After reading Deepak Chopra’s discussion of Dawkin’s The God Delusion all I can conclude is that he’s an idiot who knows jack shit about science. OR, he’s a liar who is purposefully twisting the facts. On some level, I sometimes feel like the biggest war going on right now is one that has been going on, constantly, for ages: between reason and superstition. Don’t get me wrong: I can respect and care about religious people. But it comes back to me, from the television program “Root of All Evil”, that some religionists are so quick to say to atheists, “Don’t …
Tag: politics
Recommendations?
Someone I know and care about actually argued to me today that 9-11 was set up by and carried out by the CIA. Anyone know a good, non-hostile book that explains the origin of this myth and why it’s nonsense, without being overly pro-Bush? And if such a book doesn’t exist, why not? Perhaps someone needs to write it.
Saddam Dead
For months now, my students have been submitting reviews of one film/book: 우리들의 행복한 시간 (Our Happy Time), which is, I’ve basically taken from their reviews and discussions, the Korean version of Dead Man Walking. The death penalty in (South) Korea exists but hasn’t been used for some time now, and this movie seems to have young people convinced it should be abolished. What’s interesting is that I ended up objecting to the arguments the students made, because in general they were either sentimental, or based on non-demonstrable assumptions, or what have you. If the death penalty is wrong, it’s not wrong …
Dear Libya, Dear Bulgaria
UPDATE: 17 Dec. 2014: Turns out that, after years of torture and horror, they were actually set free: By the look of it from this detailed report, the whole proceedings seem to have been a big bread-and-circus for the paranoid masses… well, and a fundraising effort as well: On July 24, 2007—eight and a half years after their arrest on charges of intentionally infecting children with the HIV virus in a Libyan pediatric hospital—the six health professionals were freed from jail and immediately extradited to Bulgaria. Upon arrival in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, they were officially pardoned by Bulgarian President Georgi …
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Viewers fooled by ‘Belgium split’
Adrian at mssv posted a link to an interesting piece about a hoaxed new report of political secession in Belgium.
More Mockery of Kim Jong Il? Oh Yeah!
A channel at Youtube devoted to mocking Kim Jong Il? You just know I’m subscribed now.
Rich on Fundamentalist Islam
Interesting thoughts on Fundamentalist Islam’s cargo cult by Rich at Sharp Blue. Funny how I keep posting links to atheist/secularist discussions of religion under “politics” but it’s the category that makes the most sense.
Adrian On Religion
I highly recommend Adrian’s post at Mssv titled On Religion. Thoughtful thoughts from a interesting atheist point of view, one I generally agree with, and more and more as I think about it over the years. (I’ll be referencing this when I post about what I said in my Popular Cultures in English Speaking Countries class when we discussed the concept of “the White Man’s Burden” and colonialism and racism in historical and modern Australia.)
Protestin’ for Bus Station Something Whatever
One of my students was an hour late for class. Apparently the city of Bucheon has decided to convert one of its bus terminals into a housing zone, and some people don’t like that. So they lay down in the street and held up traffic tonight… for over an hour. Now, I can see the point in protesting something like that, but… when you know you can lay down in the street and hold up traffic for an hour, for just about anything you disagree with, then it seems to me that: you’ve lost whatever stake the protesting had. You …
Kim Jong Il declares Japanese Tsunami an “Act of War”
A tsunami warning in Japan was issued after major quake in the ocean, and Kim Jong Il, always quick on the draw with his dialectic, has spoken out against the Sea of Japan. The Japan, he’s a bery bad, and he making the colonies like a Monopoli game, and him not equipped to withstanding my it’s a Juche. This it’s a tsunami it’s an act of American Aggression through the flunkyist crony of the Japan. He making is Sea of Korea make Sea pushing and crush the Free land of Joseon [North Korea]. Apparently Kim was then dragged away, while …