1. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #149897 by GodlessHeathen on March 26, 2008 at 10:21 am

Again? Didn't you just have a birthday last year? =-_^=
May you have many more!

2. Should Galileo's tomb be opened for DNA tests?

Comment #141311 by GodlessHeathen on March 10, 2008 at 9:02 am

Tel ya what: We open his tomb and if he complains we'll apologize and put him back without having taken a sample.

3. The Giant Tortoise's Tale

Comment #133718 by GodlessHeathen on February 26, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Wonderful stuff. =^_^=

4. Add another flea to the list...

Comment #132957 by GodlessHeathen on February 25, 2008 at 12:59 pm

This is a form-letter reply for a fromulatic book.

5. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #132427 by GodlessHeathen on February 24, 2008 at 6:29 pm

Another journalist caught masturbating in public.

6. The Lava Lizard's Tale

Comment #130900 by GodlessHeathen on February 21, 2008 at 1:21 pm

=^_^= I liked that, yesh I did.

7. Conservative Rabbis to Vote on Resolution Criticizing Pope's Revision of Prayer

Comment #124795 by GodlessHeathen on February 10, 2008 at 9:33 am

I am reminded of children in a schoolyard who can't agree on how to play a game of "Let's Pretend".

8. Inventor Doesn't Dare Say 'Perpetual Motion Machine'

Comment #124036 by GodlessHeathen on February 8, 2008 at 7:48 am

Now now, Tyler. There's no need to attack the person.

He's some poor schlub who's deluded himself, that's all. (I was going to say he was some poor schlub who is missing some vital fact or two in his understanding, until the bit where he claims certainty that the machine violates the 2nd law.)

So, no need to attack the person when his ideas are ripe for the crushing.

9. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #117580 by GodlessHeathen on January 29, 2008 at 6:28 am

Can aynyone even guess what the moron means when he says Harris can't handle simple division? I just can't fathom that one.

85. Comment #117570 by Silly Mongoose on January 29, 2008 at 6:11 am

---

When is someone going to actually write a decent book that Dawkins can respond to? At the moment all these "flea" books consist of is lies, bullshit, lies, and more lies.

10. Letters: Theology has no place in a university

Comment #116576 by GodlessHeathen on January 26, 2008 at 6:26 pm

Among my favorite transitional fossils:
Archaeopteryx somewhere between lizard (well, dinosaur) and bird, and Tiktaalik, somewhere between fish and tetrapod.

(Don't mind me, I just like making annotations.)

11. Letters: Theology has no place in a university

Comment #116532 by GodlessHeathen on January 26, 2008 at 5:41 pm

I think I may have seen the footprints hes2@usa's referring to.

It's fairly obvious the human footprints were carved into the stone, while the dinosaur tracks were real. There's color differences between the two sets of tracks suggesting the human tracks uncover another layer of sandstone, there are variations in details between the human tracks, and the sandstone shows no signs of the original sandy clay being displaced by pressure like the dinosaur tracks do.

Sorry Hes2@usa, the evidence is by far in favor of evolution.

12. Fish out of water: Your Inner Fish

Comment #111047 by GodlessHeathen on January 13, 2008 at 11:56 am

I got to giggling reading this.

The results of evolution permeate our lives at every level. The evidence for it is really overwhelming, with only a goodly number particular details being worked out. Yet people can still manage to deny it.

Denial often seems to be our single most powerful psychological ability. Odd stuff, I can't wait to see more studies on it.

13. Hook, line and rapture

Comment #109121 by GodlessHeathen on January 8, 2008 at 11:49 am

"Non-fiction version" This guy is supremely funny =^_^=

14. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108260 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 10:53 am

=o.0= Godwin!

15. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108258 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 10:43 am

ADH has yet to realize that the theist "arguments" are not proof against a rational examination of faith, but mere padding to offer opportunity to turn away from those criticisms without having the core assumptions affected.

In the end, all faith is is an emotional response. Emotions do not require nor do they respond to rational or critical thought.

16. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108233 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 9:40 am

ADH: You posit that suffering is OK so long as it's according to god's plan and that plan results in good.

What god?

It's circular reasoning, just the circle is large.

17. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108223 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 9:19 am

ADH: So... you're excusing suffering because it can make for positive results?

Not a very broad argument.

I say there are better ways to achieve those positive results without such high cost (Such as those who suffer with no benefits at all - and those outnumber those who suffered to some benefit.)

18. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108219 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 9:13 am

86. Comment #108215 by Steve Zara on January 6, 2008 at 9:07 am

---

Now now, let's not be too ambitious.

19. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108214 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 9:06 am

82. Comment #108210 by Steve Zara on January 6, 2008 at 9:01 am

---

Perhaps you could point me to the right one?

20. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108205 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 8:49 am

ADH: Suffering doesn't need a god to exist. But redemption, using the definition you're using, does. But there still is no evidence suggesting either the need for redemption nor a god to do any redeeming.

Suffering may well be a teacher, albeit an unforgiving one, does not mean we need it to learn. It may also be something of a muse, but we still don't need it to make art. We can't eliminate suffering, or at least probably can't, but that doesn't mean (theist or non-theist) we should let it continue.

21. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108201 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 8:41 am

55. Comment #108157 by Corylus on January 6, 2008 at 6:14 am

---

It might be useful here to bring in the distinction between 'moral evil' (what we traditionally think of when we use the term 'evil' i.e. that of harmful actions) and that of 'natural evil'.

'Natural evil' is just a fancy way of saying 'shit happens' (like cancer). However, we do need to look at people's misfortunes (whether caused by others or not) when we assess whether a benevolent God exists.

22. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108196 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 8:32 am

ADH: The idea that all the suffering in the world has purpose and ultimately some reward also resonates with me.

That does not make it true, however.

There is an utter absence of evidence of purpose for the universe or our lives within it. There isn't even the reverse skein.

The tangle we see so far works very well to explain the universe, and every added thread we discover fits in with the chaotic pattern thus far. Adding anything to the mix as a matter of explanation violates the law of parsimony, meaning to postulate a god we blind ourselves to better understanding. Until there is solid evidence for a god or gods, there simply is no worthwhile point in postulating such a thing.

23. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108140 by GodlessHeathen on January 6, 2008 at 5:23 am

41. Comment #108117 by Vinelectric on January 6, 2008 at 3:55 am

---

Godlessheathen and robotaholic

Some forms of evil may be subjective but one visit to your local hospice or cancer unit should convince you that evil is too manifest in this world for the theodicist to ignore.

24. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108048 by GodlessHeathen on January 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm

8. Comment #108008 by Rtambree on January 5, 2008 at 8:15 pm

---

Actually, it's very common. Almost all life on Earth doesn't believe in any God. :)

25. The battle of the butterflies and the ants

Comment #108003 by GodlessHeathen on January 5, 2008 at 8:09 pm

And the "Discovery Institute" will minimize this as "No speciation, thus skyfairydidit still applies".

Ain't denial a powerful tool?

26. Six Reasons to be an Atheist

Comment #108000 by GodlessHeathen on January 5, 2008 at 8:05 pm

Rtambree, if that sense were common, the whole argument would be moot, wouldn't it?

I've never liked the "enormity of evil" argument. Good and evil are subjective views. I'd replace that one with something a bit more objective, like: No one can agree on what "god" is. Which frelling god would I believe in if I were to believe in one (or more)? =^_^=

27. Stop House Resolution 888

Comment #107791 by GodlessHeathen on January 5, 2008 at 11:16 am

Seeking evidence to support a conclusion is apparently not limited to ID.

I'm sure my congresscritters are tired of getting e-mail from me by now. I guess they'll just have to suffer it though. Another e-mail sent.

28. Disquiet over schools' moment of silence

Comment #103224 by GodlessHeathen on December 24, 2007 at 2:22 pm

I'd consider this "moment of silent reflection" thing to be not worth the battle - in and of itself.

But it's not isolated. There's the fact this has the stench of "thin end of the wedge". There's the fact that teens are vicious li'l things and some will ostracize those they note aren't praying. (Irony meter peg: Their holy book says that "Christ" tells them not to ever pray in public.)

There was a 20 second "Moment of silence" in my high school - public here in the USA - and it was the source of many problems. Including one boy who would very loudly pray to "Satan" or to "Buddha" or to "Brahma"... I found his deity-of-the-week "prayers" mildly amusing, but many students were deeply offended and he spent a lot of time pulling himself out of trash cans.

So, I'm behind their fight. The small fires need to be stomped out too.

29. Huckabee Stands by Christmas Campaign Ad

Comment #102766 by GodlessHeathen on December 23, 2007 at 3:26 pm

Jesus christ. (A term - often as an ejaculation - used to express frustration or disgust.)

30. Blair converts to Catholicism

Comment #102477 by GodlessHeathen on December 23, 2007 at 1:36 am

I guess Anglican mass wasn't solemn and droning enough for him. :P

Why is this news, again?

31. For the Love of Christ

Comment #101790 by GodlessHeathen on December 21, 2007 at 1:36 am

His father claims he's just happy that his son—once a failing high schooler—has found a way to make a living.

32. Religious Freedom in Military Questioned

Comment #100815 by GodlessHeathen on December 19, 2007 at 11:33 am

I'm so sick of the hypocritical methods of the fundie crowd. If xtianity were so wonderful, why would you need pressure tactics to get people into the fold?

Not that this is news to anyone here, but: Religion is one tall, stinking pile of bullshit - and I think even the most fervent fundie knows it deep inside his or her fevered mind.

33. Abstinence Programs Face Rejection

Comment #100254 by GodlessHeathen on December 18, 2007 at 12:28 pm

I wish they'd send one million of that rejected 15 to the youth shelter where I work. That'd keep us able to actually help a goodly few teens for two years.

Jeez. Such a waste of money on a program that was so obviously going to flop.

34. Way of the Master Radio talks about Dawkins' Christmas Comments

Comment #100243 by GodlessHeathen on December 18, 2007 at 12:17 pm

Bleh. Morning radio show "zaniness" like this was never my cuppa. Rtambree's scoring is spot on.

Which figures, really. They do not have anything rational to add to the "debate", all they have - all they ever have - is appeals to emotion. Can't argue with what the good Professor has to say? No sweat, just mock him. Their target audience already believes, they only need a little "feel good" about it.

Heh; it just now occurs to me these sorts of "evangelical" tv and radio shows are nothing but "preaching to the choir".

35. Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers

Comment #99101 by GodlessHeathen on December 15, 2007 at 2:58 pm

http://jillswift.home.comcast.net/~jillswift/Credulity.jpg

I think it sums it up.

36. Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers

Comment #99066 by GodlessHeathen on December 15, 2007 at 12:23 pm

Remember the argument isn't over science but rather emotional response and morality. We know they aren't concerned in the least with "teaching the controversy" or teaching anything that is rational or considered, they just want to remove what they view as a threat to a moral society (the idea that if we "came from monkeys" was accepted, we'd all fail to have reason for ethics or morals).

37. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98861 by GodlessHeathen on December 14, 2007 at 6:56 pm

I think we need to examine what it is they're up to. We can't presume they're looking at science in any way that is "scientific" or even simply rational.

Thier "argumants" are really appeals to emotion. It's NOT that they believe they have evidence that Magic-Man did it. Nor is it that that they find the evidence for Darwinian evolution (or, in this case, cosmology) flimsy. It's that they honestly believe that humanity can not be moral without a lawgiver. That once folks realize they don't have the ultimate Big Brother looking over their shoulder, chaos will ensue.

"God" not only offers them personal comfort but in having others believe in this almighty peace keeper it offers a sense of security. There is this sense that if all other (false) beliefs were to be aliminated, then the world would be a perfect place, where the "struggle of good and evil" would be only in "good Christian" hearts, until "kingdom come".

At the root of their motives: No logic. No rational. No evidence. Just emotional response.

38. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98592 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 11:03 pm

27. Comment #98588 by rustylix on December 13, 2007 at 10:57 pm

---

Why not embed the media in your own flash player that has nothing to do with youtube?

39. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98546 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 9:03 pm

Diacanu; We still love you even if you don't have the latest hardware. Would we call you "our li'l ragamuffin" if we didn't care? =^_^=

But seriously, please folks. Closed standards have not been serving us well. Lets stick with open standards that will let everyone in, please?

40. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98532 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 8:48 pm

I vote for MPEG as well (if I can't have Theora/Vorbis =^_^=)
-------------------------
On the video, however; as I mentioned on the Bad Astronomer's site, the damn thing is a deliberate and considered lie.

That really bothers me. It's a lie. Deliberate mis-information targeted at children. How disgusting is that?

41. Jumbo shrimp, creationist astronomy

Comment #98510 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 8:11 pm

Instead of Quicktime or other closed standard, could they please be stored in an open format?

42. Creation vs. Reality

Comment #98508 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 8:08 pm

As I said on PZ's blog; this strikes me as film-school claptrap. If there really were a controversy, it'd be a little relevant. As it is, it's just empty.

43. Here's an improvement on democracy

Comment #98294 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 12:49 pm

Seems one of the best ways to spread secularism is prosperity. If people have less of a need for an invisible friend to get through tough days, they tend to be less concerned that others have a differing opinion on the reality of that imaginary friend and its demands. Takes a hell of a lot of time to do, though.

Sure, "the sword" has been an effective means of quickly spreading some ideology around, but that seems to have a few very undesirable side effects.

44. Ayaan Hirsi Ali versus Timothy Garton Ash

Comment #98056 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 3:09 am

I'd love to be able to watch this.

Could we please lean more toward open standards, rather than this closed stuff that only works part of the time?

45. U.S. Congress Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith

Comment #98041 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 2:50 am

Quill; You or anyone who thinks that little screed of mine worth using on their representative has my full permission to use it. =^_^=

46. U.S. Congress Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith

Comment #97996 by GodlessHeathen on December 13, 2007 at 1:13 am

Dear Heather Wilson, Representative from New Mexico district one;

I would like to congratulate you on voting "Yes" on H. Res. 847.

In doing so you have helped point out the obvious, that there are many Christians in the United States, and that Christmas is important to them. That took great courage.

You have also helped marginalize minority faiths and non-faiths. I'm certain it is appreciated by all the Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, Atheists and other non-Christians that our House of Representatives spent precious time comforting the vast majority of Bible-believing Christians who no doubt, as this fine country's most powerful majority, regularly feel the sting of having their representatives scoff at their beliefs and proclaim them to be "unpatriotic" and doubt that they are even deserving of citizenship.

I also commend you on your fine interpretation of the establishment clause of the first amendment to the country's Constitution, and to the vast number of documents and precedence that followed that are often seen (apparently incorrectly) as proof that our founding fathers wanted to separate church and state as a means to protect religion from being used as a tool for state tyranny.

We all know this was a Christian nation from the start, which is why such religious wording as "In God We Trust" didn't appear on our nation's currency for over a century after the Constitution was ratified, or that the Pledge of Allegiance had no mention of God in it until so much later.

Your choice on voting yes on HR847 makes me happy. Happy that you've come to the end of your term limit and I won't have to see you wrecking the very ideals that made this country truly great and free so you could pander to a bunch of fanatics. Bye!

--Godless Heathen

47. The empty myths peddled by evangelists of unbelief

Comment #97100 by GodlessHeathen on December 11, 2007 at 12:10 pm

An open letter to religion's apologists, especially those claiming to be skeptical;

Get some new material. Read up on the common (read: Ubiquitous) arguments that have been quite thoroughly rent asunder so often as to make the whole debate tedious and dreary. I suggest a site like "Iron Chariots".

If you have something to offer that's not already been examined to tiny bits, I assure you everyone is eager beyond description to hear it.

Otherwise do please stuff a sock in it.

Signed, seriously tired of the same old dreck.

48. Laugh at Sudan

Comment #96765 by GodlessHeathen on December 10, 2007 at 10:06 pm

Ahhh. I love this fellow.

I swear, if the Muslims took half his advice they'd be in great shape. Sad they don't seem able. I guess it's just so much more fun to sit about and feel persecuted.

49. Sudan demo over jailed UK teacher

Comment #92407 by GodlessHeathen on November 30, 2007 at 12:52 pm

Thank goodness Islam is a "religion of peace" or this could be troubling.

sidfaiwu: Are they insane? Yes. Quite.

50. Study: Babies can tell helpful, hurtful playmates

Comment #90022 by GodlessHeathen on November 22, 2007 at 12:24 pm

So much for "Tabula Raza". =^_^=