We got it all wrong! Bush is the Best President Ever

We got it all wrong. We just didn't understand him. I get it now. This is awesome. I know Wikipedia can be a big bag of fakery, but if even one of these nicknames is even slightly true, then Bush has become the most fucking awesome world leader ever. Examples:

Altoid Boy,Turd Blossom, The Blade, Congressman Kickass

And for Vladimir Putin, President of Russia? Pootie-Poot

It's like he's a world leader and he doesn't even give a shit.

Elton John stands up.

It seems it's now Ok to speak out about religion. We are starting to be heard. And that is a very good thing.

Last week we saw Elton John speaking out about the hatred Religion shows to Gay people:

"I think religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people," he said. "Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays."

He spoils it by saying we should ban all religion (though goes on to clarify that actually he just wants debate), but even then he has a point. In the UK we will soon have a law that forbids you to "incite religious hatred." A vaguely worded law that has the possibility of making debate and criticism difficult, but means well. People "inciting hatred" can be imprisoned.

Why shouldn't a law protecting homosexuals from hatred exist? And with passages like Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. it is clear that the bible insights homosexual hatred, and as such why shouldn't mainstream moderate religions themselves be held accountable for the hate that their "holy scripture" contains?

Unless of course this is another "metaphorical part" that we are meant to just forget about.

Jesus Camp closing down

Jesus camp seems to be closing down for at least several years due to the negative reaction sparked by the film. Who would have thought that training children of evangelical parents for spiritual and political warfare could go wrong.

Links in the title. Disclaimer: I have yet to see this film. So I have no idea how it actual represents the group bar this trailer.

Taking it like a man.

I often go on about how your faith (or lack of it) should be able to withstand some attacks and ridicule. And as such I present to you a wonderful criticism of "New Atheism" and Richard Dawkins. It's damn funny.

(Backstory, Cartman has frozen himself out of impatience for the new Nintendo Wii console, and woken up in an atheist future. Waiting patiently for a Wii myself makes this even closer to the bone.)

The Fall of Ted Haggard

Just like before - another religious liar has destroyed himself, for our benefit. His name is Ted Haggard and for the benefit of us Europeans here's a run down of who he is, and what he had:

1) He had a congregation of 14,000 Evangelical Christians. And was President of the New Evangelical Church - with 30 million members.
2) He "believes" the bible is literally true. And a final authority. Noah's flood happened. Evolution is nonsense. The earth is 6000 years old.
3) He had a phone call with President Bush - Every Monday. Roll that around on your tongue. A weekly conversation with the President of the USA. There are entire countries that get less time than that.
4) Because a really old book says so he "believes" being Gay is a true sin. And fought violently against the right for people of the same sex to marry.

This is his meeting with Richard Dawkins. Despite Dawkin's inability to interview, this is damn insightful.


If you are American you probably know this, if your not then it's doubtful you have heard that this man who fights to limit how people can live out their private lives, this man who fights for intelligent design to be taught in school, who believes the Bible is literal truth, who believes that a man putting his penis into another man sends the all powerful ruler of the universe into a rage. A rage so great he would destroy cities.

Is Gay.

(And a drug user).

Heres what the Daily show had to say about it:


Which sums it up nicely. But I want to add something. It is true that this is a beautifully poignant event that helps "our cause" no end. As Jimmy Kimmel mentions - anyone who truely hates something, who sees something as truely evil, do so because they see it in themselves.

But that isn't the bigger picture. Most Preachers who hate gay people won't be gay (though no doubt the ratio is far above average). What's important is this man preached what he did not believe. He lied to his flock, and himself. And that, I believe, is far more common. I think the majority of Preachers do doubt there teachings, and it is this that makes them all the more fanatical.

This is a sad man, whose religion denied him a honest life, held him back from who he was, and taught him to do the same to others. This man's faith is his chains.

This is his quote of admission:

I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment for all of you....The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life....The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. — Ted Haggard, letter to New Life Church"

There is a part of your life that is repulsive and dark, Mr Haggard, and you have been warring against it all of your adult life, but it isn't a sexual desire that seen in almost all mammals, it's a religion that taught you it was wrong.

Boy, a lot has happened.

It seems whilst Skeptobot is away, the world gets a better place. Still correlation doesn't imply causation, as much as I may want it to in this case. The real life work load is still outpacing any attempts to contain it - but we should have time for at least a weekly update. I hope. I'll cherry pick a few articles from the last week or so.

They have been juicy.

Delays and the Good News

Sorry about the lack of updates, I flew back into the UK last night and was sans internets. Hopefully will have an update for monday - as so much good stuff has happened.

I did (finally!) finish The God Delusion - and I seriously -buy it for yourself this xmas. Sit by the fire, with a nice warm drink (or a nice cold beer) and savour it. It is a delight to see your opinions vocalised so elegantly.