Wub's Ramblings

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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "wubwub" journal:

May 13th, 2008
10:32 am [Link]	What works in deconverting Christians? What works in deconverting Christians? is an interesting analysis done by Kieran Bennett. Using deconversion testimonies posted on Positive Atheism, Kieran disected 117 entries and distilled just what worked. Surprisingly, Christianity itself did most of the damage. Either by confusing or conflicting answers from priests or from problems with dogma or in the Bible, Christianity served as its own worst enemy in most of the cases. Very few deconverts reported contact with atheists or atheists publications as their reason to leave their faith. The analysis is fascinating and thorough. I hope that as more stories come out they will add to the knowledge base we have started here and help show ways we can help others. (Spied on The Atheist Blogger) Current Location: wurk Current Mood: intrigued Current Music: Home (Home Sweet Home Orb Remi-The Orb Tags: freelink (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
May 7th, 2008
05:48 pm [Link]	Proof that Baptists Cause Tornados... Interesting post. There is a positive correlation between the number of Baptists and the incidence of tornados... Curious... Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: laughing Tags: freelink, funnee (2 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 1st, 2008
09:53 am [Link]	Creationism/Evolution 101 Reading List A very handy list by the National Center for Science Education that lists both accessible and technical books defending the teaching of evolution. I'm going to add a few to my library soon. Current Location: wurk Current Mood: curious Current Music: Girl-Stereophonics Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
April 18th, 2008
10:26 am [Link]	Answers in Genesis: BUSTED! Followup to yesterday's post. Bounced around a few links off yesterday's article and found an exchange between the Answers in Genesis: Busted! site and some random spokesbeing for AiG concerning experiments that verify evoluton. Its an excellent read and has well cited references to several experiments that support evolution. Current Location: wurk Current Mood: educated Current Music: Like a Drug (Bonus Track)-Queens Of The Stone Age Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
April 17th, 2008
08:50 pm [Link]	NewScientist: 24 Myths and Misconceptions about Evolution NewScientist magazine has an excellent article debunking 24 common misconceptions about Evolution. Topics range from "Survival of the fittest" justifies "everyone for themselves" to Mutations can only destroy information, not create it. Its an informative article even for non-deniers. Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: thoughtful Current Music: Walk Like an Egyptian-The Puppini Sisters Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
April 9th, 2008
11:04 am [Link]	Followup: Rep Davis called out by Keith Olbermann Following up to my earlier story about Illinois Rep Davis going off the bend on atheism, Friendly Atheist has comment and a video clip from Keith Olbermann calling Rep Davis to the mat. Current Location: wurk Current Mood: hopeful Current Music: Just Like Heaven-The Scooterz Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
April 4th, 2008
08:02 pm [Link]	Illinois State Legislator: "it's dangerous for our children to even know that [atheism] exists Errrr... wow... Now this is scary for religious freedom. It seems Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) thinks the very existence of atheism is dangerous and equates atheism with the destruction of society. Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon. Here's an article from the Chicago Tribune on the issue. Current Location: dining room table Current Mood: disappointed Tags: freelink (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
March 29th, 2008
01:43 pm [Link]	Spread Freedom: Fitna the Movie: a film about Islam Fitna is a short film about Islam. Since the film doesn't drool and fawn over Muslims, it is being called "anti-islam" and its producers are being threatened with the predictable death threats. The threats are so bad that even LiveLeak grew concerned about the safety of some of their affiliates and they pulled their copy. I don't know the details of the film. And honestly, I don't care. But I do care that people are getting death threats for expressing their opinion. And I also care that ignorant Muslim fundamentals are trying to force their will on others. So I'm taking my part in spreading it farther than the movie ever would have been spread if it weren't for ignorant censors. We may fear your ignorant violence, but we do not fear your little god. Here's a link to the Google Video of Fitna. And here's a torrent link Current Location: the big table Current Mood: angry Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
09:19 am [Link]	Jesus Christ Zombie Lord Jesus Christ Superstar meets Zombies! Soon to be a major motion picture. Check out the trailers over at http://3dayslater.net/. Current Location: the big table Current Mood: amused Tags: freelink, funnee (Leave a comment)
February 12th, 2008
12:53 pm [Link]	How can something so right be so wrong? - or - Torchwood Babies Words can barely express how wrong this is... Torchwood Babies. Its like Muppet Babies, but with Torchwood... Oh yea... you know you're gonna bookmark it :-) Current Location: wurk Current Mood: disturbed/curious Current Music: Trashed and Scattered-Avenged Sevenfold Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
11:07 am [Link]	Damnit, are Muslims even trying to not look like wackjobs??? How many posts do I have to make about wacky Muslims and their wacky ways this week? I'm starting to sound like LittleGreenFootballs... First the Washington Post headlines that Dane, Tunisians arrested in cartoonist murder plot. These wackos are still upset over cartoons drawn years ago and apparently still want to kill people who dared to laugh at them. On the upside, at least some Muslims are trying to put forth a voice of reason: The Islamic Faith Community, a religious Muslim organization at the centre of the cartoon controversy, condemned the plot, saying all disagreements should be handled via legal channels. "It does not serve our purpose that people take the law into their own hands. On the contrary," it said in a statement. "We want to appeal to reason in both politicians and the media to not use this miserable example to feed the flames or use it for their own profit. No one in Denmark deserves to live in fear." If only those voices would be more widespread in the Muslim world community... Which brings me to my second item: Saudi Arabia bans all things red ahead of Valentine's Day Every year, officials with the conservative Muslim kingdom's Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice clamp down on shops a few days before February 14, instructing them to remove red roses, red wrapping paper, gift boxes and teddy bears. On the eve of the holiday, they raid stores and seize symbols of love. Just wow... I can't even come up with a way to parody something that stoopid... Current Location: wurk Current Mood: indescribable Current Music: Scarecrow-Ministry Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
February 11th, 2008
07:05 pm [Link]	Here's another stoopid Islam story Seems I've been down on those wacky muslims lately, but maybe its just because they are getting so much press... So off the Telegraph we get news that female muslim doctors are refusing to wash up before surgery... I can't imagine muslims really want to be taken seriously if they are fighting for stoopid things like this. I'm sorry... I don't really care what stoopid stories you believe on your own time, but if you are going to operate on people, I expect you to follow the rules. If you can't play by the rules, don't take the job in the first place! And if you don't want to play by the rules now then feel free to go practice medicine somewhere that doesn't care quite as much about basic hygiene. I know I'll be a little more cautious when/if I need surgery, especially if I suspect the surgeon or nurse is a wackjob like this :-/ Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: depressed Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
11:38 am [Link]	Gods that Christians and Atheists do not believe in Gods that Christians and Atheists do not believe in. A nice fairly comprehensive list of all the various gods that Christians do not believe in side-by-side with the list of gods atheists do not believe in. Of course, its prolly too much to hope that some Christians will stop to think deeper about what the list means... sigh... Current Location: wurk Current Mood: introspective Current Music: Feel Good Inc.-Gorillaz Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
February 9th, 2008
07:38 pm [Link]	History Repeating: Tobacco, Global Warming and Evolution This link comes from our friends over at Panda's Thumb, an excellent blog that discusses current evolution issues (especially vs the Discovery Institute). The entry draws distinct parallels between the denial of the dangers of Tobacco, the problems of Global Warming and the "controversy" over Evolution. Good stuff. Read it. Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: impressed Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
February 8th, 2008
02:06 pm [Link]	Morality and religion Once again the topic of religion and morality came up in another discussion. For no apparent reason, I decided to comment on it this time (I usually leave these kind of discussions alone since the poster is usually clueless anyway and wouldn't know the real answer if it ate his foot)... We learn moral lessons from our parents and close friends and relatives and through trial, observation and learning. When you lie or steal, your parents and friends tend to distance themselves from you... When you tell the truth and be honest, your friends grow closer. Here is the related question for believers: If you believe you must have religion for morality, what would you do if you suddenly discovered that you were wrong? Would you go out and start killing, lying and cheating? Or would you remain the same basic person you are now??? If you would go out and start killing and lying and stealing, then you clearly are a worse person than most atheists. We don't have your religion and yet we dont go around killing, lying and stealing. If you would stay the same basic person you are now, then clearly your religion is not the source of your morals... just a thought Current Location: wurk Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Let's Go All the Way-Sly Fox Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
10:25 am [Link]	Just because I can... Since I blogged about the petition to get Wikipedia to remove the Muhammad images from the Muhammad entry, I saw there are several counter petitions springing up to have them keep the images. Not like it really matters since Wikipedia has said they are not removing the images anyway. But as follow-up, I figured I'd get in the fun and post Muhammed images too! :-) One of my faves is Muhammed selling things: But my favorite has to be from the "Dutch Cartoon Controversy" that ended up with people rioting and some number dead: Current Location: wurk Current Mood: annoyed Current Music: Kiss-Tom Jones Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
February 6th, 2008
10:42 am [Link]	Saudi's arrest a business woman for having a meeting with a man Ah the joys of Islam... At least the Islam as practiced by a large majority of the Islamic population of the Middle East. In the latest stoopid thing: police arrest a woman for having a business meeting with a man. Boy these guys really want to keep the world stuck in the 1500s. Its honestly amazing they allow lightbulbs, since such devices could allow a woman to be seen by a man! Oh the horror! Got to love it anytime any group takes it upon themselves to "protect" morality on behalf of everyone else... whether or not they want or need to be protected. And as usual in these situations, someone else being just a little bit free-er always seems to be a big problem for them and their morality. So a woman who doesn't have a problem meeting with a man becomes a problem for the thought police who always side with whatever freak has the most narrow views... And add to the idiots above, we get news that a group wants Wikipedia to stop showing pictures of their buddy Mohammed. Apparently they don't want to look at him, so they don't want anyone to look at him either. Luckily, Wikimedia is telling them to fuck off... good for them. The end result of this kind of action is that society as a whole gets dumbed down to the level of their most backwards members... to the detriment of all... Current Location: wurk Current Mood: disgusted Current Music: Just Like Heaven-The Cure Tags: freelink (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
January 31st, 2008
07:58 pm [Link]	Top 10 Bizarre Biblical Tales Here's a curious collection of 10 of the stranger tales from the Bible... I've always been partial to Judges 19:22-30 where we get threats of homosexual rape, real rape of a young woman and then rape and murder of a prostitute (with a later dismemberment thrown in for good measure)... Got to love them family values... But the rest of the list is interesting too... Read and enjoy... Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: disturbed Tags: freelink (Leave a comment)
October 6th, 2007
07:09 pm [Link]	Score one for our side The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the second largest religious group on the Missouri State University campus. Can I hear a Ramen! Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: sedated Tags: freelink (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
September 14th, 2007
08:11 pm [Link]	The Heap Paradox A good article on the Heap Paradox. The Heap Paradox goes like this: One grain of sand is not a heap. Two grains of sand do not make a heap. Three grains of sand do not make a heap. … X grains of sand do not make a heap. Adding 1 grain of sand to X grains of sand does not make a heap. (Some arbitrary large number of grains of sand) do not make a heap. Therefore, 10,000 grains of sand do not make a heap. This is important because it relates directly to a common creationist argument against evolution... Many believe that "micro evolution" can and does happen, but draw an arbitrary distinction that "macro evolution" does not happen. Whereas someone who accepts evolution sees no problem with lots and lots of "micro" changes being a "macro" change. The micro changes are like grains of sand. If you keep adding grains of sand, eventually you will have to agree that you have a heap of sand, even if you can not determine exactly which grain of sand converted it from X grains of sand into a heap of sand. Words to ponder... Current Location: cumfy chair Current Mood: pondering Tags: atheism, freelink (Leave a comment)

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