Genesis Explained Scientifically

Another Blind Watchmaker

E. Pluribus Unum

If you care about separation of church and state, though the number of people who do appears to be shrinking, please sign this petition to restore our nation’s motto and to remove the McCarthy era addition to the pledge of allegiance.

From the petition text:

Congress undermined American unity in 1954 when it added “Under God” to our Pledge of Allegiance and again in 1956 when it replaced our 175 year old national motto, E Pluribus Unum (“Out Of Many, One”), with “In God We Trust”, thus demoting to an implied outsider status the agnostics, atheists, deists, polytheists and other citizens who do not ascribe to this theology. Ideological contention is a necessary and desired result of the freedoms that are the real source of our unity and strength. These laws, by claiming that our unity rests on disregarding the reality of such sincere individual disagreement, are self-defeating.

E. Pluribus Unum — Out Of Many, One

Thanks to Overcaffeinated for the tip.

For those who wish to go beyond this one petition, consider checking out the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Top Skeptic’s Commencement Speech

Here’s an amusing commencement speech from Michael Shermer, the founder of the Skeptic’s Society.

The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything

Top Atheist Quotes

I always enjoy reading things like this list of the Top 50 Atheism Quotes. Since their number one quote is from George Carlin, and it sounds so much better in his own voice, here it is for anyone that has not already watched this segment.

Why do atheists care about religion?

This one is so well done that I have nothing to add.

Thanks to Seth for a great find!

Powerful god protects atheist??!!?

No. That can’t be it. Perhaps the tantrik death spell is just a bunch of horseshit. Yeah. That must be it.

The Great Tantra Challenge

I have to give credit to the tantrik.  At least he was honestly trying to use only spells (for most of the time) without attempting simple physical means like using the knife to cut out the atheist’s heart.

The Word Scientist Is Already Taken

We need a new word to denote one who believes that for which there is overwhelming evidence and gives credence to that for which there is some evidence and gives no credence to that for which there is no evidence. Scientist might be used as a word to mean a believer in science. However, just as sexist has already been used for another purpose, so can’t be used to indicate one who believes in sex, scientist has already been used to indicate one who actually practices science for a living, so cannot be used to indicate a believer in the tremendous value of scientific evidence.

Atheist is actually a bad word for this because, as Dawkins points out in God Delusion, this defines one by their non-belief. I am an atheist. I am also an athorist and an azeusist and an aodinist and an abaalist, etc. For this reason, I prefer to call myself an antitheist. This works for me because I actually do believe religion is an evil institution and am opposed to all forms of theism. So, for me, this works.

However, we still do not have a good name for one who does not oppose theism, but simply does not believe in it. Skeptic is one word that could accurately describe such a philosophy, but is also overloaded with other meaning both connotations and denotations.

So, the question is, what should we call someone that believes that extraordinary claims, such as an invisible man in the sky, must be backed up by evidence in order to be given credence (other than unelectable for office at any level anywhere in this U.S.)?