251. Pope says some science shatters human dignity

Comment #120510 by dragonfirematrix on February 1, 2008 at 9:23 pm

So the Pope says science shatters human dignity. Well, I beg to differ.

Pope Quote 1

“Benedict, who headed the same department for years before his election in 2005, said the Church was not against scientific progress but wanted it based on "ethical-moral principles".”


Pope Quote 2

”He said this included total respect for the human being as a person "from conception until natural death," “


My Response

I am sorry, but the Pope needs to get a life…

Science has done more for planet Earth in the last 500 years than religion has done for the Earth in the last four billion years. A grade school student could list the achievements of science compared to the failures of religion. However, here are few (examples (each side)) examples of my opinions for starters:

Science Provides

- Clean water
- Environmental conditioning (heat and air)
- Cures for decease (how about polio)
- Safe food (clean, decease free, fat free, cholesterol free)
- Safety
- Transportation
- Technology
- Medicine (cures for Mumps, Measles, etc.)
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Healthy exercise
- Truth about the past
- Real education
- Jobs (I can buy food)

Religion Causes

- Religious fascism
- Hatred of differences
- Oppression of women, children, minorities, gays, science, medicine, technology
- War
- Suffering
- Disparity
- Death
- Promote unwanted pregnancy through the fantasy of abstinence
- Bury the past
- Suppression of truth
- Fantasy education
- Beliefs (I can wish for food)

I guess the above under the list "Religion Causes" means God loves his children, including those who work on the Sabbath, and those terrible disobedient sons, and vocal women. Oh, by the way, does God love the Wicca religion, which (according to Christian legend, god created all things)?

I wonder if the Christians would give up their health insurance and doctors in favor of prayers for their cures from decease. I wonder if the Christians would stop buying food from the grocery to hunt, and eat, beef possibly deceased with “mad cow.” I wonder if the Christians would shut-off their home plumbing and drink from the mosquito infested pond across the street. For the Christian moms I ask: Would you like to leave the safety of your kids to the wild (wild animals find live baby humans yummy), which the Christians say their god created. HEY, JUST A LITTLE FUEL FOR THOUGHT FROM ME.

And that is the way I am…

Wayne,

Forest, VA USA


"History is full of people who out of fear, or ignorance, or lust for power [have] destroyed knowledge of immeasurable value which truly belongs to us all. We must not let it happen again." -- Carl Sagan

252. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #118686 by dragonfirematrix on January 30, 2008 at 8:58 pm

I listened to the interviews and found them very good. I also think someone should be commended for whatever methods they have for keeping such a diverse group of people from getting out of control debating what is globally hot issues. I wish America would engage in as respectful a discussion format.

As for the three basis questions�my responses are�

#1 "Should blasphemy remain a crime?"

MY ANSWER IS NO. Blasphemy laws are a waged politic against persons who do not embrace state approved beliefs, regardless of whatever the state run beliefs might be. Laws against blasphemy are immoral. Accusing someone of blasphemy is a hate crime.


#2 "Can we live without lying?"

MY ANSWER IS NO. Lying will never end. The Islamic lie, the Christians lie, businesses lie, preachers lie, clerics lie, leaders lie, etc. We will change nothing here. Let us move on. We will just have to live with the fact that people lie.


#3 "Should religion be only for grown-ups?"

MY ANSWER IS YES. I believe it is immoral to indoctrinate the minds of unsuspecting children to a political persuasion, and religion is a political persuasion.

I assert that no sane person would consider Hitler's indoctrination of children a moral act. That said� why should any sane person consider brainwashing children into believing a politically approved religion a moral act.

MAYBE a clergy/cleric/preast/reverend would like to respond.

253. Atheism and Violence

Comment #117883 by dragonfirematrix on January 29, 2008 at 10:53 pm

Below are a couple of quotes from the article with my comments following:

# 1

"Books advocating atheism have recently been enjoying a modest boomlet. Sales are solid, book readings are sold out, and their authors grace the highbrow talk shows and op-ed pages in prestigious newspapers and periodicals. But their arguments are shopworn,"

MY COMMENT: I am certainly glad to hear that some reason is making its way into mainstream society. Dr. Dawkins, Sam Harris, and others are leading the way.

However, even in the first paragraph of the article, "shopworn" is slap the face of reason. If one thinks the arguments of atheism are "shopworn," then one need only look more closely at the thousands of years the religious have had to get their (expletive) right but still failed. Exactly, how much time do the religious need to get their (tastefully omitted vulgarism) right?

It is time to hand the baton to systems of reason. It is time to put the hate, oppression, and the belief in fantasies (as reality) behind us. It is time to subordinate (to inferior) religion.

# 2

"Philosophers attacked religious belief for the opposite failing: for its attempt to extinguish an accessible and realizable happiness in the "real" world in favor of an imaginary happiness in the afterlife."

MY COMMENT: This paragraph in the article gives me a headache reading it. However, it is accurate and reasonable to attack religious beliefs for failing. There are the poor, the sick, the terminally ill, the suffering, the starving, the disabled, and the deformed, etc. This has been going on forever. We need not look further to accuse religion of failing.

I have always had problems with the religious promising happiness in an afterlife. Of course, one must believe in the religious recruiter's version of god to realized blessings in the afterlife, and recruit must not question the existence of the recruiter's god for that is a sin denying the recruit the blessings of the afterlife.

Bear with my thoughts for a moment :)

Promising someone a bountiful afterlife is to exercise fraudulence to coerce the blinded recruit into joining a cult (See F-1). A promise of green fields, a temperate climate, a room in god's house, dinner with Jesus, a good cigar, seeing friends and beloved ones again, or 75 virgins is all (expletive starting with "b," two "l" in the middle, ending in "it"). And on, and on, and on, infinitum�

F-1: To me, all religions are cults. It is just that some cults are larger than other cults, and the larger cults simply claim to be mainstream religions.

254. Dawkins is third most prolific internet Briton

Comment #117855 by dragonfirematrix on January 29, 2008 at 8:30 pm

I am glad to here Dr. Dawkins is doing well in Briton, but...

On a serious note...

How is Dr. Dawkins doing in America? I am interested in the progress he is making here in America. I hope he is doing well and gaining ground.

On a fun note...

I like Ozzy a lot, but I like Blind Guardian much better :)

255. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #117457 by dragonfirematrix on January 28, 2008 at 9:53 pm

I do not think I will comment on this article for the fear I might drop my Secular Humanist/Atheist ethics and pacifist nature turning instead to my battle-hardened desire to launch all missiles.

I must remain calm, take a deep breath, retract my trigger finger away from the button, and go watch the Smurfs.

256. Belief in Belief

Comment #117451 by dragonfirematrix on January 28, 2008 at 9:20 pm

I enjoyed Christopher Hitchens article. It is great!

My post is not to discount any good that Mother Teresa may have done in any humanitarian sense, but to comment on the unfortunate reality of her beliefs�

Quoting the article�

"The recent disclosure that Mother Teresa had for almost half a century been unable to feel the presence of Christ in the Eucharist or the ear of God listening to her prayers, is of great importance here."

And...

"she evidently struggled to combat her doubts in a highly traditional way�namely, by making ever-more extravagant and even masochistic professions of "faith." "

I believe this part of the article does an excellent job showing god does not exist.

In my opinion, Mother Teresa's dilemma illustrates how believers will engage in acts of desperation to prove the existence of their god even after years of reality that bears no truth in their god's existence. The believer goes to their grave with no answer from their god, no cures for their ailments, no heavenly rewards, and no comfortable room awaiting them in their god's house, simply because their god does not exist. Mother Teresa might as well been praying to Thor, Zeus, or Neptune because the results would have been the same. Believers spend their lives, education, and money seeking a god that is, of course, a fraud.

Maybe only at the end do some of the religious begin to question their beliefs.

"God is imaginary."

257. Math Religion Trouble

Comment #116942 by dragonfirematrix on January 27, 2008 at 8:57 pm

Just one comment on the quoted text below from the article:

"As for the problem of good and evil, he defers to fellow atheist, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg: "With or without religion, good people will do good, and evil people will do evil. But for good people to do evil, that takes religion.""

MY COMMENT ON THE ABOVE: It certainly does appear that religion today (as throughout history) is doing (as religion wants to do) plenty of evil.

258. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116930 by dragonfirematrix on January 27, 2008 at 8:09 pm

Radesq -

These cosmological studies are hard to follow, but it is sure fun stuff to read about :)

Wayne

259. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116927 by dragonfirematrix on January 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm

I think this Hadron experiment is great. I love science. I believe in science. I am glad to see that science is continuing to understand, improve, and prove our existence.

However�just a thought�

I have often wondered if the Big Bang has happened an endless number of times and will forever happen an endless number of times. I just cannot believe the Big Bang happened only once!

I think about it this way. The universe has always been here and it will always be here. I believe the universe is infinitely recycling. I do not believe the universe came from "nothing," and I do not believe "nothing" will ever exist. I here the matter/anti-matter discussion, but how can there be nothing? It seems to me that there should always be "something," and that "something" is forever evolving and changing.

Please, hang in here with me for a minute :)

I believe the universe is born, lives, dies, and it is reborn over immense cycles of time. During these immense cycles of time, the universe goes from Big Bang to expansion, from expansion to stabilization, from stabilization to contraction, from contraction to immense compression (BDBH), from the BDBH to instability, and finally the BDBH commits another Big Bang.

I do not believe in gods, but the next time around, insects may be the super intelligence at the top of the new Earth's food chain, and their god maybe Mothra!

** By the way, BDBH is my acronym for big dam# black hole.

260. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116631 by dragonfirematrix on January 26, 2008 at 9:34 pm

My brain is a small "particle" amid this enormous reality of scientific evolutionary progress. The reality of evolution being who are we, what are we, where did we come from, and how did we get here will eventually be answered by science while religion has not a clue.

This was a very interesting video lesson. Over my head quite a bit, but I sure understand the gist of the message. It makes me think back to Dr. Carl Sagan, and I bet Dr. Sagan would be proud of the Large Hadron Collider project.

This is neat stuff! I cannot wait to hear the results of the test. Science does so much for humankind: Clean water, safe food, medicine, curing decease, comfort, mobility, healthy environment, entertainment, efficiency, and the list can go on. Who knows what extraordinary beneficial decedents will result from this LHC. Science will not blow up the planet with this project.

I cannot help but compare the quote "follow the money" to how science and religion so profoundly differ. Science spends millions or a few billion on learning more about how to better humankind's existence. Religion spends trillions on hate, oppression, and bombing humankind out of existence in their senseless endless wars. Science explains our differences. Religion kills differences. Science evolves by learning more and adapting. Religion is archaic, stalls, and stagnates. Science learns from freethinking. Religion burns freethinking. Science proves. Religion prays. And on, and on, and on, infinitum.

261. Banks are helping sharia make a back-door entrance

Comment #116605 by dragonfirematrix on January 26, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Sharia banking? Sharia banking?? Sharia Banking???

There is no sense giving in to the religious on any subject. The old saying is "if you give them an inch, they will take a mile."

I understand tolerance, and tolerance is a good thing. However, tolerance should only be shown to those who themselves are tolerant. We should show intolerance to those who are intolerant. The religious are not tolerant people. Therefore, how should we treat the Islamic, and Christians for that matter, on any issue?

Other than my above comment, would you like Friday fries and a cup of green pee with that Mecca Burger?

262. Loneliness Breeds Belief in Supernatural

Comment #116587 by dragonfirematrix on January 26, 2008 at 6:53 pm

Well, I do not believe in gods, but...

I sure do believe in my little Shih-Tzu, EWOK.

263. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #116580 by dragonfirematrix on January 26, 2008 at 6:36 pm

Everytime I hear a Christian trying to turn their nonsense into required reality for everyone, I praise myself for rejecting gods and religion.

264. Launch of 'Atheists in Foxholes' Book Anthology

Comment #116215 by dragonfirematrix on January 25, 2008 at 9:37 pm

I was in the military in my twenties.

I was (even then) trying to shed nationalism and force religion because I saw both as to adversarial to reason.

I was brought-up to believe in nationalistic pride and Christian propaganda. I was brought-up in a Baptist home (not exactly a freethinking group).

I am happy to say the above is all behind me now.

"God is Imaginary"

265. New Website on Secular Philosophy

Comment #116208 by dragonfirematrix on January 25, 2008 at 8:49 pm

I saved the site as a favorite for review.

I will let you know.

266. A Letter From Hell

Comment #116203 by dragonfirematrix on January 25, 2008 at 8:40 pm

As the preview said: "A warning: It will both anger and sicken you."

You are right. This is horrible!

Assuming Christians actually use these terrorist tactics...I am sure they do... I heard stuff like this ("lake of fire") myself as a child�

...It is the open blatant terrorism of children, a terrorism designed to frighten unsuspecting children to believe in the Christian god or else. Of course, the Islamic do the same.

Hate propaganda like this makes Christians no different from the Taliban or Al Qaeda. Religious cults (*1) of our planet will do anything to force their beliefs on everyone.

The Christians do not frighten me with their terrorism. I am still a Secular Humanist :)

(*1) All religions are cults. It is just that some cults are larger (not better) than other cults.

267. US scientists close to creating artificial life: study

Comment #115815 by dragonfirematrix on January 24, 2008 at 9:06 pm

I love this stuff. This creating life thing is fascinating.

Sciences like embryonic stem-cell research, space travel, or discovering life on other planets are, I believe, an inevitable part of our human evolution. A politic (conservative), or a religion (Christians, Islamic), may try to stop humankind from learning things deemed (by these archaic) as immoral, but these adversaries to progress cannot stop the evolution of the truth. Somewhere, at sometime, at someone will carry on the treks of science, and science cannot be stopped. Humankind will "boldly go where no one has gone before." Thank you Galileo and others!

I noted some of the article, quoted below, with my opinion/facts.


1) "This extraordinary accomplishment is a technological marvel that was only made possible because of the unique and accomplished ... team."

FACT: With as much knowledge that is required today for so many things, "TEAM" is the best and only way to accomplish more in the future. TEAM is the keyword. TEAM is a requirement.


2) "Venter is not God ... He's a long way from creating life," she told AFP."

FACTS: "God is imaginary." Science is real. Venter is science. Science will someday create life.


3) "His controversial approach and his thirst to be the first to crack one of science's Holy Grails has driven his research on."

OPINION: Is it not the very nature of humankind to thirst for adventure, ("to crack") the secrets of some previously believed forbidden zone? Let us go "crack" more forbidden zones.


4) "But specialists say that, outside the lab, the world is totally unprepared for the looming dawn of synbio, as synthetic biology is called."

OPINION: Humankind has adapted for (what) millions of years (give or take a couple of hours). I think humankind will adapt to SYNBIO as it has to past discoveries.


5) "But she added that "the consequences can be unknown" for the environment."

OPINION: Well, here we are back to "boldly go where no one has gone before," and "I think humankind will adapt to SYNBIO, as it does to any other new discoveries." We will also figure out the environment.

268. Heath Ledger Death: Baptist Group To Protest At Memorial

Comment #115787 by dragonfirematrix on January 24, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Imagine what kind of life we would be forced to live if people like these religious Neanderthals took over our government.

269. Three Little Pigs 'too offensive'

Comment #115265 by dragonfirematrix on January 23, 2008 at 8:35 pm

Considering the almost endless atrocities committed by religion on humanity, why should anyone of modern times care one "da.." bit for what the archaic Abrahamic religionists think about anything? I mean really.

Name that teddy bear Mohammad; call those pines holiday trees; eat meat all week and veggies on Thursday; don't pray on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or any other day of the week; did I just see Jesus in a yellow liquid (reminiscent of a past American crisis).

Hooray for the Three Little Pigs, Tweedy Bird, The Road Runner, Sponge Bob, and of course special thanks to the Smurfs, whom (even at 60) I dearly love.

It is time, past time, that religion gets bit..slapped so hard it needs corrective surgery. A wake-up-call for the world is sounding right now. I hope we hear the alarm.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

270. Lewis Black - The Devil's Handiwork

Comment #115252 by dragonfirematrix on January 23, 2008 at 7:57 pm

This is great stuff! Lewis Black made for me a very informative and entertaining evening.

Thank you for the great article!

Bravo!

Wayne

271. Life-Forming Chemicals Found in Distant Galaxy

Comment #114797 by dragonfirematrix on January 22, 2008 at 8:34 pm

Great stuff! Science is forever learning facts, and facts about our origin. I love science!

However, the Christians will discount these scientific findings stating that if God created others in the universe, God would have named the planets in His Bible, which actually is a book created solely by men to promote early man's political beliefs.

My opinion.

272. Islam in Europe

Comment #114790 by dragonfirematrix on January 22, 2008 at 8:08 pm

This is an outstanding article! I love this guy's style and delivery. It is very to the point.

That said...

Islam is not the only problem religion, and it is about time our leaders recognized it!

I love the assertion how long will it take before we get the message. Religion is evolving and radicalizing all over the planet, not just in the Middle East. America has profound problems with its own religionists.

Worldwide, we are looking at a horrible Dark Age in the making.

The bottom line (as business might say) is this. If reasonable people do not force religion back in its closet where it belongs, we will all pay a dear price for our indifference.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

273. Vatican slams California firm's cloning experiments

Comment #114298 by dragonfirematrix on January 21, 2008 at 8:17 pm

So the cloning experiments are the "worst exploitation of the human being"

The Pope and every other religious CEO, preacher, pastor, etc., should consider the exploitation upon humanity religion has committed over and over again in the name of religion's many imaginary gods.

274. Florida in the process of approving new science standards

Comment #114294 by dragonfirematrix on January 21, 2008 at 8:00 pm

What is happening to our nation? What is happening to truth and reason? Is America becoming so stupid that it believes fantasies instead of fact? Has America fallen that far?

What happens if a parent objects to the lies of creationism forced on their children? What can parents do to ensure their children learn real science and secular education? Can parents force the school boards to do the right thing? What can parents do to ensure future peace?

This forcing of religion on America is a very sick and deadly path. I hope the Christians realize the horror for America they alone are creating if they carry out their crusade/jihad.

America should be "one nation, of many different people" with liberty and justice for (I hope) all, not a nation ruled by preachers calling for sectarian violence because of petty differences in citizen beliefs.

How do we reasonable people stop the horrible problem that the Christians are hell-bent to implement?

275. Minnesota Atheists Interview Richard Dawkins

Comment #113875 by dragonfirematrix on January 20, 2008 at 9:11 pm

The radio broadcast with Dr. Dawkins helps me to stay emboldened to profess my Secular Humanism (Atheism version) locally.

It is a task to speak-out against religion in the Lynchburg, VA area, but Dr. D., Sam, and other great intellectuals provide the means to do it right.

276. Violence fear over Islam film

Comment #113861 by dragonfirematrix on January 20, 2008 at 7:38 pm

I think it is clear that any time someone is critical of any of those little black books, reprisals are threatened, or violence is attempted.

"Holiday trees, teddy bear names..."

However, if we want a free planet, I feel we must continue to challenge everything, including beliefs in those little black books. If we give in to the religious, intolerance and destruction will prevail.

Well, that is my opinion anyway...

277. Ethical storm as scientist becomes first man to clone HIMSELF

Comment #113854 by dragonfirematrix on January 20, 2008 at 7:09 pm

I find the furor from the religious over the stem-cell debate to be empty when it comes to morality.

I think it is worth noting that Christians preach doom and gloom if the teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy, microscopic human embryo is rendered mute by science. However, those same
Christians would probably say (I am almost certain) that growing up that little embryo to 18-19 years old and killing that grown embryo in a religious war is both HONORABLE and PATRIOTIC (wave the flag, sing hymns, throw flowers on the dead, read Bible passages, pray.)

I can see and hear it now: The weepy eyed mom and dad, mom sitting in the chair, dad standing behind mom, an American flag in the corner, a bible on the table, and mom and dad towing the radical religious line that "our son" died to protect our freedom.

BUT DON'T DARE HURT THAT EMBRYO!

Please do not get me wrong. I certainly agree that we must evaluate the ethics of what science does, and what we in general do. However, we evaluations must come to conclusions based on well-founded reasons rather than religious rhetoric, emotions, and beliefs.

And just one last little thought... Science cured polio, not religion.

278. Britain cannot put its faith in religiously divided schools

Comment #113842 by dragonfirematrix on January 20, 2008 at 6:22 pm

Oh, those continuous dubious flirtations with faith� of mixing politics and religion�

We need to get back to basics. We need to get back to truth. We need to start atheist-based schools, evolution-based schools, humanist-based schools, secular humanist based schools, Wicca-based schools etc. I bet this would excite the faith based!

279. New Findings Confirm Darwin's Theory: Evolution Not Random

Comment #113517 by dragonfirematrix on January 19, 2008 at 9:33 pm

It is great to hear Darwin still rocks! I think we learn more everyday just how brilliant was Darwin.

I do have a couple of questions, the first of which confounds me a bit.

How does deterministic inheritance explain the profound genetic problem so evident in those who follow imaginary gods like those of the Abrahamic religions? Are these followers of imaginary gods those who will ultimately become extinct?

280. The New Theology

Comment #113201 by dragonfirematrix on January 18, 2008 at 9:35 pm

"Their beliefs demanded a God of absolute power who intervened constantly in the history of life and in human affairs."

It is my opinion that the above sentence alone proves the non-existence of any god.

Please consider my reasons�

Christians claim (if I hear them correctly) their god created everything, and the Christians claim (if I hear them correctly) their god is in control of everything, and the Christians (if I hear them correctly) claim their god is a god of love.

Enough said.

If (as the Christians claim) their Christian god created everything, then it is the Christian god, who created all the hate, oppression, poverty, decease, natural disasters, war, suffering, and death (to name a few) that takes the lives of so many innocent people every day.

If (as the Christians claim) their Christian god is control of everything, then how is it he/she/it cannot prevent the hate, oppression, poverty, decease, natural disasters, war, suffering, and death (to name a few) that takes the lives of so many innocent people every day.

And finally�

If (as the Christians claim) their Christian god is a god of love who loves his children, then why does he/she/it cause so much hate, oppression, poverty, decease, natural disasters, war, suffering, and death (to name a few) that takes the lives of so many of his/her/its innocent children every day.

I ask the religious to explain their god's actions, and I ask the religious to explain why they believe (and approve) in their god's actions.

I also ask the Christians that considering all the above, why should I believe in their god?

Finally...

God (any god) is, without a doubt, imaginary.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

281. Questions Delay Creationist Master's Degrees

Comment #112680 by dragonfirematrix on January 17, 2008 at 7:03 pm

One of the scariest parts of this whole debate is the need for a debate between creationism and evolution at all.

We are talking about the Law of Evolution.

I guess the next thing the Christians will want to do is to tear down high-tech, literature, other history, and medicine, to name a few. Then again, the Christians may want to force their religion into the workplace (they are already testing this) and base our work performance most on how we conform to Christian beliefs. Delightful thought, huh? "I am sorry, we have to let you go for poor performance."

Last night, before an awards dinner, I was subjected (along with everyone else) to a ten-minute oratory about the Christian God before we could eat. I imagine others of you have experienced the same recently.

If they were not so dangerous to the United States, the Christians might constitute a joke, but these fanatics are seriously trying to radicalize Christianity to overthrow the very spirit and meaning of America by incrementally destroying the "wall of separation" in every corner of life, one brick at a time.

I really enjoy the topics of discussion on the RD Network. The RD Network certainly is a friendly bright light in an ever-darkening world. That said� however� I wonder if America really understands from where the greatest threats to our freedom are being born and educated one degree at a time.

282. Huckabee Wants A 'Faith-based' Constitution

Comment #112304 by dragonfirematrix on January 16, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Huckabee might have the radicalized American religious on his side, but I do not think the radicalization of Christians in America, to which Huckabee's ill-thought statement sings, will play out in votes to overwhelm the vast majority of "reasoning" people in America.

However, that said, I still think it is very prudent for all non-Christian and non-theists to take Huckabee's remarks as a serious and a threatening reminder of what happens when religion controls government.

Thinking is a prerequisite for a president. Huckabee is not thinking, nor is he reasoning. Huckabee is just calling for the "sheeple" to vote for him.

283. George Scales, War Hero and Generous Friend of RDFRS

Comment #111806 by dragonfirematrix on January 15, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Thank you.

Get well soon, and keep on kicking!

:)

284. 'Letter to a Christian Nation' now available in paperback

Comment #111800 by dragonfirematrix on January 15, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Hello all,

It would be a wonderful event to behold to see and hear Sam Harris debate (and Sam would, of course, soundly defeat), Liberty University here in the Lynchburg, VA area on Liberty U's on turf.

I live (Forest) about six miles from the Flat Earth Society centered at LU. Lynchburg, VA could use some enlightenment. I hope one day Sam Harris will speak here, as Richard Dawkins did.

Like I said...

The debate would be an event to behold!

Wayne (Forest, VA)

285. The Group Delusion

Comment #110675 by dragonfirematrix on January 11, 2008 at 10:27 pm

I really enjoy the RD network. I feel like am finally getting a real education.

I am an "Info Tech" (computer programmer/analyst), not a biologist, so please bear with me.

I believe in evolution. Billions of years of "natural selection" resulting in our current results makes sense. Units evolving into pairs evolving into to groups evolving to communities, etc. all makes sense. "Poof, there it is," thanks to some imaginary god or some imaginary brainiac intelligent designer, will never make sense to me.

The only logical order is Natural Selection, for units, groups, cities, states, countries, planets, etc.

God is imaginary.

286. Richard Dawkins on The Late Edition with Marcus Brigstocke

Comment #110274 by dragonfirematrix on January 10, 2008 at 8:29 pm

A nice break from my busy day.

It was fun.

Thanks!

287. It was a bad year for God.

Comment #109307 by dragonfirematrix on January 8, 2008 at 8:05 pm

And may all coming years for GOD be just as bad.

288. Blind Faiths

Comment #108895 by dragonfirematrix on January 7, 2008 at 8:42 pm

In response to Blind Faiths by Ayaan Hirsi Ali on Dawkins Net...

If I remember my readings (and videos) correctly, Ayaan was put through very horrible punishments in the name of religion.

As for my beliefs�

For starters, I consider all religions cults. Some cults are just larger than other cults. I consider Islam, Christianity, etc. no more than just another (however big) cult.

These large cults have millions of blinded (and near brain-dead) followers, who either engage in deception, exploitation, misinformation, and/or violence to further the cause of their imaginary god and to force the belief in their imaginary god on everyone. On the one hand, we have the Islamic with "Jihad," and on the other hand, we have the Christians with "intelligent design." One trying force their way with violence, the other trying to force their way with ridiculous theoretical concoctions, but both are indeed trying to force their way on everyone.

I think Ayaan eluded that there must be a wait-up call to this problem. She is right. The alarm is sounding and the rest of us need to wake now!

I say the west must wake up and stop pacifying religionists with debate and discussion. In my opinion, the Abrahamic religionists are doing everything they can to destroy reason, peace, freedom, civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, real education, real science, and real medicine, to name a few. Though the Abrahamic religionists have different approaches, their ultimate goal is their horrid domination over everyone. Those of us who value reason, peace, freedom, civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, real education, real science, and real medicine, to name only a few, must find a way to bring (forcibly if necessary) an end the cycle of destruction the religious have plagued humankind with since the beginning (I guess) of time.

I certainly do not want to wake up one day to find new laws have been passed that tell my brother that he and the local elders can kill me because I am a Secular Humanist who does not conform to the currently (in vogue) religious dogma. Likewise, I do not want to see laws passed that would permit the killing of my nephew because he has been a disobedient son (of my sister).

Religion is the problem. Religion is not part of the solution. Religion has never been part of any solution.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

289. Huckabee: Guns, God and rock'n'roll

Comment #108415 by dragonfirematrix on January 6, 2008 at 7:57 pm

The GOP has gone ballistic with its emphasis on religion.

The GOP candidates are lost. They have no plan for real education, real jobs, real science, real medicine, and real tax breaks. Above all, the GOP no longer has a clue about reason, civil rights, human rights, and civil liberties. All the GOP is interested in is supporting and promoting more fanatics (war-mongers and religion-mongers).

The GOP has abandoned the core principals of the "spirit and meaning of America" in favor of the embrace of the unenlightened and their love of the Dark Age ideas.

One simple example: The GOP welcomes the spending of trillions of dollars on a lost war. However, the GOP vetoes a few billion for child healthcare. The GOP is profoundly out of touch with reason.

290. Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers

Comment #108408 by dragonfirematrix on January 6, 2008 at 7:10 pm

How will the creationists justify the origin of humankind when confronted with tough questions?

I would love to sit in a religionist's creationism classroom and challenge the professor with some simple questions in front of the 500 mind-numbed saved robots in class.

Questions like:

1) What race, creed, color, nationality was Adam and Eve, and how did all the other races seemingly just (poof!) appear? Who are the father and mother of the other races?

Or�

2) How can a system beginning of only two people create a whole race without the obvious problems of deformities, decease, and incest of familial inbreeding?

I like my questions, but I have a much better idea.

I would love to sit in the religionist's creationism classroom and listen to the fabulous-four (Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel C. Dennett) challenge the professor in front of those 500 mind-numbed saved student robots in class.

The fabulous-four (Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel C. Dennett) should debate the church leadership of some of the mega-churches in America right on that church's own college campus, on prime time. That should rock the foundations of the narrow of thought.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

291. Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers

Comment #108396 by dragonfirematrix on January 6, 2008 at 6:08 pm

Religion translates to a never-ending flow of attempts to degenerate humanity down to the level of the believers.

292. Sam Harris debate with Rabbi David Wolpe

Comment #107654 by dragonfirematrix on January 4, 2008 at 11:22 pm

The debate between Rabbi David Wolpe and Sam Harris is great!

I commend both debaters for their politeness and respect for one another. Both sides also articulate well their individual responses with respect to one another. I wish our American political system could do as well.

As I eluded in the previous paragraph, both debaters were commendably excellent. However, it is clear to me that Rabbi David Wolpe was on the defensive and was constantly religiously emotionally charged. Sam was consistently calm, intelligent, and completely in-charge throughout the entire debate. Sam's questions and responses were great!

Personally, I do not find my analysis of this event foreign. It is clear that religion cannot answer the tough questions. Only scientists will answer the tough questions.

It is clear that Sam Harris was victorious.

293. The OUT Campaign has its own Flea!

Comment #107615 by dragonfirematrix on January 4, 2008 at 8:28 pm

My respectful response to: "Comment #107591 by bobloblaw on January 4, 2008 at 7:41 pm"

For the sake of freedom, civil rights, civil liberties, women's rights, minority rights, human rights, justice, real science, real medicine, real jobs, real education, etc. (meaning for the sake of "the spirit and meaning of America"), I hope the Christians of America never take control of our government, for if they do, the American dream will become a nightmare.

Wayne (Forest, VA)

294. The OUT Campaign has its own Flea!

Comment #107001 by dragonfirematrix on January 3, 2008 at 8:37 pm

Although, I agree that reasonable people should hear all sides of every debate, the Christians (indeed all religious) deeply offend me with their world-view that everyone must be like them to be a good person, and the Christians (indeed all religious) push my tolerance beyond acceptable limits. Well, excuse me! I am a good person, and I do not need the Christian god to be good person. The fact is: no one needs to believe in gods to be a good people.

If the Christians want to talk about those who are lost, they should look in a mirror to see the reflection of hate, oppression, war, suffering, and death their (and other) religion(s) has beget on this planet.

Even today, I heard on (I think) NPR something to the affect that if the Christians and Islamic could not live in peace, then the world could not live in peace. This is sad. The story, which obviously reveals reality and the truth, told me the tombstone for humanity will say: "killed by religion and gods."

I do not believe in gods, and I am not lost because of my lack of belief in gods.

Wayne (Forest)

295. Mother Nature is Not Our Friend

Comment #106391 by dragonfirematrix on January 2, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Sam Harris' article is great!

Nature is definitely indifferent to our success or failure, health or wealth-ware, or anything else. In fact, it is (as Sam suggests) likely that we will not be here (in our present form) somewhere in the future, be that near or far. We simply cannot definitively state our future, but we do know and learn from (as science researches) our past.

Unless I missed it in my scan, Sam Harris did not use the word religion in his essay, but (if I may) I want to relate the word religion to his essay because I think it is appropriate as it applies to who claims who created all things in nature.

The religious are constantly bombarding us with how their "God" created all things. The religious tell us how their "God" blesses the believers and the faithful. The religious say prayer works.

Let me expand on these three as I think they relate to nature.

Given the reality of nature, and if we play the "God" and "intelligent design" game with the religious, we can say "their God" created nature, which includes tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, famine, decease, hate, oppression, war, suffering, and death. Okay, I might have missed a few, but my point includes the bad. The religious do not relate bad things with their god. It is not about some fantasy about god(s). It is about the reality of nature.

As for blessings for the believers and the faithful, how do we account for the fact that believers and non-believers reap proportionally the same rewards, suffering, and death? For Example, how many cancer patients do we know who had armies of prayer at their side and still died? Why does "their God" bless the presumed wicked, and kill the positively known innocent? It is not about some fantasy about god(s). It is about the reality of nature.

As for prayer, well that speaks pretty much for itself. It does not work, period. One might ask how many innocent people pray to stop tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, famine, decease, hate, oppression, war, suffering, and death. How many mothers (and fathers) pray to save their children only to loose them? What should we say about all those victims of polio, before science intervened with a saving cure? It is not about some fantasy about god(s). It is about the reality of nature.

If a real god were in charge, a real god would easily correct all the errors of our existence. In fact, if a real god were in charge, no errors would exist in the first place. So�

It is all about the reality of nature, not human fantasy with imaginary gods. It is about nature, and nature is definitely indifferent to humanity.

There is no god. There is only nature.


Wayne (Forest, VA)

296. Changing my Mind

Comment #106363 by dragonfirematrix on January 2, 2008 at 6:15 pm

I think a good debate between opposing sides is normally an excellent exercise and good practice for both parties. However, I do not think it is productive to engage fundamentalists (or the like) with the hopes of any kind of peaceful, intelligent exchange.

All we can do is watch our backs and work to stop the fundamentalists from overthrowing our freedoms, civil rights, civil liberties, human-rights, on infinitum.

297. What have you changed your mind about? Why?

Comment #105789 by dragonfirematrix on January 1, 2008 at 8:31 pm

Well, I certainly do not have a long brightly colored tail. However, I do have my handicaps, some of which are negatives, while others might be positives.

"What have you changed your mind about? Why?"

I owe this question an answer.

Although, I can be stubborn about some things, I change my mind about something if there is a good proven reason to do so.

Humans change their minds a lot, about many things. It may be due to:

1) New information refutes old ideas
2) An Internally "Event Driven" occurrence
3) An Externally "Event Driven" occurrence
4) Lies and deceit

I am sure there are other good reasons to change one's mind. Each of the examples below is a kind-of hypothetical.


For number one above
---------------------------

In ages past, we might have all believed that humankind cannot and will never fly. I am sure some ancient ancestor said, "If god wanted us to fly, he would have given us wings." However, we learn through advancement of humanity, continuing education, and the development of new tools to do so, we learn the principles of flight and build our own wings. WE CHANGE OUR MINDS. Now, everyone is doing it. A whole lot of minds changed.


For number two above
---------------------------

Let us say I like to ride my motorcycle 90 MPH down a curvy mountain road. Let us say I have been doing this successfully for some time. However, one day, I lean just a bit to far in one of those curvy roads, drop my bike, break some bones, and scrape half one leg off. Suddenly, I start thinking about that 90 MPH curve. I CHANGE MY MIND. Now, I drive a car with handicap-assisted technology and go no faster than 45 MPH.


For number three above
-----------------------------

There is an "event driven" change in our life. Maybe an extremely religious loved one dies horribly of a debilitating decease while preachers, family, and friends are praying around their bed. Maybe a tsunami, earthquake, epidemic or pandemic, kills hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children. We think back to the days of innocent children horribly crippled by polio. WE CHANGE OUR MIND. There is no god. There never was a god. There never will be a god.


For number four above
-----------------------------

As we grow up, Religion is forced upon us: The lost claim prayer works; the lost claim we must believe in order for some god to blessed us; they tell us we must give our money; and on infinitum. We go to school, get educated, start thinking for ourselves, and then a light flashes bright in our head! We discover through testing that prayers do not work, blessings do not exist, history is replete with death in the name of gods, and the religious still want our money and conformity. WE CHANGE OUR MINDS. Religion is a great lie.

Three recent major seasonal crises could easily change one's mind about things, especially religion. They are:

1) "Calling it a Holiday tree"
2) "Teddy bear names"
3) "Holiday Mall décor"


Yep. We do change our minds.

298. A War On Science

Comment #105525 by dragonfirematrix on December 31, 2007 at 9:44 pm

I have just viewed and listened to the "A War On Science." I feel warmed by the fact that we still have truth-loving people in America, who intelligently, reasonably and formidably challenge the Neanderthals of religion. Intelligent Design is nothing more than another attempt by the religious in America to force religion on everyone.

I am a computer tech, not a scientist, but I have (I think) this bit of logic to offer against "Intelligent Design," or any other deity the religious propose to explain the origins of life on our planet Earth.

Mr. Darwin is right, and evolution is a law. Evolution is the law on Earth and on any other planet.

To say it my way�

Everything is the end-result of "cause and affect." "Cause and affect," modifies generational parameters (all life on Earth) by changing the balance resulting in the permutation of organisms to the next level of "cause and affect" iteration variation, on infinitum. "Cause and affect" nets the "survival of the fittest."

Therefore, Darwin rocks!

Wayne (Forest, VA)

299. Could there be a Darwinian Account of Human Creativity?

Comment #105178 by dragonfirematrix on December 30, 2007 at 8:24 pm

------------------------------------------------
"dragonfirematrix: I would love to hear Mr. Dennett debate with the likes of Sean Hannity, or Bill O'Reilly on any issue. Such a nationally televised event would surely result in national chatter of profoundly enlightening proportions.

AfraidToDie: I respect DD a lot, and enjoy his thoughtful commentary, but I don't think his skills in debate are up to RD, Hitch, or Sam Harris, even though he always adds another unique and insightful perspective to rational discussion. "
------------------------------------------------

AfraidToDie. Your point is very well taken :)

I should also have included Dr. Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and others.

My oversight (thank you for pointing it out) corrected, I would love to hear the "The Four Horsemen" debate with the likes of Sean Hannity, or Bill O'Reilly on any issue.

Wayne (Forest)

300. Could there be a Darwinian Account of Human Creativity?

Comment #104887 by dragonfirematrix on December 29, 2007 at 10:29 pm

Okay. I admit being a bit slow due to my naturally selected (genetically preset) biological mental input absorption rate of 56k, but I still enjoy Daniel Dennett's commentary and find his post thought provoking. I wish I could express myself half as well as Mr. Dennett.

I would love to hear Mr. Dennett debate with the likes of Sean Hannity, or Bill O'Reilly on any issue. Such a nationally televised event would surely result in national chatter of profoundly enlightening proportions.