godlessness
pharyngula | October 15, 2007We got back from Madison later than I'd expected yesterday, and it's no fun to have to scramble to compose a lecture in a car, and then rush to assemble the data after midnight for an 8am class. But I have survived! Now I have to go drink a few liters of good black coffee, and while I do that, you can catch up on the godless goings-on that I missed.
It's time for the latest Humanist Symposium. I'm not a humanist myself and have mixed feelings about the philosophy (which can be summed up as "not enough squid"), but it's a good part of our godless community.
The Carnival of the Godless…
pharyngula | October 14, 2007Somebody recorded the Hitchens talk, and has uploaded the first parts of it to YouTube. I've put what's currently available below the fold; this only covers about half of the talk, I estimate.
I know there has been a lot of talk about his state of sobriety, but it's all baseless. He looked perfectly normal up there on the podium, and there was no sign of impairment that I could detect. Judge the man by what he says, not his imagined blood alcohol level.
pharyngula | October 14, 2007We're about to leave lovely Madison, Wisconsin and the Freedom from Religion Convention. So here's a short summary: it was a good meeting and I was impressed with most of the speakers; Christopher Hitchens "pissed off" most of us as he promised to do, and the organization of the meeting could have been greatly improved.
Now the details.
I already mentioned Katha Pollitt and Julia Sweeney, the opening night speakers, and they were hilarious and humane. I'd go listen to them anytime, and you should too, at any opportunity. They represent the happy, friendly atheists, and they do it very well.…
pharyngula | October 12, 2007As you read this, the Trophy Wife™ and I are zooming down I94, on our way to a pleasant weekend together in Madison for the Freedom from Religion Convention. Our hotel does have wi-fi, so have no fear — I won't be out of touch. And perhaps I'll have tales of Julia Sweeney and Christopher Hitchens to share with you all.
If you're in Madison, too, don't forget: Saturday, 12-2, at Brocach is the IIDB/Pharynguloid meetup.
pharyngula | October 12, 2007
Now you must donate to my DonorsChoose challenge. For the honor of the godless.
One of those pathetic appeasers has made this an issue of the charity of atheists, has accused us of being "cheap bastards", and claims that his weak-kneed, wobbly camp of wooly-headed apologists for delusion are more generous than we are, and more interested in promoting science education. We know he's wrong, of course, but hey, when they let theologians use them for a doormat, it's understandable that they might be burdened with lots of foolish ideas.
I gave them a 10 day head start. Now this means we have to…
pharyngula | October 11, 2007John is right. This is in the running for the dumbest theist argument ever.
The atheist might say, "Well, I can reason just fine, and I don't believe in God." But this is no different than the critic of air saying, "Well, I can breathe just fine, and I don't believe in air." This isn't a rational response. Breathing requires air, not a profession of belief in air. Likewise, logical reasoning requires God, not a profession of belief in Him. Of course the atheist can reason; it's because God has made his mind and given him access to the laws of logic—and that's the point. It's because God…
pharyngula | October 11, 2007Who knew I'd ever be grateful to Fox? They ran a pathetic scare story about Air America waging a war against god (they seem to spend the most time reassuring themselves that those atheists are small in numbers), but the useful thing about it is that it did manage to let me know that there is something new called Freethought Radio, with streaming audio. It's very kind of them to advertise for the godless liberal demographic.
pharyngula | October 9, 2007As I mentioned earlier, I'm going to be in Madison this weekend for the Freedom from Religion Foundation convention. A bunch of IIDBers are also attending, and they've suggested a meetup over lunch (12-2) on Saturday, the 13th, at an Irish pub called Brocach. That sounds good to me — a meeting of the IIDB and the Pharynguloid sects of the Atheism cult, over beer.
Auto-da-fe of any schismatics and heretics afterwards!
pharyngula | October 9, 2007I have to hammer on one more thing from Sam Harris's reply. He objects to the label "atheism" because it will chase away people who do not want to … well, read what he says.
They have read the writings of the "new atheists," sent us letters and emails of support, are quite fond of criticizing religion whenever the opportunity arises, but they have no interest whatsoever in joining a cult of such critics. And there is something cult-like about the culture of atheism. In fact, much of the criticism I have received of my speech is so utterly lacking in content that I can only interpret it as a…
pharyngula | October 8, 2007Sam Harris responds to the reaction to his speech at the Atheist Alliance meeting.
Is it really possible that PZ Myers and Ellen Johnson think I was recommending that we stop publicly criticizing religion or that I am hiding my own atheism out of "shame and fear"? I would not have thought such a misreading was possible, given the contents of my speech and my rather incessant criticism of religion in my books, articles, and lectures.
It's puzzling to be accused of misreading Harris when his misreading of PZ Myers is so far off base; perhaps my name was just tossed in as an afterthought, and…
pharyngula | October 8, 2007Thank you, Dr House. "Rational arguments don't usually work for religious people otherwise there would be no religious people." Also good: "It's not about fun, it's about the truth."
pharyngula | October 7, 2007So I missed the Atheist Alliance convention. I'm still going to make it to the Freedom From Religion Foundation convention in Madison on 12-14 October. Who else will be joining me there?
pharyngula | October 5, 2007Dear Sam,
I read your presentation to the Atheist Alliance. You were eminently successful in being a controversial contrarian, so your intent was well executed. Good work!
However, I do have to disagree with your argument (oh, right — you were trying to stir up dissent. Again, good work!). You say that using the term "atheism" is a mistake, and that "Attaching a label to something carries real liabilities" … and that atheism is entirely negative. You say that accepting that label means we are agreeing to be "viewed as a cranky sub-culture".
You say you never thought of yourself as an atheist…
pharyngula | October 4, 2007There's nothing to drive out but the humanity. VJack has a sad story to tell.
If you think it's just an isolated story and that exorcisms are an odd little superstitious relic that only wackos on the fringe fuss over, Nick Matzke brought this odd account from JP Moreland to my attention:
Recently, a hairdresser was arrested for performing cosmetic surgery on several "patients." When this happens, the results are usually disastrous. Do fraudulent "surgeries" mean there are no legitimate cosmetic surgeries? Of course not.
Recently, a man and woman were caught trying to exorcise a demon from a…
pharyngula | October 2, 2007I don't even know what Wilkins is complaining about anymore, but he's got some kind of objection (or agreement? I don't know) to things I've said before or didn't say. This is the danger of getting into discussions with philosophers — they're saying something with great erudition, but sometimes you don't quite see the point, except that they must say something.
Anyway, it's something about the conflict between science and religion this time. At least I can try to say what I mean. I'm not going to worry about whether it answers what he asks, whatever it is.
Obviously, there is nothing wrong…
pharyngula | October 1, 2007Dawkins does know how to tweak the fluffy little wankers, that's for sure. He is suggesting that universities ought to dismantle their theology departments!
We who doubt that "theology" is a subject at all, or who compare it with the study of leprechauns, are eagerly hoping to be proved wrong. Of course, university departments of theology house many excellent scholars of history, linguistics, literature, ecclesiastical art and music, archaeology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, iconology, and other worthwhile and important subjects. These academics would be welcomed into appropriate…
pharyngula | October 1, 2007Hemant has a summary of the Atheist Alliance International Convention 2007. I should have been there! Maybe next year I'll be invited to speak — it sounds like maybe some people would like me to speak…
As soon as the picture of PZ was up, there were cheers from the crowd. (PZ, you had fans at the convention!)
Vox populi!
pharyngula | September 30, 2007My sermon-skit was too clever by half and the point seems to have been missed by some — so maybe you'd prefer the simpler clarity of Revere's Sunday Sermonette or the straight-ahead, full-throttle atheism of the latest Carnival of the Godless.
But be careful. Concentrated strident atheism might just repel you into changing your views on the Designated Hitter rule.
pharyngula | September 30, 2007THE SCENE: A circular room cut deep into stone; magma pits bubble left and right, all is lit by roaring torches that cast dark, flickering shadows. In the center, the Cephalopod Throne.
THE CAST: PZ Myers broods on his throne, chin on fist. He glowers at a horde of SUPPLICANTS, bowing and scraping before him. Many are speaking at once, but all have the same concern.
SUPPLICANT: “O Lord PZ…”
SUPPLICANT: “…Great Lord PZ…”
SUPPLICANT: “…Lord PZ, do you ever…”
SUPPLICANT: “…ever worry…”
SUPPLICANT: “…worry that your puissant and uncompromising godlessness might…”
SUPPLICANT: “…might frighten…”…
pharyngula | September 28, 2007Oh, to be young again and brave: I'm impressed with these high school students who protested the American loyalty oath to a god:
About 50 Boulder High School students walked out of class Thursday to protest the daily reading of the Pledge of Allegiance and recited their own version, omitting "one nation, under God."
The students say the phrase violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
Back in my high school days, I simply quietly refused to say the pledge, and didn't make an issue of it. It's a sign of progress that now students will make their protests loud and unavoidable…