…and this is a 
I get email
Category: Creationism
Posted on: April 22, 2008 2:15 PM, by PZ Myers
Michael Korn, the crazed creationist from Colorado who has threatened evolutionists with physical harm, keeps sending me email. His latest is an enumeration of the sins of evolutionists as exhibited in the movie, Expelled, which seems to have him quite worked up. He ranks us by evil; I'm #2*. I'm going to have to try harder.
At least Korn is getting better at making his threats oblique. After listing our wickedness and telling us he's looking forward to a "McCarthy-type campaign" that will take care of us for good, he offers us this heartwarming benediction:
Despite my disdain for all you represent and for the damage you are inflicting on the hearts, minds, and souls of our nation's children, in obedience to my LORD I shall pray for your salvation, as I would pray for the salvation of Adolph Hitler or Joseph Stalin or the Boston Strangler. You all deserve one more chance. But mark my words, do not try God's patience for long, for He grieves deeply about the many millions of souls you are dragging along with you into deepest hell, and eventually He will intervene in a mighty and dramatic way, for the salvation of those who look to Him and to the eternal shame of His pathetic and puny human detractors.
This is fairly typical of what I'm getting these days, although Korn actually has better spelling and grammar, and is significantly more longwinded, than most, and I usually don't get compared to Hitler, Stalin, and the Boston Strangler. It's nice to know I get one more chance before something mighty and dramatic happens…now if only I knew what it was a chance to do. Shall I laugh a little harder?
*#1 is Michael Ruse; his offense is mentioning the hypothesis that life was catalyzed on the surface of crystals. Dawkins is #3, and Eugenie Scott is #4.
Comments
PZ Myers: the Avis of evil.
Posted by: Donnie B. | April 22, 2008 2:20 PM
Ah, what happened at the Mall of America then was no accident: you DO outrank Dawkins.
Poor Korn is probably demented. The sad part is that you say this is "fairly typical" of what you're getting from others. They can't all be mentally ill.
I'm never sure what people who scold like this think they're going to do: persuade? Convince? Shame you into inviting the Holy Spirit into your heart? Intimidate you into keeping silent?
I suspect they're actually showing off for God. "See -- I stood up for You again!"
Posted by: Sastra | April 22, 2008 2:27 PM
I like how Satan is not number 1, in the fictional story of the bible isn't satan god's adversary? Korn is nuts... that reminds me snack time!
Posted by: Thethyme | April 22, 2008 2:28 PM
#2 you need to try harder
who was number one?
Posted by: billybob | April 22, 2008 2:29 PM
"God Smash Puny Human Detractors!!!"
Posted by: horrobin | April 22, 2008 2:30 PM
Wasn't Expelled supposed to be it?
I guess it's official, he knows that movie has failed.
Ha ha.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Glen Davidson | April 22, 2008 2:31 PM
Is this guy just ranking you're evilness from what he saw in Expelled? How come the life on the back of crystals is so upsetting for him, and it even beat out your "reduce religion to a side-dish" statement. ahaha
Posted by: Lelouch | April 22, 2008 2:33 PM
It's all a little Pythonesque to me. "You shall have one last chance! Confess the sin of heresy. Renounce the theory of ... two! You shall have TWO last chances...."
My question is, am I one of the millions of souls PZ is dragging down to hell? I read Dawkins' books before I came here, but I spend more time here than on Dawkins' site, so who gets the credit for my damnation?
Posted by: Screechy Monkey | April 22, 2008 2:35 PM
May my LORD the Flying Spaghetti Monster drown Mr. Korn in a sea of boiling pasta. But I pray he sends me a small portion first.
Posted by: DavidCT | April 22, 2008 2:35 PM
I always answer such threats by taunting god. What's he waiting for? The sooner he smites me the quicker we'll get back to his will...
I fully intend to pollute all the minds I can with science. He better stop me yesterday. Something really dramatic too. I don't want to go down with something like cancer that I could get anyway. I want something epic and undeniable!
Posted by: ryanb | April 22, 2008 2:35 PM
Really, Mike? Because nobody's heard a fucking peep from God the Hovering Hall Monitor for two thousand years or more.
But if you've got an inside track, maybe like from a recent phone call or something, could you ask him to call his followers? Because, left to their own devices for the last two millennia, they've all gone batshit insane.
And I've got a message to for you to tell His Holy Neglectfulness from me: next time you decide to ditch your kids for so long, could you at least leave 'em a few bucks for pizza and a warning not to open the door to strangers? I know someone who supervises court-ordered visitations for parents who show more concern for their offspring than Yahwehtever.
Posted by: Brownian, OM | April 22, 2008 2:35 PM
@ ryanb
How about a lightning bolt? Everybody knows that's proof of Zeus existence.
Posted by: Lelouch | April 22, 2008 2:37 PM
You expect a rational reason for his ranking system?
And yes, I'm dragging you all down to hell. The first question on St Peter's admission test for entry into heaven is "Did you ever read Pharyngula?", and if you answer yes or lie (they have ways of telling), it's off to the fiery pits for you.
There. That should scare the Christian readers away.
Posted by: PZ Myers | April 22, 2008 2:37 PM
People like Korn are feckin' nuts. How the feck does he know what a make-believe god-thing thinks? The lack of logic staggers me. What a feckin' eegit!
Posted by: Richard Harris | April 22, 2008 2:38 PM
Wow, millions of souls?
I didn't know we were doing that well.
Posted by: John | April 22, 2008 2:39 PM
P.Z.
I think I must disagree with some of my fellows, here. I think there is a good chance Mr. Korn is seriously deranged and I think you consider taking him more seriously. If you have the threatening letter you spoke of, I think you might want to take it to the authorities.
Cheers
Jerry
Posted by: J. H. Jeffery | April 22, 2008 2:41 PM
Is this guy still a fugitive?
Posted by: Taz | April 22, 2008 2:42 PM
I don't feel unnecessarily intimidated by the apocalyptic rantings of a semi-psychotic (I grew up in a church chock full of apocalyptic semi-psychotics!), but I do wonder why he wasn't locked up the last time he went off his meds.
Posted by: Farb | April 22, 2008 2:42 PM
You are Number ...
I can definitely image Pee Zed as Number Two.
Posted by: blf | April 22, 2008 2:43 PM
Once again, you pwn Dawkins.
Posted by: Spero Melior | April 22, 2008 2:43 PM
He sounds like Sgt Hartman, from Full Metal Jacket...
Posted by: PeteK | April 22, 2008 2:44 PM
"In the afterlife, you could be headed for the serious strife...."
Posted by: J | April 22, 2008 2:46 PM
Oh, that's been done already. Korn's already on the lam from the authorities, and he's quite clearly cuckoo for jesuspuffs. I don't know how the police's seeming lack of interest in Korn fits into the Darwinist Hegemony, but it reminds me of Van Zandt:
All the evolutionists say,
We could have had 'im any day,
We only let him slip away,
Out of kindness I suppose....
Posted by: Brownian, OM | April 22, 2008 2:46 PM
The first question on St Peter's admission test for entry into heaven is "Did you ever read Pharyngula?", and if you answer yes or lie (they have ways of telling), it's off to the fiery pits for you.
Does that mean that I get to meet you and the Molly winners in person after death? I must read more...
Posted by: Dianne | April 22, 2008 2:48 PM
Sigh… but I cin't spil wirth a dman. Imagine. I meant imagine. Image. Sheesh!
Posted by: blf | April 22, 2008 2:49 PM
"puny human detractors"?
Holy crap! God is the Incredible Hulk!
Posted by: Jim C. | April 22, 2008 2:50 PM
Yay Squirrel Nut Zippers!
Posted by: MAJeff, OM | April 22, 2008 2:51 PM
You ever get the feeling that life is just an endless comic book with these people?
"Give up your evil ways, thou fiend!"
"Your puny powers cannot defeat Skeletor!"
"By the power of Greyskull!!"
(I have the faith of a grain of mustard seed! I command this mountain to be moved!!)
Posted by: RamblinDude | April 22, 2008 2:52 PM
I'm presuming the ranking is based on how many millions of souls the people on it are dragging down with them to hell. That's easily measured by the new LuciCo Soulastray 4000 as long as it's calibrated properly by the Godwin method.
Posted by: Ted D | April 22, 2008 2:52 PM
David @ #9: Please, His Noodliness is not a vengeful
godfood substance.... Hmm, well, anyway, His Noodliness is not cruel and vengeful, unlike other alleged deities. Unbelievers are merely mired in a lukewarm Alfredo until theysee the lightsmell the garlic, at which time they are united with the One True Noodle.Posted by: beagledad | April 22, 2008 2:53 PM
"Does that mean that I get to meet you and the Molly winners in person after death? I must read more..."
Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company. Hope Mark Twain's there too.
Posted by: Rey Fox | April 22, 2008 2:53 PM
Jim C.
Hey, we're on the same page!
Posted by: RamblinDude | April 22, 2008 2:54 PM
That freaking Korn Pone! Freaking demented piece of ritualized crap. Sure, he can rant all he wants about his powerful shit god coming down to smite all of us, but he will never make it happen till the end of time. "His puny and pathetic human detractors"! What a hoot! His puny god will never make an appearence except in his freaking insane and deranged cesspit brain. Let's see your freaking imaginary shit pile god, you demented half-wit! Hell, I don't know what else to say to you, you Korn pone shit!
Posted by: Holbach | April 22, 2008 2:54 PM
Why is it that when religionists say god grieves or god is mad or god votes republican I'm supposed to take it very seriously, but when I say god doesn't like Mr. Korn's aftershave or that god is a Dr. Who fan I'm the one accused of putting words in god's mouth? It's especially irritating when the things I say about god (like HIS devotion to Dr. Who) are reasonable, clearly true, and fit easily with everything we know about god while the things Mr. Korn says don't even jive with his own narrative. I mean, come on, why would god wait till PZ had drug "many millions of souls... into deepest hell" before intervening? Well, I'll tell you why... god is busy rewatching the divine, multi-part finale of season three.
Posted by: Saber | April 22, 2008 2:54 PM
You know, when someone makes a response to "Expelled", maybe it should be Christopher Guest.
You'd have to be really, really obvious, though. But, you know, I can see Eugene Levy pulling off a Stein-like character quite successfully.
"A Mighty Wind", "Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show" and "This Is Spinal Tap" were all pretty obvious, so I'm sure Guest could pull this off.
I agree that Korn is a scary dude. I honestly don't think he'd hesitate to help kingdom come. Seriously, at least assure us you have an alarm system on your house.
Posted by: MikeM | April 22, 2008 2:55 PM
Wait, Ruse is #1 for mentioning a specific hypothesis? But if Korn tells you that this is why, and says which hypothesis it is, then he, too, has mentioned the hypothesis, and so is at least as evil as Ruse.
You godless heathens are too blinded by your own self-righteous arrogance to notice when you say ridiculous things, but that's a mistake Korn would never make. But since Korn must know better than to unwittingly make a mistake like that, and intentional evil is worse than accidental evil, by his own standards, he should be worse than Ruse. Michael Korn is #1! QED
I'm safe since I only referred to "a specific hypothesis". No eternal damnation and fiery pits for me . . . today!
Posted by: Steve | April 22, 2008 2:55 PM
brownian gets two laughs from me already,
with "yahwehtever" and "cuckoo for jesuspuffs".
watch out, dude--you could make it into the top 100 of evilness if you keep that up. god doesn't like laughter, as the monk says in 'in the name of the rose'.
(of course, he too is batshit crazy and a murdering psychopath. hmmmm....)
Posted by: kid bitzer | April 22, 2008 2:55 PM
Has anyone else noticed how guys like Korn seem to get a huge ego boost from invoking the wrath of the Lord? It's almost like he thinks he is in control of the vengeance the Lord is about to exact on people Korn himself dislikes.
Delusions of grandeur seems to be a common phenomenon among hardcore believers - especially among the hateful types condemning and proclaiming God's punishment.
Posted by: trj | April 22, 2008 2:56 PM
RE#22 by J:
Wonderful link!
Think PZ is ready for his "suit of flame?"
And Sastra in #2: Yes, they ALL are insane. One cannot believe in any religion without being crazy, PERIOD. But, like schizos on meds, there are varying degrees of craziness.
Otherwise, "rational" churchgoers would not condone what is being done.
Nor would we have the fuckwits on other posts whining that PZ is just so cruel about the moronic balloon priest, without even one shred of self-awareness of the supreme irony of accusing a professor of being mean over laughing at a pederast too stupid to live....
Posted by: Strakh | April 22, 2008 2:57 PM
If Mr. Korn takes it upon himself to do "God's work" and harm comes to PZ by non-mysterious means, let me assure Mr. Korn that ten fold shall befall him. Remember, we outnumber you Mr. Korn.
Do not take the threats of nutjobs like Mr. Korn lightly.
Posted by: Lago | April 22, 2008 2:59 PM
#26: "Holy crap! God is the Incredible Hulk!"
Nah, God only thinks he's the Incredible Hulk.
Posted by: MikeM | April 22, 2008 3:00 PM
Reading stuff like this makes me thank God that I am an atheist.
Posted by: Jeff Flowers | April 22, 2008 3:00 PM
blf @ 19 - Yep, I can go with that. I'm not sure Glenn D. will be too happy though.
Posted by: Bob O'H | April 22, 2008 3:01 PM
My answer to the "you're going to hell" loons is that, if it exists, I already know what part of it I'm going to, as per this survey:
A lot of my friends got the same result, so I'll have plenty of good company!
Posted by: Aquaria | April 22, 2008 3:04 PM
I was wondering what Mr. Korn had been up to. You've let us in on so many other emails I bet he was feeling left out and decided it was time he crapped in your inbox.
Korn is so wrong. I've seen Genie's horns.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | April 22, 2008 3:05 PM
You get a lot of emails like this? Do any contain actual threats or are they just random ranting like this one? Anyway, real threats should be taken seriously. You shouldn't hesitate to save them and pass them along to the proper authorities.
Posted by: Lionel L. | April 22, 2008 3:05 PM
I would just like to state for the record that I was doomed to hell long before I ever encountered PZ.
Posted by: ndt | April 22, 2008 3:08 PM
"See -- I stood up for You again!"
"My life for you!"
-Trashcanman, from Stephen King's, The Stand.
I think King was quite wrong about where the nutters will be gravitating to.
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 22, 2008 3:08 PM
Is LORD an acronym? I'm always confused by the caps.
Posted by: Unspeakabley Violent Jane | April 22, 2008 3:09 PM
Got an IP number on that email?
Suspect Missing in Evolution Death-Threat Case
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/07/colorado_threats
Posted by: Hank Roberts | April 22, 2008 3:10 PM
I used to have a Soulastray 2000, but it was always picking up feedback from my unshielded first-generation E-meter....
Posted by: rpenner | April 22, 2008 3:10 PM
Poor Korn is probably demented.
Oh come ON!
probably???
that's like saying Hillary Clinton is probably a woman.
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 22, 2008 3:11 PM
Millions of souls? You must be raking the in the add-money ;)
Posted by: Alcari | April 22, 2008 3:12 PM
@Donnie B: You're my new hero for that.
Posted by: Rev Matt | April 22, 2008 3:12 PM
I often wonder if the most virulent and violent of "God Defenders" like this one don't secretly do it to overcompensate for their own doubts.
It's telling that they conceive their supposedly all-powerful God to be so weak and pitiful that he requires puny humans to do the dirty "defending" work. Really, if a bacterium in my armpit denies I exist, I won't care if the other bacteria don't put it to death for blasphemy. Perhaps I just have more self-esteem than than they imagine God to have as well.
Of course they will say that God is telling them to do whatever, but I could commit violence in the name of Santa Claus and it would do as much to prove that there is one.
Posted by: Kevin Dorner | April 22, 2008 3:13 PM
"Avis of evil" -- that one made me laugh out loud.
Posted by: Gadfly22 | April 22, 2008 3:15 PM
Does that mean that I get to meet you and the Molly winners in person after death? I must read more...
actually, there have been a couple of Pharynguloid get togethers already.
I rather think PZ should perma-link the thread where some have worked on planning local get-togethers.
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 22, 2008 3:16 PM
I thought the police were looking for that nutjob to lock him up?
Posted by: Boosterz | April 22, 2008 3:16 PM
#49 Make your choice
Late-Onset Retinal Degeneration
Legend of the Red Dragon (BBS role playing game)
List Of Required Documents
Probably this one is appropriate:
Locally-Optimum Rank Detector
PZ,
how do you manage to get the hottest stuff, even in hell!
Posted by: oldcola | April 22, 2008 3:18 PM
Wholly smokes, Aquaria, you need to try harder. I have a quick trip to the City of Dis lined up.
Sixth Level of Hell - The City of Dis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You approach Satan's wretched city where you behold a wide plain surrounded by iron walls. Before you are fields full of distress and torment terrible. Burning tombs are littered about the landscape. Inside these flaming sepulchers suffer the heretics, failing to believe in God and the afterlife, who make themselves audible by doleful sighs. You will join the wicked that lie here, and will be offered no respite. The three infernal Furies stained with blood, with limbs of women and hair of serpents, dwell in this circle of Hell.
Posted by: True Bob | April 22, 2008 3:19 PM
I often wonder if the most virulent and violent of "God Defenders" like this one don't secretly do it to overcompensate for their own doubts.
wonder no longer. their actions and communications directly fit with the establishment of extreme mental defense mechanisms.
They have no faith, and they know it on at least a subconscious level.
Now, of course, I would say all "faith" is false and a mental construct to begin with, but people like Korn have completely let their cognitive dissonance take over.
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 22, 2008 3:19 PM
If god or allah wanted someone dead it always seemed to me he/she could just stop their heart from beating. Apparently though, God's preferred choice is to farm out the task to some unbalanced nutjob who is promised a free pass to heaven for smiting the wicked (and whoever happens to be nearby) in God's name.
Doesn't intelligent design require an intelligent designer??
Posted by: Kevin | April 22, 2008 3:20 PM
Tinfoil is your friend. It doesn't just block mind control rays you know.
OT, but speaking of tinfoil, I live just a few houses away from someone who's put tinfoil over all their windows. I've never seen them, but once a window was open and there was a sign placed in it saying "death to spies". And most deliciously, while I am not usually a fan of graffiti, someone has spray painted a UFO on the side of the house.
Posted by: Ted D | April 22, 2008 3:20 PM
I think there was an oblique reference to this earlier, but I think it calls for less subtlety:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Two_(The_Prisoner)
Posted by: Mark (Monty) Montague | April 22, 2008 3:21 PM
I'm going to hell, Ichthyic, where I'll see you running the bad filmfest, no doubt. I haven't found the time to get back to you guys with recipes, and I haven't finished the paper I was working on, yet I found 8 hours to watch that mini-series for the first time from start to finish Sunday, after years of prompting from Mr. thalarctos.
It was so worth it--Trashcanman was inspired lunacy (and Matt Frewer was perfect casting; he delivers the batshit crazy!); Korn isn't even in the same league. But now I'm definitely going to hell if I don't meet some deadlines...
Posted by: thalarctos | April 22, 2008 3:22 PM
Lousy Old Rancorous Deity.
Posted by: Richard Harris | April 22, 2008 3:23 PM
Screechy Monkey, by a staggering coincidence I just watched 'Life of Brian' and am busy watching 'The Meaning of Life' (it must be Tuesday). I was interrupted by a call and quickly read Korn's letter. It does have potential, but it could be funnier. Maybe if he read it in a lisp? If he's not up to the task, I can really see Cleese saying this line: "...to the eternal shame of His pathetic and puny human detractors."
He has a delightful way of spitting out p's, that Cleese.
Posted by: Prazzie | April 22, 2008 3:23 PM
Posted by: The J Train | April 22, 2008 3:23 PM
It's truly a scary, omnipotent god that needs a Michael Korn as his (or her) minion here on earth ....
Alan
Posted by: Alan | April 22, 2008 3:24 PM
#49 I believe it stands for Loud Old Raunchy Drunk.
Posted by: Jackal | April 22, 2008 3:24 PM
Such mindless twats are actually dangerous. They don't really believe that god will intervene and some will step up to a home-made "divine intervention", actually hurting people.
I'd go to the police with about this if I were you.
Posted by: Jorge | April 22, 2008 3:27 PM
If God "grieves deeply" about all those misguided souls being dragged to Hell, why doesn't he just stop casting them into Hell in the first place?
Or better yet, turn Hell into a weekend swap-and-shop.
Posted by: Virginia | April 22, 2008 3:27 PM
@Lelouch
Nah, too cliche. If god is going to go through all the trouble of smiting me I want to be an example to everyone else. Nothing that can be explained by those icky scientists with their delusional theories.
Something from Calvin & Hobbs perhaps. Like a train, plane, car, bus, lightning, black hole, dark matter, volcano, lightning, and a nuclear bomb all hit me at the same time while a 300ft god guy sits off to the side laughing on national television.
I mean, if he's gonna smite one of us he might as well go all out. You know how TV has desensitized kids these days!
Posted by: ryanb | April 22, 2008 3:29 PM
is this God or Godzilla?
Posted by: alex | April 22, 2008 3:30 PM
"May my LORD the Flying Spaghetti Monster drown Mr. Korn in a sea of boiling pasta. But I pray he sends me a small portion first."
What? A small portion of Korn? HA HA HA! Cannibalism...
(With apologies to Stephen Colbert)
Posted by: Colwyn Abernathy | April 22, 2008 3:31 PM
Mr. Meyers. You have offended many of the Gods and I swear to Zeus, Mithras and Poseidon that you will have your come-uppance.
Enjoy.
Posted by: Tim Fuller | April 22, 2008 3:34 PM
Or better yet, turn Hell into a weekend swap-and-shop
Noooooo! That would be a far worse Hell than anything described in the scriptures.
Posted by: Tex | April 22, 2008 3:35 PM
Hah Level 2! I can beat that:
Those furies sound like fun gals.
Posted by: Peter Ashby | April 22, 2008 3:37 PM
#65 - I liked the book better. I read it over Spring Break junior year, when I should have been writing a paper. The series wasn't bad, but I had different people in my head when I read it - Christopher Walken (pre-self-parodying days) for example as Flagg. Though Glen was pretty close - and now when I see Glen D's posts, I will probably think of him (not bad, all things considered).
Posted by: Hap | April 22, 2008 3:37 PM
Hitler, Stalin, and the Boston Strangler?
I don't believe I've seen that mixture of evil before. I mean, come on, how many people did the Strangler whack. Eight, nine. Ten, tops. Thats not quasi-evil, not even in the minor league of evil, let alone on par with the Evil-meister PZ. He's the diet coke of evil (just one calorie, not evil enough).
Nope, when you're talking 'bout evil, Mr. Korn, you need to step up to the plate and find us some good examples of bad. Otherwise, we just may think you just are trying anymore.
Posted by: Larry | April 22, 2008 3:40 PM
I'd take it as a compliment. If you really are reaching "many millions of souls," then congratulations are in order.
Posted by: Derek | April 22, 2008 3:41 PM
Dang! First I was left off Nixon's White House Enemies List, and now I'm left off this one.
Fish with fins and scales, tra-la!
Posted by: LightningRose | April 22, 2008 3:42 PM
"Is LORD an acronym? I'm always confused by the caps."
Likable Old Rogue, Deceased
or maybe
Laughable Old Rogue, Deceased
Posted by: bjm | April 22, 2008 3:43 PM
Hank Roberts (#50) linked:
Thanks for pointing this out!
I just had to post a link-back there.
You know, as a PSA.
Posted by: Ryan F Stello | April 22, 2008 3:49 PM
PZ,
If you're not first, you're not trying hard enough. Maybe you could club a few baby seals in the name of Dog on the way home from work and maybe, juuuuuuust maybe, it could put you over the top.
Posted by: Ben | April 22, 2008 3:49 PM
Trashcanman was inspired lunacy
Trash has been a favorite analogy of mine ever since I first read the series.
Of course, I always end up recognizing the character of Trash in the xians. At this point in time, I'd wager King would agree Trash is misplaced in the story.
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 22, 2008 3:50 PM
Did someone say 'smite'?
http://www.mwillett.org/SMITECAM.htm
Between this guy and the Blasphemy Challenge, I think we can perform a fair amount of triage for Saint Peter to reduce his workload.
Posted by: Duncan | April 22, 2008 3:51 PM
It's going around these days, PZ-- and frankly, the old epithets are so worn they're barely worth noticing anymore. Why just the other day, someone referred to me as "Hitlerian"...
Posted by: DaveX | April 22, 2008 3:52 PM
MKorn:
The vast majority of us are going to 'hell' on our own accord anyway. Blaming PZ for dragging our sorry asses down with him is simply your poor attempt at using fear tactics (guilt) as a form of religous arguement. I strongly object!!! This association not only undermines my right to be judged based on my 'free choices' but also undermines my personal efforts to rid this planet of the supersticious mumbo-jumbo type of stuff you preach. If I'm going to hell then I am more than capable of paying my own fare...thank you very much.
Posted by: gbusch | April 22, 2008 3:53 PM
Comment #3-Excellent point
...for He grieves deeply about the many millions of souls you are dragging along with you into deepest hell...
Well save me a seat!!! :op
Isn't "hell" supposed to be capitalized?
Posted by: LP | April 22, 2008 3:54 PM
If we're going to hell, can we stop by and see all the pedophile priests? That would totally make it worth it.
Posted by: Christopher Wing | April 22, 2008 3:57 PM
Ah, hells!
Some mahayana buddhist traditions have them too. The layout and services vary, but I understand there usually is a lobby with an accountant at one end and a checkout at the other. In between you have a number of departments and sub-departments where the specific punishments of various severity are portioned out. These are largely of the well-known internationally sanctioned kind, burnings, boilings, kneeling on iron filings, drowning in menstrual blood etc, but in one sub-department they apparently remove the sinner's brain and replace it with a live porcupine.
Just for variety, I suppose.
Then you proceed to checkout and another try at life. What happens to the porcupine, I do not know, but I could find no mention of it being removed prior to rebirth. As animals have souls too, this may complicate matters I should think, especially for repeat offenders...
Posted by: tes | April 22, 2008 3:57 PM
Ah, well, PZ, clearly Ruse wins because he's talking about a theory of abiogenesis. A common creationist fallback is "well, your theory of evilution doens't account for the origin of life (which, fair enough, it doesn't), so God did it!". If you take that away from them, what gaps are left for their God?
Although why Ruse gets the nod rather than, say, De Duve, who knows?
Posted by: Tim | April 22, 2008 4:03 PM
Re 49:
LORD is what is used in English for the Tetrogramaton, the four-letter name, YHWH, of the abrahamic diety. The jewish pracite of replacing the name, which you weren't supposed to say, with a different word meaning lord means that we've actually lost the prounciation of the term YHWH entirely. Where you see LORD in all caps, or in small caps, it's the ULTRA IMPORTANT NAME THAT MUST NOT BE SAID given a different label in a different language.
Posted by: Von Krieger | April 22, 2008 4:03 PM
. . . He grieves deeply about the many millions of souls you are dragging along with you into deepest hell . . .
. . . the implication being that we couldn't have come to these conclusions ourselves; our beliefs must have been handed to us by an authority figure.
These people literally can't conceive of a way of thinking that doesn't model the limited way they themselves do it. It's like watching an animal process information.
Posted by: Molly, NYC | April 22, 2008 4:04 PM
Austin Powers: Who does #2 work for?!
Posted by: G Lloyd | April 22, 2008 4:05 PM
Dam,If all you guys are going to hell I wanna be there with you, sounds like we would have a hell of a time.
Would'nt it be funny if when we got to hell all the Xtians were there also because Mithras was the real god and they were all wrong, I'd laugh my ass off.
Posted by: Jonathan Smith |