Author Darrel Ray Lectures on “God Virus” (tags)
It’s not every atheist author who begins a lecture to promote his book with a bit of a fire-breathing Fundamentalist Christian sermon on the nature and ubiquity of human sin and the need to appeal to the Holy Spirit to be cleansed of it. But that’s what Darrel W. Ray did at the San Diego Public Library September 19 in an appearance sponsored by the Humanist Association of San Diego (HASD). A former believer, Ray discussed the total lack of logic in religious appeals and the way religions mimic the behavior of germs in spreading from person to person, use classic hypnotic techniques in their services, and inculcate guilt in their believers — especially about sex. Ray also mentioned ways rationalists can talk to belivers without immediately putting them on the defensive, and offered help for those who are — in his words — “recovering from religion.”
getting tested for mycoplasma and other infectious gulf war diseases (tags)
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The House that AIDS Built - (tags)
"In 2003, two children, ages 6 and 12, had debilitating strokes due to drug toxicities. The 6-year-old went blind. They both died shortly after. Another 14-year old died recently. An 8-year-old boy had two plastic surgeries to remove large, fatty, drug-induced lumps from his neck."
USA/Africa: Anthrax, History and Security (tags)
In the New York Times of July 2, columnist Nicholas Kristof attacked FBI foot dragging in the investigation of last year's anthrax attacks. In particular, Kristof pointed to the failure of the FBI to fully investigate "Mr. Z," rumored within the biodefense community to be a prime suspect. "If Mr Z. were an Arab national, he would have been imprisoned long ago," Kristof commented. "Mr. Z" is identified elsewhere in news stories and on the internet as Steven J. Hatfill, an American bioterrorism specialist who is reported to have served in the Rhodesian military in the 1970s.