QuickiesScience

Skepchick Quickies 11.13

Amanda

Amanda works in healthcare, is a loudmouthed feminist, and proud supporter of the Oxford comma.

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7 Comments

  1. Hmm, Christmas-themed atheist slogans. There’s a lot of potential there. Maybe something involving naughty and/or nice? Or you could do a whole series of “You don’t have to believe” ads. (e.g. You don’t have to believe in a god to say Merry Christmas.)

  2. There’s something wrong with me when I not only laughed my ass off over the song, but I wanted to correct them and say it’s DNA polymerase III that replicated, not DNA polymerase. There is more than one kind of DNA polymerase floating around in our cells.

    I’ll try and ignore the jab at chemistry even though chemists figured out a lot about DNA replication.

  3. While checking out the “humanists are grinches” link, I spotted another headline about Billy Graham: “Son: Billy Graham ending work with presidents”. So I clicked on that.

    Billy Graham’s work as a pastor to presidents is coming to an end, but he is praying for Barack Obama…

    and

    Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited Graham at his mountainside home during the campaign, and Obama tried to meet Graham but wasn’t able to do so because of the preacher’s poor health

    further,

    Billy Graham is a registered Democrat.

    Do you suppose he registered as such before the Republicans’ “Southern Strategy”?

    I am a Hedge

  4. I really like the latest bus ad, too. It’s attractive, positive, and to the point. In fact, I think it makes one of the most important points that needs to be made – that goodness is its own reward. I don’t see why so many people apparently see this as a “humbug” or “grinch” message. I think it’s very positive and uplifting. If just people would ask themselves the question, “Why should I be good?” and take a minute to think about the answer.

  5. Maybe Teek can chime in with her expert opinion. Based partly on her analysis of the British bus ads, I don’t see this one as very good. But I am no expert in the area.

    Who is it aimed at? Some of the reports say its aimed at atheists and agnostics. If that is the case, why say “Why believe in a god?”? Atheists and agnostics don’t need this question asked of them. If it is actually aimed at theists, it’s a silly question. Any theist who bothers to devote a bit of mental energy to the ad will easily come up with a couple reasons why they believe in a god. The ad could consist only of the second sentence, “Be good for goodness’ sake”, without the dig at belief. But then, what would be the point? As it is, what is the point?

    I find it hard to believe that the intent really is to say anything to atheists and agnostics. This seems to do little more than provide an opportunity for ridicule, which is hardly helpful to an atheist/agnostic having difficulty with the christmas season.

    I am a Hedge

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