I can deal with a PG rating

I'm trying to differentiate myself from PZ.

I can't believe you're poking that wasp's nest with a stick just for the heck of it. It's like the redneck equivalent of, "Hey everybody, watch this!"

Except that PZ got a G rating.

So "gay" is a bad word, as are "cocaine", "crack", "dick", "abortion", "torture" and "dead". Sad commentary on American society. Keep children away from political blogs?

Ah, yes, because the one thing a prospective date needs to know is how your blog is rated.

You're right Ted, I don't think he reads me though so I'm safe. But I've noticed one of his great pet peeves is when idiots like Dembski or Egnor whoever at uncommon descent point out what a disgrace he is to science education because he occasionally drops the f-bomb. Their argument being, "Why do people think ID is bad - PZ myers said a dirty word!"

Mark, what we need SCIENCE blogs, not hate religion and "you are scum because you are not an atheist" blogs like PZ'z propaganda.

You are much better than that.

I think PZ writes quite nicely about science. I certainly don't find that PZ believes that not being an atheist makes one "scum". I'm sorry that you feel that way, but I doubt that is PZ's intention.

To a substantial number of religious people, "you are scum because you are not an atheist" is more-or-less precisely what the word "atheism" means for the simple reason that "you are scum because you are not an insert_my_religion_here" is precisely what the word "insert_my_religion_here" means to them, at least in part. And atheism is just another religion, right?

At any rate, I think it's fair to say that PZ rejects the truth value of religion, questions (ok, rejects) the moral and ethical precepts of religion (or at least the ones that aren't just dressed up common sense) and very much dislikes the worldview that he believes religion inspires.

And it would be impossible to argue that he doesn't believe that religious people are foolish and deluded vis-a-vis that particular area of their lives. It would also just be ridiculous to argue that he's particularly shy about any of the above.

But it's worth pointing out that none of this means that he *hates* religious people categorically. He just isn't especially respectful of religion or religious belief.

Which is fine, because frankly, when religious folks ask for us atheists to respect their faiths, what they're really demanding most of the time is a confession of agnosticism. Which in itself isn't particularly polite.

But why the "Mingle2 - Online Dating" link?

Adrian,

The folks who make the tag buried that in the html code. You can excise it, but clearly it's their intention to use this as a technique to advertise...

Which is fine, because frankly, when religious folks ask for us atheists to respect their faiths, what they're really demanding most of the time is a confession of agnosticism. Which in itself isn't particularly polite.

ARP, that is so good that I think am going to have to steal it.