Or at least so says Christopher Hitchens, responding to Robertson’s claim that the devastating Haitian earthquake (which may have killed upwards of 200,000 innocent people) was the result of “a deal with the devil” made during the Haitian Revolution in 1791. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called Robertson’s remarks “utterly stupid.” Barry Lynn of Americans United said they were callous and grotesquely insensitive. And Keith Olbermann says Robertson is full of “senile crap.”
Archive for the ‘movies’ Category
Podcast #78 – Pat Robertson Is an Evil Moron
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Podcast #74 – Margaret Downey
Monday, December 7th, 2009
We interview Margaret Downey, former Atheist Alliance International president and founder of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP.org), about her experiences coordinating the annual Tree of Knowledge in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is intended to offer an alternative to the traditional Nativity scene displayed on public property. For more about Margaret visit secular-celebrations.com.
Loose Screws
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Review by John C. Snider © 2009
Aliens landed at Roswell. The Apollo moon landings were faked. HIV doesn’t cause AIDS. And 9/11 was an inside job.
Americans love their conspiracy theories almost as much as they love their religion. Once a crackpot idea grabs the public’s attention, no amount of data, science and common sense will talk them off of whatever ledge they’ve crawled onto–and no one has perfected the art of blithe denialism more than the so-called 9/11 Truthers.
Darwin film gets US distributor
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
When reports came out a few days ago blaming Creationist fervor in America for the failure of Darwin bio-pic Creation to get a US distributor, I was skeptical of the claim; further, I was sure it wouldn’t be long before a distribution deal was announced. If America loves anything, it’s controversy.
Darwin film not dead in US
Thursday, September 17th, 2009As I reported a few days ago, the new Charles Darwin bio-pic Creation has yet to find a distributor for the US market. Producer Jeremy Thomas was quoted as blaming anti-evolution sentiments in America for the problem.
I didn’t buy it. Lots and lots of extraordinarily controversial, religiously offensive movies get distributed every year. The suspicion I voiced was that simple economics was at play, not kowtowing to religious fascists. Perhaps American distributors found the film dull, or didn’t think it could muster enough ticket sales to make it worth their while.
Why can’t Darwin film find a US distributor?
Saturday, September 12th, 2009The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the new film Creation (starring husband-and-wife actors Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles Darwin and wife Emma Darwin) has failed to find a distributor in the United States. The film deals with Darwin’s life after his ’round-the-world voyage on the Beagle and his personal struggle to come to terms with the theory of evolution by natural selection. The film has been screened in various places, including the Toronto Film Festival, and has received generally positive reviews. Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education calls it “a thoughtful, well-made film that will change many views of Darwin held by the public—for the good.”
Podcast #63 – Efficacy of Prayer
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
It’s the p-p-p-p-power of prayer! Or not. We look at several anecdotes that point toward the efficacy (or inefficacy) of intercessory prayer, including:
- The tragic cases of two teenage girls (one in TN, one in KY), both of whom suffered terrible injuries. One recovered (more or less), the other is maimed for life. Both were the beneficiaries of the prayers of hundreds. Why did God heal one and snub the other??? We’ll give you a hint: the answer can be found at www.whywontgodhealamputees.com.
- The Miracle of Colwich Man – A Kansas man was healed after thousands of parishioners prayed to the late Father Emil Kapaun, a Korean War hero who’s currently under “skeptical” investigation by the Vatican for possible sainthood.
- The Case of the Shriveling Glacier – Faithful Catholics in the Swiss towns of Fiesch and Feischertal have prayed for centuries that God protect them from the wintertime advance of the Aletsch Glacier. Now the Aletsch is rapidly receding due to global warming, so now the townsfolk are seeking the Pope’s permission to reverse the prayer.
The Voyage that Shook the World
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
by John C. Snider © 2009
If you buy the latest Creationist explanation, Charles Darwin was a fantasy-prone naif who “fabricated stories” as a boy, fell for a bunch of geological uniformitarianist claptrap, got mad at God for the deaths of three of his ten children, and kluged together the Theory of Evolution by cherrypicking the data he collected on his famous round-the-world voyage. Plus he was a racist precisely because he believed that, while all human beings are derived from a common ancestor, some were more evolved than others.
As you probably already know, 2009 marks both Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his magnum opus The Origin of Species. Lovers of science have been celebrating all year, but Creationists–still smarting from recent legal setbacks involving teaching Intelligent Design in public schools, and increasingly desperate to sound “sciencey” when discussing their discredited theories–are determined not to be outdone in the Year of Darwin.
Harry Potter is an atheist?
Sunday, July 5th, 2009Well, now. Not only is Harry Potter a wizard and the bane of self-appointed morality police who storm their local PTAs and school boards, he’s an atheist to boot. Daniel Radcliffe, who has starred in the blockbuster Harry Potter movies, has outed himself as an nonbeliever. The sixth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, hits theatres July 15th.
Podcast #82 – Creation
Friday, February 26th, 2010Thanks to the many fellow science fans who joined us for the Creation screening at Atlanta’s Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. And thanks to Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine for accommodating our unexpected horde.
Tags: annie's box, charles darwin, creation, david mcallister, evolution, jason bourque, jennifer connelly, paul bettany
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