[QUOTE=mswas]
However, this thread is convincing me that the atheists with a sense of humor can be counted on like one hand. If Daniel Dennet in a pimp hat and PZ Myers with a Cigar ain’t funny, I don’t know what is.
[/quote]
I think you’re suffering from confirmation bias. By my count, five (5) people here have said that the video is funny, and two (2) have said it is not. None who rated it positively mentioned whether they are atheists, but at least three said that they weren’t impressed by the argument. For the record, I was one of the ones who said it was funny, and I’m an atheist.
I don’t get what “the machine” is supposed to be. Is it some sort of representation of “big science”? Anyway, the video was OK. Parody stuff like that isn’t very difficult to do, so I’m not too impressed.
I’m an atheist who doesn’t particularly like Dawkins for his rather authoritarian attitudes (and his counterproductive abrasiveness), but I just don’t care what your opinions are; that video was fucking funny. Worth it just for Dancing Darwin at the end. Really well done, as well; not much forced meter and the animation was pretty slick (by Youtube standards, at least). I don’t think it’s particularly trying to make a point, either, it’s just taking the piss, and doing it quite well. I don’t understand why anyone would think it needs “refuting”. It’s a joke; no more, no less.
[QUOTE=John Mace]
Parody stuff like that isn’t very difficult to do, so I’m not too impressed.
[/QUOTE]
I think it’s easy to do to the point that people understand your parody; I think the production values on this one were a bit higher than most, though, and the rap was actually quite well written (which is almost unheard of for parody rap).
I do love the fact that there’s more than 1,000 youtube comments all frantically arguing about whose side it’s on, though. That’s pretty funny all on its own.
Although the video’s characture of Dawkins was annoying, what really made it dumb was that the Rapping old white people shtick is played out. It’s been played since the rapping granny, and even she wasn’t that funny.
FTR, I thought the South Park episode Go God Go was hilarious, and also actually made real arguments.
[QUOTE=mswas]
I watched a video of Dawkins yesterday, and he said that the state should play a role in the child’s religious upbringing to ensure that the religious notions are not reinforced. I am uncomfortable with state education in general, and precisely for the reasons outlined. I do not want my child indoctrinated by either Focus on the Family or Richard Dawkins.
[/QUOTE]
If Dawkins really said anything of the kind - and I am not doubting your assertion, merely doubting that anyone could really be that stupid - then he deserves to sink quickly into the primoridal slime from which we all arose.
As for equating religious teaching to child abuse? That primordial slime should be really, really smokin’ hot and so, by means of sterilization, ensure that no new life form arises from the effluvium his corpse emits.
Eurgh. I just searched for rapping granny, and nearly vomited at the sight of Piers Moron gettin’ down, or whatever the fuck it is he was doing. That was terrible.
Which brings me to something of a hijack: how on earth do you Americans choose the English people you get on telly? Have you built a statue in the Thames that I can’t see, that reads “Give me your berks, your tired arseholes yearning to fart free; the wretched refuse of your teeming media; send these, the worthless self-tossed to me”? Is the Scientology centre on Tottenham Court Road actually a Git Detector with a direct line to the President of ABC? How can it be that our sole representatives on US TV are Simon “Barely A Man” Cowell, Anne “Actually A Man” Robinson, and Piers “Not Quite Human” Morgan? It makes me want to cry.
[QUOTE=astorian]
If the answer is “nothing,” then he’s full of crap. He’s either pandering to his audience, just like the Ann Coulters of the world, or he’s too lazy to act on his supposed convictions.
[/QUOTE]
Actually you’re the one with spinning some crap. I think brainwashing a child to believe religious rubbish is horrible, however, I also think it’s your right to force your ignorance on your child. It sucks for them, but there is always a chance they’ll reject it.
Do you expect he should kick your door down and carry your child off to the atheist stronghold of Scientopia? Your argument is worthless.
[QUOTE=Tyrrell McAllister]
I think you’re suffering from confirmation bias. By my count, five (5) people here have said that the video is funny, and two (2) have said it is not. None who rated it positively mentioned whether they are atheists, but at least three said that they weren’t impressed by the argument. For the record, I was one of the ones who said it was funny, and I’m an atheist.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Dead Badger]
I’m an atheist who doesn’t particularly like Dawkins for his rather authoritarian attitudes (and his counterproductive abrasiveness), but I just don’t care what your opinions are; that video was fucking funny. Worth it just for Dancing Darwin at the end. Really well done, as well; not much forced meter and the animation was pretty slick (by Youtube standards, at least). I don’t think it’s particularly trying to make a point, either, it’s just taking the piss, and doing it quite well. I don’t understand why anyone would think it needs “refuting”. It’s a joke; no more, no less.
[QUOTE=Dead Badger]
Which brings me to something of a hijack: how on earth do you Americans choose the English people you get on telly?
[/QUOTE]
There’s a choice? Where do I vote?
This is like me wondering why the English choose such crummy American food. Why don’t you have a whole bunch of good barbecue joints instead of McDonald’s?
Did I miss the queue to have a stick shoved up my butt before entering this thread? I know creationism/atheism/etc. is srs business and all, but geez, can’t people take a break and laugh a bit? Aren’t you tired from having this debate 5d20 times before in the Pit and GD? Who cares if the video was pro-science or anti-creationist or whatever? Was it funny? I thought so, though the woman in the bikini freaked me out a bit.
[QUOTE=Wolfian]
Did I miss the queue to have a stick shoved up my butt before entering this thread? I know creationism/atheism/etc. is srs business and all, but geez, can’t people take a break and laugh a bit? Aren’t you tired from having this debate 5d20 times before in the Pit and GD? Who cares if the video was pro-science or anti-creationist or whatever? Was it funny? I thought so, though the woman in the bikini freaked me out a bit.
[/QUOTE]
So if I don’t find it funny I have a stick up my butt?
I just don’t think rapping old white guys is funny anymore, if it ever was.
[QUOTE=vison]
If Dawkins really said anything of the kind - and I am not doubting your assertion, merely doubting that anyone could really be that stupid - then he deserves to sink quickly into the primoridal slime from which we all arose.
As for equating religious teaching to child abuse? That primordial slime should be really, really smokin’ hot and so, by means of sterilization, ensure that no new life form arises from the effluvium his corpse emits.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Wolfian]
Did I miss the queue to have a stick shoved up my butt before entering this thread? I know creationism/atheism/etc. is srs business and all, but geez, can’t people take a break and laugh a bit? Aren’t you tired from having this debate 5d20 times before in the Pit and GD? Who cares if the video was pro-science or anti-creationist or whatever? Was it funny? I thought so, though the woman in the bikini freaked me out a bit.
[/QUOTE]
I think all the parts were played by the same actor, who was quite a good physical actor I might add.
[QUOTE=Jackmannii]
Why don’t you have a whole bunch of good barbecue joints instead of McDonald’s?
[/QUOTE]
Funny, just today I was reading the “pulled pork” thread and was planning to head right out tomorrow to get me some pork shoulder. I’ll probably wait though, cos I’m cooking on a time limit tomorrow. As soon as I’m not stony broke, though, I’m buying a Weber Smoky Mountain and cooking all the meat in London (two hundred quid for one over here, mind you. Scandalous).
I’ll do you a deal: we’ll keep sending our Piers Morgans over there, if you promise to barbecue them. Their heads probably have exactly the right amount of fat.
