Sneer Review

Zapiro - on religious satire

2012-01-26T15:11:00.001-08:00

Jonathan Shapiro - Zapiro
“I believe that all religions should be subjected to satire and that some religious groups should not be able to think they are above society.”

LSE Student Union Anti-Racism Activist of the Year?

2012-01-26T02:44:00.000-08:00

US Supreme Court - Islamophobic?

2012-01-25T03:33:00.000-08:00

The Mohammed statue on the US Supreme Court

According to the office of the Supreme Court:

"The figure is a well-intentioned attempt by the sculptor to honor Muhammad, and it bears no resemblance to Muhammad."

How do they know that?

UCL and Jesus and Mo

2012-01-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

As a former alumnus of UCL I think I should put in a word of support http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giffor UCLU Atheist, Secularist & Humanist Society, who were ordered to remove a Jesus and Mo cartoon from their facebook page.
Petition against this cowardly act of religious inspired censorship here
javascript:void(0)

Woody Allen Jesus

2011-12-22T13:59:00.001-08:00

Kim Jong Il - in respectful memory - part two

2011-12-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

Continuing our theme of respectful mourning music we present the children's percussion section of Camp Quest Pyongyang, .

Kim Jong Il - in respectful memory

2011-12-19T03:52:00.000-08:00

In memory of beloved leader King Jong Il, who died over the weekend, we, the editorial team at Sneer Review will restrict our posts to respectful nationalistic music played by the children of the Pyongyang version of Camp Quest.

If Vultures could Tebow

2011-12-19T01:07:00.001-08:00

Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-18T09:49:00.001-08:00

The War on Squidmas 2011 - Stockholm style

2011-12-12T05:07:00.000-08:00

Warning - the danger of loving cats too much

2011-12-12T05:01:00.001-08:00

Creepiest train platform graffiti?

2011-12-06T05:58:00.000-08:00

Spotted recently in Stockholm

Bunnygate?

2011-11-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

Almost like religion

2011-11-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

Except religion makes sure to avoid promising you things in this life.

I Think

2011-11-14T12:16:00.001-08:00

If God wrote the bible with football teams in mind

2011-11-11T07:58:00.001-08:00

Love is stronger than hate

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Haught's big mistake revealed!

2011-11-07T01:38:00.000-08:00

Yet again, we, the editorial team at the Sneer Review, present an exclusive.
One of our intrepid reporters has managed to get hold of a copy of the actual lecture notes left behind on the stage after the recent and highly contentious Gaines Symposium debate at the University of Kentucky between evolutionary biologist Professor Jerry Coyne and Catholic theologian John Haught.

Despite Professor Coyne's performance at the debate bringing unity and agreement amongst all strands of the New Atheist community, the notes themselves reveal just how close Professor Haught was to bringing up the one topic that more than any other, threatens to destroy the atheist community!

The Dynamic Duo

2011-11-07T01:35:00.001-08:00

Or should that be woo-oh?
As suggested by Miranda Celeste Hale

The Metaphorical Illuminator.

2011-11-04T08:16:00.000-07:00

With great trepidation we, the assembled editorial team of The Sneer Review, are proud to announce the greatest advance in the practical exposition of religious knowledge since the invention of the printing press – the Metaphorical Illuminator.
For many years, despite the many advances made possible by the increase in human knowledge since the enlightenment, the role and value of religion has remained a contentious point for one reason: the lack of a means of distinguishing within scriptural texts, the historical facts from the poetic metaphors.
While practically every religious group agrees, amongst their own brethren, at least, that their sacred book contains both literal fact and non-literal metaphor, their existed no agreed methodology to tell which was which.
Many of the great schisms of the major faiths could have been avoided if only they had what is now in our possession – the ‘Metaphorical Illuminator’.
The Illuminator, the culmination of ten years of dedicated work by the Sneer Review Theological Institute (kindly supported by a grant from the Templetown foundation), at last provides a foolproof mechanism to determine which parts of a holy scripture are possibly historical and which are definitely metaphorical.

As a demonstration of the power of the Metaphorical Illuminator we have now processed the most important scriptural text of Roman Catholicism, the worlds largest Christian denomination – namely the Nicene, or Apostle’s Creed - revealing once and for all the historical and poetic aspects to the primary statement of faith of this religion.

Original text

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen

Processed by the ’Metaphorical Illuminator’

I believe in a metaphor,
the metaphor,
A metaphor of a metaphor and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his metaphor, our metaphor,
who was metaphored by a metaphor,
born of the metaphored Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he metaphored into a metaphor;
on the third day he metaphored;
he metaphored into a metaphor,
and is a metaphor at the metaphor of a metaphor;
from there he will metaphor and metaphor.
I believe in a metaphor,
the metaphorical catholic Church,
the communion of metaphors,
the forgiveness of metaphors,
the metaphor of the body,
and life metaphorical. Ametaphor

Although an upcoming technical paper on the Metaphorical Illuminator will describe in detail how the technique works we can reveal that it is primarily based on the application of a simple textual algorithm:
“If the action described would sound completely crazy if applied to any religion that is not your own, then that section is a metaphor”

Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham

2011-10-27T04:27:00.000-07:00

part 2

The Inter-Faith Rag

2011-10-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

First you claim you're in the middle,
The safe option is not a riddle,
There's a prize that must be won,
Templeton, Templeton, Templeton!

You might think that all religion,
Reminds you of Skinner's pigeon,
Still, it doesn't matter,
Your bank account gets fatter,
Doin' the Inter-Faith Rag.

To put down faith is not our thing,
Don't diss the the pope, just kiss his ring!
About Islam, please stop your moaning,
(And for heaven's sake, don't bring up stoning!)
It's a tragedy, shakespearean,
To not hug a Presbyterian,
You. Have. Just. Found,
The ecumenical reach-around!

Time for some new atheist hunting,
With Stedman, Mooney, Brown and Bunting.
Rosenau, I do expect,
And Jenny Hecht, Jenny Hecht, Jenny Hecht!

Just call Dawkins fundamental,
You'll get the call from HuffPo central.
Time for some gnu hatin'
Arianna's waitin'
No need for apology,
Just use theology,
Doin' the Inter-Faith Rag.

As inspired by the great Tom Lehrer

Ricky Gervais - The Problem of Free Will

2011-10-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

Ooops!

2011-09-28T04:38:00.000-07:00

BBC figures out how to tell babies apart

2011-09-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

The fact that one is a boy and the other a girl might help.

Christian Rock

2011-09-15T03:06:00.001-07:00

Christian Scientists calculate the date of "The Fall"

2011-09-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Christian researchers today announced what has been described as “the greatest discovery in historical chronology since Bishop Ussher defined the exact moment of Creation.” Ussher’s analysis, showing that creation of the entire universe occurred in the week following Saturday night of the 22nd October 4004 BC, raised an important question that has only now been answered:

When exactly did “The Fall” occur?

Speaking at today’s press conference lead researcher Francis Conway Miller described how his team used a combination of sophisticated biblical analysis and the latest scientific techniques to narrow down the range of dates in which ‘The Fall’ – the exact moment when God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden, could have occurred.

“Frankly, I’m shocked” stated Conway Miller.

“We knew that Adam lived until 3074 BC, reaching the age of 930, but until now it wasn’t clear how old he was when he and Eve ate the fruit of the tree”

Conway Miller explained that the difficulty for biblical scientists was in the interpretation of Genesis 2:19-20

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field”

“Basically he had to name all the animals. I think you can see the problem. It’s hard enough to do this as a twenty year old studying zoology, but remember, Adam was only two days old when he began!”

“Of course you can say, “what’s the problem, he had another 930 years to finish the task”, but let's think logically here, is it really likely that a snake would try to talk to a 930 year old human couple! Don’t be ridiculous!”

Conway Miller explained the breakthrough for the research team came when they realized that it was “The Fall” itself that brought death into the world.

“With nothing dying you’re going to get an exponential rise in the number of organisms on the Earth!" "

"It was at this point we figured out that revealing the answer of how long it was from the creation of life until “The Fall” would only require a simple calculation. We just needed to work out how long it would have been for living organisms, because they were not subject to death, to increase to the level where they overwhelmed the earth – or at the very least made the smell in Eden intolerable”

“In terms of biomass and generational times we can basically ignore the complex organisms and answer the question by concentrating on what happens to the bacteria”

According to Conway Miller, bacteria make up half the biomass of the Earth, amounting to approximately 280 billion tonnes in weight.

“Using a very conservative estimate of one doubling per day we find that the bacterial population will increase to a mass greater than that of the entire planet in less than 45 days! Can you imagine the stench! It’s no wonder the serpent offered the fruit! He must have been gagging!”

“Obviously it wouldn’t have reached the 45 days point – the bacteria would have run out of nutrients and water long before that, but that at least puts an upper time limit to the garden of Eden period. Realistically speaking, we can scientifically conclude that the incident of the snake talking to Eve could have occurred no later than a month after the creation of life – giving us a latest date of the 22^nd of November 4004 BC”

“I suppose you might say that it was rather harsh for God to punish Adam and Eve like that when they were only a month old, but who, after all, are we to question His mysterious ways!”

Accomodationist Bingo

2011-08-31T02:18:00.001-07:00

FantasyCon 2011

2011-08-24T03:46:00.001-07:00

First results of Meanome Project released

2011-08-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

An international team of investigators today released the preliminary report of the Human Meanome Project. The multicentre collaboration, involving scientists and philosophers from over twenty countries, has for the past decade tried to answer the enduring question: “what is the meaning of a human life?”

The effort, largely based on the successful ‘Human Genome Project’, has utilized a series of ‘model’ organisms in order to derive the meaning of life of species of increasing biological complexity. Determining the answer for a series of evolutionary relatives of humankind was hypothesized to provide the logical and philosophical framework required to tackle the same question regarding humans.

Beginning with the bacteria E.coli and the single celled yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisia, the team analyzed the plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, pufferfish, Fugu rubripes and the common house mouse, Mus musculus.

“Quite frankly, we’re shocked”, explained lead researcher, Professor Francis Conway Miller.

“Apparently the meaning of life of an E.coli is to make more E.coli!”

“Not only that,” he explained “but the meaning of life of a Saccharomyces yeast seems to be to make more yeast!”

“Can you guess the meaning of a fruitfly?” asked the wide eyed Conway Miller.

“It’s to make more flippin’ fruitflies! No! I’m not kidding!”

“At first we thought it was an anomaly or just some silly mistake in the analysis but no, it’s far too consistent to be explained any other way!”

“Some of us are starting to get quite freaked out by the whole thing”, explained Conway Miller, “especially when we got the results for the pufferfish and mouse! – It’s the same with them!”

The project is now expected to move into its final phase with the analysis of the human data.

“Obviously we approach the human question with an open mind”, explained Professor Conway Miller.

“I can’t wait to see the result!”

Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Accomodationist?

2011-08-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

Shocking Discovery in Elevatorgate Drama

2011-08-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Steven Pinker: The Language of Swearing

2011-08-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Watson - Gender Traitor?

2011-08-04T03:41:00.000-07:00

"Fuck You Pussy - Rebecca"

Do you ever get depressed that there are people who feel like that’s where our level of discourse should be?
Or do you find it reassuring to know that there are others out there who feel the same and are actively trying to hold people accountable for their behavior?

Elevators

2011-07-29T03:01:00.000-07:00

Enda Kenny - the Cloyne Report Speech

2011-07-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

Jesus and Mo-sogyny

2011-07-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Watson - Don't be a #&%!

2011-07-26T00:57:00.000-07:00

You know how insulting people by calling them after slang names for genitalia is such a terrible thing? Well...

Elevatorgate: Dawkins strikes back

2011-07-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

In a a cruel twist of irony, Rebecca Watson, the leading opponent of evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, has been turned into a meme.

Taking on a “rich privileged white” man like Richard Dawkins is one thing, and if Rebecca had left it at that she might have remained on safe ground.
But, alas, a crucial error was made.

The fatal decision was to extend the fight to tackle the greatest problem remaining in modern skepticism – socially awkward male nerds.

“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak - Sun Tzu “

The skepchick army, marshalling their forces, decided to attack the nerds their presumed weakest point – on the internet.

Unfortunately, and apparently a surprise for some, the internet is the perfect natural environment of the socially awkward nerd. While he can be completely incapacitated by the act of being spoken to (or even being looked at) by a real live female, he is immune to any statement directed to him on the internet from someone claiming to be a female. As every male nerd knows, any internet “female” showing a genuine interest in them will, despite having a screen name of nerdygrrl7’ or ‘skeptifemichick3’, invariably turn out to be a 40 year old fat, hairy bloke named “Brian” who lives in his parents basement.

Hence, demands for the nerds to “get it” didn’t have quite the impact intended.

skeptifemichick3: I demand the right not to be chatted up by you!
Socially awkward nerd: Errrm, I have no intention of chatting you up.
Skeptifemichick3: You are not getting it!
Socially awkward nerd: I don’t want it. Now can we change the subject?
Skeptifemichick3: Misogynist!
Socially awkward nerd: You are starting to creep me out, Brian.

And so on, for the past week and a half.

Eventually, however, one can even test the patience of those who think nothing of spending months building up their ‘mage’ powers just to defeat the Dark Wizard of Throth on level 17, and they struck back in the cruelest way possible, turning Rebecca Watson into a meme.

Defined as ideas, behaviors or styles that spread from person to person within a culture, memes are said to transmit ideas and belief information. The concept and term ‘meme’ originated with Dawkins' 1976 celebrated (and recently banned) book, The Selfish Gene.

While Dawkins is reported to have denied creating the term 'meme' in 1976 as a way of making a silly internet joke about Rebecca Watson, he has been unable to prove that this was not its intended purpose.

"I know he says that Rebecca was born in 1980 and that the internet wasn't even invented until the 1990s but, quite frankly, that is just arrogant privileged 'mansplainin' " explained Macer Marcotte.

Famous at last

http://memegenerator.net//Typical-Feminist
http://www.quickmeme.com/Skeptical-Girl/

New TAM 9 schedule?

2011-07-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

Just been sent this, is it official?

The Amaz!ng Meeting 2011 TAM 9
Revised Schedule

Due to unforseen circumstances some late alterations have been required to the order and content of talks at TAM 9.
Please note the new talk schedule

12.00 . Announcement of newly agreed policy on the use of chat up lines at atheist and skeptic conventions. Don’t Ask, (so we) Don’t Tell (you no).

13.00 Expert Panel discussion:
‘Women in the Atheist movement, are we being denied a voice?’
(With panelists PZ Myers, Greg Laden and Jeremy Stangroom)

14.00 Open discussion:
“Is suppression of dissention becoming a problem in the modern skeptic movement?”
This question will be answered by a show of hands amongst attendees.

14.15 Those who voted ‘Yes’ will be lined up, maced by Amanda Marcotte and escorted from the premises.

14.30 Apology to the Religious.
The Atheist movement as a whole (well, at least those unmaced by Amanda) announces an official apology to the religious community.
“We have previously stated that people do not have the right not to be offended by others. We realize now that we were wrong and offer our sincerest apologies. We promise to avoid all behavior or public statements that offends others because to do so in future would make us hypocrites of the highest order."

15.00 Book Burning
Please bring along your copies of ‘The Ancestors Tale, The Selfish Gene, The God Delusion and The Greatest Show on Earth.
Professor Dawkins, will be at hand to sign your copy before it is tossed on the pyre. Please come early as Professor Dawkins can only stay for one hour.

16.00 Richard Dawkins Burning.
Sponsored by ‘Accomodationists-R-Us’

16.30 Stoning of the gender traitors

17.00 2011 Anti-Misogynist award.
The presentation of the 2011 award for those individuals showing true example in avoiding privileged white male behavior towards women at atheist conferences.
This years award goes to the five Islamists who attended the Dublin Convention to promote Sharia Law.

17.30 The Winners of the James Randi 1 Million Dollar Challenge will be presented their prize. The 1 million will be divided evenly between the 500 individuals on the Pharyngula and Skepchick messageboards for their demonstration of perfect psychic abilities, mind reading exactly what was going on in the head of Elevator Guy.

18.00 Keynote Speaker. Rebecca Watson
“Misogyny in the atheist movement: What some random commenters on my youtube channel have to say.”
(Rebecca’s 60 minute talk will be followed by a 1 minute period for questions and macing.)

22.00 - 4 AM 'Annual Skepchicks Keg Party'
The Skepchick 2011 ‘Hot College Girls Tickle Fight’ will be judged, as usual, by Rebecca Watson.

Atheist Farm

2011-07-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Chapter 10

YEARS passed. The seasons came and went, the short atheist online lives fled by. A time came when there was no one who remembered the old days before blogging.
There were many more atheists on the farm now, though the increase was not so great as had been expected in earlier years. Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the atheists themselves any richer-except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs. Perhaps this was partly because there were so many pigs and so many dogs. It was not that these creatures did not work, after their fashion. But still, neither pigs nor dogs produced any food by their own labour; and there were very many of them, and their appetites were always good.
As for the others, their life, so far as they knew, was as it had always been.
And yet the atheists never gave up hope. More, they never lost, even for an instant, their sense of honour and privilege in being members of Atheist Farm. They were still the only farm in the world owned and operated by atheists. Not one of them, not even the youngest, not even the newcomers who had been brought over from religious farms ten or twenty miles away, ever ceased to marvel at that. None of the old dreams had been abandoned. The Republic of the Atheists which Major had foretold, when the green fields of England should be untrodden by theistic feet, was still believed in. Some day it was coming: it might not be soon, it might not be with in the lifetime of any atheist now living, but still it was coming. It might be that their lives were hard and that not all of their hopes had been fulfilled; but they were conscious that they were not as other atheists. None called any other "Master." All atheists were equal.

Yet one night Benjamin felt a nose nuzzling at his shoulder. He looked round. It was Clover. Her old eyes looked dimmer than ever. Without saying anything, she tugged gently at his mane and led him round to the end of the big barn, where the Seven Commandments were written. For a minute or two they stood gazing at the tatted wall with its white lettering.

"My sight is failing," she said finally. "Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be, Benjamin?"

For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:

ALL ATHEISTS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ATHEISTS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS

After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had set comments to moderater approved. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no, not even when the pigs took clerics clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on, Napoleon himself appearing in a starched white pontiff uniform(all the better for man-splaining).

A week later, in the afternoon, a number of dogcarts drove up to the farm. A deputation of neighbouring farmers had been invited to make a tour of inspection. They were shown all over the farm, and expressed great admiration for everything they saw, especially the new moderated comment system. The atheists were weeding the turnip field. They worked diligently hardly raising their faces from the ground, and not knowing whether to be more frightened of the pigs or of the human visitors.

That evening loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the farmhouse. And suddenly, at the sound of the mingled voices, the atheists were stricken with curiosity. What could be happening in there, now that for the first time atheists and human beings were meeting on terms of equality? With one accord they began to creep as quietly as possible into the farmhouse garden.

At the gate they paused, half frightened to go on. They tiptoed up to the house, and such atheists as were tall enough peered in at the dining-room window. There, round the long table, sat half a dozen farmers and half a dozen of the more eminent pigs, Napoleon himself occupying the seat of honour at the head of the table. The pigs appeared completely at ease in their chairs The company had been enjoying a game of cards but had broken off for the moment, evidently in order to drink a toast. A large jug was circulating, and the mugs were being refilled with beer. No one noticed the wondering faces of the atheists that gazed in at the window.

Mr. Pilkington, of Foxwood, had stood up, his mug in his hand. In a moment, he said, he would ask the present company to drink a toast. But before doing so, there were a few words that he felt it incumbent upon him to say.

It was a source of great satisfaction to him, he said-and, he was sure, to all others present-to feel that a long period of mistrust and misunderstanding had now come to an end. There had been a time-not that he, or any of the present company, had shared such sentiments-but there had been a time when the respected proprietors of Atheist Farm had been regarded, he would not say with hostility, but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving, by their human neighbours. Unfortunate incidents had occurred, mistaken ideas had been current. It had been felt that the existence of a farm owned and operated by pigs was somehow abnormal and was liable to have an unsettling effect in the neighbourhood. Too many farmers had assumed, without due enquiry, that on such a farm a spirit of licence and indiscipline would prevail. They had been nervous about the effects upon their own atheists, or even upon their human employees. But all such doubts were now dispelled. Today he and his friends had visited Atheist Farm and inspected every inch of it with their own eyes, and what did they find? Not only the most up-to-date methods, but a discipline and an orderliness which should be an example to all farmers everywhere. He believed that he was right in saying that the lower atheists on Atheist Farm did more work and received less food than any animals in the county. Indeed, he and his fellow-visitors today had observed many features which they intended to introduce on their own farms immediately.

He would end his remarks, he said, by emphasising once again the friendly feelings that subsisted, and ought to subsist, between Atheist Farm and its neighbours. Between pigs and human beings there was not, and there need not be, any clash of interests whatever. Their struggles and their difficulties were one. Was not the labour problem the same everywhere? Here it became apparent that Mr. Pilkington was about to spring some carefully prepared witticism on the company, but for a moment he was too overcome by amusement to be able to utter it. After much choking, during which his various chins turned purple, he managed to get it out: "If you have your uppity gernder traitoring atheists to contend with," he said, "we have our lower classes!" This bon mot set the table in a roar; and Mr. Pilkington once again congratulated the pigs on the low rations, the long working hours, and the general absence of questioning which he had observed on Atheist Farm.

And now, he said finally, he would ask the company to rise to their feet and make certain that their glasses were full. "Gentlemen," concluded Mr. Pilkington, "gentlemen, I give you a toast: To the prosperity of Atheist Farm!"

There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet. Napoleon was so gratified that he left his place and came round the table to clink his mug against Mr. Pilkington's before emptying it. When the cheering had died down, Napoleon, who had remained on his feet, intimated that he too had a few words to say.

Like all of Napoleon's speeches, it was short and to the point. He too, he said, was happy that the period of misunderstanding was at an end. For a long time there had been rumours-circulated, he had reason to think, by some malignant enemy-that there was something subversive and even revolutionary in the outlook of himself and his colleagues. They had been credited with attempting to stir up rebellion on neighbouring farms. Nothing could be further from the truth! Their sole wish, now and in the past, was to live at peace and in normal business relations with their neighbours. This farm which he had the honour to control, he added, was a co-operative enterprise. The title-deeds, which were in his own possession, were owned by the pigs jointly.

He did not believe, he said, that any of the old suspicions still lingered, but certain changes had been made recently in the routine of the farm which should have the effect of promoting confidence still further. Hitherto the atheists on the farm had had a rather foolish custom of addressing one another as "Comrade." This was to be suppressed.
He had only one criticism, he said, to make of Mr. Pilkington's excellent and neighbourly speech. Mr. Pilkington had referred throughout to "Atheist Farm." He could not of course know-for he, Napoleon, was only now for the first time announcing it-that the name "Atheist Farm" had been abolished. Henceforward the farm was to be known as "The Man-splained Farm"-which, he believed, was its correct and original name.

"Gentlemen," concluded Napoleon, "I will give you the same toast as before, but in a different form. Fill your glasses to the brim. Gentlemen, here is my toast: To the prosperity of The Man-splained Farm! "

There was the same hearty cheering as before, and the mugs were emptied to the dregs. But as the atheists outside gazed at the scene, it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. What was it that had altered in the faces of the pigs? Clover's old dim eyes flitted from one face to another. Some of them had five chins, some had four, some had three. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing? Then, the applause having come to an end, the company took up their cards and continued the game that had been interrupted, and the animals crept silently away.

But they had not gone twenty yards when they stopped short. An uproar of voices was coming from the farmhouse. They rushed back and looked through the window again. Yes, a violent quarrel was in progress. There were shoutings, bangings on the table, sharp suspicious glances, furious denials. The source of the trouble appeared to be that Napoleon and Mr. Pilkington had each played an ace of spades simultaneously.

Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.

Trolling

2011-07-01T10:13:00.001-07:00

Strangely accurate.

Decisions, decisions! The second-hand bookstore dilemma!

2011-07-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've only got enough cash for two!

Secular Pig

2011-06-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

Was 'BioLogos' stolen?

2011-06-19T03:58:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the shock revelation of religion friendly accomodationist Chris Stedman purloining the word "Faitheist" from the non-religious community, we, at Sneer Review, bring news of another stunning development in the world of faith based branding.
Word reaches us that legal preceedings are about to be launched in the Espoo municipality court in Finland against none other than BioLogos, the organisation founded by current NIH director Francis Collins to promote acceptance of evolution amongst the Christian Evangelical community.

Sources close to the Finnish 'Biologos' institute have informed us that their organization, founded in 1983, recently learned that their title and brand name is being used, without permission, in the US.

"Quite frankly we're shocked", said one representative of the Finnish group.
The original Biologos, located close to Helsinki, is widely known in Finland for the promotion of homeopathy and iridology, the use of iris scanning techniques to diagnose diverse medical problems.
"We, at Biologos, point out the compatibility of homeopathy and conventional medicine is proven by the fact that some physicians believe in homeopathy and that "homeopathic products can also be prescribed alongside the so-called chemical drugs."("Homeopaattisia valmisteita voidaan käyttää myös lääkärin määräämien
kemiallisten lääkkeiden rinnalla ns")

When asked to comment on the upcoming court proceedings a source close to the US based BioLogos legal department told us:

"This case has no merit, we are talking about two different organizations that deal with completely different things.
It's impossible to get them mixed up.
Look, Biologos promotes something with amazing claims yet zero scientific backing.
In fact every competent scientific examination of its claims failed to provide one piece of evidence that could not be explained by simple wishful thinking of the participants - It's just the placebo effect!"

"BioLogos", he pointed out, "is completely different.

"We use a capital 'L' in our name."

Surprising news about evolution opponents Shmuley Boteach and Albert Mohler

2011-06-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

According to Rabbi Boteach, in an article on the Huffington Post, he describes his relationship with the Reverend Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:

"I have enjoyed his company as a warm and unassuming man and as a lover"

Well, all the best from the Sneer Review team to the happy couple!

Not necessarily related to the above development there is no word on whether Boteach has changed his mind on whether quote-mining is still an acceptable behavior.

Saving Country Music for Atheism

2011-06-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

Robbie Fulks, God isn't real.

Patty Loveless, God Will - a clever inversion of the appeal to God, standard in country music. The song uses the term 'God' as a metaphor for an idealized forgiveness that is simply not possible for humans. Top marks to Patty for getting away with calling this metaphorical God a "she"!

No! I said I wanted lots of cat licks

2011-06-09T00:25:00.000-07:00

On the historical question.

2011-06-07T04:14:00.000-07:00

It has come to the notice of those of us on the writing team at the Sneer Review that there exists, at present, a variety of viewpoints within the Sneer community regarding the question of whether the story of Santa is based on a real historical individual or is simply a metaphor.
While many of us are content to view the tale as a comforting fantasy, symbolising the act of giving to others, there remains a committed core of believers, specifically Vincent, aged seven, to whom the literal interpretation remains the most valid. Notwithstanding the recent advances in aerodynamic science and the greatly increased knowledge of the biology of reindeers, Vincent points out that objections to Santas ability to deliver presents to every good child in the world on Christmas eve has a simple and rational explanation: Santa is magic.
Recognizing the diversity of opinions on this matter we would like to publicly declare that Sneer Review does not take a position on a historical or literal Santa Claus*

*We reserve the right to amend our statement based on future circumstances, such as Vincent spotting his parents 'helping' Santa by purchasing, wrapping or placing his present beneath the Christmas tree, or due to Vincent changing his mind in future - due to him not being seven any more.

The story of Adam and Eve and original sin was just a metaphor.

2011-06-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Churchill, on appeasers

2011-06-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Accomodationist Bus campaign launched

2011-05-30T12:42:00.001-07:00

Christopher Hitchens on Free Speech

2011-05-27T03:55:00.000-07:00

An old speech from November 2006, but one of the best examples of Hitchens' debating skills you will find.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Conspiracyshop 2

2011-05-12T01:14:00.000-07:00

Conspiracyshop

2011-05-10T01:31:00.001-07:00

Odenpus

2011-05-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

No Problem?

2011-04-14T03:55:00.001-07:00

It's all the same thing, isn't it?

Skeptic Lookalikes - Part 1

2011-04-08T00:52:00.001-07:00

Templeton prize goes to cloning group

2011-04-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

This years Templeton prize has gone to the controversial cloning team who recently produced the notorious Kirk Douglas-Kenneth Williams hybrid.

It is not currently known if they plan to carry on.

Bohemian Rosenau

2011-04-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Is this stuff real science?
Or is it theology?
Obsessed with Coynes site,
God help the NCSE,
My heros are guys, like Ruse, Stangroom and Mooney,
I'm just a poor boy, dropped out of my PhD,
I took the easy route, cynicism, chose accomodationism,
Evidence or logic doesn't really matter to me,
or Wally...

Ha-ha! I just flamed the gnus,
"Like the Tea-Party!", I said, that'll teach those poopy heads,
Religion, what's wrong with some?
Left up to gnus, they'd throw it all away
Jerry, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, really hope I made him sigh,
Faith and Science work fine, ask Francis Collins,
Epistemology, why? Guess it doesn't really matter

Gnu hate, it's time for some,
But Jerry's laughing at my lines, calls them faitheistic whines,
That's it, no more nice guy, I'll make him pay,
Gotta call him on his wrong theology,
Dammit, those gnu-ooh-ooh-oohs, said it's fairy tales and lies.
I sometimes wish I'd never even blogged at all.

-Guitar solo-

I want a little fellowship or just a grant,
Templeton! Templeton! Can't you see I'm your best fanboy!
Coyne and Benson's writing, it's very, very frightening to me!
and (Pigliucci) Pigliucci (Pigliucci) Pigliucci, Pigliucci Massimo!
Yes Massimo-oh-oh,
He's a Professor, knows his philosophy
We know, 'cause he tells us at every opportunity,
Spare us, we beg, from his pomposity
Really Josh, you're in a hole, you should let it go
Joshua! No! He will not let it go
(Let it go!) Joshua! He will not let it go
(Let it go!) Joshua! He will not let it go
(Let it go) Will not let it go
(Let it go) Will not let it go (Let it go) Ah
No, no, no, no, no, No, No!
Mama mia, digging deeper, can't be clearer, let it go
Josh Rosenau, put that shovel to the side, and keep, some dig--niteeEEEEEE!!

Guitar Riff

So you think Jason pwned me for the fifteenth time
Jerry, PZ and Larry, they're forming a line,
Ophelia, not you too, think I'll squeal, yeah!,
Just gonna go pout, just gonna go pout, scowl and sneer!

Religion really matters, Anyone can see,
Religion really matters,
It's needed to promote morality,
Anyway where's Pastor Jones?

More Stockholm blasphemy

2011-04-04T05:11:00.001-07:00

Valentines Day - What to give to your fundamentalist Christian lover?

2011-02-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

Probably not this!

Spotted for sale in PUB department store Drottninggatan, Stockholm, Sweden.

Not very Nicean Creed

2011-02-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

We believe in a single deity who, defying the laws of thermodynamics, has made everything in the Universe. The deity consists of a three member committee, one of whom is called ‘The Father’.
We believe in Jesus Christ, another member of the God Committee, who appeared on Earth by means of a virgin surrogate mother named Mary who gave birth to a baby that happens to be the deity in human form.
Jesus was sentenced to death by the Roman regional official Pontius Pilate and was crucified, killed and buried.
Two days later his dead body came back to life as was predicted in a very loose and ambiguous sense somewhere in the bible.
He then flew up into the air to a place called heaven where he now sits as the right hand member of the three member God committee, right next to The Father.
He will return to Earth some time in the future, whereupon he will pass judgement on the lives of people who will be living at that time and on the lives of those who have died.
He will establish a monarchy with his committee in the seat of power and this rule will continue for eternity.
We believe in the last member of the God committee who is called ‘The Holy Ghost’, who, together with The Father and Jesus is to be praised and complimented by all its subjects.
The Holy Ghost has used telepathic means to send messages through certain humans who were called ‘The Prophets’.
We think there should be only one single Christian religion.
We agree that a ceremony in which a little water is sprinkled on a persons head is necessary to exonerate past instances of transgressing the house rules of the religion.
We are pleasantly anticipating our bodies coming back to life some time after death and then living forever in the land ruled by the deity committee.
Amen

Dawkins does it again

2011-02-03T02:58:00.000-08:00

NOMA For Accomodationists

2011-01-24T05:12:00.000-08:00

Steven Jay Gould’s principle of Non Overlapping Magisteria, or NOMA, is based on the notion that the field of science and the field of religion occupy separate realms or ‘magisteria’, namely the empirical, or natural magisteria for science and the non-empirical, or supernatural magisteria for religion.
As these magisteria are ‘non-overlapping’, it imposes a strict limitation in how science and religion deal with each others realm of influence and results in two important ground rules.

1. Science can say nothing about religion and the supernatural realm.

And equally but no less importantly

2. Science can say nothing about religion and the supernatural realm.

Sophisticated Theology - Woody Allen Style.

2010-12-31T13:50:00.001-08:00

Rock Stars of Accomodationism Part 3

2010-11-28T02:12:00.001-08:00

Rock Stars of Accomodationism Part 2

2010-11-26T01:37:00.001-08:00

Irish PM goes with plan B

2010-11-25T03:47:00.000-08:00

Rockstars of Accomodationism

2010-11-25T03:03:00.000-08:00

The Pope and Condoms - a solution is found

2010-11-23T02:29:00.000-08:00

From politics.ie

The Whining

2010-11-13T10:06:00.001-08:00

There is Gnu God

2010-11-13T06:16:00.001-08:00

The Good Gnus

2010-10-22T03:09:00.000-07:00

Don't be a Dick

2010-10-21T02:32:00.001-07:00

Don't be a Dick

2010-10-19T23:28:00.001-07:00

Searching for God?

2010-09-28T00:43:00.001-07:00

Marjoe

2010-09-17T03:08:00.000-07:00

Insane Templeton Posse

2010-04-21T03:04:00.000-07:00

F#!cking Waterfalls, How do they work?

Alex Chilton 1950-2010

2010-03-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

Irish Blasphemy Law

2010-01-11T21:59:00.000-08:00

36.—(1) A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on
indictment to a fine not exceeding €25,000.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a person publishes or utters
blasphemous matter if—
(a) he or she publishes or utters matter that is 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
(b) he or she intends, by the publication or utterance of the
matter concerned, to cause such outrage.

(3) It shall be a defence to proceedings for an offence under this
section for the defendant to prove that a reasonable person would
find genuine literary, artistic, political, scientific, or academic value
in the matter to which the offence relates.

(4) In this section “religion” does not include an organisation or
cult—
(a) the principal object of which is the making of profit, or
(b) that employs oppressive psychological manipulation—
(i) of its followers, or
(ii) for the purpose of gaining new followers.

Is there life after woo?

2009-12-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

Crimen Sollicitationis

2009-12-20T14:10:00.001-08:00

How to make Tiger Woods appear more trustworthy

2009-12-18T15:57:00.001-08:00

JREF 2020

2009-12-18T11:39:00.000-08:00

You better watch out

2009-12-17T05:24:00.000-08:00

First picture of Neil Armstrong on the Moon fails to convince doubters

2009-12-16T05:47:00.001-08:00

Body of Jesus found in Jerusalem

2009-12-16T05:40:00.000-08:00

Christian leaders from around the world have been reacting to the news from Jerusalem that the body of Jesus Christ, founder of their religion, has finally been located within a burial chamber in the old part of the city.
Professor Shimon Gibson, the archaeologist who discovered the tomb, said ancient writings and contemporary shrouds from other areas ……… finally provided the physical evidence.

“Frankly he’s shocked” admitted Monsignor Luis Pompelino, the spokesman for his holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
“I suppose it brings a kind of closure to the situation, you know.
We always held out hope that he might still be alive, somewhere, but I guess this puts an end to that.”
Christian Evangelical ministers, however, were quick to point out the possible benefits of todays news.
“Considering what happens in most of these cases it was always a somewhat forlorn hope - particularly after not hearing anything for the first couple of thousand years, explained Oral Haggard, leader of the Bareback Church ministry in Colorado
"Perhaps, once the grieving process is over, we can finally learn to stop obsessing about Jesus and begin to move on with our own lives."

Symphony of Pseudoscience

2009-12-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

Inspired by http://www.symphonyofscience.com/

Bad News for Ray Comfort

2009-12-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

Nike hesitates over Irish Catholic Church suggestion for Tiger Woods replacement

2009-12-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

Fundamentalist Atheist Bus Campaign Launched

2009-12-02T03:24:00.000-08:00

Hidden Shame of Belle de Jour

2009-11-17T04:01:00.000-08:00

Friends and family of "high class call girl" Belle de Jour were today said to be reeling at the stunning revelation that the notorious blogger has been leading a secret life as a post doctoral cancer researcher.
"Quite frankly I'm shocked", revealed one source, on conditions of anonymity.
"Hasn't she thought of what this will do to her career?"
"It's all very well dreaming of this sort of irresponsible lifestyle - after all, which one of us, in our wildest fantasies, have never imagined discovering an epidemiological link that explains 16% of the risk of prostate cancer, for instance, or working out which small molecular inhibitor of a specific tyrosine kinase functions as an effective treatment for lymphoma"
"Belle really needs to come to her senses and end this self-destructive behavior that has led her into the 'scientific research' lifestyle and devote herself to developing a more financially viable career, more caring and appreciative employers and a greater stability of employment - such as prostitution"
Family sources admit they should have noticed the signs that were there all along.
"I once heard her mention that she was interested in trying for a tenure track position. I naturally assumed that this was just another unspeakably kinky sex act that a rich client wanted to pay oodles of money for. It's only now that I've looked it up on the internet and finally realized the full horror of what she meant. I think I'm going to be sick, excuse me......"