Pharyngula: Crap. Now the extremist Grecians are going to be mad at me

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« Sunday short takes | Main | Betrayed! »

Crap. Now the extremist Grecians are going to be mad at me

Category: Godlessness • Humor
Posted on: September 3, 2007 9:38 AM, by PZ Myers

Find more posts in: Politics

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Comments

That was brilliant.

Posted by: Evan | September 3, 2007 9:51 AM

HA! Genius (well, maybe not the editing). Gotta love that kid.

And logic. Gotta love logic.

And sarcasm. Don't forget sarcasm.

sarcasm + logic = family fun for everyone!

Posted by: The Dude | September 3, 2007 9:52 AM

Evidence of Poseidon? Here's a Cyclops.

Nice. He should work on his miking technique, the sound was not very clear.

Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | September 3, 2007 10:01 AM

I believe that they should teach the idea of Poseidon as the cause of earthquakes along with the plate tectonics theory in geology class. It's teaching the controversy.

While they're at it, more students in astronomy class need to be exposed to the possibility that the sun's "movement" in the sky is caused by ripping out the heart during human sacrifice. That would also be teaching the controversy.

Posted by: Brandon P. | September 3, 2007 10:02 AM

Very well done. I'm just glad that we don't have angry Posidonists who are likely to become hostile.

At least, none that I'm aware of.

Posted by: Spook | September 3, 2007 10:07 AM

Teach the controversy -- volcanology and Vulcan taught together!

Posted by: 6EQUJ5 | September 3, 2007 10:19 AM

I loved the reaction of the Greek Orthodox Christian establishment to a group of Zeus followers who earlier this year tried to gain access to an historical site to hold a religious ceremony.
"The president of the Association of Greek Clergymen, Father Efstathios Kollas, has described the followers of the Olympic gods as a handful of miserable resuscitators of a degenerate dead religion who wish to return to the monstrous dark delusions of the past."
So near and yet so far.

Posted by: MartinC | September 3, 2007 10:22 AM

What, is he going to also suggest that Poseidon's trident wasn't real either?

If Poseidon isn't real, how come Aquaman still carries a trident?

Posted by: El Cid | September 3, 2007 10:33 AM

Grrrr. You belittle Poseidon ... for this you must pay!

Posted by: dcbob | September 3, 2007 10:49 AM

#10

Ha ha! I'm in Minnesota, in prairie country -- I can mock Poseidon with impunity. As long as I stay off the Great Lakes, that is, and I'm not planning to ship out on the Edmund Fitzgerald II any time soon.

Posted by: PZ Myers | September 3, 2007 10:53 AM

#11

Now come on, who don't LOVE Aphrodite :-) Or Dionysos :-D
At least they had funny gods back then.

Posted by: oldcola | September 3, 2007 10:56 AM

#12

Smote him, Poseidon!

Oh, and could you do something about climate change.

It's getting hot down here.

Posted by: CalGeorge | September 3, 2007 11:06 AM

#13

Everyone knows by now that the Olympians of Zeus and his gang was just a myth. The real gods are Odin, Thor, Frieja, and the rest. And any day Ragnorak (or Gotterdamurung) is scheduled with a starring role for a very large snake.

Posted by: raven | September 3, 2007 11:09 AM

#14

Whoa! No Atlantis? And, hello ... Mr. Ed? They've got him on film!

Posted by: CJ | September 3, 2007 11:16 AM

#15

Ha ha! I'm in Minnesota, in prairie country -- I can mock Poseidon with impunity.

I'm reminded once again of Terry Pratchett:

"Err... how far away's the snow line?" "Couple thousand miles." "Ah. God of avalanches? Relic of an outmoded belief system! Mere fairy tale!"

(Quoted from memory, probably screwed it up.)

Posted by: lytefoot | September 3, 2007 11:17 AM

#16

ODIN! ;)

http://www.thepaincomics.com/weekly041229a.htm

Posted by: Lyc | September 3, 2007 11:17 AM

#17

I don't care what this guy says, I still think Calypso it HOT!

Posted by: Bad Albert | September 3, 2007 11:26 AM

#18

What is up with these YouTube videos that edit out all of the natural gaps between sentences? Can this guy not speak for a whole minute in a row without goofing up, and thus has to do it in sentence chunks at a time?

My point is not really to criticize him, but I see this all the time on YouTube videos, and it does annoy me. Traditional media simply doesn't do this, and for good reason. It's distracting, and rather unlike a traditional face-to-face conversation that we're all programmed to understand.

Posted by: Cyde Weys | September 3, 2007 11:35 AM

#19

This kind of thing: youth communicating with youth, and laughing at the stupid religious people - will do vastly more to help people confront religious delusion than any amount of argumentum-ad-knock-down-drag-out.

Posted by: Marcus Ranum | September 3, 2007 11:38 AM

#20

I'm in Houston, i'll keep worshipping Poseidon until the hurricane season is over. Then i'll go back to being an atheist.

Posted by: Brian W. | September 3, 2007 11:43 AM

#21

It's hard to tread the line between sarcasm and smugness. He gladly managed to do it, barely.

Posted by: Hank | September 3, 2007 11:52 AM

#22

I don't know... I'm pretty sure it was Louise Brooks in that sandwich.

Posted by: Leni | September 3, 2007 12:08 PM

#23

Can this guy not speak for a whole minute in a row without goofing up, and thus has to do it in sentence chunks at a time?

Try it sometime. Some people do better than others, but when I've tried recording myself, I screw up a lot. Probably because I'm not a professional.

Maybe that is the reason traditional media doesn't use his technique? Because they hire professional talking heads...who, while generally non-creative, have skill at talking without screwing up.

I actually found his editing kind of amusing....rather than it being a liability, he got a bit creative with it and used it to his advantage.

Posted by: rob | September 3, 2007 12:11 PM

#24

Ha ha! I'm in Minnesota, in prairie country -- I can mock Poseidon with impunity. As long as I stay off the Great Lakes, that is, and I'm not planning to ship out on the Edmund Fitzgerald II any time soon.

Uh, do also realize that Poseidon is also the patron god of horses, and earthquakes... They do have horses in Minnesota, right?

Posted by: Stanton | September 3, 2007 12:13 PM

#25

I've just spent a year or so diving in Crete and I know Poseidon exists 'cause I've seen him.....and the seventeen mermaids and a pink talking octopus.

Nitrogen narcosis? Moi??

Posted by: Mick McTiernan | September 3, 2007 12:29 PM

#26

I thought that all Minnesotans worshiped the Lumberjack God, Paul Bunyan, Creator of All 10,000 Lakes? Man, if religion still had Giants, I'd be all over it. And, fear not, PZ, extremist Grecians can be spotted a mile away by their unnaturally non-grey hair.

Posted by: raindogzilla | September 3, 2007 12:54 PM

#27

It's hard to tread the line between sarcasm and smugness. He gladly managed to do it, barely.

Hey, smugness has its place... I like the body language in this video in response to a theist droning on.

Posted by: windy | September 3, 2007 1:09 PM

#28

Of course he doesn't believe in Poseidon. This man clearly worships Ze Frank.

Posted by: ryan | September 3, 2007 2:12 PM

#29

The best strategists, debaters and comedians make it simple - I think that guy did a trifecta.

Btw, raven, aren't you afraid you insult your gods by your spelling? That is "Freyja" (old nordic, eng "Freya"), "Ragna rök" (old nordic, sw. "Ragnarök") and "Götterdämmerung".

Maybe your joining in Valhöll (sw. "Valhall", eng. "Valhalla") with the other einheriars around the feast tables will prove to be more challenging than you think. Or don't you believe in Pascal's wager?

Posted by: Torbjörn Larsson, OM | September 3, 2007 3:15 PM

#30

Which of the religions would encourage followers to pray for and bless this boy?

Posted by: Beverly Nuckols | September 3, 2007 4:08 PM

#31

I love the giant picture of Strong Bad in the background. Now there's a religion I can get behind!

Posted by: Iris | September 3, 2007 5:14 PM

#32

Lots of people pray to Freyja, even in today's modern world.

As in TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Freyja's Day.

Strange how those Christian missionaries never got around to dumping the old Gods from their places in the days of the week and months of the year. They sure went after their Holy Days.

Posted by: JohnnieCanuck, FCD | September 3, 2007 5:19 PM

#33

Götterdämmerung

That's just modern German for "twilight of the gods".

Strange how those Christian missionaries never got around to dumping the old Gods from their places in the days of the week and months of the year.

In some places they tried. Wednesday in German is just "middle of the week", for example. The Slavic names for the weekdays are just derived from numbers and the like, except for Sunday which is "resurrection".

Posted by: David Marjanović | September 3, 2007 5:43 PM

#34

Well sure, Poseidon doesn't really exist, but Rhadamanthus surely does, and he'll be judging those Christians when they die.

Apparently, Helios continues to exist as well, as you can hear at this youtube link, where atheists attempt to reason about Helios with adamant theists:

Atheist Explains Why We Don't Die When the Sun Goes Down

Posted by: MTran | September 3, 2007 6:33 PM

#35

Torbjorn:
Btw, raven, aren't you afraid you insult your gods by your spelling?

Sorry, couldn't find my Nordic dictionary. In fact, don't think there ever was one around. And my keyboard doesn't have a key for the "o" with two dots above it.

The old Nordic gods seemed to be far more interested in how good one was with a sword and shield than spelling. LOL. Maybe they could use a good medic or two at Ragnarok. LOL

Posted by: raven | September 3, 2007 7:01 PM

#36

Cyde Weys sputtered:

Can this guy not speak for a whole minute in a row without goofing up, and thus has to do it in sentence chunks at a time?

I think it's pretty obvious it's a stylistic choice. Did you notice how his body is in a different position for each segment? He's doing it for effect.

My point is not really to criticize him, ...

But you will, anyway. And from your own blog you state "I try to be as cynical as humanly possible in all situations." That says it all really.

Post a video that displays half the talent of this guy and I'll start paying attention to what you have to say.

Traditional media simply doesn't do this, and for good reason. It's distracting, and rather unlike a traditional face-to-face conversation that we're all programmed to understand.

Yeah, traditional media have got it all figured out. Would you say your blog attracts more comment than his videos?

Posted by: ScienceBreath | September 3, 2007 7:40 PM

#37

I think it's pretty obvious it's a stylistic choice. ... And from your own blog you state "I try to be as cynical as humanly possible in all situations." That says it all really.

A little pot calling the kettle black maybe? I mean, its pretty obvious the "try to be cynical in all situations" comment was facetious. And if you are complaining about him being critical of someone else, you are doing the same, only with a lot more venom.

Posted by: rob | September 3, 2007 8:12 PM

#38

I think it's great to have a cute young aetheist to counter all the smarmy blonde christians (especially christian rock urgh)on our media. so the editing is a little clumsy, it's funny and approachable which is what we need to make our case(s).

Posted by: yoyo | September 3, 2007 9:17 PM

#39

Rob said

A little pot calling the kettle black maybe?

So we shouldn't criticise people for being unecesssarily critical because that would be, well, critical?

It's easy to be negative. The critical position is the default for many people and is the easiest to maintain. I see it most in my scientifically literate friends--perhaps because their jobs require them to be constantly critical of new ideas. But it's become tiresome to the point of boorishness that every achievement of another must be dissected until something negative can be said. Cyde Weys should try doing what Albert Sweigart has done and then he may have some street cred.

Posted by: ScienceBreath | September 3, 2007 9:24 PM

#40

Ha ha! I'm in Minnesota, in prairie country -- I can mock Poseidon with impunity.

Was that once a seabed millions of years ago? Just give it some time and perhaps Poseidon can poke your ass with his trident. But I wonder, are the followers of Poseidon creationists? And what timescle are they working with?

Posted by: Janine | September 3, 2007 11:17 PM

#41

In some places they tried. Wednesday ...

In swedish we have "lördag" for saturday, a contraction of "lögardag" which is an old name for bath day. (Presumably from old germanic "laugr" - water, water fall.)

Swedish "söndag" for sunday is OTOH from the old sun godess "Sol/Sunna/Sunne".

perhaps Poseidon can poke your ass with his trident.

I don't believe in gods that can be hoisted on their own petards. :-P

raven:

And my keyboard doesn't have a key for the "o" with two dots above it.

..., cough, cough, ... google, ... cough, cough... :-P

Anyway, perhaps you don't have the right incantations over ther? I just say the magic words *&*ouml*;* [remove the *s] and out comes ö. (Testing: ö.)

And then I can throw them at my enemies as einheirars could: ö, ö, öö, ööö... No, I @$#! can't. "Öö, ööö, ööh" are tentative markers and thought pauses in swedish. :-P

Posted by: Torbjörn Larsson, OM | September 4, 2007 1:13 AM

#42

It just shows that theres an exceedingly fine line between 'having a good point' and 'coming across as an annoying smug geek'.

Posted by: MartinC | September 4, 2007 3:38 AM

#43

I just love that he is a Homestar fan. He may not justify anyone's beliefs, but he justifies my sense of humor.

Posted by: Ryan | September 4, 2007 8:25 AM

#44

One word: Groundwater,
You're standing on it;
without it the prairies
would become deserts.

Funny, with that in mind,
how "groundwater-table" puts
a twist on the 23rd psalm
"leads me to still waters"
& "table of my enemies"

hail poseiden, neptune rains
snow bizness like show bizness
it's all metaphor donchano!

How fast do gods evolve,
do they truly go extinct or
do they remain recessive
among the dominant deities,
is their lineage a tree or
a (burning) bush?

Ah rhetoric, thank A
I'm not a philosopher.

Posted by: DDeden | September 4, 2007 1:27 PM