A couple of quotations . . .

 . . . . that I didn't want to lose:-

"What religion and the religious fear most of all is ridicule because what they believe is 

absurd. Deep down they all know that. We give far too much credence to 'the mirthless cretins of jihad'. Much better to point and laugh at all such fundamentalists of whatever creed. They feed and thrive on our pusillanimous silence and respect for their beliefs."
~ Paul Owen. (There are several Paul Owens. I think this one is probably the Guardian journalist).

and:-

"Religious faith can give people a sort of hyperbolic confidence, an utter unconcern about whether they might be making a mistake, that enables acts of inhumanity that would otherwise be unthinkable." ~ Daniel Dennett. (and you all know who he is).

US Christians & their guns

Quedula is gratified to learn that her various comments on Rural Revolution have inspired a spirited defence of  American gun ownership.

I think the arguments go something like this:-

• I believe in God because I believe God wants me to believe in Him.
• I need guns to protect my right to have guns.

Some connection perhaps?

InCREDOlous

A concept ripped off mercilessly from Platitude of the Day but applied to the Saturday Times' Credo column. Imitation is the sincerest form of flatter.

How do we know that Christians are delusional?

Get outside your bubble of delusion.

The Display of Crucifixes

Images of a man writhing in agony have no place in any educational establishment, excepting perhaps a theological college: certainly not in a primary school. It is extraordinary how christians are blinded by their weird beliefs from considering the emotional vulnerability of the developing mind and to the general requirements for some degree of reticence when expressing their sado-masochistic fantasies.