{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57026: greensmile — 01/09  at  08:56 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Niether th' kindly Minister nor his enlightened fearless leader have anythin' resemblin' faith, and a bottle of rum! And swab the deck! The minister trusts people in high places though perhaps no higher than th' newly lowered presidency. "Faith based" me ass, a tax dodge fer his maties...th' president is born again and th' rest o' us get shorn again, and a bucket o' chum.

I know what a faith based community action looks like and it really does good fer donors' and recipients but takes no government money. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57030: paperwight — 01/09  at  09:15 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} We will bury ye.

It probably sounds better in th' original Russian. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57036: Kristine Harley — 01/09  at  09:56 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Wow. Any word on whether th' church has burned a thousand crosses and strung up a thousand meddlin' unbelievers? Yeah, I wouldn't call th' Rev. Arrrr, avast! Lusk an "Uncle Tom," either. The ornery cuss's crossed right o'er into th' Ku Klux Klan. An ugly side o' mass movements that lift up th' oppressed is that th' oppressed often take on th' methods o' their former oppressors. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57041: — 01/09  at  10:07 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Off topic fer this thread, but PZ gets a mention here:

Moreover, Biology perfesser P.Z. Myers at th' University o' Minnesota recently wrote that th' only appropriate response t' anyone supportin' intelligent design or questionin' th' modern theory o' evolution should be "some form o' righteous fury, much butt-kickin', and public firin' and humiliation".

The winsome lass also mentions (read: glosses o'er) th' Bryan Leonard affair at Ohio State:

Of similar concern were bein' th' campaign against Ohio University graduate student Bryan Leonard which occurred three days before his dissertation defence were bein' t' take place. Darwinist professors accused Mr Leonard o' "unethical human-subject experimentation" simply because he educated his students on th' scientific criticisms o' evolutionary theory.

But, as Richard Hoppe pointed out at th' 'thumb, there were bein' a lot more t' it than that. Leonard's dissertation committee did not meet th' requirements o' Ohio State's College o' Education. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57054: Adam Ierymenko — 01/09  at  11:32 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} My favorite retort t' these guys is:

"Go back t' Iran!"

This really confuses them because:

1) It pushes th' patriotism button, which only wingnuts are allowed t' push.
2) It invokes cold war'ish paranoia *against them*. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57056: BronzeDog — 01/09  at  11:38 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE}

We will bury ye.

What's that 'y' doin' there? Aarrr! It should be an 'n'. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57072: Linkmeister — 01/09  at  01:00 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} So th' Hollywood dialogue should be updated?

"The ornery cuss's sleepin' with (th' loaves and) th' fishes." {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57082: — 01/09  at  02:35 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Just repeatin' meself here ...

BUT, this seems t' confirm numbers 2, 3 & 5 doesn't it?

Unreasonin' belief, and th' believers.

The believers, in all th' monotheistic religions, and even that religion-without-a-god, communism, seem t' have common characteristics, as do those religions.
All seem t' suggest that religion is a very bad idea, and that religions, and especially their believers, will do certain unpleasant thin's.
In order t' combat this pernicious mind-rot, I’m proposin' some falsifiable tests fer religions, and some suggestions as t' what rational people should do about it.

A set o' testable Propositions

1. Nay “god” can be detected - OR - God is not detectable
2. All religions are blackmail, and are based on fear and superstition.
3.All religions have been made by men.
4.Prayer has no effect on third parties.
5.All religions kill, or enslave, or torture. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57092: — 01/09  at  03:58 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE}

#57041: Jason Spaceman — 01/09 at 10:07 AM

The link from th' above post, The Epoch Times, is th' Falun Gong mouthpeice. Its quite interestin', constrastin' th' US/Christian approach, they have a raelian-type appreciation fer intelligent design (little green men etc) {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57104: — 01/09  at  05:09 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Quoted form th' article "Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) said th' elevation o' Alito t' th' top court is crucial because "extremely liberal justices [are] destroyin' traditional morality." "

Considerin' th' traditional morality includes racism, anti-semitism, murderin' women who want freedom o' choice and blamin' rape victims fer th' crime o' rape ye need more liberal justices, not less. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57118: BronzeDog — 01/09  at  07:41 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} I think ye forgot traditional marriage. You know, marryin' fer monetary, political, and reproductive purposes, instead o' th' pot-headed pipe dream o' "love." {/if}

{if TRUE} Trackback: Why I Own Firearms #3041 Tracked on: StealthBadger.net (69.17.65.146) at 2006 01 09 21:08:47 {/if} {if FALSE} {if FALSE} {/if} #: — {comment_date format='%m/%d'}  at  {comment_date format='%h:%i %A'} {/if}
{if TRUE} Because people say absolutely unnecessary shit like this: "My maties, don't fool with th' church because th' church has buried a million critics. And hoist the mainsail! Arrrr! And those th' church has not buried, th' church has made funeral arrangement fer." You know what... {/if} {if FALSE} {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57122: Rich — 01/09  at  09:13 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} The URL refers t' where I placed pictures o' th' demonstration outside th' event. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57125: — 01/09  at  09:40 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Regardin' Just Us Sunday, people like th' good reverend Lusk get hung up on (or distracted by) th' issue o' abortion and gays, nativity creches in th' public square and prayer in school which are cynical diversions, avast. The real issue with Alito and Roberts is their judicial philosophy with respect t' broadenin' presidential authority, particularly Bush's presidential authority. But does Lusk's congregation even know this? Shiver me timbers! Could they even discuss th' issue? The REAL powers that be in th' G.O.P dern't give a shit about a bunch o' religious kooks and jigaboos jumpin' and hollerin' "hallelujah" in th' pews. But they pretend they do and kick in a cool million too t' buy th' support o' th' likes o' Lusk. Thinkin' o' these negroes I am reminded that th' history o' th' black lubber in America is filled with pathetic tales o' betrayal, ignorance, self-loathin' and corruptin' self-interest by negroes like these supportin' those that hate them in their hearts. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57126: — 01/09  at  09:44 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} The Holy Father wants t' make ye an offer ye cannot refuse.... {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57144: Adam Ierymenko — 01/10  at  12:09 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE}

The believers, in all th' monotheistic religions, and even that religion-without-a-god, communism, seem t' have common characteristics, as do those religions.

All o' these cults/religions/movements have a pyramid shaped social structure, by Blackbeard's sword. I think that ye see a couple different personality types / ways o' thinkin' dependin' on what level ye are in th' pyramid.

The leaders tend t' be people with th' authoritarian personality type. They get off on second-hand approval, enjoy tellin' people what t' do, etc.

The followers tend t' be people who are honest and normal and who belong/believe fer a variety o' reasons, by Blackbeard's sword. Some are "joiner" types who feel a need t' belong, while others are convinced by intellectual arguments or more often appeals t' emotion.

Look at any smaller cult, and ye see th' same thin' in microcosm.

My opinion is this:

The leaders are beyond help. The worst o' them are conscious con artists, sociopaths, etc. The more honest o' them are delusional or are misguided idealists. I wouldn't bet on any o' them e'er changin' their minds. Aarrr! The higher they get in th' pyramid, th' more invested they become and th' less likely they become t' change their minds, by Blackbeard's sword. About th' only thin' we can do is wait fer them t' die.

It's th' followers who are reachable.

I personally think that targetin' specific movements such as religiouss, communism, etc. is misguided-- th' real goal should be t' decrease th' overall population o' followers. If ye try t' stamp out, say, Christianity, th' followers will just flock elsewhere. In many cases, they flock t' thin's that are worse. Aarrr, avast! Christianity is nowhere even close t' th' dumbest or most dangerous thin' a person could follow.

There are a few interlockin' thin's, IMHO, that need t' be done:

1) The social alienation problem needs t' be addressed. Either we need t' create more excuses fer people t' get together and form communities, or we need t' work t' overcome th' need that people feel t' *have* an excuse t' get together and form communities.

2) There need t' be secular substitutes fer th' role that religions play in family life. The smug dislike o' (or even hostility t') family life shown by some secularists is extremely counterproductive and wrongheaded. Seriously... google th' word 'family' and ye get nothin' but fundamentalist web sites. Reproduction is th' central activity o' all livin' thin's. Ignorin' it is beyond ridiculous.

3) People need t' be taught how t' think and reason independently.

I think we're doin' pretty well at tryin' t' accomplish #3, me beauty. #1 has progressed a bit, but needs a lot o' work. #2 is utterly ignored. {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57157: — 01/10  at  03:09 AM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} Thank ye fer that last post.

However, I suggest that "All religions are balckmail" is a good meme t' set runnin' .......

Remember that a cult is just a small religion, and a religion is just a big cult .....

Scientific test....
What do th' religions do?
What are their operatin' characteristics?
How are they structured?

See propositions originally posted ...... {/if}

{if FALSE} Trackback: Youse could have a little…accident Tracked on: () at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"} {/if} {if TRUE} {if FALSE} {/if} #57703: — 02/03  at  07:39 PM {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} we need a good sex scandal t' discredit some o' these people--somebody pray fer one!!!! {/if}