French court fines Scientologists, allows operations

By Thierry Leveque

Reuters
Tuesday, October 27, 2009; 7:36 AM

PARIS (Reuters) – A Paris court on Tuesday fined the French branch of the Church of Scientology a total of 600,000 euros ($902,200) after finding it guilty of fraud but allowed the group to continue operating in France.

When the hearing opened, there were expectations that the court could order the group to be banned in France but due to a mix-up over a law that passed in parliament just before the start of the trial in May, that option was ruled out.

The legislation has since been changed back to allow the dissolution of an organization found guilty of fraud but because of the timing of the case, there was no question of forcing the Church of Scientology to be wound up.

“It is very regrettable that the law quietly changed before the trial,” Georges Fenech, head of the Inter-ministerial Unit to Monitor and Fight Cults, told television station France 24.

“The system has now been put in place by parliament and it is certain that in the future, if new offences are committed, a ban could eventually be pronounced,” he said.

The court handed down suspended prison sentences ranging from 10 months to two years and fines of 5,000 euros to 30,000 euros to four leaders of the group in France.

“This is an important and historic decision because it is the first time that Scientology has been found guilty of involvement in organized fraud,” Olivier Morice, one of the lawyers for the civil parties to the case told reporters.

CELEBRITY MEMBERS

The case was brought by two former members who said they were cajoled into spending 21,000 euros and 49,500 euros on personality tests, vitamin cures, sauna sessions and “purification packs.”

Scientology, which is officially considered a sect in France, denies fraud and is expected to appeal.

Registered as a religion in the United States, with celebrity members such as actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, Scientology enjoys no such legal protection in France, where it has faced accusations of being a money-making cult. The trial, which began on May 25, centers on complaints made in the late 1990s.

The prosecutor had recommended that the Paris court dissolve the church’s French arm.

But it emerged during the trial that the Church of Scientology could not be dissolved in France even if it had been convicted of fraud, due to an amendment to legislation which passed unnoticed just before the trial began.

Scientology has faced numerous setbacks in France, with members convicted of fraud in Lyon in 1997 and Marseille in 1999. In 2002, a court fined it for violating privacy laws and said it could be dissolved if involved in similar cases.

Scientology says it has gone to court in many countries to uphold the right to freedom of religion.

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Scientist Craig Venter Has Created Artificial Life

Scientist Craig Venter Has Created Artificial Life
Jason Mick (Blog) – October 26, 2009 9:48 AM

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J. Craig Venter, a leading biochemistry and microbiology research has become the first to create artificial life. E  (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The DNA for the new organism was cloned in yeast. The membrane was produced by a similar cell. The result is a viable, artificially created organism.  (Source: Science)

Man can indeed create life, vitalism arguments laid to rest

Throughout the centuries vitalism remained the dominant philosophy.  Many reasoned that there was something inherently unique to life, impossible to recreate.  Modern science, however, has shown that the makeup of a living organism is nothing more than a complex mix of biochemicals.

Now a major scientific breakthrough has been made that may have profound impact on scientific research, and even how we view life itself.  John Craig Venter, founder of the The Institute for Genomic Research and the J. Craig Venter Institute, has, at last, achieved what he has been trying to do for over a decade — create artificial life.

The most basic definition of being alive, when it comes to bacteria is being able to sustain the biological process to survive and reproduce.  Neither is possible without DNA, the genetic material of living organisms.

Professor Venter began by trying to clone DNA from a bacterial species, with the hopes of eventually transplanting it into a receptive bacterial membrane and creating a viable cell.  He started with trying to use E. Coli bacteria to clone incorporated DNA from Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri, a tiny bacteria.  The E. Coli proved to not have the perfect cloning machinery, only able to replicate stretches of DNA up to a quarter of M. mycoides‘ total genome.

So Professor Venter turned to the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae — interestingly, a eukaryote (M. mycoides is a eubacteria) — to carry out the cloning.  Using the yeast, complete 1.1-Megabase M. mycoides genomes were cloned and harvested.

The next challenge was implanting the harvested genome into a receptive bacterial membrane.  As bacteria lack organelles, in a traditional sense, this membrane primarily served as protection and to provide the appropriate biochemical environment.  It also offered specialized membrane environments needed for certain reactions, like respiration.

Preparing receptor organelles — from M. mycoides and a similar species, Mycoplasma
capricolum subspecies capricolum — a new roadblock was encountered.  Enzymes preexisting in the membrane would destroy the unmethylated DNA, cloned in the yeast.  Fortunately, the solution to this problem was relatively simple, albeit intensive — Venter’s team used methylating enzymes from M. mycoides to protect the clone DNA harvested from the yeast.

Using this technique, or other methylation techniques, Craig Venter’s team succeeded in creating viable organisms.  In the case of the M. capricolum implant, the results were exceptionally notable, as it demonstrates that an artificially created organism can be generated using the shell (membrane bound cell) of an appropriate similar organism.

The groundbreaking success was reported in the September edition of the journal Science, with Carole Lartigue, S. Vashee, and M. Algire listed as the first three authors (J. Venter was later listed). Surprisingly, this potentially Nobel-worthy achievement has drawn relatively little press in the last month.

Thus, at long last, man has succeeded in a long standing dream — the creation of artificial life.  It has been done using the efficient molecular tools that nature has evolved (enzymes).  Using these tools in vivo to create target vesicles and cloned DNA, a new era of bioengineered artificial organisms is launched.

Not content to rest on his laurels, Professor Venter continues to work on developing methods of in vivo and in vitro DNA replication and assembly.  His team also continues to explore creating more artificial organisms and modified artificial organisms.  Venter’s organization holds, or has filed for, patents on many of the techniques he has used to create the artificial life.

With these tools incredible achievements may one day be possible.  We may be able to take individual genes and tailor-make bacteria as a starting point for induced evolution to produce the perfect fermenter for biofuels, or the perfect cleaner to break down or isolate oil or other toxins from the environment.  In short, it’s a brave new world now that the ability to biochemically create new life is in the hands of man.

Update: Monday Oct. 26, 2009 2:40 p.m.:
There has been some question over what exactly comprises “artificial life”.  In this case the researchers have created an organism with new genes inserted, and are claiming the organism to be a new artificial species (which notably they are trying to patent).  The grounds for calling the organism synthetic or artificial is that it was produced from non-living material, in this case a cloned genome which was non-living when removed from the yeast cell that produced it (i.e. it would be nonviable if not carefully prepped and implanted by the researchers).  This genome was created in vivo with enzymes that could, in theory, also be used in vitro.  Some, however, define synthetic/artificial life as being artificial intelligence, non-carbon based life, or life resulting from non-enzymatic production reactions.  This discovery does not meet these criteria.  Thus while the discovery can be billed as “artificial or “synthetic” life, it is important not to take it out of context.

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Nog fundie kommentaar. Magtag, maar hierdie mense is darem maar baie dom.

http://www.rapport.co.za/Content/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/2315/1562373c5f564a5f9b090f4fbfd9ed3b/24-10-2009-09-08/Lees_Bybel_met_groen_bril_of_word_vernietig

Kruispad 10/24/2009 9:47:11 PM

As ek ‘n PROF of ‘n DR. hoor ‘n mening gee gaan alle gevaar ligte aan. MAW die rooi ligte. Ek verwys na “Die wêreld stuur op ’n mens­gemaakte ramp af waarin alle lewe binnekort vernietig kan word, sê Holm” Ek verwys na “Vernietig KAN word”… Wel prof die Here Jesus het gese die Aarde en alles daarin GAAN vernietig word, nie KAN nie, maar GAAN. Ons is in die laaste UUR. Vergeet daarvan om te lees wat net jy wil sien, jy moet die Here begin vra om Sy Woord vir jou ooptebreek. Ek staan werklik verstom hoe hierdie “slim” mense nie ‘n benul het wat werklik aan die gebeur is nie. Ek se altyd, die slim mense is toe nou nie so slim nie. Hierdie Prof het ‘n godsdiens, jy noem dit evolusie! Begin weer die Here aanroep soos ‘n kind!

Magda Kopp 10/25/2009 1:00:56 AM

Jammer Professor maar in die eerste plek lees ek my Bybel deur die werking van die Heilige Gees. Die mensdom op hierdie aarde sal net verdwyn deur die wederkoms van Jesus Christus. Omdat sy liefde so groot is vir die mens stel hy sy koms uit omdat Hy wil he dat almal moet glo dat Jesus Christus die Here is. Tweedens as jy in die vlees lewe dan sal jy sulke dinge kwytraak want elke kind van God weet hoekom ons geskape is alleenlik om God te dien en ons naaste lief te he soos ons self. Die aarde behoort aan God en die volheid daarvan want aan Hom is gegee alle mag in die Hemel en op die aarde en Hy alleen sal besluit wanneer die einde aangebreek het. My redding hang nie af van n goedversorgde natuur nie maar die reddende genade van Jesus Christus. Natuurlik moet ons die omgewing mooi en skoon hou maar gaan leer jy dit vir die bewoners van Afrika wat alles wat voorkom afkap en afbrand. Nee proffie ek het die woord van God lief en ek verlustig my in my Skepper.

Francois Marais 10/25/2009 9:38:21 AM

Een van die algemeenste se dinge van wetenskaplikes en predikers van evolusie – ek sie nie die Prof is een nie- is dat die aarde se drakrag oorskry word. Bog!!! Dis agv die sondeval en mense se sondes dat die drakrag van die aarde oorkry word. Kyk maar net na Zimbabwe wat die kosmandjie van Afrika was. Ja nou is daar te veel mense want daar is nie eer kos nie. Ry maar net deur Suid Afrika. Daar is baie grond. Daar is plek vir baie mense op aarde. Die aarde is nie oorbewei nie. Net ‘n klein kommentaar op n verkeerde stelling.

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Survey Results: Religious Beliefs

Sam Harris Survey Results: Religious Beliefs NOTE: The scaling of the Y-axis varies across charts. « Back Copyright 2009 Sam Harris

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Laws against freedom of speech are becoming stronger and stronger all over the world. Just what the fundies want. They can make outrageous claims and speeches and enfuse people with hatred and it is all perfectly legal, but if we say anything they find offensive, about their religion or their cult, about the way they treat women or other humans, or because they want to trample our basic rights and force their god’s laws down on us, we can be prosecuted for it. Here we go, marching back to the glorious 16th century, where bigots burned the man who dared bring knowledge and enlightenment to other men and women.

Just say no to blasphemy laws

Perhaps in an effort to rehabilitate the United States’ image in the Muslim world, the Obama administration has joined a U.N. effort to restrict religious speech. This country should never sacrifice freedom of expression on the altar of religion.

By Jonathan Turley

Around the world, free speech is being sacrificed on the altar of religion. Whether defined as hate speech, discrimination or simple blasphemy, governments are declaring unlimited free speech as the enemy of freedom of religion. This growing movement has reached the United Nations, where religiously conservative countries received a boost in their campaign to pass an international blasphemy law. It came from the most unlikely of places: the United States.

While attracting surprisingly little attention, the Obama administration supported the effort of largely Muslim nations in the U.N. Human Rights Council to recognize exceptions to free speech for any “negative racial and religious stereotyping.” The exception was made as part of a resolution supporting free speech that passed this month, but it is the exception, not the rule that worries civil libertarians. Though the resolution was passed unanimously, European and developing countries made it clear that they remain at odds on the issue of protecting religions from criticism. It is viewed as a transparent bid to appeal to the “Muslim street” and our Arab allies, with the administration seeking greater coexistence through the curtailment of objectionable speech. Though it has no direct enforcement (and is weaker than earlier versions), it is still viewed as a victory for those who sought to juxtapose and balance the rights of speech and religion.

A ‘misused’ freedom?In the resolution, the administration aligned itself with Egypt, which has long been criticized for prosecuting artists, activists and journalists for insulting Islam. For example, Egypt recently banned a journal that published respected poet Helmi Salem merely because one of his poems compared God to a villager who feeds ducks and milks cows. The Egyptian ambassador to the U.N., Hisham Badr, wasted no time in heralding the new consensus with the U.S. that “freedom of expression has been sometimes misused” and showing that the “true nature of this right” must yield government limitations.

His U.S. counterpart, Douglas Griffiths, heralded “this joint project with Egypt” and supported the resolution to achieve “tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.” While not expressly endorsing blasphemy prosecutions, the administration departed from other Western allies in supporting efforts to balance free speech against the protecting of religious groups.

Thinly disguised blasphemy laws are often defended as necessary to protect the ideals of tolerance and pluralism. They ignore the fact that the laws achieve tolerance through the ultimate act of intolerance: criminalizing the ability of some individuals to denounce sacred or sensitive values. We do not need free speech to protect popular thoughts or popular people. It is designed to protect those who challenge the majority and its institutions. Criticism of religion is the very measure of the guarantee of free speech — the literal sacred institution of society.

Blasphemy prosecutions in the West appear to have increased after the riots by Muslims following the publication of cartoons disrespecting prophet Mohammed in Denmark in 2005. Rioters killed Christians, burned churches and called for the execution of the cartoonists. While Western countries publicly defended free speech, some quietly moved to deter those who’d cause further controversies through unpopular speech.

In Britain, it is a crime to “abuse” or “threaten” a religion under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. A 15-year-old boy was charged last year for holding up a sign outside a Scientology building declaring, “Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult. “In France, famed actress Brigitte Bardot was convicted for saying in 2006 that Muslims were ruining France in a letter to then-Interior Minister (and now President) Nicolas Sarkozy. This year, Ireland joined this self-destructive trend with a blasphemy law that calls for the prosecution of anyone who writes or utters views deemed “grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion; and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”

‘Blasphemy’ incidentsConsider just a few such Western “blasphemy” cases in the past two years:

• In Holland, Dutch prosecutors arrested cartoonist Gregorius Nekschot for insulting Christians and Muslims with cartoons, including one that caricatured a Christian fundamentalist and a Muslim fundamentalist as zombies who want to marry and attend gay rallies.

• In Canada, the Alberta human rights commission punished the Rev. Stephen Boission and the Concerned Christian Coalition for anti-gay speech, not only awarding damages but also censuring future speech that the commission deems inappropriate.

• In Italy, comedian Sabina Guzzanti was put under criminal investigation for joking at a rally that “in 20 years, the pope will be where he ought to be — in hell, tormented by great big poofter (gay) devils, and very active ones.”

• In London, an aide to British Foreign Secretary David Miliband was arrested for “inciting religious hatred” at his gym by shouting obscenities about Jews while watching news reports of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.Also, Dutch politician Geert Wilders was barred from entering Britain as a “threat to public policy, public security or public health” because he made a movie describing the Quran as a “fascist” book and Islam as a violent religion.

• In Poland, Catholic magazine Gosc Niedzielny was fined $11,000 for inciting “contempt, hostility and malice“by comparing the abortion of a woman to the medical experiments at Auschwitz.

The “blasphemy” cases include the prosecution of writers for calling Mohammed a “pedophile” because of his marriage to 6-year-old Aisha (which was consummated when she was 9). A far-right legislator in Austria, a publisher in India and a city councilman in Finland have been prosecuted for repeating this view of the historical record.

In the flipside of the cartoon controversy, Dutch prosecutors this year have brought charges against the Arab European League for a cartoon questioning the Holocaust.

What’s next?Private companies and institutions are following suit in what could be seen as responding to the Egyptian-U.S. call for greater “responsibility” in controlling speech. For example, in an act of unprecedented cowardice and self-censorship, Yale University Press published The Cartoons That Shook the World, a book by Jytte Klausen on the original Mohammed cartoons. Yale, however, (over Klausen’s objections) cut the actual pictures of the cartoons. It was akin to publishing a book on the Sistine Chapel while barring any images of the paintings.

The public and private curtailment on religious criticism threatens religious and secular speakers alike. However, the fear is that, when speech becomes sacrilegious, only the religious will have true free speech. It is a danger that has become all the more real after the decision of the Obama administration to join in the effort to craft a new faith-based speech standard. It is now up to Congress and the public to be heard before the world leaves free speech with little more than a hope and a prayer.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and a member of USA TODAY’s board of contributors.

(Illustration by Alejandro Gonzalez, USA TODAY.)

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Baie goeie artikel geskryf deur Jaap Claassens.

“Bybelse Moraliteit”

Author: Jaap Claassens

Date: 10/21/2009 16:40 h

Bybelse Moraliteit Hoekom bestaan die absurde siening dat geloof nodig is vir moraliteit? Sou dit wees dat mense nie sal weet wat die verskil tussen goed en kwaad is nie tensy dit deur God aan hulle geopenbaar is nie? Pateties! Elke gemeenskap, hetsy of dit gevestig is op geloofsoortuigings of nie, erken die basiese beginsels van moraliteit, Of sou die idee bestaan dat geloof nodig is vir moraliteit omdat mense andersins nie sou omgee as God nie beloning en saligmaking vir goeie gedrag gee en sonde straf nie? Hoekom verstaan voorstanders van godsdiensonderrig in skole nie dat die beswaar teen alle vorms van godsdiens is en dat Christene nie uitgesonder word nie en dat die beswaar slegs op Staatskole betrekking het nie. Die herhaaldelike beskuldiging dat die Christendom geteiken word, is ‘n moedswille verdraaiing of blote onnoselheid. Hoe lyk die Christelike moraliteit soos weerspieël in die Bybel en wat vir Christene so heilig is dat hulle dit aan onskuldige kinders wil opdring, in elk geval? God straf herhaaldelik mense vir die sondes van ander: o Hy straf alle moeders deur hulle aan pynlike kindergeboorte te onderwerp vir Eva se sonde. o Hy straf alle mense deur hulle tot arbeid te verdoem vir Adam se sonde (Gen. 3:16-18) o Hy berou sy skepping en in ʼn oomblik van woede pleeg hy volksmoord en verwoes die ekosisteme van die aarde deur ʼn vloed oor die aarde te bring. (Gen.6:7) o Hy verhard Farao se hart teen die vrymaking van die Israeliete (Ex. 7:3) om daardeur geleentheid te skep om verskeie plae oor Egiptenare te bring, wat as hulpelose onderdane van ʼn tiran, geen aandeel in sy besluit gehad het nie. o Hy vermoor al die eersgeborenes, selfs dié van slawemeisies, ondanks die feit dat hulle geen aandeel in die onderdrukking van die Israeliete gehad het nie. o Hy straf die kinders, kleinkinders, agter kleinkinders en agter-agter kleinkinders van dié wat enige ander gode dien. (Ex. 20:3-5) o Hy straf die Israeliete deur vier-en-twintig duisend te dood omdat sommige van hulle seks met die Moabitiese vrouens gehad het. (Num. 25: 1-9) o Hy gee aan Dawid opdrag om ʼn sensus van sy manskappe op te neem en stuur daarna ʼn plaag en dood sewentig duisend van sy volgelinge as straf omdat daar oënskynlik iets met die opname skeef geloop het. (2Sam. 24;10-15) o Hy stuur twee bere om twee-en-veertig kinders wat Elisa oor sy kaal kop gespot het, te verskeur. (2Kon. 2:23-24) o Hy verdoem en dreig die inwoners van Samaria omdat hulle in opstand is teen hom, dat hulle kindertjies verpletter sal word, dat die mans met die swaard gedood sal word en dat die swanger vrouens oopgesny sal word. (Hos. 14:1) o Hy beveel mense om owerspeliges, homoseksueles en mense wat op die sabat werk dood te maak. (Lev. 20:10; 20:13; Ex. 35:2) o Hy beveel dat mense wat bloed eet; wat velsiektes het; en wat seks met hulle vrouens het terwyl hulle menstrueer, uit die samelewing verban moet word. (Lev. 7:27; 13:46; 20:18) o Mense wat vloek moet gestenig word (Lev. 24:16) o Prostitute, moet lewendig verbrand word.(Lev. 21:9) o God beveel die Israeliete herhaaldelik tot xenofobiese geweld. (Ex. 34:11-14; Lev. 26:7-9) en volksmoord teen talle stede en stamme. Hy beveel hulle om geen genade te betoon nie en om enigiets wat asemhaal nie te spaar nie: (Num. 21:2-3; Num. 21:33-35; Deut. 2:26-5; Jos. 1-12; Deut7:2) o Slawerny word geoorloof (Lev. 25:44-16; Ef. 6:5; Kol 3:22) o Vaders mag hulle dogters as slawe verkoop (Ex. 21:7) o Slawe mag geslaan word so lank hulle net vir twee daarna bly leef (Ex. 21:20-21; Luk. 12:45-48) o Mans mag soveel vrouens en bywywe vat as wat hulle wil aanhou, aangesien owerspel vir mans net seks met ʼn getroude vrou, behels het. (Lev. 18:20) o Krygsgevangenis mag oor afgronde gegooi word om hulle te dood (2 Kron. 24:12) o Kinders mag geoffer word om God se hulp tydens oorlog te verkry (2 Kron. 24:12) of om Hom te oorreed om ʼn hongersnood te beëindig. (2 Sam 21) o Hy vertel ons dat Hy nie gekom het om vrede te bring nie maar die swaard en tweedrag tussen gesinslede te bring. (Mat. 10:34 – 37) o Hy belowe die saligheid aan die wat hulle vrouens en kinders ter wille van Hom in die steek laat. (Mat. 19:29, Mark. 10:29, Luk 18:29-30) o Hy beveel dissipels om hulle vrouens en kinders te haat. (Luk. 14-26) o Hy gee opdrag dat kinders wat op hulle ouers vloek doodgemaak moet word. (Mat. 15:4-7, Mark. 7:9-10) o Petrus en Paulus onderskryf die despotiese reël waar vrouens die swye opgelê word en hulle mans as gode moet eerbiedig. (1 Kor. 11:3, 14:34-35, Ef. 5:22-24, Kol. 3:18, 1Tim 2:11-12 en 1 Pet. 3:1) En wat het Christus te sê gehad oor hierdie wette? Mat 5:17-18. “Moenie dink dat Ek gekom het om die wet of die profete ongeldig te maak nie. Ek het nie gekom om hulle ongeldig te maak nie, maar om hulle hulle volle betekenis te laat kry. Dit verseker Ek julle: Die hemel en die aarde sal eerder vergaan as dat een letter of letterstrepie van die wet sal wegval voordat alles voleindig is.” en Luk. 13:17 “ “Tog is dit makliker vir die hemel en die aarde om te vergaan as dat een lettertjie van die wet verval.” Ten slotte ʼn enkele aanhaling van Mark Twain: “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” Bronne: Die Bybel; Elizabeth Anderson “If God is Dead, is Everything Permitted?”en Mark Twain. http://www.hulle.co.za/7501/5901.html?cc=0.6745421390005644&i=7938970#start

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Gelukkig is nie al die Afrikaners bygelowig en deur die kak nie. Dis op Rapport se blog geskryf.

http://www.rapport.co.za/Content/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/2315/a9d45b4100d54660a59d79051c3967ba/17-10-2009-10-48/Opponente_nou_tromp-op_geloop_oor_skolegodsdiens

Dewald 10/21/2009 9:10:36 AM

Hoekom moet my belastinggeld gebruik word om kinders te onderrig uit ‘n boek wat vertel die aarde is plat, wat die omtrek van ‘n sirkel verkeerd bereken, wat vertel donkies kan praat en dat die hoogste berg net meters onder die Hemel is? ‘n Boek wat die Amerikas, Australië, Ysland en Antarktika ontken? ‘n Boek wat vertel dat ‘n vrou van menstruasie genees is deur aan ‘n Jood se rok te vat? ‘n Boek wat vertel dat jy mense kan stenig oor seks? ‘n Boek wat preek ‘n oog-vir-’n-oog in in dieselfde asem draai die ander wang? ‘n Boek wat vertel miljoene soutwaterspesies het ‘n varswatervloed oorleef? ‘n Boek wat op een plek vertel dat God ‘n sensus aangevra het en op ‘n ander plek het Satan dieselfde sensus aangevra? ‘n Sensus! ‘n SENSUS! Kreefetery is sonde, mense met brille mag nie in die tempel ingaan nie. ‘n Boek wat vertel mense met ‘n ekstra spook in hulle kan gif drink en niks oorkom nie? ‘n Boek wat vertel dat Josefus Kaiafas op seker die heiligste dag van die jaar ‘n hofsitting gehou het, wat sy eie kop sou kos? ‘n Boek wat vertel Israel is weg uit Egipte uit Kanaän toe, in die tyd wat Kanaän in elk geval deur Egipte regeer is?! Dit is so laf om te sê die Afrikaner is weg uit Suid-Afrika en uit onder Zuma om in die Oos-Kaap te gaan woon!

Geloof is hoogstens vermaaklik. Ek betaal vir vermaak uit my eie beursie, nie uit belastinggeld nie.

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Tipiese Afrikaner fundie “denke”. Lees gerus hier wat hierdie poepol op die Rapport se blog geskryf het. Fok, maar daar is darem maar ‘n klomp dom fokken dose in ons ou volkie. Geen breins nie. En geen redenasie vermoens nie. Glo net in spoke, en ander stories.

http://www.rapport.co.za/Content/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/2315/a9d45b4100d54660a59d79051c3967ba/17-10-2009-10-48/Opponente_nou_tromp-op_geloop_oor_skolegodsdiens

Gereformeerde Dominee

10/20/2009 6:46:12 PM

Brentie dankie vir jou eerlike en opregte manier hoe jy die bose magte van satan hier in die bek reuk.
Evolusie is ‘n produk van die Illuminate wat aan Darwin oorgedra is net soos Marx die vlag draer van kommunisme was. In beide gevalle moes hulle eers hulle siele aan satan verkoop om later beroemdes te kon word. Hierdie sataniese beweging poog om alle kinders se siele te steel en dit uit te verkoop aan satan.
Die Hoer van Openbaring profesie is besig om voor ons oë in vervulling te kom. Die skepping is deur die enigste ware God ongeveer 7000 jaar gelede gedoen. Die aarde bestaan baie langer as dit. Satan het die eerste probeer doen nadat hy uit die hemel verban is . God het satan se werke vir ewig vernietig deur Adam en Eva (die mens) op die planeet te sit om daaroor te heers. Eers met die skepping 7000 jaar gelede het die perfekte wêreld begin met die mens as die kroon ( heerser namens God) daaroor aangestel.
Satan en sy evolusie priesters sal nooit weer beheer oor die aarde verkry nie. Ons lewe beslis in die laaste paar jare van die huige bestel voor die Here gaan kom om finaal die kaf van die koring te skei. Die wat geseënd is en die gawe van Profesie ontvang het kan saam getuig dat die Here in ons geslag gaan kom. ‘n Geslag volgens die profetiese waarheid is 40 jaar . Die profetiese klok staan op net voor 12 uur. Wees gereed om jou skepper te ontmoet , die tyd is min .
Die Einde begin op die 21 Mei 2011 .

Lees hierdie as jy nog nie gered is nie.

http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/af/may21_af.html

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Waarom is Afrikaners so gatvas en verbete?

Waarom is Afrikaners so gatvas en verbete?

2009-10-17 03:08

Max du Preez

Hoekom is so baie Afrikaners so onverdraagsaam, so allergies vir nuwe idees en vir verandering? So gatvas?

Die antwoord moet sekerlik by die geskiedenis lê – die rowwe pioniersdae van die 18de eeu; die Groot Trek en vestiging van die Boere-republieke in die 19de eeu; die kultuur van sterk leiers en getroue volgelinge; die dogmatiese Calvinisme wat sedert die vestiging van die Duitse, Hollandse en Franse setlaars 350 jaar gelede soos ’n goue draad deur die geskiedenis loop en steeds sentraal tot die Afrikanerkultuur is; die jare van laer trek omdat die res van die nasie en die wêreld die Afrikaner se politieke lewenswyse verwerplik gevind het.

Ek sien ’n nuwe opwelling in hierdie onverdraagsaamheid – ’n nuwe vasskop in die dogmatiese loopgrawe. Ek vermoed dit is omdat Afrikaanse mense al weer baie onrustig en onseker voel, waarskynlik weens ’n sterk gevoel van bedreiging.

Daar is ’n amper maniese vrees vir die onbekende, ’n diepe versugting dat hul lewens moet ophou verander.

Ons moet dit probeer verstaan, maar ons moenie daarmee vrede maak nie. Dit is myns insiens in niemand se belang dat Afrikaners hulself weer uit die nasie defini­eer en gif spoeg op almal wat krities na hulle kyk nie.

Die laaste ding wat Afrikaners nou moet doen, is om na ’n volkstaat van die gemoed te onttrek.

Die Afrikaanse media het ’n belangrike rol om te speel om die ruimte vir diskoers oop en vry te hou en om die Afrikaanse gemeenskap in kontak met die res van die land te hou.

Want die eerste manifestasie van die nuwe onverdraagsaamheid is juis dat andersdenkendes weer doodgeskreeu en uitgevloek word.

Daar is twee onlangse voorbeelde van belangrike, aktuele debatte wat toe nie debatte was nie, maar vloeksessies: godsdiensonderrig op skool en Afrikaans as onderrigtaal op Stellenbosch en ander universiteite.

Prof. George Claassen van Skepties Suid-Afrika is ’n ernstige intellektueel en ’n gerekende akademikus. Hy is nie sommer ’n hierjy-skollie wat aandag soek nie. Hy is boonop ’n streng etiese mens. Hy het ons almal ’n guns gedoen deur die vraag hard en duidelik te vra: Is dit grondwetlik, is dit gewens dat staatskole die aard van ’n spesifieke godsdiens aanneem? Ons is immers ’n sekulêre staat en ons Grondwet is baie duidelik daaroor dat ons algehele godsdiensvryheid het.

Arme George en sy ganse familie en voorgeslagte is binne twee weke só uitgeskel en inderdaad gedreig – en dit in die naam van Jesus Christus, die Seun van die God van Liefde – dat hy in sy dop gekruip en sy veldtog laat vaar het. Kwalik die gedrag van ’n fanatiese ateïs wat oorlog teen die Christendom verklaar het.

Dié wat wel argumente aangebied het, het meestal gesê die meeste mense in Suid-Afrika is Christene, daarom moet staatskole Christelike skole wees.

Ek vermoed dieselfde mense is voor in die koor wanneer daar om minderheidsregte gepleit word en swart Suid-Afrikaners daaraan herinner word dat demokrasie nie net gaan oor wie meer as die helfte van die steun het nie.

Baie ander het weer gesê staatskole moet hul Christelike karakter behou, want leerlinge wat nie Christene is nie, mag mos maar die godsdiensonderrig misloop. My Afrikaanse Moslem-buurman het juis verlede week vir my vertel hoe hy sy hele skoolloopbaan (by ’n Christelike staatskool) lank gemaak het of hy ’n Christen was, net om nie as heiden of die Antichris uitgesonder te word nie. Toe sy pa uitvind hy het saam met die Christene gebid en gesing, het hy hom ’n helse loesing gegee.

Maar meestal het mense vir George gesê hy is ’n vieslike ongedierte en God sal hom straf.

Toe ek op skool was, het onderwysers my geleer dat Afrikaners die uitverkore volk is wat deur God na Donker Afrika gestuur is om die barbare te tem. Apartheid kom uit die Bybel, het hulle gesê, nes die meeste dominees van daardie dae. Die Rooms-Katolieke was nie Christene nie, die Jode het Liewe Jesus doodgemaak en die Moslems was die Antichris.

Die Apostolies en ander hêppie klêppies was laeklas-Afrikaners en jy moet eintlik jou hond op die Sewendedagadventiste sit as hulle by jou kom aanklop.

Gelukkig het my ouers dié soort twak uitdruklik verwerp en ’n verdraagsame, liefdevolle weergawe van Christenwees aan hul kinders oorgedra.

So watter weergawe van die Christelike geloof wil jy hê die juffrou moet jou bloedjie mee beïnvloed, liewe beswaarde leser?
Sal jy kwaad wees as sy sê Jesus wou hê mense moet eers gedoop word as hulle volwasse is en self ’n keuse kan maak?

Of as sy sê ’n mens moenie die Bybel as ’n historiese dokument sien nie en dat alles in die Bybel nie letterlik opgeneem moet word nie? Of dat die aarde volgens die Bybel presies 6?000 jaar oud is en inderdaad in sewe dae deur God geskape is? Dat homoseksualiteit ’n aartssonde is? Dat jou kind se Moslem- of Hindoe-maatjie die vyand is wat vir ewig in die hel gaan brand?

My kind se spiritualiteit is primêr my verantwoordelikheid, minstens tot in haar tienderjare. Dit is my taak om haar gebalanseerd groot te maak, ’n sin van etiese waardes, reg en regverdigheid te gee en van genoeg insigte en alternatiewe in te lig sodat sy ingeligte, verantwoordelike keuses vir haarself kan maak as die tyd vir haar ryp is.

Geen onderwyser durf daarmee inmeng nie. (Nou gaan ek ook seker geskel en gedreig word. Die dierbare broers en susters in Christus gaan hul duime weer blink SMS met beledigings en verkleinerings.)

Hierdie argumente is heeltemal deur die onverdraagsames, wat hulself Christene noem, gestoomroller. Ek vermoed dit gaan vir baie nie eens soveel oor hul Christenskap nie, maar oor ’n intense weersin daarin dat enigiemand verder torring met hoe hulle wil lewe.

Want kom ons wees maar eerlik: Vir Afrikaners (dalk is dit universeel so) is die kerk baie meer ’n kulturele en gemeenskapsinstelling as ’n spirituele een.

Miskien is dit iets wat George Claassen en Skepties Suid-Afrika ook in gedagte moet hou: Of mense se geloof nou irrasioneel
of onlogies is of nie, religie speel ’n belangrike rol in groepe se gemeenskapslewe.

Die taaldebat, veral sover dit Stellenbosch aangaan, is ’n ander debat wat toe nooit juis ’n debat geword het nie, maar eerder ’n moddergooiery en ’n stel van verspot-simplistiese eise.

Soos: As die Engelse hul eie universiteite kan hê, hoekom nie die Afrikaners nie? En: As jy in Duitsland by ’n universiteit wil gaan studeer of klasgee, moet jy eers leer Duits praat, so hoekom eis ons nie dat studente en lektore by Stellenbosch eers Afrikaans magtig is nie? En enigiemand wat die absurde logika daarvan uitwys, is ’n verloopte Afrikaner en ’n ANC-gatkruiper.

Selfs die doktore en professore wat taalbul-hoede dra, is baie traag om in debat te tree oor kwessies soos die onhoudbaarheid dat Stellenbosch voorgraads oorweldigend wit en bruin gaan wees met ’n amper totale uitsluiting van swart as net Afrikaans voorgraads as onderrigtaal gebruik word.

Soos die absurditeit om briljante internasionale akademici uit Stellenbosch te hou omdat hulle nie Afrikaans kan praat nie – die voorbeeld van Stephen Hawking is onlangs genoem.

Ek weet self nie wat die oplossing is nie. Ek sou graag wou sien dat Afrikaans as akademiese taal voortleef, maar ek weet ook dit is ongesond en polities onhaalbaar om swart studente weens taal uit te sluit. Die debat is só onverkwiklik dat ek ná al die jare steeds nie vir myself kan besluit watter beleid ek moet steun nie.

Ja, bring maar die skeltaal. Dié van ons wat glo in oop gesprek en verdraagsaamheid moet maar die beledigings soos water oor ’n eend se rug laat afvloei.

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Bracelets ‘useless’ in arthritis

Magnetic devices have been used for arthritis for centuries

Copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps are useless for relieving pain in people with arthritis, say University of York researchers.

In the first tightly controlled trial to look at both alternative therapies, there was no benefit to their use for pain or stiffness.

All 45 patients tested a copper bracelet, two different magnetic wrist straps, and a demagnetised version.

An arthritis charity said people should not waste their money on the therapies.

Study leader Stewart Richmond, a research fellow in the Department of Health Sciences, said there had only been one other randomised controlled trial – comparing the treatment with placebo – on copper bracelets and that was done in the 1970s.

Although there is a big public appetite for non-drug treatments from arthritis patients, we would not encourage them to spend a lot of money on products for which there is very little scientific evidence Jane Tadman, Arthritis Research Campaign Read your comments here

The market – particularly in magnetic devices which can cost £25 and £65 for the wrist straps – is worth billions of dollars worldwide.

In the trial, 45 people aged 50 or over, who were all diagnosed as suffering from osteoarthritis wore each of the four devices in a random order over a 16-week period.

They were all ineffective in terms of pain, stiffness and physical function, the researchers reported in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.

Placebo effect

“It appears that any perceived benefit obtained from wearing a magnetic or copper bracelet can be attributed to psychological placebo effects,” said Mr Richmond.

“People tend to buy them when they are in a lot of pain, then when the pain eases off over time they attribute this to the device.

“However, our findings suggest that such devices have no real advantage over placebo wrist straps that are not magnetic and do not contain copper.”

He said the marketing of the devices was often to vulnerable elderly people.

Jane Tadman from the Arthritis Research Campaign said although many people with arthritis wore copper bracelets, there was no current research that supports their use.

“Although there is a big public appetite for non-drug treatments from arthritis patients, we would not encourage them to spend a lot of money on products for which there is very little scientific evidence,” she added.

The charity is in the process of compiling a report on the effectiveness of complementary therapies and arthritis.

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Dangers of a Catholic Upbringing

As I  walked down the busy sidewalk, knowing I was  late for Mass, my eye fell upon one of those  unfortunate, homeless vagabonds (you know – tattered clothing, long hair etc) that are found  in every city these days.

Some  people turned to stare. Others quickly looked  away as if the sight would somehow contaminate  them..

Recalling my old  pastor, Father Mike, who always admonished  me to ‘care for the sick, feed the hungry and  clothe the naked,’ I was moved by some powerful  inner urge to reach out to this unfortunate  person.

Wearing  what can only be described as rags, carrying  every worldly possession in two plastic bags, my  heart was touched by this person’s  condition.

Yes, where  some people saw only rags, I saw a true, hidden  beauty.

A small  voice inside my head called out, ‘Reach out,  reach out and touch this  person!’

So I  did……

I won’t be  at Mass this week….

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‘Die wetenskap soek nie die vingerafdrukke van God nie’

2009-10-10 16:11

//

Vroeër vanjaar skryf prof. George Claassen in Rapport hy is geensins skaam om ’n ateïs genoem te word nie, maar hy’s g’n militant.
Vanoggend, hier in die joernalistiekdepartement se Eduardiaanse gebou in Stellenbosch, sê Claassen in sy sagte, ordentlike stem: hy wil nie meer ’n ateïs genoem word nie.
“Moenie dit aan die groot klok hang nie. Noem my eerder ’n sekulêre humanis.”
Pas weer, nét toe die debat oor sy veldtog teen godsdiens in skole (“ons woon nie meer in Nazi-Duitsland nie”) behoorlik begin knetter, toe onttrek hy hom.
Retireer is die beste geweer as dinge té warm raak? vra ek die skraal man met die ronderaambril.
“Dis weens persoonlike beledigings. Daar was geweldige aanvalle op my.”
Toe los hy dit vir Hans Pietersen en die ander veldtogvoerders om die kastaiings uit die vuur te krap?
“Hans-hulle het mý genader om die veldtog te begin. Maar terugskouend was dit ’n fout om betrokke te raak – ek wil nie alles wat ek doen hierdeur in diskrediet bring nie.”
Daar’s moedswilliges wat reken hy doen dit in elk geval?…
Claassen, buitengewone professor in joernalistiek, koerant-ombudsman, wetenskapskrywer, “stigterslid en eerste president” van die organisasie Skepties Suid-Afrika (SSA) asook president van die Suid-Afrikaanse vereniging van wetenskapjoernaliste, word gereeld beskuldig van onnodige venyn teenoor godsdiens, dat hy Christene in sy koerantrubrieke as belaglik en ondenkend afmaak.
Jare lank al waai die hare.
Was omstredenheid ’n primaat, dan’s George Claassen ’n berg-gorilla.
So hoe kon dié skeptikus dan só maklik sy SSA-stryd teen godsdiens in skole gewonne gee – not with a bang, but with a whimper?
“Eintlik het ek gehoop dinge sou verander, maar ek het nou weer die dure les geleer: my mede-Afrikaners wil nie debatteer nie.”
Los die Boerevolk uit, is hy gedreig. En: hy gaan “gemoer” word as hy sy voete in Gauteng sit. Solidariteit se skakelbeampte, Jaco Kleynhans, laat weet hy gaan hom en sy ou vereniginkie regsien.
“Wie gee hom die reg om my te hierjy? Ek het hom menéér Kleynhans genoem,” sê hy effe selfvoldaan. Hý “geagte meneer” almal terug wat hom so aanval in e-posse!
En hy kry baie sulkes.
Daar’s hope ondersteuning vir hul veldtog, sê hy en rits ’n lys bekende doktore en professore af. Boonop is SSA se e-pos “tjok-enblok vol” aansoeke om lidmaatskap.
Later, op navraag, laat weet hy SSA se ledetal is tans 200.
Dan swaai hy die gesprek om. Vertel hoe beroerd Suid-Afrika gevaar het in ’n internasionale opname in die Darwin Now 200-herdenkingsjaar. “Net 12% Suid-Afrikaners het gesê hulle beskou evolusie as ’n geldige wetenskapsteorie.”
Hy skud sy kop in volslae verbystering. “Dit wys hoe verskriklik oningelig Suid-Afrikaners is.”
Dis hoekom hy die veldtog begin het: godsdiens maak inbreuk op kinders se klastyd, indoktrineer hulle, verhinder onafhanklike denke.
Sy oudste broer het hom intussen daaraan herinner: hul pa het destyds as skoolhoof óók in die weeklikse saalbyeenkoms die Bybel gelees.
“Maar dit was vir tien minute, dan’s dit verby.”
Daarmee het hy nie ’n probleem nie, sê hy. “Die nasionale opvoedingswet stel goeie riglyne, hulle moet net nagekom word.”
Onderwysers wat sonder enige teologie-opleiding Bybelprekies gee in klastyd (“daar’s heelwat sulke klagtes”) moet egter verkla en teen opgetree word.
“Prediker maak die punt: daar’s ’n tyd en plek vir alles.”
Haal dié Dawkins-dissipel nou aan uit die Bybel?
Hy lag liggies. “Ek ken die Bybel goed. My ou Bybel is orals onderstreep.”
Daar’s bewerings dat die prof dieselfde in sý lesings doen. Dat hy ’n boelie is wat g’n teenstand duld nie, wat ateïsme in sy studente se kele afdruk. Een oud-student vertel hy’t hul heel eerste lesing afgeskop met die woorde: daar is nie ’n god nie.
“Wie’t dit gesê? Ek ontken dit ten sterkste. Ek word jaarliks geëvalueer deur my studente – waar kom dit nou vandaan?
“Op die eerste dag sê ek altyd: ‘hierdie klas gaan jou blootstel aan die grense wat wetenskap verskuif, dit gaan moontlik jou vaste sekerhede aantas.’
“En dan voeg ek by: ‘dié klas het niks te doen met jou godsdiensbenadering nie. Die wetenskap het niks oor God te sê nie.’ Dis my punt,” sê hy gebelgd.
Kennisse en kollegas beskryf Claassen as die besadigste, rustigste man. Maar noem net “geloof” en “evolusie”, hoor jy, dan verander Dr Jekyll in Mr Hyde.
Hoe kan mense hom daarvan beskuldig, kla hy. “Ek het geensins ’n aversie teen godsdienstiges nie.”
En hoe kán mense beweer hy’s nie ’n wetenskaplike nie?
“Ek is ’n sosiaal-wetenskaplike met meer as 20 portuur-geëvalueerde artikels in portuur-geevalueerde internasionale tydskrifte,” struikel hy byna oor die woorde, haastig om sy punt te stel.
Later: Hy wil net beklemtoon, hy is die énigste plaaslike joernalis wat ’n onderhoud gevoer het met die twee menslike-genoom-leiers, Francis Collins en Craig Venter, “wat weerskante van Bill Clinton gestaan het met die bekendstelling van die menslike-genoom-kartering in 2000?… My Collins-onderhoud is in By se bedkassieboek opgeneem.”
Met sy wetenskaprubriek (deesdae Kwakoskoop in By) is Claassen sedert 2001 Die Burger se gedrewe “onsinverklikker” van pseudo-wetenskap en “bedrieërs” soos Marietta Theunissen (dié aanbieder van die TV-program Die ander kant) kan hom maar van laster aankla, nooi hy uit.
Die persoonlike aanvalle op hom het in 2006 begin, met sy kritiese resensie van Leon Rousseau se boek Die groot avontuur, vertel hy.
Al wat hy gedoen het, was om Rousseau (“?’n leek wat nie sy huiswerk behoorlik gedoen het nie”) se “onsinnighede” uit te wys.
“Ek het nie oor Rousseau iets gesê nie, net oor sy boek,” sê hy weer, ’n pilaar van redelikheid.
In sy resensie het hy ook verwys na Gideon Joubert se Die groot gedagte as ’n “pseudo-wetenskaplike prul”.
“Toe word ek uitgeskel as ’n militante ateïs. Hoe kon hulle? Hulle ken my nie.”
Die herrie oor dié resensie het vanjaar weer vlamgevat, en daarmee saam die beskuldigings dat hy op ’n missie is om Afrikaanse mense te bekeer vir
ateïsme.
Hy lag. “Kom ek vertel jou iets persoonliks. My pa is amper 93. ’n Oorwoë Christen. My ma ook, sy’s 90. Ons het nog nooit vasgesit oor godsdiens nie. Hulle’s op hul laaste bene, maar ek probeer hulle nie anders oortuig nie.”
Om die Claassens se etenstafel, vertel hy vol geesdrif, is daar kleintyd oor Darwin en die wetenskap gesels. Oor die kennis wat dit bring, maar ook oor foute wat gemaak is, steeds gemaak word. En dis die krág van die wetenskap, beklemtoon hy: die wetenskap werk met onsekerhede, en erken dit.
Dan vat hy my op ’n wye toer van Die Groot Gedagte, Galileo, regdeur tot die Hubble-teleskoop. Begeesterd soos ’n varsbekeerde gelowige.
“Dis my probleem met godsdienstiges wat sê ek verkleineer hulle. Dis húlle wat gewoonlik dink hulle’s onaantasbaar, dat hul geloof nie hersien kan word nie.
“Sodra ek oor evolusie skryf, dan’s ék die ‘bleddie fool’, want ‘evolusie is nie ’n feit nie, dis ’n teorie’.
“Ek raak geïrriteerd as mense soveel selfgekose onkunde openbaar!”
En naderhand skree almal al hoe harder op mekaar?
Hy knik instemmend. “Inderdaad.”
Daar’s g’n middeweg tussen die militante fundamentaliste en die militante ateïste nie?
Maar dis hý, roep hy uit hier in die kantoortjie.
’n Vriend noem hom die Richard Dawkins van Suid-Afrika.
Dus: soos Dawkins die rottweiler van Darwin genoem word, is Claassen seker Dawkins se chihuahua?
Hy lag. En jy weet: agter daai lag is daar nie net ’n byt nie, daar’s ’n giga-byt.
Glo George Claassen in God?
“Nee, ek is wetenskap-gedrewe. Die wetenskap soek bewyse, spreek hom nie uit oor God nie. Jy kan dit as opskrif vir dié onderhoud gebruik: die wetenskap soek nie die vingerafdrukke van God nie.
“Ek volg die Carl Sagan-benadering, ek hou my opsies oop. Ek sê nie daar is nié ’n God nie, want dáárvoor het ek ook nie bewyse nie.”
Wat het dié oud-diaken só ontgogel van Christenskap?
“In my middel-dertigs het ek stelselmatig besef: daai wêreld werk nie meer vir my nie. Hoe meer ek lees, hoe meer vrae was daar.”
Sy kinders is Sondagskool toe. Hy’t hulle “vrye keuse” gegee. Die jongste, Craig, het onlangs opgewonde laat weet hy’t Dawkins se nuutste boek raakgeloop, vertel sy pa trots.
Hy sit daar en jy sien dieselfde sagte oë, dieselfde stille gedrewenheid as sy oud-Springbokkaptein-broer, Wynand.
Maar vir Darwin, vermoed jy, sou George Claassen bereid wees om van die pen ’n swaard te maak, van sy woorde die plofstof aan sy lyf?…

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Prometheus Liberated

Prometheus is back online.

This email from George:

“Dear All / Beste Almal

My previous blog, Prometheus Unbound, collapsed because of apparant technical problems. I first suspected hackers friendly to the religion-in-school-campaigners but they are really innocent (!?) Thanks for all your concerns. / Baie dankie vir almal wat hieroor navraag gedoen het! Would you please forward this to others who may not been included in this email.

My nuwe blog se naam is Prometheus Liberated (die arend vreet nie meer aan sy lewer nie!). Die nuwe adres is: http://georgeclaassen.wordpress.com.

Ditto in Afrikaans!

Groete.

–
George Claassen
Interim President / iBambela-Mongameli /
South African Science Journalists’ Association (SASJA) / iQumrhu Lentantheli leZenzululwazi loMzantsi Afrika
Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Wetenskapjoernaliste (SAVWJ)”

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Die fundies noem dit: “geestelike oorlogvoering soos min”. Hulle bid nou in hulle 10 duisende om die “reg” te he om hulle spoke te aanbid in die publieke skole. M.A.W. hulle dring aan op die reg om hulle godsdiens in almal se kinders se kele in af te druk. Ons sal maar sien of een van hulle spoke tot hulle redding kom. Ek hoop nie enige iemand hou hulle asem op nie. Hulle noem die matriek leerling ‘n “kruisvader”. He-he!!!!! Dis fokken snaaks! Die arme Afrikaner. Hulle is so verlore in hulle donker spook aanbidding/godsiens dat hulle nie eers meer krieties kan dink nie. Rasionaliteit is lankal by die deur uit. Gin wonder hulle glo regtig net god kan dinge in SA beter maak nie.

Jessie (18) lei wêreld in gebed vir God in skole

2009-10-03 22:20

Johannes de Villiers

Dis nou geestelike oorlogvoering soos min.

Duisende mense het Vrydag gelyktydig tien minute lank op hul knieë gegaan om vir die behoud van godsdiens in skole te bid – sommige so ver as Amerika en die Midde-Ooste, ander in groepe in dorpe soos Witrivier, Bothaville en Vryheid.

Dit was een van die grootste gebedsveldtogtein ’n lang tyd en is gereël deur ’n 18-jarige kruisvaarder.

Jessie Bester is ’n matriekleerling en CSV-voorsitter aan die Hoërskool Nico Malan in Humansdorp. Hy behoort vir sy skooleindeksamen te leer, maar toe hy twee weke gelede in Rapport van die debat oor godsdiens in skole lees, het hy oornag ’n landwye teenveldtog gereël.

So suksesvol is dié veldtog dat Jessie Vrydagaand mense van die VSA, Ierland, die Midde-Ooste en oor die hele Suid-Afrika heen gemobiliseer het om van 21:00 tot 21:10 vir die behoud van godsdiens in skole te bid.

Die herrie het begin toe prof. George Claassen twee weke gelede aangekondig het hy gaan skole verkla wat wederregtelik godsdiens beoefen. Sedertdien is die mantel in dié stryd oorgeneem deur die Afrikanervrydenkersbeweging (AVB) onder leiding van mnr. Hans Pietersen.

Nadat hy van die herrie gehoor het, het Jessie ’n Facebook-groep genaamd “Christenskap sal Vrylik in Skole Aanbly, Come Hell or High Water!!” gestig. Hy het briewe aan koerante gestuur en selfs die hulp van die prediker Angus Buchan ingeroep (hoewel Buchan nog nie sy deelname aan die veldtog bevestig het nie).

Binne ’n week het hy bloot op Facebook 3?000 geesgenote gemobiliseer, selfs die taalstryder Dan Roodt. “Daar is ’n tannie van iets in die 60, maar ook kinders van 12 en 13 jaar oud,” vertel Jessie.

Teen gisteraand was daar 4?062 lede.

Net uit die mense wat hul deelname aan sy beplande biddag aan hom bevestig het, kon hy aflei daar was meer as 5?000 saambidders. En boonop het nog talle stil-stil deelgeneem.

“Ek weet watter bekerings in die CSV plaasvind,” vertel Jessie. “Dit is hoekom ek so vuur en vlam hieroor voel.”

Jessie self was by vriende in Stellenbosch toe hulle Vrydagaand saam met hul geloofsgenote gebid het. “Ons was net klaar toe die elektrisiteit afgaan. Toe dink ek ons moes seker maar vir Eskom ook op ons gebedslys gesit het.”

Intussen het Pietersen en die AVB beklemtoon dat hul veldtog nie ’n stryd van ateïste teen Christene is nie. Daar is ook Christene aan hul kant, insluitend die prominente betrokkenheid van mnr. Attie Koekemoer, met ’n teologiese kwalifikasie van die Hervormde Kerk, wat sy bedenkinge oor die inhoud van sommige skole se godsdiensbeoefening het.

Die AVB het al dreigemente ontvang van mense wat skryf hul “dae is getel” en “as die kragte losbars, sal julle dit berou”, maar volgens Pietersen gaan hulle hul nie laat afskrik nie.

- Rapport

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‘God does exist’ A great example of the ignorance in South Africa, and more to the point, in the South African press. From a NEWS24 article. Enjoy. Don’t break anything while you laugh your arses off please!!!

‘God does exist’

by CraigXII 2009-10-02 12:00

Recently I wrote an article entitled What is our purpose on earth? The responses were quite surprising to say the least.

Apart from the usual chastisement that is received by many of the writers, there was a strong emphasis on religion in the comments under the article.

I have to say, I am a spiritual person. I believe that God does exist and that we were created for a purpose.

I decided to formulate an argument against those theories that rebel against the notion of God.

EVOLUTION

If we did evolve into the creatures we are today, why is it that we can find no intermediary species (the missing link)? For every animal on the planet, we assume (under the evolutionary hypothesis) that each one evolved into its present form.

There is just one problem with that – apart from the Archaeopteryx – there is no known missing link available for any creature. In other words, no skeletal system has been found to confirm evolution does take place through the process proposed by Darwin (early man skeletons are based on jaw fragments and one or two femur bones, there  is no complete skeleton). Yes, the Galapagos Islands did, and still do, have very different animal life when compared to the rest of the world, but instead of taking environmental, atmospheric and social factors into account when formulating his idea – Darwin simply circumvented all of the known factors for physiological differences by creating a nice grand theory of life – decidedly ungodly.

My next argument for this point is: why did evolution stop? For the roughly 4 000 years of sentiency that we have enjoyed we can find no evidence that evolution is still taking place. In other words, why are the monkeys or dolphins not evolving into better versions of themselves? Are we saying that those species are perfect?

Next argument: If evolution does exist, what does that say about us? Recent studies have shown that our brains are actually shrinking not growing. Is our cognitive functioning not what sets us apart from the animals? Why then would nature allow our brains to shrink? Isn’t that devolution? Google it!

THE BIG BANG

Many people believe the big bang gave birth to our current universe. Fair enough, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that something like that did occur.

The question we have to ask is what caused the big bang? Even if we follow the chain of what caused what down a chronological line of events we still come to a point where nothing becomes something and without some sort of intervention by something greater than us, it boggles the mind as to how it should occur.

All I am saying is that we know very little about our universe, let alone our own mind and body. We should accept that there is a greater power than us and it more than likely created us or had the intention to create us.

It’s all rather confusing and somewhat intimidating; it makes me feel unsure about everything! But I tell you what, that’s why faith is so important.

I don’t think people who don’t believe in God are idiots. In fact these people are bright intelligent humans. But that’s the problem, just because you are smart you feel like you can answer all the questions with science.

NEWSFLASH: science can’t answer everything.

Better to acknowledge the presence of God than to worship science as the be all and end all.

What do you really have to lose? Nothing, except our immoral nature.

http://www.news24.com/Content/MyNews24/YourStory/1162/f770c3f3dc9b486ab251cf248deeae91/02-10-2009-12-00/God_does_exist

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Prometheus Ongebonde gets “deleted” from WordPress. Was this done by hackers?

Prometheus Ongebonde

The authors have deleted this blog.

The content is no longer available.

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The NASA plot thickens! Another image they don’t want you to see.

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What NASA does not want us to see.

The “official” picture released by NASA was obviously Photoshopped. This is the original, leaked by an insider.

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A look back to the dawn

The way we were: This recently released Nasa image, taken by the refurbished Hubble space telescope, shows stars bursting to life in the chaotic Carina Nebula. Photograph: AP/NASA

Interview with Simon White, a cosmologist who will give a public talk in Dublin on how the entire universe emerged from an initial fog of matter, writes DICK AHLSTROM

TELESCOPES are like time machines. The deeper they can see into the night sky, the further back in time they allow us to travel.

Prof Simon White plans to take us back some considerable distance, more than 13 billion years to when the universe was just 400,000 years old.

At that point it would have looked as if it were nothing much more than a dense fog, no stars, no points of light, says White, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and one of the world’s leading cosmologists. “It is like looking up at the clouds on a cloudy day.”

If you have doubts about our capacity to achieve such an accomplishment, returning to within just a few hundred thousand years of the Big Bang that created the universe, White will convince you otherwise.

On Monday, October 12th, he will deliver the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies’ statutory public lecture 2009 at University College Dublin. His talk is entitled: All from nothing: the structuring of our universe .

One of his key points is we don’t have to theorise about the evolution of the universe, we can actually see it. It is based on detecting the very weak, very difficult to see, leftover energy from the Big Bang, the cosmic microwave background radiation spread across the sky.

“We are seeing a direct image of what the universe looked like when it was 400,000 years old,” Prof White says.

Evidence of the microwave background radiation has been available since the 1960s and has been studied by several satellites. Early data from the Cobe satellite provided a very “smooth” microwave image, but the more recent and highly successful WMAP satellite (http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/) had a sharper view and showed that the microwave background was anything but smooth.

Images provided by WMAP show the clumpy, inconsistent spread of what matter then existed, nothing more than broken up hydrogen and helium atoms and a still mysterious substance known to cosmologists as “dark matter”.

“As the universe expanded, it started cooling down and started to coagulate into lumps. That started when the universe was less than one billion years old,” White says.

Those lumps in turn became stars and galaxies, and still later, planets and moons. But studies of the microwave background also provided other details, he continued.

WMAP, and soon its successor, Europe’s Planck satellite, told us more about the make-up of the total universe. Just 4.6 per cent is made of the stuff we can see, baryonic matter including stars. The greater preponderance is invisible to us, with more than 25 per cent of the matter/energy mix made up of dark matter and an impressive 72 per cent made up of dark energy.

All three were there at the start, but dark energy’s role was apparently minimal. “The dark energy wasn’t doing anything at that stage but the dark matter was already having an effect,” he says.

We know that dark matter is important, given calculations which show that the visible matter in a galaxy isn’t enough to hold the whole thing together. Dark matter is there giving a “gravitational boost” to keep the galaxy from flying apart.

What this stuff is remains a mystery however. “We think it is a new kind of elementary particle, but that is a guess,” White says. But while this “dark matter problem” is difficult, still greater questions remain over dark energy.

“What has happened in more recent times is the universe has started expanding and that is the dark energy. We haven’t a clue what it is, it doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of physics. It drives the cosmic expansion but it doesn’t interact with anything else.”

Not in doubt, however, is the contribution being made by dark energy to the rapid expansion of the universe. There won’t be any more matter, but there will be more space and so neighbouring galaxies will seem to disappear over the horizon leaving us very much on our own in the universe. “It looks as though it is heading towards becoming a really cold place.”

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Fossil finds extend human story

By Jonathan Amos Science reporter, BBC News

An impression of what “Ardi” would have looked like based on the fossil finds

An ancient human-like creature that may be a direct ancestor to our species has been described by researchers.

The assessment of the 4.4-million-year-old animal called Ardipithecus ramidus is reported in the journal Science.

Even if it is not on the direct line to us, it offers new insights into how we evolved from the common ancestor we share with chimps, the team says.

Fossils of A. ramidus were first found in Ethiopia in 1992, but it has taken 17 years to assess their significance.

The most important specimen is a partial skeleton of a female nicknamed “Ardi”.

If Ardipithecus ramidus was not actually the species directly ancestral to us, she must have been closely related to it The Ardipithecus project team

The international team has recovered key bones, including the skull with teeth, arms, hands, pelvis, legs, and feet.

But the researchers have other fragments that may represent perhaps at least 36 different individuals, including youngsters, males, and females.

One of the lead scientists on the project, Professor Tim White from the University of California, Berkeley, said the investigation had been painstaking.

“It took us many, many years to clean the bones in the National Museum of Ethiopia and then set about to restore this skeleton to its original dimensions and form; and then study it and compare it with all the other fossils that are known from Africa and elsewhere, as well as with the modern age,” he told the journal.

“This is not an ordinary fossil. It’s not a chimp. It’s not a human. It shows us what we used to be.”

Tree life

The fossils come from the Middle Awash study area in the Afar Rift, about 230km northeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.

Natural History Museum’s Professor Chris Stringer: “The skeleton is very primitive”

Some of the characteristics of the animal’s skeleton are said to echo features seen in very ancient apes; others presage traits seen in later, more human-like species.

The scientists say 1.2m-high (4ft) Ardi was good at climbing trees but also walked on two feet. However she did not have arched feet like us, indicating that she could not walk or run for long distances.

“She has opposable great toes and she has a pelvis that allows her to negotiate tree branches rather well,” explained team-member Professor Owen Lovejoy, from Kent State University, Ohio.

“So half of her life is spent in the trees; she would have nested in trees and occasionally fed in trees, but when she was on the ground she walked upright pretty close to how you and I walk,” he told BBC News.

That she lived in what would have been a wooded area 4.4 million years ago is somewhat challenging, says the team. It had been thought that early human evolution was driven, if only in part, by the disappearance of trees – encouraging our ancestors to walk on the ground.

“These creatures were living and dying in a woodland habitat, not an open savannah,” said Professor White.

Because of its age, Ardipithecus is said to take science closer to the yet-to-be-found last common ancestor with chimps, our close genetic relatives.

And because many of Ardipithecus‘ traits do not appear in modern-day African apes, it suggests this common ancestor may have existed much further back in time than had previously been supposed – perhaps seven or nine million years ago.

Comparisons with modern chimp and gorilla anatomy also underline just how much these African apes themselves have evolved since parting company with the line that led eventually to modern humans.

Rapid evolution

Asked whether A. ramidus was our direct ancestor or not, the team said more fossils from different places and time periods were needed to answer the question.

“We will need many more fossil recoveries from the period of 3-5 million years ago to confidently answer that question in the future,” the scientists said in a briefing document that accompanied their journal papers.

“But if Ardipithecus ramidus was not actually the species directly ancestral to us, she must have been closely related to it, and would have been similar in appearance and adaptation.

It has been a 17-year investigation to assess the discoveries

Independent experts in the field are struck by how primitive Ardipithecus appears compared with the Australopithecines, another group of hominid (human-like) creatures from Africa that lived slightly nearer to us in time.

One species in particular, Australopithecus afarensis, the famous “Lucy” fossil found in 1974, is very strongly linked into the human story because of its developed walking ability.

For Ardipithecus ramidus to also sit on that direct line seemed to require some rapid evolutionary change, commented Professor Chris Stringer from London’s Natural History museum.

“With Australopithecus starting from four million years ago, one would have thought that things would have moved further down the line by 4.4 million years ago,” he told BBC News.

“OK, you can have very rapid change, perhaps; or Ardipithecus might be a residual form, a relic of a somewhat older stage of evolution that had carried on. Perhaps we will find something more like Australopithecus at 4.4 million years old somewhere else in Africa.”

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