Comments by BMMcArdle

251. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #55700 by BMMcArdle on July 12, 2007 at 2:49 am

"I see a perfectly God-shaped gap".

252. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #55268 by BMMcArdle on July 10, 2007 at 11:52 am

Nobody has it any easier than anybody else. The more intellectual capacity you have, the more fertile your imagination, the tougher it must be to not let it control your consciousness.

253. Neutral evolution has helped shape our genome

Comment #55059 by BMMcArdle on July 9, 2007 at 11:02 pm

"If anything, they may be mildly negative since long repeat sequences can be unstable or get inserted inside genes and disrupt them."
Does this mean that numts might play a part in genetic mutation?

254. Won't anyone stand up for God?

Comment #54585 by BMMcArdle on July 8, 2007 at 1:16 am

Quit picking on God? What an anonymous load of fertilizer!

255. Ah, the fervour in returning to my flock

Comment #54423 by BMMcArdle on July 7, 2007 at 2:38 am

More "atheism is a religion/belief" ammo for the God-botherers.

256. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #54307 by BMMcArdle on July 6, 2007 at 10:35 am

We must always be on guard to prevent our imaginations from dominating our consciousness.
"A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses, it is an idea that possesses the mind"-Robert Oxton Bolt

257. Emory Brain Imaging Studies Reveal Biological Basis For Human Cooperation

Comment #54280 by BMMcArdle on July 6, 2007 at 9:02 am

I thought the subject of this article was about the evidence for a "biologically embedded" basis for altruistic behavior. Did Christianity cause this to happen?

258. Emory Brain Imaging Studies Reveal Biological Basis For Human Cooperation

Comment #54202 by BMMcArdle on July 6, 2007 at 2:41 am

Altruism is almost a uniquely human trait?
Straight from Wikipedia:

Dogs often adopt orphaned cats, squirrels, ducks and even tigers.
Dolphins support sick or injured animals, swimming under them for hours at a time and pushing them to the surface so they can breathe.
Wolves and wild dogs bring meat back to members of the pack not present at the kill.
Male baboons threaten predators and cover the rear as the troop retreats.
Gibbons and chimpanzees with food will, in response to a gesture, share their food with others of the group.
Bonobos have been observed aiding other injured or handicapped bonobos.
According to the research of Gerald Wilkinson, vampire bats have a "buddy system" in which a bat who has had a successful night of feeding will regurgitate blood for its less fortunate companion.
In numerous bird species, a breeding pair receives help in raising its young from other "helper" birds, who protect the nest from predators and help to feed the fledglings.
Most mammal carnivores like wolves or dogs have a habit of not harming pack members below certain age, of opposite sex or in surrendering position (in case of some animals, the behavior exists within entire species rather than one pack).
Vervet Monkeys give alarm calls to warn fellow monkeys of the presence of predators, even though in doing so they attract attention to themselves, increasing their personal chance of being attacked.
Walruses have been seen adopting orphans who lost their parents to predators.

259. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #53904 by BMMcArdle on July 4, 2007 at 3:35 am

Even the simplest of imagination can produce the inconceivable.

260. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #53755 by BMMcArdle on July 3, 2007 at 3:25 am

Crazy works best!

261. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #53219 by BMMcArdle on June 30, 2007 at 7:03 am

Boil it all down and you're left with: "I have certain beliefs because they make me feel good".

262. Richard Dawkins talks about Darwin and his visit to the Galapagos

Comment #52993 by BMMcArdle on June 29, 2007 at 12:28 am

Geology shows that fossils are of different ages. Paleontology shows a fossil sequence, the list of species represented changes through time. Taxonomy shows biological relationships among species. Evolution is the explanation that threads it all together. Creationism is the practice of squeezing one's eyes shut and wailing "Does not!" ~Author Unknown
[Creation science is] an attempt to give credibility to Hebrew mythology by making people believe that the world's foremost biologists, paleontologists, and geologists are a bunch of incompetent nincompoops. ~Ron Peterson
Speaking of time, 6000 compared to 4,600,000,000 is the same as 1 inch compared to 12 MILES!

263. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #52224 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 2:08 pm

I submit that you can't tell what you might do, or how strong your survival instinct might be, unless you were actually in that situation.

264. Germany imposes ban on Tom Cruise

Comment #52134 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 9:01 am

Robert Maynard, did you miss the point I was making about other religions joining a critique of scientology? I said nothing about national governments.

265. Germany imposes ban on Tom Cruise

Comment #52096 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 6:30 am

In a way, I am glad scientology is around. Whatever indictments are made about scientology can easily be applied to any other religion. That's why you don't see them throwing rocks at it, living in glass houses themselves.

266. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #52049 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 3:13 am

I think, wish, believe, deem, maintain, presuppose, suppose, reckon, postulate, hope, assume, imagine, surmise, conclude, fancy. That is my "worldview", and I'm sticking to it.

267. His word

Comment #51472 by BMMcArdle on June 23, 2007 at 3:18 am

I think the point that the author was trying to make is that all other living things made it without religion-why is it necessary that we needed it for survival?

268. In the name of the Father

Comment #51469 by BMMcArdle on June 23, 2007 at 2:55 am

"I respect your right to think of your people as a unique community, separate from the rest of us who don't share your beliefs." What could be more socially divisive?

269. U.S. circumcision rate drops

Comment #50549 by BMMcArdle on June 18, 2007 at 6:03 pm

I just did a Google search of complications from circumcision-some of the images would make a billy goat puke.

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

Comment #50340 by BMMcArdle on June 17, 2007 at 1:54 am

This article seems biased towards religion.
Isn't "community cohesion" analogous to tribalism?

271. A battler beyond belief: Review of 'God is Not Great'

Comment #50338 by BMMcArdle on June 17, 2007 at 1:39 am

Good article, but I cringed at the "tsunami" metaphor.

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

Comment #49910 by BMMcArdle on June 14, 2007 at 4:20 am

Hitchens is wearing the American flag on the lapel of his jacket.

273. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #49696 by BMMcArdle on June 13, 2007 at 2:45 am

"God did it!"

274. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #49461 by BMMcArdle on June 12, 2007 at 2:55 am

"God did it!"

275. Religion - our maelstrom of ignorance

Comment #49401 by BMMcArdle on June 11, 2007 at 8:02 pm

Asking someone if they believe something is a loaded question, suggesting that it is a matter of belief, instead of something that is quite factual. No one would think of asking someone if they believed in electricity or gravity.

276. Dobson and John MacArthur fantasize about the downfall of America

Comment #48908 by BMMcArdle on June 9, 2007 at 1:12 pm

We're all lesbians. Every mother-lovin one of us.
The (good) mother sustains us in our infancy at her breast. Why is it that females having sex is less objectionable to both sexes than males having sex? Why do men have nipples?

277. Atheism is pretentious and cowardly

Comment #48084 by BMMcArdle on June 6, 2007 at 2:02 pm

Atheism is humble and courageous.

278. Beggars belief: Robin McKie on The God Delusion

Comment #47122 by BMMcArdle on June 3, 2007 at 4:05 am

Please forgive me, Puke-at-you. I will be sure to seek your approval before making any more comments.

279. Beggars belief: Robin McKie on The God Delusion

Comment #47115 by BMMcArdle on June 3, 2007 at 3:37 am

Ungodly is an adjective, atheist is a noun. Other definitions of this adjective;
Outrageous
Shocking
Dreadful
Insufferable
Unreasonable
Inconvenient
The ultimate definition depends on the reader. So is the author trying to play to two crowds? This is my objection to him using it.

280. Beggars belief: Robin McKie on The God Delusion

Comment #47056 by BMMcArdle on June 2, 2007 at 11:59 pm

Why amen? Isn't that just going to confuse people? I would also reject the use of the terms godly or ungodly. Referring to people as ungodly is akin to calling them sinful or wicked.

281. Why Do Some People Resist Science?

Comment #46639 by BMMcArdle on June 1, 2007 at 12:45 am

BT Murtaugh (#20) has a point. The same thing happens to a golf ball. A ball struck hard enough will most definitely rise during the first part of its flight. This is due to the backspin imparted to the ball which causes the top of the ball to have less resistance to the air than the bottom. In the study example the ball would have overspin, causing it to curve downward.

282. What I Think About Evolution

Comment #46581 by BMMcArdle on May 31, 2007 at 5:55 pm

Well Toto, by the looks of things, we must be in Kansas!

283. Diary of a Deserter

Comment #46433 by BMMcArdle on May 31, 2007 at 7:44 am

Next week; "How I Regained My Faith!" Sorry folks, but I aint buying it.

284. Hitchens and Prager Debate

Comment #46026 by BMMcArdle on May 30, 2007 at 3:24 am

In reply to Auld;
I could be wrong, but it sounds like Hitchens is on the phone (telly).

285. Another Christian Science Fair embarrasses itself

Comment #45766 by BMMcArdle on May 29, 2007 at 6:50 am

Don't argue with a fool. They'll drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

286. The Paradoxical Hatred of Christopher Hitchens

Comment #43456 by BMMcArdle on May 21, 2007 at 1:59 pm

When I was younger, I used to get pretty worked up about abortion. I stopped wrestling with it when I realized that it's a woman's issue. It hasn't bothered me since. What would I do if I were a woman? I'd work damn hard to hook some schmuck into supporting me and my offspring, and then dump him and take half of his stuff!(Can't help myself)

287. Christopher Hitchens Is a Treasure

Comment #43271 by BMMcArdle on May 21, 2007 at 3:22 am

More Einstein quotes;

What I see in Nature is a magnificent structure that we can comprehend only very imperfectly, and that must fill a thinking person with a feeling of "humility." This is a genuinely religious feeling that has nothing to do with mysticism.

I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it.

The mystical trend of our time, which shows itself particularly in the rampant growth of the so-called Theosophy and Spiritualism, is for me no more than a symptom of weakness and confusion.

Since our inner experiences consist of reproductions and combinations of sensory impressions, the concept of a soul without a body seems to me to be empty and devoid of meaning.

288. Jerry Falwell's Hit Parade

Comment #42464 by BMMcArdle on May 18, 2007 at 9:00 am

Trolls only want one thing, to stir up responses with their ignorant bleating. Resist the urge to pander to them, for as Thomas Paine said;
"To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead".

289. Jerry Falwell's Hit Parade

Comment #42126 by BMMcArdle on May 17, 2007 at 4:58 pm

The world is a better place without ignorance peddlers like Falwell. If he would have kept his big fat mouth shut while he was alive, no one would have anything to say about him now. Good riddance!

290. The stone is cast

Comment #41720 by BMMcArdle on May 16, 2007 at 5:07 pm

Ding, Dong, the witch is DEAD!
No dour commentary neccesary.

291. Television evangelist Falwell dies at 73

Comment #41663 by BMMcArdle on May 16, 2007 at 1:57 pm

A twofer: He's in a better place, and so are we!

292. New Noah's Ark ready to sail

Comment #36044 by BMMcArdle on April 30, 2007 at 3:34 am

To Bizzaro:
I think your pseudonym answers that question.

293. Vote for the Time 100 - Are They Worthy?

Comment #34600 by BMMcArdle on April 24, 2007 at 4:07 pm

Thinking of most portraits of serious people throughout history, there's not a lot of smiling or grinning.

294. Pope abolishes limbo

Comment #34102 by BMMcArdle on April 23, 2007 at 8:25 am

Devolved: We thrive in our environment because we were created (adapted and evolved) by it. How much simpler can it get?

295. The Empty Wager

Comment #33114 by BMMcArdle on April 19, 2007 at 8:24 am

Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.

-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

296. Doctors Opposing Circumcision: An Appeal for Misha

Comment #32519 by BMMcArdle on April 17, 2007 at 8:47 am

None should have the right to mutilate another.

297. Nisbet and Mooney in the WaPo: snake oil for the snake oil salesmen

Comment #31993 by BMMcArdle on April 15, 2007 at 6:37 am

I'm dogmatically opposed to dogmatism.

298. Thanks for the Facts. Now Sell Them.

Comment #31935 by BMMcArdle on April 15, 2007 at 1:43 am

RD quoted a former editor of New Scientist magazine as saying "Science is interesting, and if you don't agree, you can fuck off".

299. As Religious Strife Grows, Europe's Atheists Seize Pulpit

Comment #31727 by BMMcArdle on April 14, 2007 at 2:43 am

Thank Goodness!