“Tolerance of intolerance is cowardice.” - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

A while ago, around December, I went to have Christmas dinner at my Mother's parent's house. After the food, crackers, and hats were all finished with my Grandmother leaned over the table, rested a hand on my Mother's arm, and said - completely out of the blue - "I brought you up to respect other people's beliefs."

Now, as this somewhat hushed and accusatory utterance was so…

I know I do it too often, but to start I feel the need to quote Tim Minchin, yet again. On the very real divide between faith and science, he has this to say:

"Science adjusts it's beliefs based on what's observed. Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."

Not…

I know I'm preaching to the converted, but here's an excerpt from another past blog post of mine...

"I doubt there are many people alive who can profess to understand - wholly - the beautifully simple 'theory of…

About 2 weeks ago I did post on my status a petition to the Royal Society to start a debate on resetting the calender to reflect our true heritage. 

The text of the petition has been altered slightly and I request you to again append your signatures. And I apologise to those who has signed it.

Nothing much may come from it, but I think it will start a discussion that all of us alive today and who are secular would be interested in. There is nothing about 1BC and 1AD that…

I have just published an article at Examiner.com. It is the second in a series dealing with why I think preachers are deceptive. This article deals with the problem of evil. Please check it out and leave a comment. Thanks.

Are preachers deceptive part 2

I have just published a new article on Examiner.com discussing one of the reasons why I think preachers are liars. Please check it out and leave a comment. Thanks.

Are Preachers Deceptive?

FEATURED VIDEO

The Monty Hall Problem

The Monty Hall paradox is a probability puzzle based on the American television game show Let's Make a Deal, the one with the three doors, where 1 door contains a highly coveted prize and the other two, useless stuff. Monty Hall was the…

So, as my last post to Atheist Universe went down so nicely I've decided to add another excerpt from another past blog post. Enjoy...

Hardly anyone can look up at the stars experiencing anything but awe (or tiredness), and where a significant few would pair the sightings of great distances, masses and abundance of stellar objects with a genuinely pleasurable sense of big-scheme-of-things worthlessness others are threatened by any ideas of unimportance on a…

Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived – Isaac Asimov

I’m an open atheist around school and in general, and I never shy away from answering questions of my pro-science nature. I feel that I should match the proud wearing of my ‘Darwin-Fish‘ pin with an equally proud and proactive attitude towards confrontation –…

I have just published a short article discussing the reasons for locating Christmas and New Years so close together in the calendar. Please check it out and leave a comment. Thank you. An Atheist Musing On The Holidays