You Don't Know Dick

Enraging

Parents choose prayer over medical treatment for their daughter. She dies.

Flying Spaghetti Monster takes up residence at county courthouse

Among the county's historic directional sign post, farm equipment and gazebo stand several monuments and expressions of free speech. The displays include an Iraq and Afghanistan Soldier's Memorial, Statue of Liberty, chainsaw-carved monkeys and bears, Jesus carrying a cross, and the most recent display added — a Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the latest display to a slew of others that have been erected on the lawn over the past year. Several marches and demonstrations have also taken place on the courthouse grounds.

Our New Superhero: The Laughing Atheist

Sanal Edamaruku, the president of Rationalist International, withstood two solid hours of death curses, evil spells, and vigorous hand-waving by India's foremost tantrik, Pandit Surinder Sharma. It all started as a political row (Sharma is a true political Pandit), and the whole encounter was covered live on Indian TV. His only defense against the powers of Darth Sharma was laughter, which seemed to work, in spades. After the alotted two hours of death curses had expired, the Pandit explained that Sanal was obviously being protected by a very powerful god that he worshipped. “No, I am an atheist,” said Sanal. The Pandit warned Sanal not to provoke him to use his double-secret, super-powerful evil curse which, as it happens, can only be invoked at night. So Sanal challenged him to try again that very night, again on live TV, which the network carried as "Breaking News".

Wanna guess how things turned out? Full coverage here. (Thanks, Cory!)

Sweet Justice

PZ Myers recently wrote a hilarious post about his experience getting booted from a screening of Ben Stein's creationist propaganda film "Expelled."

The kicker? While Myers was asked to leave, his guests were allowed to view the movie. Among his guests: Richard Dawkins.

All I have to say about that is this.

Hummana Hummana Hamantaschen

Who needs presents when you can eat hamantaschen?

A Prurient Purim to One and All!

Just Yell Over the Name

it's Purim.


the only Jewish holiday that's fun.


and you don't even get presents.


no matter what you believe about god, that kinda sucks.

Jesus Built His Hot Rod

Since 1991, leaders of the Harrisburg-based Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America had assumed that millions in endowment money was going to missionary work overseas and to pastors in need of financial assistance.

Barry R. Herr, the synod's treasurer for 28 years, was responsible for making sure it did.

Instead, police and church officials say, Herr funneled more than $1 million into a bogus bank account, transferred it to his personal account and used it to buy classic cars.

Religion Now As Easy As Weight Loss and Erections

Directions: As a dietary supplement, take three (3) capsules twice daily, preferably with meals.

Warning: Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Consult your physician prior to use if you have a medical condition or are taking medications.

Seven New Sins!

A new list! I love lists!

The Vatican has put together a list of seven "social" sins:

1. "Bioethical" violations such as birth control

2. "Morally dubious" experiments such as stem cell research

3. Drug abuse

4. Polluting the environment

5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor

6. Excessive wealth

7. Creating poverty

The original deadly sins:

1. Pride

2. Envy

3. Gluttony

4. Lust

5. Anger

6. Greed

7. Sloth

I was four for seven out of the original list, but can only claim two out of the new seven. Or three, if you consider my choice to be a public schoolteacher "creating poverty."

Maybe I should think about graduate work in bioengineering. Excessive wealth and morally dubious experiments! Whee!