We frequently hear creationists assert that we evolutionists believe that “everything came from nothing”. Here’s a fun(di) site. Apparently magically. Nothing could be further from the truth. While a quantum physicist, or even a good astronomy textbook, could provide a more thorough explanation I’ll take a crack at a basic explanation here. Continue reading
An Oklahoma state legislator has introduced a bill to put a Ten Commandments monument up at the state capitol. You can read Austin Cline’s report here. Seriously, do they even have Civics and U.S. History classes in schools in Oklahoma?! Apparently the proponents of the bill claim that 1) the monument is intended to honor the origin of the rule of law, and 2) has nothing to do with their religious beliefs. Oh yeah, then why honor the Ten Commandmants instead of Hammurabi’s law code, the earliest known formal system of laws? These people are just so full of it. They have no respect whatsoever for their fellow citizens if they don’t believe in the same fairy tales. Come on Oakies, you deserve better government than this. You are quickly becoming a laughingstock of religious intolerance and ignorance!
So that’s the reason!
I just ran across this Newsweek article from back in December. I’m not sure why it was published in December. I mean, it could have been relevant and interesting back during the Republican primaries with Mitt Romney in the race. It points out some of the primary differences between Evangelical Christianity and the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The article is short but there are a ton of comments. I was amused to see all the various xtian sects chiming in pointing fingers at the others for not believing the “right” unsubstantiated bullshit. It’s quite humorous. I had to post an atheist perspective since no one else had before me. What a bunch of bafoons! It’s simply incredible how much effort they put into their beliefs, given the complete lack of evidence for it. Either one accepts the bible as a reliable source, or one doesn’t. I guess I’ve just read too many books to see the bible as anything special.
Although I sometimes think the reasons number in the thousands it really boils down to this for me (in no particular order): Continue reading
Should medical practitioners be allowed to withhold information and treatment from patients that they find morally objectionable based on their religious beliefs? Continue reading
I added this comment to the end of a survey I did for the ACLU:
I believe that a primary focus of your organization should be the separation of church and state. Many of the other issues that you address are really just sidelines of that central battle. For example, reproductive rights are only threatened by those who believe that their religion forbids it and furthermore that they have a right to force their views on the rest of us through legislation. Demand to be shown a soul before allowing any laws based on souls to be enacted. Another example, LBGT rights, are only endangered by those acting on their religious beliefs. If those beliefs were kept out of our laws LBGT rights would be a foregone conclusion. I understand that you can’t afford to take an anti-religion stand for fear of endangering progress and alienating supporters but I think that the blame for things like Prop. 8′s passage in California belongs solely to the religious organizations (Saddleback Church, Latter Day Saints, etc.) who financed the lobby for it. When people are preaching hate from the pulpit don’t hold back. Call them out on it. If we, as a society, continue to refrain from criticizing particular religious institutions, even when they are advocating hate, we will soon find ourselves as oppressed by them as the citizens of Afghanistan were/are by the Taliban.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that religion is the root of all evil. Just the most unnecessary and inane kind of evil. The rest of it can be attributed to normal human failings (greed, lust, etc.). On second thought I’m not sure lust should be considered a failing, as long as it doesn’t lead one to disrespecting others.
If you haven’t already found these videos I highly recommend them. Everything QualiaSoup has produced is very well done. He presents the arguments clearly and concisely with excellent supporting visuals. I also appreciate the tone of calm reason that pervades his works. Not sarcastic or demeaning, just the facts. Here’s the latest as a sample… enjoy:
Great job QualiaSoup! Keep up the good work!
In the wake of the U.S. presidential election much fuss has been made about the decline in political power of the religious right, such as in this article by Jon Meacham of Newsweek. As much as I’d like to believe it, I don’t, and here’s why: Continue reading
All the buzz in the online atheist community lately has been about the challenge xtian apologist Ray Comfort has issued to Professor Dawkins for a debate. No, not really. I can’t think of any reason this would be worth watching. Ray doesn’t have a very good grasp of his sides’ arguments and resorts to the sort of trump cards that dead end debates at the slightest provocation. While he does seem to be making a living at being a “Defender of Christianity” his efforts along those lines are laughably amateur. Professor Dawkins on the other hand knows his material backwards and forwards, and the other side’s too. A debate between the two of them would be like a locomotive debating a car stuck at a crossing for right of way, with the car too stupid to realize it had been utterly destroyed. Continue reading