This comes from that Billy Graham advice column…

Q. I’m headed for college in a few weeks, and as a Christian I’m wondering what to expect. Some people say that my faith will be attacked there, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Do you have any advice for me?

The most important advice I can give you is to keep your eyes on Christ, and not let yourself be turned away from him. Satan will do everything he can to turn you away from Christ, but don’t give in to his pressures. God’s Word says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4).

In what ways might your faith be attacked? One way, of course, will be by those who don’t believe in Christ, and may actually mock the gospel or attack it. And this won’t happen only in the classroom; some of your fellow students may be even more scornful of the gospel than the occasional atheistic professor. But even if you can’t answer all their questions, they aren’t the first ones to raise them, and scholarly Christians have provided answers. Your local Christian bookstore can help you find them.

Your children are mine, I tell you! MINE! ALL MINE! BWAHAHAHAHA!…

Seriously, I can’t speak to any formal student-on-student religious harassment (I don’t hear about those stories; I only hear about the ones that involve attacking other students because of their sexual orientation — you know, those other good xian stories), but I can quite confidently say that I’ve never “attacked” the religious beliefs of students on campus. If the subject of god comes up — and it’s inevitable, given my discipline — I simply present the arguments and objections and let the students decide for themselves.

I mean, it’s not as if I have to put any real effort into it: my discipline (at least in the West) is over 2000 years old, so enough has been written to watch it work all by itself. And for the 0.1% of students that actually listen and think, it can actually be quite freeing. The look on their faces is priceless.

But, no surprise, the other 99.9% simply ignore the lecture and go back to what they were taught when they were kids (when, of course, they knew better). Add to this the obvious fact that here in the Midwest there are numerous student religious organizations on campus, and not even one student atheist/agnostic organization, and it becomes more and more difficult to feel sorry for the student-believers.

So, for the worried xian parents out there sending their kids to college: relax. If you indoctrinated them well — and my experience in the classroom clearly shows that you have — you have nothing to worry about. The great combination of eternal damnation and family disownment really pays off.

Hat tip to Pharyngula…

The book of “Inquiry” is never complete.
The Religious had their books completed thousands of years ago by our primitive ancestors.

We are the voice of “Reason”, A light in the darkness.
The Religious are the same old tired and threadbare hissing of the Insane death cults.

The Pic is a view of the Earth from Apollo 8 in it’s swing around the moon. Just a slice of the moon.

In less than a generation the U.S. has been forced to live under a pall of unmistakable ignorance. We have been swindled out of our free thought universal triumphs and have been handed the latest version of the book of Deuteronomy. The Bush, Kennedy, Robertson,Falwell et. al. punch for a theocratic U.S. and it has left us nearly bankrupt of the vision that once guided this nation to be a Nation Among Nations. From spying on, well, everyone to torture to the elimination of the Writ of Habeus Corpus to waging war against a nation that did not attack the U.S. They have lead the U.S. and the world to the brink of an insane and winless world war that will NOT herald in a NEW age. It will herald in the end of life as we know it.

We are witnessing the best of Religious doctrine taking over in the world and what do they give us? Nothing but war and terror. They all have divided the pie and are making sure that they get their share. The current political albatross in Washington has little in common with even the most rancorous political differences of the the 1950’s. All politicians are kneeling and giving their obesiance to the religious.

What I know to be true. That we have put a man on the moon through Scientific principles and the religious did not. That at one time not so long ago the entire world marvelled at the achievements of a visionary U.S.. A U.S. that sent it’s men to space but has also gone out of it’s way to include other nations in the line-up. A U.S. that gave and gave. But through the misdirected leadership of an administration suffering from the god sickness it has abandoned it’s own people in New Orleans. It has cheapened the lives of people of other nations to the point where they are collateral damage or worse they aren’t worth fighting for. In spite of the numbers of dead due to genocide in Darfur, Rwanda, as well as other nations that could be helped. The U.S. has stopped helping and has gone away.

There is no vision except a vision of war and poverty if we continue to be led by such people. I started today wondering how we as a People had grown so far from our sense of being free. I realized that in many ways that while the U.S. was still under the leadership of real people that there was a vision that could be shared by all. Even by people who were not living here. It was the simple idea of each of us having a vision for ourselves. And it was a vision of a Nation that stood together without the fear of the unknown. It was not a vision based on what the Religious want or say. It was not a vision of the past. And it certainly was not a vision of war.

I end with this idea that came from the Apollo space program.
First the plaque that was left by the first people on the moon was a statement for all of mankind. That is why I consider religion to be a dismal failure in that they have divided the world and have caused more suffering than they have solved. They only care for themselves.

“Here Men From Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon The Moon. July 1969 A.D. We Came In Peace For All Mankind.”

Second here is a short account of the Apollo 11 landing

That landing came during the flight of Apollo 11,which lifted off on 16 July 1969 and, after confirmation that the hardware was working well, began the three-day trip to the Moon. Then, at 4:18 p.m. EST on 20 July 1969, the Lunar Module—with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin aboard—landed on the lunar surface while Michael Collins orbited overhead in the Apollo Command Module. After checkout, Armstrong set foot on the surface, telling millions who saw and heard him on Earth that it was “one small step for [a] man—one giant leap for mankind.” Aldrin soon followed him out, and the two plodded around the landing site in the 1/6 lunar gravity, planted an American flag but omitted claiming the land for the United States as had been routinely done during European exploration of the Americas, collected soil and rock samples, and set up scientific experiments. The next day they launched back to the Apollo capsule orbiting overhead and began the return trip to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific on 24 July.

This flight rekindled the excitement felt in the early 1960s during the first Mercury flights, and set the stage for later Apollo landing missions. An ecstatic reaction enveloped the globe, as everyone shared in the success of the mission. Ticker tape parades, speaking engagements, public relations events, and a world tour by the astronauts served to create good will both in the United States and abroad.

The Goodwill that took 200 years to cultivate. This latest bunch of politicians have squandered while lining their own pockets and the pockets of their benefactors.

I found this headline in the religion section of Yahoo news today: Netherlands sets plan against extremism. Is it “extremism” to attempt to curtail religious extremism? Is it a violation of people’s freedom of religion or is it necessary steps society must take to support democracy and protect against theocratic rule? Shouldn’t other groups prone to extremism be included?

Islam is spreading in Germany rapidly. According to the German channels, RTL & 3Sat, there are about 4,000 new Muslim Germans every year. More than half of the number are women. There has been a phenomenal growth of Islam in the United States and many western nations. There were 945,000 Muslims living in the Netherlands on January 1, 2004, double the amount in 1990, and has been steadily increasing. Many sympathize with Muslims and even fight for their rights to their “faith” and way of life. On the other hand, many also fear that with the steady growth of Islam in Europe and other parts of the world may be just the start of serious conflicts and social unrest that will continue to grow as more and more religious fundamentalists increase in population and are elected to positions of power.

Since leaving the Dutch parliament, Ayaan Hirsi Ali has made further statements in support of restrictive immigration policies. She made her statements on this subject on 1 November 2006 in the television program Aspekte on the German TV station ZDF. She said that she feared that Muslim immigrants, once in the majority, would introduce Sharia legislation. Here is Ayaan Hirsi Ali Interviewed On Swedish Television

Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a native of Somalia who emigrated to The Netherlands in the early 1990s, is no stranger to controversy among her fellow Muslims. Living in the West, she felt free to publicly criticize Islam’s treatment of women.

But that freedom came at a price. In 2004, a short film Ali scripted called Submission was shown on Dutch television. In the film, naked women veiled with see-through shrouds painted with verses of the Quran kneel in prayer, telling their stories as if they are speaking to Allah.

The film’s co-writer and director Theo Van Gogh was later stabbed to death by a Muslim radical. A letter pinned to the body with a dagger threatened Ali’s life. Since then, she has been under the constant protection of body guards.

The danger hasn’t stopped her from remaining outspoken about her beliefs. Ali calls her new collection of essays, The Caged Virgin, an “Emancipation Proclamation” for women and Islam.

From NPR

Do we wait and see what happens in time? Is there a problem or are many free people just fearful and paranoid? According to women like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, there is good reason for concern and action to curtail Islamic extremism now.

“Through this situation I’ve found Jesus,” says Michael Vick, in the grand tradition of Watergate co-conspirator Charles Colson, serial rapist-killer-cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer, and so many other noble souls.

I hope he’ll join me at Bible Study for Atheists, where my next reading will be Exodus 29. I’m sure he’ll find it captivating, starting with verse #10:

10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.

11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.

14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.

20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration

This story caught my eye, and I wanted to pass it along. Just skip this one if you hate math…

Terror Suspect List Yields Few Arrests: 20,000 Detentions in ‘06 Rile Critics

The government’s terrorist screening database flagged Americans and foreigners as suspected terrorists almost 20,000 times last year. But only a small fraction of those questioned were arrested or denied entry into the United States, raising concerns among critics about privacy and the list’s effectiveness. A range of state, local and federal agencies as well as U.S. embassies overseas rely on the database to pinpoint terrorism suspects, who can be identified at borders or even during routine traffic stops. The database consolidates a dozen government watch lists, as well as a growing amount of information from various sources, including airline passenger data. The government said it was planning to expand the data-sharing to private-sector groups with a “substantial bearing on homeland security,” though officials would not be more specific. Few specifics are known about how the system operates, how many people are detained or turned back from borders, or the criteria used to identify suspects. The government will not discuss cases, nor will it confirm whether an individual’s name is on its list.

There’s a clear reason for that: unless they’ve found something new (and I’d guess they haven’t), they’re simply using a representativeness heuristic to tag people, which means the rate of false positives is off the chart.

And it is. And I’m guessing no one really even cares. So, enjoy your bullshit stereotyping, assholes. I’ll see you at the airport next time I want to fly.

“Hey, but this is for national security, you moron! The false positives are worth it!”

Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. Enjoy your incarceration, everyone. Sleep well knowing that innumerate, high school graduates with guns are “guarding you.”

And remember that he’s COMPLETELY heterosexual…

Ted Haggard Wants Your Dough

After being pushed from the pulpit for his gay, drug-fueled affair with reformed hooker, Mike Jones, the Evangelical and his poor family plan to set up shop in Phoenix. From the way Haggard tells it, the move’s putting a bit of strain on his wallet. And he needs a little help from his friends. In a letter to Colorado ABC affiliate KRDO’s consumer reporter, Tak Lanrock, Haggard writes: “It looks as though it will take two years for us to have adequate earning power again, so we are looking for people who will help us monthly for two years. During that time we will continue as full time students, and then, when I graduate, we won’t need outside support any longer. But for the next two years, we will need support. Between now and the end of the year, we have to find the people who want to help us transition into our future. So I am starting today to let friends like you know that we are raising money for support as we move into the Phoenix Dream Center.” How queer, because, as Colorado Confidential points out, he’s got plenty of access to plenty of money: “In addition to agreeing to move away from Colorado Springs as part of his severance package, Haggard reportedly agreed not to talk about his scandal publicly. New Life Church leaders agreed to pay his salary through 2007; when he was fired he was making about $138,000 annually. The Haggards are not listed in Arizona telephone directories, and could not be reached for comment. But according to the El Paso County Assessor’s office, the Haggards bought their 2-story house, at 1865 Old Ranch Road in northeastern Colorado Springs, for $522,000 in 2001. Its current market value is $715,051.”

Mark your calendars…

Total Lunar Eclipse to Occur on Tuesday

The Earth’s shadow will creep across the moon’s surface early Tuesday, slowly eclipsing it and turning it shades of orange and red. The total lunar eclipse, the second this year, will be visible in North and South America, especially in the West. People in the Pacific islands, eastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand also will be able to view it if skies are clear. People in Europe, Africa or the Middle East, who had the best view of the last total lunar eclipse in March, won’t see this one because the moon will have set when the eclipse begins at 4:51 a.m. EDT. It will take an hour to reach full eclipse stage. […] The full eclipse will be visible across the United States, but East Coast viewers will only have about a half-hour to see it before the sun begins to rise and the moon sets. Skywatchers in the West will get the full show. […] During the full eclipse, the moon won’t be completely dark because some light still reaches it around the edges of the Earth. The light is refracted as it passes through our atmosphere, scattering blue light — which is why the sky is blue — but sending reddish light onto the moon. “When someone asks why is it (the moon) red, you can say because the sky is blue,” Duncan said. The next total lunar eclipse occurs Feb. 21, 2008, and will be visible from the Americas, Europe and Asia.

I’m guessing that, for most college students, they should just be getting home around that time anyway. So, for all of you party-people, as you stumble around in your drunkenness at 4:30am, don’t forget to look up.

UPDATE: Lunar Eclipse: When to Watch

“If you look long enough into the void the void begins to look back through you.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

No doubt, if you’ve been around the blogosphere long enough, you’ll eventually hear that hoary old chestnut - “You believe in nothing.” This is oftentimes followed by some trite vanilla monologue about how them thar nasty ole ay-thee-ists shore do make a big noise about sumpin’ they don’t be-LIEVE in, ow-huh! The inferred accusations are three-fold: A. if we don’t believe in ‘anything’, why say anything at all, which becomes a twisted allegorical nod to on high, all in the speaker’s own subjective opinion, and B. Please, become a casual secularist, stop talking about it, you’re making me extremely uncomfortable, or C. Gee, you’re so full of anger and hatred, who made you like this?

Fact is, I believe in humanity, I don’t worship my species, thanks much for putting words in my mouth (PTUI!), I don’t really worship myself (very much: obviously, I love the sound of my own voice, or I’d be that silent ‘casual secularist’ the religious loonies so yearn for), and I really don’t want the world blown to bits over a few scraps of parchment found in a desert.

Now that the nutshell epistemology is over and done with, I present to you (with tongue firmly ensconced in cheek), that ‘nothing’ we’re credited with ‘worshiping’:

Great ‘cosmic nothingness’ found

Astronomers have found an enormous void in space that measures nearly a billion light-years across.

It is empty of both normal matter - such as galaxies and stars - and the mysterious “dark matter” that cannot be seen directly with telescopes.

The “hole” is located in the direction of the Eridanus constellation and has been identified in data from a survey of the sky made at radio wavelengths.

Previous sky surveys that have traced the large-scale structure of the nearby Universe have long shown, for example, how the clustering of galaxies is strung into vast filaments and sheets that are separated by great gaps.

But the void discovered by a University of Minnesota team is about 1,000 times the volume of what would be expected in typical cosmic gaps.

“It’s hard even for astronomers to picture how big these things are,” conceded Minnesota’s Professor Lawrence Rudnick.

“If you were to travel at the speed of light, it would take you several years to get to the nearest stars in our own Milky Way galaxy; but if you were to go to this hole and enter one side, you’d have to travel for a billion years before you would get to the other side,” he told BBC News.

The void is roughly 6-10 billion light-years away and takes a sizeable chunk out of the visible Universe in its direction.

 Wow, so astronomers have found the Rub al Khali among the stars - bereft of all things. A hole in the heart of the universe. A large maw of absolutely nothing.

It beggars the imagination (mine, at least) - a void so vast, composed of an abstract of zero. Wrap your minds around that one, and get back to me.

This is the Apostate, signing off.