51. Unholy row at clergy soccer game

Comment #38255 by FXR on May 7, 2007 at 10:27 am

So.........a bunch of fairyologists have a football match with a bunch of leprechaunists with a view to understanding each others culture and one side gets into a hissy fit becuase.....the other side (who they are trying to understand) does something which their side does'nt agree with...If this was a Monthy Python sketch I'd be more likely to believe it.

52. The moment a teenage girl was stoned to death for loving the wrong boy

Comment #37672 by FXR on May 5, 2007 at 12:49 pm

The denigration of women is directly attributable to religion.
What happened to this unfortunate young girl is the same thing that Christianity did in a less secular age. The superiority of men over women is a theme of the bible.

53. 'god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything' by Christopher Hitchens

Comment #36243 by FXR on April 30, 2007 at 3:44 pm

Shuggy
"2. A detailed analysis of the role of religion in creating masterworks of art, music and architecture"

Religion did not create masterworks of art, music etc. Great artists did.
Religion through economic dominance simply dictated the subject matter.

54. Convention ends with Satan and immigrants

Comment #36222 by FXR on April 30, 2007 at 2:24 pm

The children of immigrants think immigrants should be thrown out of the country?

It's sad that so many rational Americans will be painted with the All Americans Are Mad brush.

55. We aim to misbehave

Comment #35091 by FXR on April 26, 2007 at 7:16 am

"It is not enough that I should be freed from religion so that I may walk away and abandon others to their fate. If I were to do that I could not call myself a compassionate human being"
Sir William Robinson

Insidiously promoted stupidity deserves to be attacked. We cannot become rational as a species until widespread irrational ideas are dragged into the light to be exposed for what they are.

The worst oppression is not necessarily physical oppression.

56. Darwin nearly failed to evolve in print

Comment #35083 by FXR on April 26, 2007 at 6:48 am

"He was asked by the London publisher for his opinion of Darwin's new work, which challenged Old Testament ideas of Creation. Unsurprisingly for a man of the cloth, Elwin disapproved. Writing back from his rectory in Norwich on May 3, 1859, he urged Murray not to publish."

A close call by any means! I can't help wondering how many works have been lost because they were too advanced for their time. Perhaps works by Leonardo Da Vinci are gathering dust somewhere in the bowels of the Vatican.

57. The God disunion: there is a place for faith in science, insists Winston

Comment #34746 by FXR on April 25, 2007 at 4:54 am

Which title is the greater insult to humanity The God Delusion or The Science Delusion? If religion attacks science our only hope is that intelligent people will take the responsibility and fight back.
It is the responsibility of the intelligent to oppress the stupid, otherwise they will take over the earth.

58. 'The Day They Kicked God out of the Schools' & Rebuttal

Comment #34246 by FXR on April 23, 2007 at 4:02 pm

I wonder what this supposedly benevolent god thingy would think of his followers using the slaughter of school kids as a opportunity to gloat and promote.

59. Pope abolishes limbo

Comment #34162 by FXR on April 23, 2007 at 12:07 pm

The Vatican: the most luxurious padded cell on earth.

Sadly generations of people have put their faith in the dogma of this insidious organization. How many countless parents have agonised over lost children not being admitted to heaven because they died before being baptised.

Will Herr Ratzinger have the manners to apologise to these people: will he f*&k

60. Where Is Atheism When Bad Things Happen?

Comment #33692 by FXR on April 21, 2007 at 6:24 am

Whenever there is death religion lands like a vulture to feed itself on the suffering and in this case to caw at the lark while gorging.

In Ireland no TV report of any tragedy, from car accident to missing trawler, passes without the appearance of a cleric.

I've complained time and time again to our national TV station about this problem.

61. Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children

Comment #32622 by FXR on April 17, 2007 at 3:51 pm

Sorry that was a bit over the top.

The point is however when people speak of things in Ireland they generally mean Ireland as in the south.
This rosy Emerald Isle bs is somewhere left in the dust of the Celtic tiger. I've been to lots of funerals down here. I'm going to one in the morning and waiting for news of an impending one.

I can assure you, what reg car one is driving and what property one owns overseas will be the two most popular topics of the day. No one will be passing snuff and telling stories of long ago when the fairies stole the milk from the cow.

I'm glad you have an Irish passport, you'll never know what I went through trying to get you one.

But no matter what happens Ulster will never be a part of the republic. Not as long as schools turn out protestant children and catholic children.

62. Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children

Comment #32610 by FXR on April 17, 2007 at 3:12 pm

Dublin (the pale) is by far the most heavily populated part of Ireland
I've been to funerals in Wicklow, Donegal, Cork Limerick and Galway and they were no different. I'm talking about Ireland not what goes on in parts of the United Kingdom. If you're still re-enacting scenes from Ryan's Daughter after funerals good luck, it might do something for the tourist trade.

Being in Belfast you're hardly in a position to be talking about "the rest of us". There is no "us", you're one of the Queens Subjects whether you like it or not.

63. Atheism isn't the final word

Comment #32593 by FXR on April 17, 2007 at 2:28 pm

My only response to people who ask "What would a world without God be like" is "Look out your window"

64. Irish poll shows parents no longer want to force religion on to children

Comment #32592 by FXR on April 17, 2007 at 2:16 pm

I don't think anyone should start celebrating just yet. There are three words to keep in mind when discussing Irish people's attitude to the Vatican: births, deaths and marriages. As much as Irish people will tell you they don't agree with the Catholic church when it comes to BDMs they march like sheep.

The report about the school in Diswellstown Dublin 15 above is being taken out of context. The Irish bishops announced they welcomed the move. Why? Because this is a case of damage limitation. They want to be seen to be tolerant when they are anything but. Our government in Ireland is run by Catholics and sees its mission as perpetuating the dominance of the Vatican. The Bishops and the Leader of our little isle have already begun manning the ramparts of little Catholic Ireland. Their catch phrase, repeated as often as possible in press releases and speeches is: vulgarism and secularism. This little word couplet is being hammered home in sound bytes again and again.

Here is another more relevant story of school admissions from Ireland also from Dublin 15 the same area as the one mentioned above.
Because of a shortage of school places the taxpayer funded Vatican run schools are demanding proof of baptism in order for children to be admitted to education.
http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=247


This story made it on to one news report. They interviewed a black immigrant who may have been a Muslim for all I know. I tried to get the station to follow up which they did but still using the angle of children who've been rejected. The real story is the people who are being coerced into the Catholic Church. That angle is still too hot for a news station to report on.

As for atheists in Ireland a web site for atheists has so far only got two hundred members.
(atheist.ie)

As for the person who mentioned Irish "wakes". I think they may be watching re runs of the Quiet Man or Ryan's Daughter. Funerals in Dublin, at least, are more about who has the latest C Class Mercedes Benz than jolly story telling and snuff.

65. A History of Violence

Comment #30437 by FXR on April 8, 2007 at 3:45 am

Organised religionism is a glue by which groups of people can be herded into war.

The reason for a war might be greed etc. but the motivation to action is provided by religion.

Countless politicians, cadres, and leaders have used "God" as a banner under which to move people. What the war was really fought for is beside the point. If the strongest facilitating factor is religionism then that's what makes war possible by providing the basic conditions.

66. E.O. Wilson Accepts his 2007 TED Prize

Comment #30420 by FXR on April 8, 2007 at 3:07 am

What a man. It strikes me as unfortunate that when one hears the term "American" anywhere in the world the first image that jumps up is one of a religious nut and not a man like E. O. Wilson.

67. Prophets of the new atheism

Comment #30410 by FXR on April 8, 2007 at 2:50 am

I always find it interesting that in order to condem something the religiously deluded will paint it up to look like a religion. Kinda like shootin' yourself in the foot.

68. How to defend your faith with an electric wheelchair

Comment #30407 by FXR on April 8, 2007 at 2:42 am

Anyone for religious mud wrestling?

69. John Paul Sainthood Nun 'Gentle, Simple'

Comment #28867 by FXR on March 31, 2007 at 11:59 am

While it is usual to speculate on how people are cured of these illnesses I think it is more pertinent to ask how they get them in the first place. I was raised in the Catholic Church in Ireland.

The central message of Catholic schooling is: Self inflicted Suffering = Good Person

Jaysus split himself in two (or three) and got himself flailed and nailed just for you isn't he wonderful.

The mind is a powerful thing and the power of suggestion is well documented. I find it perfectly plausible that a devout believer thoroughly brainwashed could well subconsciously give themselves an illness. It is also perfectly plausible to believe they could spontaneously divest themselves of that ilness to support their religion.
In a way someone who inflicts suffering on themselves is imitating the story fabricated in the Bible.

FXR
God who?

70. Debate between Alister McGrath and Peter Atkins

Comment #28045 by FXR on March 27, 2007 at 5:16 pm

Alister McGrath
"I grew up in the fifties"

Some of us are still growing and will continue to do so 'till we die.

71. Hell is real and eternal: Pope

Comment #28039 by FXR on March 27, 2007 at 4:50 pm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1572646.ece

I'm not sure what type of organisation timesonline is but they seem to be deleting anything but very mild statements that criticise Herr Ratzinger.

Perhaps I was being too harsh:

"It would be difficult to imagine people any more deluded than the misfits who populate the environs of the Vatican.

In a saner world the ravings of Herr Ratzinger would be done in the padded cell in which he truly belongs.

How sad that there will many people who will have nightmares because of this kind of nonsense. How many more children will be mentally scarred having fallen into the grip of these twisted allegedly celibate fools.

I wonder did he discuss his statement first with the Sugar Plum Fairy before making it."

72. Happy 66th Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #27745 by FXR on March 26, 2007 at 1:27 pm

Happy birthday from Ireland.

Thank you for shedding a light on the great darkness of organised religionism. Every day I hear the clamour of alarm bells from dome to minaret and hope one day we will all recognise our shared identity as humans living in the only home we know.

If that day ever comes it will be due in no small way to your courage and effort.

Thank you.

And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light,
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly,
But westward, look, the land is bright.*

*Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth
Arthur Hugh Clough

73. Does God answer prayer? ASU research says 'yes'

Comment #26093 by FXR on March 16, 2007 at 6:47 pm

Quote:
"Thus, we should not be treating clients suffering with depression, for example, only with prayer. To treat depression, standard treatments, such as cognitive therapy, should be used as the primary method of treatment."

If one's supposed imaginary friend is so powerful why does he need help?

74. When the ain'ts go marching in

Comment #25234 by FXR on March 11, 2007 at 6:41 am

Some months ago the well know British comedy actor Ronnie Barker died. He was buried in a humanist ceremony. This was barely mentioned on news programmes and nothing of this much loved man's funeral was shown.

75. Religion and Politics

Comment #25011 by FXR on March 9, 2007 at 4:50 pm

I don't believe in reincarnation and I didnt in my last life either.

76. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #24997 by FXR on March 9, 2007 at 3:40 pm

"Dogs act like dogs, cats act like cats"

I have a dog who pulls the lead out of the electric kettle once its boiled. No other dog I've ever heard of does this.

So he's not a dog after all?

Sorry gottaaaa goooo
I think I've got Beezelbub sleeping in a kennel out my back garden...........

77. Academy denies claims from job candidate

Comment #24984 by FXR on March 9, 2007 at 3:10 pm

The Vardy school is a result of the process whereby Blair has turned Britian into the 51st state.

78. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #24980 by FXR on March 9, 2007 at 2:58 pm

"The Nazis killed the Jews because they said they were inferior: that's science!"

Really! The Jews were villified because some religious zealot invented a myth blaming them on killing an imaginary guy by nailing him to two planks.

Nothing to do with science.

I noticed God didn'nt make a personal appearance in the video.

79. British Book Awards shortlists 2007

Comment #24749 by FXR on March 8, 2007 at 10:05 am

It should be obvious to anyone reading Bizarro's comments he's a fourteen year old with a spell checker. Some day in the future it will dawn on him that he's been misled. You don't have to know the date because you'll hear the scream......

80. Atheist Apostle

Comment #24376 by FXR on March 6, 2007 at 9:09 am

Is there an echo in here?

81. Atheist Apostle

Comment #24375 by FXR on March 6, 2007 at 9:07 am

Re Nazi links with Christianity: recently RTE (Irish National TV station) aired a documentary about the way the Catholic Church helped prominent Nazis to escape to "Catholic" Ireland. Among them were those who designed the Jewish holocaust. Many lived out their years in Holy Catholic Ireland and became quite successful.

I'm sure this is not something you will hear from the legions of drunken revelers celebrating "Saint" Patrick's Day.

FXR
aethiest.ie

82. Atheist Apostle

Comment #24374 by FXR on March 6, 2007 at 9:07 am

Re Nazi links with Christianity: recently RTE (Irish National TV station) aired a documentary about the way the Catholic Church helped prominent Nazis to escape to "Catholic" Ireland. Among them were those who designed the Jewish holocaust. Many lived out their years in Holy Catholic Ireland and became quite successful.

I'm sure this is not something you will hear from the legions of drunken revelers celebrating "Saint" Patrick's Day.

FXR
aethiest.ie

83. The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum

Comment #23608 by FXR on March 1, 2007 at 5:35 pm

All in all it's another man talking about a god. It's not a god talking.
For if there was god somewhere
the god would talk for itself..

84. Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots

Comment #23604 by FXR on March 1, 2007 at 5:13 pm

And so by Angela's comments we see women and men are equal. Stupidity has no sexual orientation. So perhaps in the future we will judge everyone, male,female, gay, straight, or camel on the quality of their opinions only!

85. Pope speaks out against 'designer babies'

Comment #23510 by FXR on March 1, 2007 at 10:33 am

The comments of an allegedly celibate elderly leader of an organisation of allegedly celibate old men are irrelevant to people faced with the prospect of having children.

When more people realise that fact the world will be a much better place.

86. Guinness 'Evolution' Ad

Comment #22686 by FXR on February 20, 2007 at 7:52 pm

The ad is not bad unfortunately Guinness in the last decade has become shite. One thing they won't tell and that's the ingredients. They've even turned what used to be a fascinating tour of the brewery into a trot around an interpretive centre.
If you want real beer you've got to go to Germany.
(My grandfather is probably turning in his grave right now; he used to work in James's Gate as did my dad)

87. Give us back our bones, pagans tell museums

Comment #22684 by FXR on February 20, 2007 at 4:32 pm

I've just decided to become a pagan...
First of all I want all those gold artefacts returned to me immediately! I want all the precious stones jewellery and ancient weapons. I have to have them as I believe only when they are revealed to the world on an ancient sacred site will my ancestors be at peace. That ancient site is now covered by a building occupied by Christies auctioneers but that's not a problem...

88. Battle for Europe's secular values

Comment #22682 by FXR on February 20, 2007 at 4:19 pm

What we need enshrined in every constitution is freedom from religion. Then people like Bizarro (that part of the name is apt) above can dance naked with a purple feather headdress during a full moon if he wants to and the rest of us can get on with it.
The difference between religionism and atheism is the former is imposed and the latter is arrived at by logical examination of evidence.

89. The God Delusion

Comment #21903 by FXR on February 11, 2007 at 3:09 pm

The best way to combat people like Mr. McGrath is to raise peoples awarness of the fact that there is an alternative to religious delusion. For example at the moment the votes are being cast for the Irish Book Awards. This is a chance to get National Radio Coverage for The God Delusion.
Believe it or not TGD has made it to the shortlist although the favourite to win is a fictional love story written by none other than the daughter of the leader of our (sic) govenment. So if anyone wants to do something practical go to: http://www.irishbookawards.ie/PublicVote.aspx

and cast a vote. There is only one vote per email address allowed.
All hands to the pump.....

90. Send The God Delusion to your MP

Comment #19578 by FXR on January 28, 2007 at 1:27 pm

I think the idea of a covering letter is a good idea.
I intend to send copies of TGD to politicians on all sides of the divide. I also intend to let each know who else received a copy. Maybe it will start an internal debate. It only takes one politician to seize on a topic if its judged to be gathering favour amoung the voters. It is perfectly true to say knowledge sought is better recived however at least the information is there for those who wish to inform themselves. At the very least they will know that everyone they claim to represent is not a religiously deluded sheep.

91. Send The God Delusion to your MP

Comment #19440 by FXR on January 27, 2007 at 8:06 am

For the past few weeks in Ireland I have been building up a stock of The God Delusion in order to send them to the country's political reps. I have also bought a copy of the DVD the Root of all Evil to send to our Taoiseach (prime minister) since this devout Catholic doesn't read books. At the moment in Ireland the government is holding consultations about bringing in child protection laws. Unbelievably the minister involved has consulted the Catholic Church and other organized religions (curiously despite requests he refused to invite Pagans or Druids). Its exasperating to think the people children need most protection from will have a hand in writing the legislation.

92. Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory

Comment #18082 by FXR on January 18, 2007 at 8:23 am

It's a sad state of affairs when one can read an article like this and not be sure straight away that it's a spoof. Just shows how far down religious nuts are dragging the world.

93. Wash. school board restricts Gore's global-warming film

Comment #17712 by FXR on January 15, 2007 at 3:53 pm

Maybe Hardi could tell us what devastating historical truths he's gleaned from reading Mother Goose!

94. Judge: Men can seek damages from church

Comment #17229 by FXR on January 12, 2007 at 7:21 am

The Catholic Church is without a doubt the most insidious anti-human organization in history. The Catholic Church spreads a philosophy of fear and ignorance. The central message is: suffering good, enjoyment bad. (their logo is a tortured anorexic nailed to two planks) It survives because it serves as an escalator to power for the misfit, the pervert, the deluded and the conniving. I think you should all be thankful that at least in America they can be challenged in court. In Ireland (where I live) the government works hand in hand with the Church to cover up their crimes.

Thank you for your time and attention.

PS: F%&k Saint Patrick

95. Richard Dawkins on The Late Late Show with Pat Kenny

Comment #12180 by FXR on December 11, 2006 at 4:54 am

I'm not sure if Richard Dawkins was on the Late Late show due to my efforts. Since Pat "the Plank" Kenny's interview with the creepy Fr. Brian Darcy I've been e mailing them constantly to have Prof. Dawkins on. Either way at least he made an appearance. I'm sorry I missed him. As for the Irish people in general it is one of their failings that most are mindless sheep when it comes to tackling the Catholic Church. The country is run by the Fianna Fail party which is, to all intents and purposed, the political wing of the Vatican. Add to that the fact our national station, RTE, acts a lot of the time like the Church's PR wing. At the moment I'm preparing to post copies of the God Delusion to as many members of the government as I can. Where there's life……
Happy winter solstice.