>> ^longde: I think the mere act of selling the atheism elevates it to an ideology. This is not a simple PSA promoting brushing and flossing. It's asking people to make major changes in personal beliefs.
No, it's not. It's just putting forward an idea that we could have a world without religion, and that this would be a good thing. Atrocious? Some people certainly believe so; I don't.
Ideas are promoted all the time in different channels without elevating them to ideologies. Don't drink and drive, return your glass waste to the correct deposit, brush and floss. I would say that your example asks for more changes to a persons life, as it asks you to extend your nightly routine. This commercial only informs you that a choice exists, and it is up to you what you want to do with it.
I remember watching an LDS Church commercial on american television when I was visiting USA a couple of years back. They wanted to send me a free Book of Mormon. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I don't want it, but I can appreciate that they are willing to spend money to get me information on something they believe is important for me to know. More importantly, the fact that they make a commercial out of it does not elevate Mormonism to an ideology; it already was. You could argue that this commercial would only have been possible if atheism too was already an ideology, but that would be the opposite argument of yours quoted above.
If I have to find an ideology that facilitates this commercial, it would have to be skepticism, not atheism. That you should make up your own mind based on falsifiable evidence is to my mind a good thing to have floating around in the marketplace of ideas. But as a skeptic you sometimes have to choose your battles, and this time it was against religion.
So, I finally come to my main point: A lot of ideas and ideologies are put forward all the time, with no complaints. Why the sudden outrage when skeptics do the same?
I, with a couple of others, used this trick in my zero-g experiment a few years back. We looked at fluid mixing in a granular medium, and used acrylic glass granules and a liquid with a similar refractive index to be able to see what was going on inside the experiment.
Note his jibe towards fellow crackpots Jack Van Impe, Hal Lindsey and John Hagee at 3:20. Hal Lindsey is particularly interesting since he is the most important inspiration for Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, the authors of the atrocious "Left Behind" books. The premillenial dispentionalist subculture of evangelical christianity is rife with such bickering between adherents of different nuances in their so-called "literal" reading of the Bible.
Aaaah! He said the nano-crystalloids were self-replicating! We have to end the menace of homeopathy NOW, before the world is consumed by the grey goo of nano-bubbles!
>> ^syncron: I'm sure it's not hard to write a formula to calculate the moment and potential of a double-pendulum system given initial conditions and duration.
It is hard actually, because the second pendulum rotates around a moving axis, which fucks up your equations royally.
My first idea is to use these results to create a steering device for cats. By pressing sheets of paper to the sides of the cat alternating from left to right, you can guide the cat in the direction you want. This can be a fun pasttime for vengeful mice.
An infinite number of mathematicians walk into a bar. The first one orders a beer. The second orders half a beer. The third, a quarter of a beer. The bartender says "You're all idiots", and pours two beers.
---------------
An electron gets pulled over for speeding. The policeman walks up to the car and says, "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" The electron replies, "No, but I know exactly where I am!"
---------------
(e^x) is walking down the street, when he runs into (7), who has a crazed, fearful look in her eye. "(e^x)!" screams (7), "You have to run! All the numbers are running. A differential is coming... we'll all be turned to nothing!" (e^x) barely responds, "Pff, baby, I'm (e^x), differentials don't change me, I'm my own derivative." (7) keeps running. More numbers pass by urging (e^x) to flee. He pays no mind. Suddenly, the differential turns the corner. With a smirk on his face, (e^x) is ready for it. But No! His face turns to horror. Standing before him is (d/dz)!
I like this man; he is one of the Good Guys. However, I resent the implication that the only way to be fully human is to accept Christ. We are all fully human already, for better or worse. Our challenge is to work out decent moral guidelines within the limitations of our humanity.
I realize that what he's saying may be perceived as the same thing, and that he and I are working towards the same goal. But it seems to me that assigning the name "Christ" to that "moral compass", as it were, is only a lifeline used for clinging to one's childhood faith.
Atheism commercial
I think the mere act of selling the atheism elevates it to an ideology. This is not a simple PSA promoting brushing and flossing. It's asking people to make major changes in personal beliefs.
No, it's not. It's just putting forward an idea that we could have a world without religion, and that this would be a good thing. Atrocious? Some people certainly believe so; I don't.
Ideas are promoted all the time in different channels without elevating them to ideologies. Don't drink and drive, return your glass waste to the correct deposit, brush and floss. I would say that your example asks for more changes to a persons life, as it asks you to extend your nightly routine. This commercial only informs you that a choice exists, and it is up to you what you want to do with it.
I remember watching an LDS Church commercial on american television when I was visiting USA a couple of years back. They wanted to send me a free Book of Mormon. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I don't want it, but I can appreciate that they are willing to spend money to get me information on something they believe is important for me to know. More importantly, the fact that they make a commercial out of it does not elevate Mormonism to an ideology; it already was. You could argue that this commercial would only have been possible if atheism too was already an ideology, but that would be the opposite argument of yours quoted above.
If I have to find an ideology that facilitates this commercial, it would have to be skepticism, not atheism. That you should make up your own mind based on falsifiable evidence is to my mind a good thing to have floating around in the marketplace of ideas. But as a skeptic you sometimes have to choose your battles, and this time it was against religion.
So, I finally come to my main point: A lot of ideas and ideologies are put forward all the time, with no complaints. Why the sudden outrage when skeptics do the same?
Make a Bottle Invisible with Science!
Paper airplane demonstration of thrust and drag
*nochannel *art *wings
Applying Pressure To People's Religious Beliefs - Sam Harris
IF YOU USE CONDOMS YOU WILL NOT BE RAPTURED
Another horrible attempt to explain homeopathy
Hey videosift, (Femme Talk Post)
Today I learned that the vagina lays flat and closed when it's empty.
Who knew?
But what happens when you inflate it?
The VideoSift Pomplamoose Interview (Music Talk Post)
(crosses fingers - I think this is the the only 4.0 invocation that's never actually been used)
Oh, and you're wrong:
http://blog.videosift.com/youdiejoe/25-Random-things-about-me#comment-884250
The VideoSift Pomplamoose Interview (Music Talk Post)
*quality
The double pendulum gives an example of chaotic motion
I'm sure it's not hard to write a formula to calculate the moment and potential of a double-pendulum system given initial conditions and duration.
It is hard actually, because the second pendulum rotates around a moving axis, which fucks up your equations royally.
Ultra High Speed Video of Nikon D3 Shutter Action
*nochannel *music *engineering *timeshift
Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas
yaaar yaaar
Cat+Tape Experiment Pt. 1
My Religion is True, Yours a Mistake!
He obviously hasn't met Fred Phelps yet.
Oy, Videosift! (Sift Talk Post)
A virus walks into a bar...
http://www.cafepress.com/+blue_shifted_bumper_sticker,15018954
A virus walks into a bar...
---------------
An electron gets pulled over for speeding. The policeman walks up to the car and says, "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" The electron replies, "No, but I know exactly where I am!"
---------------
(e^x) is walking down the street, when he runs into (7), who has a crazed, fearful look in her eye. "(e^x)!" screams (7), "You have to run! All the numbers are running. A differential is coming... we'll all be turned to nothing!" (e^x) barely responds, "Pff, baby, I'm (e^x), differentials don't change me, I'm my own derivative." (7) keeps running. More numbers pass by urging (e^x) to flee. He pays no mind. Suddenly, the differential turns the corner. With a smirk on his face, (e^x) is ready for it. But No! His face turns to horror. Standing before him is (d/dz)!
Grey Diamonds optical illusion
You're all wrong. Obviously the piece of paper is transparent. I win.
I have a cat in my beard. Your argument is invalid.
This preacher is going to burn in hell !
I realize that what he's saying may be perceived as the same thing, and that he and I are working towards the same goal. But it seems to me that assigning the name "Christ" to that "moral compass", as it were, is only a lifeline used for clinging to one's childhood faith.