301. The Courtier's Reply

Comment #14775 by Zaphod on December 25, 2006 at 1:54 am

Haha brilliant Myers :-D. Well Done to you sir.

302. Orr on Dawkins

Comment #14774 by Zaphod on December 25, 2006 at 1:50 am

I think Orr is so wide of the mark in his critisisms that someone was bound to point it out. Rosenhouse does this well.

It really really really pisses me off when people always say stalin or hitler etc where atheists or whatever. Hitler was a catholic. I don't know about Stalin but even if both where atheists, the fact that they where wasn't what droven them to their extremes. Atheism is when you don't believe god exitst. There is a book that you base this on or follow. Stalin and Hitler both has their own dogmatic belief system and it wasn't the dreaded "ATHEISM" since it has but one belief GOD ISN'T REAL.

You could put religion into a more wider group by calling it a dogmatic belief. Like Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin, Hitler Etc etc etc etc, all the mass murdering dictators of the world had their own dogmatism. Basically belief without evidence backing up the actual claims. Religion as it exists for the massive majority of people out there makes claims that have no evidence or are in direct contrary to the evidence. Atheism by it's nature isn't dogmatic. Human beings can make any belief dogmatic its just that religion makes it so much more easier

303. The Only One in Step

Comment #14487 by Zaphod on December 22, 2006 at 4:31 pm

It seems amazing that Andy McIntosh doesn't even understand his own subject. How can he possibly be so wrong. Has his religious conviction so warped him that he actually takes the word of an dusty text written by people who thought the world was flat over the mountains and mountains of evidence since.

304. Christmas Present to Defenders of Darwinism

Comment #14029 by Zaphod on December 20, 2006 at 9:29 pm

There are many IDiots that post on his site. The moronic stuff that I have seen on his site is quite sad. A little scary also.

305. Beneath The Surface

Comment #14016 by Zaphod on December 20, 2006 at 6:16 pm

Good interview. Interviewer obviously agreed with Richard but he asked him alot of questions and I felt Richard got his point across.

306. Richard Dawkins on the Mike Dickin Show

Comment #13860 by Zaphod on December 19, 2006 at 8:12 pm

Ok I am just listening to this now and I am going to comment on every caller.

1st Caller: Was a drug addict and said he overcame it by going on a Christian retreat where he felt amazing love that could not be described.

MY ANSWER: This was his own mind that made him do this, the christian people who helped him may be praised for their good deed but it was him that did it. Perhaps they provided the setting but it was all him. The fact he said he felt a warm glowy feeling perhaps this was a delusion or a combination of the drugs he was on. Hard to argue with someone who says he has a warm loving feeling of god. How did he know jesus was the truth and not Allah or Thor? Could it be that he was on a christian retreat?

Caller 2: Thinks that perhaps god is so far above human understanding that we could not possibly perceive it. How arrogant are we to assume we can?

My Answer: He thinks of god of a highly evolved being so far above himans. This isn't god how most people think of it, Like some Alien race that is so much more advanced. This man isn't really a religious he just thinks that perhaps gods exist and are so much more advanced that we can't even fathom them.

Caller 3: Believes in god. Believes god is a spiritual being throughout the universe. Speaking from christian perspective. Think god has given us evidence in creation.

MY ANSWER. No evidence for spirits or spiritual beings if he means it in a supernatural sense. Speaking from Christian perspective is just not a god stance lol. Universe was created by the big bang and life by evolution. We don't know everything but lack of knowing doesn't mean it was god. That would stop intelluctual progress and understanding. Good people are religious and atheist and bad are both also. This has nothing to do with god.

Caller 4: Atheist.

My Answer: Didn't really hear his views. I may agree with him since hes an atheist like me. New Sceintist - are they doing a religion special?

Caller 5: Think thats the bible is code and intelligent people should interpret it.

My Answer: Calm the feck down Nostradamus. Absolute nutter.

Caller 6: Actually Schizophrenic. Thinks this could be why hes religious.

My Answer: Agree what Richard Says. Probably nothing to do with his schizophrenia.

Caller 7: Thinks atheists are foolish. Prove that god doesn't exist. PROVE IT TO ME.

My Answer: HOw about you prove that he does. The burden of proof doesn't lay with me. I don't have to disprove or prove your crazy ideas.

You can make up anything that can't disproven.

Caller 8: Jesus loves you. Another substance abuser that had a supernatural experience.

My Answer: wtf am I supposed to say to that. See caller 1. Explain DNA. Explain the big bang.

Caller 9:DNA can be totally explained. The big bang is still a mystery. We don't think it calm from nothing like the caller. Energy can turn into matter. So a big explosion of energy can create matter. The big bang is still a mystery though. Science loves the mysterious. We love discovering it.

Caller 10: Suffering why does god let it happen. THe person tried to explain this because god is on a higher plain and see things in a much higher perspective.

My Answer: What about cancer. This can be years of suffering. God sees a perspective that means people wants or needs someone to be suffering for years for his great plan. Gimme a break. Please.

Caller 11: If god exists and he created the world and all things in it and he shows mercy. Why does killer bugs etc exist.

My Answer; Quite agree with Dawkins and the caller that if these things exists wtf is god up to. I don't believe in god. I explain this by evolution like Dawkins.

Caller 12: Physics has found god? The have found a unified theory. She thinks people can fly.

My Answer: This woman thinks we can fly. Nutcase.

Ok they haven't actually found god or a unified theory. They haven't found a grand unified theory or god. She isn't up to date of modern physics. Some theories exist that haven't been proven yet that may actually be a final theory but they haven't found a final theory.

Caller 13: Listening to lecturers on Richards website. Is a Christian. Whats the point in life? Live in the moment, care for each other, love each other etc. Do you want take away peoples treasured beliefs.

My Answer: Richard answered this perfectly. Life is not a rehersal. Make the most of it. It is indeed a wonderful life.


Mike finally says why don't people go to an afterlife who are religious, why don't they go now.

How convenientthat suicide is a sin eh.

307. Merry Mithras

Comment #13720 by Zaphod on December 19, 2006 at 7:44 am

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Mithras
Happy Birthday to you

308. The Trouble with Atheism

Comment #13719 by Zaphod on December 19, 2006 at 7:35 am

Before this program I had seen Rod Liddle on tv shows and actually liked the man. On a show about religion he was in a discussion and stated that you don't have to respect beliefs, only respect peoples right to have beliefs. He also said that the UK should have printed those Mohammed cartoons. He doesn't believe in any religion that I know and before this I thought he was an atheist. Perhaps hes agnostic or deist. As other people have said he does get some things wrong in this 1hr program.

I would say I am like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris in my atheism. Like Sam Harris I think the word shouldn't exists. I don't label myself with other stuff I don't believe in. That said I am a strong atheist like Harris and Dawkins. However strong my feelings and opinions are on this matter I won't blow up a mosque. I won't pull a teacher apart with motorcycles for teaching algebra. I won't burn flags and shout death chants because someone draws a cartoon.

309. Kim Hill interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #13468 by Zaphod on December 17, 2006 at 10:17 pm

I couldn't access this.

310. Lunch with the FT: Richard Dawkins

Comment #13464 by Zaphod on December 17, 2006 at 9:41 pm

Its 5:41am and this dam article has me made so hungry.

311. Lunch with the FT: Richard Dawkins

Comment #13463 by Zaphod on December 17, 2006 at 9:38 pm

Cool. I like the way this guy writes.

312. 20 Million Years and a Farewell

Comment #13459 by Zaphod on December 17, 2006 at 9:31 pm

Makes you sick to be a human being.

313. Richard Dawkins on The Sunday Edition

Comment #13458 by Zaphod on December 17, 2006 at 9:30 pm

Tony Benn doesn't even believe in god. He just says "I don't know", "I don't want to be diagnosed". He shouts love each other bla bla bla. This has nothing to do with god at all or religion.

The ass interviewer guy was so on the side of religion.

314. Atheist Brigade Takes Arguments to the Tolerant

Comment #13301 by Zaphod on December 16, 2006 at 9:59 pm

Yep evolution is my religion lol. So is gravity, the theory of relativity, the round world theory, the theory that the sun isn't a god and the theory that fairies aren't in my garden. All my religions.

My favourite religion is this though. Its the theory that really hot stuff can burn me. I love this religion because it stops me getting burnt. Love it.

315. Christmas Present to Defenders of Darwinism

Comment #13300 by Zaphod on December 16, 2006 at 9:57 pm

William A Demski is the epitome of a creationist douchebag.

Judge jones was appointed to office by President "I am a fanatical christian moron" W. Bush. He was also confirmed unanimously by the senate.

I think Judge Jones is just a honest man who wants to hold up the laws of his nation. This means that when he looked at all the evidence and testimony he noticed that ID has zero evidence and creationist con mean are trying to trick people into teaching their non-science crap in science class.

316. Preaching to the converted

Comment #13299 by Zaphod on December 16, 2006 at 9:54 pm

Martha do you sniff alot of glue or just a little?

317. Response to Richard Dawkins' Criticisms in The God Delusion

Comment #13293 by Zaphod on December 16, 2006 at 9:10 pm

Sometimes I laugh when people actually talk about the intricacies of something that to me plainly doesn't exist, "god".

Sometimes I cry.

318. Intelligent design: The God Lab

Comment #13099 by Zaphod on December 15, 2006 at 12:01 pm

The fact that they actually waste time doing "lab science" for this obvious bullshit is incredulous. I have no patience, I have ran out.

Ignorance must surely be bliss for these people.

319. An Exercise in Contempt

Comment #12601 by Zaphod on December 12, 2006 at 6:21 pm

Did this author want to bum Alfred North Whitehead or what?

320. Sunday Sequence with William Crawley

Comment #12229 by Zaphod on December 11, 2006 at 10:55 am

This http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/thermo.html debunks the dumbass 2nd Law argument.

321. Sunday Sequence with William Crawley

Comment #12228 by Zaphod on December 11, 2006 at 10:51 am

Why do christians believe in their bible at all?

It was written by many different humans.

If the people who wrote it, wrote in it that it was the word of god. Thid doesn't make it the word of god.

I can just easily write something stupid on a piece of paper and write after it, "THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD" It doesn't mean it is just because I wrote it is.

322. The Atheist Delusion: a pisspoor presentation

Comment #12206 by Zaphod on December 11, 2006 at 9:04 am

Funny

323. Richard Dawkins on The Late Late Show with Pat Kenny

Comment #12196 by Zaphod on December 11, 2006 at 7:50 am

I am started to get pissed off with this type of shit. Why is it Richard Dawkins duty to disprove all stupid shit in the universe? Why is it his duty to give a reason for everything?

The man is just one person. He doesn't know everything. He is a biologist. He may have done some reading in other areas but he doesn't know everything.

AS I SAY TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN GOD DID IT. THAT PROVES NOTHING.

324. Richard Dawkins: You Ask The Questions Special

Comment #11469 by Zaphod on December 4, 2006 at 9:25 pm

"Last week in Afghanistan, a teacher was disembowelled and torn to pieces by four motorbikes pulling in opposite directions, for the religious crime of teaching girls algebra. I don't think even Saddam Hussein executed people for teaching girls algebra."

That is disgusting. This is the sort of thing we should be fighting against. Not just countries we want to get oil from.

325. 42% think faith is as evil as smallpox

Comment #7856 by Zaphod on November 19, 2006 at 4:55 pm

I don't think "faith" is a nice word. To me it means belief without evidence. I could say I have faith in my parents, my friends and family etc but is it really faith. Due to previous experiences I know them and can judge to some degree of accuracy how they will act in a situation. This is evidence in the form of my experiences, of course someones experience isn't good scientific evidence. So given I know my family and that they are good people, I have "faith" in them. Or is is just belief because of evidence.

Define faith.
1. Religious faith is belief without evidence.
2. faith in something else does seem to be different.

I have faith in my family but not totally without evidence. I could not prove that they are good people simple from my experience and testimony so I guess the faith I have in them is from much experience and with my own judgement.

Ok I checked a dictionary.

faith
noun
1. complete trust of condfidence.
2. strong belief in a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

Seems like two versions exist.


I don't really think evil means anything. We see acts of complete brutality. Genocide, child murders etc and because we find them so morally revolting we label them with the word that makes them somehow supernaturally bad. Like they got their evil from some metaphysical source of bad.

I don't believe in 100% evil and 100% good. Things just don't work that way. Maybye 99.9%.

Evil didn't come from the devil. What was it Joseph Conrad said.

"The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."

326. Richard Dawkins and the "new atheists" come to America

Comment #6944 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:44 am

This isn't new atheists. Its atheists. It might not even be that. I am not an afairyist or an apsychist. I don't believe in both of this but don't label myself with that fact.

327. The God Delusion? Part 1

Comment #6939 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:29 am

Let chopra pray to god instead of seeking a surgeon if he needs a heart transplant.

James Randis award is safe.

328. The God Delusion? Part 1

Comment #6938 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:28 am

beauty, truth, love, honor, altruism, courage, social relationships, art, and God.

When does god have to be among this group. Aren't they particularly pleasing and plausible without him.

I don't need or want god. I can appreciate beauty, truth, love, honor, altruism, courage, social relationships and art without god.

329. The God Delusion? Part 1

Comment #6937 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:25 am

I hate when people try to use things like beauty and emotions to someone prove god exists.

Even if science can't prove something or understand it doesn't mean god did it.

330. The God Delusion? Part 1

Comment #6936 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:23 am

I read this article until this

"I have seen medical cures that science can't explain, some seemingly triggered by faith."

I had to stop.

Sorry Chopra no evidence.

331. E-Petition: Abolish Faith Schools

Comment #6934 by Zaphod on November 16, 2006 at 8:14 am

Signed it, wouldn't it be great if it made a difference.

332. The rise of the 'New Atheists'

Comment #6108 by Zaphod on November 12, 2006 at 4:51 pm

If only atheists posted on the site we would just have a bunch of people agreeing with each other. Wait a minute that might be good lol. People who actually agree.

Seriously though we need the other sides views in order to counter them.

-Zaphod

333. Reading of The God Delusion in Lynchburg, VA

Comment #6043 by Zaphod on November 12, 2006 at 10:10 am

Those nuts actually think dinosaurs and man ran about at the same time. That we used to hunt dinosaurs and stuff lol. mmm T-Rex burger.

334. Reading of The God Delusion in Menlo Park, CA

Comment #5295 by Zaphod on November 8, 2006 at 5:22 pm

I was going to say that. A great intro. Another great video. After watching all these videos I think I could do a reading and Q&A lol.

335. Reading of The God Delusion in Philadelphia

Comment #5174 by Zaphod on November 7, 2006 at 7:51 pm

Another great display by Richard.

I hate when religious people try to use pseudo quantum theory science to imply the existence of god.

Yet again I say "Just because I don't understand something doesn't prove god did it"

-Steven

336. KPFA Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #3622 by Zaphod on October 30, 2006 at 7:19 pm

The woman who said she didn't see a conflict between spirutality and science. I think she was high.

The book the last person talks about is Ardea Skybreak's - The Science of Evolution and the Myth of Creationism.

337. Penn Jillette Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #3493 by Zaphod on October 29, 2006 at 11:08 am

Great again from Dawkins but that Penn & Teller video is fecking brilliant and hilarious. There is also more great stuff on Http://ThrowawayyourTV.com.

338. ACTION ITEM: Charities Bill (UK)

Comment #2971 by Zaphod on October 25, 2006 at 3:18 am

Yes I know he doesn't vote. He doesn't have e-mail eithier. I e-mailed another Glasgow MP instead. Maybe that will help a little.

339. ACTION ITEM: Charities Bill (UK)

Comment #2917 by Zaphod on October 24, 2006 at 3:38 pm

As I said above my MP doesn't have an e-mail so I sent this below. Please tell me what you think.

"My MP under the post code search facility is Michael J. Martin (Speaker). Michael has no e-mail so I could not e-mail him with this request so I am sending one to you Ann since you are Glasgow Norths MP. I would like you to support the four Members of Parliament , Paul Holmes, Evan Harris, Graham Allen and Colin Challen, on an amendment to the charities bill, to give charities that seek to advocate a humanist world view PARITY with those that seek to advance a religious one. At present, religious institutions have a fast track to charitable tax status, and the four MPs are seeking to give humanist institutions the same.

Please support this and if you are able pass my thoughts on Michael J. Martin.

Thank You
Kind Regards
Steven

340. ACTION ITEM: Charities Bill (UK)

Comment #2914 by Zaphod on October 24, 2006 at 3:32 pm

My MP Is the speaker of the house I think and hes an old bloke (sorry about the ageist remark) and doesn't have an e-mail.

My MP Is , Rt Hon Michael J. Martin (SPK) Glasgow North East.

:-(

- Steven

341. Lawrence, Kansas : Speech

Comment #2810 by Zaphod on October 23, 2006 at 6:21 pm

Glad we got a video of this put up :-D

342. Richard Dawkins on The God Delusion

Comment #2522 by Zaphod on October 21, 2006 at 4:49 pm

26 pages. :-S. I have so much to read already lol.

343. Lunging, Flailing, Mispunching

Comment #2478 by Zaphod on October 21, 2006 at 12:13 pm

Preposterous and a kind of intellectual snobber.

This man is basically saying you must have a doctorate in Theology or be an arch bishop to understand it. Utter nonsense.

If this is the case then noone on the religious/creationist/ intelligent design side of the fence can ever even talk about Darawinism unless they have a PhD in biology. Again Utter nonsense.

Richard Dawkins hasn't really written this for Professors of English Literature or Theology Majors. As he has said in many interviews it is mainly for people who are sitting on the fence, for people who may think of themselves as religious but really aren't and are looking for an alternative.

Lunging, Flailing, Mispunching is your article Terry Eagleton or John Edward Taylor.

What the hell (pardon the pun) is the point in writting under an alias if your name is at the bottom of the article anyway. Pointless.

344. Photo shows the dangers of brainwashing children

Comment #2473 by Zaphod on October 21, 2006 at 11:59 am

As Richard has said "A form of mental child abuse".

345. Photos from Richard Dawkins' Lecture in Lawrence

Comment #2472 by Zaphod on October 21, 2006 at 11:59 am

Nice tie Richard.

346. Danger ahead - there are good reasons why God created atheists

Comment #2471 by Zaphod on October 21, 2006 at 11:58 am

I feel the Rabbi is one of the more shall we say "sane" religious people out in the world. That said I feel he hasn't read all of Dr Dawkins book. Yes Richard lists bad things people have done but he never said it was the only reason for people doing bad things. Also he explained that religion are and a literature can sometimes be beautiful. However to say that michaelangelos works could only have happened if religion existed then that is a bit naive. People do bad things for religion and god things are also done. Religious and non-religious art can be breath taking.

I don't know if Richard or anyone on this forum agrees with me but I think Religion may have had a time and a place in history but surely that time has passed. Especially after Dawkin.

347. Stephen Colbert Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #2010 by Zaphod on October 18, 2006 at 7:50 am

Well this wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I have seen some Colbert interviews and he is usually much more of a jackass. He is supposed to act like your typical dumbass right wing republican and when he says his mind hurts and its easier just to believe in god. WOW. I wish natural selection and cut out republicans from the gene pool.

I feel Richard got his point across though and didn't get as badgered as I had feared. :-D

348. There is no God, sayeth Dawkins

Comment #1905 by Zaphod on October 17, 2006 at 6:50 pm

Another moronic reviewer that just doesn't get it.

349. Cambridge Speech: The God Delusion

Comment #1677 by Zaphod on October 15, 2006 at 1:48 pm

The icon used to list this made me think it was a video :-S. This is just the audio. Was a video recorded?

350. Fundamentalist Religion and Science

Comment #1499 by Zaphod on October 13, 2006 at 5:00 am

Solent green is people.