irate woman who accused me of taking pictures of her children (who happened to be near the projection), without her permission. To be honest, I hadn't even noticed them, but, later, on reflection, I realised she was practically accusing me of being a paeodophile. I have to admit that the world seemed a smaller place after that day.

I do prefer natural photography myself, but it is rare to be able to take a picture without somebody in it. I am even thinking of getting a T-shirt made up with "No, I am not taking pictures of your vile offspring", should I be out with my camera :-)

It has come to a point now where my sister is not even allowed to take a camera to take pictures of her children at school sports day. That would have been inconceivable in my youth, and I now regard it as an outrageous intrusion into peoples personal lives by a big-brother government.

41. The godless guru

Comment #444838 by Vaal on December 27, 2009 at 9:17 am

Have to disagree with you SS. Styrer would never have written the bollox that Twatsworth spouts. No matter what opinion people had of Styrer, he knew his stuff, and wasn't the empty headed contrarian that Twatsworth has exhibited himself to be.

I quite miss Styrer. He was an asset to this site, and didn't take any prisoners. Sometimes he could be a bit too ferocious, but his tempered steel was a joy to witness, carving the witless to shreds. Come back Sean!

42. The great bus mystery

Comment #444757 by Vaal on December 26, 2009 at 11:17 am

LogicalSimplicity:

Carl Sagan: For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring

Religion as a crutch? Don't make me laugh. You don't need an inkling of science to see that religion is complete bollox, nothing more than an infantile anachronistic man-made construct. Get a grip man. The fact that you regard it is a crutch says volumes about your own insecurities, not Richard Dawkins, or anyone else.

43. UPDATE: Matching Offer: A Seasonal Gift from Richard and Todd Stiefel to RDFRS

Comment #444502 by Vaal on December 24, 2009 at 5:46 pm

Same to you Richard, Josh, and everybody behind the scenes. Will contribute something in the new year, but just before Xmas, after the Lloyds rights issue, and with 1/2 our staff made redundant, things are a bit tight, I am afraid :( I have also had to reduce my contributions to the WWF, the RSPCA, and Greenpeace, for the moment, unfortunately :(

Thanks to everyone on this site, for some great thought-provoking articles, and Merry Xmas to all.

EDIT: On reflection, I have just made a small contribution :)

44. Church recruiting drive targets two-year-olds

Comment #444429 by Vaal on December 24, 2009 at 11:54 am

YakobusRO:

All in all it's just another bum on a pew!

That is another thing. Why are pew seats so uncomfortable? Designed to torture the flock. Bad enough listened to a guy in a frock droning on forever in that banal generic drawl, without having your rear end turned to mutton :(

EDIT: Irate, I agree. Having to go to church three times a Sunday in Ireland is something that I will never forget. As a child, it doesn't occur to you to walk out, but if I had my time again, I would have skedaddled.

45. Church recruiting drive targets two-year-olds

Comment #444408 by Vaal on December 24, 2009 at 9:49 am

Hi Flying Goose. Yes, I would say that religion is a bad thing, even with the best intention in the world. It is teaching children untruths, and inculcating them into a cult they may never be free from.

Now, I have always liked nativity plays, Xmas carols, etc, as that is part of my cultural heritage, but I have always considered them as fiction, for as long as I can remember. Maybe that is because I am just a contrary git :)

I used to enjoy Sunday school, after the tedious interminable boredom of services, as you got together with your friends on a Sunday morning. It was a social club, nothing more. I also used to like asking the Sunday school teachers questions they couldn't answer :)

EDIT: Oh, Happy Mythmas to you and your family :-)

46. Church recruiting drive targets two-year-olds

Comment #444403 by Vaal on December 24, 2009 at 9:30 am

There should be a law preventing proselytizing of children before the age of 12.

Targeting 2 years old? Yep, get them when they trust everything an adult tells them as absolute truth, where they have no critical faculties, and then tell them they have another Superdaddy in space, who loves them, a supernatural reflection of their own parents. So much for morality. Just cheap snake-oil salesman, classic brain-washing techniques. They should be ashamed to look at themselves in a mirror.

Pews getting emptier as a more sophisticated population can see through the bullshit? Target infants instead. Have you no shame?

47. Chuck Norris: Mary Might Have Aborted Jesus Christ Under ObamaCare/'Herodcare'

Comment #444217 by Vaal on December 23, 2009 at 10:54 am

Laurie:

Don't even joke about it! *shudder*

LOL

48. Chuck Norris: Mary Might Have Aborted Jesus Christ Under ObamaCare/'Herodcare'

Comment #444209 by Vaal on December 23, 2009 at 10:22 am

Imagine the scenario. Chuck Norris and Sarah Palin up for the job of President!

Time to build that starship! "New Earth", here I come.

EDIT: Maybe potential presidents should have to pass an IQ test? The way things are going, Homer Simpson may become a prime candidate.

49. A Christmas Offering! - Jeeves and the Family Tree

Comment #444207 by Vaal on December 23, 2009 at 9:59 am

Excellent. Made me laugh, as it should. I would love to see this on TV. I can just see Steven Fry and Hugh Laurie doing the sketch, although they are probably a bit old now :(

Have you sent this to Steven Fry, Richard? I am sure it would elicit a guffaw or two. Great material for any future debates! Wit is a great tool for exposing the crassness of creationism.

PG Woodhouse is a pleasure to read, and even Fry and Laurie cannot do justice to his books. There was a fabulous quote where Wooster compares the laugh of a woman to a "troop of cavalry charging over a tin bridge". I know that woman. LOL

50. Tune in at 8pm, Australians!

Comment #443961 by Vaal on December 22, 2009 at 3:47 pm

37. Comment #443953 by Sciros

grew up reading all sorts of fiction and non-fiction. I read the Three Musketeers when I was three, and all the Greek myths I could get my hands on when I was four

Wow, Sciros. I had trouble with Paddington Bear at that age :)

Yep, totally agree. I love fiction as well. If it wasn't for science fiction, how would we have the dreams and imagination to walk on the moon, to explore the solar system, to reach the stars.