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vox, arsenal? kickoff in 2.5 hours
stats | 04.02.08 - 12:14 pm | #

Oh God.
Joss Fritz | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 12:19 pm | #

Jamie is going to need a stiffer drink than usual.
JN | 04.02.08 - 12:22 pm | #

Oh, I know. You'll be walking alone, sad, cold, and beaten.
VD | 04.02.08 - 12:30 pm | #

Now THAT was hilarious!
I especially liked the symbol on Dawkins' cap, the Christian fish symbol with legs added.
PRICELESS!
Pablo | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 12:33 pm | #

If he was dyslexic he would hate dogs, too. Funny.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 12:36 pm | #

Jamie doesn't have his own production company, so I will cut him some slack.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 12:37 pm | #

Oh, I know. You'll be walking alone, sad, cold, and beaten.

Heh.
Josh | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 12:44 pm | #

The dawk is so smart he did't even realise he was being lampooned.

Dick to the dawk contributes to the thread:

http://richarddawkins.net/ articl...ers,RandomSlice

Even his brights couldn't figure out which side the video is on !!
steveo | 04.02.08 - 12:47 pm | #

I could recognize Dawkins (duh), Dennett, Hitchens, and I think that's Harris, but who's the other guy and gal (isn't that crazy whore the president of the NSA?)?
The CronoLink | 04.02.08 - 12:49 pm | #

I told you they're socially autistic. Sweet Darwin are they clueless!
VD | 04.02.08 - 12:52 pm | #

I love PZ with his squid on the cap. Too F'n funny.
trk | 04.02.08 - 12:53 pm | #

Who were the faces in the crowd?
Smarty Pants | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 12:56 pm | #

If he was dyslexic he would hate dogs, too. Funny.

Who'd want to live in One Nation Under Dog?
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 12:58 pm | #

Even his brights couldn't figure out which side the video is on !! (steveo)

My God.

I never considered that they might actually be autistic until I read the comments on that thread.

I'm drowning in irony. Someone help me!
Smarty Pants | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:00 pm | #

Who'd want to live in One Nation Under Dog?

Well really it would depend upon which dog.
Spacebunny | 04.02.08 - 1:02 pm | #

In order not to get brain hemorrhage, I don't even want to find out how they explain "Ministry of Science Propaganda", with propaganda written the Russian way, as being on their side.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:02 pm | #

PZ is a fan too.

http://scienceblogs.com/ pharyngu...ow.php#comments
Giraffe | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:02 pm | #

The best part is their reasoning as for why the video has to be pro-Dawkins:

1) Creationists can't be funny
2) The lyrics are too smart
3) Its not really making fun of atheists

I don't know whats funnier, the fact that their discourse resembles a retard convention, or that their so incapable at doing anything else than look down their nose at people that it makes them completely blind.

Heh heh.
Merlinus Ambrosius | 04.02.08 - 1:04 pm | #

read some of the comments on PZ and the Dick to tha Doc PHD site....what morons if they don't understand that they are being made fun of.

SB..I think atheist are more cat-lovers than dog-lovers...just a hunch. I bet PZ gets issues of Cat Fancy each month.
trk | 04.02.08 - 1:06 pm | #

Brilliant. Err ... bright. No! Just brilliant.
BAJ | 04.02.08 - 1:14 pm | #

here's a gem from Dawkins commenter Number 302

There are two hypotheses on the table:

1. The video is a parody of the atheists.
2. The video is a parody of the creationist's hyper-evil representation of the atheists.

We're having some difficulty distinguishing which hypothesis better fits the data.

and they want us to believe their theories over the bible if they cant figure this out?? And to think that they call Christians dense...
trk | 04.02.08 - 1:16 pm | #

When Josh "heh"'d, did he realize Vox was talking about the Champions League game, not Jaime?
stats | 04.02.08 - 1:21 pm | #

2. The video is a parody of the creationist's hyper-evil representation of the atheists.

That would admittedly fit well with the oh-so-common stereotype of the New Atheists as rappers in the Creationist circles.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:23 pm | #

I like this comment:

"If you spout bullshit, you WILL eventually be expelled, because your more grounded and sensible peers will no longer see you as a valuable or useful collaborator."

Wow. This is social autism, isn't it? I'm pretty sure it is.
The CronoLink | 04.02.08 - 1:26 pm | #

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t...h? v=tTYr3JuueF4

More good old Christian rapping fun.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:27 pm | #

That was brilliant. I'm glad God created the internet.
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:30 pm | #

I'm glad God created the internet.

Perhaps you were thinking about another person, whose name is very similar, and typo'd?

(Had to get that cheap shot before anyone beat me to the punch.)
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:37 pm | #

I had to quit reading about halfway through the Dawkins page. I am denser than most, but I got it instantly that the atheists were the butt of the joke.

I am terribly jealous of this creative effort.
Kentucky Packrat | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:39 pm | #

Well, you know, parody comes from ludicrous exaggeration. And it's (almost) impossible to make any more ludicrously exaggerated claims than the ones creationists make seriously.

Personally, I like "MostFamousDavid", a youtube "creationist" who attempts to prove creation by recreating a universe inside a cardboard box, and tries to disprove evolution by showing that life doesn't form in a glass of water kept out for six days.

The comments on his videos quite frequently assume he's serious, quite in contrast to this work.
crypticlife | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:46 pm | #

BTW, anyone ever noticed that when you learn a new thing, it almost never takes more than a week before you come up against it in real life.

I finally a couple of days ago looked up the concept of "mixing metaphors" which I hadn't understood before, since we don't have that here, and it seems I did just that in the above message.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:50 pm | #

That's great. Thanks for sharing.

I remember a phrase about about dishing it out but not being able to take it?

LOL
kman | 04.02.08 - 1:50 pm | #

THE MACHINE...

Hmmmmmm..........

I wonder what Dawkins et al relationship is to Kurzweil/Joy et al? Does Dawkins hope to download his mind to an android someday? I just keep saying to myself, "how does transhumanism square with natural selection?" [1] Film at 11...

Clever vid BTW. The comments by atheists are just as choice...

[1] Just got my BD [Blu-ray] copy of Gattaca. Really looking forward to viewing it.
Dread | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 1:55 pm | #

how does transhumanism square with natural selection?

When natural selection has inconvenient consequences, they are labeled as "social Darwinism", which is a "Creationist staw man", and therefore natural selection actually doesn't have any inconvenient consequences at all.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 1:57 pm | #

All I can add is "Ummm utterly clueless they are!" Of course as a creationist, I'm not really smart enough to come up with anything else.
Difster | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 2:01 pm | #

That made my day.
Joseph | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 2:01 pm | #

You may wonder how I know that social Darwinism is a straw man. This is elementary logic.

There have been Creationist misrepresentations of evolutionist arguments. See sources [1], [2] and [3]. What these misrepresentations have in common is, that if it were so, inconvenient consequences would follow.

Inconvenient consequences would follow, if social Darwinism were true. Therefore it is a misrepresentation, or straw man, as it is more commonly known.

QED
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 2:08 pm | #

hello fellow american. me bright not. not knows big words. god. me like. good! thank you...thank you.

brights say vdo make fun of me. brights smart. vdo not make fun of brights. only brights smart to vdo make. they say, so must be. so be.
OGRE | 04.02.08 - 2:14 pm | #

For those who might have that site blocked like mine work network has

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e...h? v=eaGgpGLxLQw
ZT | 04.02.08 - 2:16 pm | #

Huh.

Derbyshire has put a link to the video on The Corner.

Please add another digit to the Site Meter now.
PORCUS | 04.02.08 - 2:19 pm | #

It's always like that with satire...the subject is first flattered by the attention, and then they slowly clue into the joke, then the rage.
TaylorG | 04.02.08 - 2:31 pm | #

It's always like that with satire...the subject is first flattered by the attention, and then they slowly clue into the joke, then the rage.

Conclusion: save the discussions now, in case they're deleted later. Then, when the heathen start to rage, you can produce great entertainment by showing "before" and "after".
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 2:33 pm | #

Hehe...
Wendy | 04.02.08 - 2:44 pm | #

Poor Jamie...

Notice he hasn't commented
Matt | 04.02.08 - 2:44 pm | #

I think subtle little clues, like Darwin barfing overboard, the expelled logo, and Hitchen's hat among other things would give away "the side".
Wendy | 04.02.08 - 2:47 pm | #

I love the Flava Flav touch.
Kawaika | 04.02.08 - 2:49 pm | #

that is so damn funny.

i'm gonna be singing "he's the dick to the doc to the phd" all day.
Stephen | 04.02.08 - 2:52 pm | #

This is kinda creepy - human computer interaction in 2020:
http://research.microsoft.com/hc...0/ download.html
BAJ | 04.02.08 - 2:57 pm | #

This comment is priceless!

19. Comment #151603 by jaytee_555 on March 29, 2008 at 3:41 am

Like Prof Dawkins, (and the same age as him) I couldn't understand a word of it. In any case, I hate rap, considering it a form of sound for people who have difficulties with music. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I read the 'translation' and realised that whoever wrote the words was pretty well informed. The whole thing is professional and well-produced, and seemed to me to be more of a clever, studied rap 'piss-take' than anything else - likely to go over the heads of anyone who isn't familiar with the subject matter. Not my cup of tea, though obviously popular with a lot of posters on this site...and it helps the cause.
Wadly | 04.02.08 - 2:58 pm | #

Jamie's thing with the puppets and Asperger's and atheists thinking a even a drumming gorilla isn't funny was way more creative.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 2:59 pm | #

From my perspective, the video is similar to the SP sendup; i.e., "You can't just BE an atheist...you've got to be a jerk about it!"

Dawkins' robot hasn't got a chance against ostrich-mounted sea otter cavalry, though.
PORCUS | 04.02.08 - 2:59 pm | #

"It's always like that with satire...the subject is first flattered by the attention, and then they slowly clue into the joke, then the rage." (TaylorG)

#1 hit in Jan '73:
"you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you" By Carly Simon. I'm sure the Doc must've heard it hundreds of times. Maybe he should listen to it again :-)
steveo | 04.02.08 - 3:05 pm | #

Apparently the only acceptable format here is a wall'o'text. I've proposed a joint review of this book known as The Irrational Atheist where each participant is only obliged to deal with 1 chapter, due to my not being able to sit still with a straight face in light of all of your severely flawed reasoning faculties, and misrepresentations of esteemed philosophers. I've culled some real gems of quotation from other reviews, though. Some of them apparently exist on your blog.
Your introduction, where you stake your territory for the book, is also where you ad-hom Harris, Dawkins, and Hitchens and misrepresent their arguments, such as Dawkins' statement about religion as a form of child abuse, and call Hitchens a drunk, which seems to me to imply no one should listen to him because he drinks a lot.
Am i to take from this you're really, truly fortifying your arguments on a foundation of name-calling, accusations of ignorance, and straw men? Dinesh D'souza would surely blush, if only recognition of this juvenile flailing were to happen in an academic setting, which by your own admission would never happen.
Your intro is just odd. You refer to internet aliases from your video game club, even yourself, like casual readers should know who they are. This is a fine attestation to Hitchens' suggestion that solipsism is rampant among hardcore believers. No one knows who HuckG is, citing that is useless. You might as well cite the national enquirer.
Then you suggest you're using chat rooms to fine-tune your reasoning (the lovely spacebunny).
Then you go to a quotation from Tupac, from a song that begins like this:
"Ain't Nothin' but A Gangsta Party"
Sorry, but 40 year old white egghead video game designers who coordinate video game clubs are not gangsters. They only play gangsters on the internet, which you clearly delight in (Vox ilk? you play a game with the same degree of seriousness 10-year old kids play it).
Moving on...
What about vampires, werewolves, and astrology, you say. Surely those are irrational and unfounded beliefs, so why is no one going after those beliefs today? This is in response to what you seem to think is an odd singling out of religious beliefs by atheist writers, a certain offensive on their part. You seem to think these more popular atheists are full of misdirected angst. That's like telling a cop who just pulled you over for speeding: that guy was going fast too, why didn't you pull that guy over? Go floor it on the highway, get pulled over, and say that to the officer. See what happens.
Scientologists go after SP's convictions in this same fashion: Why aren't you concerned about world hunger? Surely, this is a problem worth solving! Leave us alone and worry about real issues.
The fact is, no one person can solve all the world's problems, so it's fatuous to try and lower the importance of one's confrontation of a perceived problem by saying there's more problems they aren't dealing with directly at the same time.
"Perhaps you don't need a God to prevent you from behaving in an immoral manner. I certainly do."
"It is also pretty clear that God has commanded all manner of what we see as atrocities."
God tells you what to do, which is just because it came from God, so atrocities aren't really atrocities because God commanded them? Burning witches is just; "shalt not suffer a witch to live". Charming.
You're amoral if you think the only thing keeping you from raping and murdering, which some of your trolls would clearly take great pleasure in doing, especially to atheists, is God's commands. By this logic, if God doesn't want you to partake in a moral act, it's justified and moral, because God is just! Outstanding! How far apart are your eyes? That's a blank check to define morality however you like as long as you can reference some scripture to the effect of "God told me to do it".
Your distinction of right and wrong not only differs from "the atheist", but anyone who isn't a complete sociopath. You're "the atheist" as well with respect to poseidon and zeus and huitzipochtli and quetzalcoatl, so unfortunately you'll have to wash your hands, too, due to your own novelty-sized brush.
Then there's this:
"I was somewhat of a rational quasi-sociopath, who was always amused at how I would receive lectures on my "bad" behavior from atheists who subscribed to moral relativism. "Do what thou wilt, with due regard for the policeman around the corner" was pretty much my amoral code."
Replace "the policeman around the corner" with "God in heaven", and your current belief system remains intact from your time as an non-believer or whatever you were. So even before you were a christian, you acted morally for fear of punishment. By your own admission, behaving yourself only because not behaving results in punishment is amoral, yet that is precisely what you continue to do as a christian:
"Perhaps you don't need a God to prevent you from behaving in an immoral manner. I certainly do."
Therefore, through your own fatuous reasoning, christianity provides no moral fortification. Not a good start, and all of this while declaring yourself to be a libertarian, a belief that involves a perceived freedom from external or foreign rule.
From PZ Myers:
"Religions have spent millennia confusing ethics with obedience"
Also, calling North Koreans atheists is completely absurd. Kim Jong-il and Kim il-Sung are their dieties. They're forced to love and worship him in public. The only literature they are allowed to read is pre-approved by the party. Internet, travel, cell phones, and satellite TV are forbidden. Dissidents are sent to labor camps and never heard of again in most cases, and adherents are constantly monitored and observed for signs of dissidence. Kim Il-Sung is dead, but still worshipped and is the official head of the state. Kim Il-Sung takes the role of being party leader.
Churches don't belong in North Korea, because the personality worship and reverence of the great leader and the dear leader would be disputed and/or diminished to a degree, and that is not allowed.
Then, you do the same thing with regard to Stalinism and Leninism. In Russia, in 1917, for hundreds of years before this period, citizens were told the head of the state was a supernatural power. The czar isn't just a ruler, he's the one standing between heaven and earth. The czar is not only the absolute ruler over everyone and everything in his empire, but is also the leader of the orthodox church and it's orthodoxy. Again, dissidence is not to be tolerated here, it's to be dealt with, and this includes all forms of orthodoxy, political or religious, not of the party's letter and stripe.
Over this length of time, this is inculcated into generation after generation of Russians. Stalin, a seminarian from Gori, Georgia, picked up on this inculcation and used it to his advantage. He sets up heresy hunts, miracles, and inquisitions, and all thanks go to the great leader for whatever you get, and the great leader must be constantly thanked and praised. Dissidence results in deportation or worse. All the while, the anti-revolutionary devil lies in wait, further playing on the fear these people are struck by constantly, wondering if secret police are going to round them up for disloyalty to the party.
As Hitchens puts it:
"Until 1917, millions of Russians had been told for…hundreds of years that the czar is the head of the church – which he was, the Russian Orthodox Church. That the leader of the country should be something a little more than human. Not a god, but a little more. He’s not divine, but a holy father.
If you’re Josef Stalin, you shouldn’t be in the dictatorship business if you don’t know how to exploit an inheritance like that: millions of credulous, servile people.
And what does he do? Lysenko’s biology – miracles, we can have three harvests a year if we believe in Lysenko’s biology. Inquisition, heresy hunt, orthodoxy. Everything comes from the top and must be thanked for, and groveled for. A complete replication of the preceding theocracy.
For your argument to have…any force at all, you’d have to point to a society that adopted the teachings of Lucretius, Spinoza, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Albert Einstein…and then fell into famine, dictatorship, torture and genocide. And you won’t, I think, be able to point to such."
These are examples of Orwell's 1984 in the flesh. It's cult personality worship, not secularism.
In short, str8 to the recycle bin br0.
THE DEVUL! | 04.02.08 - 3:05 pm | #

reasoning as for why the video has to be pro-Dawkins:

1) Creationists can't be funny

Merlinus Ambrosius

Do Atheists even make jokes or know what they are?
(o.O) ???

"So, two creationists walk into a bar. The first creationist says to the second, 'Atheists Suck!'"............
Viking | 04.02.08 - 3:07 pm | #

Wow, looks like the Devul is autistic as well.
Viking | 04.02.08 - 3:14 pm | #

Wow, looks like the Devul is autistic as well.

In addition to being a moron.
Larry | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:16 pm | #

Old Scratch got vaccinated with Drano.
Giraffe | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:17 pm | #

Maybe it is just me, but women preachers scare me...
Dread | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:26 pm | #

Damn, I can't stop watching it. That is some funny shit, yo.
Viking | 04.02.08 - 3:28 pm | #

The lyrics are uniformly pro-science. The outrageous actions by the evil Dawkins crew are clearly in the vein of Colbert-ian parody.

In short: I agree with the person who pointed out that creationists are too humorless to make something this funny. I believe William Dembski's definition of wit requires farting noises, for example.
AndrewT | 04.02.08 - 3:31 pm | #

The lyrics are uniformly pro-science.

You need to look up "parody" in the dictionary.
Larry | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:34 pm | #

The lyrics is uniformly pro-science. The outrageous actions by tha evil Dawkins crew is clearly in tha vizzle of Colbert-ian parody.

In short: I agree wit tha person who pointed out tizzy creationists is too humorless ta makes sum-m sum-m this funny
Giraffe | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:37 pm | #

Oh, the pain! I watched it about 5 times, then read the Dawkins forum, then went back and watched it again.

I think I gave myself a hernia, and my co-workers are now thoroughly convinced that I'm insane.
El Borak | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:37 pm | #

The lyrics are uniformly pro-science. The outrageous actions by the evil Dawkins crew are clearly in the vein of Colbert-ian parody.

I take it you feel it completely natural, that the figures which represent the supposed, parodied stereotypes, are the ones singing these "uniformly pro-science" lyrics? And not singing lyrics conforming to the negative stereotype which they represent.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 3:37 pm | #

I believe William Dembski's definizzles of wit requires fart'n noises, fo` example.

sho nuff
Giraffe | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:37 pm | #

"If anyone can understand a single word of this, don't bother to translate, just tell me whose side it's on. I get the feeling (same with South Park) that there are people out there who assume that something that is obviously MEANT to be funny therefore must BE funny, and they immediately shower it with accolades such as "Wow", "Hilarious", "Awesome" and, most side-splitting of all, "LOL"."

Now maybe i'm just one of the cretinous masses, but I think the old "thats not funny" argument in response to being ripped on is more evidence ofr a jr high attitude than a claim of being "above it all". And besides to use any internet terminology in relation to dawkins, it would have to be 'lol, gtfo'.

also- http://dawkinsburn.ytmnd.com/

dawkins on dawkins
nate | 04.02.08 - 3:39 pm | #

In short: I agree with the person who pointed out that creationists are too humorless to make something this funny.

This is rather like a feminist calling someone else a Stalinist. That being said, I'm confident that it wasn't creationists who made it, I merely suspect that it was made at the behest and on the dime of one.
VD | 04.02.08 - 3:41 pm | #

The lyrics is uniformly pro-science.

Is they? Is you sure?
VD | 04.02.08 - 3:42 pm | #

What about vampires, werewolves, and astrology, you say. Surely those are irrational and unfounded beliefs, so why is no one going after those beliefs today?

The most absolutely hilarious thing about this is that atheists are actually attempting to bring people who believe these things into the atheist camp. I'm sorry, I actually had a productive discussion with crypticlife about this recently and I laughed out loud when I read this. XD XD XD
derp | 04.02.08 - 3:45 pm | #

This early line gives it all away yet those folks focus on the ego stoking satire in the rest of the song.

"On the shoulders of midgets we built up this machine,"

It's like putting your arm around someone and building up their ego while wearing an I'm with stupid shirt.
Chris | 04.02.08 - 3:46 pm | #

Don't forget the intro 'Ministry of Science Propaganda'
trk | 04.02.08 - 3:50 pm | #

Don't forget the intro 'Ministry of Science Propaganda'

And, I stress again, it is written in the Russian way. So, it's an obvious reference to Pravda.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 3:51 pm | #

It seems to be promoting Expelled.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 3:53 pm | #

I mean, it has look and feel of the Expelled material. Also, Expelled has a link to Jib Jab on their site.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 3:54 pm | #

Go to the website. Definitely the Expelled guys!

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/.../ playground.php
superninja | 04.02.08 - 3:55 pm | #

It's cult personality worship, not secularism.

Funny how the two turn up together, again and again. Dawkins.net is a fine example...
El Borak | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 3:55 pm | #

Hurry now! Everyone make copies of the discussions so far. When they find out the Expelled connection, they will be gone sooner than you can say Darwin.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 3:58 pm | #

yeah, Expelled...

"The Machine" is metaphorically the elite scientific establishment ...

a bit of viral marketing genius, as I hadn't heard of Expelled until this video.
Stephen | 04.02.08 - 3:58 pm | #

Might I recommend Gizoogle:

http://sites.gizoogle.com/index2...s% 2CRandomSlice

Maybe I am weed-smokin' mah age too, but I found it too messin' ta wiznatch fo` long, n have no clue as ta tha "angle" ridin' in mah double R.

It is sad tizzle Tom Lehra retired, I say.

Otha Comments by Steve Zara
Giraffe | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 4:00 pm | #

somebody better check on Jamie...

"That was brilliant. I'm glad God created the internet. - Bane"

QFT
tviper | 04.02.08 - 4:12 pm | #

Reading the comments over at dickiedawk.net is almost as funny as the video itself. A bunch of "scientists" all standing around looking at the newest little piece of pop-culture to have spawned right underneath their feet, wondering "What is it? What does it mean?"

It reminds me of the Amarillo Slim quote "Look around the table. If you don't see a sucker, get up, because you're the sucker."
Viking | 04.02.08 - 4:25 pm | #

Hey! As if I could be stuffed doing all that. That is not something I'd do, it looks like a lot of work. I could do better, but they do not breed workhorses here, I mean for instance, it was hailing yesterday, I ran outside and ran around in it then jumped in some puddles. I'm not video editing Richard Dawkins head onto my body rapping, all that stuff and the rendering would take a while, so hell no, it was hailing outside making a bloody racket!
Jamie R | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 4:26 pm | #

hahahaha..I've gotta watch that again later..
Crystal Lake | 04.02.08 - 4:34 pm | #

"It's parody sure, but the overall message seems to be pro science. The heaviest exaggeration is for the business with scientists being expelled. The "machine" is real, it is the scientific method which has become as inexorable as evolution itself. If you spout bullshit, you WILL eventually be expelled, because your more grounded and sensible peers will no longer see you as a valuable or useful collaborator. However, if thats a conspiracy so is basic human nature. "

Clueless. Sad, really.
JCclimber | 04.02.08 - 4:47 pm | #

The Expelled logo appears in the film, that is what tipped me off.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 4:47 pm | #

I'm fairly certain Expelled is somehow associated with this.
iced pizza | 04.02.08 - 4:57 pm | #

over at the expelled website you can catch the same cast of characters doing a can-can type dance....

Hitchens even flashes his underwear.

Quality stuff.
Stephen | 04.02.08 - 5:02 pm | #

Of course, the "grounded and more sensible peers" are never the ones who make truly revolutionary discoveries, because they CAN'T allow themselves to see anything which challenges their paradigm.

Hence, they turn on any who won't share their delusions (non-collaborators).
JCclimber | 04.02.08 - 5:06 pm | #

true enough about the grounded an sensible peers....but what break-throughs do you expect from proponents of a theory that states "we have no way of knowing, too complex"
iced pizza | 04.02.08 - 5:08 pm | #

The most absolutely hilarious thing about this is that atheists are actually attempting to bring people who believe these things into the atheist camp. I'm sorry, I actually had a productive discussion with crypticlife about this recently and I laughed out loud when I read this.

Glad you found the discussion productive, derp.

Note that I have no particular desire to bring in whatever small subset of people who believe in these entities to the "atheist camp". I was merely pointing out that as long as they did not believe in a deity, they would still correctly be described as atheists.

Also note that were the beliefs prevalent, I would argue against them. I don't know anyone who believes in werewolves or vampires, and there are plenty of people, both theists and atheists, who argue against astrology.
crypticlife | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 5:14 pm | #

I don't know anyone who believes in werewolves or vampires...

Speak for yourself.

And all atheists just need to be burned at the stake.
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 5:20 pm | #

So is the woman shown?
superninja | 04.02.08 - 5:21 pm | #

Who is the woman shown, is what I meant.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 5:21 pm | #

Cow/Human Embryos

http://www.news.com.au/story/ 0,2...from=public_rss
superninja | 04.02.08 - 5:28 pm | #

Superninja: She's here
El Borak | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 5:44 pm | #

Okay, thanks. I've heard of her, just didn't know what she looked like.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 5:48 pm | #

Vox, there was a letter to the editor regarding your current column at WND. Wondered if you were going to respond.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 5:52 pm | #

So what happens when they figure it out?

And that little video is more entertaining and smart than "Expelled" could ever hope to be.

Posted by: Adrienne | March 28, 2008 10:36 PM

Or will they?
El Borak | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 5:55 pm | #

For the "Dawkins-crew" to think this video was pro-atheism truly shows their incompetence.

Has anyone seen the www.brites.org?

It is filled with tongue-in-cheek articles that mock the anti-design movement. Dick-to-the-doc 2 the PHD! HA!

It is sure to become a favorite of VD.
historicus | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 5:58 pm | #

I wonder if there has been a study on the lack of humor in atheists?
superninja | 04.02.08 - 6:11 pm | #

Got to say, Hithcens can be an absolute riot. Carlin too. Penn and Teller, Eddie Izzard all have their moments.
iced pizza | 04.02.08 - 6:13 pm | #

Umm. . . Bane. . . when I say I don't know anyone who believes in vampires or werewolves, I am speaking for myself.

I'll try to stay away from you during my trips to small New England towns in the 18th century.
crypticlife | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 6:16 pm | #

Men: Quit your whining and lead!
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

After reading the opening statement of Vox Day's sexist rant, I had to step away from my computer before I engaged in a hormonal meltdown, as we women are known to do (sarcasm on). I almost had the impression that Mr. Day thinks that women should be barefoot and pregnant while their husbands carouse with the local trollops in the downtown brothel. However, after my destructive hormonal urges had subsided (sarcasm on again), I realized that Mr. Day's rants seethed with a major inequality that has plagued women throughout history – the accountability (or lack thereof) of men in society. It started in the Garden of Eden with Adam (Gen 3:12), and it will be a continuing issue until the return of Christ Jesus.

If men, such as Mr. Day, truly feel threatened by the women's equal rights movement, then I have one piece of advice: Quit abdicating your roles as godly men! Stop trading your wives and families in for younger exciting models because of your "mid-life crisis." Stop buying into the beer commercial mentality that you are Neanderthals who cannot have an intelligent meaningful conversation with your wives, much less tie your shoelaces. Stop leaving your wives and family unprotected to slay the dragons of this world because you are too engrossed in your jobs, hobbies, etc. to see the battles before you. Fathers, love your daughters with the love of Jesus, because how they see you will be how they see the rest of the male gender. Young men, stop having contests to see how many illegitimate children you can spawn without the responsibility of caring for them. Have the backbone of God to toss that apple back to Eve when she tempts you with it instead of blaming her because YOU decided to take a bite. Be the high priests of your homes, and lead your families instead of dumping the responsibilities into the laps of your wives because you want to watch ESPN or play the latest edition of "Madden Football."

It appears that Vox Day squarely puts the blame on the shoulders of women for the "gender wars." I think Mr. Day has no further to look than his own mirror. While Day ponders the moment when women will outlaw video games and Internet porn, I will be washing, drying, folding and ironing another load of clothes. This, sir, is a two-sided issue, indeed!

Elizabeth Rinaca
Anonymous | 04.02.08 - 6:17 pm | #

It's not the actual "Expelled" logo.

When in doubt, follow this simple rule: liberals can laugh at themselves (e.g., The Daily Show); conservatives can't (e.g., Fox's Half Hour News Hour).

Illustrating what creationists believe about scientists is parody (and, it's funny). Watching creationists assume that the parody is meant to be taken literally is even more funny.

Again, if you want to see examples of *actual* creationist humor, you can go to:
http://www.overwhelmingevidence...._school_of_law/

Farting noises. Now that's comedy gold!(*)

(*) - Note to creationists: the preceding two sentences were sarcasm.
AndrewT | 04.02.08 - 6:22 pm | #

Is AndrewT serious or not?
ChairmanMao | 04.02.08 - 6:34 pm | #

AndrewT -- you should really go to the expelled website and check out their little JibJab bit before continuing this line argument any further.

And farting noises are hilarious.
Stephen | 04.02.08 - 6:36 pm | #

The Daily Show makes fun of Republicans just as much as it does Democrats, so I doubt that it's the benchmarch for liberals laughing at themselves. They just laugh at the parts making fun of conservatives.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 6:44 pm | #

AndyT,

Ask most conservatives and they will say that the "Daily Show" and "The Corbert Report" are funny shows, because the are. The reason many people don't like the "Fox's Half Hour News Hour" show is because it's really not that funny, unless you like cheap shots.

I'd have to say that although Stewart is on the Left, when the Left screws up he's there making fun of them too. Equal opportunity jabs.
Ivan Poland | 04.02.08 - 6:46 pm | #

What superninja said.
Ivan Poland | 04.02.08 - 6:47 pm | #

When in doubt, follow this simple rule: liberals can laugh at themselves (e.g., The Daily Show); conservatives can't (e.g., Fox's Half Hour News Hour).

Well, part of your theory is correct, anyow, as we're certainly laughing at you... although you, PZ and Dick to the Dawk himself are apparently still unaware of that.

It's called sarcasm....
VD | 04.02.08 - 6:48 pm | #

in addition to finding farting noises hee-larious....

my guess is bits in the video will be all the more explained once (and whether) a person views the movie....

Take the Huxley v. Wilberforce reference. At first glance, the atheist touting this showdown seems like a little pwnage for the atheist camp, but upon further review...

Wilberforce was really criticising Darwin on scientific grounds - so the irony of Dick to the Dawk touting this event is all the more apparent as one understands the history of the actual event and its relation to the movie's gist.

cheers
Stephen | 04.02.08 - 6:49 pm | #

Farting is only funny to men. It's genetic.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 6:51 pm | #

You could use Stuff White People Like to see the inability of liberals to laugh at themselves on display front-and-center.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 6:58 pm | #

It's not the actual "Expelled" logo.

It's a 100% accurate replica in all other regards except that the X is not drawn by hand. And if you actually take a look at the cover, you'll hopefully understand that it is that way, because below the logo it says "no intelligence allowed" and it is drawn with the same pen.

So, of course when it's just a stamp without the text, the X will be normal.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 6:59 pm | #

Take the Huxley v. Wilberforce reference. At first glance, the atheist touting this showdown seems like a little pwnage for the atheist camp, but upon further review... (stephen)

I think the scene in which Bryan (religion) punched out Darrow (science) was a little more straightforward.

But my favorite jabs were the accoutrements on Hitchens' face.
Smarty Pants | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 6:59 pm | #

"We appreciate your concern. It is noted, and stupid. After all, we are scientists, much, much smarter than you."

It took Milady 30 seconds to figure out that Dawkins is the butt of the joke, and she didn't even know a single person in the video.

I suspect the brights are reading a bit into the video...
Kentucky Packrat | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 7:04 pm | #

Maybe the people at Expelled are doing an experiment?
superninja | 04.02.08 - 7:08 pm | #

Farting is only funny to men. It's genetic.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 6:51 pm

superninja, farting is a deadly serious matter, to wit:

The Historic Fart
- 1001 Nights

They recount that in the city of Kaukaban in Yemen there was a man named Abu Hasan of the Fadhli tribe who left the Bedouin life and became a townsman and the wealthiest of merchants. His wife died while both were young, and his friends pressed him to marry again.
Weary of their pressure, Abu Hasan entered into negotiations with the old women who procure matches, and married a woman as beautiful as the moon shining over the sea. To the wedding banquet he invited kith and kin, ulema and fakirs, friends and foes, and all of his acquaintances.

The whole house was thrown open to feasting: There were five different colors of rice, and sherbets of as many more; kid goats stuffed with walnuts, almonds, and pistachios; and a young camel roasted whole. So they ate and drank and made merry.

The bride was displayed in her seven dresses -- and one more -- to the women, who could not take their eyes off her. At last the bridegroom was summoned to the chamber where she sat enthroned. He rose slowly and with dignity from his divan; but in do doing, for he was over full of meat and drink, he let fly a great and terrible fart.

In fear for their lives, all the guests immediately turned to their neighbors and talked aloud, pretending to have heard nothing.

Mortified, Abu Hasan turned away from the bridal chamber and as if to answer a call of nature. He went down to the courtyard, saddled his mare, and rode off, weeping bitterly through the night.

In time he reached Lahej where he found a ship ready to sail for India; so he boarded, arriving ultimately at Calicut on the Malabar coast. Here he met with many Arabs, especially from Hadramaut, who recommended him to the King. This King (who was a Kafir) trusted him and advanced him to the captaincy of his bodyguard. He remained there ten years, in peace and happiness, but finally was overcome with homesickness. His longing to behold his native land was like that of a lover pining for his beloved; and it nearly cost him his life.

Finally he sneaked away without taking leave and made his way to Makalla in Hadramaut. Here he donned the rags of a dervish. Keeping his name and circumstances a secret, he set forth on foot for Kaukaban. He endured a thousand hardships of hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and braved a thousand dangers from lions, snakes, and ghouls.

Drawing near to his old home, he looked down upon it from the hills with brimming eyes, and said to himself, "They might recognize me, so I will wander about the outskirts and listen to what people are saying. May Allah grant that they do not remember what happened."

He listened carefully for seven nights and seven days, until it happened that, as he was sitting at the door of a hut, he heard the voice of a young girl saying, "Mother, tell me what day was I born on, for one of my companions wants to tell my fortune."

The mother answered, "My daughter, you were born on the very night when Abu Hasan farted."

No sooner had the listener heard these words than he rose up from the bench and fled, saying to himself, "Verily my fart has become a date! It will be remembered for ever and ever.

He continued on his way, returning finally to India, where he remained in self exile until he died. May the mercy of Allah be upon him!

.
Mohammed X | 04.02.08 - 7:09 pm | #

Yeah, not funny.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 7:11 pm | #

Trey Parker (a libertarian mysterian with more than a little disdain for the far left) seems capable of laughing at and mocking everyone
iced pizza | 04.02.08 - 7:12 pm | #

Well, this has got to be funny.
-----
In an ancient Indian village lived a mighty old chief. He was a gigantic man, known everywhere for his lack of the ability to fart. One day this chief rounded up all of his advisors to discuss the matter. At the meeting, one of the elder advisors said he had heard of a great medicine man who lived many moons away. And so the cheif called in his closest friend to send him on a journey to talk with this medicine man. His friend agreed and was off immediately. He reached the hut of the medicine man many days later.

He walked up and said, "Big chief, no fart."

The medicine man looked up and said, "Mak'em eat beans for one week and come back to see me."

And so the man took the advice back to the chief who, in turn, followed it. But still nothing. The man returned to the medicine man, and said: "Big chief, no fart."

And so the medicine man said, "Make'em eat beans for one month, then return."

So the friend of the chief returned, and the advice was taken. Still no fart. So the friend went back to the medicine man after a month and reported the same thing.

"Big chief, no fart," he said.

"Mak'em eat only beans for one year."

And so the advice was taken back to the big chief.

A year later, the medicine man was waiting for the man to return. On a sunny day he did, looking sad and disheveled.

"Son, did my advice work?" asked the medicine man.

The man shook his head yes.

"So, what happened?"

The medicine man looked up at the chief's friend, who responded: "Big fart, no chief."
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:15 pm | #

Elizabeth Rinaca, get over here and suck my dick, while I read the Bible to you.

I would ask if you believed all the pap you smeared, but sadly, I know damn well that you do.

Did I say you could get off your knees? Don't make me club you.

Oh, and please, prove again how spastic your (so-called) 'thought' processes to us all again.
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 7:16 pm | #

Nope.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 7:19 pm | #

This equality business works in both directions. There clearly should be fart appreciation classes for women in universities.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:25 pm | #

I see. The Three Stooges would be included in that curriculm as well, I presume.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 7:27 pm | #

I'm a professional scientist (particle physicist) and thought this was a pretty brilliant rap parody. I really loved it since it had heart and something to say, was funny and even the beat was great.

But I have to say - science is the best way to understand how the world works.

And evolution is as factual as any theory made by the mind of mind - it works better than the theory of gravity, I can assure you. You can attack it with theism, pseudo-scientific Intelligent Design, art and music - it will stand. Count on it.
Erik Ramberg | 04.02.08 - 7:30 pm | #

And evolution is as factual as any theory made by the mind of mind

This is an ambiguous statement. The theory of evolution is actually just a collection of evolutionary processes. The theory of universal common descent goes further, and claims that all species have a common ancestor. So, do you mean both or just the first one by your statement?
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:36 pm | #

It is important to make the distinction, because without it the evolutionists can play a shell game. When the claim about the factuality of evolution is made, it is often based only on the specialized meaning of the term. But an uninformed reader or listener will understand the term wrong, and imagine that common descent was proved.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:41 pm | #

Markku -

Good question. I don't think the theory of universal common descent is necessarily a consequence of the theory of evolution. There is no question that evolution is factual. But we don't have the data beyond the fossil record, which already shows diversity.

Erik
Erik Ramberg | 04.02.08 - 7:41 pm | #

Erik, do you find gorillas playing drums to be funny?
superninja | 04.02.08 - 7:43 pm | #

On a Finnish forum that I frequent there is a kind of a deal between creationists and evolutionists, that we can use the word "evolution" ambiguously when the meaning is obvious, because "common descent" is so clumsy. But the moment there is any danger of misunderstanding, both parties must immediately change it to common descent, if that is actually in question.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:48 pm | #

Markku -

What is so important about making the distinction with the theory of universal common descent? We have fossil evidence going back about 3 billion years. Most of the controversy has to do with Young Earth issues. Once people understand how deep in time life goes, then most of the religious issues tend to fade.

Erik
Erik Ramberg | 04.02.08 - 7:49 pm | #

Erik, what about this?

http://englishrussia.com/?p=1633

And this?

http://www.dinofish.com/discoa.htm

Ooops!
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 7:50 pm | #

What is so important about making the distinction with the theory of universal common descent?

Because all the creationists agree that the theory of evolution is true, when taken in the specialized meaning. But none agree that common descent is true, obviously, because otherwise they couldn't be called creationists.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:51 pm | #

Whoops, I meant on that particular forum. Not in general.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:51 pm | #

We all descended from Sea Monkeys. Duh.
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 7:52 pm | #

When Josh "heh"'d, did he realize Vox was talking about the Champions League game, not Jaime?

Yes Josh did, Josh got the reference.
Josh | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 7:52 pm | #

If one believes it possible that changes in genes might cause a population of animals to divide in such a way, that the two groups cannot any longer reproduce with members of the other group, then a new species has appeared. That is how species is defined. And macroevolution is defined as that happening through evolutionary mechanisms.

So, if you believe that the above has happened even once in the history of the universe, then you, strictly speaking, believe the theory of evolution. And here is the problem. The layman will understand the theory of evolution as entailing the theory of universal common descent, which it does not entail.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 7:59 pm | #

Bane, there are many more examples. Of course, they don't like to address that or the fact that fossils are found in the wrong layers, the complete lack of transitional fossils in the fossil record, etc. Just a few little problems!
superninja | 04.02.08 - 8:00 pm | #

Waga oya no,
Shinuru toki ni mo,
He o kokite

-- Basho Matsuo
crypticlife | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 8:05 pm | #

You would think jibjab would put their logo on it.

The "head-with-detached-mouth" technique is relatively common.
crypticlife | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 8:08 pm | #

Americans don't translate Japs. We kill them.
Bane | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 8:08 pm | #

Maybe they did not release it under jib jab?
superninja | 04.02.08 - 8:09 pm | #

You would think jibjab would put their logo on it.

The claim was not that it was made by JibJab. The point is that on the page there is a link to a JibJab animation, which uses exactly the same pictures as the heads.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 8:10 pm | #

They are equal opportunity offenders, so maybe they were paid to produce it.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 8:10 pm | #

100% accurate Expelled logo, except for the X. Link to an animation that uses the same images. All coincidence of course.

I can see, how the atheists might buy the theory of evo... universal common descent.
Markku Koponen | 04.02.08 - 8:14 pm | #

That was really awesome. The total bafflement of the Dawkins posse just made it funnier. This coming from a 43 year old who's wife thinks HE is out of touch!
Orion | 04.02.08 - 8:32 pm | #

That's blowin' up all ovah!
Rack 'im.
Ted | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 8:54 pm | #

Idiocracy revisited.
Ted | Homepage | 04.02.08 - 8:55 pm | #

cryticlife,
not to mention all the jokes the Japanese make about the royal family and the relationship of their name to farts.

One journalist even had the stones to ask one of the princes about it in a news conference!
JCclimber | 04.02.08 - 9:09 pm | #

Elizabeth,
preaching to the wrong choir, here...
JCclimber | 04.02.08 - 9:10 pm | #

"Markku -

Good question. I don't think the theory of universal common descent is necessarily a consequence of the theory of evolution. There is no question that evolution is factual. But we don't have the data beyond the fossil record, which already shows diversity.

Erik
Erik Ramberg | 04.02.08 - 7:41 pm | #"

Claiming that "there is no question that evolution is factual" is a falsehood, and one of enormous proportions.
Scintan | 04.02.08 - 9:29 pm | #

The letter from Elizabeth is from wnd.com - it is a letter to the editor regarding Vox's most recent editorial, that someone cut and paste here because I brought it up earlier.
superninja | 04.02.08 - 10:36 pm | #

Here is the detailed timeline of Richard Dawkins’ own posts concerning the video:

1. Video posted around 11:00 PM
2. 1 hour and 44 minutes later, Dawkins implores his more intelligent readers to help inform him as to whose side the video is on (his side, or not his side). He then pokes fun at people that think things are funny that he doesn’t understand just in case it turns out to be ‘not on his side’. Comment #151544
3. Dawkins now presumably goes to sleep.
4. Nearly nine hours later, he wakes up and checks the post again. He sees that his fellow scientific elites like the video, but also don’t understand it. Dawkins tries to get in a little dig on postmodernism, but just ends up making fun of his posters. Comment #151685
5. Nine and a half hours after posting, Dawkins wonders how his fellow comrades could laugh at something they don’t understand. He then lauds ‘The Life of Brian’ as the pinnacle of comedic evolution. Comment #151704
6. A couple minutes after the last post, he gets in another jab at Postmodernism. Comment #151713
7. Under chastisement for his humbuggery, Dawkins admits that Daniel Dennett popping his head up from out of nowhere is, in fact, funny. Comment #151715
8. Nearly ten hours after posting the video, someone postulates that the humor is derived from the silly dancing bodies (not the satire). Dawkins seems to accept this theory and thanks the poster for his intellect. Comment #151723
9. Sixteen hours after first watching the video, Dawkins finally realizes that it is, in fact, making fun of ‘his side’. Dawkins defends himself again by saying that he didn’t understand it. Comment #151849.
10. Seventeen hours after posting, Dawkins attempts to comprehend the humor by equating similar scenes of incongruousness that Monty Python has also done. Dawkins has apparently not yet pondered why, if this were the only thing funny about the video, he did not ‘catch on’ before this. Dawkins chalks this up to the video not being funny, and dismisses the obvious conclusion that his head is too big to see the satire behind it. Comment #151889
11. The next day, Dawkins chimes in again to defend his Ph.D. status to a poster who dared presume questioning it. Comment #152142
12. Nearly 36 hours after posting, Dawkins discovers what a ‘grill’ is and waxes philosophic as to why Sam Harris would have one in the video. The conclusion he comes up with is that it adds no humor to the video and should not have been put in. Comment #152168
13. After a full three and a half days after first watching the video, Dawkins (obviously perturbed at the fact he didn’t get that he was the butt of the joke, when every other non-elite who saw it could tell in an instant) attempts to equate the video with ‘The worst poem ever written’. He then satisfies himself by settling on the conclusion that this is the only reason why people might like it. The final analysis is that it’s not only ‘not good’, and not even ‘pretty bad’, but so incredibly bad, that it is in fact, good. He gets in a snobbish comment amount the bible for good measure. Comment #153061
Chad | 04.02.08 - 10:55 pm | #

Oh that my friend .that. was freaking awesome. Just watching that, I, the feeli...no no I can't...excuse me I'm a little verklempt...

kick that sh!%!! Discuss!
jrl | 04.02.08 - 11:51 pm | #

"Americans don't translate Japs. We kill them."
Bane
Yea, they build cars for hippies and fags these days.It is the great American way. We obviously didn't kill enough of the slopes, you think ?:
John Mosby | 04.03.08 - 12:38 am | #

Erik...You will be pleased to know ...I've decided to study particle physics so I too can become an authority on evolutionary biology.

Oh the subtlety.

And the way you deftly handled the argument with "And evolution is as factual as any theory made by the mind of mind - it works better than the theory of gravity, I can assure you."

Priceless.

Shoot, while your at it... explain your understanding of gravity for us as well.

More in line with your field n’est pas?
George | 04.03.08 - 12:40 am | #

Comments have now been disabled on YouTube's posting of this video. It has 1,013 comments. I thought this would be a good place to plug TIA - in response to several comments defending Dawkins as an infallible god of reason.
Taylor | Homepage | 04.03.08 - 1:10 am | #

Chad, that was a very good and thoughtful chronology of Dick to the Dawk's aging brain.
The CronoLink | 04.03.08 - 1:53 am | #

Amusing summary, Chad.
Andrew | 04.03.08 - 1:53 am | #

"though not the Simpsons, which I find witty and highly perceptive about modern life"

Is he kidding me?! The current The Simpsons are nothing short of being as funny as a box full of parrot puke. Seriously, I have lost what little respect I had for him.
The CronoLink | 04.03.08 - 2:09 am | #

Most amusing video.

Incredulous reading comments at richardawkins.net and pharygula. Way too many comments, but most claiming it was pro-Dawkins and even dissing those who pointed out it was a mockery of their side! (Kudos to atheists with a clue, a few as they are)
bethyada | Homepage | 04.03.08 - 3:48 am | #

I hope you don't include Dick to the Dawk, bethyada, as he obviously dismissed it not on grasping its "subtle" (ah, the irony!) message and target but just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty sure even right now he still doesn't understand it.
The CronoLink | 04.03.08 - 4:14 am | #

Several mentions of the allusions in this song (Wilberforce, Paley) though I have not seen comment on this:

On the shoulders of midgets we built up this machine.

Presumably a take on Newton: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."

This should be a clue that the video is mocking the Darwinists.
bethyada | Homepage | 04.03.08 - 4:16 am | #

The obviously correct hypothesis as to why atheists think the video is funny seems to excape Dawkins. Being, that atheists are too stupid to understand that they are being made fun of.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 7:14 am | #

I don't think they're to stupid, they're just too arrogant. I can picture Dawkins watching the video and thinking to himself: "Well it IS true, I HAVE studied Biology, I AM smarter than them."
Chad | 04.03.08 - 7:40 am | #

And now the atheists who have posted on this forum have a slight problem since Dawkins, their intellectual hero, seems to think that the video is actually mind blowingly bad, and the only reason anyone might like it is that it is so bad that it becomes funny. (Like Plan 9 From Outer Space, I take it.)

And they have just written many messages here, denying the hypothesis that it was made by creationists.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 7:42 am | #

If this was put out by the Expelled crew, why don't they just put it on their site, instead of that can-can video?

I admit, "silly-looking atheists dancing around in dresses" is kind of funny...perhaps about as funny as Dembski-esque farting noises.

But it's nowhere near as funny as the clever lyricism and references --really, the over all level of wit-- that we see in the The Machine video. Frankly, it's a level of wit I have never seen come out of the creationist crowd.

I wonder -- Do you all realize there is humor content in "The Machine" that exists beyond the level of "Look ta the silly rapping atheists"?
JRQ | 04.03.08 - 10:49 am | #

If this was put out by the Expelled crew, why don't they just put it on their site, instead of that can-can video?

Because this is Viral Marketing. Look it up.

Why does the Expelled website have a link to a video, that uses the same exact pictures as heads?

Why is there a 100% accurate Expelled logo, except for the X, the omission of which there is good reason for? That kind of stuff brings lawsuits, and this is obviously very professionally made. Who'd take such a risk?

Why does Richard Dawkins think it's so bad that it's actually funny, if it indeed is very "clever" and "witty"?
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 10:57 am | #

Why does it say The Machine was built on the shoulders of midgets? The common accusation from Christians about the atheists is that they're midgets standing on the shoulders of giants.

I know we shouldn't be using so complicated imagery when talking to atheists, because it will not be understood. But let me put it in terms that even an atheist may be able to understand.

It means, that the atheists have nothing moral to offer to the society. They have simply absorbed the moral environment that was "built by the giants". The giants here would be Christians. The atheists are moral parasites.

Now, to reverse that image would mean, that the previous builders were just as poor. So, if The Machine was built on the shoulders of midgets, that is a jab at Darwin. It says that Darwin was an intellectual midget, just as the builders of the Machine are.

Now, for the sake of argument, maybe the lyrics are parodying the creationist view of the evolutionists as intellectual midgets. But parody is exaggeration. If it was parody of a stereotype, it would have said something like "ugga bugga we stupid."

But instead it used a subtle jab that would be understood by Christians, but not atheists.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 11:19 am | #

Maybe I missed it in a previous comment, but who is the guy with the squid hat?
Zephyron | 04.03.08 - 11:55 am | #

PZ Meyers of the website Pharyngula.
superninja | 04.03.08 - 12:01 pm | #

Yeah, Bane, Dick doesn't belong to you but to his 4th wife.
The CronoLink | 04.03.08 - 3:54 pm | #

Why does it say "as we frame the discourse"? That is a form of intellectual dishonesty and also a VERY common accusation from the right about the left. Example:

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/re...opic.php? t=1713

Red Square: It's beautiful, isn't it? Call it what you want, I'd still love it. But calling it "communism" will help the rich to frame the debate in their favor. We can reframe the debate by using the word "progress." Everybody likes progress.

So, why does Dicky D here admit to intellectual dishonesty? And, again, in a subtle way. Not in a way that would fit with parody of a stereotype.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 4:13 pm | #

Why does it say "And Darwin took to the sea and sees what no one has seen, and never since then"? This is a common accusation by the creationists about evolutionists. Namely, that no one has actually seen evolution.

I'm not saying that is indeed the case, because "evolution" can be defined in many ways. But why does Dicky D here admit that his theory has no evidence behind it, except for the fact that Darwin says so? And again, this in a subtle way.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 4:21 pm | #

Why does it say "I'll still be poppin' my collar earning my dollars in Allah." Dicky D is here saying subtly that actually he's not trashing religion to bring people to the truth, but to sell books and get big buxx.

So, do we still have an atheist here who thinks that the lyrics are pro science? Shall I continue? Or will you admit that you have been had, and made the little bitches for the Expelled crew's marketing department that you are?
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 4:30 pm | #

Ah, it said "and EVER since then". But it still says "what no one HAS seen". Not "what no one had seen".

But to make up for this mistake of mine, I'll give yet another point.

So, when science "takes it on the chin" from religion, (with the symbol for science falling down and looking like an idiot, while the symbol for religion looks like he's not even breaking a sweat.) that is seriously a "raging bull" -like performance from science, is it now? Because, that is pretty much the closest to raging bull science will ever get in this battle.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 4:55 pm | #

So, when science "takes it on the chin" from religion, (with the symbol for science falling down and looking like an idiot, while the symbol for religion looks like he's not even breaking a sweat.) (MK)

"Science" is Clarence Darrow and "Religion" is William Jennings Bryan. FYI.
Smarty Pants | Homepage | 04.03.08 - 5:41 pm | #

I found it initially quite funny (given I've been the debate since High School in the early '70s).

But I've rarely seen these people enough to recognize who they were, so after a bit of an explanation, sort of like great opera where you need a libretto, I played it again and totally lost my composure.

It does show that atheists and evolutionists are clueless. As well as irrational. And they don't understand science very well either.
tz | 04.03.08 - 6:48 pm | #

In Finland we have better quality atheists than you have. I posted the link to the forum I mentioned before over 24 hours ago, to the creationist vs. evolutionists -thread. I offered no other explanation than that it's good music.

This has been the only response so far:

"Can you say 'ad hominem', dawg?!" :-D

(Yes, he did say it in English.)

Obviously no one has even imagined there is a possibility of it being parody about creationists, or they would have been all over me for posting it.
Markku Koponen | 04.03.08 - 8:29 pm | #

Just watched the "Expelled" trailer. It seems pretty likely to me that 'Dick to the Dawk' is a part of that advertising campagin.

It's pretty amazing to me that anyone would ever believe, as seems to be the thesis in this movie, that theism is in a fragile state. Pretty crazy, considering its prominence in this, or any other culture on the face of the planet, at any time in the history of mankind.

Puh-leeze. Science is not that respected. It's difficult enough to get people to believe that carbon dioxide absorbs long-wave radiation, much less something that matters on an emotional level, like the origin of species.

The quality of the atheist argument is puny in comparison to the religious forces arrayed against it. And there are plenty of scientists who aren't atheists anyway, so no unified front exists in the first place.
Erik Ramberg | 04.03.08 - 10:06 pm | #

The reason so much confusion abounds as to which "side" the video is on is because it pretty much satirizes its own arguments. It basically comes off as a conspiracy theory no matter how cleverly you spin it.

I thought the "EXPELLED" logo was a pretty dead giveaway, though.
Feebasfactor | Homepage | 04.04.08 - 1:56 am | #

Yall read too many political blogs. This is just how good writing sounds. It has "subtlety" and maybe "nuance."
Effeminem | Homepage | 04.04.08 - 3:32 am | #

Note also how there have been many atheists on this forum that have said that the video is pro science. And as far as I remember, not even one atheist who has said that they're embarrassed for their fellow atheists for their mental shortcomings with regards to this video.
-----------------------------
I, for one, have never said that I'm embarrassed for my fellow atheists.

The reason I am not embarrassed for my fellow atheists is that I have too much fun laughing at them to be embarrased for them.

The reason I laugh at my fellow atheists is because I don't think of them as my fellow atheists in in the first place -- that is, I'm not an Atheist (TM).

For that matter, I'm ethnically Southern Baptist, and I'm far more inclined to think in terms of my fellow Southern Baptists, notwithstanding the fact that I don't don't actively subscribe to all that they do.

This, in a manner, is one of the entertaining things about all this -- the extent to which the High Church Atheists are plainly a little religiousish tribe of their own, notwithstanding their complaints that atheism means nothing more than a lack of belief in god(s).
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