51. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150238 by Partisan on March 26, 2008 at 3:49 pm

Three cheers to you Richard, Happy Birthday!

52. Gay scientists isolate Christian gene

Comment #149833 by Partisan on March 26, 2008 at 9:31 am

Lmfao - far more pertinent!

53. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #149830 by Partisan on March 26, 2008 at 9:27 am

The mother believes the girl could still be resurrected

54. Biology prof expelled from screening of 'Expelled'

Comment #148330 by Partisan on March 22, 2008 at 4:43 pm

I think you're giving them too much credit Lagomort - in my opinion they actually are as stupid as they look. Besides, given the massive amount of negative press this event's given them, isn't it more to our credit if they tried to stage it? It's either a fail or an epic fail, depending on how you look at it.

Maybe the Hitch should have been released on the premiere, then there would have been some noise in the back row =]

55. Biology prof expelled from screening of 'Expelled'

Comment #147962 by Partisan on March 21, 2008 at 4:49 pm

An intellectual and PR debacle: seeing these Creationists in action is like watching someone eat their own head. It seems impossible but, here we are.

56. EXPELLED!

Comment #147669 by Partisan on March 21, 2008 at 5:25 am

Oh noes! They actually let in a real scientist to their propoganda showcase: I'm sure they'll tighten things up next time and have IQ screenings on the door - anyone in double figures refused entry.

57. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146111 by Partisan on March 18, 2008 at 4:06 pm

This reminds me of a quote I read in my early teens and has stuck with me to this day:

"The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one." - Bernard Shaw

58. They prayed to cast Satan from my body

Comment #145080 by Partisan on March 17, 2008 at 8:22 am

I smell an impending law suit...

59. In Britain, creationist theory is evolving

Comment #144538 by Partisan on March 16, 2008 at 10:10 am

I'm confident that this will never become popular in Europe.

60. Oklahoma: One Step from Doom

Comment #141250 by Partisan on March 10, 2008 at 7:55 am

I remember being told a story by an exam moderator during my GCSEs (exams taken in the UK at 16) of a student who had written "God knows all the answers" to a question on his Philosophy paper, to which he had been given a zero and the paper returned with the reply "Maybe, but he doesn't give out the marks."

61. A natural phenomenon

Comment #137460 by Partisan on March 3, 2008 at 12:05 am

This is really peculiar, I was just thinking last night how sad it would be if Attenborough died - I know we haven't quite gone to those extremes but it's still a shame. Attenborough's easily the best nature documenter I've ever watched; he's the only presenter I know who makes the animals the stars of the show and leaves himself in the background with just the occassional, relevant remark. I've found it hard to like other personalities as it always seems to be about them and the animals and their interactions, which I have to say I don't really care about - Attenborough shows the footage as it is in a way which is informative, universally appreciable and interesting. I can't think of anyone who comes close.

62. My Argument With God

Comment #131740 by Partisan on February 23, 2008 at 5:25 am

Funny, I can't think of a single Christian comedian. It's hardly surprising as the best comedians need to be willing to question and ridicule anything - as a Christian comedian the first thing you'd go after is your own belief!

Oh...the exception here's Creationists of course, they're hee-llaarrr-ious.

Edit: And Oranges man =]

63. Don't blame Islam for terrorism, expert says

Comment #130926 by Partisan on February 21, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Well, thanks to the CIA for yet another pearl of wisdom *cough-we-swear-mr-president-there-are-WMDs-in-Iraq-cough*

64. Cutting Edge: Baby Bible Bashers

Comment #130334 by Partisan on February 20, 2008 at 10:54 am

This is sad =[, I wonder if it'll ever be shown in America?

65. Machines 'to match man by 2029'

Comment #128554 by Partisan on February 17, 2008 at 11:20 am

I'll believe this when I see it - Turing made similarly optimistic predictions in the 50s; we don't know enough about how our minds work to be able to achieve artifical intelligence so soon, in my opinion.

66. Study: Religion colors Americans' views of nanotechnology

Comment #128450 by Partisan on February 17, 2008 at 3:13 am

I'm amazed anyone finds nanotechnology morally unacceptable - only 51% of people in the UK think it's a good idea, what?! Why? I want to hear their reasons!

67. The argument from oranges

Comment #128262 by Partisan on February 16, 2008 at 4:23 pm

This is embaressing - It's like I have to cringe for him because he's so incapable. One day he might sober up from his ignorance drunkeness and his hangover's going to be unearthly: *Oh God, what was I SAYING last night...you video'd it?! Argh, I'm never going to be irrational again!*

68. The Search for Truth, God and Braver Scientists in 'Expelled'

Comment #128224 by Partisan on February 16, 2008 at 3:08 pm

Well...this is bollocks

69. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Madeline Bunting

Comment #127292 by Partisan on February 15, 2008 at 6:24 am

Oh dear, I smell a woofy Liberal. She was so middle-class a stiff breeze could have blown her away - what she fails to recognise is that there are millions of people just in America who believe the bible to be the literal word of God and countless numbers of Muslims who believe martyrdom's a good idea. While her view of religion might be very progressive (and almost pointless it's worth saying, she doesn't really believe in any Catholic doctrine and just uses her church as a social club) it in no way represents the majority. She should look at Sam Harris' statistics and rethink her position.

70. Murder plot against Danish cartoonist

Comment #126170 by Partisan on February 12, 2008 at 2:24 pm

What I want to know is, how is this all possibley going to end? When dealing with fanatics who wont listen to reason, what options are there aside from jailing them for life or killing them?

The Danish reaction was, although I hate to say it as they did what any decent society would do, too mild. They should have been treated as criminally insane and detained until they're deemed psychologically fit to re-enter society (if ever).

71. Why multiculturalism must be abandoned

Comment #125369 by Partisan on February 11, 2008 at 9:35 am

The author comes to a very good conclusion: Britain has a proud tradition of Liberalism yet Liberalism's tenents can be confused with those of Multiculturalism, which is what's happening now. The rights of the Individual should always come before the rights of a cultural group; well said.

72. Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas

Comment #123350 by Partisan on February 7, 2008 at 2:42 am

The camera angles made me nauseous, but hearing Hitchens talk made me want to be there drinking and smoking too.

73. The New Atheist Movement

Comment #123034 by Partisan on February 6, 2008 at 11:39 am

So, he's suggesting there are all these brilliant explanations for a (I'm assuming Christian, given the nature of the video) God which theologians have yet to present for...what reason exactly? I liked the tone of this video, but it's all very well saying such arguments exist without actually presenting them.

74. Female Muslim medics 'disobey hygiene rules'

Comment #121511 by Partisan on February 3, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Thanks - now I know to ask not to have muslim nurses or doctors whenever I'm a patient at a hospital.

75. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #121360 by Partisan on February 3, 2008 at 9:42 am

This is one of the most softcore debates I've ever seen, and incidentally very British; what in hell was the 5 minute segment devoted to this guy's songs all about? And a discussion on HONESTY...what are we, 12? Watching this just makes me convinced no-one really cares about religion (atleast Anglican) in Britain anymore except in a truly watered down sense. It's actually quite encouraging to watch this - if Dawkin's had been given five minutes he could have conclusively disproved everyone's arguments on blasphemy. Infact the person who submitted the e-mail before the break made it clear how ridiculous the idea of a blasphemy law was - religion is nothing more than an idea, and infact less because it has no evidence, and as such there is absolutely no logical argument for its defence with such a law at the expense of other institutions.