Iron Chariots Wiki - User contributions [en]

Douglas Adams

2007-03-26T17:21:40Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Douglas Noël Adams''' (March 11, 1952 - May 11, 2001) was a cult British comic dramatist, amateur musician and author, most notably of the ''Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' series of radio and television shows and books.

Adams was a self-declared "radical [[atheist]]", though he used the term for emphasis, so that he would not be asked if he in fact meant [[agnostic]]. He stated in an interview with [[American Atheists]] that this made things easier, but most importantly that it conveyed the fact that he really meant it, had thought about it a great deal, and that it was an opinion he held seriously. He was convinced that there is no [[God]], having never seen one shred of evidence to convince him otherwise, and devoted himself instead to secular causes such as environmentalism. Despite this, he did state in the same interview that he was "fascinated by [[religion]]." [...] "I love to keep poking and prodding at it. I’ve thought about it so much over the years that that fascination is bound to spill over into my writing." His fascination he ascribed to the fact that so many "otherwise rational... intelligent people... nevertheless take it [the existence of God] seriously".

Adams is credited with introducing a fan and later friend of his, the zoologist [[Richard Dawkins]], to Dawkins' future wife, Lalla Ward, who had played the part of Romana in a number of episodes of the ''Doctor Who'' television series.

==Quotes==
{{quote-source|. . . imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, `This is an interesting world I find myself in, an interesting hole I find myself in, fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!' This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it's still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. I think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for.|As quoted in Richard Dawkins's [http://www.edge.org/documents/adams_index.html Eulogy] for Douglas Adams}}

{{quote-source|So, I was already familiar with and (I’m afraid) accepting of, the view that you couldn’t apply the [[logic]] of [[physics]] to religion, that they were dealing with different types of ‘[[truth]]’. (I now think this is baloney, but to continue...) What astonished me, however, was the realization that the arguments in favor of religious ideas were so feeble and silly next to the robust arguments of something as interpretative and opinionated as history. In fact they were embarrassingly childish. They were never subject to the kind of outright challenge which was the normal stock in trade of any other area of intellectual endeavor whatsoever. Why not? Because they wouldn’t stand up to it.|[http://www.americanatheist.org/win98-99/T2/silverman.html Interview with American Atheists]}}

==Writings==

Adams' fascination with religion was evident in much of his writing.

===The Babel Fish===

In the original ''The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy'', we are introduced to the Babel Fish, a small, yellow, leech-like creature that, if placed in your ear, will instantly translate anything said to you in any form of language.

:''Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.''
:''The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for [[scientific evidence|proof]] denies [[faith]], and without faith I am nothing."''
:''"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have [[evolution|evolved]] by chance. It proves that you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. [[Q.E.D.]]"''
:''"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of [[logic]].''
:''"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.'' 

===The Great Prophet Zarquon===

In ''The Restaurant at the End of the Universe'', we are introduced to The Church of the Great Prophet [[Zarquon]], who have been waiting for Zarquon's second coming. Zarquon (who obviously parallels [[Jesus]]) appears just moments before the end of the universe, and all he has time to say is: "Er, how are we for time? Have I just got a min-"

===God's final message===

In ''So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish'', the fourth book of five, in the horribly misnamed ''The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy'' Trilogy, God's Final Message to His Creation is...

'''"WE APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE"'''.

The two main characters of the book, Arthur Dent and Fenchurch, upon reading the message, are filled with a profound sense of peace, calm, and understanding: "Well, that's alright, then."

===Entirely accurate dating technique===

"And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change..." --''The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy''

==External links==

* [http://www.douglasadams.com/ Official web site]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

David Hume

2007-03-26T17:21:18Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''David Hume''' (1711–1776) was a noted historian and essayist, but is best known as one of the most important philosophers ever to write in English. The last of the great triumvirate of "British empiricists", he is widely regarded by fans and critics alike as an influential [[skeptic]] and [[atheist]].

==External links==

* [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Dan Barker

2007-03-26T17:20:44Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Dan Barker''' is a former Minister who is now an outspoken atheist. He is co-president of the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]], and cohost of the [[Freethought Radio]] show.

His books include ''[[Losing Faith in Faith]]: From Preacher to Atheist''.

He is also a musician and composer, and still receives royalties for religious songs he wrote when he was a believer.

==Quotes==

{{quote-source|The next time believers tell you that '[[separation of church and state]]' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using the word '[[trinity]].' The word 'trinity' appears nowhere in the [[bible]]. Neither does [[Rapture]], or [[Second Coming]], or [[Original Sin]]. If they are still unfazed (or unphrased), by this, then add [[Omniscience]], [[Omnipresence]], [[Supernatural]], [[Transcendence]], [[Afterlife]], [[Deity]], [[Divinity]], [[Theology]], [[Monotheism]], [[Missionary]], [[Immaculate Conception]], [[Christmas]], [[Christianity]], [[Evangelical]], [[Fundamentalist]], [[Methodist]], [[Catholic]], [[Pope]], [[Cardinal]], [[Catechism]], [[Purgatory]], [[Penance]], [[Transubstantiation]], [[Excommunication]], [[Dogma]], [[Chastity]], [[Unpardonable Sin]], [[Infallibility]], [[Inerrancy]], [[Incarnation]], [[Epiphany]], [[Sermon]], [[Eucharist]], the [[Lord's Prayer]], [[Good Friday]], [[Doubting Thomas]], [[Advent]], [[Sunday School]], [[Dead Sea]], [[Golden Rule]], Moral, [[Morality]], [[Ethics]], Patriotism, Education, [[Atheism]], [[Apostasy]], Conservative (Liberal is in), [[Capital Punishment]], [[Monogamy]], [[Abortion]], [[Pornography]], [[Homosexual]], Lesbian, Fairness, [[Logic]], Republic, Democracy, Capitalism, Funeral, [[Decalogue]], or Bible.|''Losing Faith in Faith''}}

==External links==
[http://www.ffrf.org/about/bio_dan.php Dan's Bio]

{{atheist-stub}}

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Penn Jillette

2007-03-26T17:19:59Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Penn Jillette''' (born March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachussets) is the taller, more vocal half of comedy magic act Penn & Teller. He has been an outspoken atheist and champion of freethinker causes for thirty years.

Recently Jillette was featured on NPR's ''This I Believe'' program, where he laid out his convictions in no uncertain terms:

:''"This I believe: I believe there is no [[God]]. Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me."'' For more, see [[There Is No God]] under [[Essays & Articles]].

Penn and his partner [[Teller]] have expressed distaste for many traditional magic acts; they believe these acts insult audiences by pretending the magic is real.

The cable TV show ''[[Bullshit!]]'', which Penn & Teller produce and host, is in its fourth season on Showtime. The show attempts to entertain while exposing frauds, debunking myths and slaying sacred cows. Show topics have included [[ESP]], [[cryptozoology]], alternative medicine, [[creationism]], [[ghost]] hunters and alien abductions. In one of the more controversial episodes, ''Holier than Thou'', the show was critical of Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and [[Mother Theresa]]. The show claimed the beatified nun spent donated funds on missionary work rather than healthcare facilities. The program has been nominated for six Emmys and praised by critics and freethinkers alike.

Penn also hosts an hour-long radio show five days a week, broadcast out of his home in Las Vegas.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Jim Huber

2007-03-26T17:19:16Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''"Reverend" Jim Huber''' is a website author who writes short comedic and philosophical pieces about [[religion]]. He is best known for authoring the piece [[Kissing Hank's Ass]].

==External Links==

*[http://www.jhuger.com Jhuger.com]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category: Atheists]]

James Randi

2007-03-26T17:18:45Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Image:Randi james.jpg|thumb|left|James Randi himself]]
'''James "The Amazing" Randi''' has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today he is best known as the world's most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.

Randi has pursued "psychic" spoonbenders, exposed the dirty tricks of faith healers, investigated homeopathic water "with a memory," and generally been a thorn in the sides of those who try to pull the wool over the public's eyes in the name of the supernatural.

[[Image:Randi1.jpg|thumb|right|James "the Amazing" Randi in a more mystical moment.]]
==JREF==
In 1996, the [[James Randi Educational Foundation]] was established to further Randi's work. Among other duties, the foundation adminsters a [[million dollar paranormal challenge]], offering a prize to anyone who can prove the existence of any supernatural phenomenon. To date, it remains unclaimed.

==External links==

* [http://www.randi.org/jr/index.html About James Randi]

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Teller

2007-03-26T17:18:05Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Teller''' (born Raymond Joseph Teller on February 14, 1948) is an American magician, best known as the smaller, silent half of the comedy magic duo known as [[Penn & Teller]]. He has legally changed his name to Teller.

Teller, like his partner [[Penn Jillette]], has been an "out-of-the-closet" [[atheist]] for thirty years, and supports various freethinker causes such as the [[James Randi Educational Foundation]]. He is the co-host and co-producer, along with his partner Penn Jillette, of the Showtime program ''[[Bullshit!]]'', which debunks myths with glee.

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Terry Pratchett

2007-03-26T17:17:24Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{wikipedia}}
'''Terry Pratchett''' is a British author, most famous for the Discworld series of novels. His book ''Small Gods'', in particular, is an indictment of organized religion; ''Good Omens'' (cowritten wiith Neil Gaiman) pokes fun at the notion of the [[apocalypse]].

{{atheist-stub}}
[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Bertrand Russell

2007-03-26T17:16:07Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{wikipedia|Bertrand Russell}}
'''Bertrand William Russell''' (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, and mathematician, working mostly in the 20th century. A prolific writer, Russell was a strong advocate of the creative and rational life, and he spoke passionately about his many controversial positions, including [[atheism]].

Russell's views on religion can be found in his popular book, ''[[Why I Am Not a Christian]] and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects''.

{{atheist-stub}}
[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Ricky Gervais

2007-03-26T17:15:36Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Ricky Gervais''' (June 25, 1961–) is an English comedian, writer, director, actor, and self-described [[atheist]]. Already considered a comedy legend in his own country, he is probably most famous for his BBC sitcom ''The Office'', a spoof of reality shows (and corporate culture), in which he starred as David Brent, the office manager of a paper supply company. Gervais co-wrote and co-directed the show with frequent collaborator Stephen Merchant. The two also wrote and directed the BBC and HBO series ''Extras'', now in production on it's second season, about the lives of "background artists". One of the episodes from the first season features the main character, played by Gervais, pretending to be [[Catholic]] to woo a fellow extra. Gervais has won numerous awards for his writing and two Golden Globes for his role as David Brent.

Gervais is the author of ''Flanimals'', a series of children's books which use whimsical illustrations and humourous descriptions of fictitious animals to explain [[evolution]] to kids.

His live shows "Animals" and "Politics" are now available on DVD. Both contain well considered and extremely funny takes on the [[creation story]] and [[religion]] in general.

==External links==

# [http://www.rickygervais.com/ Official site]
# [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_EXqdJ4L7I Video of Ricky Gervais explaining Genesis].

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Robert Green Ingersoll

2007-03-26T17:14:51Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''He stripped off the armor of institutional friendships''''' 
'''''To dedicate his soul''''' 
'''''To the terrible deities of Truth and Beauty.''''' 
— Edgar Lee Masters, "Poem for R. G. Ingersoll"

'''Robert Green Ingersoll''' (August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899) was a nineteenth century orator, lawyer, and [[agnostic]]. In a time before pay per view television and motion pictures, Ingersoll commanded premium fees for speaking engagements. Although Ingersoll spoke on the subjects important to his age, he earned the sobriquet "The Great Agnostic" with lectures titled “Superstition”, “Some Mistakes of Moses”, “The Gods”, and the famous “Why I Am an Agnostic”.

As he grew richer and more famous he became a friend and inspiration to the celebrities of his day. Among those people touched by Ingersoll's oratory were Walt Whitman, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison and many others. Mark Twain once remarked of Ingersoll, "What an organ human speech is when employed by a master".

Ingersoll's unwavering defense of [[science]], [[humanism]], and agnosticism make him one of the great heroes of the [[free thought]] movement. His speeches and essays are a "must read" for any serious student of anti-apologetics.

==Biography==

Robert Green Ingersoll was born in Dresden, New York on August 11, 1833. His father, John, was an itinerant minister who gave fiery abolitionist sermons. His mother, Mary, died when Robert was one and a half years old. He had four siblings, Ruth, John, Mary Jane, Ebon and Clark.

Because of his family's constant traveling Ingersoll was poorly educated until he was enrolled in school at the age of 15. He would later say that his real education began when, idling at a cobblers shop, he happened to pick up and read a book of poetry by Robert Burns. Having learned to love education he spent a short time as an itinerant teacher in Illinois and Tennessee.

Eventually he settled in Peoria, Illinois where, with his brother Ebon, he apprenticed in law and stood the bar. It was at this point that Ingersoll became active in politics and began to forge his reputation as one of the greatest orators of his day.

Robert met his wife, Eva Amelia Parker, while trying a case in Groveland, IL. Amelia was the daughter of a well-to-do family and some credit her with Roberts introduction to agnosticism. Amelia and Robert would have two daughters, Eva Robert in 1863 and Maud Robert in 1864.

Although he originally opposed Lincoln's candidacy, when the civil war broke out Ingersoll mustered a regiment to fight with the union army. A Colonel of the regiment, Robert served under General Prentiss. He saw devastating action at the battle of Shiloh. He was appointed Chief of Cavalry after several other engagements, but was eventually captured by the south. He was offered release if he resigned his commission, not an uncommon practice at the time, which he did.

At home he began to secure his fortune and his reputation as a lawyer and an orator. He acted as an attorney for the rail roads and as the defense attorney in many criminal cases. Among his most famous successes was as the defense attorney in the "Star Route Scandal", a federal case in which the defendants were charged with defrauding the government in the handling, or mishandling, of postal routes. Among his most important failures was the defense of C.B. Reynolds on charges of Blasphemy. Reynolds was found guilty but, because of Ingersoll's spirited defense, Reynolds was levied a 'wrist slap' fine and blasphemy laws were rarely prosecuted again.

Ingersoll served as Illinois' first Attorney General and was active in politics for most of his life. He campaigned for many republican candidates, helped James Garfield win his presidential bid, and managed the successful congressional campaign for his brother Ebon. His presidential nominating speech for James G. Blaine, "The Plumed Knight Speech", set the standard for political oratory in his day. Robert was offered the chance to run for Governor of Illinois. But, knowing he would have to ameliorate his agnostic and humanistic opinions, he refused to run, writing:

: ''"I have in my composition that which I have declared to the world as my views upon religion. My position I would not, under any circumstances, not even for my life, seem to renounce. I would rather refuse to be President of the United States than to do so. My religious belief is my own. It belongs to me, not to the State of Illinois. I would not smother one sentiment of my heart to be the Emperor of the round world."''

After a long career as a lawyer and orator, Ingersoll died at the age of 65 of heart deceases while staying with his daughter's family at Dobbs Ferry-on-Hudson, New York. According the Ingersoll biographer, Herman E. Kittredge, after a day of feeling ill ''"Mrs Ingersoll said: "Why, Papa, your tongue is coated -- I must give you some medicine." He looked up at her with a smile and said, "I am better now," and, as he did so, closed his eyes...Ingersoll was dead."''

Today Robert Ingersoll's birthplace in Dresden, New York is maintained as a historic monument.

==A man of his times==

It must be remembered that Robert Green Ingersoll was a man of his times. Although his positions were enlightened for his day, many of his ideas would strike modern readers as deeply offensive. He was a staunch abolitionist but did not believe in racial equality. Even as he argued that the law must apply equally to all men regardless of race or religion, he maintained that former slaves should be moved to a separate homeland.

His eloquent defense of women's suffrage did not change his opinion that women where the back bone of home life. It is unlikely that Ingersoll could have imagined the working women of today.

Ingersoll believed in the capitalism of his day and felt that work was among the highest of human values. A large portion of his wealth came from his enormously successful defense of the railroad "robber Barron's". This included loop-hole-legal-wrangling that deprived many farmers of their land for the good of the railroad's rights-of-way.

Although Ingersoll was connected to some humanist and [[atheist]] organizations, it is unclear how much of his wealth was spent to support these groups.

Robert Ingersoll's eloquent defense of humanism, science, and agnosticism make him deserving of great respect in the non-religious community. But he was a human being, with all the flaws and foibles of our species, and very definitely a man of his times.

==Quotes==

The doctrine of eternal punishment is in perfect harmony with the savagery of the men who made the orthodox creeds. It is in harmony with torture, with flaying alive, and with burnings. The men who burned their fellow-men for a moment, believed that God would burn his enemies forever.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Crumbling Creeds"''

We have heard talk enough. We have listened to all the drowsy, idealess, vapid sermons that we wish to hear. We have read your Bible and the works of your best minds. We have heard your prayers, your solemn groans and your reverential amens. All these amount to less than nothing. We want one fact. We beg at the doors of your churches for just one little fact. We pass our hats along your pews and under your pulpits and implore you for just one fact. We know all about your mouldy wonders and your stale miracles. We want a this year's fact. We ask only one. Give us one fact for charity. Your miracles are too ancient. The witnesses have been dead for nearly two thousand years.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "The Gods" (1872)''

Who can over estimate the progress of the world if all the money wasted in superstition could be used to enlighten, elevate and civilize mankind?
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Some Mistakes of Moses"''

An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures. Certainly he ought not so to act that laws become necessary to keep him from being laughed at. No one thinks of protecting Shakespeare from ridicule, by the threat of fine and imprisonment.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Some Mistakes of Moses"''

The old lady who said there must be a devil, else how could they make pictures that looked exactly like him, reasoned like a trained theologian -- like a doctor of divinity.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, from "Superstition" (1898)''

I admit that reason is a small and feeble flame, a flickering torch by stumblers carried in the star-less night, -- blown and flared by passion's storm, -- and yet, it is the only light. Extinguish that, and nought remains.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, from "A Reply To The Rev. Henry M. Field, D.D."''

But honest men do not pretend to know; they are candid and sincere; they love the truth; they admit their ignorance, and they say, "We do not know."
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Superstition" (1898)''

The agnostic does not simply say, "l do not know." He goes another step, and he says, with great emphasis, that you do not know. He insists that you are trading on the ignorance of others, and on the fear of others. He is not satisfied with saying that you do not know, -- he demonstrates that you do not know, and he drives you from the field of fact -- he drives you from the realm of reason -- he drives you from the light, into the darkness of conjecture -- into the world of dreams and shadows, and he compels you to say, at last, that your faith has no foundation in fact.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Reply To Dr. Lyman Abbott"''

In all ages hypocrites, called priests, have put crowns on the heads of thieves, called kings.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll (1884), quoted from Herman E. Kittredge, A Biographical Appreciation of Robert Green Ingersoll, Chapter XII''

The churches have no confidence in each other. Why? Because they are acquainted with each other.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, quoted from the book Ingersoll the Magnificent, edited by Joseph Lewis, which does not cite references''

It may be that ministers really think that their prayers do good and it may be that frogs imagine that their croaking brings spring.
— ''Robert Green Ingersoll, "Which Way?" (1884)''

Christianity has such a contemptible opinion of human nature that it does not believe a man can tell the truth unless frightened by a belief in God. No lower opinion of the human race has ever been expressed.
— Robert Green Ingersoll, discussing the practice of not allowing atheists to give testimony in court: "In most of the States of this Union I could not give testimony. Should a man be murdered before my eyes I could not tell a jury who did it." — ''quoted from the book ''Ingersoll the Magnificent'', edited by Joseph Lewis, which does not cite references''

The clergy know that I know that they know that they do not know.
— '' Robert Green Ingersoll, "Orthodoxy" (1884)''

==External links==

* [http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/ingersoll.htm Quotes by Robert Igersoll]
* [http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/newton_baker/intimate_view.html Robert G. Ingersoll -- An Intimate View], by I. Newton Baker, A.M.
* [http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/ The complete works of Robert Ingersoll]
* [http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/herman_kittredge/bio_ingersoll/index.shtml A comprehensive biography]
* [http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=33319 The Robert Ingersoll Podcast], Readings from Ingersoll's writings.

[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:People]]

Isaac Asimov

2007-03-26T17:13:46Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{stub}}
'''Isaac Asimov''' (1920–1992) was an author of [[science-fiction]] and promoter of popular [[science]] who wrote a number of books about a wide variety of subjects, including history, Shakespeare, and the [[Bible]].
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:People]]

Richard Dawkins

2007-03-26T17:13:13Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Richard Dawkins''' is a British zoologist, currently holding the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of [[Science]] at Oxford University. He is also a very outspoken [[atheist]].

Amongst his popular published output on [[zoology]], [[biology]] and [[evolution]] his latest work ''[[The God Delusion]]'' is concerned primarily with [[religion]], [[belief]] and the effects it has, and has had, on society, and why such should be considered anathema to those who value life.

Dawkins' opinions on the various aspects of religion have been seen by some to be quite agressive, and he is famous for opining that bringing children up in a religious environment is tantamount to child abuse, and for comparing religion to a [[meme]], or mind virus.

==External links==
* [http://richarddawkins.net/home Richard Dawkins' web site]
* [http://richarddawkins.net/foundation The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science]

[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:People]]

Thomas Jefferson

2007-03-26T17:11:44Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{wikipedia}}
[[Thomas Jefferson]] (1743–1826) was the third President, and one of the [[Founding Fathers]], of the United States of America. He was the principal author of the [[Declaration of Independence]] and the [[Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom]], which served as the basis for the [[First Amendment]] to the U.S. [[Constitution]].

==Religious views==
===On Christianity===
In the ongoing attempt to proclaim the United States a [[Christian nation]], many [[historical revisionist]]s attempt to classify Jefferson as a Christian. This seems particularly ironic as Jefferson was accused of being an [[atheist]] and an enemy of religion by political opponents and ministers of his time. He has generally been considered a [[deist]], though some have labeled him a Christian deist as he respected the moral tenets of [[Christianity]] yet rejected the idea that [[Jesus]] was divine.

He redacted a copy of the [[gospel]]s of the [[Bible]], removing references to [[miracle]]s (which he rejected) and other [[supernatural]] claims, leaving the words and moral philosophy of Jesus. A partial quote from Jefferson, commenting on this book (later dubbed the "Jefferson Bible"), is often used to support the idea that he was a Christian:
:''"...[the [[Jefferson Bible]]] is a document in proof that I am a real Christian"''

A fine example of [[quote mining]], the remainder of the quote gives important context to Jefferson's true position:
:''"...that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, very different from the Platonists, who call me infidel and themselves Christians and preachers of the gospel, while they draw all their characteristic dogmas from what its author never said nor saw."''

His rejection of orthodox Christianity did not sit well with his religious contemporaries, resulting in accusations that he was an infidel. Modern revisionists who label Jefferson a Christian are either ignorant of his views on Christianity or are intentionally misrepresenting his views in the hopes that these idealistic and anachronistic claims will be accepted.

Another quote which provides more insight into Jefferson's views on Christianity comes from his "Notes on Virginia:

:''"I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature.....Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make half the world fools and half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the world"''

===On religious freedom===
Jefferson was a true advocate of religious freedom and encouraged the complete neutrality of the government with respect to religion. In addition to the ideas presented in the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Jefferson refused to issue proclamations calling for days of prayer and thanksgiving during his Presidency.

His private and public letters include many objections to any tie between organized religion and government and his famous letter to the Danbury Baptist Association includes the first reference to "a wall of separation":

:''"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a '''wall of separation between church and State.'''"''

This same sentiment is echoed in a letter to Virginia Baptists:
:''"Because religious belief, or non-belief, is such an important part of every person's life, freedom of religion affects every individual. State churches that use government power to support themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of the church tends to make the clergy unresponsive to the people and leads to corruption within religion. Erecting the '''<nowiki>'</nowiki>wall of separation between church and state,<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society."''

[[Category:Separation of church and state]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:People]]

Thomas Jefferson

2007-03-26T17:10:08Z

BringerO'Truth:

There Is No God

2007-03-26T17:07:35Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''There Is No God''''' is a contribution by [[Penn Jillette]] to NPR's ''This I Believe'' program. This short essay explains Penn's beliefs and explicitly places him in [[Strong Atheist]] school of thought. To read the essay in its entirety or listen to the essay, please visit the official ''NPR: This I Believe'' website below.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category: Essays & Articles]]

Penn Jillette

2007-03-26T17:07:10Z

BringerO'Truth:

There Is No God

2007-03-26T17:06:34Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''There Is No God''''' is a contribution by [[Penn Jillette]] to NPR's ''This I Believe'' program. This short essay explains Penn's beliefs and explicitly places him in [[Strong Atheist]] school of thought.

To read the essay in its entirety or listen to the essay, please visit the official ''NPR: This I Believe'' website below.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category: Essays & Articles]]

There Is No God

2007-03-26T17:05:53Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''There Is No God''''' is a contributions by [[Penn Jillette]] to NPR's ''This I Believe'' program. This short essay explains Penn's beliefs and explicitly places him in [[Strong Atheist]] school of thought.

To read the essay in its entirety or listen to the essay, please visit the official ''NPR: This I Believe'' website below.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category: Essays & Articles]]

Penn Jillette

2007-03-26T16:55:06Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Penn Jillette''' (born March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachussets) is the taller, more vocal half of comedy magic act Penn & Teller. He has been an outspoken atheist and champion of freethinker causes for thirty years.

Recently Jillette was featured on NPR's ''This I Believe'' program, where he laid out his convictions in no uncertain terms:

:''"This I believe: I believe there is no [[God]]. Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me."'' For the full essay, or to listen to the essay, see [[There Is No God]] under Essays & Articles.

Penn and his partner [[Teller]] have expressed distaste for many traditional magic acts; they believe these acts insult audiences by pretending the magic is real.

The cable TV show ''[[Bullshit!]]'', which Penn & Teller produce and host, is in its fourth season on Showtime. The show attempts to entertain while exposing frauds, debunking myths and slaying sacred cows. Show topics have included [[ESP]], [[cryptozoology]], alternative medicine, [[creationism]], [[ghost]] hunters and alien abductions. In one of the more controversial episodes, ''Holier than Thou'', the show was critical of Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and [[Mother Theresa]]. The show claimed the beatified nun spent donated funds on missionary work rather than healthcare facilities. The program has been nominated for six Emmys and praised by critics and freethinkers alike.

Penn also hosts an hour-long radio show five days a week, broadcast out of his home in Las Vegas.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category:Atheists]]

Penn Jillette

2007-03-26T16:54:35Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Penn Jillette''' (born March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachussets) is the taller, more vocal half of comedy magic act Penn & Teller. He has been an outspoken atheist and champion of freethinker causes for thirty years.

Recently Jillette was featured on NPR's ''This I Believe'' program, where he laid out his convictions in no uncertain terms:

:''"This I believe: I believe there is no [[God]]. Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me."'' For the full essay, or to listen to the essay, eee [[NPR: There Is No God]] under Essays & Articles.

Penn and his partner [[Teller]] have expressed distaste for many traditional magic acts; they believe these acts insult audiences by pretending the magic is real.

The cable TV show ''[[Bullshit!]]'', which Penn & Teller produce and host, is in its fourth season on Showtime. The show attempts to entertain while exposing frauds, debunking myths and slaying sacred cows. Show topics have included [[ESP]], [[cryptozoology]], alternative medicine, [[creationism]], [[ghost]] hunters and alien abductions. In one of the more controversial episodes, ''Holier than Thou'', the show was critical of Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and [[Mother Theresa]]. The show claimed the beatified nun spent donated funds on missionary work rather than healthcare facilities. The program has been nominated for six Emmys and praised by critics and freethinkers alike.

Penn also hosts an hour-long radio show five days a week, broadcast out of his home in Las Vegas.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category:Atheists]]

Penn Jillette

2007-03-26T16:53:44Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Penn Jillette''' (born March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachussets) is the taller, more vocal half of comedy magic act Penn & Teller. He has been an outspoken atheist and champion of freethinker causes for thirty years.

Recently Jillette was featured on NPR's ''This I Believe'' program, where he laid out his convictions in no uncertain terms:

:''"This I believe: I believe there is no [[God]]. Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me."'' See [[NPR: There Is No God]] under Essays & Articles.

Penn and his partner [[Teller]] have expressed distaste for many traditional magic acts; they believe these acts insult audiences by pretending the magic is real.

The cable TV show ''[[Bullshit!]]'', which Penn & Teller produce and host, is in its fourth season on Showtime. The show attempts to entertain while exposing frauds, debunking myths and slaying sacred cows. Show topics have included [[ESP]], [[cryptozoology]], alternative medicine, [[creationism]], [[ghost]] hunters and alien abductions. In one of the more controversial episodes, ''Holier than Thou'', the show was critical of Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and [[Mother Theresa]]. The show claimed the beatified nun spent donated funds on missionary work rather than healthcare facilities. The program has been nominated for six Emmys and praised by critics and freethinkers alike.

Penn also hosts an hour-long radio show five days a week, broadcast out of his home in Las Vegas.

==External links==

* [http://www.pennandteller.com/ Penn and Teller home page]
* [http://penn.freefm.com/ Penn radio show home page]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5015557 "This I Believe" segment]

[[Category:Atheists]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T21:03:23Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T21:02:46Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]
[[Category:Books]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T21:01:23Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T21:00:00Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]
[[Category:Koran]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T20:59:06Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]

Category:Bible

2007-03-25T20:58:32Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]
[[Category: Books]]

Category:Holy books

2007-03-25T20:57:22Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Books]]

Category:Holy books

2007-03-25T20:57:00Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category:Holy books]]

Category:Games

2007-03-25T20:53:42Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category: Media]]

Dungeons & Dragons

2007-03-25T20:53:24Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{wikipedia}}
'''Dungeons & Dragons''' is a fantasy roleplaying game published by Wizards of the Coast. The original Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in 1974 by Gygax's company, Tactical Studies Rules (TSR).

==Controversy==

Dungeons & Dragons has come under attack from the [[religious right]] for ostensibly promoting [[Satanism]] and [[witchcraft]]. The controversy inspired a [[Chick tract]] entitled ''[[Dark Dungeons]]''. [[Patricia Pulling]] also led a crusade to fight D&D, with her one-person activist group called "Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons" (BADD).

==External links==

* [http://www.wizards.com/Dnd/ Official site]
* [http://www.chick.com/articles/dnd.asp Straight Talk on Dungeons and Dragons] by [[William Schnoebelen]] (an [[apologist]])

[[Category:Games]]

Letters from the Earth

2007-03-25T20:52:09Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''Letters from the Earth''''' is a story by [[Mark Twain]], published after his death. It is written as a series of letters from the exiled [[archangel]] [[Satan]] to his friends back in heaven. The letters contain a series of sardonic observations about mankind and their beliefs about religion.

==Quotes==

===First commandment===
{{Quote-desc|Regarding "thou shalt have no other gods before me":|But wait - I am not fair; I am misrepresenting him; prejudice is beguiling me into saying what is not true. He did not say he wanted all of the adulations; he said nothing about not being willing to share them with his fellow gods; what he said was, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

:It is a quite different thing, and puts him in a much better light - I confess it. There was an abundance of gods, the woods were full of them, as the saying is, and all he demanded was that he should be ranked as high as the others - not above any of them, but not below any of them. He was willing that they should fertilize earthly virgins, but not on any better terms than he could have for himself in his turn. He wanted to be held their equal. This he insisted upon, in the clearest language: he would have no other gods before him. They could march abreast with him, but none of them could head the procession, and he did not claim the right to head it himself.|''Letters from the Earth''}}

[[Category:Essays & Articles]]

Left Behind

2007-03-25T20:50:29Z

BringerO'Truth:

''Left Behind'' is a popular series of apocalyptic fiction novels by [[Tim LaHaye]] and [[Jerry B. Jenkins]]. It is the story of a post-[[rapture]] world, after all the [[Christians]] disappear.

''Left Behind'' was adapted into two movies (so far) which star [[Kirk Cameron]].

[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Movies]]

The Chronicles of Narnia

2007-03-25T20:49:12Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{wikipedia}}
'''''The Chronicles of Narnia''''' is a series of seven fantasy novels written by [[C.S. Lewis]]. Written between 1949 and 1954, the stories focus on adventures in the magical land of Narnia. The first book, ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' has been made into a feature film and the sequel, ''Prince Caspian'', is scheduled to be released in 2008. Film versions of the remaining books may follow.

==The books==
The books were originally published in the following order.

# ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe''
# ''Prince Caspian''
# ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader''
# ''The Silver Chair''
# ''The Horse and His Boy''
# ''The Magician's Nephew''
# ''The Last Battle''

Some packaged sets have included them in chronological storyline order instead; see the chronology section below.

==Series overview==
The world of Narnia exists in a universe parallel to our own. It is filled with talking animals and other magical creatures. Narnia is monitored by a benevolent lion named [[Aslan]]. Aslan is not technically a ruler, but he appears to have a high degree of special powers, and he occasionally appears to give guidance or magical support to the people of Narnia in times of dire need.

Narnia also has a neighboring country called Calormen. Narnia and Calormen are separated by a large desert and the country of Archenland. The people of Calormen are described as dark-skinned people with a garlic-scented breath, who wear turbans and pointy slippers and are armed with scimitars. Some of the villains of the series come from Calormen.

In each book (except for ''The Horse and His Boy'') some children from the "real" world find a gateway to the world of Narnia and have some adventures there.

Time passes differently between Narnia and Earth. A child who visits Narnia always returns to Earth to discover that no time has passed, even if they were in Narnia for many years. Between trips to Narnia, months or years may pass.

==Chronology and book details==

Taken in proper order, the story arc runs as follows.

# ''The Magician's Nephew'': Around the turn of the century two children, Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, are given some magical rings. The rings can transport them to numerous other worlds. In the second half of the book, they watch as [[Aslan]] creates the world of Narnia.
# ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'': Set many years after ''The Magician's Nephew'', the story follows the Pevensie siblings, Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter. They discover a gateway to Narnia in a wardrobe. After they help Aslan to defeat the white witch who threatens Narnia, they grow to adulthood, yet when they return to Earth it is moments later and they are children again.
# ''The Horse and His Boy'': The only book to be set entirely in the Narnian world, ''The Horse and His Boy'' chronicles the journey of Shasta, a young boy living in Calormen. After meeting a talking horse named Bree, Shasta escapes from slavery and travels to Narnia, saving them from a war with the Calormenes in the process.
# ''Prince Caspian'': The Pevensie kids return to Narnia and discover that a thousand years have passed since their reign. They meet Prince Caspian, the rightful Narnian monarch who has been usurped by his wicked uncle Miraz.
# ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'': Lucy and Edmund are joined in Narnia by their unpleasant cousin Eustace Scrubb. They arrive on a ship owned by King Caspian, and sail across the world with him.
# ''The Silver Chair'': Eustace is joined by his school friend Jill Pole. Eustace and Jill are charged by Aslan with the task of rescuing Prince Rilian, Caspian's son. Along the way they are also joined by an odd creature named Puddleglum.
# ''The Last Battle'': Two hundred years after the ''The Silver Chair'', Narnia is threatened by a false god and a Calormen invasion. All the Earth characters from the previous books make an appearance, including the adults Digory and Polly, as they try to save the world and the people in it.

==Christian parallels==
C.S. Lewis was Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at the University of Cambridge and a lifelong student of mythology and fairy tales. The books reflect these influences as well as Lewis' [[Christian]] beliefs. Many have described the series as Christian allegory, though Lewis preferred to call them "suppositional" - the distinction being that allegory consists of figurative language to relay literal meaning while the ''Narnia'' series is a literal work in a fictional setting. From a literary standpoint, Lewis may be correct but some claim that this view considers the book on its own, while considering the book in the context of an extended message for life beyond the fantasy realm renders it allegorical. The confusion of terms has little bearing on the fact that books do, intentionally, place the character of [[Jesus Christ]] in an alternate reality, with another body and another name (Aslan).

With regard to motive, Lewis stated:
{{Quote-source|Some people seem to think that I began by asking myself how I could say something about Christianity to children; then fixed on the fairy tale as an instrument, then collected information about child psychology and decided what age group I'd write for; then drew up a list of basic Christian truths and hammered out 'allegories' to embody them. This is all pure moonshine. I couldn't write in that way. It all began with images; a faun carrying an umbrella, a queen on a sledge, a magnificent lion. At first there wasn't anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord.|Lewis in ''Of Other Worlds''}}
Regardless of his initial plan, the parallels between Aslan and Jesus exist and were structured, Lewis claims, to give "''an imaginary answer to the question, 'What might Christ become like, if there really were a world like Narnia and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' ''" The parallels have made this a favorite series for Christians while the fantasy elements have endeared the books to non-Christians as well.

===Christian objections===
Despite the parallels, there are some Christians who object to this series. Some feel that depicting Jesus is an anthropomorphic lion is blasphemous while others object to pagan and occult references as well as the positive depiction of mythical creatures traditionally associated with evil.

[[Category:Books]]

How To Win Every Argument

2007-03-25T20:48:31Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''How To Win Every Argument''''' by [[Madsen Pirie]] was published in 2006 as a humourous yet insightful guide to "the use and abuse of [[logic]]".

Contrary to the impression of the subtitle, the book details a catalogue of 79 common (and not so common) [[logical fallacies]], arranged in alphabetical order, as well as a handy classification of the various fallacies into five categories of:

* formal;
* informal (linguistic);
* informal (relevance - omission);
* informal (relevance - intrusion); and
* informal (relevance - presumption)

Where applicable, fallacies are listed under their traditional Latin names. Otherwise, they are listed by the name of the fallacy in English.

The book succeeds in explaining why various argumentative or seemingly reasoned positions are invalid with obvious examples, clear descriptions and simple commentary.

''How To Win Every Argument'' is written with an irreverent style, and is not lacking for humour, which primarily manifests itself in the brief commentary and explanations of where a logical fallacy breaks down.

The dust jacket of the hardcover edition contains imagery of a sledgehammer and a walnut, the walnut being intact on the front of the dust jacket, and broken on the rear. The rear cover of the dust jacket also contains an image of a fake sticker, claiming:
: "Publisher's Warning: In the wrong hands this book is dangerous. We recommend that you arm yourself with it whilst keeping it out of the hands of others. Only buy this book as a gift if you are sure that you can trust the recipient."

The book is published by Continuum, with the ISBN 0-8264-9006-9

[[Category:Logical fallacies]]
[[Category:Books]]

The Da Vinci Code

2007-03-25T20:47:29Z

BringerO'Truth: Added to Books category...

''The Da Vinci Code'' is a novel by Dan Brown published in 2003. It has sold over 60 million copies to date and a film version was released in 2006. The book's popularity in part derived from its sensationalistic claims about the history of [[Christianity]], which are in large part based on an earlier non-fiction work, ''[[Holy Blood, Holy Grail]]'', by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. The text of the novel is prefaced with a claim that all documents and artwork referenced in the novel really exist, and within the context of the story many of the book's claims are presented as being common knowledge among historians. However, ''The Da Vinci Code'' does not represent the views of mainstream [[Biblical]] scholarship, the liberal wing thereof, or informed skeptics of [[Christianity]].

==Claims About the Bible==

''The Da Vinci Code'' alleges that [[Constantine]] commissioned a massive re-write of the [[New Testament]] for political reasons. [[Jesus]], supposedly, really was an important historical figure, but Constantine's rewrite made him much less human by, among other things, removing all reference to his marriage to [[Mary Magdalene]] and the child he had by her. It is suggested that the various non-[[canon]]ical [[gospels]] could provide important insights into the life of Jesus.

There are a large number of New Testament manuscripts dating from 200 A.D. onwards. While comparison of these various manuscripts reveals isolated instances of tampering, there is no evidence of a massive re-write in Constantine's era or any other. Also, the canonicity of the various books had been largely decided by Constantine's era, though the status of [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] was still hotly disputed.

The surviving non-canonical gospels appear to have been written after the canonical ones, and portray Jesus in a much more exalted light. While the historical content of the canonical gospels is debatable, scholars agree that they are much more likely to contain historical information than the later books.

''The Da Vinci Code'' also refers to a book called Q, which it suggests may have been written by Jesus himself and is currently being kept hidden away in a vault somewhere. Scholars have indeed concluded that [[Matthew the evangelist|Matthew]] and [[Luke]] did indeed copy some of their works from a now-lost collection of sayings, and this is referred to in the literature as Q. However, there is no reason to believe that Q was written by Jesus himself, nor is there any reason to think that a secret copy has survived somewhere.

==The Priory of Sion==

''The Da Vinci Code'' claims that there is a secret society called the [[Priory of Sion]], whose mission is to protect the bloodline of Jesus, and that the existence of this society is documented by papers found in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. These papers do exist, and claim among the Priory's members Leonardo Da Vinci. Dan Brown spins this into the idea that gave his book its title, that Da Vinci put clues about the conspiracy in his paintings. However, the papers have been proven to be forgeries, created by a right-wing French organization in an attempt to give itself a more impressive history than it actually has.

==References==

*Baigent, Michael; Richard Leigh; and Henry Lincoln. ''Holy Blood, Holy Grail.'' New York: Dell Publishing, 1983
*Brown, Dan. ''The Da Vinci Code.'' Doubleday, 2003
*Ehrman, Bart. ''Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine.'' Oxford University Press, 2004

==External Links==

*[http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/dvhoax.htm| The Da Vinci Hoax] by [[Robert M. Price]]

[[Category:Books]]

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

2007-03-25T20:45:33Z

BringerO'Truth: Added to Books category...

[[Image:Language_of_god_1.jpg|thumb|Cover of Francis Collins' book, The Language of God]][[The Language of God - A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief]] was written by [[Francis Collins]] and published in July, 2006. It has become a popular citation for many [[evangelical]]s and [[apologist]]s who rely on the scientific credentials of its author to support an [[argument from authority]].

His book, and [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2220484,00.html interviews] have drawn attention to Dr. Collins' views on religion and science which has prompted a number of critical responses. Because of this popularity, many have assumed that Dr. Collins is a recent convert, based on his research. In truth, he's been a Christian since the age of 27 and this decision wasn't based on any of his scientific work.

==Selected Statements and Responses==
===Introduction===
{{quote|As believers, you are right to hold fast to the concept of God as Creator; you are right to hold fast to the truths of the Bible; you are right to hold fast to the conclusion that science offers no answers to the most pressing questions of human existence; and you are right to hold fast to the certainty that the claims of atheistic materialism must be steadfastly resisted.}}
{{quote-source|God, who is not limited to space and time, created the universe and established natural laws that govern it. Seeking to populate this otherwise sterile universe with living creatures, God chose the elegant mechanism of evolution to create microbes, plants, and animals of all sorts. Most remarkably, God intentionally chose the same mechanism to give rise to special creatures who would have intelligence, a knowledge of right and wrong, free will, and a desire to seek fellowship with Him. He also knew these creatures would ultimately choose to disobey the Moral Law.|Collins in ''The Language of God...''}}
{{comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Dr. Collins begins by claiming that believers are justified in accepting Christian dogma, that science offers no answers to critical questions, that science and religion are entirely separate domains (see [[nonoverlapping magisteria]]) and that atheistic materialism should be rejected.

The purpose of his book is to justify these positions, though he often makes contradictory claims about the interaction of science and religion and provides only anecdotal personal testimony to support his major claim.}}
{{quote-source|...of all the possible world views, atheism is the least rational.|Collins in ''The Language of God...''}}
{{comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Collins repeatedly denounces atheism and materialism as irrational and implies that belief in God, specifically the Christian God, is a rational conclusion based on acceptance of the evidence. His own conversion story, however, appears to be based on emotional response to a number of factors.}}
===On His Conversion===
[[Image:Waterfall_foliage3.jpg|thumb|right|Proof of [[polytheism]]?]]{{Quote-source|...in my early 20s, I was a pretty obnoxious atheist. Then at the age of 27, after a good deal of intellectual debating with myself about the plausibility of faith, and particularly with strong influence from C.S. Lewis, I became convinced that this was a decision I wanted to make. And I became, by choice, a Christian, a serious Christian, who believes that faith is not something that you just do on Sunday, but that if it makes any sense at all, it's part of your whole life. It's the most important organizing principle in my life.|PBS Interview}}
{{quote-source|On a beautiful fall day, as I was hiking in the Cascade Mountains … the majesty and beauty of God’s creation overwhelmed my resistance. As I rounded a corner and saw a beautiful and unexpected frozen waterfall, hundreds of feet high, I knew the search was over. The next morning, I knelt in the dewy grass as the sun rose and surrendered to Jesus Christ.|Collins in ''The Language of God...''}}
{{comment-box1|label=Comment:|rmargin=225px|text=A profile in Time magazine adds that a particularly compelling aspect of the waterfall was that it had frozen in three separate streams. This struck Collins as a representation of the [[trinity]], further supporting his desire to convert to Christianity. It's fortunate that he hadn't spotted a waterfall frozen into only two streams and that he was already predisposed to accepting the Christian trinity and not some other triune god.

Neither the beauty of a natural object nor the specific trisection of this waterfall serve as evidence of any god - and they certainly don't confirm the existence of a specific god. Dr. Collins simply turned off his rational mind and, convinced that science could not explain beauty, complexity or order, took a leap of faith to the most comfortable conclusion.}}

===Specific Arguments===
====Morality====
{{quote-source|Though other animals may at times appear to show glimmerings of a moral sense, they are certainly not widespread, and in many instances other species’ behavior seems to be in dramatic contrast to any sense of universal rightness.|Collins in ''The Language of God...''}}
{{comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=[[Sam Harris]]' response to this statement is thorough and compelling:

:"One wonders if the author has ever read a newspaper. The behavior of humans offers no such “dramatic contrast.” How badly must human beings behave to put this “sense of universal rightness” in doubt? And just how widespread must “glimmerings” of morality be among other animals before Collins—who, after all, knows a thing or two about genes—begins to wonder whether our moral sense has evolutionary precursors in the natural world? What if mice showed greater distress at the suffering of familiar mice than unfamiliar ones? (They do.) What if monkeys will starve themselves to prevent their cage-mates from receiving painful shocks? (They will.) What if chimps have a demonstrable sense of fairness when receiving food rewards? (They have.) Wouldn’t these be precisely the sorts of findings one would expect if our morality were the product of evolution?"}}
====Justifying Christianity====
Having come to the conclusion that '''''some''''' god must exist, Dr. Collins addresses the issue of determining which specific god-hypothesis is suitable...
{{quote-source|And if that were so, what kind of God would this be? Would this be a deist God, who invented physics and mathematics and started the universe in motion about 14 billion years ago, then wandered off to deal with other, more important matters, as Einstein thought? No, this God, if I was perceiving him at all, must be a theist God, who desires some kind of relationship with those special creatures called human beings, and has therefore instilled this special glimpse of Himself into each one of us. This might be the God of Abraham, but it was certainly not the God of Einstein…. Judging by the incredibly high standards of the Moral Law … this was a God who was holy and righteous. He would have to be the embodiment of goodness…. Faith in God now seemed more rational that disbelief.|Collins in ''The Language of God...''}}
{{comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Curiously, Collins says "...this God, if I was perceiving him at all" and then moves on to assert that belief in this God is more rational than disbelief. He '''thinks''' God wants some kind of relationship with humans and, ignoring evidence to the contrary, concludes that the God of Abraham fits the bill. He believes that this god is holy and righteous and, without supporting this moral declaration, concludes that this God must be the real one.

In a nutshell, his argument is: ''I can't explain X. If I consider the possibility of the existence of God, I now have answers - therefore, God is the most rational explanation.'' This is simply an [[argument from ignorance]]. For many believers, God is a panacea - yet God is the ultimate non-answer and serves only to end investigation.

To see this sort of argument coming from a respected scientist and physician is particularly disturbing. If Dr. Collins predecessors had accepted that God made us, evil caused diseases and prayer cured them, simply because they couldn't easily discover good explanations, he may well have been heading the 'Human Prayer and Bloodletting Research Institute' instead of the Human Genome Project.}}
==External Links==
*[http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/06/francis_im_very_disappointed_i.php PZ Myers commentary on one of Collins' interviews]
*[http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060815_sam_harris_language_ignorance/ Sam Harris' review of Collins' book]
[[Category: Apologetic literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

The Case for Christ

2007-03-25T20:44:48Z

BringerO'Truth: Added to Books category...

'''''The Case for Christ''''' is a popular book on [[Christian]] [[apologetics]] by [[Lee Strobel]].

==Summary==

Strobel has decided that there are eight major objections to Christianity which act as stumbling blocks on the path to [[spirituality]]. They are:

# If there's a loving [[God]], why does this pain-wracked world groan under so much suffering and [[evil]]? ([[Problem of evil]])
# If the [[miracle]]s of God contradict [[science]], then how can any rational person believe that they're true?
# If God is morally pure, how can he sanction the slaughter of innocent children as the [[Old Testament]] says he did?
# If God cares about the people he created, how could he consign so many of them to an eternity of torture in [[hell]] just because they didn't believe the right things about him?
# If Jesus is the only way to heaven, then what about the millions of people who have never heard of him?
# If God really created the [[universe]], why does the evidence of science compel so many to conclude that the unguided process of [[evolution]] accounts for life?
# If God is the ultimate overseer of the church, why has it been rife with hypocrisy and brutality throughout the ages?
# If I'm still plagued by doubts, then is it still possible to be a Christian?

Strobel poses these objections to eight prominent Christian apologists and lets them make "the case for faith."

==Counter-apologetics issues==

Although Strobel claimed to be an [[atheist]] when he started this book, many readers have pointed out that he did a very bad job supporting the atheist position. Furthermore, he conducted interviews only with Christian apologists, and none with atheists or [[skeptic]]s. He has claimed that the book is balanced because he himself is arguing against the apologists, but at many points in the book he appears extremely reluctant to challenge his subjects.

==Outline==

===Objection #1: Since Evil and Suffering Exist, A Loving God Cannot===
===Objection #2: Since Miracles Contradict Science, They Cannot Be True===
===Objection #3: Evolution Explains Life, So God Isn't Needed===
===Objection #4: God Isn't Worthy of Worship If He Kills Innocent Children===
===Objection #5: It's Offensive to Claim Jesus Is the Only Way to God===
===Objection #6: A Loving God Would Never Torture People in Hell===
===Objection #7: Church History is Littered With Oppression and Violence===
===Objection #8: I Still Have Doubts, So I Can't Be a Christian===

==External links==

* [http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/kyle_gerkin/objections_sustained/ Objections Sustained!] by Kyle Gerkin at [[Internet Infidels]]

[[Category: Apologetic literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

Mere Christianity

2007-03-25T20:44:03Z

BringerO'Truth: Added to Books category...

A book written by [[C.S. Lewis]] and publish in 1952 that comprises Lewis ideas about a basic Christian philosophy that everyone can agree upon. The ideas for the book came from a series of radio talks he gave during WWII. These talks were subsequently published in books ''Broadcast Talks'' (1942), ''Christian Behavior'' (1943), ''Beyond Personality'' (1944). ''Mere Christianity'' compiled those ideas into one book that Lewis edited the content to better reflect the Lewis's understand of Christian doctrine.

''Mere Christianity'' is divided into four book sections and then into chapters. The arguments are broken up into the same structure for easy reference.

== Lewis's Motives for Writing the Book ==
* Lewis wanted to stop divisive discussion about "high Theology or even ecclesiastical history" with non-Christians because "the discussions of those disputed points has no tendency at all to bring an outsider into the Christian fold" (Mere Christianity, Preface viii).
* Lewis made an analogy of equating Christianity to a building: "['Mere' Christianity] is more lake a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I can bring anyone into that hall I shall have done what I attempted. [...] The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in. For that purpose the worst of the rooms [...] is, I think, preferable" (Preface xv).

== Definitions ==
* Mere Christianity -- core values and teachings of Christianity that all denominations can agree upon
* Law of (Human) Nature -- (need a definition)

== Book 1 - Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe ==
=== Chapter 1 - The Law of Human Nature ===
Law of Human Nature encompasses human behavior and moral codes. Lewis identifies that people have freewill to obey or disobey this "law." Also, Lewis identifies a "standard of behavior that everyone expects one another to follow.

=== Chapter 2 - Some Objections ===
In Chapter 1, Lewis describes the Law of Human Nature. Sometimes, he refers to it as the Law of Nature, which can make the first chapter confusing. Some people believe Lewis is talking about scientific laws such as Physics and Biology. This chapter is his rebuttal.

=== Chapter 3 - The Reality of the Law ===
=== Chapter 4 - What Lies Behind the Law ===
=== Chapter 5 - We have cause to be Uneasy ===
From the agruments given, Lewis concludes there is a creator.

== Book 2 - What Christians Believe ==
=== Chapter 1 - The Rival Conceptions Of God ===
=== Chapter 2 - The Invasion ===
=== Chapter 3 - The Shocking Alternative ===
Lewis presents the most famous argument of the book, the [[Liar, Lunatic or Lord]] "trilema" located at the end of the chapter.
=== Chapter 4 - The Perfect Penitent ===
=== Chapter 5 - The Practical Conclusion ===

== Book 3 - Christian Behavior ==
== Book 4 - Beyond Personality: or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity ==

== External Links ==
* [http://www.lib.ru/LEWISCL/mere_engl.txt Mere Christianity etext]
* [http://ffrf.org/books/lfif/?t=assertions Mere Assertions]: A response by [[Dan Barker]]
* [http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/gaunilo2/mere.html Review of ''Mere Christianity''] at [[Internet Infidels]]

{{stub}}

[[Category: Apologetic literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

Why I Am Not a Christian

2007-03-25T20:42:55Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''Why I Am Not a Christian''''' is an essay by the British philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] in which he explains why he is not a [[Christian]]. Originally a talk given March 6, 1927 at Battersea Town Hall, under the auspices of the South London Branch of the [[National Secular Society]], it was published that year as a pamphlet and was later published, with other essays, in the book, ''Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects''.

==Outline==

===What is a Christian?===

Russell points out that "Christianity" is a vague notion, and sets out to define the word. He concludes that someone should minimally satisfy the following requirements in order to be called a Christian:
* Believe in [[God]] and [[immortality]].
* Believe that [[Christ]] was, if not divine, at least the best and wisest of men.

Russell goes on to note that there may be some stricter definitions of Christianity, which also require such things as belief in [[hell]]. However, pointing to examples of Christians who do not believe in hell, Russell dispenses with this requirement.

===The Existence Of God===

Russell considers and rejects a series of arguments proposed to prove the existence of God. Many of these are very succinct presentations of arguments presented elsewhere in Iron Chariots. He includes:

* The [[first cause argument]]
* The [[natural-law argument]]
* The [[argument from design]]

===The Moral Arguments For Deity===

Russell refers to ''[[Critique of Pure Reason]]'' by [[Immanuel Kant]], saying that Kant dispensed with the three primary intellectual arguments for God. Though not mentioned here, the three arguments are the [[ontological argument]], the [[cosmological argument]], and the [[physico-theological argument]]. Then, Russell says, Kant invented the [[moral argument]] as a fourth argument and was convinced by it.

Kant claims that there would be no [[morality]] without a God, but Russell dispenses of this by describing a form of the [[Euthyphro dilemma]].

:"The point I am concerned with is that, if you are quite sure there is a difference between right and wrong, then you are then in this situation: is that difference due to God's fiat or is it not? If it is due to God's fiat, then for God himself there is no difference between right and wrong, and it is no longer a significant statement to say that God is good."

====The Argument For The Remedying Of Injustice====

Continuing with a discussion of morality, Russell considers the argument that a just [[afterlife]] must exist to balance the injustice found in this life.

:"That is a very curious argument. If you looked at the matter from a scientific point of view, you would say, 'After all, I only know this world. I do not know about the rest of the universe, but so far as one can argue at all on probabilities one would say that probably this world is a fair sample, and if there is injustice here then the odds are that there is injustice elsewhere also.' Supposing you got a crate of oranges that you opened, and you found all the top layer of oranges bad, you would not argue: 'The underneath ones must be good, so as to redress the balance.' You would say: 'Probably the whole lot is a bad consignment;' and that is really what a scientific person would argue about the universe."

===The Character Of Christ===

Russell next turns to the matter of Jesus Christ and whether he was indeed the best and wisest of men. Russell grants that Jesus made many good points in his teachings, and claims that on some points he agrees with Jesus more than many Christians do. He highlights the principles of "[[Turn the other cheek]]" and "[[Judge not]] lest ye be judged" as examples of good suggestions which are not generally practice by Christians.

====Defects In Christ's Teaching====

Having granted that there are some worthy teachings uttered by Jesus, Russell goes on to criticize certain aspects of Christ's teachings as portrayed in the Bible. First he notes that the [[historicity of Christ]] is highly questionable. He then goes on to say that Jesus said many things which were simply factually incorrect, casting doubt on his status as the wisest of men. For example, Jesus claimed that his [[second coming]] would occur before the death of all the people who were living at that time.

====The Moral Problem====

Next, Russell tackles what he believes are defects in the moral teachings of Christ. Russell focuses on Jesus' teachings about hell. Russell does not believe that anyone can be truly moral while believing in everlasting punishment. He also brings up some other incidents which he considers to be of lesser importance. He objects to the treatment of the [[Gadarene swine]], and the story of [[Jesus and the fig tree]].

===The Emotional Factor===

Russell next returns to considering the idea that religion makes people good. He notes that most people do not accept religion because they are convinced by argumentation, but because they believe they need religion to be moral. Russell rejects this notion, stating that every positive development in human history has been consistently opposed by organized churches.

===How The Churches Have Retarded Progress===

As an example of the church's cruelty, Russell presents an example of a naive girl who unknowingly marries a man with syphilus. According to the Catholic church, she can never divorce him, ''and'' she can never use birth control of any sort, which effectively enforces the creation of syphilitic children. Using this as one example out of many possible, Russell describes the church's position on morality: "What has human happiness to do with morals? The object of morals is not to make people happy."

===Fear, The Foundation Of Religion===

Russell claims that religion is based above all on fear of the unknown. He suggests that [[science]] is the best remedy for this, since science encourages us to look for natural explanations, and deliberately improve our lives.

===What We Must Do===

The essay ends on a positive note, calling for people to "stand up and look the world frankly in the face". It calls for knowledge, kindliness, and courage in place of contempt for humanity and fear.

==External links==
* [http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/russell0.htm Full text of Russell's essay], hosted at [[Positive Atheism]]

[[Category:Atheist literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

The God Delusion

2007-03-25T20:42:04Z

BringerO'Truth:

{{stub}}
'''The God Delusion''' is a book by [[Richard Dawkins]] published in 2006.

==Synopsis==

===A deeply religious non-believer===
===The God hypothesis===
===Arguments for God's existence===

Dawkins lists the following arguments:

*[[Thomas Aquinas]]' five proofs:
**The [[unmoved mover]]
**The [[uncaused cause]]
**The [[cosmological argument]]
**The [[argument from degree]]
**The [[teleological argument]]
*The [[ontological argument]]
*The [[argument from personal experience]]
*The [[argument from scripture]]
*The [[argument from admired religious scientists]]
*[[Pascal's wager]]
*[[Bayesian arguments]]

===Why there almost certainly is no God===
===The roots of religion===
===The roots of morality: why are we good?===
===The 'Good' Book and the changing moral "zeitgeist"===
===What's wrong with religion? Why be so hostile?===
===Childhood, abuse and the escape from religion===
===A much needed gap?===

[[Category: Atheist literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

Category:Apologetic literature

2007-03-25T20:41:09Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[:Category:Apologetic literature|Apologetic literature]] includes books, tracts, magazines and any other print media from apologists.

[[Category: Books]]

Category:Atheist literature

2007-03-25T20:38:31Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''Atheist literature''' includes books and other print media from atheists.

[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Atheism]]

A Brief History of Time

2007-03-25T20:36:40Z

BringerO'Truth:

'''''A Brief History of Time''''' is a book by [[Stephen Hawking]], first published in 1989, in which he discusses the nature of time and space, gravity, [[black hole]]s, and the [[big bang]].

{{stub}}

[[Category:Books]]

Category:Books

2007-03-25T20:35:29Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Category: Media]]

Atheist Universe

2007-03-25T20:35:05Z

BringerO'Truth:

[[Image:Atheist Universe.jpg|thumb|Book cover from the retitled second edition of ''Atheist Universe'']]
'''''Atheist Universe: Why God Didn't Have a Thing To Do With It''''' is a book originally self-published by [[David Mills (author)|David Mills]] in 2004. Ulysses Press of Berkeley, California, published a 2nd edition in August, 2006, for distribution to major bookstore chains. The 2nd edition of ''Atheist Universe'' is subtitled '''''The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism''''' and includes a foreword by [[Dorion Sagan]], son of [[Carl Sagan]].

As of March 8th, 2007, ''Atheist Universe'' sits at #1,208 in Amazon's book sales rank. However, it was at one point Amazon's best selling book on [[atheism]].

''Atheist Universe'' supplies counter-apologetics arguments through the [[Evidentalist]] paradigm. One of the central themes of the work is debunking [[Intelligent Design]] or [[Creationist]] thoughts through enumerating the apologetic arguments behind them and proving them false through the use of modern scientific evidence. For example, David Mills explains the typical apologist's rationale for believing the age of the Earth to be approximately 6000 years old. These apologists determine Earth's age through looking at the genealogies and ages of persons mentioned in the [[Bible]]. Mills goes on to tear this notion of a 6000-Year-Old Earth apart by giving such evidence as radiant light energy seen on Earth from stars that are billions of light-years away from Earth and explaining the modern scientific understanding of fossilization. Along the way, he counters such claims as a [[Great Flood]] and provides sound scientific arguments against apologist claims for it.

''Atheist Universe'' tackles the following questions (from the reverse cover): 
*What is atheism, and why is it so misunderstood? 
*If God is a myth, then how did the universe appear? 
*Without God, is there an objective "right" and "wrong"? 
*What is the meaning of life without God? 
*Is there evidence of Jesus' miracles and resurrection? 
*Can atheists explain "near death" experiences and medical miracles? 
*Can science and the Bible be realistically reconciled? 
*What is the behind-the-scenes relationship between politics and religion? [[User:BringerO'Truth|BringerO'Truth]] 14:24, 25 March 2007 (CDT)

[[Category: Atheist literature]]
[[Category: Books]]

Atheist Universe

2007-03-25T20:33:50Z

BringerO'Truth:

Atheist Universe

2007-03-25T20:33:07Z

BringerO'Truth: Added Books category...

Atheist Universe

2007-03-25T20:16:45Z

BringerO'Truth:

Apologetics

2007-03-25T19:34:17Z

BringerO'Truth: /* Evidentalist */

[[Apologetics]] is the systematic defense of a position. The term comes from the Greek word ''apologia'' (ἀπολογία) which means "the defense of a position against an attack". It should not be confused with the modern word "apology" which, though it derives from the same source, has a different definition. Those who engage in this practice are known as apologists or apologetes.

This wiki focuses, primarily, on [[Christian]] apologetics and apologists.

==Christian Apologetics==

Christian apologetics can be divided into three categories:

===Thomistic/Classical===

This method of apologetics relies on philosophical arguments to support the existence of a god and builds upon those foundational arguments with additional arguments designed to support specific Christian claims. An example of Thomistic apologetics is the [[natural-law argument]].

===Evidentialist===

This method relies on empirical evidence (historical evidence as well as archeology, cosmology, biology and other sciences) to build arguments which attempt to justify belief in God, miracles and other supernatural claims of Christian theology. A good example of evidentalist apologetics is the myriad of arguments for a young earth or universe.

===Presuppositional===

This method asserts that belief in god and the truth of revealed scripture ([[The Bible]]) are foundational assumptions. Beginning with those assumptions, the presupposionalist attempts to rationally justify Christianity, defend Christianity from attack, and attack perceived flaws in other worldviews. An example of presuppositional apologetics is the [[Avoidance of hell|avoidance of hell]] argument.

==Counter Apologetics==
:''See also: [[Counter-apologetics]]''
Each type of apologetics has a distinct method of being defeated.

===Thomistic/Classical===

Since Thomistic/Classical apologetics are based on a philosophical base a strong knowledge of the philosophical thinking related to the different arguments in this category is needed.

===Evidentalist===

This method requires a knowledge of the science, history, and evidence behind the premises of the argument being used. See [[Atheist Universe]].

===Presuppositional===

Presuppositional apologetics are the easiest to defeat. All are based on one or several unproven assumptions and until these assumptions are proven the skeptic is allowed to ignore the rest of the argument.

[[Category: Philosophical issues]]