02/11/2010
26/09/2010
Christine O’Donnell scares me
She would be funny, if she wasn't potentially in a position of some power.
This clip features just enough to get her drift, and hopefully little enough to prevent outbreaks of anger amongst the sane.
Stick Evolution
The below is an entry for the 2010 Stick Science Contest - which illustrates the point very clearly.
Carl Sagan Day: November 6th
Carl Sagan has done some great things for humanity. I have met many people who first became interested in astrophysics and astronomy thanks to his TV shows.
He was also an influential proponent of atheism (Carl Sagan quotes on religion).
He suggested taking what is perhaps the most iconic photograph ever taken, Pale Blue Dot.
He was also an influential proponent of atheism (Carl Sagan quotes on religion).
In his honour there is a(nother) Carl Sagan Day on the 6th November - an idea I fully support.
26/08/2010
"Evil" Atheist Doctors
The Guardian today published an article titled 'Atheist doctors 'more likely to hasten death''. This is a bit of a shocking headline, as it implies that doctors without religious beliefs are actively harming their patients.
The article itself tells a different story "A patient who wanted their life prolonged at all costs in the event of a terminal illness, or did not want it prolonged, should make sure they had a doctor who was in sympathy with this." This is essentially common sense, it just so happens that atheist doctors seem more likely to put quality of life over sanctity of life (which if they were treating me, I'd be pretty happy about).
Perhaps the thing I find most worrying though is last paragraph: "The most religious doctors were significantly less likely than other doctors to have discussed options at the end of life with their patient." Not discussing these issues with a terminal patient is, in my view, a neglect of responsibility.
Given this, who would you want to treat you?
The article itself tells a different story "A patient who wanted their life prolonged at all costs in the event of a terminal illness, or did not want it prolonged, should make sure they had a doctor who was in sympathy with this." This is essentially common sense, it just so happens that atheist doctors seem more likely to put quality of life over sanctity of life (which if they were treating me, I'd be pretty happy about).
Perhaps the thing I find most worrying though is last paragraph: "The most religious doctors were significantly less likely than other doctors to have discussed options at the end of life with their patient." Not discussing these issues with a terminal patient is, in my view, a neglect of responsibility.
Given this, who would you want to treat you?
21/08/2010
Saudi Arabia and Qisas
I imagine this press release from Amnesty International will shortly make the news. The Islamic idea of qisas (translates as 'retaliation') is quite literally eye-for-an-eye 'justice'.
I'm not one who's often heard praising the fairness of the UK or US legal systems, but at least we have moved on from this bronze age barbarism.
Protest the Pope
From the Protest the Pope website.
- That the Pope, as a citizen of Europe and the leader of a religion with many adherents in the UK, is of course free to enter and tour our country.
- However, as well as a religious leader, the Pope is a head of state and the state and organisation of which he is head has been responsible for:
- opposing the distribution of condoms and so increasing large families in poor countries and the spread of AIDS
- promoting segregated education
- denying abortion to even the most vulnerable women
- opposing equal rights for lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people
- failing to address the many cases of abuse of children within its own organisation.
- rehabilitating the holocaust denier bishop Richard Williamson and the appeaser of Hitler, the war-time Pope, Pius XII.
- The state of which the Pope is the head has also resisted signing many major human rights treaties and has formed its own treaties (‘concordats’) with many states which negatively affect the human rights of citizens of those states.
- As a head of state, the Pope is an unsuitable guest of the UK government and should not be accorded the honour and recognition of a state visit to our country.
03/07/2010
27/04/2010
Boobquake
I haven't been writing much here for a while, mainly due to time constraints. I'll try and get back into the world of reason and scepticism a bit more whole-heartedly.
Something that has amused me in recent days is the Boobquake - a response by Blag Hag to the Iranian cleric who blamed women exposing flesh and acting promiscuously for earthquakes. The Boobquake was meant to happen yesterday, when lots of women, led by Blag Hag wore revealing clothing in an attempt to induce seismic activity.
Clearly, we all survived. Science 1 Ignorance 0.
11/03/2010
17/02/2010
13/02/2010
04/02/2010
[300th Post] Make The Pope Pay
Do you think having a visit from the Pope is worth spending £20 million of your money? No? Well head over to the National Secular Society who have a petition to make the pope pay.
I don't care if the church pays, the pope pays or some rich person pays. It just shouldn't be the taxpayers - many of whom aren't Catholics.
01/02/2010
26/01/2010
Intimidation in the blogosphere
It seems that an Anglican priest has used the police to intimidate a blogger who dared mention the fact he was a Holcoaust denier. Obviously his views aren't those of the church (the blogger in question is also a Christian), but why does he have his position if eh is outspoken on these issues?
21/01/2010
Helping Haiti
What Haitians really need is help to recover from a devastating earthquake and the preceding lack of proper government and security. Among this help should be food, water, medical supplies and the expertise required for these to be used effectively.
What they do not need is solar powered talking bibles. Yes, some people will use their faith in Christianity to help them get through this tragedy, but the way to help is to provide items that are desperately needed and without which more people will die. Clogging up the limited transport routes into Haiti with nonsense such as this, at this time, is just plain wrong.
Homeopathy
As much as I dislike homeopathy, I have managed to find a medical condition that it is guaranteed to cure.
I am also 100% certain that it works.
Homeopathic remedies can cure dehydration!
What got me thinking about homeopathy? The mass homeopathic overdose.
..and remember, if water has memory, there's a good chance you'll be (homeopathically) drinking my urine.
16/01/2010
15/01/2010
David Attenborough on God
In stark contrast to the last post I give you something both true and eloquent...
02/01/2010
Blasphemy and Ireland
From yesterday it has been illegal to blaspheme in Ireland. Essentially, it is forbidded to be "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion" given the fact you "intend, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”
This is a bad move. What happened to freedom of speech? Thankfully Atheist Ireland have responded by publishing 25 quotes that they believe break the new law.
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