More claims of objective morality with no basis

Posted on March 5, 2010 by Michael

It’s a big irk of mine when someone tries to claim an objective basis for morality while going outside the supposed source of objectivity. The religious have a habit of it. I don’t get it; it’s so simple. If a person claims something is objectively moral without being able to directly source said claim, then there is no objectivity. The claim may still be moral, but subjectively so.

Of course, religidiots don’t always get it.

You are aware by now that a 12,000 pound killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando killed his trainer Dawn Brancheau yesterday by pulling her into a pool and dragging her around until she drowned, in front of a crowd of stunned guests.

Chalk another death up to animal rights insanity and to the ongoing failure of the West to take counsel on practical matters from the Scripture…

If the counsel of the Judeo-Christian tradition had been followed, Tillikum would have been put out of everyone’s misery back in 1991 and would not have had the opportunity to claim two more human lives.

Says the ancient civil code of Israel, “When an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable.” (Exodus 21:28)

So, your animal kills somebody, your moral responsibility is to put that animal to death. You have no moral culpability in the death, because you didn’t know the animal was going to go postal on somebody.

So, your animal kills somebody…? Animal? The Bible does not support a case for stoning animals in the given passage. It explicitly states ox or bull (depending on which of the varied, inconsistent Bibles one chooses). It goes on further to state other specific animals and the ‘morality’ surrounding them and particular situations. The conclusion here is that the website advocating for the immoral death of a captive whale has no basis for making its supposed objective claim. Instead, it relies on extrapolating something explicitly specific from a book written by very simple men who had no notable training in philosophy and certainly no understanding of how their already ugly words would be made even uglier. And it’s all subjective.

Filed under: Religions | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

I declare Poe’s Law

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Michael

Bigots have suffered a couple of blows recently; one is in D.C. and another in Mexico City where same-sex marriage has started. Don’t worry. All the buildings are still standing and the birds are still flying.

Unless you’re Robert Moon.

Washington, D.C. has now officially become the sixth place in the U.S. where homosexuals can go to force the public to endorse their lifestyles. Until now, insecure gays in need of validation had to travel to Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont if they wanted to help dismantle our foundational institution of marriage.

…f-for real? For real real? Am I endorsing all the heterosexual marriages right now? What about the bans on same-sex marriages nearly everywhere else? Am I and all the other non-bigots endorsing those by living in places where they exist? Is everyone endorsing Obama by him being president? Do we all endorse each others checks when just one of us signs?

Never mind the fact that the will of the people is completely against this (as evidenced by the overwhelming rejection of gay marriage even in ultra-liberal states like California) or that marriage in this Judeo-Christian country is, by definition, incompatible with homosexuality, polygamy, and other deviations from “one man, one woman.” A liberal special interest group needs to feel more mainstream than it is, so there is nothing else to think about.

I don’t understand. Does Robert Moon just smash his face against the keyboard when he writes? This must be an accident.

As I have noted, whether it be trying to criminalize dissent against homosexuality, forcing taxpayers to fund special gay high schools or strong-arming homosexuals into a military that does not want them (especially in the middle of a war), gays are simply on a war path here…one that is all about special treatment, not actual equality.

I still don’t understand. All these letters form words. If he’s just smashing his face, then wow. What are the chances?

Filed under: Same-sex marriage | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Creationist dentist loses primary

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Michael

Don McLeroy, creationist dentist and long-time member of the Texas State Board of Education, has been beaten in his primary.

McLeroy, one of the most outspoken social conservatives on the panel, ran firmly on his record as he faced his toughest opponent since he was first elected to the board in 1998.

McLeroy is an utter moron with no understanding of any subject (except teeth) and no qualifications to do anything (except drill teeth). His record is a piece of garbage that should be a point of shame. Except it isn’t for him because he’s genuinely too stupid to realize. Like, Sarah Palin stupid. It’s severe.

The guy believes the Universe is 6,000 years old, the U.S. was founded by Christians to be a Christian nation, and that abstinence-only education ever made sense. He’s wrong on everything – and proud of it. The man is a menace to education.

Good fucking riddance.

Filed under: News | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

“Do you wish to file a complaint?”

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Michael

The title of this post is also the content of an email I received from someone in the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Licensing and Registration. To what was she responding, you ask?

A naturopathic doctor is not allowed to claim he is a doctor under Maine law. He must use the term “naturopathic doctor” or some similar phrasing. The intent behind this law is clearly to avoid confusing naturopaths with standard doctors.

That is why Christopher Maloney is so concerning. On his website, he expressly says he is a doctor under his “WHO AM I?” section.

Also, in a comment section on a blog post, he claims to practice medicine. This is also prohibited under Maine law.

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/02/christopher_maloney_still_a_qu.php#comment-2285801

Of course, my answer to her question is a certain yes. Naturopaths like Christopher Maloney are legitimately dangerous by the very virtue of naturopathy.

If anyone else would like to file a complaint against Maloney, it can be done so by sending an email here.

Filed under: Pure bullshit | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Thought of the day

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Michael

Someone told me that faith is believing without evidence recently. Of course, she’s absolutely right. The thing is, though, she was using it as a positive argument for faith.

I was baffled.

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

1 in 4 parents believes stupid shit

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Michael

The number is actually probably much more than 1 in 4, but those are the results of a study which has concluded that 25% of parents believe vaccines cause autism.

One in four U.S. parents believes some vaccines cause autism in healthy children, but even many of those worried about vaccine risks think their children should be vaccinated.

Most parents continue to follow the advice of their children’s doctors, according to a study based on a survey of 1,552 parents. Extensive research has found no connection between autism and vaccines.

“Nine out of 10 parents believe that vaccination is a good way to prevent diseases for their children,” said lead author Dr. Gary Freed of the University of Michigan. “Luckily their concerns don’t outweigh their decision to get vaccines so their children can be protected from life-threatening illnesses.”

That’s about par for the anti-vaccine crowd. I believe this will be harmful to my child, but not really. Yes. No.

Sometimes dumbness is coddled. Fortunately, this is not one of those times.

Some doctors are taking a tough stand, asking vaccine-refusing parents to find other doctors and calling such parents “selfish.”

A statement from a group practice near Philadelphia outlines its doctors’ adamant support for government recommended vaccines and their belief that “vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.”

“Furthermore, by not vaccinating your child you are taking selfish advantage of thousands of other who do vaccinate their children … We feel such an attitude to be self-centered and unacceptable,” the statement says, urging those who “absolutely refuse” vaccines to find another physician.

Good.

One point of note, this study was conducted through an online survey. It isn’t like those utterly random, selection-bias polls that populate every corner of the Internet, but still. C’mon.

Filed under: News | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Thought of the day

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Michael

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

What teachers make

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Michael

Filed under: Misc | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Arbitrary number celebration!

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Michael

For the Sake of Science has reached 100,000 hits. Yay several zeros! Here’s the proof.

Of course, a creationist would point out that I never actually saw “100,000”, so there’s no way I can say I ever hit that number. I mean, maybe the stat tracker had an error, right? Really, this whole post is just faith. According to creationist logic.

Anyway.

Filed under: Administrative | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Deuteronomy is just weird

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Michael

Whenever I want to delve into the world of the bizarre I read one of three things: what Scientologists actually believe, what Mormons actually believe, or the bat shit crazy stuff that is written in Deuteronomy (the whole thing is weird, but chapter 22 has always been a favorite of mine for its especial craziness).

6 If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. 7 You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

…what? I mean, really? An all-powerful being is concerned with something so bizarre?

20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

There’s the God we all know. Penis in vagina = bad. But before marriage? = death.

I don’t think I’m really exposing anything not already recognized as silly, but it doesn’t matter how many times I see it, the weirdness never jades me.

Filed under: Religions | Tagged: , , , , | 52 Comments »

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