Last Tuesday was a good day. Peter Singer gave a lecture.

I'd been looking forward to it for some time, early on securing a place on the Facebook first-come-first-served waiting list just to be sure of a seat. Of Singer, I knew…

I am sure that most of you, weather you be Atheists of Theists have heard a whole lot about God's Will. This is thrown out like verbal diarrhea every time that someone dies or a natural disaster occurs. I have often questioned why people are so quick to say that a kid that gets caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting received a "gift" and that it was God's Will that she get shot and killed in a park. How is that a gift? What proof is there that she is in a better place? Who are you to…

I've seen so many groups get all upset over different issues ranging from the Occupy Wall Street movement to anti-war protesters to Creationist propaganda.  I also see from time to time the hate spewed by the Westboro Baptist Church and I cringe each time. I've seen people accuse and believe political propaganda and spout off repeated twists of the truth to serve their own agenda knowing its a lie. I've seen people con others into scams, political ideology and all around social nonsense. But…

Cross yourself and speak unto Jesus

And hope for the species that the people deceased

Are released from the pain and the suffering

Your faith is decreasing, the pages are creasing

In the only book you've been reading.

The idea is appealing, but somehow revealing

Of the fear that you're breeding.

And you're left needing...

You're only human.

A part of this species that does as it pleases.

If you do what they tell you then you will be…

On September 19 2011, the Telegraph website published an article titled "Atheism is cool, says Archbishop Rowan Williams". In the article the Archbishop claims the apparent rise in atheism due to it's "cool" factor, and that refutations of authors such as Richard Dawkins don't get the attention they "deserve" because atheism is the latest fad, not…

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Think Inc conference in Melbourne Australia, the inaugural event, and one that showed much promise with a line-up of speakers which included Professor Tim Flannery, YouTube sensation Christina Rad, activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali (appearing via Skype), poet Shane Koyczan, Professor Neil Degrasse Tyseon, Professor Michael Shermer and political commentator Christopher Hitchens (also intended to appear via Skype).

Unfortunately Christopher Hitchens…

"If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way." - Bertrand…

I've had a few people ask me lately "Why don't you pick on other religions apart from Christianity and Islam? After all, there are thousands you could choose from." Well the answer is pretty simple, but threefold.



Firstly, I live in Australia, which is a predominantly Christian nation. Upwards of 60% of Australians identify themselves as Christians (according to the 2006 census). Most of the first westerners to arrive here were Christian, and that tradition has been carried on…

I've been pretty interested in perception lately, and how our brains decipher the world around us. I've written on Pareidolia (Part 1, Part 2,…

I originally posted this at my blog Martin S Pribble, and it was subsequently picked up as an "Article" at RDFRS, which made me quite happy. It has caused quite a discussion at both sites, so I thought it would be good to share with you lot also.

 Religion is running scared from advances in science, particularly brain science such as neurology. Why? Because the brain is the final frontier in uncovering the reasons for belief in superstitions, religion and a higher…

"In what has become one of the greatest deceptions of our day, radical environmentalism…

My brother, an atheist like me, posed to me this humorous thought experiment, and I thought it was worth playing the game and posting it here:

God - the bearded white guy who looks a lot like me (he wears more robes than I do) - turns up on Earth, having decided to prove his omnipotence once and for all.

He turns up everywhere you go, in all your recent photos, and in all the morning…