tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post1986252828443083602..comments2024-01-21T23:33:51.907-05:00Comments on Left Hemispheres: Penn Jillette: An Atheist's Guide to the 2012 ElectionSteve http://www.blogger.com/profile/03764984464386973713noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-70097624844465405082012-01-22T20:48:44.023-05:002012-01-22T20:48:44.023-05:00I think the more pertinent question is not whether...I think the more pertinent question is not whether Obama is a Christian or if he has a deep religious faith, the bigger, most important question we need to ask is, does Obama use his religion to champion policies that are discriminatory or basically unconstitutional, as many fundamental Christians do? And I think, looking at his record, the answer is no, Obama seems do a good job of keeping his Phyllishttp://phylliscopeland.designbinder.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-59172583172224003232011-12-07T13:42:54.677-05:002011-12-07T13:42:54.677-05:00The “atheism is a religion” canard is a typical re...The “atheism is a religion” canard is a typical response, but rest assured it is wrong. Atheism is *not* a religion. <br />Two definitions of religion: <br /> - a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral Steve https://www.blogger.com/profile/03764984464386973713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-11888752643121807942011-12-07T13:07:01.070-05:002011-12-07T13:07:01.070-05:00I like Penn most of the time, he's got some go...I like Penn most of the time, he's got some good points. I can't get over the mistaken belief that atheism is somehow more logical than a religious belief, though. Atheism *is* a religious belief.<br /><br />Science doesn't provide any form of certainty about the non-existence of something. You can't prove that something doesn't exists, that's not how the scientific methodAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-8527174636085901442011-12-07T09:01:52.382-05:002011-12-07T09:01:52.382-05:00@Matthew Vann Well, it isn’t my definition of Fre...@Matthew Vann Well, it isn’t my definition of Freethought. It is the general consensus. Of course we are all influenced by those things in our cultures, but Freethinkers attempt to ignore or discard them as authority and tradition are a constraining force. They are two of the pillars of conservative thought. “Do this because it has always been done and because I said so.” For obvious reasons Steve https://www.blogger.com/profile/03764984464386973713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-20409641778113502562011-12-06T21:09:05.739-05:002011-12-06T21:09:05.739-05:00@Michael - Hilarious video!!! (think I can take my...@Michael - Hilarious video!!! (think I can take my faith being insulted) Already shared the link with a great friend. <br />To address it seriously though...just because I believe the Bible (in it's original form) is true doesn't mean I believe that the average American evangelical's interpretation of the Bible is correct. For a different look at the flood, try http://Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13218361785834538291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-83064743665154137702011-12-06T00:14:20.498-05:002011-12-06T00:14:20.498-05:00Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl...Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j_BzWUuZN5wMichaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16152219034171337111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-65109247830610566502011-12-05T23:48:02.826-05:002011-12-05T23:48:02.826-05:00@Matthew - it's quite possible to be a free th...@Matthew - it's quite possible to be a free thinker and simultaneously a theist; that's the category most Quakers and Unitarians fall into, just to name a couple I'm familiar with.<br /><br />It is, however, impossible to claim the entire Bible is literally true. The beetles alone would have sunk the Ark under their weight. You can say God just made evolution work differently Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16152219034171337111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-73158334004880731462011-12-05T22:20:14.978-05:002011-12-05T22:20:14.978-05:00@Matthew Vann, Part of your comment was cut off. P...@Matthew Vann, Part of your comment was cut off. Please repost. <br /><br />First off let me state that I do not automatically think religious people are crazy. That is obviously and provably false. I simply think all religions are wrong. Some people are crazy. No doubt. <br /><br />Freethought is mindset or philosophy that is unrestrained by tradition, authority, doctrine or dogma. All religionsSteve https://www.blogger.com/profile/03764984464386973713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-23379437472137325532011-12-05T21:59:47.424-05:002011-12-05T21:59:47.424-05:00@Bear, Penn has a tendency to ramble and bloviate....@Bear, Penn has a tendency to ramble and bloviate. It comes with the territory of listening to him. As far as Romney’s Mormonism, it is targeted because most Christians, and Americans in general, consider it a cult. I think Mormonism is just as nuts as the rest of them, but they apparently do not get the connection. THAT is what Penn’s point is for this whole video. The fact that no matter whichSteve https://www.blogger.com/profile/03764984464386973713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-74399154496798159092011-12-05T21:33:19.213-05:002011-12-05T21:33:19.213-05:00Sorry...had a typo in my comment before...here it ...Sorry...had a typo in my comment before...here it is:<br /><br />So I'm someone who actually falls into that camp of believing that the Bible is true. I appreciate Penn's thoughts and point of view, but I'm not sure why my belief in God (or the Bible) automatically implies that I can't be a free thinker. <br /><br />I'll freely admit that there are things in the Bible that areAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13218361785834538291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-51693771851585709012011-12-05T21:23:30.418-05:002011-12-05T21:23:30.418-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13218361785834538291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-24855004842382508832011-12-05T16:24:09.084-05:002011-12-05T16:24:09.084-05:00I like Penn and I liked the first half of this vid...I like Penn and I liked the first half of this video, but the rest seemed like Penn was rambling a bit. He does make a fantastic point about how the sects have come together under the brand of "Christianity," but he ignores the case of Romney being targeted for being a mormon. Also, he needs to lighten up on the metaphors because I start to lose interest after someone yells "crazy Bearnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-82380692934938578442011-12-05T12:21:22.056-05:002011-12-05T12:21:22.056-05:00Penn: don't you think that the ability to thin...Penn: don't you think that the ability to think critically and without superstition is part of the evolution of our species and, if so, that this explains why smart politicians feel the need to espouse batshit crazy religion to the masses. There are still billions of people who have not yet learned to think critically, and many of them vote. Particularly in the south.James Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924076186902270786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-53106270864441212102011-12-05T06:49:53.756-05:002011-12-05T06:49:53.756-05:00Um...because they're bat shit crazy. QEDUm...because they're bat shit crazy. QEDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-57862082698295511092011-12-05T01:58:07.477-05:002011-12-05T01:58:07.477-05:00What a lot of these Christian voters don't see...What a lot of these Christian voters don't seem to realize is that these evangelical politicians that they vote for can sometimes be a threat to their own freedom of religion. Do you think that someone like Michelle Bachman will go to bat for Catholics or Mormons?<br /><br />It is really a matter of "My Jesus is better than you Jesus" and the only way to avoid it is to keep a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-5750726990131035962011-12-04T23:26:06.573-05:002011-12-04T23:26:06.573-05:00God is a big lie!!! Penn, you are my hero!<b>God is a big lie!!!</b> Penn, you are my hero!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-60807945512951165252011-12-04T21:51:49.102-05:002011-12-04T21:51:49.102-05:00Americans don't speak English....sad but true....Americans don't speak English....sad but true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-84522141305078048052011-12-04T19:13:40.467-05:002011-12-04T19:13:40.467-05:00Anon1: I think that you might mean "you'r...Anon1: I think that you might mean "you're" a jerk, you jerk!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-77625269159491934522011-12-04T18:55:58.557-05:002011-12-04T18:55:58.557-05:00Brilliant summation of the craziness that is ameri...Brilliant summation of the craziness that is america.ErnestPaynenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-40756044819055926902011-12-04T18:52:09.293-05:002011-12-04T18:52:09.293-05:00That was a good watch!That was a good watch!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318238367158196681.post-12345834227564194822011-12-04T18:25:22.631-05:002011-12-04T18:25:22.631-05:00your a jerkyour a jerkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com