Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Atheists Watch "Left Behind" (2014)

Hugo and Jake sit down and watch what may be the worst film they have reviewed to date. Left Behind.

Atheist Debates - Interview: Richard Carrier

Richard Carrier joins Atheist Debates to give his thoughts on debating.



Interviewer: Matt Dillahunty, 2014.

7 Things Atheists "Get Wrong"

7 Things Belief.net gets wrong in their article about 7 Things Atheists get wrong.



1.) It says 200 videos on my YouTube, but there are one or two that I deleted or had to take down over this year and half... so it's 200ish videos. Yes, I need a life. :)

2.) Yeah, my microphone is acting up and popping. I was too lazy this time to rerecord. Sue me. Laziness pays off right now.

3.) I was inspired enough to change the pictures in my screenshot of their "article." OK so maybe I have a selective thing about when to be lazy. Sue me.

Rafael Cruz: End Separation Of Church & State

Rafael Cruz, the father of Sen. Ted Cruz, spoke at yesterday's Family Research Council Watchmen on the Wall conference, where he made the case for the conservative pastors in the audience to throw themselves into politics...


Clip from the Tuesday, May 27th 2014 edition of The Kyle Kulinski Show, which airs live on Blog Talk Radio and Secular Talk Radio monday - friday 4-6pm Eastern.

Sam Harris on Godless Spellchecker - The Podcast

Sam Harris (2014) "The God Who Wasn't There" (FULL INTERVIEW)



Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Rafael Cruz: Marriage Equality A Delusion, Women Who Had An Abortion Are Scarred

In this video, Rafael Cruz criticizes marriage equality and the Christians who support it.

Daniel Dennett: How Does the Brain Store Beliefs?

What if beliefs could be surgically inserted into a patient's brain? This is the basis of one of philosopher Daniel C. Dennett's thought experiments in exploration of how the brain represents beliefs. Daniel C. Dennett argues that individual beliefs are part of broader idea systems and that they couldn't possibly be stored like a library of belief sentences.

What to do if your child tells you that he/she is religious?



Video by Hemant Mehta, December 2014

Sam Harris: Pastor Terry Jones is right about Islam, but...




The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC, November 16, 2010,
Sam Harris - "The Moral Landscape"

Monday, December 29, 2014

Gordon Klingenschmitt Says Americans Should Rely On God For Healthcare

Gordon Klingenschmitt says that Americans should look to God for their healthcare needs and repent for worshiping President Obama as a god.

'And So It Begins': Glenn Beck's Dire Message From The Future

In this video, a ninety-year-old Mormon Glenn Beck explains, in the year 2054, how 2014 was the year in which the world began to collapse.

Kirk Cameron's 'Saving Christmas' = The Worst Movie In The History Of Man

"There are some things that deserve to be in Hell, and Christmas is one of them- Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas, that is.

Siting at the lowest spot on Internet Movie Data Base Bottom 100 Hades is the Cameron Opus with a 1.5 rating.



The story is It's A Wonderful Life rehash that has Cameron and his sister (played by actual Cameron sibling Bridgette Cameron) showing an actual Christian scrooge named Christian how to find the Christ in Christmas. That's a lot of C's flying around for a movie that got a perfect "0" rating on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes from the 12 critics not so blessed enough to have witness it. Christy Lemire noted that "It is The Room of Christmas movies. Actually, The Room is more enjoyable. But you get the idea."*

Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/anakasparian) of The Young Turks discuss. Tell us in the comment section below what you think the worst Christmas movie of all time is.

A Philosophical Discussion on God - Sloan Lee, Justin Fisher

Think of 1 act the God of the bible must have to commit in order for you to view him as an evil god. Think of the worst imaginable act that only an evil god can commit. Then ask yourself if your god of the bible has ever committed that evil act. Also, as humans, jealousy is one of the most despicable traits as it often leads to irrational behavior, murder, stalking, lies, distrust, being over possessive, deceptiveness, & mental abuse. That being said, the God of the bible is telling us straight up that he is a very jealous god. How a Christian can defend a "jealous" god is beyond mental illness & irrationality. And finally, if the Christian god is not an evil god, please define what an evil god is. What is an evil god?



Dr. Sloan Lee & Dr. Justin Fisher: A Philosophical Discussion of God
April 9, 2013 at Southern Methodist University

--
A Christian Wingnut vs An Intellectual Atheist in a College Debate

Bobby Jindal Wants To Be Pastor-In-Chief of U.S.



The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC, 12-23-2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Oh Noes! Atheists Have Residents "RAGING"!

Atheist convention coming to Memphis next Easter weekend



Sasha Jones, Downtown Memphis

WMC News, Memphis, TN, 9-23-2014,

No Freedom Without Biblical Law

Pat Robertson laments that the US is on its way to collapse because it abandoned the Bible as its primary source of law.



Video from CBN, 2014

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Do Humans Have Gravity?

A fan wants to know if a person floating in space has enough gravity to attract objects, as long as any competing source of gravity is far enough away? Get the answer from your own personal astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and enjoy comic co-host Leighann Lord’s “cute single person in a bar” analogy for the Cosmos.



Catch up with StarTalk Radio around the web:
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Mormon War Video on Anti Masturbation

Real video from the Mormon Church equates ignoring a masturbating roommate to leaving a wounded comrade on the battlefield.

The Question of Christ (podcast)

Is there any evidence for a real Jesus? Was Jesus' story borrowed from earlier religions and cultures? Is Jesus really the reason for the Christmas season, which is being celebrated globally this week?

In this podcast, Seth Andrews speaks to three historians who have dedicated much of their lives and writings to the subject of Christ and Christianity: Dr. Richard Carrier, David Fitzgerald and Dr. Robert M. Price.



TTA Podcast 198: The Question of Christ
The Thinking Atheist, December 2014

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Brian Camenker Says Gay Student Clubs Love To Recruit 'Kids From Christian Backgrounds'

In this video, Brian Camenker tells Gordon Klingenschmitt that LGBT clubs in public schools seek to recruit Christian students and turn them gay,

The Unbelievers Q&A: Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss & Penn Jillette

The Unbelievers Q&A: Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss & Penn Jillette



On Stage, Gus and Luke Holwerda, Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss and Penn Jillette.
Event Producer: Stephanie Guttormson Operations Director, RDFRS
Event Producer: Robyn Blumner Executive Director, RDFRS

What You Don't Know About Religion (but should) - with Dr Ryan Cragun

Dr. Ryan Cragun is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Tampa, and he specializes in the sociology of religion. A former Mormon (now atheist), Cragun has released his new book for which this show is titled. Join us as we talk about religion around the world, its claims versus reality, and the stuff about religion which isn't known (or being taught), but should be.



TTA Podcast 197: What You Don't Know About Religion (but should) - with Dr. Ryan Cragun
The Thinking Atheist, December 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Interfaith Marriage (Atheist Experience)

Interfaith Marriage. Tracie discusses an article from the Christian Science Monitor on interfaith couples and families.


The Atheist Experience #893 for November 23, 2014, with Russell Glasser and Tracie Harris.

Atheist Experience #893: Interfaith Marriage

Secret secrets of THE SECRET revealed

It's the most secret secret but I'll share it with you



Video by Mark Day. video from 2007

Thursday, December 25, 2014

William Lane Craig Is Wrong about Fine Tuning

Yet another thing Billy is wrong about. And yes, when the subject is physics, "Dr. Craig" is appropriately addressed as "Billy".



The debate between Sean Carroll and William Lane Craig can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0qKZ... (footage used for purposes of commentary and criticism)

'Twas the Night Raid Before Christmas

In the midst of buying your own gifts for family and friends this holiday season, remember that the cops can just as easily seize your property, your rights and even your shark fins. Enjoy this Christmas classic: Twas the Night Raid Before Christmas.



'Twas the Night Raid Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our home
Not a creature was stirring but CNN's gnome;
The stockings were hung by the family tree,
In hopes that St. Nick would come visit Philly.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
Except my wayward son, a sugar plum head;
With mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
He snuck to the porch and sold 40 bucks of smack.

Then out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Downstairs, to the entrance, I flew like a flash,
A yell of “Police!” and the front door was smashed;

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But cops with guns drawn, not a single rein-deer,
One arrested my son so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he was not St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles, my house they did seize,
“How can you do this?” I pleaded from my knees.
“It's called civil forfeiture,” bellowed the cop,
“I'll take what I want, and I'm not gonna stop.”

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had so much to dread.
“In just Philly alone, in just 10 years' time,
One thousand private homes are now mine, all mine!”

The grip of a rifle he held tight beneath;
The laser sight circled my heart like a wreath.
His scope—how it twinkled! trained on my dog Thor,
He kicked out my family, padlocked our door.

“Loitering, jaywalking, BS traffic stops:
All excuses to rob you—'cuz we're the cops!
TVs, cash, cars galore: everything is fair game,”
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

Take church funds! Take shark fins! Take crosses, SUV’s!
Buy Vipers! Buy hookers! Buy drones and Zambonis!
To the billions we seize! with no charges at all!
Now dash your hopes, dash your rights, dash away all!”

Then with that last word, he went straight to his work,
And stole all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a snort, he said “Sucks your son blows.”

He sprang to his cruiser as his team he advised:
“The rest of our wish list, we'll seize from good guys!”
And I heard him exclaim, ere they drove out of sight--
“Happy Christmas to all. On to the next house tonight!”

Approximately 2:31

Written by Justin Monticello. Production by Monticello and Paul Detrick. Editing by Detrick. Voice over by Alex Manning. Illustrations by Jason Keisling.

Videi by Reason.tv 2014

Kirk Cameron's: Armoured Christmas

This week's guest video is by Armoured Skeptic and his review of the trailer for Kirk Cameron's new Christmas Movie.

Best Christmas Special Ever!

In Heaven, it's God's turn to put on this year's Christmas play. Yippy Kay Yay, Christmas Special.



The Bible Reloaded, 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Special - Mock The Week 2014

The regulars test out Christmas products, reminisce about yuletide visits to A & E, a long living goldfish and harps. There's also the customary out-takes reel, a seasonal Scenes We'd Like To See and Hugh Dennis voicing a royal newsreel.



Mock The Week - Series 13 Episode 13 - Christmas Special HD

Dave Chappelle - The Secret

Dave talks about his depression and "The Secret" at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, CA. See more hilarious stand up comedy and check our club schedule on http://LaughFactory.com

Anti-LGBT Pastor Grabs Man’s Genitals & Offers Oral Sex

"A southern Indiana minister who preaches against homosexuality was accused of soliciting gay sex at a park.

Gaylard Williams, pastor of Praise Cathedral Church of God in Seymour, was charged with battery after a man said he grabbed his genitals last week at Cypress Lake.

A man parked at the lake Dec. 12 said the 59-year-old Williams asked him to roll down his vehicle window, then reached in and squeezed his genitals and offered to perform oral sex.

The man told the pastor he was “barking up the wrong tree” and acted like he was reaching for a gun.”



Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/AnaKasparian) break it down on The Young Turks.

Secular Christmas (Atheist Experience #895: Secular Christmas)

Secular Christmas. Matt and John talk informally about the evolution of Christmas into a secular holiday.



The Atheist Experience #895 for December 7, 2014, with Matt Dillahunty and John Iacoletti.

Atheist Experience #895: Secular Christmas

Fox News Has Typical Ironic B*tchfest Over Atheist Ad

"The New York Times ran a full page ad last week from the Freedom From Religion Foundation railing against the Supreme Court Hobby Lobby decision. But the ad happened to mention the Supreme Court is majority-Catholic, leading Fox News' Andrea Tantaros to ask if the Times is "profiting off of bigotry."...



There are exactly two mentions of Catholicism in the ad: once where it says "All-Male, All-Roman Catholic Majority On Supreme Court Puts Religious Wrongs Over Women's Rights," and again, a little farther down, where it reads "The Supreme Court's ultra-conservative, Roman Catholic majority...""

* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Cop Jeffrey Follmer Whines that Cops are the Victims in Tamir Rice Shooting

"The president of the Cleveland Patrolmen's Association on Monday refused to back down from criticizing a Cleveland Browns player as "pathetic" for wearing a shirt calling for justice for two unarmed black males who were killed by police officers in Ohio.

Cleveland Patrolmen's Association President Jeffrey Follmer on Sunday issued a statement criticizing Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins for wearing a shirt saying, "Justice For Tamir Rice and John Crawford," before the team's game. Tamir Rice, 12, was shot to death by Cleveland police last month while carrying a pellet gun. Crawford, 22, was killed by police officers in August while holding a toy rifle in a Walmart in Dayton, Ohio.

Meathead Cop Whines That Cops Are The Victims In Tamir Rice Shooting


Clip from All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC.

"It's pretty pathetic when athletes think they know the law," Follmer said on Sunday. "They should stick to what they know best on the field. The Cleveland Police protect and serve the Browns stadium and the Browns organization owes us an apology."

After Hawkins explained on Monday that he wore the shirt thinking of what could happen to his 2-year-old son, Follmer refused to back down."

* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur breaks it down.
December 2014

The Secret Strikes Back

An interview with the real people behind the popular self-help program The Secret. If you've never heard of The Secret, just ask your mom. She'll definitely know what it is.

Do Atheists Celebrate Christmas?

Greek Gods - Saturday Night Live

Zeus summons the gods to figure out the financial crisis in Greece.



Aired 11/05/11

Monday, December 22, 2014

Professor Brian Cox Lecture on the universe

A lecture by Brian Cox on how the universe was created.

The War on Christmas: Reloaded

Creationist Cat guest hosts TBR this week to hare his interview with Bill O'Reilly about the War on Christmas!

Can Atheists Run for Public Office?

The Atheist Experience #896 for December 14, 2014, with Matt Dillahunty and Jen Peeples. Can Atheists Run for Public Office?. Jenn talks about the claim made by some that atheists can't run for public office.



The Atheist Experience is a weekly cable access television show in Austin, Texas geared at a non-atheist audience. The Atheist Experience is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin.

Is Santa Satan?

“A Georgia pastor warned over the weekend that children who believe in Santa Claus could grow up to be atheists.

Many Christians in Harlem, Georgia said that they were outraged last week after the Born Again Independent Baptist Church changed its sign to read “Santa is Satan.”

In an interview on Sunday, Pastor Edward Carothers explained to WRDW that he posted the message because “Santa Claus is robbing Christ of his glory.”"



* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur breaks it down.
December 2014

‘Santa is Dead’ by Bill Maher (HBO)

Bill Maher has a special message for kids about global warming – just in time for the holidays!

Sunday, December 21, 2014

The Ultimate Guide to Black Holes

A black hole is a region of spacetime from which gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping.[1] The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole, there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that marks the point of no return. The hole is called "black" because it absorbs all the light that hits the horizon, reflecting nothing, just like a perfect black body in thermodynamics.[2][3] Quantum field theory in curved spacetime predicts that event horizons emit radiation like a black body with a finite temperature. This temperature is inversely proportional to the mass of the black hole, making it difficult to observe this radiation for black holes of stellar mass or greater.



Objects whose gravity fields are too strong for light to escape were first considered in the 18th century by John Michell and Pierre-Simon Laplace. The first modern solution of general relativity that would characterize a black hole was found by Karl Schwarzschild in 1916, although its interpretation as a region of space from which nothing can escape was first published by David Finkelstein in 1958. Long considered a mathematical curiosity, it was during the 1960s that theoretical work showed black holes were a generic prediction of general relativity. The discovery of neutron stars sparked interest in gravitationally collapsed compact objects as a possible astrophysical reality.

Black holes of stellar mass are expected to form when very massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle. After a black hole has formed it can continue to grow by absorbing mass from its surroundings. By absorbing other stars and merging with other black holes, supermassive black holes of millions of solar masses may form. There is general consensus that supermassive black holes exist in the centers of most galaxies.

Despite its invisible interior, the presence of a black hole can be inferred through its interaction with other matter and with electromagnetic radiation such as light. Matter falling onto a black hole can form an accretion disk heated by friction, forming some of the brightest objects in the universe. If there are other stars orbiting a black hole, their orbit can be used to determine its mass and location. These data can be used to exclude possible alternatives (such as neutron stars). In this way, astronomers have identified numerous stellar black hole candidates in binary systems, and established that the core of our Milky Way galaxy contains a supermassive black hole of about 4.3 million solar masses.

The Law Of Attraction: Does It Really Work?

Is "the secret" something to live by? Can the law of attraction really bring you what you want, simply by visualizing it? What you think about you bring about!



Video by Jaclyn Glenn, 2014

Scientific minds Richard Dawkins



Video by BBV Four

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Praying for Atheists!



Video by Jaclyn Glenn, December 2014

Black Holes - Wonders of the Universe: Falling

Using Zambia's spectacular Victoria Falls, Prof Brian Cox demonstrates what happens as you near a black hole.

The Interview with Seth Rogen - Bill Maher interview (HBO)

Bill Maher and Seth Rogen discuss North Korea and the joys of marijuana in this clip from November 21, 2014. Rogen is the co-writer, co-director and star of “The Interview,”.



Real Time with Bill Maher: The Interview with Seth Rogen (HBO)

--

The Interview Official Final Trailer

Friday, December 19, 2014

Video Captures EXACTLY How Cops Treat Black People

"A cell phone video posted to YouTube this week shows a St. Paul police officer roughing up a black man who was apparently doing nothing more than sitting in the skyway, waiting to pick up his kids.

At 9:43 a.m. on January 31, police were summoned to the skyway in downtown St. Paul's First National Bank Building on a report of a man loitering. The video footage shows an officer asking the then-27-year-old man to provide his name.

"Why do I have to let you know who I am? Who I am isn't the problem," the man calmly replies.”



* The Young Turks hosts John Iadarola (TYT University) and Michael Shure break it down.

--

St. Paul police roughly arrest black man sitting in skyway [VIDEO]

This is what happens when you call the cops

#AskACop



Call the Cops - Rob Hustle ft. Bump

Crazy Pastor Attacks Women in Sermon

Paul Chappell, founder and president of West Coast Baptist College and pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, went after women for their lack of purity, modesty, and lust for premarital sex.

AronRa vs Bob Dutko - Defending the Truth

AronRa talks with a Christian nut job on Defending the Truth.




Visit www.theleagueofreason.co.uk

Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber

Brian Cox visits NASA’s Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.



Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28

Thursday, December 18, 2014

How Many KKK Chapters Are In America?

These chapters aren't just remnants of America's more racist past; this year alone, one of the organization's chapters tripled in size. And the KKK isn't the only hate group that has been on the rise in the past few decades...

O'Reilly: 'Baby Jesus' More Believable Than Science



Clip from the Wednesday, December 17th 2014 edition of The Kyle Kulinski Show, which airs live on Blog Talk Radio and Secular Talk Radio monday - friday 4-6pm Eastern.

Atheist Billboards Are SO OFFENSIVE!



Priscilla Nash - Openly Secular

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Ken Ham's Christmas Irony Overload

"But it's the atheists who are destroing children's lives by trying to force their anti-God, meaningless religion on generations of kids."

Quote by Ken Ham

Controversial Crucifix Shaped Penis Necklace Makes Headlines

"In June, designer and provocateur Tom Ford made editors in London for the men's shows perk up and do a double take at what was then called a crucifix/penis necklace. It was dubbed both obscene and inspired—a sly allusion to fascinus charms favored during the Roman Empire. Though why anyone is shocked at this gold or silver bijoux from the man who gave us the Gucci G on pubic hair, we will never know.



The phallic jewelry is now available for purchase on tomford.com, for a mere $790. And lest there be any lingering confusion, it is simply called, "the Penis Necklace"—crucifix not mentioned." *

Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/AnaKasparian) discuss.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

The Dangerous Devotion to Cults

The Dangerous Devotion to Cults (Full Documentary).



2013

"Would you eat a person?" Ask Hugo/Jake Reads Your Comments

In this special combined episode of Ask Hugo & Jake Reads Your Comments. We answer your burning questions/make fun of you.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Last Days

Either we come together now to make these the last days of ivory-funded terrorism or we witness the last days of elephants in the wild.



www.lastdaysofivory.com

Legislation To Save Christmas Brought Back From Dead

“For the third time in four years, Colorado Representative Doug Lamborn (R) introduced a resolution intended to defend Christians against the so-called “War on Christmas.”

“Mr. Speaker,” Rep. Lamborn said on the House floor, “it is the most wonderful time of the year, a time when millions of Americans gather together to celebrate Christmas. We give thanks for Jesus’ message of love and peace and remember the sacrifice He made for us all.”



“According to a recent poll,” he continued, “9 out of 10 Americans celebrate Christmas. Sadly, however, there is a troubling effort in America led by a vocal minority to remove the symbols and traditions of Christmas from the public arena.”"


* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian, Wes Clark Jr and Jimmy Dore (The Jimmy Dore Show) break it down.
December 2014

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Amish A Secret Life Part 2



A BBC documentary about some Chritians Amish people.

Amish: A Secret Life

An intimate portrait of Amish family life and faith, following Old Order Amish couple Miriam and David and their family, and capturing the reason why this family decided to open their lives to the cameras in a society where the church forbids photography.



Christianity,

George W Bush Praises The Torturers He Ordered To Torture

"A long-awaited Senate report condemning torture by the Central Intelligence Agency has not even been made public yet, but former President George W. Bush’s team has decided to link arms with former intelligence officials and challenge its conclusions.

The report is said to assert that the C.I.A. misled Mr. Bush and his White House about the nature, extent and results of brutal techniques like waterboarding, and some of his former administration officials privately suggested seizing on that to distance themselves from the controversial program, according to people involved in the discussion. But Mr. Bush and his closest advisers decided that “we’re going to want to stand behind these guys,” as one former official put it.



Mr. Bush made that clear in an interview broadcast on Sunday. “We’re fortunate to have men and women who work hard at the C.I.A. serving on our behalf,” he told CNN’s Candy Crowley. “These are patriots and whatever the report says, if it diminishes their contributions to our country, it is way off base.”"

* The Young Turks hosts Dave Rubin (The Rubin Report), Ben Mankiewicz and Jimmy Dore (The Jimmy Dore Show) break it down.
December 2014

Saturday, December 13, 2014

A Look Inside Creepy Christian Textbooks

These cartoons are repugnant not only to non-believers, but to most mainstream Christians as well.

Despite being mostly ignored by the mainstream media, Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) has been something of a force for over 40 years...



Clip from the Friday, December 5th 2014 edition of The Kyle Kulinski Show, which airs live on Blog Talk Radio and Secular Talk Radio monday - friday 4-6pm Eastern.

Check out our website - and become a member - at: http://www.SecularTalkRadio.com

Questions for Christians: Punch Out!

Float like a butterfly, sting like a Beelzebub!

Glenn Beck Sued For Defamation By Saudi He Constantly Defamed

"The conservative Mormon commentator Glenn Beck failed to persuade a federal judge to dismiss a defamation lawsuit by a Saudi Arabian student who Beck repeatedly accused of involvement in and being the "money man" behind the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Boston on Tuesday said Abdulrahman Alharbi's allegations "easily permit an inference" that Glenn Beck, his company The Blaze Inc, and a distributor of his radio show were negligent toward him over Beck's comments.



Alharbi, 21, had been a spectator near the marathon's finish line on April 15, 2013, suffering minor injuries when two homemade pressure-cooker bombs ripped through the crowd. He was later mentioned in news reports as federal authorities briefly investigated him, and quickly concluded he had no involvement.

The lawsuit claimed that Glenn Beck made repeated false statements about Alharbi on his radio show, including that he helped fund the bombing, even after the probe was dropped."

* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.
December 2014

Nut at the Museum

Armoured Skeptic went to the Field Museum to check out their Evolving Planet exhibit. This is his story.

Skeptic's Review - The Bible: Ruth & Esther: Part 4

Gabby and Lili tell us some stories through art.



Skeptic's Review-The Bible: Ruth & Esther: Part 4

Counterfeiting : Documentary on the Business of Counterfeits and Knock-Offs

Friday, December 12, 2014

WHY BE AN ATHEIST? (DP)



The Amazing Atheist and ...

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Megan Fox VS Facts!

This is my response to the viral video "Megan Fox audits the Field Museum's Evolving Earth Exhibit."



King Crocoduck challenged his subscribers to make their own response, so here it goes.

The Satanic Temple Spokesperson Lucien Greaves - Friendly Atheist Podcast

Lucien Greaves is the spokesperson for The Satanic Temple. You know his organization because they’ve been very active recently regarding church/state separation issues. In Oklahoma, where there was a Ten Commandments monument near the Capitol building, Greaves’ group requested putting up a statue of Baphomet… leading to all sorts of chaos. They’ve also tried to put up a Satanic display in the Florida Capitol building. And, my favorite, after a Florida school district allowed an outside group to do a Bible giveaway for students, they requested to distribute a Satanic coloring book… which may lead to an end to outside book distributions for good in that district.



We spoke with Lucien about how he doesn't actually believe in Satan, what his group's relationship is like with other Satanic groups, and why they conducted a Pink Mass over the grave of Fred Phelps' mother.



The Satanic Temple Spokesperson Lucien Greaves - Friendly Atheist Podcast EP 31

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

TTA Podcast 196: Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Cara Santa Maria has dedicated her life to improving science literacy by communicating scientific principles across media platforms. A North Texas native, she currently lives in Los Angeles. Prior to moving to the west coast, Cara taught biology and psychology courses to university undergraduates and high school students in Texas and New York. Her published research has spanned various topics, including clinical psychological assessment, the neuropsychology of blindness, neuronal cell culture techniques, and computational neurophysiology.



Cara previously worked as a co-host and producer on the Pivot TV nightly live television show, "TakePart Live." Before that, she was the senior science correspondent for The Huffington Post and co-starred in "Hacking The Planet" and "The Truth About Twisters" on The Weather Channel.
She has made appearances on CNN, Fox News, TLC, Current TV, BBC America, G4, SundanceTV, Travel Channel, and Nat Geo WILD.

Cara currently hosts a weekly science podcast called "Talk Nerdy."


TTA Podcast 196: Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

The Thinking Atheist, December 2014

Barney Frank: Ridicule is a Powerful Weapon

The retired Massachusetts congressman shares his philosophy on the therapeutic and polemic power of humor. Ridicule, says Frank, was one of his greatest weapons. Not only does humor get you remembered, it often helps you persuade audiences through laughter and levity.



Transcript:

Humor has played a kind of multiple role for me. To be honest the first thing it does is keep me sane. I mean there are boring moments in politics, there are tense moments, there are disappointing moments. The thing of funny things is a way for me to cope with it, and sometimes other people too. In recent times former Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner in his book mentions a time when he was feeling very gloomy and I called him up and said something that made him laugh. And Ben Bernanke, the head of the Federal Reserve just said again oh yeah that was a tough time and I remember you said such and such. So it's probably just to make me feel better, to enjoy it. Secondly though, it has an important polemical impact, a double polemical impact. First of all people say a lot of things politically. If you say something very funny it's more likely to be remembered and it can get your political point across. My best example of this is a remark I made 30 years ago and it's now been sort of used by others without attribution, that's the greatest compliment people can pay you. President Reagan was a strong supporter of making abortion illegal. He had previously been - he had signed a bill to make abortion legal in California. He was not nearly as deeply rooted ideologically as defenders now claim, but he was, for political reasons in part he was going to be for a total ban on abortion, and the motto there was life begins at conception.

Then he becomes president and proposes a budget that cuts every program that helps poor children, the program that we called the Woman's Infants and Children's Program that provides nutrition for them, daycare, Head Start. And so you have the contrast between saying that life begins at conception and then an attack on every program that would make the lives of these children better. And I said well, I now understand the Republican view. In their head life begins at conception but it ends at birth. And frankly that became a very effective way. So it's a way to make a point. I mean I could've said well, they're being very inconsistent because they are requiring these children to be born, but once the children are born they don't do much for them. But saying it the way I said it gave it more penetrating power and more staying power.

Secondly, and this is very helpful, ridicule is about the most powerful weapon possible rhetorically. Nobody likes to be laughed at. Nobody likes to be made fun of. And if people are making an argument or taking a set of positions that expose them to ridicule, if you can make fun of them that's also very effective. So it's a way to make your point that will A, break through the clutter and be remembered and B, make the other people nervous about it. And I do think the fact that I had a talent for effectively making fun of people made them a little nervous.

Big Think, 2014

Howard Stern Incinerates Kirk Cameron

Nothing better than hearing Howard Stern go on an anti Kirk Cameron rant. Mocking and shaming the type of moronic ideas that Kirk adheres to is precisely what needs to be done, again and again, until they are marginalized to total irrelevance.

Solomon: Glad Michael Brown Is Dead

Stan Solomon celebrates Michael Brown's death.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The Christian Hell 12: Conclusion

Jindal Prayer Rally Welcome Message

Bobby Jindal issues an invitation to his prayer rally.

Sam Harris: I'm Trying to Rehabilitate the Word "Spirituality"

Despite its spooky etymology, there's no better word than "spirituality" to describe one's personal exploration of human consciousness. Harris explains why it's important to reclaim powerful words despite their past misuse. Harris is the author of Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion (http://goo.gl/2N8CKv)



Sam Harris:

I’m almost as embarrassed by the word spirituality as every other atheist. It’s not – I’m not comfortable with my use of it. The problem is – and this is a problem you almost never encounter in English. We just don’t have a good word for this domain. We just do not have a good word for the project of taking seriously the notion that you could become like Jesus or become like the Buddha or become someone who inhabits the far end of the positive side of the continuum of human psychology and human well-being. And someone who can have really radical insights into the nature of consciousness by virtue of a disciplined practice like meditation. So to talk about things like awe and well-being and love and positive psychology and happiness, that doesn’t get at how deep and rarified this project can be. It also doesn’t link it to the traditional context in which people have pursued similar projects. So there is a point of contact between what I’m talking about and, you know, what a Tibetan Lama is doing in a cave for five years. I mean it’s very explicit. Most of these teachings come out of traditions like Buddhism. So while I argue that we have to get out of the religion business and the doctrines that have framed most people’s discussion of these experiences are as unwarranted as I’ve always said. There is no alternative term for the efforts that people can make through meditation or psychedelics or some other means to really transform their consciousness and have insight into the – it’s intrinsic selfless nature. And it’s inconvenient but I feel like the other words that are available are even spookier, something like mysticism, you know, or more specific like contemplation, the contemplative life. I use contemplative a fair amount but again that doesn’t get at for most people what the subject matter is. So for better or worse I’m just – I’m trying to rehabilitate the word spirituality.

I mean one burden I think we have is to reclaim good and powerful words no matter how they’ve been misused in the past, no matter what the inconvenient details of their etymology is. So I would say spirituality is one of those words. But a word like evil is also spooky for many people. It’s felt that evil is a holdover from religion. When religious people talk about evil they’re thinking about things like Satan and a force that is somehow not to be understood in scientific or naturalistic terms. And it’s thought, I think, rightly that once we understand psychopathy at the level of the brain fully we will have a discussion of evil that will seem to erode any basis for using this spooky word. But I think to lose the word evil would be unfortunate and would disempower smart people from making strong moral claims and fighting a war of ideas on this front. And so we need potent words. We just need to be precise about how we use them and the kinds of experiences that merit their use.

Was Jesus A Stand-Up Comedian?

Russell looks at if Jesus Christ was a stand-up.



Clip from Russell Howard's Good News - Series 9, Episode 7.

Follow the show on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/bbcgoodnews

Follow Russell on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/russellhoward

Church of Scientology Won't Let Children See Their Mom

Lori Hodgson, a former Scientologist of 30 years, joins David to discuss Scientology’s Disconnection policy and her family’s history with the Church

On the Bonus Show: Tied elections in Florida, an “off switch” for pain, HBO hires 160 lawyers for a Scientology film, more…



Website: http://www.davidpakman.com
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David Pakman Show. Broadcast on December 2, 2014

Monday, December 8, 2014

Sure Ban Grand Theft Auto V But Ban The Bible Too

"This misogynistic book makes a game of horrific violence against women," reads the online petition.

Australian gamers, furious about the decision by two large retailers to ban a popular violent video game, have started a petition to ban the Bible.

The petition, posted Dec. 4 on Change.org, has already attracted more than 20,000 signatures. In an obvious parody of arguments in favor of banning video games, the petition claims the Bible “encourages readers to murder women for entertainment” by “commit(ting) sexual violence against women, then abuse or kill them to proceed or get 'god' points.” It calls on Australian retailers, including Target, to pull the Bible from their shelves.”



Read more Outraged Over 'Grand Theft Auto' Ban, Aussie Gamers Petition to Ban the Bible

Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/AnaKasparian) discuss.

Conservative Atheists - "a Leftists Thing"

Christmas compared to "fairy tale" in new billboard campaign by atheist group.





"Outnumbered", FBN, 12-2-2014,
Tom Shillue, FBN, Atheists Promote ‘Skip Church’ Christmas Billboards in South

Atheist Wins $2 Million After Being Forced To Attend Faith-Based Drug Rehab

"A California atheist has won a settlement of nearly $2 million after being sent to jail on a parole violation for objections he made about participating in a faith-based rehab program.

Barry A. Hazle Jr., 46, served time for a conviction of methamphetamine possession in 2007. As a condition of his parole, he was enrolled in a drug treatment program where participants were required to acknowledge a "higher power," according to the Sacramento Bee.

Hazle complained and asked for a different treatment program, but was told the only option in his area was the faith-based, Westcare 12-step program, according to the Record Searchlight.” *

How Americans View Other Religions Will & Won’t Surprise You

"Jews, Catholics and evangelical Christians are viewed warmly by the American public. When asked to rate each group on a “feeling thermometer” ranging from 0 to 100 – where 0 reflects the coldest, most negative possible rating and 100 the warmest, most positive rating – all three groups receive an average rating of 60 or higher (63 for Jews, 62 for Catholics and 61 for evangelical Christians). And 44% of the public rates all three groups in the warmest part of the scale (67 or higher).



Buddhists, Hindus and Mormons receive neutral ratings on average, ranging from 48 for Mormons to 53 for Buddhists. The public views atheists and Muslims more coldly; atheists receive an average rating of 41, and Muslims an average rating of 40. Fully 41% of the public rates Muslims in the coldest part of the thermometer (33 or below), and 40% rate atheists in the coldest part."* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

*Read more here from Pew Research: How Americans Feel About Religious Groups

The Young Turks, 2014

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Rabbi Arrested For Hidden Cameras In Synagogue Bathing Facilities

"A prominent modern Orthodox rabbi at a Georgetown synagogue was arrested by D.C. police on Tuesday morning and charged with voyeurism, according to a department spokeswoman.

Barry Freundel, 62, of the Kesher Israel Congregation, was being held in police custody Tuesday and was likely to have an initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday. Within hours, the synagogue’s board of directors suspended him without pay.

D.C. police confirmed that his arrest came during a search of his home on O Street NW, about five blocks from the synagogue in the 2800 block of N Street NW that he has led since 1989.” *



Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/AnaKasparian) discuss.

The Young Turks, October 2014

Russell Howard's Good News - Series 9, Episode 7

Russell looks at Black Friday, the new Star Wars trailer and if Jesus was a stand-up comedian.

Anti-Christmas Atheist War Gangs Psychoanalyzed On Bill O’Reilly

"Is it a coincidence that both Bill O’Reilly and the man who has spent the last nine years mocking him night after night on national television both launched their respective wars on Christmas last night?



First, Bill O’Reilly kicked off his segment by calling out the “War on Christmas-deniers” who accuse him of making up a non-existent crusade against America’s most popular December holiday. He pointed to a billboard urging people to “skip church” this Christmas as the first example of the atheist plan to “diminish” the celebration.

He invited “agnostic” psychotherapist Karen Ruskin to explain to him why anyone would want to hurt Christmas in this way. In her opinion, atheists in the minority are trying to push their message to the masses in order to “validate” their own views. She agreed with O’Reilly that these efforts are “horrifically insulting” and “really disrespectful” to Christians."* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

Evolution Vs God Movie

Hear expert testimony from leading evolutionary scientists from some of the world's top universities:



Warning: This is a Ray Comfort production

• Peter Nonacs, Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
• Craig Stanford, Professor, Biological Sciences and Anthropology, USC
• PZ Myers, Associate Professor, Biology, University of Minnesota Morris
• Gail E. Kennedy, Associate Professor, Anthropology, UCLA

A study of the evidence of vestigial organs, natural selection, the fifth digit, the relevance of the stickleback, Darwin's finches and Lenski's bacteria—all under the microscope of the Scientific Method—observable evidence from the minds of experts. Prepare to have your faith shaken.

We also have "Evolution Vs. God" dubbed in Spanish: http://youtu.be/9YatS114FNg

George Carlin on Prayer and God

George Carlin was on Bill Maher's show "Politically Incorrect" and gave his opinions on prayer and god. Bill Maher chimes in at the end. The woman is Julie Warner.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Atheist Debates - Interview: Heina Dadabhoy

Heina Dadabhoy (http://freethoughtblogs.com/heinous/) joins us to give her thoughts on debating.



Part of the Atheist Debates Patreon project: http://www.patreon.com/AtheistDebates

Bill Nye: The Earth is Really, Really Not 6,000 Years Old

Bill Nye (The Science Guy) comments on a previous Big Think video in which he denounces the teaching of creationism to America's students. Bill Nye is the author of Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation.



Transcript:

Evolution is the fundamental idea in all of life science. So if we raise a generation of science students who don’t understand the main idea in biology they’re going to be incompletely educated students and this is going to be trouble for the United States because the United States keeps in the game economically by innovating – having new ideas, new products, new ways of doing things. That’s what the United States produces and brings to the world. And if we raise a significant fraction of our students who don’t understand science we’re not going to have the engineers and scientists to continue this tradition. So for me it’s troubling objectively or subjectively as one can be and as a citizen of the U.S.

I believe, I think here on Big Think that the problem is the same thing that allows us to recognize patterns to imagine shapes and things and routes and ways to get things done before we actually start doing those things that that ability also enables us to understand that despite our best efforts we’re all going to die. And I think that makes all of us a little nutty. We all find it a little troubling. And so because it seems incredible that all this stuff that we store in our brain, all the memories we have, all the mental images that we are able to keep, all the algebra that we learn, that all that goes away when we die is really hard for all of us to accept. And along with this is that we are not nature’s last word. We are not the final answer that nature came up with. That we are not what some entity created as his or her very best work. We’re just one more step on the evolutionary timeline. And for many people that’s so troubling they can’t accept it at all. For me, of course, it’s empowering and amazing and it makes me want to live every moment of every day in the best way possible. But for a lot of people it’s literally unimaginable.

Our journey begins when I was in New York. I’m living in New York nowadays but a year and a half ago I came here on an airplane and I had to be someplace for a television interview at – I had to get up around 5:00 a.m. Eastern time which was 2:00 a.m. Pacific time. And by the time I got to Big Think I was worn out. I was a little worn out. And you guys asked me a fabulous question about creationism. I’m not sure why you chose to ask that question and I spoke from the heart how troubling I find it for the United States science educational system, for our science students in the U.S. to be excluded or not be enlightened and not be enabled by the fundamental idea in all of biology which is descent by natural selection, evolution. So you guys posted that and people went a little crazy on the electric Internet, the computer machine that the kids use. And I just remind everybody when people take the time to write and they take the time to hate me that much, these are not people you’re not going to reason with. These are not people that you’re going to sit down and have a conversation with and a discussion and achieve a new conclusion. We each have pretty much made up our minds and so you can’t worry about that stuff too much.

My concern is not for the grownups who take the time to write these inflammatory things and react to your fabulous website and so on. My concern is for the people who are still in school, the people who are the future of the U.S., the future of the U.S. economy. And larger the future of the world’s economy. I mean the United States is so influential. It’s the third most populous nation in the world and it’s the nation that sent people to the moon. I mean it’s still a big influence. You can make very strong arguments for South Korea, Japan – huge economies doing amazing – Brazil doing amazing things. But still the United States is the leader in this stuff and so when we exclude a generation of science students we’re headed for trouble. [TRANSCRIPT TRUNCATED]

Directed/Produced by Jonathan Fowler, Elizabeth Rodd, and Dillon Fitton

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Skeptic's Review - The Bible: Ruth & Esther: Part 3

Gabby and Lili tell us some stories through art.



Skeptic's Review-The Bible: Ruth & Esther: Part 3

Creationist at The Museum - Let's Send a Message!

Hemant Mehta: By now, you've probably seen the video of a woman named Megan Fox -- not that one -- going through an evolution exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum.

She is simply stunned by what she believes is brainwashing all around.

Which brings to mind the Stephen Colbert line: Reality has a well-known liberal bias.



Megan Fox can't even pronounce the word Eukaryotes, but she knows we didn't evolve from them.

She says it's impossible for creatures to have transitioned from water to land, because the Bible says God made the creatures of the water to live in the water and the creatures of the land to live in the land.

Megan Fox even says “It’s not like their fins fell off and they grew feet"... which isn't exactly how it happened.

Megan Fox also claims that dragons exist but liberals are just covering it up.

By the way... she home-schools her three children. So if you weren't frightened before, you should be horrified now.

But I'm not just making this video just to point out her ignorance. I don't have that kind of time.

I'm making this video because Megan Fox has actually been waging a war against my local library.

I grew up in Orland Park, Illinois. My parents still live there. And Fox and her colleague have been going after the Orland Park Public Library for a lot of reasons.

She's mad that she can't use the computers in the children's section... because they're reserved for children.

Megan Fox claims the adult section is where people watch porn. Because that's what you do in the library's computer section.

And she's really mad because the library doesn't censor what people look at on the Internet.

To that end, she and her friend have slammed the library with more than 130 open records requests that they're legally obligated to fulfill.

It has cost the library more than $125,000.

Some of that is covered by insurance. Most of that isn't. And that's money that could be used for great programs that support the children and community in Orland.

It's like Fox wants to bring everyone else down to her level of education.

So here's where you come in. I've set up a fundraiser to raise money for the library. I doubt we'll be able to make up for all the damage Fox has caused, but it's something.

If you're willing to chip anything in, there's a link below. Please give anything you can. I promise you everything raised will be given to the library and I'll provide proof of that on my website at the end of the month.

GOFUND ME LINK: http://www.gofundme.com/hu5nmw

An Atheist Reads Christmas in the Manger

First in our line-up of very special guests is our friend Steve Shives. Today he gives us a special episode in his "An Atheist Reads" series.

Friday, December 5, 2014

The Satanic Temple and the First Amendment

Lucien Greaves of the Satanic Temple gives a speech covering everything from gay Baptist to Satanic endorsements of Republican Governor Rick Scott. Hear about how an atheist became a atheist satanic leader who is trying to protect freedom on many political fronts.



This speech was given on February 16, 2014 at the monthly meeting of the Secular Humanists of the Low Country in Charleston, South Carolina.




Prayer in School – be careful what you wish for, religious right.

Russell Howard's Good News - Series 9, Episode 6

Russell looks at UKIP getting another MP, Immigration, Paddington Bear and um, names for female masturbation...

If The World Ended Tomorrow

Imagine this. You receive the news that today will be your last day on earth. Your last day anywhere. How would you populate the final hours of your life? What people would you see? What foods would you eat? What things would you do? Would you react with fear and panic, or would you bask in the warm glow of inevitability?

This show allows us to think about what we might do if we realized that our finite lives were approaching the final ticks of the clock. What would you do if the world ended tomorrow?



Christmas video "Christmas: Behind the Curtain

TTA Podcast 195: If The World Ended Tomorrow
The Thinking Atheist, December 2014

Buchanan: Ferguson Protesters Violating Civil Rights Of Others

Pat Buchanan unloads on Ferguson demonstrators and the Obama administration's response. The city is demonised.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin Blames 'Dark Pathology Of Liberalism' For Ferguson Unrest

Rabbi Daniel Lapin blames liberalism for the unrest in Ferguson, which he compares to Kristallnacht in a talk with the Mormon Glenn Beck.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Christmas: Behind the Curtain

Is Jesus the reason for the season? Seth Andrews takes a look at the origins of the Christmas holiday in this 14-minute special produced for AtheistTV (http://atheists.org/atheisttv)

Christian Hater Response (DP)

A video by a saved ex-gay Christian love towards to an atheist.



The Amazing Atheist

Russell Howard's Good News - Series 9, Episode 5

Russell looks at landing a probe on a comet, Kim Kardashian's attempt to break the internet and a loose tiger in Paris.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Group of Birds Fly Simultaneously Away

I'm Too Old For Fairy Tales!

Controversial billboard. "Dear Santa. All I want for Christmas is to skip church. I'm to old for fairy tales."



Rob Moore, Southeast Wisconsin Free Thinkers

WTMJ, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

Barton Says America Must "Have A Biblical View On Computer Programming"

Right Wing Watch reports on the extreme rhetoric and activities of key right-wing figures and organizations by showing their views in their own words. In this video, David Barton makes his case that America must implement a biblical view on every issue, even computer programming.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Atheist Debates - Debate review: Sye Ten Bruggencate, Part 3, Matt's Rebuttal and cross

In May of 2014, I debated Sye Ten Bruggencate on the topic: "Is it reasonable to believe that a god exists?"

This video is part of a series that provides additional commentary, corrections and clarifications of the topic discussed. Over the course of this series, we'll look at mistakes that were made by all parties in the hope that others can avoid those mistakes.

The review will cover the actual arguments, debate tactics and more.



The entire debate can be viewed here: The Refining Reason Debate: Dillahunty VS Bruggencate
The Refining Reason Debate - Matt Dillahunty VS Sye Ten Bruggencate (just podcast sound)

If you enjoy this series, which will continue to be released freely to the public, you can become a sponsoring patron by visiting patreon.com/AtheistDebates.

This is Part 3 and covers Matt's rebuttal and portions of the cross-examination.
Part 4 should conclude the cross-examination and finish this series with coverage of closing remarks.

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Atheist Debates - Debate review: Sye Ten Bruggencate, Part 3, Matt's Rebuttal and cross

NFL Stars Do "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" Protest During Game, Cops Furious

"St. Louis police officers condemned the NFL's Rams today, calling their pre-game display of the "hands up don't shoot" gesture to be "tasteless, offensive and inflammatory." The lengthy statement issued by the St. Louis Police Officers Association demanded Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Jared Cook, Chris Givens, and Kenny Britt be punished for the act."



See video of the protest here: http://deadspin.com/st-louis-cops-declare-rams-hands-up-dont-shoot-to-be-1665003269/+laceydonohue

Ana Kasparian (http://www.twitter.com/anakasparian) and Gina Grad (http://www.twitter.com/ginagrad) of The Young Turks discuss. Do you think the NFL star should be punished in anyway for their protest? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

Moses brought kindness to the world




The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

“Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
Bible: Numbers 31,9-18 New International Version (NIV)

America Wins The Freedom Rankings, Right? Not. Even. Close

"Americans' assessments of their personal freedom have significantly declined under President Obama, according to a new study from the Legatum Institute in London, and the United States now ranks below 20 other countries on this measure.

The research shows that citizens of countries including France, Uruguay, and Costa Rica now feel that they enjoy more personal freedom than Americans.



As the Washington Examiner reported this morning, representatives of the Legatum Institute are in the U.S. this week to promote the sixth edition of their Prosperity Index. The index aims to measure aspects of prosperity that typical gross domestic product measurements don’t include, such as entrepreneurship and opportunity, education, and social capital."

* The Young Turks hosts Cenk Uygur and John Iadarola (TYT University) break it down. November 2014

Swearing an Oath on the Bible

The midterms are over and we have a brand new Congress. Once again, there's not a single openly atheistic politician in the bunch.

That's a little disappointing, though not very surprising.

But it'll be interesting to watch what happens when the newcomers take their oaths of office.

Because in addition to swearing that they'll uphold and defend the Constitution, they always seem to place their hand on something. And a lot of the time, it's a Bible.



Hemant Mehta, November 2014

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Swearing on the Bible - George Carlin

Monday, December 1, 2014

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