SkeptiCool

Monks fight in Jerusalem's holiest church !

2008-11-09T18:00:00.002-05:00

What happened to turning the other cheek? Haha, I love the flying elbow dive by the monk in red at about 12 seconds in.

JERUSALEM — Rival monks brawled this Sunday at one of Christianity's holiest sites, and police have detained two clergymen for questioning.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says fighting erupted Sunday between Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The church marks the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

Police detained one monk from each side.

Rosenfeld says fighting flared over preparations for the annual ceremony held by the Armenians to commemorate the 4th century discovery of the cross believed to have been used to crucify Jesus.

Six Christian sects control the ancient church. They regularly fight over turf and influence, and Israeli police must occasionally intervene.

Sarah Palin Prank Call with 'Nicolas Sarkozy'

2008-11-02T22:49:00.002-05:00

This should bode well for the McCain/Palin campaign...

Transcript Extracts:

Sarkozy: Yes, hello, Governor Palin. Yes hello, Mrs Governor?
Palin: Hello, this is Sarah, how are you?
S: Fine, and you? This is Nicolas Sarkozy speaking, how are you?
P: Oooooh, it's so good, its so good to hear you. Thank you for calling us.
S: Oh, it's a pleasure.
P: Thank you sir, we have such great respect for you, John McCain and I. We love you! And thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to me.
S: I follow your campaigns closely with my special American adviser Johnny Hallyday (NOTE: Hallyday is a French singer and actor), you know?
P: Yes! Good.

S: You see, I got elected in France because I'm real and you seem to be someone who's real as well.
P: Yes. Yeah. Nicolas, we so appreciate this opportunity
S: You know I see you as a president one day, you too.
P: (Giggle) Maybe in eight years! (Giggle)

S: Well, I hope for you. You know, we have a lot in common because personally one of my favourite activities is to hunt, too.
P: Oh, very good! We should go hunting together!
S: Exactly, we could go try hunting by helicopter like you did. I never did that. Like we say in French, on pourrait tuer des bebe phoques, aussi. (One could kill all the baby seals).
P: Well, I think we could have a lot of fun together, as we're getting work done. We can kill two birds with one stone that way.
S: I just love killing those animals. Mmm, mmm, take away life, that is so fun!
Palin: (Giggle)
S: I'd really love to go, so long as we don't bring Vice President Cheney.
P: Noooo, I'll be a careful shot, yes.

S: Yes, you know we have a lot in common also, because except that from my house I can see Belgium. That's kind of less interesting than you.
P: Well, see, we're right next door to different countries that we all need to be working with, yes.

S: Some people said in the last days - and I thought that was mean - that you weren't experienced enough in foreign relations and you know that's completely false. That's the thing I said to my great friend, the prime minister of Canada, Stef Carse (NOTE: Stef Carse is a Canadian singer).
P: Well, he's doing fine, too, and yeah, when you come into a position underestimated it gives you an opportunity to prove the pundints (NOTE: she calls pundits pundints) and the critics wrong. You work that much harder.

S: I was wondering because you are so next to him, one of my good friends, the prime minister of Quebec, Mr Richard Z Sirois (NOTE: hes a Canadian comedian), have you met him recently? Did he come to one of your rallies?
P: I haven't seen him at one of the rallies but it's been great working with the Canadian officials in my role as Governor. We have a great co-operative effort there as we work on all of our resource-development projects. You know, I look forward to working with you and getting to meet you personally and your beautiful wife. Oh my goodness! You've added a lot of energy to your country with that, ha, beautiful family of yours.
S: Thank you very much. You know my wife Carla would love to meet you, even though you know she was a bit jealous that I was supposed to speak to you today.
P: (Giggle) Well, give her a big hug for me.
S: You know my wife is a popular singer and a former hot top model and she's so hot in bed. She even wrote a song for you.
P: Oh my goodness! I didn't know that!
S: Yes, in French it's called Le Rouge A Levres Sur Un Cochon (NOTE: it means Lipstick on a Pig), or if you prefer in English, Joe the Plumber...it's his life, Joe the Plumber.
P: Maybe she understands some of the unfair criticism but I bet you she is such a hard worker, too, and she realizes you just plough through that criticism.

S: I just want to be sure. I dont quite understand the phenomenon Joe the Plumber. That's not your husband, right?
P: That's not my husband but he's a normal American who just works hard and doesn't want government to take his money.
S: Yes, yes, I understand we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France. It's called Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit.
P: Right, that's what it's all about, its the middle class and government needing to work for them. You're a very good example for us here.

S: I must say Governor Palin, I love the documentary they made on your life. You know, Hustler's Nailin' Palin?
P: Ohh, good, thank you! Yes.
S: That was really edgy.
P: (Giggle) Well, good.

Republicans, breaking up is hard to do.

2008-10-19T21:17:00.000-04:00

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

2008-10-19T15:04:00.001-04:00

Sarah Palin on SNL

2008-10-19T14:35:00.000-04:00

Adult Swim Pokes Fun at Christianity

2008-10-18T20:08:00.003-04:00

Frisky Dingo - 205

Squidbillies - Survival of the Dumbest

Pretty funny, about 10 minutes each

Palin Vs. Putin

2008-09-30T22:54:00.001-04:00

This is too good not to post.

Sam Harris: In Defense of Elitism

2008-09-25T00:35:00.002-04:00

Another article by Sam Harris on Sarah Palin. Some highlights:

Palin may be a perfectly wonderful person, a loving mother and a great American success story—but she is a beauty queen/sports reporter who stumbled into small-town politics, and who is now on the verge of stumbling into, or upon, world history.

For all my concern about Bush's religious beliefs, and about his merely average grasp of terrestrial reality, I have never once thought that he was an over-the-brink, Rapture-ready extremist. Palin seems as though she might be the real McCoy.

Ask yourself: how has "elitism" become a bad word in American politics? There is simply no other walk of life in which extraordinary talent and rigorous training are denigrated. We want elite pilots to fly our planes, elite troops to undertake our most critical missions, elite athletes to represent us in competition and elite scientists to devote the most productive years of their lives to curing our diseases. And yet, when it comes time to vest people with even greater responsibilities, we consider it a virtue to shun any and all standards of excellence. When it comes to choosing the people whose thoughts and actions will decide the fates of millions, then we suddenly want someone just like us, someone fit to have a beer with, someone down-to-earth—in fact, almost anyone, provided that he or she doesn't seem too intelligent or well educated.

When asked why she is qualified to shoulder more responsibility than any person has held in human history, Palin cites her refusal to hesitate. "You can't blink," she told Gibson repeatedly, as though this were a primordial truth of wise governance. Let us hope that a President Palin would blink, again and again, while more thoughtful people decide the fate of civilization.

Sam Harris on Sarah Palin - Average Isn't Good Enough

2008-09-03T23:07:00.004-04:00

A few selected quotes from a recent Los Angeles Times article by Sam Harris on Governor Sarah Palin.

The actuarial tables on the Social Security Administration website suggest that there is a better than 10% chance that McCain will die during his first term in office. Needless to say, the Reaper’s scything only grows more insistent thereafter. Should President McCain survive his first term and get elected to a second, there is a 27% chance that Palin will become the first female U.S. president by 2015.

McCain has so little respect for the presidency of the United States that he is willing to put the girl next door (soon, too, to be a grandma) into office beside him.

In response to a greater than average amount of negative feedback, what follows is part of an addendum to the LA Times article Harris posted this on his website:

So, let me simply declare that I would be overjoyed to have a qualified woman in the White House. I would, likewise, be overjoyed to have a qualified African American in the White House. In fact, I would be overjoyed to have a qualified WASP man in the White House. I will be guardedly optimistic to have a very smart (and somewhat qualified) Barack Obama in the White House. And I would be frankly terrified to have a religious bumpkin like Sarah Palin in the White House. I think you should share this last conviction. Hence my latest opinion piece.

Definition - Christianity

2008-08-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

Christianity: The belief that some cosmic Jewish Zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree. Makes perfect sense.

LOL, just stumbled upon this...

Playlist: Richard Dawkins - The Genius of Charles Darwin

2008-08-18T22:35:00.000-04:00

Obama and McCain with Rick Warren - Faith Forum

2008-08-17T11:49:00.002-04:00

Proof that there is a religious test for office in the United States...

Christopher Hitchens v. Mark Roberts

2008-08-16T14:00:00.001-04:00

Christopher Hitchens v. David Allen White

2008-08-10T22:32:00.001-04:00

SkeptiCool Update

2008-08-10T22:23:00.002-04:00

I haven't been posting much lately because I was away on vacation last week and this trend is likely to continue as I resume school this fall. I will be posting more video playlists of debates and lectures in the short term - I just don't have enough time to compose any lengthy essays or rebuttals with everything that's going on.

Be on the look out for more Christopher Hitchens debates coming soon. To view my entire collection of video playlists visit my Youtube page: NCSkeptic.

Here Be Dragons - The Movie

2008-07-30T22:17:00.002-04:00

From Brian Dunning, host of the Skeptoid podcast, is a short (40 minute) introductory film to skepticism.

Politics as Usual?

2008-07-30T00:06:00.003-04:00

Radley Balco has some very interesting questions for John McCain and Barack Obama.

Here's a sample:

To Barack Obama -

In February, you said you might support vouchers and charter schools if empirical data showed that they improve education (some studies show that they do). Admirably, your position was, "I will not allow my predispositions to stand in the way of making sure that our kids can learn." After pressure from the teachers unions, you quickly backed off from that position, stating that your campaign doesn't support vouchers "in any shape or form." What prompted that change? And if it's important that we not "throw up our hands" and "walk away from the public schools," why do you send your own kids to private schools?

To John McCain -

In 1989, your wife Cindy became addicted to the prescription drugs Percocet and Vicodin. Eventually, she began stealing medication from the non-profit medical charity she ran to assist the victims of war and disaster areas. You and your wife were able to negotiate a settlement with the Justice Department that let her off with restitution and admission to a rehabilitation center, but no fines, jail time or even public disclosure. Certainly no one could fault you for trying to save your spouse from criminal sanction. But you're consistently one of the most strident drug warriors in Congress. You've voted to strengthen penalties against those who use and traffic in both illicit drugs and who divert prescription drugs. You've supported mandatory minimums and harsher penalties for first-time offenders. Why shouldn't average people without powerful connections who make the same mistakes your wife made be shown the same leniency and mercy the criminal justice system showed her?

Thanks to Russell Roberts of Cafe Hayek for the pointer.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali v. Timothy Garton Ash

2008-07-29T00:29:00.000-04:00

Islam's compatibility with democracy, the rule of law and freedom of speech is a subject of immense salience and importance in the early 21st century. In the Royal Society of Arts in London, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who lives under a death threat imposed by Muslim fundamentalists, debates this problem with Timothy Garton Ash, who has in the past criticised her for being an 'enlightenment fundamentalist'. (Dec. 2007)

Intelligent Design or Stupid Design?

2008-07-26T18:15:00.003-04:00

Neil deGrasse Tyson bashes creationism...

Voices of Science: Discussion Between Richard Dawkins and PZ Myers

2008-07-24T23:36:00.003-04:00

Buy it now on DVD at: richarddawkins.net

DURING HIS U.S. TOUR in 2008, Biologist and bestselling author Richard Dawkins met with some of the world's leading scientists to discuss topics such as Quantum Physics, Biology, Evolutionary Psychology, Science education, religion, atheism and more. This video brings you the fascinating unedited discussions between Richard Dawkins and Nobel Prize-winning Physicist Steven Weinberg, Physicist Lawrence Krauss, Biologist and blogger PZ Myers, and Evolutionary Psychologist David Buss.

From a public conversation at Stanford University to private conversations in Austin and Minneapolis, this collection offers a rare and inspirational opportunity to observe some of today's top scientists as they discuss some of the big issues without interruption.

The Legality of Abortion and Pro-Life Irrationality

2008-07-23T23:18:00.005-04:00

This is a video showing how anti-abortion demonstrators responded when asked what the punishment for women who had abortions ought to be if they were illegal.

Most of them appeared to have given little if any thought to the implications of criminalizing abortions. In fact, most of the demonstrators said there shouldn’t be any punishment for illegal abortions. Well, then what’s the point, right? What’s really funny/disturbing is that some of these people have been protesting for years and hadn’t even thought about it!

I wonder if there have been any surveys conducted that probe people on what they think the punishment for illegal abortions should be (assuming they are pro-life)?

Is this an accurate representation of the pro-life public at large?

Does anyone know what the penalty for having an illegal abortion in the U.S. or elsewhere used to be? I’ve researched casually but so far I haven’t found much…

Thanks to the AtCenterNetwork for producing this short video (~7 minutes in length). Note, this video can also be found on YouTube under the title Libertyville Abortion Demonstration.

Further reading: Here is a link to Sid Faiwu's blog featuring a debate on the morality of Abortion.

Interview with Webster Cook on Freethought Radio

2008-07-22T23:49:00.002-04:00

Following up on my last post about the UCF student whose actions led to PZ Myers soliciting people to obtain holy crackers so that he could personally desecrate them , is a link to an interview with the actual student, Webster Cook.

Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation interviewed Webster on July 19 on Freethought Radio. The interview lasts for about 15 minutes and doesn't begin until somewhere in the middle of the podcast. Webster goes in to great detail about the events and is careful to explain what actually occured. I highly recommend checking this out if you're at all interested in this story.

While I was exploring the FFRF website I bumped into this 50 question Bible quiz. I only got 22 of 50 questions correct. Apparently that's passing according to the FFRF. They report that the average person scores a 15. If you take the quiz post your score in the comments!

Creation Science Proves God Exists!

2008-07-22T00:10:00.004-04:00

For all you faithless heathens out there still doubting the existence of God look no further! This video, originally posted at GodTube, clearly shows the intelligent design of God's creation. Why else would walnuts look like brains, tomatoes look like hearts, and kidney beans look like kidneys?! Duh!!!

Voices of Science: Discussion Between Richard Dawkins and Steven Weinberg

2008-07-20T12:32:00.003-04:00

Buy it now on DVD at richarddawkins.net.

DURING HIS U.S. TOUR in 2008, Biologist and bestselling author Richard Dawkins met with some of the world's leading scientists to discuss topics such as Quantum Physics, Biology, Evolutionary Psychology, Science education, religion, atheism and more. This video brings you the fascinating unedited discussions between Richard Dawkins and Nobel Prize-winning Physicist Steven Weinberg, Physicist Lawrence Krauss, Biologist and blogger PZ Myers, and Evolutionary Psychologist David Buss.

From a public conversation at Stanford University to private conversations in Austin and Minneapolis, this collection offers a rare and inspirational opportunity to observe some of today's top scientists as they discuss some of the big issues without interruption.

PZ Myers discusses "IT'S A FRACKIN' CRACKER!" post on Catholic Radio International

2008-07-19T15:37:00.006-04:00

So here's the deal:

James Webster, a student at the University of Central Florida, attended Mass held on campus with a friend he brought with him a few weeks ago. Apparently, when James went up to receive the Eucharist he brought it back to his seat to show his friend instead of consuming it on the spot (fyi, the Eucharist is a magical piece of bread that turns into Jesus when Catholics eat it). Well, a church leader noticed and tried to retrieve the cracker from him, supposedly by force.

You can read more about the incident here.

Anyhow, PZ Myers of Pharyngula blogged about it and said this:

"So, what to do. I have an idea. Can anyone out there score me some consecrated communion wafers? There's no way I can personally get them — my local churches have stakes prepared for me, I'm sure — but if any of you would be willing to do what it takes to get me some, or even one, and mail it to me, I'll show you sacrilege, gladly, and with much fanfare. I won't be tempted to hold it hostage (no, not even if I have a choice between returning the Eucharist and watching Bill Donohue kick the pope in the balls, which would apparently be a more humane act than desecrating a goddamned cracker), but will instead treat it with profound disrespect and heinous cracker abuse, all photographed and presented here on the web. I shall do so joyfully and with laughter in my heart. If you can smuggle some out from under the armed guards and grim nuns hovering over your local communion ceremony, just write to me and I'll send you my home address."

PZ was recently interviewed by Catholic Radio International to discuss his blog entry about the cracker. The interview was relatively dull but I loved PZ's response to the "you can't prove that you love someone, so don't expect proof of God" argument. When posed with this pretty lame apology for the existence of God, PZ rebutted,

"If you believe that love exists without empirical evidence then you fit the definition of a stalker."

LMFAO!

You can listen to the full interview here.

Richard Feynman on Finding Things Out

2008-07-17T23:50:00.005-04:00

New Video added of an interview with Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman (5 parts; ~10 minutes each).

Favorite skeptical quote attributed to Richard Feynman:

"You see, one thing is, I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. I have approximate answers and possible beliefs and different degrees of uncertainty about different things, but I am not absolutely sure of anything and there are many things I don't know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask why we're here."

Favorite atheist quote attributed to Richard Feynman:

"God was invented to explain mystery. God is always invented to explain those things that you do not understand. Now, when you finally discover how something works, you get some laws which you're taking away from God; you don't need him anymore. But you need him for the other mysteries. So therefore you leave him to create the universe because we haven't figured that out yet; you need him for understanding those things which you don't believe the laws will explain, such as consiousness, or why you only live to a certain length of time -- life and death -- stuff like that. God is always associated with those things that you do not understand. Therefore I don't think that the laws can be considered to be like God because they have been figured out."

Link to Wikipedia Bio

1 Bald Prophet + 2 Bears + 42 Children = 2 Kings 2:23-24

2008-07-17T00:33:00.006-04:00

If you weren't already convinced that the God of the Bible loves you then you should read 2 Kings 2:23-24. God shows he loves us with bears!

23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

The movie:

Some Musings on Libertarianism and my Ever-Evolving Political Views

2008-07-15T21:16:00.003-04:00

In respone to my First in Freedom post, Sid writes:

Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors? How appropriate since the Libertarian regulation-free ideal would allow smokers inside the hospital doors. That doesn't matter quite as much as the fact that the hospital would be able to refuse care for any reason, including age, race, or sex. And those locked out of the hospital doors may have no other choice since Libertarian ideals permit monopolies. The real irony is that some of the people would become ill from the irresponsible waste disposal policies of the hospital. After all, the Libertarians believe that the government should restrict such things.

Libertarianism always sounds nice on the surface. But they fail to recognize a few things. First, free markets cease to be free the moment monopolies appear. They eliminate a pillar of a truly free market - customer choice. Second, the free market has no morality. Companies are often more profitable without pollutions controls and work place safety and with child labor. Thirdly, lack of regulation in the financial industry would permit dangerously amplified boom-bust cycles that could result in a collapse of the financial system. Finally, government welfare programs are more stable then any charity based on voluntary contributions could ever be. Given a widespread downturn in the economy, charitable giving would naturally decrease just when that aid was most needed.

My response:

Thanks for the comment - you raise some interesting points.

First I'd like to clarify that I'm not what you might categorize as a true free market Libertarian. My political identity is still evolving but I would generally describe my views as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. Often times when you add those two together they equal a Libertarian.

Many of the issues you raise are definitely worth considering. I don’t intend to address each point you make here but I will tackle a few.

First I’ll begin with government welfare systems since that is one area that I feel strongly about. For starters, if shifting away from government welfare programs led to a net decrease in charity I would lose no sleep over it. I have the right to give all of my money to charity or none at all. The government’s ability to control what should otherwise be my discretionary income should be severely, if not completely, limited.

Since you attacked some positions that I don’t necessarily hold I’ll raise one that you didn’t address. Fair enough? ;) I am definitely for the legalization of all drugs. Marijuana should be treated as alcohol is today, except that the drinking / smoking age should be lowered (probably to 16 or eliminated altogether) and there shouldn’t be any regulation over the naming of the label (there actually is if you weren’t aware already). I think hard drugs, like heroin, should be intelligently regulated. That is to say that advertising for them would be severely limited and a doctor’s prescription would be required for all purchases.

It should be noted that my positions are tentative and will likely change due to further education and introspection. I’ll definitely post more about these issues in the future so stay tuned!

Talib Kweli - Spoken Word on Religion - Amazing!

2008-07-15T00:32:00.003-04:00

I started working on another post but its taking a little too long to compose and its starting to get late so I'll take the easy way out and post a video from YouTube.

This is a short piece by Talib Kweli on religion featured on Def Poetry Jam. I'm not sure what his religious beliefs actually are but this is some bad ass social commentary! Check it out!

Through Christ Alone? A Skeptic's Response...

2008-07-13T13:24:00.005-04:00

This is a response to a recent blogpost entitled, Through Christ Alone.

The Bible is very clear that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ alone (see John 14:6). Interestingly, according to a recent survey of the U.S. religious landscape, 70% of people who claim affiliation to a particular religious faith reject this idea. In fact, 57% of Evangelical Christians think that many religions can lead to eternal life.

This is both encouraging and depressing at the same time. It is actually of little surprise that such religious pluralism is so prevalent in American society when one considers that, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,

“…44% of adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether.”

As Christopher Hitchens so aptly questions,

“Do these people have no idea how much used to hang on the differences between Wesley, Luther, Miller, Smith, Augustine, and Aquinas? How choice of religion was once a life-and-death matter, in this world and the next?”

Thank God that these choices are no longer life-and-death matters! Yet, it is even that much more frustrating that so many believers still cling to their beliefs in spite of, or in ignorance to, the contradictions between their self-identified religious faiths and their own foggy notion of what is necessary to achieve eternal salvation.

While the majority of Americans have apparently rejected biblical literalism, at least with respect to the beliefs one must subscribe to in order to avoid spending one’s afterlife in a lake of eternal fire, a significant minority has not. A good friend of mine, Matt Capps, takes literally the necessity of accepting Jesus as one’s lord and savior as a requisite belief to enter Heaven (described here).

To accept this belief is to espouse the following ultimatum: Worship Jesus or burn in Hell forever.

To be frank, I find this doctrine morally detestable to the highest degree.

A skeptic’s creed is simply this: extraordinary claims must be met with extraordinary evidence. So long as the evidence and reason for a particular belief are in proportion to the claims being made then a skeptic will accept it as provisionally true; that is until further evidence / reason refutes said claim. Basically, a skeptic is one who fully and consciously embraces the scientific method.

Before one considers the moral proposition that Jesus is the only path to Heaven one must consider whether there really is even a Heaven in the first place. Does a personal God exist? Even so, is there sufficient reason or evidence to suggest that our spirits live on after our bodies pass away? The answers to these questions must be known with the highest level of confidence prior to contemplating the original question.

I’ll end here with a quote from Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged:

"If devotion to truth is the hallmark of morality, then there is no greater, nobler, more heroic form of devotion than the act of a man who assumes the responsibility of thinking.... The alleged short-cut to knowledge, which is faith, is only a short-circuit destroying the mind."

First in Freedom

2008-07-12T00:17:00.005-04:00

If you enjoy personal freedom, individual rights, and you would rather spend your money than the government spend it then you might like The Libertarian Party. And if you live in North Carolina then you might like Michael Munger. And you should vote for him...for Governor.

Contact Me

2008-07-11T01:20:00.002-04:00

B.J. Novak on Islamic Virgins and Heaven

2008-07-09T22:44:00.005-04:00

Factoid: Unlikely Interest in U.S. Presidential Race

2008-07-08T23:31:00.003-04:00

According to a recent Pew Global Attitudes survey of over 24,000 people in 24 different countries, the Japanese were found to be the most highly interested in the U.S. Presidential race.

The survey, conducted March 17 to April 21, reveals national favorability ratings, economic trends, and other global attitude statistics. The full report including a detailed analysis of the results can be downloaded here. Or, check out pewglobal.org.

Why SkeptiCool?

2008-07-07T23:43:00.004-04:00

Initially, I was looking for a way to create a website so that I could better organize my video playlists from YouTube. FreeWebs didn't work because it wasn't free enough...WordPress lacks the functionality to embed YouTube playlists...Blogger does but, unlike WordPress, it lacks subcategories for posts (it only has labels).

A goal of mine is to post SOMETHING insightful, intriguing or otherwise entertaining AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY. I should also note that a secondary purpose of my site is to offset the damage done by my philosophical arch nemesis, Matt Capps, who recently created his own blog over at WordPress. Cheers!

How Evolution Works by DonExodus2

2008-07-06T01:16:00.001-04:00

DonExodus2 discusses virtually everything related to evolution, from the basics to the advanced. The enemy of creationism is not evolution, it is knowledge.

Victor Stenger - God: The Failed Hypothesis

2008-07-05T23:27:00.000-04:00

On April 5, 2007 Dr. Victor stenger gave a presentation on his book, God: The Failed Hypothesis at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.

The Four Horseman: Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens

2008-07-05T23:26:00.000-04:00

On the 30th of September 2007, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens sat down for a first-of-its-kind, unmoderated 2-hour discussion, convened by RDFRS and filmed by Josh Timonen. All four authors have recently received a large amount of media attention for their writings against religion - some positive, and some negative. In this conversation the group trades stories of the public's reaction to their recent books, their unexpected successes, criticisms and common misrepresentations. They discuss the tough questions about religion that face to world today, and propose new strategies for going forward.

TEDtalksDirector - on God & Religion

2008-07-05T23:25:00.001-04:00

Various TEDtalks on God and religion

Sam Harris v. Reza Aslan

2008-07-05T23:23:00.000-04:00

Does the Bible provide timeless prescriptions for our daily lives? Or does its inclusion of practices such as slavery preclude its ability to act as such a guide? Are Osama bin Laden's grievances with the United States purely theological, or also social and political? Reza Aslan, author of No god but God, and Sam Harris, author of Letter to a Christian Nation, take up these questions in this debate at the Los Angeles Public Library. The debate is moderated by Jonathan Kirsch, author of A History of the End of the World. samharris.org

Sam Harris v. Rabbi David Wolpe

2008-07-05T23:22:00.001-04:00

November 6, 2007 American Jewish University presents best-selling authors Sam Harris and Rabbi David Wolpe in a debate about the existence of God and the role of religion and faith in society. Sam Harris is the author of The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. Rabbi David Wolpe, of Sinai Temple, is the author of Teaching Your Children About God and Why Be Jewish. This debate is moderated by Los Angeles Times religion editor Steve Padilla. samharris.org

Sam Harris v. Chris Hedges

2008-07-05T23:21:00.000-04:00

This debate was held as a benefit for TruthDig at UCLA's Royce Hall on May 22nd, 2007, before an audience of 1,300 people. Robert Scheer served as moderator. Chris Hedges is a former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School. He is the author of "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America." Robert Scheer is a journalist with nearly 40 years of experience and the author of eight books. He is the editor in chief of Truthdig. samharris.org

Sam Harris - bigthink.com

2008-07-05T23:19:00.000-04:00

Short videos of Sam Harris from bigthink.com

Richard Dawkins v. Lawrence Krauss

2008-07-05T23:17:00.000-04:00

Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss sat down for a public discussion at Stanford University on Sunday, March 9th 2008. The focus was on Science education, but the discussion also covered religion, physics, evolution and more.

Richard Dawkins v. Alister McGrath

2008-07-05T23:16:00.000-04:00

Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath's Debate at The Oxford Literary Festival.

PZ Myers v. Geoffrey Simmons

2008-07-05T23:15:00.000-04:00

PZ Myers vs Geoffrey Simmons Evolution Debate on KKMS radio

Milton Friedman - Economist, Libertarian

2008-07-05T23:14:00.000-04:00

A collection of videos featuring Milton Friedman...

Michael Shermer, Smith v. Burns, Watkins

2008-07-05T23:12:00.000-04:00

Michael Shermer v. Jonathon Wells

2008-07-05T23:10:00.000-04:00

At the CATO Institute.

Michael Shermer v. Douglas Jacoby

2008-07-05T23:07:00.000-04:00

This debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic / skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, as the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist?

God, The Universe & Everything Else: Sagan, Clarke, Hawking

2008-07-05T23:06:00.000-04:00

Discussion between Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Hawking on the nature of the universe.

Daniel Dennett: Darwin's Dangerous Idea

2008-07-05T23:04:00.001-04:00

In the talk Professor Dennett discusses Darwinian evolution from a philosophical point of view. In exploring evolution Professor Dennett also offers critique of creationism. Later in the talk professor Dennett discusses memetics and other related topics.

Daniel Dennett v. Dinesh D'Souza

2008-07-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

Dinesh D'Souza, Christian and best-selling author, will face off against Tufts professor, author, and atheist Daniel Dennett in a debate on the existence of god. The resolution for the debate will be as follows: "God is a manmade invention." Daniel Dennett will be arguing the affirmative, and Dinesh D'Souza the negative.

Dan Barker v. Dinesh D'Souza

2008-07-05T23:01:00.000-04:00

Dinesh D'Souza, Christian and best-selling author, debates Dan Barker from the Freedom From Religion Foundation at Harvard.

Dan Barker & Richard Carrier v. Hassanain Rajabali & Micha

2008-07-05T22:59:00.000-04:00

Second classic debate featuring Theists vs. Atheists held on May 8th, 2004 at the Holiday Inn Dearborn, Michigan. A debate between Hassanain Rajabali and Michael Corey (Theists) and Dan Barker and Richard Carrier (Atheists) on the existence of God. Moderated by Riyaz Datoo. "Does God Not Exist?" is a series of debates organized by the Tawheed Institute after the September 11 crises with the aim to foster better understanding between people of different religious denominations.

Christopher Hitchens v. Peter Hitchens

2008-07-05T22:58:00.002-04:00

Christopher Hitchens v. Marvin Olasky

2008-07-05T22:55:00.001-04:00

Christopher Hitchens v. Dinesh D'Souza

2008-07-05T22:54:00.001-04:00

Christopher Hitchens v. Al Sharpton

2008-07-05T22:45:00.003-04:00

Ayn Rand on the Phil Donahue Show

2008-07-05T22:42:00.002-04:00

In her first public appearance since husband Frank O'Connor's death, we see a rare personal side of Rand—" As always, the ideas do shine through: the acknowledgement of achievement; the evils of altruism; American schools sacrificing the gifted for the less gifted; the nationalization of American oil interests in the Middle East; the fatal arguments for the existence of God;... and much more.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali v. Tariq Ramadan

2008-07-05T22:38:00.003-04:00

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was a Muslim until 28 May 2002 when she lost her faith in Islam and became an atheist. Tariq Said Ramadan (born 26 September 1962 in Geneva, Switzerland) is a Swiss Muslim academic and theologian. He advocates the studying and re-interpretation of Islamic texts, and emphasizes the heterogeneous nature of Islamic society. He believes that Muslims in Europe have to establish a new "European Islam" (see also Euroislam) and emphasizes the necessity for their engagement in European society.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali v. Ed Husain

2008-07-05T22:35:00.003-04:00

Ayaan Hirsi Ali debates Ed Husain

Are We Better Without God?

2008-07-05T12:24:00.005-04:00

Christophen Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling debate Nigel Spivey, Julia Neuburger and Roger Scruton on the proposal: "We'de be better without God".