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Comments by GodlessHeathen


51. 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.

52. Study: Babies can tell helpful, hurtful playmates

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

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

53. Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial

Comment #89100 by GodlessHeathen on November 19, 2007 at 5:56 pm

As astounding as it seems, I can understand how Behe could make that mistake. He would be focussing so hard on the Flagellum in it's role as a motor that he completely overlooks the possibility that a subset of the device might have another purpose. It is an easy mistake to make.
It's especially easy if you're hunting for evidence to support your goal-theory, rather than finding evidence and making theories based on that evidence.

54. Holy communion

Comment #86940 by GodlessHeathen on November 10, 2007 at 1:32 pm

Wow. That illustration is grotesque =>_<=

By the way, oh writer of the article, how do you manage to say this new atheism is hundred of years old AND say that it was kicked off by the World Trade Center attacks? I admit that odd dichotomy does seem to fit your overall reasoning, but ... yeesh.

55. Fruit fly parasite's gene invasion raises questions over evolution

Comment #67134 by GodlessHeathen on September 2, 2007 at 5:11 am

I do so love when new facts come along forcing revision (or even abandonment) of theories. There is no more certain an indicator that our body of knowledge has broadened.

And the more we know, the better equipped we are to make our lives better, expanding everyone's chances at capturing a little happiness. It gives me the nicest case of warm fuzzies.

Reason grants me more of that hope and good feeling than any religion I ever tried.

I'm a happy li'l' atheist.

56. The age of endarkenment

Comment #64325 by GodlessHeathen on August 19, 2007 at 3:09 pm

impious: Medical doctors are highly trained diagnosticians and technicians, but not necessarily scientists. They are sometimes more susceptible to such rubbish than others because they're used to being told what does and does not work for medicine without having the time or ability to question the assertions.

It's unwise to assume a doctor (or any other person who might be endowed with "authority") is any more capable of filtering out the crap than any other human is.

57. Religion is Hard

Comment #59562 by GodlessHeathen on July 29, 2007 at 4:17 pm

This fella knows humor =^.^=

At first I habitually raised my hackles at the article, reading the line "Religion is hard, it's too hard for most people, whereas humanity is relatively easy." It being an argument used (in reverse) to suggest that my disbelief was a simple case of my being either lazy or stupid. It was nice to see it used to greater effect here.

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

Comment #59061 by GodlessHeathen on July 27, 2007 at 5:59 am

I have a pet hypotheses that Christians like Mr. Self-Righteous Responder are desperately seeking ways to be martyrs.

Anything that even vaguely resembles persecution is collected and enshrined. It's brought out and paraded around repeatedly, with much talk of "spiritual battle" and suggestions (rarely subtle) that their right to be deluded (sorry, to worship) is under immediate threat.

All with exactly the same basis in reality as their faith in a sky-daddy.

I think the basis for this martyr complex stems most directly from the Bible itself, which is replete with praises for the repressed believer.

My suggestion to these Christians of the martyrly inclined persuasion is to move to Iran or Saudi Arabia where they can learn what real oppression is.

59. Convict sues God for broken contract

Comment #57012 by GodlessHeathen on July 18, 2007 at 6:32 am

Suing god isn't the hard part. Getting the #&$@ to comply and pay up when he's lost, that's the hard part.

60. Beyond Belief: Atheism (with AC Grayling)

Comment #57008 by GodlessHeathen on July 18, 2007 at 6:28 am

5. Comment #56872 by Wrought on July 17, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I caught it at the time and thought it could have been a lot better. I guess it was fairly well balanced, to be fair, but I've reached the point where it makes me turn red when I hear the words "and then I found God". Not anger, you understand, but embarrassment. What's wrong with these people? How has this crap existed for millenia?
I still think it's fear borne of our instinct for self preservation combined with our ability to make predictions (in this case of our death and its inevitability) and guided by a ubiquitous meme about continued life after death and a super-being.

I've felt the tug myself, and have had the conversation with many who have also felt it.

Possibly there is also an overwhelm with the sheer complexity of the universe, and a need to break down that complexity into something more manageable, like "gawdidit!".

61. The fundamentalist delusion

Comment #56284 by GodlessHeathen on July 14, 2007 at 6:27 pm

If this article proves anything, it proves these apologists have mastered cut-n-paste.

62. For Muslim Extremists, Religion Matters

Comment #54270 by GodlessHeathen on July 6, 2007 at 8:00 am

Reform-minded Muslims say it's time to admit that Islam's scripture and history are being exploited.
Bit past that time, really. If you're going to reform Islam, you've a great deal of catch-up work to do.

63. The Panel

Comment #53486 by GodlessHeathen on July 1, 2007 at 4:14 pm

The "correct answer" for what happens when you turn on the light makes it sound like the UK uses DC power.

64. Floods are judgment on society, say bishops

Comment #53485 by GodlessHeathen on July 1, 2007 at 4:09 pm

Crook-carrying slack-jawed imbecile.

What does it take to be so horrifyingly immoral as to tell people who've lost so much that they're being punished by a god who's so bad at its job it can't even make beings the way it wants them to be and has to destroy the lives of the innocent to scare folks into behaving?

65. I believe that there is no God.

Comment #52679 by GodlessHeathen on June 27, 2007 at 5:45 pm

He lost me at Jell-O. =^.^=

66. Executive Actions to Promote Religion Ruled Beyond Court Scrutiny

Comment #52472 by GodlessHeathen on June 27, 2007 at 4:59 am

I'm astounded this story had received so little commentary.

Have all the Americans here written a little love note to their congresscritters yet?

67. Messiah

Comment #52382 by GodlessHeathen on June 27, 2007 at 12:00 am

The bit where Derren is doing the "conversion by touch" bit scared me a little. Especially as the audiences were introduced as "skeptical".

I have to question weather I've cultivated in myself the necessary questioning habits to brush with that kind of thing without coming away trapped by it.

We need more shows like this!

68. The Stupidity of Fox News is Truly Beyond Belief

Comment #52322 by GodlessHeathen on June 26, 2007 at 6:01 pm

Suffering their atheism? I think this fool's delusions are not limited to belief in a god.

Anyone here suffering their atheism? Anyone? Buller?

I thought not. Load of crap it was, and I think we aught write in demanding that someone better versed in what's going on in countries like the US and the UK (and most of Europe if I'm not mistaken) comment about this trend. Hint: They won't come from Vatican City.

69. The Present Threat of the Religious Right to Our Modern Freedoms

Comment #51671 by GodlessHeathen on June 24, 2007 at 3:34 am

9. Comment #51658 by Convertedchristian on June 24, 2007 at 1:39 am
If you are a quite atheist, you should be fine. Can't wait to get the *$#* out of here!
Was that intentional irony?

Quiet, hmm? I should keep to myself, not share my opinions, even with just those that are like minded. Don't question the damage done to my country by teaching children mythology in place of science. Avoid questioning the result of laws and policies that repress women, gays, atheists... anyone not a first-tier citizen.

No. No, I don't think being quiet is in the least bit wise.

70. The Present Threat of the Religious Right to Our Modern Freedoms

Comment #51636 by GodlessHeathen on June 23, 2007 at 10:41 pm

2. Comment #51622 by Angieruns on June 23, 2007 at 8:41 pm
I wish that every fundie that claims "this is a Christian nation" would listen to Eddie's speech on the history and importance of the separation of church and state. The framers clearly articulated the need for government neutrality in matters of religion. Why, then, are we on the brink of a theocracy? Madison and Jefferson would be appalled, as am I.
You could expose every fundie salivating at the idea of a theocratic USA to every piece of evidence there is supporting secular government and the intent of the founding fathers and it would make no difference.

Their certainty does not come from evidence - it comes from faith.

I have to wonder. When I mention my concerns on this subject I'm told by the secularists, atheists , and liberals around me that I'm overreacting. Tabash's observations here match my own. Among those here, who agrees? With what level of reservation?

71. His word

Comment #51442 by GodlessHeathen on June 23, 2007 at 1:19 am

Is it me, or did that last full paragraph hit the wall with a bit of a splat? I think I've missed his point. Is this another "We need god and there's no alternative" thing?

72. In the name of the Father

Comment #51440 by GodlessHeathen on June 23, 2007 at 1:15 am

Another article by a theist that boils down to assuaging theist's fears, bolstering their sense of moral superiority, and proving they didn't understand the book.

Please, anyone, someone, please! Find us a theist who will directly address the problem. Which is not humans, per se, but the dogma and absolute certainty that is the heart of religion's poison.

How can he call the work "seriously harmful"? It casts doubt where there it needs to be.

73. Hitchens vs. Hitchens

Comment #51246 by GodlessHeathen on June 22, 2007 at 3:57 am

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall at the Hitchens household when these two sat down for dinner. =^.^=

74. Bill O'Reilly and Kirk Cameron on Atheism

Comment #51242 by GodlessHeathen on June 22, 2007 at 3:36 am

Sun go up.
Sun go down.

Tide comes in.
Tide goes out.

IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC!

75. An Inquisition in science's name

Comment #51164 by GodlessHeathen on June 21, 2007 at 8:00 pm

65. Comment #51163 by _J_ on June 21, 2007 at 7:53 pm
By the way, what animal is that on your avatar? Not a badger, not a ratel... I'm stupid, help me out.
I'm betting on Tasmanian Devil =^.^=

76. The God Delusion - Dawkins Feature

Comment #50768 by GodlessHeathen on June 19, 2007 at 11:16 pm

I find it odd that Dawkin's explanation that his tone seemed strident and harsh because of the taboo against "disrespecting" or criticizing religion was brushed aside as untrue simply because there had been critiques before.

Those previous critiques were also considered harsh, when they didn't spend time padding their edges.

In some very early critiques, well... nothing says harsh like a good hangin'

77. Interview with Christopher Hitchens

Comment #50598 by GodlessHeathen on June 19, 2007 at 4:07 am

Thank you, LittleAtoms!

78. Call for 'post-9/11' RE teaching

Comment #50343 by GodlessHeathen on June 17, 2007 at 2:40 am

So, RE = Religious Education?

What is that exactly?

79. Interview with Christopher Hitchens

Comment #50329 by GodlessHeathen on June 16, 2007 at 8:57 pm

Anyone have the MP3? The hosting site has reached its bandwidth limit.

80. The Future Forum Presents: Christopher Hitchens and Marvin Olasky

Comment #49887 by GodlessHeathen on June 14, 2007 at 2:50 am

I love how he argues that the Bible isn't about what it so plainly says it is, but insists that merely the title of Hitchens' book must be taken as strictly and literally as possible. I half expected Olasky to say, "Religion poisons everything? Really, Hitch? Everything? Does it poison the soap in my bathroom? Does is poison the corn flakes I eat in the morning? These things seem unaffected by religion."
Didn't he? He mentioned some troubled children being brought food by some Christian charity and they ate it and failed to drop dead, didn't he?

81. The Future Forum Presents: Christopher Hitchens and Marvin Olasky

Comment #49875 by GodlessHeathen on June 14, 2007 at 2:00 am

Olasky is mind-numbingly redundant. I give him credit for all those straw men he beat up at the end there, though.

I don't understand why CH didn't nip Olasky's primary misunderstanding. It seems it would have been easier to say "Where so much if not all of the good religions brings can be had with secular morality, why tolerate the profound evil religious dogma brings?"

meh

82. Quackbuster causes too much flak for university

Comment #49806 by GodlessHeathen on June 13, 2007 at 2:55 pm

Seems he's reinstated, at least in part.

83. Majority of Republicans Doubt Theory of Evolution

Comment #49517 by GodlessHeathen on June 12, 2007 at 8:40 am

Closing HTML tags.

Yeah, I'm rather tired of explaining how the word "theory" is used in science, too. Tired of people thinking evolution somehow includes the origin of life (it's origin of species in the title, folks. Please!)

Also tired of the same old non-arguments that are trotted out every time.

84. Can we really learn to love people who aren't like us?

Comment #48826 by GodlessHeathen on June 9, 2007 at 6:27 am

The rabbi's article reminded me of an old thought.

Ostensibly, the big religions of the world want you to convert in order to save your soul. It's what makes them certain of the morality of their plans to spread the word.

But they've not thought it through. Attempting to force someone to convert by violence or threat of violence, oppressive legislation, or just being repetitive and annoying about it does not get you the results you are looking for.

What you get is attrition. The appearance of conversion given to avoid further force.

I've read from several theologists, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish that the only effective method of bringing souls over to salvation or heaven is to lead a life that is undeniably good, with a hand out to whomever appears to be "seeking".

Of course, this is only a teeny part of what motivates religious folks, so even if they do get this point there will still be plenty who will try to oppress and coerce. But it would be a nice start.

85. Teaching assistant quit in protest at Harry Potter

Comment #48703 by GodlessHeathen on June 8, 2007 at 6:44 pm

The girl then chose a Harry Potter book from her reading folder
So, she knew she'd have to face that book at some point, and did nothing? One of the problems with Christians are so many are eager to be "martyrs"... "Iz deeescrimination!"

86. In Saudi Arabia, a view from behind the veil

Comment #48376 by GodlessHeathen on June 7, 2007 at 3:55 pm

I'd like to assure anyone from that region that should I discuss women's liberation with you it is not a disguised attack on Islam.

87. Atheism is the absence of belief

Comment #48368 by GodlessHeathen on June 7, 2007 at 3:23 pm

Mmmm. Is like a literary pudding.

We need far more of this sort of thing being printed in papers all about the world.

88. Wanted: Moral Education for Secular Children

Comment #48361 by GodlessHeathen on June 7, 2007 at 3:17 pm

DV82XL (fabulous name, by the way), children do better upon reaching adulthood when you give them hard-n-fast rules (morals) to go by while teaching them to think critically and in their teen years teach them also how to let go of such absolutes.

As children they simply don't have enough experience to make those decisions, and it helps to have a basis on which to start. Yes it is, by definition, dogmatic; But its a dogma that is to be let go slowly as the child learns.

89. Scopes Two

Comment #48229 by GodlessHeathen on June 7, 2007 at 6:19 am

they are first and foremost, vote whores.
They, of course, have to be. Sadly that makes them reinforce utter claptrap of all sorts.

I forget who said that democracy works fine right up 'till the populace "realizes" they can vote in infinite bread and circuses.

In my view, a sky-daddy who will keep you safe, fed and loved so long as you kiss his divine behind is infinite bread and circuses.

90. Scopes Two

Comment #48197 by GodlessHeathen on June 7, 2007 at 2:49 am

Is it me or did Delay just as much as state that the republican position on evolution, gays in the military, etc. is "Neanderthal"?

91. God is not responsible for war and suffering

Comment #48128 by GodlessHeathen on June 6, 2007 at 5:51 pm

On the contrary, time and time again religious faith has applied the brakes to monstrous human excess.
Yes, as exemplified in the case of the inquisition.

Religion did jack all in every case - it was folks' morality that did the work, and we all know that morality is separate from (though incorporated into) religion.

92. Atheism is pretentious and cowardly

Comment #48100 by GodlessHeathen on June 6, 2007 at 3:28 pm

Snide and condescending are the common thread of his articles on that site. He has very little to say and he says it a great deal.

93. Holy Hot Rods

Comment #47200 by GodlessHeathen on June 3, 2007 at 12:39 pm

So, what if the blessing makes one of the cars sizzle and explode? I mean, there's always the chance someone's restoring "Christine", right?

If only it'd stay this silly and harmless.

94. Man to die over insult

Comment #47198 by GodlessHeathen on June 3, 2007 at 12:33 pm

47. Comment #47192 by insurance25844 on June 3, 2007 at 12:07 pm
I don't mean to flame or troll, but what I see is one set of religious freaks killing other religious freaks; why do we care again?
Well, we're moral. We're aware that insanity spreads. We don't care to be next. We don't really want anyone to suffer or die over other's imaginary friends.

It'd be nice to one day have the worst stories in the papers be about accidents and natural disasters...

95. Man to die over insult

Comment #47060 by GodlessHeathen on June 3, 2007 at 12:12 am

As I look into this story I've discovered it's even worse. Christian-owned homes and businesses were damaged and looted (apparently while Pakistani police watched), more than Mr. Masih was assaulted (they attacked his wife and shred her clothing from her and attacked other Christians).

As many as five other Christian citizens preceded Mr. Masih since January to jail under the same very vaguely worded laws.

These are just folks in Pakistan, mind you. Not terrorists, not extremists, just folks. This lends a great deal of credence to the idea that Islam itself is a seriously sick ideology and religion.

96. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #46589 by GodlessHeathen on May 31, 2007 at 6:21 pm

Watching McGrath dance and twist and evade as Dawkins pressed was somewhat sad.

When a theologian of any stripe reaches the limit of their scope, they twist back on themselves, trying their best to make that limit "real".

When a scientist reaches the limit of their scope, they simply say "I don't know". At worst, they may speculate on what lies beyond, the best making sure we know they are merely speculating.

This interview illustrated that well.

97. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46587 by GodlessHeathen on May 31, 2007 at 6:16 pm

if God designed everything knowing how it would come out, how do you explain Sam Brownback?
God must have a juvenile sense of humor.

98. Group Threatens to Sue Pentagon Over Military Role in Evangelical Festival

Comment #45726 by GodlessHeathen on May 29, 2007 at 4:55 am

28. Comment #45723 by trapper on May 29, 2007 at 4:47 am
'SBC officials stated that special Bibles for military personnel would be disseminated at the gathering.'

not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, regular bibles then! i wonder how they differ from the original?
'thou shalt not kill' changed to ' thou shalt only kill godless heathens'perhaps?
I think I'd take that rather personally.

99. Group Threatens to Sue Pentagon Over Military Role in Evangelical Festival

Comment #45464 by GodlessHeathen on May 27, 2007 at 11:36 pm

20. Comment #45392 by Matty Two-Tone on May 27, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Alright, so I take back what I said about it not being a big deal. I do however still think you should realize that most Americans are going to read this article and say "Those damn atheists just have to bitch about everything don't they?"
When I was going through my grandfather's things as his estate executor, I found a cache of old newspapers. Being a bit of a history buff, I read them. In one was a letter to the editor, referring to a recent visit by Rev. Martin Luther King. The writer said - pardon this summary as I no longer have the paper - that it was so annoying that those blacks would complain about everything, no matter how silly or small.

Not that I equate the two situations, my point being if we don't make noise every time our rights are tromped upon, they will continue to be tromped upon. And if we're too quiet, the rights will go away in favor of the majority's idea of what is proper.

If you prefer to live in a country where you're required to pray or be a member of a Christian church of some sort, just let them keep sneaking this kind of thing in. It always - always - starts small.

100. Another Christian Science Fair embarrasses itself

Comment #44876 by GodlessHeathen on May 25, 2007 at 12:39 pm

The other projects having received awards all appear to be good learning projects for science. The examples given were really good ones for learning the scientific method - the "Why is the sky blue?" project in particular.

The creationism pseudo-science project is so glaringly different from the rest in focus and technique. The award was nothing more than a bunch of xtian jerks stroking one another. Bleh!

And was that really James Randi who posted that comment on the news story? Would be interesting that it garnered that sort of attention.

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