Martin Pribble's Blog (121)

3 Questions

I have a new project. It’s called “3 Questions”, and it is exactly as it sounds; I will ask the atheist/agnostic/skeptic community 3 questions about the importance of atheism, skepticism or agnosticism to themselves, the wider community, and the world, and post the results here.

Why do I think this is important or even interesting?

Mainly because I see a lot of very vocal atheists and skeptics getting their viewpoints seen, heard and read, and…

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Added by Martin Pribble on August 28, 2012 at 10:19pm — No Comments

Crosses - A Poem

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on November 27, 2011 at 7:13pm — No Comments

Atheism is the "new cool"?

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on October 18, 2011 at 12:00am — 2 Comments

WantBetterEvidence.org

In my last post, I spoke about Outreach Media's attempt to try and justify the idea that the Bible is the best evidence for Jesus' love for humanity, and that this love is the best proof for the existence of God. This poster has a simple image of Jesus on a piece of toast, and the URL WantBetterEvidence.org.

Well, me being a curious fellow I decided to go to that website and see what I could make of… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on October 3, 2011 at 7:52pm — 1 Comment

This is a Science Textbook?

Education is everything, and teaching our children not only the facts, but how to determine fact from fiction is crucial for our world. Science and technology basics are some of the more important aspects of a good education, and teaching the scientific method at an early age can help establish a lifetime of good thinking.

But there are some enemies of accepted scientific fact out there, and like the falsehoods told in… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 23, 2011 at 7:49pm — 8 Comments

Think Inc Conference Special

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on September 19, 2011 at 12:34am — 1 Comment

Of Teapots, Santa Claus and Doubt

It was pointed out to me in a comment this morning about Bertand Russell's Teapot, that theists dismiss the ideas of Santa Claus and The Celestial Teapot outright because of the silliness of the ideas and the incredible unlikeliness that they exist, but fail to see their own shortcomings in judgement about their belief in god or Gods along the same premise. I see why this is, after all,… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:49pm — 1 Comment

Russell's Teapot, God and Proof

"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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:48pm — No Comments

Religion is Anti-Intellectual

The major religions teach people that their version of the history of the world is true. Each of them tells a different story, and yet all claim to be the right one. Of course this can't be the case, there can only be one true path that history has taken, albeit multi-threaded. The odd thing is that Christianity and Islam are rife with messages proposing that one not question the words of the religion, and thereby are not only insulating themselves against a natural tendency to question, but… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:48pm — No Comments

No Fulfillment Without God?

What are some of the things in your life that make you happy? What are the greatest joys in your life? What gives you the greatest sense of achievement, and what are the moments in your life that you remember as the most important ones? Does religion play a part in any of these moments, feelings or personal possessions? Because according to many religious folk, the greatest thing in their life is their faith in God. This troubles me.

To many, their belief in God, afterlife and… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:47pm — No Comments

Denial of an Evolutionary Past

You're an animal. In fact, you're an ape! Yes you're an ape, your spouse is an ape, your mother and father are apes, your grandmother is an ape, and every person you know or don't know on the planet are all apes. Megan Fox, Salman Rushdie and Sacha Baron Cohen, all apes. And some of you don't like it. Why is this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Weisshandgibbon_tierpark_berlin.jpg

It's for a few reasons. One being that you look at the other animals in the world and think of them as stupid, or dirty, or food, and you couldn't… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:46pm — No Comments

So Much Religious Fear

The power of religion lies in the power of fear; fear of death, fear of the unknown, fear of people who are different, fear of God, and the fear that a lifetime of belief may in fact be wrong. Many religious folks might deny the last point, but I'll get to what I mean by that in a minute.

All people fear dying, but not all fear being dead. As Mark Twain is famous… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:45pm — No Comments

Why Single Out Christianity and Islam?

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on September 13, 2011 at 11:45pm — No Comments

An Atheist and Spirituality

I've been thinking lately about spirituality. No, I'm not suggesting I am about to join a cult, take up tantric meditation or go on a vision quest. What I have been wondering is, is there any basis or evidence for a spiritual or metaphysical part of human existence?

Firstly, I think we need to define what it is we mean by "spirituality". If it means we are all inhabited by everlasting souls, that our existence on earth is a stepping-stone to the afterlife, or that our personalities… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on August 9, 2011 at 5:31am — No Comments

It's not what you think it is

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,…

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Added by Martin Pribble on August 5, 2011 at 12:09am — No Comments

Please enter "No Religion" in this week's census

The time is finally upon us Australia. Census forms have started to appear on our doorsteps, and if you truly care about where money goes in this country I implore you to answer these questions correctly and truthfully. And in particular, if you are not religious now, I urge you to place "No religion" in the area for religion.

Why? I'll tell you why!

The AFA's Census website states quite clearly why it it important to answer this question correctly and… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on July 29, 2011 at 10:00pm — 1 Comment

Religion Running Scared

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on July 25, 2011 at 6:49pm — 1 Comment

"Resisting the Green Dragon"

I found this video while sorting through my G+ stream yesterday, and found it too alarming to not blog on the subject. This is surely enough to get your hackles up, and it should concern not only atheists, agnostics and skeptics, but every thinking human on the planet. This is surely going to be of concern in the future.

The video opens with this statement:

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

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Added by Martin Pribble on July 18, 2011 at 8:40pm — No Comments

"Scared? Fear the Maker" - Outreach Media

There's one thing I can never understand, and it's the perceived dichotomy between the "all-loving God" and the "vengeful God". Apparently God is to be feared, because he is all-powerful and could exact all sorts of damages upon us and our souls if he so chose to. But on the other hand he loves us with a more pure and generous love than anything else can offer. It doesn't sound like a very nice relationship to enter into willingly.

This month, Outreach Media have gone with this… Continue

Added by Martin Pribble on July 4, 2011 at 11:07pm — No Comments

Thought Experiment - What if God appeared

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…

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Added by Martin Pribble on June 26, 2011 at 11:43pm — 4 Comments

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