Here is a very good lecture hosted by Brian Cox. It gives a very good explanation of how the Universe works. It also explains how Science and the Scientific Method work.  The lecture was hosted before the discovery of the Higgs particle but that does not take from it as it only emphasises how the scientific method really does works.  It covers quantum mechanics and Relativity in easy terms. Allow an hour to watch. Time well spent.…

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I have over the last few years steadily lost respect for William Lane Craig as an apologist. His voice grates on my ears more and more. His willingness to accept genocide as acceptable because his god commanded it is pathetic and I have shook my head in bewilderment at the acceptance such statements get from his herd of followers. So when I saw this video I said to myself “Don’t do it man, you will only get annoyed”. Of…

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It was recently reported here that the Atheist Census website was down due to a cyber-attack. It is back online now so please everyone sign it. It will only that a minute. It is currently at almost 18,000. Go on you know you want to.

http://www.atheistcensus.com/

Sometimes you think about something and then keep noticing it popping up everywhere. So anyway I was recently pondering in a not to serious manner if there were any links between Atheism and fitness and in particular obesity. Then I heard a DJ on a radio talk show comment that it was quite likely that Atheists were unfit and overweight because they probably have not much concern about the future. You know the way we don’t have a positive outlook on life because we are so miserable all the…

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Dear Fronkey,

I know that you value Catholic Answers Forums and all the good they do for people across America and throughout the world.

That's why I'm writing to you today because the Forums need your help.

Specifically: Catholic Answers Forums needs to raise $75,000 to cover its operating costs for the next six months.

Please Donate Now to help us continue our work

Everyone who makes a donation will be entered in a drawing for free new iPad loaded with…

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I am sure most of us know the story of Malala Yousefzai who was shot by the Taliban for advocating education for girls. News.

Malala has dedicated her childhood to championing education for girls like her in Pakistan. As she lies in a hospital bed, a tragic victim of Taliban gunmen, let's help make her dream come true.

One part of Pakistan has already started a…

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This is a review of Christopher Hitchens last book – Mortality. He brilliantly describes his ‘year of living dyingly’. I would like to make it clear now that this writing is not mine. It is copied entirely from the book review section of the Irish Times. It is written by John Banville whose books share the same shelf…

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It has been reported that Ireland is now in the top ten for people claiming to be “convinced atheists”. We are still in a minority but this is great news. There is also another story of the failure of a recent recruitment drive by the Catholics to find any replacement priests. So as the majority of the diehard Catholics are over 60, the ratio of Atheists to theists should increase again. All good news to my ears. Teach, don't preach.…

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There are 2 news stories in the UK at the moment which on the surface may seem similar but are however being treated completely differently.

The first concerns a 22 year old sickle cell anaemia sufferer whom doctors had been informed they must allow die. He was a Jehovah Witness and it is therefore against his religion to accept a blood transfusion even though it would have probably saved his life. The doctors had to stand aside and allow him to die in agony knowing that they could…

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In 1975 a young man made a statement to the Catholic Church to inform them that he had been abused – that is sexually assaulted on more that one occasion by one of their priests.  He also reported that other children were also being abused by the same priest. He was as much concerned for them as he was for himself. He met the church officials and gave his story while his father was asked to remain outside the room. He answered their questions honestly, even providing the names and addresses…

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No religion has ever existed that did not have rituals at its very foundation. In fact a religion could not flourish without them. The churches will stress the importance of rituals as being an important part of the tradition of their faith. They are used to induce and maintain a sense of solemnity and reverence that is claimed to help bring people closer to their god.

Prayer too is just a form of ritual. Reciting the same words over and over is just a hit of virtual opium for the…

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The Republican Presidential front runner Mitt Romney is doing well in the race at present. He will undoubtedly now do even better with the endorsement from Marco Rubio from Florida. I know religious affiliation should not be an issue butI would consider Mormonism to be an extreme religion to belong to. I understand that some candidates only use religion to appeal to the core mass of voters and may be of little faith themselves. However, I don’t think this is the case here. Romney is a full…

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This is my response to an article I once found in my mailbox when I got home from a long day at work. I posted it in the wrong section and forgot to “blog” it until now. I am still awaiting a reply from them. Yeah, I know it will never arrive but I never let a chance go by to help a Christian become a better one!!! You can read it here first and then my response. They claim to be Catholic. Yes, I could just bin it but I always feel compelled to question them, especially when it sounds so…

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This is not meant to be taken too seriously but opinions from around the (google) Earth would be interesting. I have found that when I use Google as a search engine for atheistic or science based queries I get bombarded with ads or links to sites that are all Christian based. Even when I clean out cookies and temp files it soon starts again.

 Does Google have a pro religious bias? I mean if Ad Sense was working properly they should target me with ads for science books or sites like…

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I am debating with a Jehovah Witness for several weeks now and I need some info to help debunk the Prophecy of the Fall of Jerusalem circa 66 C.E. and the Christians escape and flight to Pella. Basically that Jesus had prophesised it and the faithful ones were saved. Can anyone point me towards any academic work or good info that debunks it and their (JW) prophecies in general? They have agreed to allow me to explain Evolution in return. So any info would be greatly appreciated – thanks.

I have been “out” as an Atheist for over 25 years. I live in Ireland where it is not an issue. I have never thought of it in terms of coming out. I just am one. However I still find most people do not understand what it means when someone says “I am an Atheist”. I do not make a big deal out of it. There are people who know me through work or socially who do not know. This is only because it is not tattooed on my forehead. Even when I get accosted by fundamentalists on the street or doorstep I… Continue

Just watched this on the BCC where Louis revisits the Westboro Baptists after 4 years. For those in BBC2 land it is on again tomorrow night. Should be on utube soon.



It’s difficult to know where to start so I will let it speak for itself. We have discussed them here previously See Also …



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Just as I started this post I found a video of it. It is worth watching all 4 parts on utube. URL at end.



A BBC Horizon programme on the subject of Evolution called “Are we still Evolving?” It was presented by Dr. Alice Roberts who also produced “The incredible Human Journey” a five part series which is excellent. It investigated derelict copper and arsenic mine in Devon, England. It produced so much arsenic at one point that it was the largest producer of it in the world for a…

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I am also a member of Atheists-in-action (a French site). I got an email from them yesterday.

Confronted with death threats (unfortunately, like many other free thinkers… including ourselves), Kacem El Ghazali has let us know that he wanted to resign from his activity as a delegate for the organization.…

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