Chat with PZ Myers HERE!

[PZ Myers]

Philboid Studge wrote

How do you respond to Jeebus Thumpers who try to convert you? The door-to-door Jehova Witness types, handing out religious tracts in public places, that sort of thing. I imagine a tremendous blast of soul-crushing logic that leaves a quivering mass of broken Xian in the fetal (post-pharyngula) position. Please tell me I'm not wrong.

Maniacal laughter.

Actually, it's very disappointing. NOBODY COMES AROUND ANYMORE. Ever. I figure there must be some kind of Jesus Freak version of the Hobo code chalked on my curb.

Philboid Studge wrote

In a related matter, how come when I enter the search term "demented fuckwit" into Pharyngula I get about a zillion hits?

Somebody's got to be in charge with slapping around the demented fuckwits. The position has devolved on me.

[Professor Chaos]

Another one from Philboid Studge:

We atheists are often accused of having a "religion" of our own and that the louder we rave, the more we sound like the very fundamentalists we decry. I say don't fight it -- we might as well declare our church and stop paying taxes. What do you think?

[PZ Myers]

This even came up last night at a party. Everyone was talking about their weird encounters with the fanatical religious right in town...and I had to admit that I didn't have any good stories at all.

[PZ Myers]

Philboid Studge wrote

We atheists are often accused of having a "religion" of our own and that the louder we rave, the more we sound like the very fundamentalists we decry. I say don't fight it -- we might as well declare our church and stop paying taxes. What do you think?

No thanks. We aren't organized enough, and that's the way we want it.

I'd rather fight to get the churches taxed. I look around my town and see that the most elaborate, largest buildings here are the churches, and I see a vast unexploited opportunity.

[Professor Chaos]

And another from Philboid Studge before we move on to the others:

Harris, Dawkins, & Hitchens are all raking in beaucoup ka-ching with their books. How long are you going to make us wait for the PZ Myers' smackdown of all that is holy ?

[PZ Myers]

Philboid Studge wrote

Harris, Dawkins, & Hitchens are all raking in beaucoup ka-ching with their books. How long are you going to make us wait for the PZ Myers' smackdown of all that is holy ?

Oh, no. I don't know. Stop NAGGING ME! The nagging never ends.

I'm working on it. I don't know when it will be done.

[Professor Chaos]

Believe it or not, the original Raving Atheist himself has crawled out of the abortion clinic to chat with us tonight!

The Raving Atheist wrote

Which religion do you believe to be the most dangerous to humanity today?

[PZ Myers]

The Raving Atheist wrote

Which religion do you believe to be the most dangerous to humanity today?

I don't know. What's the mildest, most inoffensive, least assertive religion you can think of?

That one.

Religion is an act of sedition against reason. Whatever religion is most seductive and likely to draw in victims to surrender their skepticism is the worst.

[Professor Chaos]

Another sarcasti-question from the allegedly Raving alleged Atheist:

Raving Atheist wrote

Should the government take aggressive legal action to eradicate religion from society like it does with racism?

[PZ Myers]

Raving Atheist wrote

Should the government take aggressive legal action to eradicate religion from society like it does with racism?

No. It should take aggressive legal action to exclude religion from government.

We need widespread social stigmatization of religion to eradicate religion, not external compulsion.

[Professor Chaos]

The next question comes from ocmpoma:

What's your take on Chaplains, US Military officers who are basically paid federal pastors, rabbis, etc?

[PZ Myers]

ocmpoma wrote

What's your take on Chaplains, US Military officers who are basically paid federal pastors, rabbis, etc?

Welfare for the intellectually deficient.

[Professor Chaos]

Next question from Choobus:

Choobus wrote

do you think that it is a legal or a religious flaw in US society that may allow a teenage boy about to experience an unwanted circumcision?

[PZ Myers]

Choobus wrote

do you think that it is a legal or a religious flaw in US society that may allow a teenage boy about to experience an unwanted circumcision?

Both, obviously. What kind of religion would encourage self-mutilation, and what kind of government would allow a minor to do irreversible damage to himself?

[Professor Chaos]

From choobus:

choobus wrote

do you think that it is a legal or a religious flaw in US society that may allow a teenage boy about to experience an unwanted circumcision?