American Freethought

Well, he doesn’t so much pick on her as call a spade a spade.  Sam Harris (The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation) is not only perceptive; he writes brilliantly.  Anyway, here’s his latest essay, “In Defense of Elitism”, in which he expresses outrage at the flippancy with which Palin’s supporters dismiss her obvious lack of qualification for the (vice) presidency, and defends the idea that, if we depend upon “elites” to do the heavy lifting in every other profession, that we should do the same when it comes to governance.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/page/1

Holy crap!  Former Republican Congressman and current Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr has shaken up the “liberty movement” in a courageous (and as far as I know unprecedented) move to replace his VP running mate - the little-known Wayne Allyn Root - with former Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul.

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Yet another reason to wonder about Sarah Palin.  Wasilla Bible Church, Palin’s home church, has a program designed to “pray away the gay.”  I mean, it’s one thing for an informed, consenting adult to submit himself to some church’s de-gay-ifying protocols (which won’t work, I suspect, any more than abstinence-only sex ed worked for Palin’s daughter).  But it’s another thing entirely when you’ve got a high public official sitting in the pews and apparently giving her tacit approval.  I’m willing to bet there’s no way Palin backs off her church’s stance if she’s ever called on it.  (Unlike Obama, who after some wringing of hands eventually bailed on Jeremiah Wright, to his credit.)

[Apologies for the sound glitch at the very beginning.  The theme music overpowers the voice track, but it only lasts a few seconds.]

Presenting our first-ever live episode, recorded August 30th at Dragon*Con as part of the Skeptics programming track, directed by Derek Colanduno of Skepticality fame.  (Derek’s pod-partner Swoopy directed Dragon*Con’s Podcasting track.) 

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 Podcast #25 - Live at Dragon*Con!: Download (1577)

University of Central Florida student senator Webster Cook, who sparked a furor a few weeks ago by making off with a Eucharist during an on-campus Catholic Mass, has been removed from office after a committee hearing.  While I hate to hear pinheads like Blowhard Bill Donohue and His Catholic League crowing over this “victory”, I have to conclude that Cook kinda had it coming.  I agree with Cook’s objection to university-funded religious services being held on campus, but I do not think that disrupting such meetings is the way to fight it.

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Point #1: When abstinence-only education fails, what’s Plan B?  Oh yeah, there’s no Plan B.

I have no idea what to make of the rumors floating around that Palin’s fifth child is actually her grandchild.  Whether or not it’s true is largely immaterial to me; it’s a family matter.  Nonetheless, if it turns out it is true and if it turns out the Palins concealed this truth from McCain’s vetting committee…

More problematic is the new revelation that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is pregnant and that she plans to marry the boyfriend who is the father.  Again, this would normally be a family matter I would care nothing about, but… this is a governor who advocates abstinence only sex education in public schools.  (more…)

Okay, so now we know that it’s Barack Obama and Joe Biden vs. John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Is this an overall plus or minus for McCain?  I would argue a minus.

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Saddleback Civil Forum - On August 16, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain appeared on stage together at Saddleback Church to be questioned by Pastor Rick “Purpose Driven” Warren.  We analyze their performance, especially on matters of church-and-state.  But really, is it so much to ask our candidates to please please please stop the kowtowing to religious types?

My Fundamentalist Friend -  David recounts his recent conversation with a Christian co-worker.  The man has more patience than I.  Oy.
 
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 Podcast #24 - Saddleback Forum: Download (1803)

…Lord knows we’ve haven’t heard enough about the candidates’ religion!  Really, I can’t think of the last time McCain or Obama muttered something about the Savior or their faith-walk.

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Everybody in the West knows by now that Muslims get a bit tetchy when it comes to the Prophet Muhammed.  You can’t draw him, you can’t insult him…you’re even putting your neck out by publishing anything critical of him.  Danish cartoons, anyone?  And while he didn’t directly insult the Prophet, Salman Rushdie spent years in hiding over his novel The Satanic Verses, which included material considered controversial by Islamic fundamentalists.  It’s not surprising that polite society treads lightly when it comes to insecure primitives who threaten - and commit - murder against those who break their irrational taboos.

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