February 2009

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More religious prejudice in Halifax

February 26, 2009 in Religion, Skeptic News by admin | 1 comment

We told you so.

Okay, I am feeling prophetic. Hey Randi, I want the $1.0 million prize.

It was only a few weeks ago, I wrote about Halifax Regional Municipality Council conducting prayers as part of the Council meeting (see ASkepticRTN Praying in Halifax Council Meetings). Councillor Jerry Blumenthal and Deputy Mayor David Hendsbee stated that if atheists didn’t like it they could basically leave or shut up. I likened this to telling people they could just sit at the back of the bus. I also stated this meant that atheists could never get a fair shake within the Halifax Regional Municipality as prejudice against atheists had become institutionalized within the municipality. Read the rest of this entry »

How bad journalism gave religion an alibi

February 18, 2009 in Evolution by admin | No comments

Nigel Hannaford is now soft selling Darwinian evil. Hey, it’s progress.

Okay, my opportunity to say I told you so. On the eve of Darwin Day I suggested we would see very little (if anything) from the Calgary Herald or the Calgary media in general concerning the accomplishments of Charles Darwin. I suggested if we did see anything, it would be little more than another sophomoric attack concerning Darwin’s responsibility for a host of evils including declining morals.

The Herald, brilliant in its timing managed to accomplish both. Virtually nothing appeared to mark Darwin Day (except a very small syndicated piece that reduced Darwin and evolution as something that is being celebrated in England. Oh those crazy Brits!). Then, almost a week later came the attack. Read the rest of this entry »

Darwin Day Thursday Feb. 11 2009

February 11, 2009 in Evolution, Religion, Skeptic News by admin | 3 comments

Will any Calgary media notice?

Darwin Day is tomorrow, Thursday February 1. 2009 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species as well as the 200th anniversary of the great man’s birth. I am looking forward to the vast coverage this will be receiving in Calgary’s media. I’ll bet I’m disappointed.

Experience tells me that there will be little coverage and what coverage there is, will be the usual hatchet jobs that blame Darwin for everything from communism to the declining moral fiber in America (what is moral fiber anyway?). One of the greatest intellectual achievements of all time will be reduced to a listing of the paranoid rants of a few religious fundamentalists. As a reader of ASkepticRTN know well, this has certainly been the pattern of my Calgary Herald over the years. Read the rest of this entry »

It Has Been a Wild Couple of Weeks

February 1, 2009 in Religion by admin | 1 comment

In Winning Some Minor Victories for Human Rights, Atheist’s Have Managed to Reveal the Prejudices of the Religious and of the Media

It seemed to have started with President Obama’s Inaugural address. The newly elected President actually recognized ‘non-believers’.

For we know our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians, and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers.

Wow! It may not seem like much but given it was only a decade ago the US President opined that atheists should not be allowed citizenship or allowed to vote in American elections, this is a huge step forward. Read the rest of this entry »