Help reconstruct Japan
developed by JhackAbout Skeptikai
Skeptikai defends science and exposes pseudoscience. Living in Japan also allows for an interesting opportunity to discuss fascinating stories that go unnoticed elsewhere. Psychological phenomena and intriguing cases from around the globe are also regularly highlighted.
The Psychological Science of StorytellingIt hit me about two years ago, sometime after I started this blog. Somewhere between the…
Islamic Blasphemy and the “Freedom” to Choose your Own ReligionIn the last few weeks, Muslims from Bangladesh have been going crazy trying to fight back…
Inattentional Blindness and the Invisible ViolinistIf a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound? It…
Hamas-Israel Ceasefire Ends as Gaza Schools Drop Sports for Military TrainingI have been following the news regarding the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza that…
Are Vocal Homophobes Really Just Homosexuals in the Closet?Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who…
Why Haven’t We Found the Missing Link in the Fossil Record? Science Answers!War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. -George Orwell If evolution is…
Bollywood Zombies and The Westernization of Indian Pop CultureGo Goa Gone, the first Western-style zombie flick to be made in Bollywood, was just…
Hungary Solves Homelessness by Finding Places for All… in Jail?The brilliant move of Hungary lawmakers to criminalize the act of being a homeless person…
The 2013 Pigasus AwardsEvery year, the James Randi Educational Foundation gives awards to recognize the special…
Did Jesus ‘Want’ to be Nailed to a Cross?I'm pretty sure the answer to the question in the title is "no," but there are many things…
Tag Archives: God
Islamic Blasphemy and the “Freedom” to Choose your Own Religion
In the last few weeks, Muslims from Bangladesh have been going crazy trying to fight back against the critical words of bloggers and other online heretics by violent riots that have so far led to the death of over 30 people. Over 100,000 rioters have been taking to the streets, and the Muslims have been arguing that things have to change for their allegedly secular government. Men must not “mix” with women, and the word of Allah must be brought into the nation’s constitution. And from there… the law against blasphemy can be brought to Western countries. Does that sound about right? It does to them.
Posted in Activism, Culture, Legal Issues
Tagged atheism, Bangladesh, blasphemy, Christian, discrimination, God, Indonesia, Islam, law, Pakistan, religion, Saudi Arabia
Leave a comment
Why Haven’t We Found the Missing Link in the Fossil Record? Science Answers!
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. -George Orwell
If evolution is such an incontrovertible “theory,” then why haven’t we found the “missing link” yet? A compelling question – if not boldly ignorant. In fact, creationists ask this question all the time, falsely asserting that there is a lack of evidence to support evolution. This article is going to look at why we don’t have all the information we want on the fossil record, and what the whole question of a “missing link” really means.
Posted in Biology & Evolution, Culture, Science, Skepticism, Technology
Tagged creationism, evolution, fossils, God, religion
Leave a comment
God on Trial (A BBC Masterpiece)
With a day before the next batch of Jews are to be dragged off to the gas chambers in another day during the Holocaust, a group of learned prisoners decided to conduct a trial. Perhaps it was to distract themselves, perhaps it was to vent, or maybe it was to feel some semblance of control or power before meeting their ultimate demise, being left to the memories of those who might live on. Whatever the case, the suspect in the trial was God. The charges? Breaking the covenant. The film “God on Trial” tells the story of these prisoners, and ends with a conclusive verdict, after a trial that completely engrosses everyone who would watch.
Einstein on God
I’m tired of hearing people cherry-pick quotes from intelligent historical figures to make their points, especially this one Albert Einstein said about god: “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.” I imagine if Einstein was alive today, he may have regretted making that statement, considering how often it has been used to support proponents of “faith” – which Einstein would never subscribe to. Einstein was a man of science, and lived his life like a true skeptic. He allowed evidence to influence his opinion, which is how science should always be conducted. The unfortunate thing about Einstein’s legacy of brilliant quotes is that they are sometimes ambiguous, as the most poetic of statements often are (which is part of the reason they’re remembered so long afterwards). This post is intended to be a reference for whenever I see someone erroneously making a statement about Einstein’s quotes on God and religion.
Posted in Biographical, Uncategorized
Tagged albert einstein, God, religion, skepticism
Leave a comment
Rock Star Skepticism
If you thought there was no skepticism in the Japanese rock scene, you would be wrong.
Most people reading this (i.e., English speakers) are probably unaware of just how much music Japan produces. Japan has a rich musical history and distinct cultural sound, not to mention the second biggest music market in the world, right after America. I find that some Japanese bands are able to tap into the sounds of their American counterparts, but not really vice-versa. Regardless, I’m not here to review music. I’m here to introduce you to the award-winning Japanese rock band “Radwimps.” Their music is not only fantastic, but their lyrics are always meaningful and fascinating. My favourite Radwimps song did what so relatively few have done in Japanese history (or mainstream music history in general): They dissed God.
Posted in Activism, Culture, Japan, Skepticism
Tagged atheism, celebrity, God, music, religion, skepticism
3 Comments