Sex, gender and pronouns

For most of my life I have been pretty sure that “gender” was the word used by people either too prudish to say “sex” or wanted to make a clear distinction between ‘gender’ and copulation. But there appears to be a conversation that suggests I’m wrong. The argument centres around transgenderism, an issue I’m not…

Questions for Theists.

What follows is 10 questions aimed at theists, along with an explanation as to why the questions are meaningful. The questions are sincere, as they have been the stumbling blocks to many a conversation about religion. What is contained in the explanations that follow the questions is not meant to limit a theist’s response, and…

36 Questions for which I, as a man, am uniquely qualified to answer

here’s a 31 questions (that claim to be 36 questions) women apparently want to ask men, with my “answers”. But, you know me by now, I don’t care about the answer half as much as I care about the question.

Thoughts on this idiot

The memorably named 22056 has recently started a blog which appears to have the goal of attacking “atheism”. I say “atheism” because I strongly suspect the author’s concept of atheism has formed in an echo chamber that doesn’t care much for what atheism really is or what atheists really believe. Part of the reason I…

Climate change is real, the “realists” are wrong and we can solve this problem (if we try)

Approximately 64% of Americans do not think climate change is a threat to their way of life. That 64% will be made up of climate change deniers as well as people who call themselves climate change “realists”. This is a hugely concerning problem; democracy demands that people are aware of the problem before action can…

Where I agree with the Bible

I have a number of disagreements with the Bible on topics of history, science, ethics, the role of women and equality of people. I even disagree with the Bible at length about sexual practices, particularly what the LGBTX community can and cannot get up to. But, given a little lenience on the language, I have…

Completion: Finishing the questions I can’t finish.

At the start of all this I admitted to losing my cool a little. And this is the post it all happened in. And it's quite a fitting climax, because I think that was the goal. It's a complete spread (informally known as a Gish Gallop); it's too many questions, too loosely related and requires…

Why do theologians and sceptics talk past each other on the question of God’s “goodness”? And which have a better point?

The question of whether a God character is “good” has continued for thousands of years. Since Epicurus, since Job. The position of the sceptic tends to assume the idea that humans have some idea of what morality is and approximate ways to benchmark it against God’s actions (either in Books or in nature), but the…

Mythos and Religious Practice

A lot of religions, monotheism in particular, ask their followers to submit to God through certain practices, like prayer and abstinence (e.g. Lent or Ramadan). It is also common for religious people to talk to God, asking for forgiveness or guidance at certain milestones in their life. This has always struck me as weird: surely…

Stephen Fry, Religious Nihilism and the Tyrannical God

As everyone knows, Stephen Fry would be angry with a God that openly manages the natural world exactly as it is, red in tooth and claw, and still maintains that It is good and moral. That is basically what Fry said in this interview. Blakodeel of Deal of Theology posts their disagreement here. Blakodeel's objections…