101. Islamic radicals make mockery of hate laws

Comment #281537 by Caudimordax on November 10, 2008 at 2:55 pm

14. Comment #281533 by Border Collie

I was just about to say, can't wait for Pat Condell to weigh in on this.

I can't believe these doofusses move to the UK and then claim they won't submit to UK law. It's not like they were living in the UK before the British moved in and passed a bunch of laws! But they're so stupid, they don't even realize that this makes it hard for them to claim "islamophobia" every two seconds.

The answer is, "If you break the law, we arrest you. End of story."

102. The 'Great Debate' in Texas

Comment #281423 by Caudimordax on November 10, 2008 at 10:08 am

Hi 2!

Too late for Berlinski to be a Robin Hood now - I'd say the gig (or is it jig?) is up. Hope you're not volunteering for the role!

Depriving the Discovery Institute of some of their bucks isn't as effective as publicly denouncing them, IMO.

Edit: Professor Snape more than Robin Hood? But Snape wasn't in it for the money.

103. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280762 by Caudimordax on November 8, 2008 at 8:46 am

Sigmund Freud once described the goal of psychotherapy as "transforming hysterical misery into ordinary unhappiness."

When I heard that, I got really depressed.

104. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280757 by Caudimordax on November 8, 2008 at 8:35 am

Social hierarchies form, as do cliques and vendettas flourish no matter how good your intentions.

105. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280749 by Caudimordax on November 8, 2008 at 8:11 am

Speaking of libraries around corners, my town's Carnegie Library is just round the corner from the Mechanics Institute. Since the latter was disused, I wouldn't be surprised if the library had extended its pseudopods into it by now, thereby supplanting one public education initiative with another...

106. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280502 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 4:08 pm

Most Americans who describe themselves as atheists, for instance, nonetheless believe that their souls will survive the death of their bodies.

I dont believe that and dont know of any other atheist who does.

107. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280480 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 3:21 pm

Can we contact the D&D people and get them to give the money to RD.net?

I don't know much about Gygax's biography, but here's my massively simplistice train of though:

Gamer = geek = smart = atheist (at least the gamers I know are those things).

108. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280477 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Nails - only the first two "teaser" paragraphs from the article are posted above. You have to link to Slate and read the whole article where your questios will be answered.

109. Anti-religion agenda among social media users

Comment #280473 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 3:00 pm

"How disappointing! "

Yes, and the newspaper clipping was a hoax as well.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/atheists.asp

110. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #280458 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 2:33 pm

...the market is not a tool to serve us, it is a moral agent to keep us in line, a God who rules over us.

"Spreading the wealth" and "redistribution" subverts what the market ordains. It is blasphemy.

111. Does Religion Make You Nice?

Comment #280454 by Caudimordax on November 7, 2008 at 2:27 pm

Did anybody go to Slate and read the whole article? The conclusion seemed to be that in America atheists are less generous than believers, but this is because they are excluded from the hyper-religious community around them, but in Sweden and Denmark, where people don't believe in god but have church rituals (i.e. community) they're even nicer and have lower murder and rape rates.

So there.

It's unfortunate that this website only put up the first two "teaser" paragraphs.

Last paragraph:

The sorry state of American atheists, then, may have nothing to do with their lack of religious belief. It may instead be the result of their outsider status within a highly religious country where many of their fellow citizens, including very vocal ones like Schlessinger, find them immoral and unpatriotic. Religion may not poison everything, but it deserves part of the blame for this one.

112. Bad Faith Awards 2008: Vote now

Comment #279907 by Caudimordax on November 6, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Part of the problem with this poll is that the judging criteria are not clear:

1. Is the award for sheer stupid faith-headedness? Sarah Palin might have done more than anyone else on the list to encourage mockery of religion.

2. Is it for actual harm done to people in the name of religion? - St Monica's Governors fit the bill, although the number of victims is small.

3. I'd never heard of Stephen Green before somebody here posted a link to his screed today - award for sheer lunacy.

4. Adnan Oktar got my vote for malignant piety, combined with massive dishonesty, megalomania, and a huge bankroll which enables him to reach a large, gullible audience. Award for the most far-reaching corrosive influence on the largest number of people.

Don't forget - vote early and often

Edit: Looks like they might have fixed the multiple voting glitch. That's okay: in a matter of hours Adnan Oktar's minions will be flooding the site trying to skew the vote.

113. Bad Faith Awards 2008: Vote now

Comment #279870 by Caudimordax on November 6, 2008 at 2:12 pm

17. Comment #279868 by Dhamma

"I voted Oktar, and can't for a minute understand why he hasn't got more votes."

I think Black Wolf said it well:

Oktar and his grand scheme of lobotomizing the ignorant is still a blank page to many people, including people who devise policies endorsing federal funding of more and more faith schools in Europe.

114. Bad Faith Awards 2008: Vote now

Comment #279829 by Caudimordax on November 6, 2008 at 12:56 pm

I voted for Adnan Oktar. It was a tough choice; the field is very competetive.

115. Gay Marriage Outlawed in California

Comment #279783 by Caudimordax on November 6, 2008 at 12:08 pm

324. Comment #279767 by Corylus

Wow! Those Britain in Sin people are completely batshit!

116. Gay Marriage Outlawed in California

Comment #279263 by Caudimordax on November 5, 2008 at 7:19 pm

Totally sucks. I think most of this has to do with the very large number of Americans that think sex is somehow "icky."

As somebody (probably here as well) said, "If people are so worried about gay people having sex, they should FORCE them to get married."

I believe it's like the journey African Americans have taken - progress, setbacks, but eventually, VICTORY!!!!

117. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #279261 by Caudimordax on November 5, 2008 at 7:08 pm

Caudimordaux, you're not going to hell but...

you're such a dissapointment to your mother

and so to jesus

and so to god

(so you're not exactly heaven material are you' you'll work it out for yourself where you'll end up...)

Am I near the mark'

118. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #279257 by Caudimordax on November 5, 2008 at 7:03 pm

2 - thanks for the hug. I am soooooo happy!!!

119. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278421 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 6:40 pm

Only a short time left to upload your "I Voted" sticker!

120. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278419 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 6:38 pm

Maybe this question-mark-crisis is a way of sayig we should be more - uh - determined?

121. Stoning victim 'begged for mercy'

Comment #278211 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 1:04 pm

And this just adds another layer of horror to what is already so horrific and contemptible that it beggars description:

nurses were sent to check during the stoning whether the victim was still alive. They removed her from the ground and declared that she was, before she was replaced so the stoning could continue.

122. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278162 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 12:33 pm

107. Comment #278147 by admin

Funny - so there's a reason other than the satisfying cher-klunk of the old voting machines to be suspicious of electronic voting.

Edit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUdpj3gJofQ

substituted link that works - sorry - doesn't work either

123. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278148 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 12:28 pm

I heard a funny, although incredibly offensive story from Ohio

124. Quentin Letts ranks Dawkins 30th on list of 'people who have wrecked Britain'

Comment #278111 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Oh My Nonexistentdeity! How scathing!

Not.

125. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #278101 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 12:08 pm

But there is also a number that seem to me to somehow deny they understand this, as if they never heard of it, or were somehow capable of blanking it out, and yet I find it hard to conceive of virtually everyone having a closely related realisation when they 'got' the concept of mortality.

That's the problem. In order to love god, you must FEAR him first. Fear of what he'll do to you should you fail to live up to his expectations. Fear for the sake of your loved ones who reject him as nonsense (or believe in a different god). Religion is WHOLLY dependent on fear.

126. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278068 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 11:37 am

74. Comment #278064 by NormanDoering

Added your blog to my favorites.

127. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278061 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 11:32 am

I'm really concerned that so many people here are saying there was little or no wait to vote. Have we suddenly become very efficient at managing the polling places? Or are Obama supporters foolishly supposing this thing is in the bag? (Nice maneuver by Karl Rove calling the election for Obama. As Titania said, "Don't trust him!") Or are disillusioned republicans (like my super-conservative neighbor) just staying home in droves?

Edited for spelling.

128. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #278052 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 11:22 am

That has been a very worrying tendency on the left. Some people feel it is better to stick fully to their principles rather than compromise even if it means the opposition gets in. I think that is self-indulgent.

129. ELECTION DAY IN THE USA. GO VOTE.

Comment #278039 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 11:06 am

I voted. No line.

Does anybody really make up his or her mind 75 feet from the voting booth (the distance beyond which no more canvassing is allowed)?

130. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #278037 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 11:04 am

I voted. No line.

Does anybody really make up his or her mind 75 feet from the voting booth (the distance beyond which no more canvassing is allowed)?

131. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277798 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 7:30 am

"How about a Palin-Joe the Plumber ticket in 2012?"

You'd better believe that they are printing the signs and composing the smear campaigns against (insert name of opponent here) even as we speak - er - type.

Gotta go vote!

Edit: "For example?" Go get 'em perfesser! I didn't want to let that pass either but I really have to go vote now.

132. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277788 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 7:19 am

Jehovah's Witnesses feel voting is immoral.
Thank gosh they don't vote.

133. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277780 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 7:11 am

Please strike a blow from which Bush/Palinism will never recover. Destroy them, demoralise them, finish them off.

You might think, perhaps hope, that Republicans will engage in some soul-searching, that they’ll ask themselves whether and how they lost touch with the national mainstream. But my prediction is that this won’t happen any time soon.

Instead, the Republican rump, the party that’s left after the election, will be the party that attends Sarah Palin’s rallies, where crowds chant “Vote McCain, not Hussein!” It will be the party of Saxby Chambliss, the senator from Georgia, who, observing large-scale early voting by African-Americans, warns his supporters that “the other folks are voting.” It will be the party that harbors menacing fantasies about Barack Obama’s Marxist — or was that Islamic? — roots.

Why will the G.O.P. become more, not less, extreme? For one thing, projections suggest that this election will drive many of the remaining Republican moderates out of Congress, while leaving the hard right in place. ...


Also, the Republican base already seems to be gearing up to regard defeat not as a verdict on conservative policies, but as the result of an evil conspiracy. A recent Democracy Corps poll found that Republicans, by a margin of more than two to one, believe that Mr. McCain is losing “because the mainstream media is biased” rather than “because Americans are tired of George Bush.”

134. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277776 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 7:05 am

*GASP*

My comment appears right next to one by Richard Dawkins!

Professor Dawkins, I would vote twice if I could!

135. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277772 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 6:58 am

My husband was at the polling place at 5:30 this morning. By the time the doors opened, there were over 75 people in line! For a town of 34,000, that's impressive. I'm going in about 20 minutes - taking a thick book to read, 'though I don't think I'll be able to concentrate.

136. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277761 by Caudimordax on November 4, 2008 at 5:52 am

Jehovah's witnesses don't vote?

http://www.slate.com/id/2194321/

137. Countdown: Palin Wants To Help Special Needs Kids By Doing Away With Science

Comment #277399 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 4:13 pm

291. Comment #277368 by palin scares me

Well it's a little late to be getting this kind of input! ;-)

I'm really hoping Obama wins so that a year from now I can go back to wearing my favorite red leather jacket whithout everyone (including me) thinking of Sarah Palin.

138. Swatting attacks on fruit flies and science

Comment #277394 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 3:58 pm

126. Comment #277390 by Goldy

I read that this morning - even Bill Kristol is starting to sound pathetic. Nothing he said has even a remote chance of "cheering me up" should McCain win. And saying that an Obama presidency could bring on a Palin presidency? As though she would be less likely to follow a McCain presidency? Please.

139. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277372 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 2:29 pm

360. Comment #277353 by Titania

I'm not sure you can assume DP's mom would be as stingy and vindictive as he is - I mean wouldn't that be sort of impossible? But at least no chance of those kiddies growing up and remembering "that nice republican lady down the street." So maybe she's doing some good - and is naturally too stupid to know it.

Edit: Changed "mean" to "stingy and vindictive."

140. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277338 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 12:35 pm

Fortunately although my mother was a rabid catholic, she was also a "chinese menu" catholic who thought the pope was "misguided" on some issues (like the death penalty), and the emphasis was not on the torture of hell, but on being "cut off from god." Big whup.

141. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277326 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 12:04 pm

Frankus - You're probably right, but it's interesting that if you are a mentally ill, violent child abuser, they take you off to jail or a psychiatric ward, whereas if you are a religious mentally ill, violent child abuser, you get news coverage.

Edit: In other words, religion may not be the underlying cause of this nuttiness, but it does make for an untouchable cover.

142. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277324 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Well, going to the link the story was re-posted from, certainly Shirley Phelps-Roper takes it seriously. What a NUT!!! Actually, I do remember seeing her on some news show - very scary. As for "Most Hated Woman in America," I think that was Madalyn Murray O'Hair.

143. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277319 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 11:52 am

cerad - Good point. Hmmmm.
Checking this out (as best I can).

144. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277297 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 11:02 am

Titania - I like the press release idea. The Connecticut Post (which I stopped reading because there were typos and misspellings in the article headlines) has a weekly section titled "Religion." Not surprisingly, they endorsed McCain. (They also print "healthy" recipes using canned low-fat soup and fat-free half and half.)

145. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277292 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 10:52 am

SSO - what's genuinely scary is the "rump" of the republican party that will be left if Obama wins (great term that, "rump") which is what Paul Krugman talks about in his column today:

The Republican Rump

On the other side of the page (NY Times) Bill Kristol blathers on about things liberals can enjoy about a McCain victory.

BTW - are those stuffed penguins with Skylark?

146. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277275 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 10:12 am

10. Comment #277272 by JFHalsey

Losing the wife and children must have been awful. It seems that a lot of marriages (and friendships) can't survive that kind of change (see Dan Barker's "Losing Faith in Faith"). Although I knew one couple where she was a jehovah's whackjob and he was an atheist and I never had any idea how they worked that out.

147. Fred Phelps's son is an atheist: Running from hell

Comment #277271 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 10:05 am

I think it would be lovely if Nate knew about resources like this - and as long as he stayed away from the Palin threads, he could have his wish:

“That I just want peace. I want to not wake up fearful every morning.”

148. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277270 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 10:01 am

Titania - Wow! Really? It may be a few years away, but I wouldn't forget. Will there be sky-writing?

It's actually an interesting question. How does one announce these things? Email to distribution list? Lawn sign?

149. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277262 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 9:39 am

Titania - Will you have a "coming out" party?

150. For many evangelicals, it will be the end of the world if Obama wins

Comment #277261 by Caudimordax on November 3, 2008 at 9:37 am

Then my friend said, oh I don't think so but Tezcatlipoca's an atheist. Great! I'm all for the out campaign as well but I'd have preferred to have outed myself.