Greg Courtney has created a couple very popular videos on YouTube critiquing the embarrassment that is the Creation Museum. Like this one: If you searched YouTube for “Creation Museum” or “fossils,” his videos would come up near the top of the list as they were very highly rated. Now, it seems Creationists have staged a campaign to discredit him by low-ranking his videos. Instead of the 5-star rating he used to have, the video seen above now has 3. The… Read more
Dawn Sherman (daughter of Rob Sherman) is about to receive a fantastic honor: In the spirit of courageous advocacy of freedom of speech, the John Peter Altgeld Award will be presented to Dawn Sherman, a student who challenged her high school’s implementation of the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act. Her initial lawsuit resulted in an injunction from U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman prohibiting the law’s continued observation at Buffalo Grove High School, then expanded into a class-suit allowing… Read more
I’ll be gone until Sunday. This blog’s on autopost until then. Consider this an open thread! Talk about all things interesting. Or else. Read more
PZ Myers has desecrated his cracker. And pages from the Qur’an. And pages from The God Delusion. (It’s all just paper regardless of what it says, he says, and he’s right.) The cracker is the object with a nail through it. Somehow, I think Catholicism will survive… though I’m sure the hate mail he has coming his way will say otherwise. But c’mon, PZ, did you really have to destroy a banana? Now, Ray Comfort’s going to go after atheists!… Read more
Tennis player Ashley Harkleroad is on the cover of the August issue of Playboy. (I know this because Brad mentioned it on his site. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.) More interesting is the (cropped) picture below, from her pictorial, featuring one interesting tattoo… What does Ashley say about the Ichthys symbol (a.k.a. the Jesus Fish)? Daniel Radosh writes: In the word-things that accompany the pictures, Ashley says she got the tat when she was younger, but stands… Read more
If any of you plan to go to a Papal mass in the near future, you can now reserve tickets in advance. All you have to do is submit a fax. The Vatican: Only 30 years behind the rest of the world. They’re catching up. Next thing you know, Pope Benedict XVI’s going to be Twittering. Oh dear God… Read more
A conversation that took place recently: … [On a date] Date: I’m psychic. Me: Umm… CHECK! [Check doesn’t arrive.] Date: Give me your hand so I can find out what you are thinking. [Date closes eyes and puts her hands on top of mine.] Me (in my mind): You’re crazy. Stop touching my hand. You know, you could just ask me what I’m thinking… [I scan around for our waiter.] Date: I’m all done. Me: And? Date: You’re having a… Read more
I am conducting an email interview with a female pastor who is also the author of a forthcoming book on reconciling homosexuality with Christianity — in essence, saying that there isn’t any problem being GLBT and Christian. The book is touted as a “A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians.” What questions would you like her to answer? Read more
Daniel Florien asks a simple question: What made you become an atheist or agnostic? His own story is captivating in itself: I’m Daniel Florien. I was an evangelical Christian for over a decade, completely convinced that God was real and Jesus was alive today. I attended Bible college to train to be a pastor. I worked at a Christian church for many years. I have “led people to Christ.” I have left tracts in bathrooms. I have knocked on hundreds… Read more
Billy Graham, in his syndicated column, received this question: DEAR DR. GRAHAM: Our 17-year-old daughter says she doesn’t believe in God anymore, and now she even refuses to go to church with us. When we try to talk with her about it we just end up in an argument. What can we do? — Mrs. S.McD. Despite the fact that I agree with the daughter and not her parents, I actually don’t mind Graham’s answer that much, at least when… Read more
