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The “dynamic duo” of science?
Well, that’s how someone described them. But I have generally found the discussions between Lawrence Krauss and Richard Dawkins stimulating. I first commented on these almost 5 years ago (see Lawrence...
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Does religion blur understanding of evolution?
Victor Stenger has a short, but important, blog post in the Huffington Post. Appropriately (because it’s about evolutionary science) dated February 12 – Darwin Day, 204th anniversary of Charles...
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Sean Faircloth, Director of Richard Dawkins Foundation, visiting NZ
Sean Faircloth is the author of ‘Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All—and What We Can Do About It.‘ He is also Director of Strategy and Policy for the Richard Dawkins...
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Census 2013: That religion question
Ben Heather, at Stuff, made some comments on the religion question in the NZ Census (see Census 2013: Taking Stock Of New Zealand Society) which need slightly deeper analysis. He said: “Atheism is...
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Talking sense about morality
Here’s a great blog post by Jerry Coyne outlining a scientific approach to morality (see How should we be moral?: Three papers and a good book) it gives a summary of his current ideas and a reading...
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Moving into the mainstream – on the coat tails of the “New Atheists”
Credit: BadGnus radio The so-called “new atheists” (or Gnus) – Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, etc., generally get a very bad press from the religiously inclined....
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Fiddling with census figures for religion in New Zealand
Despite the bad publicity dogging the Catholic church internationally, Karl du Fresne reports that many NZ Catholics have a positive picture of their church in New Zealand (see Catholicism: Holy...
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The limits of philosophy
Or should I say - “The trouble with philosophy?” Whatever. The title certainly makes a change from those like “The Limits of science.” How many times have I seen such titles on articles written by...
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Interfaith delusions
I am not claiming that “interfaith” activity is bad – obviously it can do a lot to reduce inter-religious friction, hostility and violence. And that is certainly needed in parts of the world today. No...
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A beggar’s market?
This guy, James, from Austin, Texas, may have discovered something about the market. He is homeless man named James and is performing something of a social experiment. James has laid out nine bowls in...
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Richard Dawkins learns about the Bible
This isn’t the usual subject for videos of Richard Dawkins. This time he is in discussion with John Huddleston, from the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina. The discussion was recorded...
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Source of moral authority has shifted
A recent poll in the UK confirms a trend I have noticed elsewhere – the movement of younger people away from organised religion, and to a slightly lesser extent, from religious beliefs. But also to a...
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Are you qualified to discuss God, Heaven and Hell?
Loved this little story I picked up on Facebook. There’s a moral in it somewhere. Perhaps something to try on these God-botherers next time they come knocking on your door. A Christian was seated next...
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Jon Stewart interviews Richard Dawkins
I always enjoy the Daily show and this is another classic. Jon Stewart interviews Richard Dawkins (who is on a tour for his latest book An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist). Can’t embed...
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Christianity has hijacked human values
A short answer to a question often asked of atheists and other non-believers. Professor Jim Al Khalili points out that those people asking the question have got it the wrong way around ’Christian...
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Testing the God theory
I enjoyed this video. It is a full lecture but well worth watching – especially if you are interested in the science-religion debates. Sean Carroll presents these cosmological arguments well – and his...
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Census 2013 – religious diversity
Statistics New Zealand has released preliminary figures for religious affiliation from the 2013 census. The raw figures show for the major affiliations (Christian and No religion) the following:...
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What makes something right or wrong?
Here is another of the 4 animated videos produced by the British Humanist Association. They are all narrated by Stephen Fry. This one deals with aspects of morality – an important subject where the...
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