A new study suggest that atheism and liberalism are perspectives, concepts, ideals (whatever word you want to use) that are not biologically designed.
In other words, our first human ancestors were very conservative by nature, caring about their immediate family while being indifferent or non caring to others.
I kind of think that hunters can't really be the most empathetic people on this planet, whether hunting for food or sport.
All humans have an innate raw intelligence, but it seems that there are some that have an enhanced intelligence.
Let me take a stab at it. The ability to look at things from all sorts of perspectives without doing so consciously. The ability to fathom many possibilities with a worldview dependent on evidence and what is probable.
The study says that humans are naturally paranoid, and this is why religion was a natural fit.
I say that it if I saw lightning, and I couldn't explain it scientifically, as our ancestors couldn't, I too would need to believe in a supernatural entity as being the cause. It was the only thing that made sense back then. Once you have explanations for the unknown, then you can be focused enough to hunt, eat, survive, procreate, and take care of the newer generation.
Things have changed now. We have scientific explanations. Those who have special intelligence tend to get that there is really no evidence or need for a God, that homosexuality is not a choice, that other human beings have feelings regardless of whether you know them or not, and that teaching fairy tales in science class is absurd.
If you want BS or Political Correctness you have come to the wrong place. FAQ How can you be an atheist Jew?
February 27, 2010
Intelligent Children Most Likely To Become Atheists
Labels:
atheism,
evolution,
intelligence
February 12, 2010
Post 666: How To Make Something From Nothing
I see it happen every two weeks when my pay check is deposited into my bank account.
Anyway, the problem with time and something from nothing is tackled by Mr. Deity (Abbott and Costello style!):
Nothing from something is very possible. Try this argument with a Fundy: Use a pair of jeans of an active kid as an example, check the fabric on the knees out, now after time, what happens to the knees of jeans for a young kid?; You wind up with a hole where the knee fabric was once there. Nothing from something. Hah!
I think I may have jumped the shark with this post, my 666th post since I started blogging.
Anyway, the problem with time and something from nothing is tackled by Mr. Deity (Abbott and Costello style!):
Nothing from something is very possible. Try this argument with a Fundy: Use a pair of jeans of an active kid as an example, check the fabric on the knees out, now after time, what happens to the knees of jeans for a young kid?; You wind up with a hole where the knee fabric was once there. Nothing from something. Hah!
I think I may have jumped the shark with this post, my 666th post since I started blogging.
January 31, 2010
The Ultimate Atheist Themed Movie Doesn't Mention Atheism
I'm not one to go to the movies. Never was, never will be. I'm content with waiting a year or two, and then watching it on the Movie Channel for which I pay $17 or $18 a month. I like movies, don't get me wrong, but I'm just not motivated to have to watch them in public on a big screen.
I've been married now almost 20 years. The last movie my wife and I saw was Forrest Gump around 14 years ago, no wait, it was South Park Uncut 10 years ago. Sure, I would go more if she was into it, but she isn't either. Who said we have nothing in common?
Last night I watched a movie called Whatever Works on the Movie Network. Missed the debut by around a year I guess. It isn't hard to get me to watch a Woody Allen flick, even if Woody Allen isn't in it. This one had Larry David in it...could have easily been Woody Allen maybe 10 years ago.
This movie was the ultimate in atheist themed movies that I can remember seeing. Larry David plays a divorced genius who was once considered for a Nobel Prize in Physics. Totally neurotic, and even suicidal (an atheist stereotype to an extent, because of the realization that just about everything is meaningless from an objective perspective, which is Larry David's perspective in the movie). Actually, it is relationships and love and luck that continues to keep Larry David alive (from trying to kill himself more often).
The movie is funny throughout, and I can see Fundies walking out on it. It pokes fun at the hypocrisy of Bible Belters as well. Three out of three became their own person once moving to the agnostic world of New York City.
I could be wrong, but I don't recall the word atheist being uttered once. But the movie is full of lines an atheist would say.
Here is the trailer:
Another brief review can be found at Atheist Spirituality.
Another review with another scene at Atheist Movies. This post is from yesterday, I swear to Darwin I didn't see it before I wrote this post up this morning.
I've been married now almost 20 years. The last movie my wife and I saw was Forrest Gump around 14 years ago, no wait, it was South Park Uncut 10 years ago. Sure, I would go more if she was into it, but she isn't either. Who said we have nothing in common?
Last night I watched a movie called Whatever Works on the Movie Network. Missed the debut by around a year I guess. It isn't hard to get me to watch a Woody Allen flick, even if Woody Allen isn't in it. This one had Larry David in it...could have easily been Woody Allen maybe 10 years ago.
This movie was the ultimate in atheist themed movies that I can remember seeing. Larry David plays a divorced genius who was once considered for a Nobel Prize in Physics. Totally neurotic, and even suicidal (an atheist stereotype to an extent, because of the realization that just about everything is meaningless from an objective perspective, which is Larry David's perspective in the movie). Actually, it is relationships and love and luck that continues to keep Larry David alive (from trying to kill himself more often).
The movie is funny throughout, and I can see Fundies walking out on it. It pokes fun at the hypocrisy of Bible Belters as well. Three out of three became their own person once moving to the agnostic world of New York City.
I could be wrong, but I don't recall the word atheist being uttered once. But the movie is full of lines an atheist would say.
Here is the trailer:
Another brief review can be found at Atheist Spirituality.
Another review with another scene at Atheist Movies. This post is from yesterday, I swear to Darwin I didn't see it before I wrote this post up this morning.
Labels:
Larry David,
Whatever Works,
Woody Allen
January 21, 2010
Pat Robertson Said Nothing Wrong If You Are A Religidiot
I'm really getting lazy lately. I wanted to post this five or six days ago, but I think I'm losing my enthusiasm to blog. Hopefully this is a just a temporary setback because I like blogging.
So Pat Robertson blames the Haiti earthquake on a deal with the devil. If you are a bible literalist or someone who believes God performs miracles, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying God causes horrible stuff that happens all over the world. You can't just claim the good stuff, and you can't expect God to have changed.
God is the same dude who flooded the earth and killed every living land animal except two of each. Just because he didn't like the way things were going.
The guy is one cold hearted bastard. Childish vengeance is what God is all about. So why are some theists throwing Robertson under the bus? I just don't get it.
So Pat Robertson blames the Haiti earthquake on a deal with the devil. If you are a bible literalist or someone who believes God performs miracles, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying God causes horrible stuff that happens all over the world. You can't just claim the good stuff, and you can't expect God to have changed.
God is the same dude who flooded the earth and killed every living land animal except two of each. Just because he didn't like the way things were going.
The guy is one cold hearted bastard. Childish vengeance is what God is all about. So why are some theists throwing Robertson under the bus? I just don't get it.
Labels:
God,
Haiti,
Pat Robertson
January 9, 2010
An Atheist's NFL Predictions
Most who have been following my blog for a while know that I have a passion for the NFL. I play in Fantasy Football leagues, and I've been known to wager on a game or two.
One of my friends asked me for my predictions for the Wild Card Playoff games that start today.
Something weird dawned on me. After giving my picks, I found that I liked all the teams this week that had a (non human) animal as their nickname.
The Cincinnati BENGALS, the Philadelphia EAGLES, the Baltimore RAVENS, and the Arizona CARDINALS are my selections for this week.
Did the fact that my last post had to do with the absurdity of Noah's Ark subconsciously influence my picks? Or did I subconsciously make my selections before I felt compelled to post the Noah's Ark video? Since there is probably no God, the answer to this mystery will never be solved.
Now, I do have a problem not allowing human beings to be also placed under the "animal" classification. But including the New England PATRIOTS, the Dallas COWBOYS, and Green Bay PACKERS as animals would have taken out a lot of material for this particular post I'm making. So just as I am able to empathize with the animal kingdom and support animal rights causes, yet I'm also able to eat meat, I'm also able to accept the biblical definition of animal when it suits my purpose.
Another thing that made me do a double take was the nickname Packers. For my almost 49 years on this planet, I never thought about what Packers are. It would be funny if it is short for Fudge Packers, but alas it is not. So for those who care, here is the history of the Packer name straight out of Wikipedia:
The only team this week that is named after an object is the New York JETS. But other than the Cleveland BROWNS and Buffalo BILLS (which has an animal for a town name and uses the Buffalo as their logo), all other teams are named after either humans or animals.
I don't get why birds are so popular for football teams especially. Meat eating animals are OK though like The Bears.
OK, back to my NFL predictions. So lets say I'm right about the first round. Now here is where it gets trickier. I think Arizona will beat Minnesota and New Orleans will beat Philadelphia next week. The San Diego Chargers will kill the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens will upset the Indianapolis Colts (of course, Baltimore would have to upset the New England Patriots tomorrow first).
I like Arizona to upset the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers to take care of Baltimore.
In the Super Bowl, I predict the San Diego Chargers will be victorious.
Incidentally, the Chargers are not named after a credit card customer or an instrument that replenishes batteries. They are actually named after a charging horse (a large strong horse formerly ridden into battle). But evolution reared its ugly head, and the Chargers lost the horse, and now only have a lightning bolt associated with them.
The horse's head (never on the helmet) went extinct after the 1973 season.
So much for irreducible complexity. According to Intelligent Design Theory, one would have to think that if you took out something as functional as a horse's head, the system would cease to exist. Apparently the lightning bolt is still thriving and so are the San Diego Chargers.
Last year, I'm still upset that Jesus didn't help Arizona Cardinal's quarterback Kurt Warner win the Super Bowl. He made it close, but allowed a divine miracle to occur right near the end of the game when Santonio Holmes made an unbelievable catch:
Jesus and God, I still can't figure out if they are one and the same at times, have done a great job to make it seem that there is randomness to who they favour and who they let win NFL football games.
There could be another explanation. It has been 10 since Jesus and God bet on Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl. Why do God and Jesus need to bet? I'll let the theologians chime in and answer that one. I'm sure they'll come up with a reason.
One of my friends asked me for my predictions for the Wild Card Playoff games that start today.
Something weird dawned on me. After giving my picks, I found that I liked all the teams this week that had a (non human) animal as their nickname.
The Cincinnati BENGALS, the Philadelphia EAGLES, the Baltimore RAVENS, and the Arizona CARDINALS are my selections for this week.
Did the fact that my last post had to do with the absurdity of Noah's Ark subconsciously influence my picks? Or did I subconsciously make my selections before I felt compelled to post the Noah's Ark video? Since there is probably no God, the answer to this mystery will never be solved.
Now, I do have a problem not allowing human beings to be also placed under the "animal" classification. But including the New England PATRIOTS, the Dallas COWBOYS, and Green Bay PACKERS as animals would have taken out a lot of material for this particular post I'm making. So just as I am able to empathize with the animal kingdom and support animal rights causes, yet I'm also able to eat meat, I'm also able to accept the biblical definition of animal when it suits my purpose.
Another thing that made me do a double take was the nickname Packers. For my almost 49 years on this planet, I never thought about what Packers are. It would be funny if it is short for Fudge Packers, but alas it is not. So for those who care, here is the history of the Packer name straight out of Wikipedia:
Curly Lambeau, the team's founder, solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given $500 for uniforms and equipment, on condition that the team be named for its sponsor (a similar event would occur the following year with the Decatur Staleys, who later became the Chicago Bears). An early newspaper article referred to the new Green Bay team as "the Indians" but by the time they played their first game they had adopted the name "Packers."
In the early days, the Packers also were referred to as the "Bays" and the "Blues" (and even occasionally as "the Big Bay Blues"). These never were official nicknames, although Lambeau did consider replacing "Packers" with "Blues" in the 1920s.
In 1920, the Indian Packing Company was purchased by the Acme Packing Company. Acme continued its support of Lambeau's team, and in its first season in the NFL the team wore jerseys with the words "ACME PACKERS" emblazoned on the chest.
The only team this week that is named after an object is the New York JETS. But other than the Cleveland BROWNS and Buffalo BILLS (which has an animal for a town name and uses the Buffalo as their logo), all other teams are named after either humans or animals.
I don't get why birds are so popular for football teams especially. Meat eating animals are OK though like The Bears.
OK, back to my NFL predictions. So lets say I'm right about the first round. Now here is where it gets trickier. I think Arizona will beat Minnesota and New Orleans will beat Philadelphia next week. The San Diego Chargers will kill the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens will upset the Indianapolis Colts (of course, Baltimore would have to upset the New England Patriots tomorrow first).
I like Arizona to upset the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers to take care of Baltimore.
In the Super Bowl, I predict the San Diego Chargers will be victorious.
Incidentally, the Chargers are not named after a credit card customer or an instrument that replenishes batteries. They are actually named after a charging horse (a large strong horse formerly ridden into battle). But evolution reared its ugly head, and the Chargers lost the horse, and now only have a lightning bolt associated with them.
The horse's head (never on the helmet) went extinct after the 1973 season.
So much for irreducible complexity. According to Intelligent Design Theory, one would have to think that if you took out something as functional as a horse's head, the system would cease to exist. Apparently the lightning bolt is still thriving and so are the San Diego Chargers.
Last year, I'm still upset that Jesus didn't help Arizona Cardinal's quarterback Kurt Warner win the Super Bowl. He made it close, but allowed a divine miracle to occur right near the end of the game when Santonio Holmes made an unbelievable catch:
Jesus and God, I still can't figure out if they are one and the same at times, have done a great job to make it seem that there is randomness to who they favour and who they let win NFL football games.
There could be another explanation. It has been 10 since Jesus and God bet on Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl. Why do God and Jesus need to bet? I'll let the theologians chime in and answer that one. I'm sure they'll come up with a reason.
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