What is really interesting in this clip from the Simpsons is Flanders response to Homers proof that there is no God.
It is exactly what would happen. Reality and truth are annoying impediments to religions strangle hold on our society.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Sam Harris interview on NPR.
In his new book Letter to a Christian Nation, author Sam Harris argues that faith is an antiquated and destructive notion that should be challenged more vigorously.
Harris attacks religious moderates -- Muslim moderates in particular -- who in defending their faith as tolerant and peaceful, provide cover for extremists.
Harris talks with Madeleine Brand about the controversy his new book is already generating. He's no stranger to controversy -- his 2005 book The End of Faith sparked thousands of hate-filled letters to Harris, many from Christians angered by his thesis that religion is dangerous for the future of both mankind and the Earth.
Those letters, Harris says, formed the basis of Letter to a Christian Nation -- it was his reply to the many notes from fundamentalist Christians after his first book was published.
"What most people call 'faith' (in the religious sense of the word) is nothing but a willingness to accept religious dogma uncritically," Harris says. "I am definitely arguing that we have to transcend this impulse."
Listen here...
Richard Dawkins Interview.
Richard Dawkins' asserts that belief in god is irrational and inflicts great harm upon societies. Jeremy Paxman interviews Professor Dawkins as part of the Newsnight book club.
Faith.
“Faith” is believing in something for which there is no proof.
The problem with “religious faith” is that it means not only believing in something for which there is no proof but believing something for which the huge preponderance of evidence points to something else entirely.
Faith is not a thing to be commended as religious leaders would have you believe. It is a shameful way of ignoring reality. It’s simply another way of closing your eyes and sticking your fingers in your ears while loudly singing a nonsense tune as someone tries to explain something very important to you.
Whenever you encounter someone who proudly boasts of their “faith” you should sadly shake your head and tell them that it’s a shame that they think that faith is a good thing. Ask them how they would feel if they found themselves in court, on trial for something they didn’t do and instead of taking a hard look at the evidence the jury gets to decide your guilt or innocence based simply upon how they feel.
An ostrich has “faith” that, when it pushes its head into the sand, it can no longer be seen.
The problem with “religious faith” is that it means not only believing in something for which there is no proof but believing something for which the huge preponderance of evidence points to something else entirely.
Faith is not a thing to be commended as religious leaders would have you believe. It is a shameful way of ignoring reality. It’s simply another way of closing your eyes and sticking your fingers in your ears while loudly singing a nonsense tune as someone tries to explain something very important to you.
Whenever you encounter someone who proudly boasts of their “faith” you should sadly shake your head and tell them that it’s a shame that they think that faith is a good thing. Ask them how they would feel if they found themselves in court, on trial for something they didn’t do and instead of taking a hard look at the evidence the jury gets to decide your guilt or innocence based simply upon how they feel.
An ostrich has “faith” that, when it pushes its head into the sand, it can no longer be seen.
Friday, September 29, 2006
LETTER FROM JESUS CAMP (A Parody of ‘Camp Granada’)
By Don Davis of The Satirical Political.
This is an insider’s view from a whistle-blowing camper, with thanks to the classic Camp Granada by the immortal Allan Sherman.
Hello Muddah, I’m in pieces
Here I’m stuck at, Camp for Jesus
Camp is really, like a prison
And they’re just about to do an exorcism
Six a.m., blowin’ reveille
Class at ten, Study “Devilry”
Kids all screaming, top of their lungs …
Can’t understand them since they speak in ancient tongues
All the counselors, hate the Jews
And the Muslims, Confucius too
And the coaches, for sports like soccer
Say they never want to deal with a Macaca
Don’t worry ’bout me, though I’m homesick
And my scalp has, just a few ticks
But there’s one problem, that I can’t fix …
My bunkmate’s forehead has a hu-mongous “666″
Take me home, I’m, falling to pieces
Christ Almighty, I hate Camp Jesus
This is worse than, nightmare fiction
For the play I drew short straw for Crucifixion
Take me home, I’ll, be a good boy
Clean my room, not, touch my own toy
These fanatics, just can’t stand them
One day here seems like a whole goddamn millenium
Dearest Mother, Dearest Father
Boot camp and Anbar, would be less bother
Come and save me, come to my aid
Color War at camp is called the next Crusade
Wait a minute, they’re serving hot fudge
If you defame, a liber-al judge
And if you beat up, a homo queer
You’re a cinch to lock up Camper of the Year!
The original is here...
This is an insider’s view from a whistle-blowing camper, with thanks to the classic Camp Granada by the immortal Allan Sherman.
Hello Muddah, I’m in pieces
Here I’m stuck at, Camp for Jesus
Camp is really, like a prison
And they’re just about to do an exorcism
Six a.m., blowin’ reveille
Class at ten, Study “Devilry”
Kids all screaming, top of their lungs …
Can’t understand them since they speak in ancient tongues
All the counselors, hate the Jews
And the Muslims, Confucius too
And the coaches, for sports like soccer
Say they never want to deal with a Macaca
Don’t worry ’bout me, though I’m homesick
And my scalp has, just a few ticks
But there’s one problem, that I can’t fix …
My bunkmate’s forehead has a hu-mongous “666″
Take me home, I’m, falling to pieces
Christ Almighty, I hate Camp Jesus
This is worse than, nightmare fiction
For the play I drew short straw for Crucifixion
Take me home, I’ll, be a good boy
Clean my room, not, touch my own toy
These fanatics, just can’t stand them
One day here seems like a whole goddamn millenium
Dearest Mother, Dearest Father
Boot camp and Anbar, would be less bother
Come and save me, come to my aid
Color War at camp is called the next Crusade
Wait a minute, they’re serving hot fudge
If you defame, a liber-al judge
And if you beat up, a homo queer
You’re a cinch to lock up Camper of the Year!
The original is here...
Friday, September 22, 2006
A fun thing to do.
Every time that I visit a gas station or a store that I have never been to before I ask the cashier:
“Please can you tell me where they hold the big monthly atheist meeting?”
He or she will look perplexed and mutter something about not knowing.
I then say something like:
“Yes, apparently Byron (or wherever I happen to be) has the largest number of atheists per capita of anywhere in Michigan and they have a huge atheist meeting once a month. People come in from New York and California.”
I chuckle to my self as I leave the store knowing that, at some point, the clerk will one day say to someone in conversation, “Did you know that we have the largest number of atheists in all of Michigan”
In the story book world that takes place inside my head word about this huge population of atheists soon spreads and becomes an enormous game of “Telephone” (Chinese Whispers as we called it in England).
People start to cast furtive sideways glances at neighbors who they have lived next to for years. Church goers look suspiciously at each other on Sunday mornings wondering if any “Fifth columnists” have infiltrated their ranks. A committee is organized to combat the problem but falls apart due to infighting and mistrust. Friends who have known each other for years start to doubt one another’s commitment to the word of god and slowly stop all contact with each other.
Parents take their children out of bible camp because they no longer trust the strange looking man with the paisley waistcoat who greeted them on the first day. A teenage boy is imprisoned because he has red hair. Two elderly sisters are shunned for growing strawberries. A posse of townsfolk gather at midnight with pitchforks and shovels and storm the old castle high on the hill.
“Please can you tell me where they hold the big monthly atheist meeting?”
He or she will look perplexed and mutter something about not knowing.
I then say something like:
“Yes, apparently Byron (or wherever I happen to be) has the largest number of atheists per capita of anywhere in Michigan and they have a huge atheist meeting once a month. People come in from New York and California.”
I chuckle to my self as I leave the store knowing that, at some point, the clerk will one day say to someone in conversation, “Did you know that we have the largest number of atheists in all of Michigan”
In the story book world that takes place inside my head word about this huge population of atheists soon spreads and becomes an enormous game of “Telephone” (Chinese Whispers as we called it in England).
People start to cast furtive sideways glances at neighbors who they have lived next to for years. Church goers look suspiciously at each other on Sunday mornings wondering if any “Fifth columnists” have infiltrated their ranks. A committee is organized to combat the problem but falls apart due to infighting and mistrust. Friends who have known each other for years start to doubt one another’s commitment to the word of god and slowly stop all contact with each other.
Parents take their children out of bible camp because they no longer trust the strange looking man with the paisley waistcoat who greeted them on the first day. A teenage boy is imprisoned because he has red hair. Two elderly sisters are shunned for growing strawberries. A posse of townsfolk gather at midnight with pitchforks and shovels and storm the old castle high on the hill.
Since Hugo Chavez referred to Bush as the Devil I have been quietly outraged.
Since Hugo Chavez referred to our president as El Diablo, The Devil, I have been quietly simmering with rage.
To call the president of The United States of America the Devil from the perhaps the most prestigious political stage in the world, that of the United Nations is one of the most shocking moments in international discourse.
George Bush is certainly not the Devil. If anything he is the boil on the Devils bum!
Call Dick Cheney or even Donald Rumsfeld the devil but not George Bush. It’s an insult to the office of the Devil.
George Bush is nothing more than a festering whitehead on Lucifer’s backside and to grant him complete “Devilhood” is to afford him much more import than he warrants.
If you insist on referring to Bush as a character from fiction he should be “Pinky” as in “Pinky and the Brain” Karl Rove of course being the other player in that duo.
Coming to the Cartoon network “Pinky and the Brain and their diabolical plan to take over the world” Watch as the bumbling dimwit Pinky assists the diabolically brilliant Brain in their doomed efforts at world domination.
Richard Dawkins new website.
Richard Dawkins new website.
This is a website that I am sure will help in the struggle against ignorance.
http://richarddawkins.net/
Watch the Introduction to the Foundation (Video) located on the left side near the top graphic.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Head-in-the-Sand Liberals.
To prove that I am by no means a Kool Aid drinking liberal I would like to offer my kudos once again to Sam Harris.
He seems to be among the very few in this world today who are able to see with total clarity the incompetence of almost everyone else.
I hate the Bush administration with a passion. They are vile despicable people who use religious nonsense to coerce Americans into voting for their extreme right wing agenda but the stupidity with which today’s liberals are fighting the fight is astounding.
If you condemn Israel for reaching a breaking point and lashing back at the bastards who have been tormenting them for the last 12 years you are a fucking moron.
Read this by Sam Harris: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists
(Thanks to Walt for this link)
He seems to be among the very few in this world today who are able to see with total clarity the incompetence of almost everyone else.
I hate the Bush administration with a passion. They are vile despicable people who use religious nonsense to coerce Americans into voting for their extreme right wing agenda but the stupidity with which today’s liberals are fighting the fight is astounding.
If you condemn Israel for reaching a breaking point and lashing back at the bastards who have been tormenting them for the last 12 years you are a fucking moron.
Read this by Sam Harris: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists
(Thanks to Walt for this link)
I just want to blaspheme.
I have given some thought recently to the concept of blasphemous language and as a result I would just like to say “Fuck Jesus up his own ass”
Does this now mean I’m going to hell?
If so then god is a vindictive bastard who should not be in charge of bag of dead rats let alone a whole universe.
Blaspheming is good.
Try it now. Say with me “God is a wanker and Jesus is a toss pot”
Does this now mean I’m going to hell?
If so then god is a vindictive bastard who should not be in charge of bag of dead rats let alone a whole universe.
Blaspheming is good.
Try it now. Say with me “God is a wanker and Jesus is a toss pot”
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
A website to add to your favs.
Dark Sided
I would like to sit down with the author of this site, Michael Martine and have a beer.
He is clearly my kind of guy, in that, he also sees through the bullshit that is religion and has decided to speak out.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Islamofascists?
Islamofascists
The first time I heard one of our right wing overlords use the term Islamofascist I was confused. It obviously was not being used in the proper context and I expected it to be a one-off blunder. But then I heard Limbaugh use it and Hannity then Rumsfeld and finally the president. It now seems to be the rallying cry of Bush apologists everywhere.
Al Qaeda, fascists? It made no sense. They are simply criminals whose tactic is to use murder to cause fear and terror amongst a population. They are merely a “rag tag” group of individuals with very little central control not an authoritarian government like that of Hitler or Stalin who would arrest people in the dead of night and wisk them away to a secret prison somewhere and hold them incommunicado for years on end. They don’t spy on their own population and turn friends and neighbors into snitches for the good of the state. They don’t use fear and alarm as a method of control over the populace and scare innocent citizens so much that they simply want the government to protect them no matter what the cost.
No. Al Qaeda doesn’t do these things.
Our government does. The Bush government.
Of course! Unpleasant as they are I have to admit that Bush’s controllers are brilliant people.
It’s a dark, nasty brilliance to be sure but it is clever.
Because of the direction they have taken America they knew that pretty soon the country would wise up and see what was really happening.
Americans would see the parallels between Germany and Russia in the middle of the last century and the United States of America today and would be appalled at how a once beautiful example of freedom and democracy had been subverted in just a few short years and transformed into a vicious hate filled fascist semi-dictatorship.
They are now labeling Al Qaeda as the fascists as a way of deflecting the name away from themselves. Their thinking is obviously “Call our enemy fascists first and no one will then be able to use it against us”
The first time I heard one of our right wing overlords use the term Islamofascist I was confused. It obviously was not being used in the proper context and I expected it to be a one-off blunder. But then I heard Limbaugh use it and Hannity then Rumsfeld and finally the president. It now seems to be the rallying cry of Bush apologists everywhere.
Al Qaeda, fascists? It made no sense. They are simply criminals whose tactic is to use murder to cause fear and terror amongst a population. They are merely a “rag tag” group of individuals with very little central control not an authoritarian government like that of Hitler or Stalin who would arrest people in the dead of night and wisk them away to a secret prison somewhere and hold them incommunicado for years on end. They don’t spy on their own population and turn friends and neighbors into snitches for the good of the state. They don’t use fear and alarm as a method of control over the populace and scare innocent citizens so much that they simply want the government to protect them no matter what the cost.
No. Al Qaeda doesn’t do these things.
Our government does. The Bush government.
Of course! Unpleasant as they are I have to admit that Bush’s controllers are brilliant people.
It’s a dark, nasty brilliance to be sure but it is clever.
Because of the direction they have taken America they knew that pretty soon the country would wise up and see what was really happening.
Americans would see the parallels between Germany and Russia in the middle of the last century and the United States of America today and would be appalled at how a once beautiful example of freedom and democracy had been subverted in just a few short years and transformed into a vicious hate filled fascist semi-dictatorship.
They are now labeling Al Qaeda as the fascists as a way of deflecting the name away from themselves. Their thinking is obviously “Call our enemy fascists first and no one will then be able to use it against us”
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Great tag line.
HolyRolyPoly, one of the regular contributers at the atheists.com forum is currently using this tag line:
"If the lord had meant us to have faith, he'd have given us lobotomies." - Zlatko
Excellent!
Although it could be argued that, for a lot of people, he did.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Take Heart.
400 years ago there were no atheists on the entire planet.
300 years ago there was 1 or 2.
200 years ago there where perhaps a few dozen.
100 years ago there were maybe a few hundred.
Today there are millions!
300 years ago there was 1 or 2.
200 years ago there where perhaps a few dozen.
100 years ago there were maybe a few hundred.
Today there are millions!
Jonathan Miller's: A Brief History of Disbelief
This is a 3 part documentary by Jonathan Miller that explores the historical rise of Atheism.
Part 1: "Shadows of Doubt"
Part 2: "Noughts and Crosses"
Part 3: "The Final Hour"
Each part is about 1 hour long and are excellent.
Part 1: "Shadows of Doubt"
Part 2: "Noughts and Crosses"
Part 3: "The Final Hour"
Each part is about 1 hour long and are excellent.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
A good habit to get into.
When you are asked if you believe in god, reply with something more definitive than simply saying “no”.
Start saying “Of course not” or “Not even slightly” that way you leave no room for misunderstanding and your strong conviction will cause some doubt about their own beliefs in the mind of your questioner.
You could use my answer if you wish:
“Don’t be ridiculous! I grew out of that nonsense when I turned 5”
Start saying “Of course not” or “Not even slightly” that way you leave no room for misunderstanding and your strong conviction will cause some doubt about their own beliefs in the mind of your questioner.
You could use my answer if you wish:
“Don’t be ridiculous! I grew out of that nonsense when I turned 5”
Saturday, September 02, 2006
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