Every once in a while I’ll search for “Indiana, atheist” just to see 1. If the Society of Non-Theists has made the news without me knowing or 2. What stupid things people in Indiana are saying about atheists. Unfortunately, it almost always results in number two. For example, take this lovely editorial by Peter Heck, radio host of Kokomo, IN’s Peter Heck Show (self described as “a conservative Christian commentary on social and political issues”). It’s titled “No atheists in birthing centers” and offers the birth of his child as proof of God. It’s like an I Spy of illogical theist claims! At quick glance I can find:
- Hoyle’s fallacy
- Evolution driven by “chance”
- Complexity indicates intelligent design
- Design is self evident
- The eye is too complex to have evolved
- Quote mining (poor Carl Sagan)
- Argument from incredulity
What can you spot? Or better yet, how many of you are dying to get out of Indiana or happy to have escaped?
Eh, I'm too stubborn. I know that the world will either become more reasonable, or it will end itself, so I've decided to stick it out in Indiana and hopefully contribute to changing it for the better. :-]
Still, seeing the crap that is spewn out by some around here is frustrating. Every child I teach to think critically though is one more chance for this state to improve, even if I have to wait 10-20 years.
Eh, I’m too stubborn. I know that the world will either become more reasonable, or it will end itself, so I’ve decided to stick it out in Indiana and hopefully contribute to changing it for the better. :-]Still, seeing the crap that is spewn out by some around here is frustrating. Every child I teach to think critically though is one more chance for this state to improve, even if I have to wait 10-20 years.
Ian, you're a better person than I am. I'm going to grad school as far away as possible ;P
Ian, you’re a better person than I am. I’m going to grad school as far away as possible ;P
Did you decide on Cambridge then, Jen?
I'm in the same boat. I like hanging out here in Nova Scotia, changing one mind at a time.
Did you decide on Cambridge then, Jen?I’m in the same boat. I like hanging out here in Nova Scotia, changing one mind at a time.
No where near making any decisions – I'll apply late November, decide probably in March. I just know I can't be in this state after living here my whole life. Even Chicago would be better, and that's theoretically closer to home.
No where near making any decisions – I’ll apply late November, decide probably in March. I just know I can’t be in this state after living here my whole life. Even Chicago would be better, and that’s theoretically closer to home.
Louisiana actually isn't that bad in terms of the radicalized fundagelicals. We just have the non confrontational cafeteria Catholics for the most part.
Louisiana actually isn’t that bad in terms of the radicalized fundagelicals. We just have the non confrontational cafeteria Catholics for the most part.
I'm going to say that Ohio is just as bad, so there's no change between here and home
I’m going to say that Ohio is just as bad, so there’s no change between here and home
Wow…even politically he's nuts…http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/09/the_obama_administration_expla.html
Wow…even politically he’s nuts…http://http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/0...
Mike, you expected someone sane to have written that article?
Mike, you expected someone sane to have written that article?
Well, Jen, wherever you go, I hope you end up "happy". I hear it's the thing to look for.
Well, Jen, wherever you go, I hope you end up “happy”. I hear it’s the thing to look for.
Or better yet, how many of you are dying to get out of Indiana or happy to have escaped?
GET TO THAH ATHEIST CHOPPAH
(You can add a Google News search to your RSS feeder.)
Or better yet, how many of you are dying to get out of Indiana or happy to have escaped? GET TO THAH ATHEIST CHOPPAH(You can add a Google News search to your RSS feeder.)
I'm still stuck in Indiana and probably will be for the rest of my life. I've learn not to talk about religion in public.
I’m still stuck in Indiana and probably will be for the rest of my life. I’ve learn not to talk about religion in public.
BTW, PZ has run into Peter Heck before: horrible article and an email from Heck.
BTW, PZ has run into Peter Heck before: horrible article and an email from Heck.
It was the opposite for me. The birth of my first child pushed me from agnosticism to atheism. Birth is a wonderous event, but it ain't miraculous.
It was the opposite for me. The birth of my first child pushed me from agnosticism to atheism. Birth is a wonderous event, but it ain’t miraculous.
Jen, I know you are dying to come to Oklahoma. There is nothing better than a big heaping dose of Sally Kern, James Inhofe and Tom Coburn. We have more crazies than that, those are just the more well known ones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Kernhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Inhofehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn
Jen, I know you are dying to come to Oklahoma. There is nothing better than a big heaping dose of Sally Kern, James Inhofe and Tom Coburn. We have more crazies than that, those are just the more well known ones.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T…
Or better yet, how many of you are dying to get out of Indiana or happy to have escaped?
Where else you gonna go? Minnesota? California? Florida? Maybe set yourself up in an old Kentucky home?
Other than a very cloistered bastion of sanity in major cities like New York or Boston, you're always going to be overwhelmed by the crazy. Indiana ain't the exception.
That said, I do love how people appeal to pathos. "Look at this beautiful butterfly, just flittering away in the wind. Look at that dramatic waterfall, spilling into a crystal blue lagoon. Behold! A mother cradling her newborn child! How can there not be a divine and love Jesus? QED, bitches!"
Or better yet, how many of you are dying to get out of Indiana or happy to have escaped? Where else you gonna go? Minnesota? California? Florida? Maybe set yourself up in an old Kentucky home?Other than a very cloistered bastion of sanity in major cities like New York or Boston, you’re always going to be overwhelmed by the crazy. Indiana ain’t the exception.That said, I do love how people appeal to pathos. “Look at this beautiful butterfly, just flittering away in the wind. Look at that dramatic waterfall, spilling into a crystal blue lagoon. Behold! A mother cradling her newborn child! How can there not be a divine and love Jesus? QED, bitches!”
I came from Chattanooga, TN. Indiana has nothing on the deep south.
I came from Chattanooga, TN. Indiana has nothing on the deep south.
Well, this particular atheist won't be having any babies. My contemporaries have reached the age, but their offspring does not make me change my mind.
Well, this particular atheist won’t be having any babies. My contemporaries have reached the age, but their offspring does not make me change my mind.
This morning my radio woke me up to a speech about how casual sex makes us unable to bond to people. Their argument was: "Think of a band-aid. When you rip it off, it won't stick on as good the next time". In addition to this, they claimed that there was scientific evidence that God doesn't want us to have sex except between a man and a wife committed for life: STD's.
Yeah. I'm generally compliant to theism, but I'm definitely ready for a change from the idiocy rampantly spreading across the radio waves of the Mid-West.
This morning my radio woke me up to a speech about how casual sex makes us unable to bond to people. Their argument was: “Think of a band-aid. When you rip it off, it won’t stick on as good the next time”. In addition to this, they claimed that there was scientific evidence that God doesn’t want us to have sex except between a man and a wife committed for life: STD’s.Yeah. I’m generally compliant to theism, but I’m definitely ready for a change from the idiocy rampantly spreading across the radio waves of the Mid-West.
Very late to the party, but apparently Heck wasn't in the St Joe's birthing center in Kokomo when my son was born there. There was an atheist there for those 4 days.
Very late to the party, but apparently Heck wasn’t in the St Joe’s birthing center in Kokomo when my son was born there. There was an atheist there for those 4 days.