Entries from July 2008

July 13, 2008

I Wish There Was an Afterlife So Theists Would Know They’re Wrong.

I was thinking about how some people are so convinced that there is a god that the are unwilling to even entertain the idea that there probably isn’t a god. For them there is no question in their mind. You are unable to reason with them; you can try to talk to them and explain [...]

July 12, 2008

Funniest Bible Verse

The stupidest verse of the bible is a hard competition to win considering all the very capable contenders but, I think I may have a winner. In the book of numbers the author says “Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.” Numbers 12:3. Fine, this Moses chap may have [...]

July 11, 2008

Letter to the Editor of Irish Times re Civil Partnership Bill

This is my letter is response to a letter to the Editor of the Irish Times about the Civil Partnership Bill. First, the letter I am responding to.
Madam, – Leo O’Shaughnessy (July 4th) appears to take grave offence at the suggestion that the Government’s proposed legislation for same-sex unions could undermine marriage. He argues that [...]

July 10, 2008

"There Are No Gays in Iran": But, Ireland’s Sending One Back!

It was reported in the Irish press that Ireland plan to deport an Iranian national back to Iran despite his life being in danger because he is gay. It is reported that “the deputy Iranian Foreign Minister said [in the Irish Parliament] last week that they will ‘not do it from [...]

July 5, 2008

Waterboarding: "Believe Me, It’s Torture"

That was a video of Christopher Hitchens being tortured. Last year in an article in Slate magazine where he said in effect that waterboarding was not torture. Following on from this he was asked to undergo waterboarding to experience it and to then make a judgement about whether or not [...]

July 5, 2008

god doesn’t give us morals

How do we know what is moral and what is not? It is the view of religious advocates that religion defines morality and virtue. They say that without religion society would breakdown and immorality would become systemic. But if religion contains so much stuff that we regard as immoral—how can it define our morality? [...]

July 5, 2008

Pascal’s Wager

Share:  |  |  |  |  |  | 

The mathematician, Blaise Pascal, had a theory on belief in god—he supposed that one was far better to wager on god’s existence than not. His theory is not a wager as to if god exists [...]

July 5, 2008

Flying Teapot v. God: The Negative Proof

Share:  |  |  |  |  |  | 
The worst argument that‘a believer in god can use is the negative proof i.e. when she says “can you prove god doesn’t exist?”- the answer to this is that the onus is on the one asserting [...]

July 2, 2008

Super God: The Omni Paradox

Omni-Paradox
The belief that god is omnipotent (all powerful); omniscient (all knowing) and Omnibenevolent (all good) is held by many religions. It is however, possible to note some contradictions with this belief.

The first one goes like this:
 

God is omnipotent

God is Omnibenevolent

God is omniscienent

God will prevent all evils he can (from 2)

God knows of all evils (from [...]

July 2, 2008

Tesco Boycotts Zimbabwe: “Every Little Helps”

Tesco UK and Ireland has said that it will not stock produce from Zimbabwe “as long as the political crisis persists in that country”. This is a welcome first step towards the isolation of the regieme in Zimbabwe more need to join in to make the point a lot more acute.
Tesco say that they don’t [...]