Orwell On Belief
Google Groups: View Thread "Not even one teensy-weensy little spec of evidence t...": "'We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and
then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so
as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry
on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that
sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually
on a battlefield.' --George Orwell, 1946, 'Under Your Nose'"

'Being religious is like living in North Korea
Google Groups: View Thread "Not even one teensy-weensy little spec of evidence t...": "'Being religious is like living in North Korea. You have endless
opportunities to praise The Leader, to thank Him for giving you everything,
to thank Him for looking after you, to thank Him for all his boundless
gifts, to thank Him for all His tireless efforts on your behalf. A Celestial
North Korea is what the religious believer wants, but there are two
differences: you *can* defect from North Korea, and you can die and just
cease to exist. But if you're a religious believer, The Leader goes on
persecuting you after you're dead -- you have to go on praising Him forever,
and thanking Him for being born... this is servility squared.' --
Christopher Hitchens"

Bush/Cheney '04: Don't Change Horsemen Mid-Apocalypse
George W. Bush Loyalty Quiz - Funny Bush Quiz: "The George W. Bush Loyalty Quiz

10 Questions to Test Your Allegiance to President Bush"

SparkNotes: Complete Text of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion: " And is it possible, CLEANTHES, said PHILO, that after all these reflections, and infinitely more, which might be suggested, you can still persevere in your Anthropomorphism, and assert the moral attributes of the Deity, his justice, benevolence, mercy, and rectitude, to be of the same nature with these virtues in human creatures? His power we allow is infinite: whatever he wills is executed: but neither man nor any other animal is happy: therefore he does not will their happiness. His wisdom is infinite: He is never mistaken in choosing the means to any end: But the course of Nature tends not to human or animal felicity: therefore it is not established for that purpose. Through the whole compass of human knowledge, there are no inferences more certain and infallible than these. In what respect, then, do his benevolence and mercy resemble the benevolence and mercy of men?

EPICURUS's old questions are yet unanswered. Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?"

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | Fox - the naked truth: "The main beef leftwing commentators have with rightwing stations, particularly Fox, is that they don't trouble themselves with the truth - not even a Republican spin on the truth; they simply muddy all issues to such a degree that opinion and fact become indivisible and, as a result, all opinions achieve equal validity. For the left, then, facts are paramount, and to mimic the rightist habit of false attribution would be entirely to undermine the crux of the argument. Over time, this has given them a reputation for being long on rectitude and short on fun. "

Biblical History
The Importance and Relevance of Biblical History: "Let me hasten to add that I am convinced based on credible scientific data that the modern scholarly consensus is wrong regarding biblical history. Based on research carried out in recent decades, there is persuasive evidence that biblical history is exactly what it claims to be, true history. My purpose here is not to prove that point, but rather to show that it's an important point. If the historical claims of Christianity are not true, Christianity ought to be rejected as just another cult."