Stopping religion… one right at a time.

Some times extreme circumstances call for extreme measures… but… really?

Tajikistan’s authoritarian leader has approved a law barring minors from praying in mosques as his secular government seeks to minimize the rising influence of Islam in the Central Asian nation.[..]
The law also requires people under the age of 18 to study in secular schools thus barring thousands of students from attending mosque schools seen by authorities as a breeding ground of Islamism.

I know some atheists… and even me, a little, would be very happy if religion, and certain religions specifically, dried up and disappeared, but although I sympathize… and don’t pretend to understand the circumstances that seem to have brought this about, I find I can’t in all conscience agree with this. I am against indoctrinating children, but I think this goes too far. And further, I don’t think it will be effective. What do you think?

Technologies You Can No Longer Use!!!

I find it incredibly interesting that some (if not all) of the most popular devices and technology of this century, and the last, often utilize the exact same scientific principles used to:

  • Determine the age of the universe
  • Determine the age of the earth
  • Disprove various aspects of the creation story
  • Prove microevolution
  • Prove the Big Bang Theory

The scientific principles are so inherent in the design and functionality of some popular technologies that they literally would not work without them. Therefore, this message is for those who believe the creation story, and/or that the earth is only 6000 years old, and/or that microevolution is still debatable and not proven, etc. (I’d like to generalize by saying all biblical accounts, but there are just so many that have nothing to do with science or facts). If you are a person described by the beliefs I’ve just mentioned, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!

Ultimately, it is hypocritical and illogical to deny the validity of a particular science for your own agenda and then use it for another. Therefore, I’d like to present a list of technologies you should stop using immediately: More >

Changing minds

Marie-Claire Shanahan explains the difficulties involved in changing people’s minds.

The way we understand the world is shaped by all of our interactions with it and with all of the people in our lives. We don’t just have a set of ideas that sit on a shelf like books and can easily be replaced one for another. Ideas about the world are more like tangled webs of connected information, experiences, and beliefs. A complex ecosystem is a better analogy than a bookshelf. This means that writing to bust myths, convince people about scientific evidence or change their minds takes more than just communicating clearly. If that were all it took, science teaching would be easy and there would be few public controversies about accepted scientific ideas.

Shanahan, a science education researcher at the University of Alberta continues with some advice: More >

New Blog: Science-ish

Maclean’s magazine launches a new blog:

Every day, newspapers and websites are filled with grandiose health claims (chocolate heals the heart one day, and causes obesity the next) and statements about healthcare that aren’t based in evidence. Science-ish has had enough. A joint Maclean’s, Medical Post, and McMaster Health Forum project, Science-ish will check the latest health-related headlines against the evidence—and hold politicians, opinion leaders, and journalists to account. Our modest aim? To improve health reporting, and the quality of information about the health-related issues of the day.

The low frequency of posts suggests they aren’t willing to devote many resources to the project and the content isn’t any different than what you’d find among the army of skeptical blogs on the internets. But with science-based reporting almost non-existent in Canadian mainstream media, it’s nice to see someone willing to give it a try.