Comments by Freelance Scientist

1. Protests no concern for outspoken atheist

Comment #154994 by Freelance Scientist on April 4, 2008 at 3:47 am

Derick Gillies, of the Free Church of Scotland, said there was an unbalanced debate between those believing in creationism and those believing in evolution.

This still confuses me to this day. There seems to be the implication that creationism and evolution are two opposing beliefs ?

One is there to be either believed or not believed.

The other is there to be understood or not understood.

Amazingly evolution appears not to require belief, only understanding.

2. Ask The God Delusion author Richard Dawkins

Comment #94144 by Freelance Scientist on December 4, 2007 at 10:47 pm

He says it is responsible for some of the "greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice" in history.

WOW - and he says that of atheism ? Oh the irony.

3. The Fleas Are Multiplying!

Comment #68699 by Freelance Scientist on September 8, 2007 at 7:36 am

I'd never stoop so low as to buy a parasitic publication but I'd certainly lurk around a book store and read bits and pieces simply to see just how much damage control they would dish out.

However, not one book store that I've been through today has a single copy. of any one of them (I'll make a guess that they haven't all sold out and assume that they simply exist as third rate sellers in specialist stores gathering dust.)

4. Unreasonably superstitious

Comment #62714 by Freelance Scientist on August 11, 2007 at 12:59 am

Sounds like Penn & Teller Bullshit series that did the rounds a few years ago. Also a very entertaining watch that shows up some utter fakers to be exactly that.

5. Islamic creationist group launches glitzy, global blitz

Comment #61069 by Freelance Scientist on August 3, 2007 at 2:12 pm

"Folks, there is no such thing as what you call evolution. If there was, it would be in the Holy Bible or the Koran," added Oktar.

Well that just about sums it up. Sad times indeed.

6. The Creation Museum: Prepare to believe

Comment #41060 by Freelance Scientist on May 15, 2007 at 12:43 pm

*sigh* Truly a monument to ignorance.

Time will see it slowly fall into obscurity - surely ?

7. Iran arrests 300 'insufficiently veiled' women

Comment #35305 by Freelance Scientist on April 26, 2007 at 8:09 pm

You'd think that the strict religious values of right and wrong as decreed by Islam would keep the "uncontrollable lust" of the men under control ?

Sounds like treatment of the symptoms to me, the cause is what we know already. (well we do here anyway)

8. Study: Religion is Good for Kids

Comment #34932 by Freelance Scientist on April 25, 2007 at 3:46 pm

YES of course, lobomized children ! Why didn't I think of that ? It's all so clear now, behavioural problems swept aside with a simple master stroke :)

9. Study: Religion is Good for Kids

Comment #34928 by Freelance Scientist on April 25, 2007 at 3:30 pm

I can't help but have this image of poor kids cowering in corners, having had the "fear of god" put into them, terrified that one step away from the path of righteousness would see them thrown into the fires of hell.

Maybe these kids are just biding their time until that period when they can leave home and find that freedom from their parents religion suddenly reveals the world to them as it really is.

Then they can book some time in therapy to undo their psychological hangups that have been ritually implanted by their misguided but well-meaning parents.

10. Flea Circus!

Comment #32976 by Freelance Scientist on April 18, 2007 at 10:43 pm

Anyone fancy a wager that none of those books above will be troubling the "best sellers" list ?

I reckon it's safe money.

11. Medicine without Evolution Make Sense?

Comment #32710 by Freelance Scientist on April 18, 2007 at 4:29 am

Now I'm worried, must we interview surgeons about to operate upon us to verify they won't prematurely give up and leave it in "God's hands"? Surely the way forward is to tell medical students that knowledge and understanding of evolution will be expected of those wishing to be doctors.

Yorker, I'd go one step further and tell medical students that knowledge and understanding is expected period. Not faith and assumption. Like someone said further up, would you put your life in the hands of somebody who assumes that his/her faith is enough to see everything right ?

12. Atheism isn't the final word

Comment #32341 by Freelance Scientist on April 16, 2007 at 10:59 pm

In the USA � the most science-oriented society in history

Eh ? Where around half of the population don't understand or accept Darwinian evolution ?

The minority of Americans in that case are working far too hard in my opinion to carry such a claim of scientific excellence.

13. Coming out as atheist: Noel Gallagher & Gabriel Byrne

Comment #31892 by Freelance Scientist on April 14, 2007 at 9:52 pm

I'm happy to see people from anywhere be confident enough to state their atheism, whether they achieve or seek to achieve anything by it.

All the time more and more people are coming to terms with the fact that atheist is not a dirty word and worthy of extremism. If anything atheism is more the default to my mind.

14. Nisbet and Mooney in the WaPo: snake oil for the snake oil salesmen

Comment #31888 by Freelance Scientist on April 14, 2007 at 9:46 pm

Bravo ! Religious feathers are ruffling so loud I can hear them all the way from Australia :)

15. Genie shows barred by Islam, clerics say

Comment #31887 by Freelance Scientist on April 14, 2007 at 9:43 pm

Malaysian Islamic scholars have called for a halt to popular exhibitions billed as featuring ghosts, genies and other supernatural beings, saying they are forbidden and could undermine the faith of devout Muslims.

Oh the irony, supernatural suggestions are forbidden ?? Really ?

And to think that the faith of devout muslims is so shaky that shows containing ghosts and genies would be sufficient to bring the whole thing crumbling down !

It's one thing for beliefs of any value to survive doubt but another thing to ban or forbid anything that might cause doubt.

sheesh.

16. Medical 'Miracles' Not Supported by Evidence

Comment #31675 by Freelance Scientist on April 13, 2007 at 7:53 pm

"The principles of quantum physics explain many of these intuitive mystical aspects of attention and intention".

Well that settles it for me - I'm a believer.

Meanwhile in the real world little has changed and the results speak for themselves (again).

17. Hey Mom, I'm an Atheist

Comment #31520 by Freelance Scientist on April 13, 2007 at 5:14 am

I love the last resort of 'operation christmas remind-how-good-it-is'. Surely she had more to offer than that ?