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SmartLX's Comments
Re: Obama Health Reform Address, Complete Speech
There was a guy in the initial applause going, "Woo WOOOO!" You don't suppose he was imitating Bubb Rubb the whistle-tip guy, do you?
By: SmartLX
Re: Why Do People Laugh @ Creationists Part 30
Note the strange slurring emphasis Luskin applies to the word "billions" at 7:53. This is a half-arsed attempt to ape Kent Hovind in his most recent videos.
I recently watched "Age of the Earth", part 1 of a series of seminars by Hovind just before his incarceration. It was a tit-for-tat deal with a creationist who at least SAID he watched part 1 of Growing Up in the Universe by Richard Dawkins. Never mind Hovind's material - his delivery is maddening, with many pointed inflections like this. I bet he thinks it's hypnotic.
It was an educational experience nonetheless, because it became increasingly clear that creationist arguments haven't changed in years. Though Hovind's had arguments with Answers in Genesis and others, a lot of them think Hovind got everything exactly right, and are happy to echo him. Hence "BILLLLions".
I recently watched "Age of the Earth", part 1 of a series of seminars by Hovind just before his incarceration. It was a tit-for-tat deal with a creationist who at least SAID he watched part 1 of Growing Up in the Universe by Richard Dawkins. Never mind Hovind's material - his delivery is maddening, with many pointed inflections like this. I bet he thinks it's hypnotic.
It was an educational experience nonetheless, because it became increasingly clear that creationist arguments haven't changed in years. Though Hovind's had arguments with Answers in Genesis and others, a lot of them think Hovind got everything exactly right, and are happy to echo him. Hence "BILLLLions".
By: SmartLX
Re: Confronting Evolution's Racists Roots
Nobody's saying that by modern standards Darwin wasn't racist. He was just no worse than, say, Lincoln, or anyone else at the time. He wasn't using his theory to justify his racism, either.
By: SmartLX
Re: Anderson Cooper 360: Creationism Debate
The moderator or Rob Boston needed to go further with the question of teaching all available opinions. Would Yost support the teaching of alchemy in chemistry class, or astrology in astronomy subjects? Because creationism has about the same status as these two in mainstream science.
Another good question for folks like Yost: why aim straight for the kids now, instead of achieving scientific credibility and eventually consensus first and seeing your alternative go into the science textbooks as a matter of course? Answer, whether implied or flat out accused: because it can't achieve this with a complete lack of evidence, and children are easier to convince than biologists.
Another good question for folks like Yost: why aim straight for the kids now, instead of achieving scientific credibility and eventually consensus first and seeing your alternative go into the science textbooks as a matter of course? Answer, whether implied or flat out accused: because it can't achieve this with a complete lack of evidence, and children are easier to convince than biologists.
By: SmartLX
Re: Henson's Place: The Man Behind the Muppets
Clever, but Steve Whitmire kinda ruined the joke.
By: SmartLX
Re: The Little Match Girl
There was a big push behind the scenes to save her, but they decided it would have weakened the story immeasurably. So perhaps her soul flies free, but the last image is her little body frozen in the snow. She's gone.
Incidentally, along with Dali's short Destino this would have been in the third Fantasia movie, had it been made.
Incidentally, along with Dali's short Destino this would have been in the third Fantasia movie, had it been made.
By: SmartLX
Re: A Clockwork Orange: 'Dance'
A dancing Jesus kickline and vampires. Merry Christmas everybody.
By: SmartLX
Re: O'Reilly & Kelly Over Atheist Display
He just has to take it personally. His analogies are all personal attacks on people (blacks, and MLK in particular), not ideologies or other things people can choose for themselves. If instead he'd substituted a political position for "religion", it would sound exactly like one of O'Reilly's own tirades.
By: SmartLX
Re: Is Homosexuality a Choice?
RIP Don LaFontaine. They hardly ever let him, but he was really funny when he had the chance.
By: SmartLX
Re: Why Campaign against Religion?
Way to Godwin yourself out of a thread in two sentences.
By: SmartLX
Re: Tim Keller: The Reason for God
Some immediate responses as I listen:
- Atheism is not a belief, and atheists do not believe there is no god and don't generally try to disprove gods. There's just no evidence for any god and therefore no reason to believe in a god existing. Atheism is a conclusion, and a default conclusion at that.
- Stalin did not come out of atheism, or do a single thing in the name of atheism. There were no atheist flags or uniforms, only Communist ones. Contrast that with the crosses on the shields and tabards of the Crusaders. Communism maintains a default of atheism simply because any actual religion would conflict with its own ideology, and because its populace is supposed to be happy without religion. The persistence of religion is bad PR.
- That a god is outside the universe if he exists is an admission that there's probably no evidence for one, while it presents a possible reason why. It also means there should be some other reason to believe besides evidence. So what other reason does an atheist have to switch?
- Living as if no god exists isn't an entirely safe bet, but since there are an infinite number of possible gods, living as if a specific one exists has a one in infinity (~0) chance of being correct. You're almost certainly screwed.
- Is believing even a choice? If you're not convinced, no god would be fooled if you fake it.
- The very word "fine-tuned" implies a tuner. Every possible combination of the fundamental constants has not been ruled out as conducive to matter and life (just the ones very close to ours). A questioner later brings this up.
- It's easier to accept the poker player's explanation if the only reason there's a poker game at all is that he's right. The multiverse postulates multiple instances of a known object (this universe) whereas theism postulates an object with no precedent at all (a god). And the multiverse is not the only other explanation for the constants.
- He came really close to saying evolution is a chance process. It has one big random element (mutation), but every change is tested and kept or discarded purely on its own merits.
If humans make human rights because we're human (his third option, my opinion) then it is subject to override by the majority. The fact that every member of any majority is a person with empathy for others biologically built in is the reason why any travesty of established human rights has had to be forced on the majority by a powerful minority. Established human rights have changed over time; does God only now disapprove of slavery?
- Strong faith in the wrong branch could kill you. There are countless branches, and in a way you only get one try. Who even says you're falling?
- No reason given to believe the Bible (Jesus, the resurrection, 1 Corinthians, the 500 witnesses) except that it's a good story with an author surrogate in it.
- Atheism is not a belief, and atheists do not believe there is no god and don't generally try to disprove gods. There's just no evidence for any god and therefore no reason to believe in a god existing. Atheism is a conclusion, and a default conclusion at that.
- Stalin did not come out of atheism, or do a single thing in the name of atheism. There were no atheist flags or uniforms, only Communist ones. Contrast that with the crosses on the shields and tabards of the Crusaders. Communism maintains a default of atheism simply because any actual religion would conflict with its own ideology, and because its populace is supposed to be happy without religion. The persistence of religion is bad PR.
- That a god is outside the universe if he exists is an admission that there's probably no evidence for one, while it presents a possible reason why. It also means there should be some other reason to believe besides evidence. So what other reason does an atheist have to switch?
- Living as if no god exists isn't an entirely safe bet, but since there are an infinite number of possible gods, living as if a specific one exists has a one in infinity (~0) chance of being correct. You're almost certainly screwed.
- Is believing even a choice? If you're not convinced, no god would be fooled if you fake it.
- The very word "fine-tuned" implies a tuner. Every possible combination of the fundamental constants has not been ruled out as conducive to matter and life (just the ones very close to ours). A questioner later brings this up.
- It's easier to accept the poker player's explanation if the only reason there's a poker game at all is that he's right. The multiverse postulates multiple instances of a known object (this universe) whereas theism postulates an object with no precedent at all (a god). And the multiverse is not the only other explanation for the constants.
- He came really close to saying evolution is a chance process. It has one big random element (mutation), but every change is tested and kept or discarded purely on its own merits.
If humans make human rights because we're human (his third option, my opinion) then it is subject to override by the majority. The fact that every member of any majority is a person with empathy for others biologically built in is the reason why any travesty of established human rights has had to be forced on the majority by a powerful minority. Established human rights have changed over time; does God only now disapprove of slavery?
- Strong faith in the wrong branch could kill you. There are countless branches, and in a way you only get one try. Who even says you're falling?
- No reason given to believe the Bible (Jesus, the resurrection, 1 Corinthians, the 500 witnesses) except that it's a good story with an author surrogate in it.
By: SmartLX
Re: Richard Dawkins: Beware the Believers
That's one theory. Thing is, there are subtle differences from the official Expelled! logo. Besides, could they have managed something like this without mentioning Nazis once?
Another theory is JibJab, but the bodies are filmed instead of animated.
Another theory is JibJab, but the bodies are filmed instead of animated.
By: SmartLX
Re: Richard Dawkins: Beware the Believers
Anyone who knows who made this thing, feel free to speak up.
By: SmartLX
Re: Evolution: What About God?
Darwin didn't create evolution, he only discovered it as a process. As for believing God made evolution, that's theistic evolution and it's a common belief. (My take on it is, why would God make a process which renders Him superfluous?)
That's my first time actually seeing Ken Ham in action, and I'm an Australian. Couldn't stand him.
That's my first time actually seeing Ken Ham in action, and I'm an Australian. Couldn't stand him.
By: SmartLX
