Atheism
gregladen | March 3, 2009Emacs is exactly like a religion. A western religion, at least, operates by testing the faith of its participants. The god coldly allows babies to die of unexplained illnesses, violence to affect the innocent, wars to break out, natural disasters to ruin everything. That we mortals have faith that this is a loving and intelligent, all knowing god causes us to question reality itself, our selves, our church or temple, and our religious leaders. But this questioning followed by resolve, strengthens character. Or, ruins character. It could really go either way, which is why so many object…
gregladen | February 28, 2009... Being interviewed by ME! (So don't expect this to go well!!!!)
Sunday March 1, 2009
Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, of the Stonybrook Institute in New York, is a biologist and a philosopher who has published about a hundred technical papers and several books on evolutionary biology. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, selected "for fundamental studies of genotype by environmental interactions and for public defense of evolutionary biology from pseudoscientific attack." Massimo is also an atheist, and has published articles in Skeptical Enquirer,…
gregladen | February 19, 2009In Washington. That's the idea of newly proposed ballot measure.
This measure would prohibit state use of public money or lands for anything that denies or attempts to refute the existence of a supreme ruler of the universe, including textbooks, instruction or research.
The Supreme Being. Stop Denying Him/Her.
If I was living in Washington, I'd be very tempted to vote yes on this. I'd also be lobbying to make sure the language gets cleaned up so that it can't be struck down on the grounds of some dumb-ass technicality.
Eventually, not long into the future, this act will be struck…
sa smith | February 19, 2009Its never wrong to stand up to Nazis.
Ever.
Ever.
*high-fives Hitchs non-crushed hand*
To those who say 'he deserved it', fuck you. If Hitch were a woman, those thugs would have brutally raped and killed 'her'. You know it. I know it. Would 'she' have deserved it for standing up to Nazis? Fuck off!
gregladen | February 16, 2009So, yesterday Afternoon, there was a meeting of the Minnesota Atheists that included a one hour panel discussion of evolution, creationism, science education, and so on. The panel was moderated by Lynn Fellman, and included (in order from right to left as the audience gazed on) Randy Moore, Sehoya Cotner, Jane Phillips, Greg Laden, and PZ Myers.
There were several ways in which this discussion was interesting, and I'll tell you a few of them here. Presumably PZ will have something as well. (UPDATE: PZ has this.)
To begin with, this was a pretty full room (a hundred or so?) and almost…
gregladen | February 14, 2009Feb 15 - Darwin Year Panel Discussion Featuring Myers, Laden, Moore, Cotner and Phillips
2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origins of Species. In honor of this, we have assembled a distinguished panel of scientists to give us their thoughts on evolution, creationism, and Darwin. The panelists are: PZ Myers, Randy Moore, Greg Laden, Sehoya Cotner, and Jane Phillips.
The discussion will be moderated by Lynn Fellman. Lynn is a frequent science interviewer on our Atheists Talk radio program. She is also an…
gregladen | February 13, 2009The Gallup Poll is not surprising in any of its results but it is, of course, alarming and interesting. Here's a summary.
On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don't have an opinion either way. These attitudes are strongly related to education and, to an even greater degree, religiosity.
The data:
Believe in evolution 39%
Do not believe in evolutoin 25%
No opinon either way 36%
Not surprisingly,…
gregladen | February 10, 2009One of the really useful features of the new edition of Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction by Genie Scott is the coverage of the socio-cultural context of the so called "debate" between Creationists and Evolutionary Biologists. This tidbit is an example:
The obvious patterns are interesting. There is a modest drop in overall religiousity over the last twenty years. This drop is entirely acounted for by a drop in Christianity specifically. And the biggest change overall (percentage wise, doing the figures in my head so this is subject to revision) is an increase in the "No…
gregladen | February 9, 2009For the past few days I have been in contact with Mr. Richard Mullens a school teacher in Brookeland Tx. Brookeland Tx, is an incredibly "Conservative" area of Texas, and only 16 miles up the road from Jasper Tx. the scene of several incidents of racial violence and murder. Mullens has been the victim of a smear campaign and a slew of unethical practices, based solely on his religious and political beliefs. I have received numerous calls today from area parents, and concerned local residents who feel that Mr. Mullens is a good teacher, who has encouraged and inspired his students to think…
gregladen | February 4, 2009With an absurd opinion piece by Henry Morris III.
You can't comment on the piece, so I'll just tel lyou that it is in the current web edition of the paper and you can go dig it up if you want. (Blog policy: No logic, no links. Unless I feel like it.)
Henry Morris is the guy from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR). The publication of this opinion piece by USNWR is roughly like, say, the New York Times Science Section publishing a piece on Large Mammal Conservation by those guys who sold the frozen bigfoot last year. Utterly stupid and irresponsible editorial policy on the part…
gregladen | February 3, 2009... or Argentina or Nurse Ratchet.
In our allegedly multicultural society, there is one religious group which is apparently not to be afforded equal respect, let alone treated for what it embodies - the foundational creed of this nation. That group is Britain's Christians.
Somerset community nurse and committed Christian Caroline Petrie has been suspended and faces being sacked and even struck off for offering to say a prayer for an elderly patient. Although startled, the patient - herself a Christian - did not make a complaint and was in no way offended.
.... and so on and so forth. So…
sa smith | February 2, 2009Richard Dawkins lecture at OU has been moved to the McCasland Field House, which has more than double the seating capacity of the auditorium he was going to speak at. I dunno the details of how this worked out, 'someone' paid for the venue upgrade (Dawkins didnt nix the idea of a larger venue), so, YAY!
But all the tickets they already handed out arent valid anymore. Its first come, first serve for seating (not the organizers fault, its just a side effect of the change of venue).
Well, thank goodness I stood in line for 3 hours and missed Obamas inauguration!
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..........…
sa smith | January 20, 2009"Where were you when Obama took the oath of office?"
Its a question kids and grandkids are going to be asking their relatives for years to come.
Where was I?
Standing in line for tickets to see Richard Dawkins when he comes to campus in March.
I got a ticket, but all the available tickets for the 'public' were gone in 28 minutes (maybe faster). Thats because Dawkins is booked to speak in a 1,000 person auditorium, and only 250 tickets were alloted for the general public. People in line could have two tickets, so really only the first 125 in line got tickets.
A 1,000 person auditorium.
Only…
gregladen | December 19, 2008... This is why we fight the war on Christmas. Watch. Then lock and load, baby.
Hat tip Doc
gregladen | December 17, 2008My hardcore atheist checklist is below the fold. I award myself forty one points, including extra points for doing things to missionaries and such.
1. Participated in the Blasphemy Challenge.2. Met at least one of the "Four Horsemen" (Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris) in person. Dawkins and I spoke at the same event and since we had a lot of mutual friends we all walked around on the campus for a while together. Not much, but enough to bold this one, I think.3. Created an atheist blog. 4. Used the Flying Spaghetti Monster in a religious debate with…
gregladen | December 10, 2008 If not, ignore this blog post.
If so, then my next question is, are you an atheist, agnostic, or free thinkier kinda person? If not, then ignore this blog post.
If so, then my next question is, are you a member of Minnesota Atheists? If not, then.
CLICK HERE AND JOIN, GODDAMMIT!!!!
On the left side bar: A "join and donate" link just waiting for you.
gregladen | December 8, 2008Remember the Atheist Sign that ruined everything for everybody up in Washington State? Well, now those damn free thinkers are going to impose their freedom of speech on the god fearing (or should that be "atheist fearing") people of Illinois.
Here's the sign being provided by the Freedom from Religion Foundation:
And it will be placed in the Illinois City Hall in Springfield. Right down from Homer and Marge's place.
Hat tip: The Friendly Atheist.
gregladen | December 8, 2008The atheists ... this time disguised as hedonistic sun worshipers ... are at it again. A "Winter Solstice" sign bought and paid for by the Freedom from Religion Foundation identifying religion as "Myth and supersition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds" was put up at a holiday display.
A whole bunch of religious yahoos got really mad. They claim that the sign is offensive and should be suppresses. So much for tolerance.
The Freedom From Thinking Independantly Foundation (I'm making that part up) held a big-ol' rally at the State Capitol. (Details here.)
Also at the capitol were…
gregladen | December 7, 2008... so, you think can sing, eh?
Well, Desiree Schell, talk show host with Q. Transmissions of Edmonton, Canada, has asked me to tell you about a contest.
Q Transmissions wants YOU to sing us what is sure to be the next smash hit on the Skeptical charts... Fervent Unbeliever!
...
Perform your best rendition of the song. YouTube, your blackberry, your laptop... it doesn't matter how you do it as long as we hear your lovely (or not so lovely) voice serenading us. Like this!
Get all the fame and prestige that a skeptical talk-show on a community radio station can provide. And a prize!
Go to Q…