51. Richard Dawkins, TV evangelist

Comment #62855 by JanChan on August 11, 2007 at 11:27 pm

I am sick and tried of religious apologists never addressing the real question: whether or not there is any basis to believe that there exist god(s).

Seriously, I don't really care about what benefits they can say religion might bring. And neither do I want them to compare the atheism and evangelicalism. (There's so many similarities between communism and capitalism but no one really cares about those similarities when criticising one over the other, do they?)

How do these people even hope to win the debate without addressing the main points of it? If they can't make up any good argument, why can't they just concede defeat, instead of telling me whatever sociological similarities there might be or some other kinds of trivial 'fun facts'. I want the truth, not useless analogies.

And I can't believe that some would even say that people who have no expertise in religion has no right to comment on it. That's like saying, you're not a republican, so you have no right to criticise the republicans.

52. Curriculum for Baptist School

Comment #62355 by JanChan on August 9, 2007 at 11:29 am

I can just imagine how a study of secularization will be like for these people:

Student will examine the nature of God in the history of the Enlightenment and understand its absolute consistency with God, and learn that God's nature permits a separation of Church and State. So that in no matters of state, including education, are we suppose to favour God, ... wait a minute, Oh Shit!

53. After Blair, Labour MPs opt for 'God Delusion'

Comment #61666 by JanChan on August 6, 2007 at 7:46 am

Where did so many of them get the William Wilberforce book anyway? I think that in the survey about 50 of them were reading this book.

Does it have a balanced argument about religion in slave trade anyway?

54. Islamic creationist group launches glitzy, global blitz

Comment #61428 by JanChan on August 5, 2007 at 6:13 am

Ok, I'm at a lost at some of the things written/said:

"Folks, there is no such thing as what you call evolution. If there was, it would be in the Holy Bible or the Koran,"
"he argues that fossils show that creatures from millions of years ago looked just like the creatures of today, thus disproving evolution."

All I can do is return a very blank stare that questions the guy's intelligence

55. God Answers Prayers Of Paralyzed Little Boy: 'No' Says God

Comment #60963 by JanChan on August 3, 2007 at 7:29 am

I'm not sure if it's worse if religion tells the truth (something like the above), where they'll say that God can't heal you, and you must suffer. Or if religion perpetuate the lie it has been doing for centuries, where they'll say that God can heal you, all you need is unquestioning, unwavering, blind faith.

Why can't we just get rid of it?

56. Philip Kitcher - Living with Darwin

Comment #59642 by JanChan on July 30, 2007 at 3:03 am

Well, what I don't understand is why we need to 'replace' the traditions in religions after getting rid of the religions. I'm living my life quite well right now without the need to go to church or some social gathering too often. And I help out a bit in the community, occasionally teaching basic programming skills (I believe that we should get an early start to do well in it) but getting nothing in return.

57. Resisting peer pressure: new findings shed light on adolescent decision-making

Comment #59033 by JanChan on July 27, 2007 at 3:03 am

Ok, now if we can only do the same for religious beliefs... probably something like measuring which part of the brain activates when blind belief is thrown in our faces.

58. Don't eat at the Outback Steakhouse on Route 3...

Comment #59032 by JanChan on July 27, 2007 at 2:57 am

Come on, give them some slack. These people obviously don't know what the Internet is, much less a forum. As you can see from the video, which person in the right mind would use a video camera to film a web site, especially since its possible to simply add the website as an image into the video itself? The irritating constant zooming will be absolutely unnecessary and the words shown will be clearer.

59. Phony Piety on the Far Right

Comment #57388 by JanChan on July 19, 2007 at 5:23 am

The lesser of two evils is still evil. What America really needs is a truly secular president.

60. Bill Moyers interviews E.O. Wilson

Comment #55152 by JanChan on July 10, 2007 at 5:56 am

I think that there's just 1 problem with his logic of reasoning when he talks about religion. Evolution is all about following rules of thumb, where the line that separates evolution of certain concepts of religion is still not certain. Certainly it wasn't too specific, otherwise religion wouldn't come in so many variety. However if it was really far off, such as evolutionary advantage conferred only on the consolation aspect, then religion is not necessary at all.

It's quite unthinkable for modern science to reconcile with religion, unless the religion is willing to abandon all beliefs that it values, we know Science isn't going to do that. For if we have everything that is left unexplained attributed to god, then scientific innovation is surely going to suffer. Science is interested in the truth that is as accurate as possible, religions on the other hand require faith. These two methods are the direct opposites of each other, and no reconciliation can be made without one of them stepping down.

61. Scientific Savvy? In U.S., Not Much

Comment #54634 by JanChan on July 8, 2007 at 8:54 am

The only thing Live Earth demonstrate is the fanatics among all of us. If they really want a day set aside to promote conservation, they should put up informative shows like those made by Carl Sagan, not holding a rock concert.

In fact I think that rock music is more harmful to the Earth than classical ones. Just look at the amount of electricity they need.

62. Genetic Engineers Who Don't Just Tinker

Comment #54630 by JanChan on July 8, 2007 at 8:27 am

Score: 1 more for Science, none for religion
Possibility of cheap energy source, I don't see god helping to provide energy.

Oh, and if petrol can be made synthetically like that, there won't be sulphur and other such impurities that harm the environment. It would just be clean short chains of hydrocarbons.

63. God not out of the question for most Canadians

Comment #54196 by JanChan on July 6, 2007 at 1:55 am

I guess the Canadian education system needs some work too. Seriously, 15% of graduates believing the Earth was 6000 years old? Anyone taking biology in school shouldn't be saying that.

64. Science of the Soul? 'I Think, Therefore I Am' Is Losing Force

Comment #53909 by JanChan on July 4, 2007 at 4:36 am

There's not much in the soul that Science cannot explain (emotions, faith, sympathising with other, consciousness, justice, ... etc.) Whatever left in the soul is quite vague anyway.

It's time to bring out the razor, Occam's one that is. The 21st century shall see the soul and spirit being subverted by the mind and brain.

65. Baptists Warned About Islam, Atheism

Comment #53621 by JanChan on July 2, 2007 at 9:35 am

Being an atheist, and being honest as well, I would never boast that I will die for what I believe. In fact, I would be quite tempted to give up my public views for a large monetary gift. However, what is kept in my head will stay in my head, no one can change that.

Unlike religious people, if atheism becomes a crime (hopefully that will never occur), I will never participate in a crusade. I'll just adapt to the way it has been more than 3 centuries ago, resorting to calling myself a deist or pantheist. The inability for religion to yield, even in the face of evidence, is perhaps one of the greatest problems of the world.