Christians

The Lenski "Debate": Missing Schlafly's Point

Sun, 07/06/2008 - 15:05

There's a lot of talk at the moment about the debate between evolutionary biologist Richard Lenski, and Andrew Schlafly of Conservapedia, about so-called "missing data". A good summary of it is up at RationalWiki (read it if you're not familiar with this affair), but I don't want to retread what others have gone over already.

Sacked Christian Landlords in Pub Swearing-Ban Siege

Thu, 07/03/2008 - 18:08

Yes, it's one of those headlines that may take a few reads, but I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it. "A devout Christian couple who banned swearing in the pub they ran have been sacked after takings plummeted - but have barricaded themselves in and refuse to leave," according to the Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Metro newspapers today.

Rising Crime: Atheists, Liberals, or Just a Myth?

Mon, 05/26/2008 - 16:05

Never one to let petty little details like facts get in the way of a good bit of spluttering rage, Britain's favourite (formerly) Nazi-supporting newspaper, The Daily Mail, has flooded the front page of its website with what can only be described as purple-faced ranting in response to the death-by-knife of a minor cast-member in the next Harry Potter film. To people like the Mail's creationist, anti-vaccination journalist Melanie Phillips, it probably seems like babies are now emerging from the womb, knife-in-hand, looking for their next alcohol-fix.

Parents Who Treated Child With Prayer Charged with Homicide

Wed, 04/30/2008 - 09:00

A while ago I posted the story of an 11-year-old child in Wisconsin, U.S.A. who died of diabetic ketoacidosis after her parents decided to cure her with prayer rather than seek medical treatment. Well, the District Attorney has decided to prosecute them for second-degree reckless homicide.

The End Times in Ancient Rome

Tue, 04/29/2008 - 00:46

I like to read various different things, and sometimes I find that they link together in unexpected ways. Earlier today I was reading the Robert Harris novel "Imperium", which chronicles the rise to power of Marcus Cicero, a Roman statesmen; and then just now I happened to glance at the website of "Rapture Ready" - a group of Christian cultists who believe that the End Times are coming.

"You will still be kissing the shoes of your muslim overlord's when they decapitate you!" - More Hate Mail

Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:40

So apparently the Muslim-hating extremist-Christian "DiamondGuzzler", who wrote in with his considered feedback a few days ago in response to my MuhammedTube article, has decided to respectfully decline my invitation to go chill out with a pint or two. As well as leaving comments when I posted his letter, he sent me the following two e-mails, the second of which is a real masterpiece, surely several quotes from which are worthy of a mention on "Fundies Say the Darnedest Things":

Edit: losing patience I decided to forward the second e-mail to AOL this afternoon. It may not keep him off the internet, but it'll shut him up for a while.

My First Hate Mail :)

Sat, 03/29/2008 - 21:16

Well you know you've hit the big time in blogging when you start getting hate-mail! Apparently I've offended a Christian AOL user with my article about MuhammedTube! This is particularly ironic, since the study I blogged about yesterday notes among other things that AOL users are more susceptible to being fed nonsense. "DiamondGuzzler" has obviously been guzzling a healthy diet BS with his glittering appetizers. Here's his mini rant in full...

Subject: athesists love christian haters
From: Diamondguzzler

Child Dies as Couple Pray Rather Than Accept Medical Treatment

Thu, 03/27/2008 - 01:30

U.S. newspaper Capital times reports that an 11-year-old girl spent a month dying after he parents neglected to get her medical treatment in the form of insulin for her diabetes, preferring instead to pray. The mother remains apparently in a state of religious denial, believing that if she prays hard enough her dead daughter will be resurrected. I just noticed that PalMD and PZ Myers also have articles about this shocking story.

Holy War Batman!! Christians attack Muslims with "MuhammedTube" Video Site.

Mon, 03/17/2008 - 01:37

Nothing is more bizarre than Christian Fundamentalists attacking other Fundamentalists for being irrational. Now, inspired by the mountain of dross, boobs, and whiny teenagers on Youtube, they've decided to launch a new site dedicated to attacking Islam through the medium of shitty videos. Welcome to... MuhammedTube.

MuhammedTube is the bastard child of InvestigateIslam.com, which is probably the most hypocritical website on the net. The best way of describing it is probably like the crusades, but without the knights and swords, and with YouTube.

The Vatican's Daft New "Seven Deadly Sins": George Bush and Scientists Going to Hell.

Tue, 03/11/2008 - 01:57

In what can only really be a calculated P.R. stunt, the Vatican has revealed a new list of seven deadly sins. Suitably vague, and at times nonsensical, you can't help but wonder if they ran them through a focus group first. No doubt they'll repackage the Ten Commandments next. Oh, and they're predictably anti-science.

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Last Year's Blog

March 11, 2009

The Lay Scientist: As Seen on TV!!