I get email


Yeah, I get odd threats. Apparently, I can now expect every Christian in the country to now inundate my university with mail accusing me of Marxism and telling us that evolution is dead. It’s kind of a threat; if it happens, then I’ll post Bonnie’s full headers and we can wage a little internet war. I suspect, though, this will be nothing but a damp squib from an ignorant kook with delusions of competence.

Professor P.T. Myers
Dr. PZ Myers
Division of Science and Mathematics
600 E 4th Avenue
University of Minnesota, Morris
Morris, MN 56267

Dear Mr. Myers,

I am writing to you concerning the email campaign you instigated against the Creation Museum and the Cincinnati Zoo and your personal vendetta against Mr. Hamm.

I don’t know what your ultimate agenda is in propagating a writing campaign to a Zoo in a state you don’t live in and your taxes don’t support, but your ignorance is apparent. How someone so intolerant and closed minded could possibly be considered educated is beyond my comprehension. What scares me more is that people like you are teaching our children. You don’t teach science. You indoctrinate with propaganda. Darwin has about as much evidence proving natural selection as you have in proving there is no God.

You are quite free to believe what you want to believe, but unless Hitler was your mentor, you should know that you have NO RIGHT to interfere with other organizations or businesses that want to colaborate just because you disagree with their arguement. This only proves your hatred of people of faith. What are you afraid of?

It is teachers like you that have exploded the growth of home schooling. It is professors like you that have encouraged the installation and growth of faith based and Christian Colleges. So for that, I guess I have people like you to thank. Thank God my children will have somewhere else to go. I don’t want them learning the fairy tale of evolution, I want them to be free to investigate ALL available arguments. All of them. I mean, the theory of evolution is all you have? Seriously? Science isn’t in the box, professor. You can’t prove evolution and you can’t prove creation. No one can. So why can’t we talk about both? We rehash the same dead, unproven, broken theory when there are so many other questions out there to be asked, researched and experimented with? That sir, is intolerance. That is bigotry. That is ignorance.

I don’t think the Cincinatti Zoo will be thanking you. As a result of your hatred and intolerance toward anyone that says “bless you”, The Cincinatti Zoo has lost a very valuable partner,and a lot of visitors to their website.

I would like to point out to you, Mr. Myers, that you are not the only one who runs a blog,and you are not the only one who can write.

I may not be a professor, but I know how to write a press release and I know how to advertise. That’s my business. So here’s what I will do for you.

Let’s see how your school handles an email blitz from Christians (which I will point out to you sir, comprises of approximately 97% of the population of the United States). I am suddenly motivated to hit every one of my news sources and let them know how marxist you are. I want every parent in this country to know exactly what dangers their kids face, risking having you as a professor in that school. I want them all to know that it’s not good enough to indoctrinate just the students in your lecture hall. You want to make sure NO ONE gets exposure to any possible answers.

I want all those Christian families to think twice before ever considering sending their kids to University of Minnesota . . . and don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get plenty of credit for their decision. Email campaigns can work both ways professor. Oh, I know your school is not the only culprit and you’re not the only marxist professor teaching in our colleges. However, we can start with this one.

Evolution is a failed hypothesis. It cannot even be scientifically tested. You know it, and most of your radical scientists know it. And this kind of attack from you is just evident of the death throes of the false theory of evolution. Much like the snake trying to get one last bite as you cut off it’s head, it knows it’s dying . . . it knows it’s not going to win, but it’s going to try like hell to do as much damage as it can before it dies. Real scientific, doc. Darwin is your god. We have proof that he is dead. Mine is not. You have no proof that he doesn’t exist. You won’t let anyone try to prove it, which I guess answers what you are afraid of. Let the kids discuss it professor. What are you afraid ot? Research is the mother of discovery.

Ninety-seven percent are Christian in this country, professor, think about that. It’s a well known statistic. . . I know state taxes don’t pay ALL your school’s bills.

You can post this on your blog, you can laugh or throw it away, delete it . . . I don’t care. It is of no consequence to me. I just wanted to let you know how I feel and what I’m about to embark on. Because marxists are not the only ones afforded freedom of speech and freedom to inquire in this country. If freedom to bully others is an ammedment I haven’t heard of yet, then I guess we both share that right as well.

I hope this doesn’t offend you, but I end most of my letters this way . . . God Bless you. You are the one who needs it.

Respectfully,

Bonnie Cox

Comments

  1. says

    Noni and Sven,

    you’re right. The worst thing about this woman is that she cannot write English. (We shouldn’t be hard on her though, as it obviously isn’t her first language.)

    It’s a useful heuristic, I think, that when you see somebody trying to use the word “comprise” but unable to do so correctly, you can pretty much ignore anything else they might possibly have to say. (And, oh: “comprise of” is pretty bad, but just this past week I was dismayed to see “comprise with”.)

  2. Sanity Jane says

    Valis @ #359:

    None of the Pyramids at the Giza complex contain any hieroglyphics at all whatsoever. What makes this so fascinating is that the Egyptians covered every other (surviving) structure they built with hieroglyphics. Why this is I don’t have the faintest idea, but it bugs the crap out of me that we will probably never know.

    Maybe their gods were illiterate?

  3. Shiftingname says

    RICK!!!!! Those are FANTASTIC. I immediately envisioned going to the local megachurch ( http://www.angelustemple.org/ )and handing them out/leaving them by the door with a sign that says “love is the answer” or something…and wait to see how long it would take for them to show up along the “Jesus is God read the bible” bumperstickers on the same car!!!

    P.S. – I never understood “jesus is god read the bible”, and not for lack of commas. Isn’t Jesus the son of god or 1/3 of god or something? Doesn’t the bible…aw, hell, what, I’m trying to make sense of it now?

  4. says

    Too bad KC got banned, in a way. Considering the downward curve his rhetoric was taking, I have to wonder how long it would have been before he finally just started posting utter gibberish: “Ufhght! Fauty hgklns dfvnoghiubn jksdf bjkg? Fuck!”

  5. says

    P.S. – I never understood “jesus is god read the bible”, and not for lack of commas. Isn’t Jesus the son of god or 1/3 of god or something? Doesn’t the bible…aw, hell, what, I’m trying to make sense of it now?

    I have learned that the trinity means one thing: “sit down and shut up”. For all extents and purposes it appears to be nonsensical on purpose to convince people they need to leave the theology to the big boys. Typical baffle with bullshit tactic.

  6. Gordy says

    Well, she kept us waiting for the punchline, but…

    “Respectfully”

    …it was laugh out loud funny!

    Also, I must have missed something – the connection between PZ Myers and Karl Marx isn’t immediately obvious to me.

  7. Sven DiMilo says

    Hi Larry! Did you read any of KC’s idiotic “comments” or are you just being your usual off-the-meds irrelevant self? Hmmm?

  8. Shiftingname says

    Huh, “arbitrary censorship”? Yes, I certainly can’t imagine why in the world that KC fellow and not someone else wone the dungeon lottery.

    I blame the illuminati or something. Didn’t you know PZ is like totally a freemason, too?

  9. says

    Banning a troll is not censorship.

    As for evolution, the battleground is not the blogosphere. If KC has an argument against evolution, he can write it up and submit it for peer review. Arguing for or against evolution on here doesn’t change the scientific establishment, if evolution is going to be superseded, it’s going to happen in the lab.

  10. Gordy says

    Farry Lafarman – Perhaps you could go back to KC’s posts and tell us if any of them contained any reasonable arguments either for or against “Darwinism”. I couldn’t see any. If you can’t find any either, I’m sure you’ll be good enough to withdraw your allegation that PZ is trying to make sure that only his agenda is heard. Unless and until he starts preventing people from posting because they presented some evidence against evolution, you cannot justify that claim.

  11. Shiftingname says

    “You and the rest of the Darwinist liars (Fatheaded Ed Brayton, Greg “Osama Bin” Laden, Wesley “Ding” Elsberry) never miss an opportunity to make sure that your agenda is the only one heard, do you, dunghill?”

    Yes, our AGENDA, mwa ah a ha!We shall use sinister means to…..STUDY THINGS USING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD!And from this we shall make EEEvil advances in medicine, technology, and all kinds of other things! Things we don’t even know exist yet!

    Be afraid, fundamentlist Christians, we might bring forth …..CARS THAT CAN RUN ON ELECRTICITY! or, howabaout a VACCINE FOR AIDS!!!! Maybe we can even figure out WAYS TO TREAT GENETIC DISEASES!!!!

    OUR AGENDA IS PURE EVIL!!!

    (cue references to thalidomide, nuclear bombs, eugenics in…)

  12. says

    If anyone is off their meds, it’s you Darwinists and your heroes at Scienceblogs, dunghill. No dissent from your agenda will be tolerated.

    Could you please stop calling us Darwinists? If anything we are Hubbleists – the universe is expanding and there isn’t a goddamn thing you can do about it.

  13. says

    Crazy Larry has learned how to spoof! Hey, how are you crazy Larry? Still making a damn fool of yourself all over the Internets?

    Oh, why did I ask, he asks rhetorically, YES YOU ARE!!! It’s what you do you nut-bag loser.

  14. Sven DiMilo says

    Yes, Larry, you’re right. For we are but blindly hero-worshipping sycophants, unable to think for ourselves and dedicated to ruthlessly quelling any perceived dissent from our dogmatic agenda.
    OK? Maybe go away now?

  15. shonny says

    Posted by: Owlmirror | December 7, 2008 12:12 AM
    Someone who derides someone for doing the same thing they themselves do (like worshiping a god). You guys have Darwin . . . uh, only we know HE’S dead.
    And we know that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is dead.
    And as for Darwin…

    [This response is taken out of context, and aimed at Bonnie the cretin Cox]
    There is no proof, and no likelihood that there ever was any Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and something that never was cannot die.
    Yes, Darwin is dead, but that’s because he really was. As is his theory. Living on. Real. Useful. Logical. Intelligent. Scientific.
    Words that has no relevance to religion, god, or jesus motherfuckin’ christ!

  16. Sanity Jane says

    I’m getting in a little late on this, but, re: Rev. BigDumbChimp @ #105:

    Have you seen his sword? oh scary.

    SJ [mopping merlot spray off monitor]: Voxie Boy, is that a declaration of your inadequacies, a cry for help, or both? Though IANADNDIPOPTV, I’d recommend a visit to your local free clinic for a diagnosis and, as indicated, a course of cephalosporins – I hear they’re the current treatment of choice for “flaming sword” since many strains have EVOLVED RESISTANCE to other antibiotics. Or you could just try praying it away. In any case, no more bareback. If those cheap hookers don’t provide complimentary condoms, bring your own!

    What most amuses me about Cox and Vox is how they try to bolster their shallow, insecure “faith” by intervening on their impotent Imaginary Friend’s behalf. Here’s some advice for you kiddies straight from a Christian bumper sticker: Let go, and let God. (If you think He’s real, and if you think He can, of course.)

    I’m with DrFish: If their delusions were truth and people like this populated “heaven,” I’d happily join the sane, loving, intelligent people in the “other place,” whatever its nature might be.

  17. Sven DiMilo says

    See what Larry does there, with the rhyming of “Sleazy” and “PZ”? It just never gets old!

  18. Jadehawk says

    More arbitrary censorship of blog comments

    If you want to be taken seriously, I’d strongly suggest you do not use words which meaning you do not know.

  19. Shiftingname says

    Please do tell, I really want to understand, Farry, what is our agenda? Last I checked Osama Bin Laden was neither an atheist nor scientist. Nor a Marxist…so…

    Also, I kind of like the idea of all this BVD-clad-ness.

  20. Loki says

    Larry barfed:

    Still making a damn fool of yourself all over the Internets?
    Yeah

    Truth Will Out!

  21. David Marjanović, OM says

    Ignore Larry the Banned. He’s just come to rant. If he had an argument, he’d have made it years ago.

    Hey, Larry! Let’s play “dance, trollboy, dance”! How do you explain stupid design? Like using DNA as the material of heredity when DNA falls apart when stored in water.

  22. Sven DiMilo says

    Just a quick point of information for those that don’t know what a treat this is, L*rry F*f*rm*n (letter ‘a’ altered to avoid automatic moderation) is a near-legendary figure in the internet creationist wars. A glance at PZ’s Dungeon will show that Larry has the honor of being listed first and foremost. He is dumb as a post, crazy as a loon, and stubborn as a mule, and has been so for many years. Go ahead, click over to his blog for laffs. A dedicated obsessive, Larry’s usual style of argument includes humorous nicknames for his chosen foes, such as Judge “Jackass” Jones (who seems to draw nearly as much of Larry’s ire as does PZ Myers). He’s one of a kind, and his little drive-bys here are all too rare.
    *waves again* Hi, Larry!

  23. Smoggy Batzrubble says

    Greetings evil atheist Pharyngulites–Smoggy here, stopping over from my usual home at God’s Blog (www.stuffgodhates.com) because I heard my good friend and fellow sheep molester “F-Farry Anal-Ram” (excuse the stutter) is over here gingering things up. He’s a real card, is Farry, bitter and edgy, he’s the man who put the ‘act’ into reactionary and the ‘anus’ into AmericANUS. But don’t be too hard on him–if you had a difficult birth you’d be a little twisted and have a head with one flat side as well. As least he can write in words of more than one syllable now–‘sleazy barf vomit’ is a quantum leap in sophistication for Mrs Anal-Ram’s little F-farry. Well done graduating from ‘poo-poo’ and ‘pee-pee’ Farry, you’re a credit to your evolution.

  24. says

    Keep up the good fight Larry. Perhaps one day we’ll all eat humble pie and you will be shrouded as the champion who revolutionised science in a manner not seen since Newton. But if you keep wasting your time here, how will you be able to complete your magnum opus and submit it to the world?

  25. SC says

    Larry’s usual style of argument includes humorous nicknames for his chosen foes,

    OK, I admit it – “Greg ‘Osama Bin’ Laden” is still making me laugh. Sorry, but they are funny.

  26. Shiftingname says

    You know what I don’t understand? I just turned on one of the PBS stations on TV and you know what’s on? These Irish people singing about Christmas, complete with a Christmas tree.

    I thought that we (liberal, pinko, elite PBS watchers)had waged a full on war on Christmas….oh, wait, I get it. The fact that they’re Irish means that they’re UnAmerican, and the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, so what I’m seeing isn’t a lovely holiday presentation on PBS, but the promotion of an un-American, pagan agenda, indoctrinating unsuspecting viewers.

    Not like the well-researched, peer-reviewed science presented on TBN’s science show.

    Oh, wait….

  27. gil mann says

    Echoing SC, “Wesley ‘Ding’ Elsberry” is wonderfully subtle.

    We’ve gotta find a worthwhile pursuit for this guy.

  28. says

    Most of the approximately 6000-word ID-as-science section of his Dover opinion was virtually copied from the plaintiffs’ opening post-trial brief while ignoring the defendants’ opening post-trial brief and the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ answering post-trial briefs.

    Oh come on now Lar. You know that isn’t true and even if it was, he was right.

    Tell us where he was wrong.

    Pretty please?

  29. says

    What I loved about the trial on intelligent design is that the Discovery Institute wouldn’t defend I.D. under oath – to a conservative judge they initially labelled a good appointment.

  30. llewelly says

    In short, the case was decided at the outset.

    Better keep your aluminium foil hat on. If it slips our mind-control satellites will get you too.

  31. Steve_C says

    haha Larry!

    It’s not like the case wasn’t a foregone conclusion! EVERYONE knew how it was going to play out… except perhaps those dumb enough to think that ID is science and not disguised creationism.

  32. Smoggy Batzrubble says

    F-farry mate, Smoggy Batzrubble here–your old friend from Stuff God Hates. God says he’s pleased with the effort you’re putting into sorting out the evil atheists, and as a reward he’ll clear up that nasty genital infection you have. But NO MORE PUBLIC RESTROOMS!

    Your friend Smog

    PS Mama Anal-Ram wants to know when you’ll be home for din-dins F-farry. She’s a bit cross ‘cos you forgot to put on a clean diaper this morning.

  33. Aquaria says

    I have a feeling that KC was a Vox Day adherent. He was actually on the brighter side of the spectrum there. Scary, I know.

  34. Insightful Ape says

    Dear original Bonnie Cox(if she exists):
    While the chances that you will see my post are almost negligible, in case you do, here’s a piece of advice:
    The “Marxist” slander was used just recently against an individual whose middle name is Hussein. Sorry to break it to you but, it didn’t work. You may want to be more original.
    My the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you. You will need it.
    Respectfully yours,
    Insightful Ape

  35. clinteas says

    So this is what teens get up to in Denmark when theyre drunk?

    And the collection of total lunatics in this thread is in deed a little worrysome.

  36. says

    You know PZ, sometimes I’m a little jealous of what you get in your inbox. I couldn’t pay for comedy like this.

    The “fairy tale” of evolution… haha, oh man.

  37. Twin-Skies says

    “Let’s see how your school handles an email blitz from Christians (which I will point out to you sir, comprises of approximately 97% of the population of the United States). ”

    Tyranny of the majority. So she threatens us with a logical fallacy. Terrific. And just how many Christians within that percentage does she think agrees with her insanity?

  38. Rowan says

    um, does f/larry(?) ever have anything worthwhile to say to add to the discourse or does he simply hurl invectives and insults?

    thank you, Sven DiMilo @#526, for explaining who he is.

  39. Owlmirror says

    um, does f/larry(?) ever have anything worthwhile to say to add to the discourse or does he simply hurl invectives and insults?

    If he did, he wouldn’t be plonked, now would he?

  40. Twin-Skies says

    @Farry

    I’m a also regular at the GamePolitics blogs, though it’s been real quiet over there ever since Anti-gaming nutzoid Jack Thompson had been disbarred and demoted to crazy right-wing pundit.

    Thank you. You’re made a terrific replacement for JT – just as nutty and colorful…like this year’s Xmas fruitcake!

  41. Mr Twiddle says

    #111 – RamblinDude -“It’s like there is a time portal open somewhere, and people from the 12th century keep popping up.” – I like it. It’s your turn to guard the portal and whack the mole when it pops its head out.

  42. Smoggy Batzrubble says

    I agree with Clinteas @543, there are too many many friggin loonies turning up here. F-farry Anal-Ram and I are trying to be serious…and all you other dipwicks lower the whole tone. Might I recommend that all you lightweights pop on over to God’s blog (Stuff God Hates) and Super-Yaheweh will smite you with some painful warty affliction on your privates. That’ll teach you a bit of perspective.

    F-farry mate, where are you? Mama Anal-Ram has got cookies and milk out for you. And she’s worried your diaper needs changing…

  43. Ellid says

    Actually, I rather like your blog. Then again I’m a Unitarian, not an evangelical, so I guess I don’t count.

  44. says

    You ever get the chance, compare what a creationist and a Obama Truther says about evidence that contradicts what they believe sometime. It’s the same basic reasoning. Namely, “It doesn’t say what I want it to say, therefor it must be false, or it must actually say what I want it to say.” You can play the same game with Holocaust Denial and 9/11 Trutherism.

    Never trust anyone who places his feelings above readily obtainable evidence. Especially when he agrees with you.

  45. Owlmirror says

    a Obama Truther

    Sorry. A what?

    Inferring that it’s a similar construction to 9/11 Truther, presumably one who holds that the truth about Obama is that he is secretly a Muslin (sic), or even worse, conspiring with terrorists to attack America!1!! (see the comments of Cynthia Dunbar linked to in the “public schools are screwed up” thread)

  46. SC says

    Tyranny of the majority.

    Ad Populum.

    So she threatens us with a logical fallacy.

    Better than being threatened with Occam’s razor! :)

  47. Wowbagger says

    OT – gun manufacturers creating concealable pistols especially for the elderly that will be subsidised by the government. No, I’m not kidding. Go here to read about it.

    I can see the corpses piling up at bingo halls across the nation.

  48. Twin-Skies says

    @SC

    There is a fine line between KISS, and oversimplifying issues. She almost levelled a Godwin at PZ though:

    “You are quite free to believe what you want to believe, but unless Hitler was your mentor…”

  49. Ted Powell says

    Farry Lafarman, #532

    Judge Jones is a jackass. Most of the approximately 6000-word ID-as-science section of his Dover opinion was virtually copied from the plaintiffs’ opening post-trial brief while ignoring the defendants’ opening post-trial brief and the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ answering post-trial briefs.
    In short, the case was decided at the outset.

    Non sequitur. The judge is entitled to include whichever portions of whichever briefs were submitted to him that he pleases when he is writing his findings. They were, after all, written for him. His selection of which parts to use is influenced by his conclusions, not the other way around, as you seem to be suggesting.

    If you were to spend some time over at http://www.groklaw.net/ you might get some insight into how these things are handled.

  50. skepsci says

    Didn’t we argue, a while back, about having md5sums/sha1sums of e-mail addresses (or something similar) appended to posts?

    Maybe I should be signing with a public key…

    I don’t think email addresses would work all that well, since you can use whatever email you want, so all you would have to do to pretend to be someone is guess their email. Very hard in some cases, but very easy in others. I think IP addresses would make more sense, but I think it should be possible to register a username and so this would only be needed for anonymous commenters.

    In any case, I imagine you would have to take it up with ScienceBlogs.

  51. Alex says

    Fuck you, you ignorant twat. Less than 10 seconds of Googling would reveal evidence of evolution; reading this blog would do the same thing. But no, like a Good Little Christian (TM), you would rather assert your opinion as reality, just like your precious preachers do. But, alas, reality does not conform to your beliefs, your opinions, nor does it conform to what your preacher spits out on Sundays.

    Oh, and no, Christians are not 97% of this country you dumb bitch; but again, that would require you to not assert fact, but actually read and obtain fact. And please, please continue to use mob-mentality and attempt censorship; it’s what you retards do best.

    Is it really necessary to denigrate the writer for her gender? The same moronic email could have been written just as easily by a man, and her gender has as much to with the stupidity of her rant as her race.

  52. says

    It’s funny how most people comment when comments are purely redundant. Ms. Cox’s e-mail spoke for itself. Did it not? And yet here I am pointing it all out…

    Molly #100, Owlmirror #49 and Bonnie #494, I barely made it through Bonnie Cox’s dissertation. Do you really think I’m going to bother with yours?

  53. hermit says

    @560

    Judges very often cut and paste from the briefs at his disposal, especially if he agrees with the argument, this is extremely common. Perhaps Farfarman feels and entirely new document must be composed by the judge for the benefit of this case….he is full of it.

  54. hermit says

    Oh and one other thing, Farfarman…Judge jones did not ignore the defendants briefs….he rejected their content….. that’s his job, you know, to decide who’s right and who’s wrong.

  55. says

    denigrate the writer for her gender?

    Using gender-specific insults is not the same as denigrating someone for their gender, and I have yet to see someone make this sort of erroneous assertion when males are similarly insulted.

  56. Ms_Misery says

    Im an avid reader of Pharyngula and have never posted before. This thread however, has motivated to express my profound gratitude to Bonnie, Kc, Larry and co. for the entertainment. Seriously, you guys should consider stand-up comedy.

  57. says

    To Ms_Misery @ #570

    Ah yes, we loves us some bread and circuses, we does. And pie. And anything squidly.

    I’m fairly new here myself, but I think I’ve seen enough to feel safe in speaking for all those here like me who would welcome you to what is arguably among the most interesting blogs around.

    And to the regulars here, I ask that you please point me to the primer for html tags peculiar to this particular blog engine. I’ve figured out a few of them, but can’t seem to coax my primate brain to identify the tag for quoting text from other posts. Thanks in advance.

  58. John Morales says

    Flerndip22, for quoting use <blockquote>quoted text here</blockquote>. I suggest you use the post preview feature (saving your combox input before previewing as it gets processed during preview) to experiment, and cancel out unless you actually wish to post. You can also use a, b, i and other tags.

  59. says

    Ah yes, we loves us some bread and circuses, we does. And pie. And anything squidly.

    I tried this previously, but since this thread has died down, it is hopefully safe to test the blockquote tag again without bugging anyone.

    Ah, the joy of learning you were wrong about something. Excellent. Tag sorted.

  60. John Morales says

    Heh. I should practice what I preach; I didn’t preview and missed the runaway b tag.

  61. Patrick says

    This guy doesn’t have faith. He is infected with faith. There is a difference. Think of it as a drug or medicine. Some people tolerate it well, while others have adverse reactions. People of this guys ilk are the ones with the adverse reactions. They get rabid with faith. It’s kind of like a mental disease that you can catch by being in a prolonged state of gullibility (especially at a young age).

  62. says

    Patrick #577 wrote: This guy doesn’t have faith. He is infected with faith.

    I think you’re right. He doesn’t have faith. Faith has him. Faith short-circuits one’s ability to formulate one’s own opinions, exercise free will and inherent moral judgement, instead relying entirely on dogma for all the answers. And when that dam inevitably bursts, it’s not a big surprise which swollen finger is pulled from the hole in the dike and re-tasked for the most primitive form of communication.

  63. says

    @Patrick:

    Additionally, try to imagine the impossible burden the faithful must shoulder. Imagine feeling duty-bound, by threat of eternal agony, to defend the indefensible.

    On the other hand, he has a mountain of logical fallacies upon which to draw, and is used to seeing them succeed in spades when used on his fellow sheeple. Imagine the surprise and frustration that results from using those tactics on people capable of critical thinking. It must be enough to drive one mad.

    When cornered, animals will often act out of panic and last resort. And animals we are. All of us.

  64. says

    It’s funny how most people comment when comments are purely redundant. Ms. Cox’s e-mail spoke for itself. Did it not? And yet here I am pointing it all out…

    Oh and we allll thank you so much for being the comment police.

    Molly #100, Owlmirror #49 and Bonnie #494, I barely made it through Bonnie Cox’s dissertation. Do you really think I’m going to bother with yours?

    Yes the comments are here for your amusement only.

    Once again thank you for filling your role.

  65. Bezoar says

    97% of the population is christian? So, what’s the point. That’s like saying that because Chevrolet sells more cars than BMW that it is a better product. And pullin out the ‘Hitler card” shows a typical degree of religious tolerance.

  66. trash says

    That lunatic, Vox Day had this to say…

    I am better known around the world than PZ and my column is much more widely read than his blog. PZ was attacking me for quite some time before I was even aware of it or knew who he was. In fact, I thought he was a she for a while, not having paid much attention to him. PZ doesn’t respond anymore because I’ve kicked his ass every time we’ve had direct discourse.

    I am sorry that I went to that link. I think I am going to puke.

  67. DuckPhup says

    Well, waddaya know? I may have found Bonnie Cox’s better-half… Barry Cox (lives in Milford with his wife and two high school age sons). Here’s his recent letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer…
    Leftists show bigotry in zoo-museum flap

    The left likes to portray the right as “bigots” with “no compassion.” Conservatives, according to the liberal left, “have their thumb on the oppressed minorities.”

    But The Enquirer’s Dec. 2 front page headline, “Zoo halts creation museum deal,” raises an obvious question: “Who are the bigots now?”

    The debate, on the surface, seems to focus on creationists vs. evolutionists, but that, my friends, is a smoke screen created by the false “tolerance” of the left.

    (more…)

  68. says

    More arbitrary censorship of blog comments by BVD-clad blogger Sleazy PZ Myers. You and the rest of the Darwinist liars (Fatheaded Ed Brayton, Greg “Osama Bin” Laden, Wesley “Ding” Elsberry) never miss an opportunity to make sure that your agenda is the only one heard, do you, dunghill?

    Larry. I’ve never banned you from my site, so please don’t make this false (though implied) accusation.

    Oh, and it’s “Greg Laden” rhymes with “Tom Hayden” … not “Greg Laden” rhymes with “Osama bin Laden”

    Just stay away from my nephew, Ben Laden. He’ll kick your ass.

  69. Fatmop says

    Her name is “Bonnie Cox.”

    I was unaware that rational discussion was necessary when you’ve got someone with a name like that.

  70. says

    I’ve been trying to get my way through Alan Bloom’s Closing the American Mind. His book seems to be about the latest fad in academia, people are more worried about being branded a bigot than being right. Lots of people, especially denialists, cash in on this. We see things like ‘respect my opinions’ and such.

    Anyone else read it?

    It seems that a lot of the time when someone is shown to be wrong or a point is shown to be invalid, rather than try to come back with something else to back their line of logic up, they resort to calling the other side a bigot.

    Or as I prefer to call it, ‘invokin teh biggutreez’.

  71. Sherry says

    But Barry and Bonnie Cox of Milford OH belong to the local United Methodist church!

    According to the Methodist doctrine, they are actually more concerned with the “here and now”. They do not endorse the “Rapture” or Creationism!!! I believe that right now, the governing body is preparing to endorse evolution.

    What will the Cox’s do then? Move to Arkansas?

  72. says

    That was weird!

    “You are quite free to believe what you want to believe, but unless Hitler was your mentor, you should know that you have NO RIGHT to interfere with other organizations or businesses that want to colaborate just because you disagree with their arguement.”

    Is this wingnut saying that if Hitler was your mentor then you can do what you want?

  73. Janine, Insulting Sinner says

    Re:Trash #583, quoting VD.
    In fact, I thought he was a she for a while, not having paid much attention to him.

    For VD, being a women is the worst insult.

  74. Taz says

    I’ve got to ask, what’s with “BVD-clad”? Does Larry consider it an insult to accuse somewhere of wearing underwear?

  75. ian says

    respectfully yours, indeed. There was nothing respectful at all about that letter. It was ignorant, arrogant, and just plain rude.

    BTW, according to the CIA World Factbook, the total percentage of christian folk in the US is 78.5%, and that’s if you’re including Roman Catholics(23.9%), Mormons(1.7%), and other Christians (whatever the hell that means – 1.6%).

    Of course saying 78.5% of Americans are Christians doesn’t mean 78.5% of Americans are Creationists or even tolerant of Creationists. Most probably believe Creationists have hijacked the meaning of their religion with foolish, vanity driven quibbling.

  76. Janine, Insulting Sinner says

    DuckPhup, thank you for that link. I just want to draw some attention to this statement.

    The debate, on the surface, seems to focus on creationists vs. evolutionists, but that, my friends, is a smoke screen created by the false “tolerance” of the left.

    It is an insult to almost everybody. Sadly, I have known plenty of people from the “left” who are rather woo addled and do not have a problem with the concept of creationism.

    This statement is also an insult to those people on the “right” and all of the conservatives who do not buy into Ken Ham form of insanity.

    But what the hell, one cannot have a culture with making up imaginary enemies and nonexistent allies.

  77. says

    @Mrs Doubt(hell)fire
    From your #99

    Late to the party, but had to say:

    I knew I could stop reading the VD comment threads when I read Clay’s number one comment (which is really more a number two):

    I’m surely not going to bother to research it to correct myself.

    Sums up the entire creationist attitude in a dozen words.

    Teh stupid is strong at Vox Dei. As is the projection of sexual inadequacy, I suspect (BUT absolutely do not wish to know for sure).

    @Mr. Farry Larfarman:
    How strange–you sound just like this other troll that used to hang around scienceblogs.

    If you want to see censorship, pop over to Vox Day’s blog. Don’t expect to be allowed to comment though. Registration is required.

    It takes a real effort of will to get banned at scienceblogs, but with VD it’s the default posiition. I assume it’s because teh dissent is teh scary.

    Sic semper deii.

  78. SC says

    I’ve been trying to get my way through Alan Bloom’s Closing the American Mind….

    Anyone else read it?

    I read it with great care when it came out, years ago. It’s pretentious, verbose garbage that formed part of the so-called “Culture Wars” of those years. It’s not worthy of my time or energy to demolish it here, but you may be interested in Susan Faludi’s critique in her Backlash, which was released shortly thereafter. There are many others, but this is the one that comes most immediately to mind.

  79. says

    Brain Hertz |
    Encouraging people to write a bunch of fucking letters is exactly the sort of thing that Hitler did. I mean, do you not remember the campaign of letter writing he engaged in against Austria? Not to mention the fucking deluge of letters he had the Wehrmacht send to Czechoslovakia and Poland.

    Brain FTW.

  80. says

    you should know that you have NO RIGHT to interfere with other organizations or businesses that want to colaborate just because you disagree with their arguement

    Again with that pestilent notion that businesses have rights, and those rights trump the rights of individuals.

  81. says

    I read it with great care when it came out, years ago. It’s pretentious, verbose garbage that formed part of the so-called “Culture Wars” of those years. It’s not worthy of my time or energy to demolish it here, but you may be interested in Susan Faludi’s critique in her Backlash, which was released shortly thereafter. There are many others, but this is the one that comes most immediately to mind.

    Thanks.

    Like I said…I’ve only thumbed through it and haven’t really started reading it as of yet.

    I’ll check that out when I get the chance.

  82. says

    I just wish that these people would realize that the Catholic church (Vatican) says that evolution is completely compatible with Christianity and they fully admit that the Bible is not scientific literature.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolution

    Nothing wrong with spirituality or even some theistic beliefs, it is this ignorance towards fellow man while preaching acceptance that is so backwards.

    I just don’t understand how one could say “there is no proof” to one concept by not showing proof of the competing concept.

  83. Bonny Cocks says

    Jason, either the world is 6000 years old or it isn’t. Either “god did it” or he didn’t. There is no “sorta god” in the Catholic canon. No “kinda miracles”. There is so much evidence for the veracity of Darwin’s theories that the church could no more deny them than they could deny the Copernican model for the solar system. They’re starting to fudge their own beliefs . . . and their vestments too.

  84. Colin says

    Can we just clear up this statistics thing? There’s nothing wrong with America being 97% christian and 18% non-christian. It just means the USA is contributing 115%!!

  85. Shoter Bonnie Cox says

    Shorter Bonnie Cox.
    There’s a 700 foot tall Jessica Simpson standing next to me but you can’t see her.
    Doesn’t mean she isn’t there.

  86. says

    Wow, I cannot get over how dumb this lady is. She calls you a Marxist but then wants you censored, she claims Christians are 97% of this nation, she says she wants students to discuss research with each other but not listen to Professors…I just don’t get her logic. What an idiot.

  87. Marion Delgado says

    Creationist research IS kids discussing things in class!

    A man’s convictions should exceed his knowledge, or what’s a Conservapedia for?

  88. Ian says

    Why is it that so-called Christians consistently fail to turn the other cheek? I guess Bonnie Cox isn’t so bonnie after all, and she certainly doesn’t exhibit an iota of Christianity. Unless you consider only the worst aspects of it; then she’s right on the money.

  89. says

    The Percentage of the population in the state of Ohio that attended any type of religious gathering in 1990, including those who attended only once or twice a year, was listed as less than 51% according the the source I have cited below.

    Keep in mind this figure also includes Jews, Muslims, and other groups that are not generally considered “christian”. I find it hard to believe that Ohio is grossly out of step with the rest of the country, therefore I find Bonnie’s contention that approximately 97% of the country is “christian” unbelievable. I wish she would cite her sources for her statistics.

    Source for my statistics:
    Ramos, Mary G. (ed.). 1996-1997 Texas Almanac. Dallas, TX: Dallas Morning News (1995), pg. 325. [Source: Glenmary: “Churches & Church Membership in the U.S., 1990 “]

  90. Ken Cavanaugh says

    It’s people like Bonnie that give home schooling a bad name. My wife and I home school our son, but not for religious reasons (I’m an atheist, she’s not religious in any real sense).
    We home school because the schools here in coastal northern California are mainly crap: too
    much time spent on disciplining problem kids and trying to help the slow kids achieve NCLB standards, not enough time spent on brighter children. Home schooling (through a
    charter school in our case) gives us the opportunity to find and construct the best
    curriculum we can for our child.

    Just one small set of statistics (admittedly out of context, with no attempt to find a complete picture of the relevant research): the table at

    http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/TableDisplay.asp?TablePath=TablesHTML/table_4.asp

    shows the main reasons cited in a US education department survey (2003) for home schooling.
    The first reason is school environment, the third concern with academics. Religious
    instruction is the second, obviously still very important for many. Considering
    parents for whom academics is a concern, not just the most important one, moves academics to second place.

    What would be more interesting would be to see the change over time in these reasons, but I don’t know
    where to find that. I have heard from others that secular home schooling has been
    growing quickly in recent years.

  91. White says

    If im reading this right the CIA’s website says there is only 1.6% christians in this country.

    “United States Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)”

    So that means “BONNIE” is about 95% off and shouldn’t be bothering people about this crap. Christians make up a very small percent in this country and its pretty much a meaningless religion. I’m not saying that any religion has any meaning its all make believe…………… Made up to make people act civilized, but that just hasn’t worked out with all the religious wars in the history of this world. Its pretty stupid to keep this charade going, because in the end its just going to kill all of you dumb bastards, and your just going to drag us into your stupid wars with other stupidass suicidal religions. So if you have something to say about christianity and how great it is just think about the history of the crusades and all of your stupid “HOLY WARS” and do everyone a favor and keep your mouth shut.

  92. Patricia, OM says

    OK, now I see. #608 is a naked Chimp, #610 is a Chimp in a tuxedo. Very stylish, ooh la,la!

  93. says

    Why, no. I’ve gotten a few of the usual Catholic pious whinge, and a recent surge from Ham acolytes, but otherwise, it’s pretty quiet.

  94. janegael says

    I work with one of these. After explaining to her that I hated Sarah Palin because she actively promotes hunting wolves from helicopters and that the day before her nomination came out one of those chopper murderfests ended with a litter of 5 week old puppies being shot in the head.

    I finished my explanation and she belligerently stated: “Well I LIKE her.” When I asked her why — she replied: “Because she’s a Christian.”

    She’s blind so I told her the sound she was hearing was me pounding my head against the wall…