On Skepticism and Atheism

After reading PZ Myers' post about a certain kind of skeptic I have to wonder as well. Is it really possible to consider yourself a skeptic and still be a person of faith. I have to think not.

I would love hear someone explain to me how it is possible to have an overall skeptical stance and yet exclude religion from consideration.

A question about evolution on a sunny Sunday morning

I know that I have some readers that do not believe in evolution.

How do you explain this?

In June 2008 the popular science magazine New Scientist printed a story about Professor Richard Lenski's twenty-year project examining the evolution of E. coli.[1] They reported that, as a result of several beneficial mutations, his organisms had acquired the ability to metabolize citrate - or more correctly an ability to transport it through the cell wall prior to metabolizing it. This was an entirely new ability for this species - an increase in complexity provided by a beneficial mutation. This beneficial trait was then fixed in the population by natural selection.
It is also important to notice that before acquiring this ability the bacteria acquired a previous potentiating mutation which, although it was not clearly beneficial at the time, subsequently allowed the descendants of that potentiated group the ability to process citrate after a further mutation. Furthermore frozen descendants of that group, and only the frozen descendants of that group, retained the ability to re-evolve that favorable trait.
His group did not use genetic engineering to modify the organism (to design it), it was produced entirely by the evolutionary process.

If you say, "they are still the same KIND of thing (a bacteria)" then you have to explain in detail what you mean by the word KIND.

if you  say "well that is micro-evolution and not macro-evolution" then you have to explain in detail where the dividing line between the two concepts lies.

Vague hand-waving will not suffice for either of these two things.

If you cite someone, please include a link to a description of their work and a simple Google search on their name with the word "debunked" added to the end shouldn't bring up thousands of hits.

I will talk about any answers I get in a subsequent post

On Efficient Labor Markets

Two of the biggest impediments to labor mobility in the US are the still large number of people that are underwater on their mortgages and the fact that affordable health insurance is pretty much tied to your job.

Am I the only one that thinks this means that the GOP should be all over the idea of mortgage writedowns and universal health insurance coverage.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

I crack myself up sometimes

On Abortion as Murder

If you think that abortion is murder and you do not support the idea that women that have them should be prosecuted for, at minimum conspiracy to commit murder then you need to reevaluate your premises.

On political correctness

If you think that the reason you can't run around saying f** and n***** whenever it pops into your head and not have folks think you are an asshole is political correctness then you really need to take a long look in the mirror.
There are very few exceptions to this rule.

On flaunting one's sexuality and privilege

I flaunt my heterosexuality every time I hold hands with my wife in public and folks don't bat an eye.
That is the very definition of privilege. 

This really isn't difficult folks. Stop talking bullshit about how lgbt folks are flaunting their sexuality when all they want is the same right I have.

On Tim Tebow Being Cut

I don't dislike watching Tim Tebow because he is a Christian. I dislike watching Tim Tebow because he sucks as a NFL QB. He simply does not have a game that is suited to how the  NFL works.

Don't even get me started on moving him to another position. He is fast for a QB ... he is slow for a running back and as for tight end, he has shown no ability to catch a football thrown by a NFL QB.

His stats after 3 seasons include 17 passing touchdowns, 12 rushing TDs, 9 picks and 14 fumbles.

This isn't that difficult folks.