151. For the God Question, a Biological Perspective

Comment #25734 by BT Murtagh on March 14, 2007 at 9:46 pm

In #25677 Duff asks 'What percentage of the worlds population knows what "nullius in verba" means?'

Well I don't, though I would guess "Words mean nothing." Really, though, if you want a greater percentage of the world's population to understand it why use a dead language?

The Catholic Church used to insist on Masses in Latin precisely in order to obscure the meaning while making them sound more impressive, but I don't think anyone here, including yourself, would consider that a worthy goal.

152. Religion in Conflict: Are 'Evangelical Atheists' Too Outspoken?

Comment #23332 by BT Murtagh on February 27, 2007 at 11:45 pm

jonecc comments: "650,000 to 900,000 dead Iraqi civilians is a lot. It sounds like more than even Saddam would have killed if he'd still been in power. Does anyone know how many people he murdered in his thirty or so years in power? "

The Lancet study extrapolated the death rate under Saddam Hussein and compared it with the actual death rate post-invasion. The figures are the estimated number of *additional* deaths.

153. James Cameron finds grave of Jesus & Son

Comment #23209 by BT Murtagh on February 26, 2007 at 7:50 pm

"I'd think any communion wafer would do..."

I can see the controversy now - did the body of Jesus lay here, or was it just a loaf of bread?