Israelis charge four dealers with faking 'biblical' artefacts

I blogged about the fake burial box earlier, it would be interesting to learn about the other dozen or so.

Scholars said the fakes were exploiting the need of Jews and Christians to find physical evidence to reinforce their beliefs.

Francis Ward

I cannot get over this. Sending thoughts across psychic airwaves, jislaaik!

A Midland psychic will be holding his own unique service on New Year's Eve for people around the world - via the internet.

Like the hat, Ed.

Mystic Ed, real name Francis Ward, is urging people to log on to his website to take part in a special service of love where he will be sending out thoughts across the psychic airwaves to people in need.

People from as far afield as India, South Africa and Mexico have already logged on to his website, leaving messages for him in a special guest book and asking him to send out his thoughts to them.

He said: "The purpose of the Christmas Eve ceremony is based on sending to people across the world the gift of love.

"I ask people to switch off their TV at 10pm and sit quietly and pray for all those that are sad."

He held a similar service on Christmas Eve. Mystic Ed, from Pye Green Road, Cannock, will appear on Channel 5 psychic programme Housebusters in the New Year.

Derren Brown to question religion

Oh my, this sounds like fun.

Illusionist Derren Brown is planning a new Channel 4 show, which sees him trying to convince American religious leaders that he is the Messiah.

And then he says:

"I am not knocking people's genuine beliefs. The agenda of this show is only to raise questions. People are not mocked or made to look stupid."

Hmm, now that's a tall order ;-)

So Far, Psychics Are Batting .000

Among the 2004 headline-making events that psychics didn’t predict, for example, Emery lists the Janet Jackson Superbowl breast flash, the prison torture in Iraq and the Boston Red Sox World Series win. And he reminds us that, in the past, psychics have missed out on foreseeing such major events as the death of their once-favorite subject, Princess Diana, as well as the 9/11 attacks.

And now the biggest earthquake and natural disaster in half a century, as well. Tell you what- I posess a copy of Llewellyn's Moon Sign Book for 2004 (and 1998,2001, 2002, 2003).Not a word. Nary a whisper from some of the world's best-qualified (read best paid) magickal forecasters. What, children? Could this all be a heap of crap?

The World's Most Extreme Affirmative Action

At least, according to the Wall Street Journal. More interesting is the discussion over at one of my favourite blogs,Gene Expression. I'm emotionally tired of this argument, so I'm not joining in.

Words from the readers... the year's funniest letters

From the Guardian:

While walking through Bruntsfield, in Edinburgh, recently, I noticed a poster advertising a clairvoyants' gathering. Was that poster really necessary?

Magnus K Moodie
Scotsman, July 26

If only George Bush had been in the Oval Office during the Cuban missile crisis. His strong faith and decisiveness would have ensured that there were no Islamic terrorists today. And for good measure, there would be no atheists or moderate Muslims or Catholics or Protestants, either.

Peter McCarthy
Age, Australia, November 2

Pagan image found smashed

After eight centuries their little sheela na gig got on their nerves, and it ended up on the floor in a hundred pieces. What is this all about, rewriting history for Jesus?

It seems like this sudden redecoration-angst is coming to Africa too.

Santa's Lil' Gimp

This sweet little story made my day :-)

Norwich man fired over Atheists Meetup

I love this quote:

“I'll bet you if I was announcing a prayer meeting nothing would have been said,” Russell said in a telephone interview. “We live in America. People are not supposed to be prejudiced in this country. For some reason, it's not OK to not believe. We're the gays of religion I guess, people are so scared of us.”

fraud of the rings: Lord of the Rings cartoon satire

Astro Kids

In India, it seems,there is so little regard for reality that parents are ready to risk the lives of mothers and children in order to get them born at the correct time.

Parents-to-be are increasingly opting to have their children delivered at the time suggested by local astrologers

In a country every bit as superstitious as ours, people would rather rely on the fatuous mouthings of a Swami espousing psuedoscience than on the benefits to be derived from good nutrition,education, and a rationlist view of life.

Astrologer Swami Trilokinathji Maharaj said: "Financial aptitude, fame and fortune, career - everything could be ensured by timing the birth."

Well no, it couldn't-but you're not going to persuade the peasants, here or there, of that in a hurry.

Axe attack over atheism

This is from Oz By Suzanne Klotz December 17, 2004 A MAN prone to violent rages after being struck on the head by a didgeridoo killed another man and injured his wife in an axe attack when he discovered they were atheists. Ashley John Appoo, 40, today pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court in Brisbane to the manslaughter of John Leslie McDonald and causing grievous bodily harm to his wife Alois McDonald during a frenzied axe attack on November 18, 2001. Appoo, a drifter who had lived in Toowoomba and Bundaberg, was hitchhiking near Woodford, north-west of Brisbane, when Mrs McDonald picked him up and took him home for lunch. Let this be a warning, young atheists- don't go around picking up strange Christians He spent two days drinking and socialising with the McDonalds, before Mrs McDonald told him she was an atheist. Appoo, a proud Christian, went berserk and began punching her, and turned on Mr McDonald when he tried to intervene. Aha! Now this is how we expect 'proud Christians' to behave The court heard Appoo then went outside, grabbed an axe, and began attacking the couple. He stomped on, punched and kicked Mr McDonald in the head and stomach before attacking him with the axe in the head and leg. Mr McDonald sustained severe internal injuries and died as Appoo smashed up their house before police arrived. Mrs McDonald sustained fractures to her jaw, ribs and ankle, as well as an axe wound to her leg. Prosecutor Brendan Campbell asked for an indefinite sentence saying Appoo was a very dangerous man because of a personal tragedy in which he suffered serious brain damage when he was converted to Christianityhit on the head with a didgeridoo. As a result, Appoo is prone to explosive aggression and has to be continually medicated. EXCELLENT idea.Let's medicate ALL the Christians. And the Pagans. Justice Roslyn Atkinson reserved her decision on sentence to a date to be fixed. Note: Today, for some reason, I keep spelling 'Christians' as 'Christinas'. I must be trying to tell myself something important.

Happy Litha!

June 21 -- Summer Solstice -- Litha Also known as: Alban Heruin (Druidic) Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition -- the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks. The Christian religion converted this day of Jack-in-the-Green to the Feast of St. John the Baptist, often portraying him in rustic attire, sometimes with horns and cloven feet (like the Greek Demi-God Pan) I don't believe it. John the Baptist with horns?Whatever next? Midsummer Night's Eve is also special for adherents of the Faerie faith. Watch out for those Faeries, folks! Traditional Foods: Garden fresh fruits and vegetables are made into a variety of dishes and eaten by Pagan's who choose to celebrate this day. Love the abusive apostrophe use Herbs and Flowers: Mugwort, Vervain, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily, Oak, Lavender, Ivy, Yarrow, Fern, Elder, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Carnation. Incense: Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Wisteria. I'm using a blend of Frankincense,Benzoin,Thyme,Rosemary,Dragon's Blood,Artemsisia and Vervain Woods Burned: Oak Cedar, nicer smell Sacred Gemstone: Emerald You have to be kidding Special Activities: An Ideal time to reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions. Yeah. Right.

Christian moms who kill: why isn't anyone talking?

One of my pet peeves is that when someone who commits a crime is known to be kinky or gay, his or her sexual identity becomes the scapegoat: it was the perversion that made him (or her) do it.

Yet there's been a gruesome trend in America: Christian moms who kill their children, believing that it is what God wants them to do. And this week, we have another good Christian, Lisa Montgomery of Kansas, who killed a pregnant mother and cut the baby out of her body.

Actually it seems like this is trend worldwide.

I Love This

Here's the text so you don't have to follow the link:

LONDON (Reuters) - Nursing home staff paid tribute to a 105-year old British woman who had smoked since the age of 15 by cremating her with a packet of cigarettes and laying a large floral cigarette on her coffin. Marie Ellis died -- of natural causes -- at the Eaton Lodge Nursing Home in Kent, southeast England, in early December and was cremated on Tuesday, clutching a packet of her favorite Benson and Hedges cigarettes. "We will always remember her for her smoking because the first thing she asked when she got up was 'Can I have a cigarette,'" said matron Maria Kallis, who commissioned a large wreath in the shape of a cigarette, made with white and yellow chrysanthemums, for the spinster's coffin. The enigmatic Ellis, an ex-typist, arrived at the nursing home 15 years ago. Apart from her 15-a-day habit, she was also notorious among staff for her unhealthy eating habits, often asking for sugar in her soup and always demanding three sugars in her coffee. Staff played the song Smoke Gets in Your Eyes at Ellis' funeral and are planning a memorial concrete ashtray for her in the nursing home garden, where her ashes will also be buried.

Cheered me up for the weekend, anyway!

I'm Not Too Sure About These Folk

Who are theseUniversists? And more to the point, do we need another fancy label for atheists? Strikes me as not too honest.

Self-Defense Against Zombies

Very important, info, print it out and keep it in your tinfoil hat at all times. Handy techniques to be used against large mobs of consumer drones, too. Just in time for Shopping season!

NG Kerk verwelkom nuwe Afrikaanse Gospel Band: vokkkov S.A.T.A.N.

Satire at its best. En in Afrikaans nogal!

"Ek is mal oor hulle", sê die groep se meisie, "daar is soveel diepte in hul fisiek." "U bedoel seker 'diepte in hul musiek'?", vra Die President. "Ja, watokal."

"Alhoewel ek nie altyd verstaan waaroor hulle sing nie is die boodskap van vokkov S.A.T.A.N. 'n rein een wat lankal deur die afdwalende jeug vandag gehoor moes word. Ek hoor die band het 'n groot voël versameling wat my interesseer" het Antie Gris Jisme gesê.

This Was Your Brain..

This Swedish study seems to suggest that Michael Persinger (and thus Susan Blackmoore) may actually be wrong about the seat of mystical experience in the brain. Although the report is inconclusive so far, I admit to hoping that perhaps Persinger was wrong, and mystical experiences could not be so easily explained away. But the Swedish experiment could just be proof that the locale is incorrect. Hum-I’m obviously on an off-day today. Wishing for a little unexplained spirituality is a sure sign that I’m off to join the Hare Krishnas.

Nice One God, Real Fucking Nice

Supergirl’s Local Deity Strikes in an impressive display of callousness last night. The dead man was a paramedic, so I suppose we can draw our own conclusions as to what He thinks of those types. In a sudden burst of mercy, The Supreme One decided to save the life of one of a group of small boys. One of the remaining ones He opted to drown, and hasn’t made His Will clear on the remainder, this despite being offered the Magic Chant by one of His Churches

Dispair.com

I read about Israeli soldiers killing a 15 year old for fun ... and I wanted to cry. Now I undrsstand why newspapers have a 'Backpage'. :D

A British sailor made waves in a round-the-world yachting competition on Tuesday when he used his radio to propose to his sweetheart, who is also a rival competitor. The famously rough seas at Cape Horn, on the southern tip of Africa, did nothing to dampen the ardour of Graham Thompson (31) who asked 30-year-old girlfriend Laura Alexander the crucial question. "Most sailors approaching Cape Horn have a sense of fear, but I had two reasons to be a little apprehensive," he told Britain's domestic Press Association newswire. "Rounding Cape Horn is such a significant landmark for sailors that I decided that it was the perfect place to do it." In an impeccably planned operation, his girlfriend's yacht, BP Explorer, was briefly turned into a love boat as a crewmate presented her with an engagement ring on behalf of her new fiancé. Thompson used an open frequency from his boat, Pindar, to reach his beloved, thus sending out a live signal to all 216 competitors in the Global Challenge race. The twelve 22-metre yachts taking part in the Global Challenge 2004 set off from Portsmouth in early October and are expected to reach Wellington, New Zealand, by January 9. - Sapa-AFP

Beckham nativity scene

Why can't these guys even fake a sense of humour?

SENIOR churchmen reacted angrily last night to a Madame Tussaud’s nativity tableau depicting Victoria and David Beckham as Mary and Joseph, calling it “a nativity stunt too far”. A spokesman for one senior Church of England bishop condemned it as an outrage.

Jim DeMint made Jesus cry.

godfuckingdamnit.com, now that is real domain name!

You know, when I was four and knew nothing of the world but the very small rural town in which I lived, I believed Jesus loved me. I knew this for fact in the way a four-year-old knows things. And I used to sing about it every Sunday. I imagine we must have been innocent darlings. Cute little southern kids singing their hearts out for "Jeebus". Twangy munchkins.

The Bibleman Cometh

Time to get all revved up with spandex clad Jesus man.

Rudolph, the HIV+ reindeer

...if Manto Tshabalala-Msimang happened to be in a car crash, and was given the choice of blood that had undergone stringent safety checks, or blood that was politically correct, which would she choose? You're right, it was a trick question: the answer is Garlic.

'Mr. Bean' Attacks Religious Hatred Bill

You tell them, Blackadder!

LONDON (Reuters) - British comedian Rowan Atkinson -- creator of the hapless "Mr Bean" -- attacked a planned law outlawing incitement of religious hatred on Monday, saying it would curb free speech and humour.

Net Atheists WAndering

Since I’m flying one of their flags on this blogspot, I check in at The Net Atheists periodically,and if I have time on my hands, prowl among the International Membership. Today I came across one of the best non-existant sites ever from Norway The EAC . I know it's been done to death but this one's pretty good.

There is no such organization and there certainly is no such conspiracy. You have nothing whatsoever to worry about. And if you've seen any mysterious black helicopters flying near your home - well, they don't exist either. And even if they did exist, which they don't, they wouldn't be in the least bit dangerous or harmful, and they certainly wouldn't be beaming evil mind-control rays into your home through your television screen and fillings. You need not worry on that regard.

Check in at the Department of Corrective Phrenology for a visit to the Unholy Trinity, Rummy, Dummy and Chummy. Looks like an incomplete work in progress which hasn't been updated since early this year-pity.

dead atheists in the forest

I’ve never really liked cemeteries, and now that I’ve lost my faith I truly hate these sad religious monuments. I don’t have the selfish desire for an eternal afterlife or a polished granite space-hogging headstone. Apart from the fake little religious burial, and traffic jams on the way there, you can never be sure that some unhinged priest won’t not dig up your bones to commit some tasteless visual pollution with it, like these guys did at the Kostnice Ossuary.

Here is a related news article:

More Chinese People Choosing 'Tree Burial'

All this gay stuff

In response to the court ruling approving same-sex marriages lots of people had lots to say. The ChristianView Network director, Philip Rosenthal, said; "the court decision violates moral values, democracy and the separation of powers in government".

So who is this Philip Rosenthal character? Well let's have a look: Plaster ad wounds Christians