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Feminism, Jess Phillips (MP) and MRA nonsense

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Gender differences/outcomes ≠ gender inequality (of opportunity, rights and respect)

Let me explain.

For those of you outside of the UK or not following some current news in the UK, some rabid argumentation has erupted concerning the Labour MP Jess Phillips concerning a Tory MP’s demands for an International Men’s Day to discuss men’s matters. Apparently, the feminism is pretty evil (from what I have been reading) and men are discriminated against to the point that they need their own International Day

Everybody Is Wrong About God

James A. Lindsay is author of Dot, Dot, Dot: Infinity Plus God Equals Folly which is a book I edited and released on Onus Books. He has recently written a book due for imminent publishing called Everybody Is Wrong About God. I was lucky enough to see a draft version of the manuscript which I worked on with James. It’s great.

Philosophy 101 (philpapers induced) #8: Belief in God: theism or atheism?

Having posted the Philpapers survey results, the biggest ever survey of philosophers conducted in 2009, several readers were not aware of it (the reason for re-communicating it) and were unsure as to what some of the questions meant. I offered to do a series on them, so here it is – Philosophy 101 (Philpapers induced). I will go down the questions in order. I will explain the terms and the question, whilst also giving some context within the discipline of Philosophy of Religion.

Heroin and guns

I have a friend who often takes heroin. She’s responsible. She’ll often go out and do it in the woods, where she owns a little farmstead. She’ll shoot up and really enjoy herself. It makes her feel good; empowered. Gets those endorphins flowing.

Atheist killers; correlation not causation.

This is a topic which I have covered in other ways before, both in the piece “Have I killed someone?” and “A Great Myth about Atheism: Hitler/Stalin/Pol Pot = Atheism = Atrocity – REDUX”. This idea that atheism causes people to do X or Y has reared its ugly head. Why am I mentioning this now? Anton Lundin-Pettersson went into a school in Sweden with a mask and helmet, looking pretty dark, and a sword, and killed two people. And it looks like he was an atheist.

PZ Myers has written about it. He did not say that Anton Lundin-Pettersson was an atheist and that this caused his killing spree, but that atheists don’t like admitting when one of their own is a bad person, that atheists pull the No True Scotsman fallacy and skew the stats on atheist atrocities.

Bob Jones University and the death of ideas

My first impression of Bob Jones University was a glowing one. Every year, hundreds of high school students are bussed onto the campus from conservative churches and schools (half-jokingly referred to as “feeder schools” by students and faculty at BJU) to visit for a week. This year, I was one of those lucky kids. Getting my first glimpse at real college life was a moment I’d long anticipated, and for the week I was there it was everything I wanted.

Burden of Proof

I was asked by a fellow blogger to write something on the burden of proof. We often hear the maxim “the burden of proof falls upon the person making the claim” or something like that. Why is this the case? Does it stand?

Saudi Arabia, Human Rights and Sir Gerald Howarth’s Nonsense

This is a really important topic and piece which I think needs to be understood by many, not least the politicians working on the world stage. In fact, politicians seem these days to lack in philosophical rigour and understanding. Let me show you one such example here. The topic of Saudi Arabia, its history of human rights abuses, and it sitting so ironically on the UN Human Rights Council is one which is hitting the media outlets in the UK presently.

Guns, deaths, guns, deaths, guns, deaths…

If only we had guns to protect us. Dan Yowell said this on facebook in answer to a university altercation which left one dead and three injured:

“Kid who has a gun for protection protects 3 kids into the hospital and protects a fourth kid to death. Glad he was protected. Bad stuff might have happened.”

Those who will not be convinced

I gave a talk last night to the Portsmouth Skeptics in the Pub group on my Case Against God. It went down an absolute treat. Packed to the rafters to almost twice its small capacity (people sitting on the floor and all), there were some great questions and audience interaction. I really loved it and I gather so did the audience. Woo hoo! However, it was really interesting that there were a number of committed Christians in the audience, not least a woman in the front row.

Holidays are coming, holidays are coming

It’s that time of the year, my friends! Almost. Anyway, let me try to persuade you to part company with some hard earned cash in support of my projects and books. This is partly a reblog of Caleb Lack’s post some time ago over at the superb Great Plains Skeptic here at SIN (so the first part is written from his point of view):

The Second Amendment IS Gun Control Regulation

Yes, they have had another mass shooting in the US. Yes, the debate rages on, eternally at an impasse. Yes, an eight-year-old girl was shot dead by an eleven-year old neighbour over a dispute about a puppy. But no, apparently Americans should not be able to amend a fricking Amendment. Gun control will infringe people’s rights!

Christianity is fundamentally opposed to freedom of speech

In reading Richard Carrier’s excellent chapter in John Loftus’ superb Christianity is not Great in which I have a chapter myself, there is much to glean concerning matters of democracy and the American Constitution in the context of the Bible and religion.download
It is funny how so many libertarians/right-leaners and political commentators in the US are fans of both religion and freedom of speech. Freedom of speech seems to be something which, though actually complex and problematic, is intuitively argued for by many who also favour free market economics and general human liberties.

Star of Bethlehem: Methodological Difficulties

Aaron Adair wrote a superb book which I edited called The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View. It is well worth reading, and you will learn a number of gems. I thought I would give you a taste with part of the second chapter detailing methodological difficulties involved with the Gospel of Matthew and accounts and claims of the star. The book is available from the sidebar over there>>>>>>>

Warwick University Student Union bans atheist human rights activist from speaking

The BHA reports this annoyingly insane story. Please tweet them or email a complaint:

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has reacted with alarm at news that a non-religious human rights activist, Maryam Namazie, has been denied the opportunity to speak at a student society event, seemingly because she is an advocate of secularism who is critical of religious extremism.