Um....
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!
Monthly Archive for November, 2008Page 2 of 5
Um....
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!
Um....
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!
Those socialist European punks across the pond are at it again and making us look bad. They have engineered a new windpipe for a lucky woman named Claudia Castillo using her own stem cells, which virtually ensured the transplant would not be rejected by her body (source). This medical breakthrough, which makes America's lackluster support for stem cell research look even more asinine, is the result of a collaboration between European universities in Spain, England and Italy. It is also a wake up call for all of the opponents of stem cell research in the United States who place their superstitious delusions before the health and well-being of their fellow citizens, not to mention the future economic security and global standing of their nation.
Claudia Castillo suffered from tuberculosis for an extended period of time. When her lung collapsed she was given the stem cell treatment in order to construct a new trachea. This was done in favor of the only alternative left by conventional medicine, which was to remove her left lung - a high risk surgery that could have claimed her life.
For those who believe there is a contradictory life after death, perhaps you believe Castillo should have undergone the surgery, or even simply left it all in the hands of God, instead of the low risk stem cell treatment. What's the big deal, right? If she died she would just be with God. If she was a good God-fearing person, of course. Right. From the perspective of a Secular Humanist, or any other rationalist, this is rubbish reasoning that ignores the enormous potential of stem cells to improve human life and advance medical science to a new level of convention.
This stem cell treatment is already being called a medical breakthrough, and it is very difficult to argue with that. Martin Birchall, professor of surgery at the University of Bristol and a member of the medical team responsible for the breakthrough, stated, "Surgeons can now start to see and understand the very real potential for adult stem cells and tissue engineering to radically improve their ability to treat patients with serious diseases... We believe this success has proved that we are on the verge of a new age in surgical care." In other words, Europe is poising itself to leap into a new medical age with all its tangible human and financial benefits while happily leaving the United States in the dust.
This should be very concerning because it means that Europe is going to have an edge in biotechnology, which is an area any world power should be sensibly embracing. And we are certainly not doing that in the United States because of conservatives who place Bronze Age myths and other superstitious dribble before real world answers to the natural problems faced by humanity. Rather than recognizing stem cells are capable of curing many of the most serious diseases and remedying many of the most serious conditions these selfish, narrow-minded opponents condemn it on a number of "moral" grounds, most of which are categorically absurd.
Sure, I understand that there are sincere concerns about human cloning with stem cells. I share them. And the way we can prevent such abuse of stem cells is with sensible regulations banning human cloning while still allowing other areas of stem cell research to progress uninhibited. We simply cannot throw the baby out with the possible bath water it will be bathed in. Human cloning is a serious issue when it comes to stem cell research, but it should not be the one that dooms such research here in the United States. There are just far too many practical benefits to stem cells, including the improvement of the human condition.
In the end, if this stem cell treatment breakthrough has shown us anything it is that the United States is on the wrong side of the issue of stem cells. We simply cannot allow conservatives to stand in the way of our medical and technological progress while others in the world seek to overtake us in such areas. If the United States wants to remain a beacon for education and a leader in science it has to embrace the future and start leading responsibly on stem cell research. Otherwise, we will pay a very high human, financial and global power price. Conservatism is stagnation in a world where the overriding rule is evolve or die.
P2 was telling me about a discussion in his social studies class. They were discussing the impact of global warming on farmers, especially in historically agrarian cultures. The teacher was sharing that ocean levels in India had risen and the global temperature change had resulted in changes to the cycle of cyclones (or something). I guess this boy put his hand up to argue that global warming wasn't real. The teacher, allegedly, told him that there were people who would agree with the boy's theory, but that he would like to know why the boy felt global warming was nonfactual. P2 says the boy said, the ocean rose because the "Christmas Tsunami" in 2004 pulled so much debris into the water that it was "like dumping boulders in your pool and blaming the spill over on global warming".
*I'll pause while you consider this.
The teacher tried explaining the size of the ocean and the flaws in the boys theory. Boy got angry with teacher. Teacher said that he would like to see where the boy got this information/idea from so that he can read-up on it. Boy tells him that people in Noah's time thought their flood was from global warming, too...or so says the boy's minister.
This is why rational people don't take creation science seriously.
P2 was telling me about a discussion in his social studies class. They were discussing the impact of global warming on farmers, especially in historically agrarian cultures. The teacher was sharing that ocean levels in India had risen and the global temperature change had resulted in changes to the cycle of cyclones (or something). I guess this boy put his hand up to argue that global warming wasn't real. The teacher, allegedly, told him that there were people who would agree with the boy's theory, but that he would like to know why the boy felt global warming was nonfactual. P2 says the boy said, the ocean rose because the "Christmas Tsunami" in 2004 pulled so much debris into the water that it was "like dumping boulders in your pool and blaming the spill over on global warming".
*I'll pause while you consider this.
The teacher tried explaining the size of the ocean and the flaws in the boys theory. Boy got angry with teacher. Teacher said that he would like to see where the boy got this information/idea from so that he can read-up on it. Boy tells him that people in Noah's time thought their flood was from global warming, too...or so says the boy's minister.
This is why rational people don't take creation science seriously.
Oh. So if you simply think the idea that there is a Great Cosmic Voyeur who wants to control your genitals is absurd, that makes you a fanatic? I can’t be too concerned about the opinions of a deluded true believer who can’t tell a fierce bearded guy with an AK-47 from a tweedy academic with a word processor.
Source: Pharyngula
Copyright © 2012 Way of the Mind
I know I've done this one to death (excuse the pun), but I just love Leviticus!Thank you for subscribing to "By The Book Comics"
This weekend I went to a family birthday party and a discussion with some of my closest relatives led us to the topic of my devout Catholic aunt. I made the obligatory joke about her and her reverend having an affair behind our clueless uncle’s back and we referred to the religious man in some rather unflattering ways. Why? Because the Catholic preacher in question, Reverend Vieira, is a sore subject after he shamelessly tried to use my grandfather’s August 2006 funeral service to boost the size of his flock.
To add some back story, my late grandfather was the glue that kept my mother’s side of the family close and strong. He was the respected patriarch whose word mattered a great deal. And ever since his death there has been a fissure in the family that can never be filled or fixed. In fact, whenever our family meets there is always the incessant overt reminder from someone in attendance of his absence.
He died on August, 3rd, 2006. Frankly, August 2006 was already bad enough when my grandfather lost his battle with cancer less than a month after my father’s death. Things only deteriorated further when you add the fact that my vehemently Catholic aunt, who spends a lot of time at church with the good reverend, hijacked the funeral plans for my grandfather (no doubt with the blessings of, if not under direct orders from, Reverend Vieira) and would not allow any non-religious material to be presented.
To then have Vieira speak on behalf of the man whose casket was displayed in front of his altar, my grandfather, and say the patriarch of my family would want us all to attend church regularly is inexcusable and completely unethical. So too was Vieira’s assertion that being a practicing Catholic (who attended his church specifically) was the only way we could honor and show respect for the man he just dishonored and disrespected with his unashamed religious plug. What’s worse is that Vieira did it precisely because he knew most of the audience he was addressing did not practice religion very regularly, if at all. Needless to say, many of the non-religious members of my family were extremely angry and offended, though likely none so much as I.
When you attend a Catholic funeral service you know largely what to expect if you were raised in the faith, and I had no problem with the ceremonial religious ramblings. It was, after all, a Catholic Church and I am a former Catholic (sort of) who has gone through the motions before. It was a gesture of respect on my part. Understandably, my understanding went out the window as soon as the reverend crossed the line of decency and turned the solemn proceedings into a religious sales pitch at my loved one’s expense. And having attending numerous Catholic funerals prior to this I can honestly say that I have never witnessed a Catholic preacher use a funeral and its captive audience in such a despicable manner.
If my grandfather wanted me to go to church and be a practicing Catholic he would have told me - he didn’t. Why? Because he was a far better man than Reverend Vieira and not only understood my position on religion, but respected it. What’s more, it is because of this that I take solace in the fact that he survives through me and everyone else who was lucky enough to know him.
In the end, if Reverend Vieira’s behavior is the measure of a compassionate, moral Christian then I am even prouder not to be one, much less a member of his personal flock. He had no respect for my deceased grandfather or the diverse beliefs of his loved one’s on that day and displayed the typical Christian arrogance that is so prominent in our culture – during a funeral. Unfortunately, it is likely I will see him again when other Catholic members of my family pass away and a new outrage at the next meeting will not receive another pass courtesy of my grief. Of course, I would never call him out during a funeral as I am a decent and moral person with some sense of tact.
If you want to get involved and get more information, you can visit these pages:
- Join The Impact, on two websites: here and here
- NoOnProp8 on Twitter
- JoinTheImpact on Twitter
View blog reactions
If you want to get involved and get more information, you can visit these pages:
- Join The Impact, on two websites: here and here
- NoOnProp8 on Twitter
- JoinTheImpact on Twitter
View blog reactions
- I tried to embed comments on my blog - this is a new Blogger feature - and for some reason, the comment form just doesn't show. Great. I guess we are back to the ugly comment page, as per usual
- I have added another feature, which also does not seem to work, though I might be wrong. You will soon be able to rate posts, just to give me an idea of what you like to read, and what bores you out of your mind.
- Did you know that "kids" up to 18 years of age are being abandoned in Nebraska hospitals, following the passing of a safe-heaven law which did not impose an age limit on the children that could be left in hospitals without having to fear legal repercussions? The abandonments are reaching worrying numbers, so that Nebraska will now have to consider re-wording the law.
- A few exoplanets have been not only identified, but imaged, very recently. The images are amazing, and they make me wonder how many more fantastic things one could discover with all the money that goes to armaments and maintaining outdated nuclear heads.
- Countries of the Eurozone are now officially in recession. How does this matter... well, I am from there, and my family is still there, that's how. It is not good news my friends... apart from the fact that we can expect oil prices to fall. I say, certain countries in the Eurozone have been in recession for a long time, just that nobody wanted to see it.
- There have been rumors that bone marrow transplants can cure HIV, since it has been reported that a man previously affected by both leukemia and AIDS managed to get both to disappear after a bone marrow transplant. I say: even if you can imagine a world where everyone had that lucky compatible donor with the mutant version of CCR5, a third of those undergoing the transplant would still die, in a matter of months. Does this look like a cure to you?
- For more crappy news, a Lancet study on the Merck HIV trials vaccine was published. Basically, scientists cannot figure out why in the world the vaccine did not work. I don't blame them. I am starting to wonder whether asking infected T cells to kill other infected T cells is a viable strategy in the fight against AIDS.
- I know, now you are craving for good news. Or just for something fun to read. Here it goes then. "Behind every successful woman, there's an astonished husband." Words of the first female four-star general of the United States. This in a country where "women are barred from combat roles but have been allowed in the last two decades to serve in a wide variety of other positions." And they say the gender gap does not exist -- hell, women should have the same right to die as men...
- It's a gloomy day around here, it's cold, and I feel like things haven't be going the way I wanted them to go. But I think I am just confused...like this:
View blog reactions
- I tried to embed comments on my blog - this is a new Blogger feature - and for some reason, the comment form just doesn't show. Great. I guess we are back to the ugly comment page, as per usual
- I have added another feature, which also does not seem to work, though I might be wrong. You will soon be able to rate posts, just to give me an idea of what you like to read, and what bores you out of your mind.
- Did you know that "kids" up to 18 years of age are being abandoned in Nebraska hospitals, following the passing of a safe-heaven law which did not impose an age limit on the children that could be left in hospitals without having to fear legal repercussions? The abandonments are reaching worrying numbers, so that Nebraska will now have to consider re-wording the law.
- A few exoplanets have been not only identified, but imaged, very recently. The images are amazing, and they make me wonder how many more fantastic things one could discover with all the money that goes to armaments and maintaining outdated nuclear heads.
- Countries of the Eurozone are now officially in recession. How does this matter... well, I am from there, and my family is still there, that's how. It is not good news my friends... apart from the fact that we can expect oil prices to fall. I say, certain countries in the Eurozone have been in recession for a long time, just that nobody wanted to see it.
- There have been rumors that bone marrow transplants can cure HIV, since it has been reported that a man previously affected by both leukemia and AIDS managed to get both to disappear after a bone marrow transplant. I say: even if you can imagine a world where everyone had that lucky compatible donor with the mutant version of CCR5, a third of those undergoing the transplant would still die, in a matter of months. Does this look like a cure to you?
- For more crappy news, a Lancet study on the Merck HIV trials vaccine was published. Basically, scientists cannot figure out why in the world the vaccine did not work. I don't blame them. I am starting to wonder whether asking infected T cells to kill other infected T cells is a viable strategy in the fight against AIDS.
- I know, now you are craving for good news. Or just for something fun to read. Here it goes then. "Behind every successful woman, there's an astonished husband." Words of the first female four-star general of the United States. This in a country where "women are barred from combat roles but have been allowed in the last two decades to serve in a wide variety of other positions." And they say the gender gap does not exist -- hell, women should have the same right to die as men...
- It's a gloomy day around here, it's cold, and I feel like things haven't be going the way I wanted them to go. But I think I am just confused...like this:
View blog reactions
Research has confirmed my suspicion that church attendees are more likely to be ESJ on the MBTI.
Self-report that an individual makes decisions on the basis of thinking does not necessarily indicate that the individual's thought processes are logical or effective. Since people are aware that intelligence is socially valued, they are probably more likely to exhibit a bias for overreporting themselves as Ts. Most people are likely to overestimate the effectiveness of their thinking, in some areas at the least. One presumes that Sarah Palin fondly imagines that her thought processes are logical. An ill-informed, illogical, or magic-thinking thought is still a thought. So, S combined with T may be selectively ineffectual in promoting critical thinking. Data suggests that superficial, illogical, and emotional thinking are prevalent problems.
more .....
Self-report that an individual makes decisions on the basis of thinking does not necessarily indicate that the individual's thought processes are logical or effective. Since people are aware that intelligence is socially valued, they are probably more likely to exhibit a bias for overreporting themselves as Ts. Most people are likely to overestimate the effectiveness of their thinking, in some areas at the least. One presumes that Sarah Palin fondly imagines that her thought processes are logical. An ill-informed, illogical, or magic-thinking thought is still a thought. So, S combined with T may be selectively ineffectual in promoting critical thinking. Data suggests that superficial, illogical, and emotional thinking are prevalent problems.
more .....
expression as battle with the enemy
I'm way too removed from the pop culture scene that I only heard yesterday about Nick Hogan's car crash over a year ago and the Hulk family shenanigans surrounding it. In the leaked phone call between the Hulk and Nick while he was in prison, the Hulk says, "Well, I don't know what kind of person John was or what he did to get himself into this situation. I know he was pretty aggressive. He used to yell at people and he used to do stuff. But for some reason, man, God laid some heavy sh*t on that kid, man, I don't know what he was into...."
The Hulk says on Larry King Live that he told his son this to reach out to his son and give him solace -- blaming the victim, instead of having his son take on the guilt of having done something perhaps even worse than actually kill his best friend. Obviously, the worst sh*t that John Graziano was into was hanging with the Hogans.
But let's say regardless of the pressure or motives behind this statement that it exemplifies part of Hulk's theology. Assuming a God, is there any way to prove Hulk wrong? Many Christians would say, "That is not my God." But when theology involves a personal God, and encourages subjective interpretations that can not be discredited or disproved, what happens to absolute truth, which is supposed to come with religion?
As an atheist, I am asked by Christians "on what basis" can I substantiate my morality, ideology, and my will to live. The implication is that we all need God's grace to get it right. The golden rule is obviously too far fetched for me to exhibit on my own without Jesus tugging on my heart or to remember the words of my parents in how to share, or to modify my behavior when a kid said, "Ouch! You're not playing nice!" My basis is my interpretation of how the world operates and how I ought and want to behave given that interpretation. It's an ongoing thing. I study nature and work together with others using language and behavior to devise collective norms and laws. So, yes, it's relative, just like the basis of one's Christianity.
I find the premise that religion offers absolute/universal truth alarming because it never actually delivers it. See here for a fun read. Toward the end of the article, when it addresses evidence of absolute truth, it makes the following claims:
The first evidence for the existence of absolute truth is seen in our conscience. Our conscience tells us that the world should be a “certain way,” that some things are “right” and some are “wrong.”
The second evidence for the existence of absolute truth is seen in science. Science is simply the pursuit of knowledge. It is the study of what we know and the quest to know more. Therefore, all scientific study must by necessity be founded upon the belief that there are objective realities that exist in the world. Without absolutes, what would there be to scientifically study?
The third evidence for the existence of absolute truth / universal truth is the existence of religion. All the religions of the world are an attempt to give meaning and definition to life. They are born out of the fact that mankind desires something more than simply existing.
Points one is an example of relativism.
The first problem with point two is that objective realities may themselves be part of dynamic, random processes. Furthermore, much of science is not proven, but built on theory, which might eventually be shown to be incorrect. The second problem with employing #2, from a theological perspective, is that this does not differ from some forms of deism and materialism.
Point three shows, as with Hulk's theology, that the strivings for finding meaning in various life events is a natural human condition, but because everyone has their own theology, the splinters of various belief indicate that the only absolute is subjectivity.
I'm way too removed from the pop culture scene that I only heard yesterday about Nick Hogan's car crash over a year ago and the Hulk family shenanigans surrounding it. In the leaked phone call between the Hulk and Nick while he was in prison, the Hulk says, "Well, I don't know what kind of person John was or what he did to get himself into this situation. I know he was pretty aggressive. He used to yell at people and he used to do stuff. But for some reason, man, God laid some heavy sh*t on that kid, man, I don't know what he was into...."
The Hulk says on Larry King Live that he told his son this to reach out to his son and give him solace -- blaming the victim, instead of having his son take on the guilt of having done something perhaps even worse than actually kill his best friend. Obviously, the worst sh*t that John Graziano was into was hanging with the Hogans.
But let's say regardless of the pressure or motives behind this statement that it exemplifies part of Hulk's theology. Assuming a God, is there any way to prove Hulk wrong? Many Christians would say, "That is not my God." But when theology involves a personal God, and encourages subjective interpretations that can not be discredited or disproved, what happens to absolute truth, which is supposed to come with religion?
As an atheist, I am asked by Christians "on what basis" can I substantiate my morality, ideology, and my will to live. The implication is that we all need God's grace to get it right. The golden rule is obviously too far fetched for me to exhibit on my own without Jesus tugging on my heart or to remember the words of my parents in how to share, or to modify my behavior when a kid said, "Ouch! You're not playing nice!" My basis is my interpretation of how the world operates and how I ought and want to behave given that interpretation. It's an ongoing thing. I study nature and work together with others using language and behavior to devise collective norms and laws. So, yes, it's relative, just like the basis of one's Christianity.
I find the premise that religion offers absolute/universal truth alarming because it never actually delivers it. See here for a fun read. Toward the end of the article, when it addresses evidence of absolute truth, it makes the following claims:
The first evidence for the existence of absolute truth is seen in our conscience. Our conscience tells us that the world should be a “certain way,” that some things are “right” and some are “wrong.”
The second evidence for the existence of absolute truth is seen in science. Science is simply the pursuit of knowledge. It is the study of what we know and the quest to know more. Therefore, all scientific study must by necessity be founded upon the belief that there are objective realities that exist in the world. Without absolutes, what would there be to scientifically study?
The third evidence for the existence of absolute truth / universal truth is the existence of religion. All the religions of the world are an attempt to give meaning and definition to life. They are born out of the fact that mankind desires something more than simply existing.
Points one is an example of relativism.
The first problem with point two is that objective realities may themselves be part of dynamic, random processes. Furthermore, much of science is not proven, but built on theory, which might eventually be shown to be incorrect. The second problem with employing #2, from a theological perspective, is that this does not differ from some forms of deism and materialism.
Point three shows, as with Hulk's theology, that the strivings for finding meaning in various life events is a natural human condition, but because everyone has their own theology, the splinters of various belief indicate that the only absolute is subjectivity.
At its best, religion is the baby's cry of the undeveloped mind; its emotion-driven attempt at righting the world's injustices at a whiff of wishful thinking....
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