Official Pastafarian Christmas Message of Understanding

From the pastafarian church.

The pastafarian church would like to take a moment during the festive season to remind you that you are loved by the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

You might encounter a pastafarian anywhere. We are members of your community.

As pastafarians we may ask for your understanding if you ask us to handle pasta based products.

If a pastafarian checkout operator in a supermarket asks you to go to another register please understand that it's done out of sacred religious observance and not intended in any way to make your Christmas shopping any more difficult.

For some pastafarians, handling pasta products (Excluding Gnocci of course, because that's not a real pasta) is confronting, and while we don't wish in any way to make your Christmas preparations more difficult, we may ask for a small amount of patience. Except for Gnocchi of course, because that's not real pasta.

So while we may not join you in eating a hearty helping of lasagne, we do of course hope you enjoy yours.

The pastafarian movement wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

May you and your family be touched by his noodley appendage during the festive season.

He boiled for your sins!

Faith and Atheism

On Faith and Atheism



Yesterday, I was involved in a discussion with an atheist who insisted there was no god. 

It began with a friend of mine posting this picture.

I replied with a comment but the relevant part of it was this

"..I can understand the sentiment. On the other side, Hitler said he was doing God's work".

I received a reply from second person who I didn't know,  telling me that I just didn't get it, and "THERE IS NO GOD".

As far as I am aware, nobody has ever been able to prove there is no god or gods, it's an unfalsifiable hypothesis.

So I asked for the proof of this statement, and I was directed to the same graphic on facebook. I advised that this is merely someone's opinion (no matter how tragic the circumstances) and it did not constitute proof.

The responder then posted a graphic showing me instructions on how to insert my opinion anally, and subsequent statements made alluded to paedophile priests and that I was quote "nowhere near an atheist"

So in response to these statements, let me make the following points.

Point One:

I am an atheist. I have been doing videos regarding atheism for over four years now. My religious affiliation is shown on my Facebook, and a mouse click would have told you this information. Your assertion that I am not is incorrect.

Point Two:

My statement "Hitler said he was doing God's work" was attempting to illustrate just how subjective proof of god's blessings are. The efficiency of the extermination of Jews could quite easily be interpreted as a blessing by 'god' given to the third Reich.

Point Three

When I ask for proof that there is no god, you failed to provide any. This situation of no proof is likely to persist through until the end of time unless we can find some way to put god in a test tube. As I stated earlier, the concept of a god is an unfalsifiable hypothesis.

which brings me to point Four.

I feel it necessary to bring to your attention the celestial teapot. Bernard Russell stated " nobody can prove that there is not between the Earth and Mars a china teapot revolving in an elliptical orbit, but nobody thinks this sufficiently likely to be taken into account in practice. I think the Christian God just as unlikely." Please note, this is not proof of a god (or teapot), it merely serves to show how pointlessly impossible it is to disprove such a concept.

Point Five:

I'd also like to mention the Spectrum of theist probability. The Dawkins formulation ranges from (1) certainty about theism to (7) certainty of there being no god or gods, with various graduations from one point to the other. At the risk of running an 'appeal to authority' fallacy, Richard Dawkins places himself at a 6 on the scale. In simple terms even Richard Dawkins refuses to discount the miniscule chance of a god existing, even if it is extremely remote.

Logic would dictate that if something cannot be comprehensively disproven then there is some chance of it occurring. My 'likelihood ranking" of a god of some sort actually existing is that it is about as likely as a pink unicorn, a leprechaun or ghost. They are things that I will live my life without any deference to, as I have seen no evidence for them and I have no reason to believe they exist.

I would contend however that a statement of "There is no god" to be a faith based one, in so much as there is no evidence to support it. It is an untenable position.

Video can be seen here.

Kent Hovind - Out Of Jail And Home For Christmas ?

Will Kent Hovind Be Home In Time For Christmas ?

Did Comet Ison's Orbit Change Or ?

COMET ISON CHANGED ORBIT ?

As I have said in the past, I'm not a highly educated man. But under 10 minutes of math can debunk hours of wishful thinking on conspiracy websites.

 Maths. It works.

How ONE SINGLE WORD stopped religious advertising!

In 2012 Co-organizer and Spokesperson of the Northeast Pensylvania freethought society Justin Vacula attempted to get an athiest advertisement on the County of Lackawanna transport system. The proposal was rejected as it was considered 'attacking religion' and it could spark public debate.

Oh heaven forbid we have a public debate about anything of consequence.



This year another proposal was rejected by COLTS.

“It’s our aim to be completely neutral on religious issues” said COLTS solicitor Timothy Hinton.

I'm sorry to inflict this on my viewers, but here is the horrible devisive advertisement that COLTs rejected. Look away now if you are at all squeemish.

Horrific, isn't it?

In its refusal letter to Justin Vacula, COLTS states "It is COLTS goal to provide a safe and welcoming environment on its buses for the public at large. The acceptance of ads that promote debate over public issues such as abortion, gun control or the existence of God in a confined space like the inside of a bus detracts from our goal"

This advertising proposal has caused COLTS to revise its advertising policy to protect the general public from anything that might cause them offence.

On the 17th of September the COLTS board meeting adopted a new advertising policy.

Under the new policy ads “that promote the existence or non-existence of a supreme deity, deities, being or beings; that address, promote, criticize or attack a religion or religions, religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; that directly quote or cite scriptures, religious text or texts involving religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; or otherwise religious in nature” will not be accepted.

The NEPA are continuing to pursue the matter.

Ideally I'd like to see the advertising open to all points of view but as new policy prohibits it I guess that's not going to happen.

One word managed to get all religious advertising shut down. That's power!

Dinosaurs in Genesis and Contaminated Holy Water!

Now for a story that could leave a bad taste in your mouth.
According to the mail online, most holy water is contaminated with feacal matter and could be harmful to your health.
The report quotes from a study by the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology in Vienna that analysed holy springs and fonts in Austria.
It found that some holy springs had concentrations of nitrates in them from agriculture. It also found that 86% of holy water has feacal matter in it, and every millilitre of water has up to 62 million bacteria in it!
A microbiologist from the Medical University of Vienna recommends that the responsible authorities and priests put up warning signs by the holy springs. He also recommends that salt could be added to holy water in fonts to reduce the chance of bacteria thriving, he also suggests that holy water in churches should be changed regularly. Personally I'd recommend staying away from Church altogether. Holy shit!



Have you ever heard of the Blue Ridge Christian Academy? Perhaps this will jog your memory.

The Blue Ridge Christian Academy was a Christian school in South Carolina at the cutting edge of creationist science education.

Did I say cutting edge ? Sorry, I meant to say it was a steaming pile of horseshit that milked the willfully ignorant in an attempt to indoctrinate their unfortunate offspring into the intellectual desert wasteland that is creationism.

According to "The Christian Post", the Blue Ridge Christian Academy will close down due to a lack of funds, despite an appeal by Mark Looy and Ken Ham on the "Answers in Genesis" website. The school needed $200,000 to remain open and in the end managed to raise $15,000. Answers in Genesis also asked for readers to pray for the school. I guess they didn't pray hard enough.

I'd like to ask you all to ponder this sad loss of academic powerhouse. I know I'm going to be choking back the tears for nanoseconds.

Just think, those kids wont learn about how the world is 6,000 years old or that humans and dinosaurs coexisted. This loss of a vibrant thinktank of creationism will be about as sadly missed as a case of syphilis.

Chained patients found during raid on Church mental health facility!

Just another piece of evidence that religion, or rather those that believe in it, cause real, physical harm.

My thoughts on the eve of Election 2013

It appear that the Liberal party is going to win, but I at least hope the minor parties get to hold the balance of power.

I'm voting for the Secular Party of Australia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZW5wvdvf1c

In just over two weeks, Australia will go to the polls and elect a new government.

My voting intention this year is to vote for the Secular Party Of Australia for the senate.

The secular party is my choice for a progressive, multi-platform party that has the will and drive to enshrine the separation of church and state, something lacking in this country.

The secular party of Australia places emphasis on formulating policies based on evidence, rather than dogma. What a refreshing change that will be!

The secular party favours dismantling the National schools Chaplaincy program – a program that cost Australians over 200 million dollars. You remember the NSCP, the program that wasn't supposed to be about religion but violates the Australian constitution? The same program that had funding deemed 'invalid' by the high court of Australia. The same program that puts unqualified counsellors into schools. The same counsellors who may or may not know a damn thing about counselling children. The secular party is intent on replacing it with a program that supplies qualified counsellors. Counsellors who wont advise children on spiritual issues as some of them currently do. What a novel concept, it sounds a bit like seeing a doctor instead of homoeopath.

Speaking of homoeopathy, did you know that Australians spend more on complementary medicines than on realmedicines ? You know, the medicines that actually have been tested and approved ? The Secular party has proposed cracking down these questionable remedies by tightening regulations and asking for some actual proof of efficiency before Medicare rebates will apply.

As I said at the start, this party is not a single-issue party, it has many policies. Sensible, evidence based policies that aren't the result of some dogmatic interpretation of a 2000 year old book put together by a bunch of semi-nomadic goat herders who were writing down recollections of their ancestors.

Policies for example that will end the tax breaks and exemptions for religious institutions. Tax breaks will still be available for not-for-profit organisations of any particular religious or non-religious persuasion provided they can pass a public benefit test. You know, the sort of test that shows that the tax-free money is actually helping the community at large, and not just 'advancing religion'. Once again, the commitment to evidence-based legislation makes sense.

The Secular party specifically deplores the demonisation of asylum seekers. With the two major parties engaging in a contest to see who can kick the shit out of the most vulnerable of vulnerable, it's rather nice to see a party prepared to treat people as.. well... people. Migrants to Australia will be expected to understand that fundamental to Australian values is the idea that women and men are equal. New Australian citizens will have to understand that their primary loyalty will be to Australian values, including freedom of religion and not to their religion (assuming they have one!).

The secular party proposes that oaths for public offices that currently reference religion should be replaced with a more inclusive and secular oath, with an optional religious oath to follow the legally binding affirmation. See! No coercion and you can still swear your allegiance to the carpenter zombie if you want.

While we're talking about authority and government, don't you think it might be time for an Australian head of state? The secular party favours a republic, rather than the current system of an English woman who is head of our state because of archaic hereditary laws. Sounds like a great career path to me, but I can't see much room for promotion.

Was that blasphemy? Let's hope not, because in Australian there are still blasphemy laws on the books. Laws that should have been removed long ago like a the malignant cancer they are. Laws just waiting for the opportunity to be hijacked by some offended religious nutter in the name of their chosen all mighty myth.

I'll be voting for Secular party in the senate because of a commitment to evidence based policy, a commitment to separating church and state, and a commitment to end the National School Chaplaincy program. I'm voting secular australian party because secularism is central to religious freedom. Freedom is something we can all get behind.

Who is responsible for the US debt?

In true economic revisionist style, it seems the nutbag right is trying to blame the US foreign debt on Obama.

I decided to do some research of my own and compiled this spreadsheet.

It's true that the debt has risen under Obama - but the bulk of it - by far, was generated under Bush. 

Seriously, how do these disingenuous right wing nutters sleep at night ? Considering what Obama inherited it's amazing that it's not higher now.

I guess those wars didn't come cheap.

Paul Begley Is A Dishonest Fear-monger.

I'm talking facts.

I have watched Paul's Youtube channel go from 6,000 subscribers to now over 20,000. It must be said that Paul gives a good performance - from his catch phrase "Are you serious" to dire warnings that "something Biblical" is happening, this man has all of the drama of an episode of Desperate Housewives and none of the depth of character.

Some of Paul's questionable tactics:

1. Paul will make videos about any major current event. Construing the events of the time in question to have some Biblical significance is his standard stock-in-trade. For example in his latest video Paul states that the 900 dead pigs in China are related to Mark chapter 5. Of course his take on what is essentially a single similar incident (pigs drowning in verse 13) would make a PR consultant for a major cigarette company blush. Making videos about current events assists with his YouTube views and thus his partnership earnings.
2.  Paul rarely links directly to any article he reads from. Paul will often cite an article on, say, the BBC website and put the main home page link but he will almost never directly link to the article. The reason is that the last thing Paul wants would be people actually reading the full story themselves. Knowledge as usual has to be suppressed in the name of saving the unclean.. or something like that.
3. Paul censors his channel. Paul seems to take issue with people pointing out verifiable truths to him (or indeed, the other people who leave comments) on his channel. I was blocked simply for calling out his lies with regards to the so-called Obamacare RFID chip. My comments were removed, even though they simply pointed out his error and the facts of the issue. I have heard from other posters that he is a repeat offender in this regard. Please bear this in mind if you interact with Paul. He has such an egg-shell like ego.(Incidentally Paul has never admitted his mistake here and as far as I know he continues to peddle this line of flim-flam, debunked here.)
4. Portraying himself as someone who needs to be deferred to. Pauls seems to have this notion that heads of state should be consulting him when it comes to important decisions, as illustrated by his letter to Kim Jong Il. I'm sure that, as a man of the people, Kim Jong Il took everything on board that Paul Begley had to say. Needless to say, this video speaks volumes about just how humble Paul really is.

Paul's Cottage Industry.

Paul will often push his wares during his videos in such a seamless manner that it would make any infomercial director jealous. You can purchase his fine assortment of coffee cups and other detritus here. His books are a 'must read' he tells us. Of course you don't need to do something as crass a purchase a material item to support his ministry, you can just.. make a donation. None of that icky materialism to worry about.

Paul's cottage industry of Coffee cups and (most likely) vanity published books are no doubt providing financial assistance for the poor and homeless. I assume that's where the money is going.. but as yet in all of his videos I have never seen or heard of him doing charitable or selfless acts.

I assume that Pastor Paul is familiar with Acts 20:35 and Proverbs 19:17 ?

Of course he is, after all, 'something Biblical' is happening.