Sunday, February 04, 2007

"An Atheist's Nightmare"

That's how Kirk Cameron's New Zealand gnome, Ray Comfort, describes . . . a banana. Thanks to InternetJunky, I just had to look for the relevant video. Watch it if you must, but I doubt it will be a particularly rewarding experience to anyone who isn't a member of the soft-skull club. I could only stomach about twelve minutes of the thing, during which Comfort reiterates all the most egregiously flawed arguments from the "intelligent" design canon, warning of the need for "brain liposuction" in order to believe his ridiculous strawman arguments.

Almost all of the discussion of evolution consists of Comfort and Cameron taking turns, in different settings, saying, "If there's something that's designed, then there must be a designer!" (a soda can, a building, a painting, a car, an eye — that old chestnut — and of course a banana)

Here, I'll just simplify their message even further so you don't have to watch the video at all. These are the most interesting bits:








A Great Rant

Special thanks to Elderta for pointing me to this Dan Savage opinion piece about Mary Cheney's whining about her child being used as a "prop" for political purposes.

Yes, it’s a baby, not a prop. My kid isn’t a prop either, but that never stopped right-wingers from attacking me and my boyfriend over our decision to become parents. The fitness of same-sex couples to parent is very much part of the political debate thanks to the GOP and the Christian bigots that make up its lunatic “base.” You’re a Republican, Mary, you worked on both of your father’s campaigns, and you kept your mouth clamped shut while Karl Rove and George Bush ran around the country attacking gay people, gay parents, and our children in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006. It’s a little late to declare the private choices of gays and lesbians unfit for public debate, Mary.

[...]

You and your whole fucked-up family crawled into bed with bigots like [James] Dobson when it suited you. And now you and your whole fucked-up family have some explaining to do. So welcome to the political debate, Mary, and remember…

Your side started it. It only serves you right that you’re going to have to finish it.