“Our results show that it is possible to synthesize an infectious agent by in vitro chemical-biochemical means solely by following instructions from a written sequence.”

Where do you get a spontaneous origin of life from this? In the normal course of events, molecular machinery reads information in the nucleotides. In this case, researchers copied the information from previously sequenced nucleotides, synthesized it, and inserted it back. There never was any demonstration of the spontaneous generation of life.

Apparently the organizers of the event either have no idea what Silverman is going to talk about, or else they think that by keeping his topic “a secret” (oh, wow!) it will encourage people to want to “visit the convention”.

Be still, my heart! The suspense is almost more than a person can stand. Golly, I hope it’s not too late to book a flight, and that all the hotel rooms in the city are not already taken by the coming “throngs” of Atheists! (snicker)

I mean, isn’t an “atheist celebration” just a CELEBRATION?!? I guess to be a real atheist, you have to use the word atheist all the time. And do atheist stuff, whatever that is. Because that’s what we atheists do! Stuff! And stuff.

Well Mr. Raphael Argos of North Carolina (specific location omitted for privacy), I’d suggest to you that you visit the convention and find out first hand, but I don’t know how they feel about people carrying concealed firearms on the premises, even though Nevada honors the CCW permits of NC.

I deleted it after posting it and then reading it, having had second thoughts about its potentially interpreted meaning. That it was somehow automatically reposted as by a guest account escapes me concerning the process involved. I’m not, after all, as literate in computer processes as I am in some other areas. I’m sure you could tell me all about it though.

911: What’s your emergency? “Yes, this is Coward Rargos and I’d like to report somebody on the internet saying things that I don’t like.” 911: We’ll send an officer right out…to explain to you that nobody gives a fuck. “But he’s a bad man and I’m afraid that he’s gonna come get me.” 911: STOP BEING A PUSSY! *hangs up*

rargos, you’ve gotten the idea somewhere that you can somehow shame me with my past or your strange and irrelevant behavior? I love who I am, and am very proud of what I am not. Life is death, and life is pain, but your lashing out will not bring your imaginary friends into existence. If you’re really so worried about me and what I say to you, why don’t you pray that I stop? Or did you already? Funny, I haven’t felt the least bit compelled to cease telling you about yourself and your religion.

I really do hope that some day, you will be able to see yourself for what you are. That’s part of what your religion is designed to do, assist people from having to face the truth about themselves. If you’re alive, you’re going to eventually die. If you’re alive, you’re going to experience things that you don’t like. If you’re alive, you’re not going to get what you want very often, and you certainly cannot control others. Well, at least not people as strong-willed as I. But when you’re dead, it’s just the same as before you were born. There will be no pain, there will be no disappointment; in death you and I will find nothing but the sweet merciful oblivion of non-existence. In death, we’ll all be exactly like your god; for all intents and purposes, we’ll be god.

Jesus said these things though, supposedly: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20), versus “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always” (Matthew 26:11 , Mark 14:7, John 12:8) and “Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am thither ye cannot come” (John 7:34). Is this the kind of friend one can rely on?

And he supposedly said: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46, (also note the time before crucification where Jesus prays for the “cup to passeth over me”) versus “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ No, for this purpose I have come to this hour” (John 12:27 RSV). Jesus can’t seem to decide whether or not he wants to die. One moment he is willing; the next he isn’t.

Your imaginary buddy also reportedly said this shit too: In John 14:13-14 Jesus stated: “And whatsoever ye ask in my name I do, that the Father may be glorified in the son. If ye ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” In reality, millions of people have made millions of requests in Jesus’ name and failed to receive satisfaction. This promise or prophecy has failed completely.

Explain to me how I have done anything that would constitute “making things worse for myself”. Here, while you’re at it, why don’t you explain this as well: Matthew 6:13 Jesus recites a revised prayer and states, “Don’t bring us into temptation.” God is the cause of everything, even Satan. God has been leading people into temptation since the Garden of Eden. Otherwise, the trees of life and knowledge would have never been there.

Can we hate our kindred? Luke 14:26 Jesus says “If any man come unto me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brother, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he can not be my disciple.” John 3:15 “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.” Also see Ephesians 6:22, 5:25, & Matthew 15:4

Or how about this: Jesus consistently contradicts himself concerning his Godly status. “I and my father are one.” (John 14:28) Also see Philippians 2:5-6 Those verses lead us to believe that he is a part of the trinity and equal to his father being a manifestation of him. Yet, Jesus also made many statements that deny he is the perfect man, much less God incarnate. Take the following for example: “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God” (Matthew 19:17). “My father is greater then I.” (John 14:28) Also see Matthew 24:26 Clearly, Jesus is denouncing the possibility of him being the Messiah in those three verses.