Gary William Murning Online

Now, before I post this link, let me just preface it with a wee disclaimer.

1. I know this isn’t typical of Americans. Most are surprisingly normal, once you get to know them (although you, my friend, can be a bit of a nutter when you’ve had a few… or even when you haven’t ) So I’m not American-bashing.
2. Christians are people, too. And a large percentage of them are actually really great human beings who think Darwin rocks and don’t even believe in Hell anymore. So this isn’t a Christian-bashing piece.
3. Stupid people deserve respect. They are… oh, sorry, no, wait! Scratch that. This is a stupid-people-bashing piece!

So, to the article. This just cracked me up. Not only because it’s just so amazingly self-centred and disproportionate (sorry, people, God’s a bit preoccupied in China and Burma right now), but also because, well, it’s got a former beauty queen (I’m assuming that that means she’s ugly now) and someone called Rocky in it.

Oh, and if that doesn’t make you smile (I am, admittedly, easily pleased) how about this?

“These prices will come down, just like the walls of Jericho came down in the Bible.”

Does this mean he’s planning on sounding his horn?

After whinging about a lack of balance in the whole atheist v. creationist debate, Kenny the Christian comes along and perfectly illustrates why.

Dawkins warns of human extinction
by Catriona Ross

Reposted from:
Inverness Courier

GOD does not exist, people who believe the earth is 6000 years old are “loonies and idiots” and teaching children to fear the fires of hell is plain evil.

Just a few of the contentious opinions put forward by outspoken atheist Professor Richard Dawkins to an 850-strong audience in Inverness on Wednesday.

The lecture and discussion, organised by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Millennium Institute, has sparked lively debate.

The world-famous evolutionary biologist and Oxford don spoke on “Science and The God Delusion” at the free talk at Eden Court Theatre.

Beforehand, the UHI was slammed by a leading member of the Free Church, David Robertson, who accused it of bias for giving Professor Dawkins a platform.

However, many members of the public, who packed the theatre, seemed to approve of the Professor Dawkins’ views.

Extracts read from his bestselling book “The God Delusion” drew loud applause and afterwards long queues snaked from the table where signed copies were being sold.

A staged discussion with fellow atheist Paula Kirby covered topics ranging from atomic structure, Darwinism, geology, creationism and the dangers of religious fervour.

Professor Dawkins accused religion of causing many past and current conflicts in the world. “People can believe what they want, but I wish they would leave the rest of us alone,” he said.

“The current threat of jihad is brought about by religious fundamentalism. Do you think there would be suicide bombing without extremism of this kind?”

He also hit out at “Christian bigoted busybodies” who protested against new science such as stem cell research.

During the following debate hosted by BBC Good Morning Scotland’s Gary Robertson, a variety of matters were raised.

In response to questions about population growth, the environment and the future of humanity, Professor Dawkins said the threat of extinction was real and very disturbing.

“Humans may be unique in having the consciousness and ability to look into the future. Ninety nine per cent of species have become extinct. I don’t think there has been a mechanism by which a species took steps to halt a headlong rush to extinction.”

A member of the audience who talked of his salvation by Jesus was dismissed by the Professor as being deluded.

“The human mind is extremely susceptible to hallucination,” he said. “You are no doubt very sincere but I think you’re hallucinating.”

A protester who gave his name only as Kenny the Christian stood outside as people filed into the lecture.

The 62-year-old said he had travelled from Dornoch to tell people about God’s love. “I am here motivated by the love for the people who are attending this meeting,” he said.

“Secular fundamentalism is sweeping this nation and people are being deceived by the devil. The devil works through people.

“Mr Dawkins is the devil’s speaker and he has expressed this boldly. He believes in evolution, that nothing produces everything. But God produces everything.”

A spokeswoman for UHI said they were delighted at the calibre of the event and high standard of debate.

The lecture was the first in a series of three at Eden Court. The Rev Prof Andrew McGowan, principal of Highland Theological College UHI, will give his inaugural lecture on the role of theology in the university on 10th June.

On 27th October Dr John Lennox of Oxford University, author of “God’s undertaker: has science buried God?” will respond to Professor Dawkin’s lecture.

Kenny, Kenny, Kenny… God doesn’t exist — and if God doesn’t exist, guess what. The Devil doesn’t either. Now shush for a bit while I outline my new book, The Devil Delusion.

The festivities are almost upon us and, as ever, I’m finding myself a little torn. I hear Kirsty and Shane on Radio Two (which didn’t have to be bullied by its listeners into uncensoring the track — largely because its controllers weren’t fucking stupid enough to censor it in the first place!) singing “you scumbag, you maggott, you cheap lousy faggot” and I get all misty eyed, thinking, Oh, that jolly old time of tinsel and stars and mince pies is upon us once more! Or words to that effect. There are angels and shepherds and stuff and peace on earth and…

… and then I feel that old familiar tug. Do I really care? Has Christmas, bearing in mind my all-too-obvious lack of belief, anything for me?

Richard Dawkins, much to the sixth-form-esque amusement of the intellectually challenged (Libby Purves springs to mind), recently described himself as a “cultural Christian” — and when I read of him saying that, yes, he, the dyed-in-the-wool atheist, even enjoyed singing certain carols, I applauded him. He must have realised that he was paving the way for (utterly stupid) questions like “How can you enjoy singing words you don’t believe in?” etc. I’m not going to address that here, though. Such questions show a marked lack of imagination. The fact is, Dawkins was happy to acknowledge that religion can have an aesthetic impact even on someone with no belief in a god, and I welcome that.

At the other end of the spectrum is dear old Christopher Hitchens. Bless him. The Ghost of Christmases That Bloody-Well Never Should Have Been. As antagonistic as he can be, and whilst I would never flee to Cuba to avoid the festivities, as he would, I still kind of admire his complete hatred (I don’t think that’s too strong a word) of the season. I know he too appreciates certain aesthetic accomplishments of “religion”, so whilst he isn’t exactly diametrically opposed to Dawkins’ position, it does seem to me laudably uncompromising (oh, okay, so he admits to enjoying the process of putting up and taking down the plastic tree with his daughter — we all bend a little where kids are concerned… I hope.) He walks the walk.

So where does this leave me? Unlike Dawkins, I don’t especially enjoy carols. The story of the Nativity holds no interest to me (although I was an impressive Joseph at the age of seven… my wheelchair was the donkey, Mary pushed it and Jesus was consequently three weeks premature.) I can certainly appreciate the spirit of Christmas and am willing to concede I’m likely to be more tolerant at this time of year. I enjoy and relish the time spent with my parents, catching up with family and friends and so on. The whole “party” aspect no longer appeals. I have neither the energy nor the inclination. And as for the commercial aspect… well, I find it all a little sad and pathetic. Gift-giving is wonderful, but such excess? I think not.

On the whole, it’s a time of year I enjoy — though, I must admit, my enjoyment comes more and more from not buying into it. Am I a Dawkins or a Hitch? I swing, I guess. I’d like to say I’m a pleasant middle-ground, but that isn’t really true. I make it what I want and need it to be. The Christian and even the Pagan associations are no longer of any concern to me, but I don’t feel (usually) the need to flee to Cuba at the mere sound of the opening bars of “Jingle Bell Rock.”

And on that note, given that I may not be posting over the next few days (though I might if the turkey takes longer than expected ), I’d like to take this opportunity to say, from the bottom of my heart…

BAH, HUMBUG!

(However you celebrate, be safe, be happy and if you’re down Cuba way and happen to see Old Hitch — give him a kiss under the mistletoe from me.)