reddit.com Interviews PZ Myers

[dereksewkumar07]

" Hi Professor Paul ...A joy to hear you views at all times Sir .

And well rounded in all areas ..

Regards

Del

[dylanlawless1]

You know what was recommended because i watched this?

'How to masturbate an elephant' ?

[Telamnar]

@dylanlawless1 I now have a new fetish.

[LawngCat]

"A good punch to the balls is always good." Nearly spat everywhere from that one. Great to get a little personal insight into the thoughts of PZ Myers.

[lockwoodisafaggot]

PZ is much more handsome up close.

[DrErkencho]

@hobatu

Those are all good points, BUT you made a simple and sensitive mistake.

As I see it it really isn't "all that Atheism does to society" but rather what RELIGION DOES or TAKES AWAY FROM IT. See, Religion is to blame for all those things not being the normal state of affairs of any civilized society. I do not know for sure that Atheism solves problems as much as that religion makes them or contributes to them in a great way. Atheism is just common sense, Science and free will put to work.

[tmcthree]

Oh Shit I though he was Lindsy Lohan!

[frymastermeat]

Atheism is a religion much like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

[monsta123x]

@frymastermeat but not collecting stamp IS a hobby. Its my favourite thing.

[mattpytlak]

@frymastermeat I shall be using this quote.  Thanks.

[frymastermeat]

@mattpytlak

I'm not the author of it, I actually don't know who is, but it's a great quote that makes a strong argument against atheism being a religion.

[Nilguiri]

@hobatu

I'm glad you are lucky enough to live in a civilized country!

I find it very hard to imagine a place like the USA where nearly everybody is a deluded god botherer who thinks atheists are some sort of evil abomination!

;)

Priekā!

[AGrandt]

Scientists in the private sector rarely get rich, their bosses do.

[SketchyBack]

@AGrandt You don't get rich enough to vote Republican, but you can live very comfortably and send your children to college and travel the world - more than enough for a lifetime =)

[AGrandt]

@SketchyBack 99% of the Republican voters aren't rich enough to vote republican.

[boing3887]

"battling idiots on the internet or whatever" lol

[flabbyhabbybabby1]

It's always fun to listen to PZ.

[ScreamingForClemency]

i love you PZ!!!! (flashes boobies)

[JerezJulio]

Moron like Ray Comfort, that was funny.

[transfixedtornado]

leave me alone :P

[MakeshiftEstablished]

I am SO glad that Myers pointed out that Einstein's General and Special Theories of Relativity don't mean that you're opinion is correct because everything is relative! It'd be just as nonsensical as saying all real cars have feelings just because the Disney movie Cars depicts them as having them.

[EldonGuyre]

In regards to Mike's question...

When I was still agnostic a security guard at my job was preaching the bible. I told him I did not think the bible was the exact word of god, that it had many authors. He got so angry he threw a chair at the wall calling me a fool and an idiot. I have been called insane and stupid for not believing in God. It is not that You are mad, but if you do not believe in God they will label you as being mad, crazy, lunatic, etc. The answer to Mike's question is, no.

[machstein13]

"The balance is that we destroy Religiosity"

You sir, are awesome.

[boss1001]

Popular vote decides what is largely seen, and as long as the community maintains its standard of evidence and reason, I think we'll be just fine.

[websnarf]

In other words you will instituting competency tests to get a reddit membership? ;)

[JosephW99]

he should have no ploblem with his university, he can state his views freely as a christian can state their idiotic views freely

[alwayspoppies]

PZ Myers just spoke at my silly community college...it was amazing!

[meyerjac]

@alwayspoppies

Mine too!!!

[keinsignal]

Why is the volume so low? I can barely hear this with the volume on my laptop cranked to the maximum.

[cewagner]

Hi Paul!

[Nilguiri]

It's incredible that in the US people are afraid to "come out" as an atheist! What a country; no wonder it's the laughing stock of the world!

Thanks PZ.

[OAKLACLAAUSCFAN]

You're awefully arrogant about that. You should know the U.S. is easily one of the most secularist countries in the world. The amount of people who claim to be religious is extremely high, but among all of the countries in the world it's somewhat high on the list in percentage of atheists at 44th. Honestly, the percentage of people who are actually atheists would be ridiculously higher than the people who come out and admit it, people just prefer not to stir up contraversey.

[Nilguiri]

One of the most secular in the world??? You have got to be kidding!

In a 2005 survey - only Turkey fared worse than the USA in the % of people who did not believe in evolution! That is incredible in non 3rd world country and is totally unaccetable. You have creationist "museums" for fuck's sake!

It should not be controversial to be atheist! It is not stirring up controversy to speak the truth - something that has been lacking in recent years in the US politics.

[OAKLACLAAUSCFAN]

That has nothing to do with secularism. I am an atheist so I obviously I agree how things should be, but the fact is that most of the world has similar numbers. U.S. isn't the best, isn't close, but it's a similar situation throughout most of the world.

[Nilguiri]

No, I don't think that it is not a similar situation throught the world and other countries do not have similar numbers... apart from "extreme" muslim countries, maybe.

They say daily prayers in the senate as if it were a fucking church!

Can you imagine that happening in a civilised country?? No way!

[Oxiclean90]

can you imagine spelling something incorrectly like "civilised" when youtube tells you it's incorrect?

[Nilguiri]

Oxi,

Do what, mate? I'm not really sure what you are talking about.

Are you suggesting that "civilised" is incorrectly spelled?

[Oxiclean90]

HAHAH I totally thought you had spelled it incorrectly man (not with the z/s distinction, but I thought I saw 2 of another letter or something perhaps) , my apologies

[omegavalerius]

Well if you count all third world countries you are doing pretty ok but thats not a very fair comparison is it? You want to compare to countries that are roughly as developed and rich as the States.

[Aaberg123]

@Nilguiri

Granted, them having a privately owned museum to the myth of creation has nothing to do with a secular society.

Teaching it in public schools as a viable, scientific theory however is wrong, wrong, wrong.

[Nilguiri]

OK, true, although I doubt many other countries would even dream of having such a ridiculous "museum" and allow it to be called as such.

[Nilguiri]

Only 40-50% of US citizens accept evolutionary theory. i.e. 40-50 % are ignorant morons - not secular.

[Aaberg123]

@OAKLACLAAUSCFAN

"One Nation Under God". "In God We Trust".

Secular, my ass.

[OAKLACLAAUSCFAN]

Obviously everything isn't perfectly secular.  You could find things like that for every country on Earth.

God save the Queen

O Canada

etc.

[valhar2000]

You are right; people do tend to forget the 3rd world in these discussions.

[yoda43]

the US is not the laughing stock of the world ,although it is sad, that we athiests should envoke such a reaction in the nation that epitomises freedom of thought!.

Everydody looks to the US for insiration as it manages its multicultural, legalistic, tolerant / intolerant, generous and cruel, pluralistic society no one is laughing, everyone is watching!

[ScepticalCynic]

@yoda43

Watching. And laughing. Well not always. But there are some real gems in your society. And politicians. Just ask Mr. Weapons of Mass Destruction.

[NC360]

@Nilguiri

"It's incredible that in the US people are afraid to "come out" as an atheist! What a country; no wonder it's the laughing stock of the world!"

Actually that would be Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. The US has come along way. And even many of the kids here are ending up Atheist. More than the adults anyway, who are still holding onto their faith. I don't see America as the problem, but I guess that's unpopular opinion with so many who grow up believing that America is... "evil".

[niamkrawt]

@Nilguiri What an ignorant comment, obviously from someone who resides in a nation that is not controlled by fundamentalist Christians. And Roman Catholicism doesn't count; I know as I was raised as one. Laughing stock, maybe; however refusing to see others' fears because one watches from a privileged perspective is nothing short of elitist and narrow minded. Visit a rural area of the U.S. for a few months (or even a few weeks), if you then still don't understand, well, you would be a moron.

[Nilguiri]

@niamkrawt

What is it that you think I don't understand, exactly? Why was that an "ignorant" comment?

And what would I learn if I visited a rural area? That they are superstitious, bigoted rednecks? I already knew that.

[niamkrawt]

@Nilguiri Thanks for proving my point! Asking the question underlines your ignorance of life under fundamental rule. My point was that fundamentalists Xtians, while not as physically threatening as fundamentalist Muslims (for the most part), still control most of this country and therefore ostracize anyone who does not believe. In a perfect world it wouldn't matter what anyone believes, but in the very imperfect United States it can affect your career, place in the community, family/friends.

[Alpinex105]

@Nilguiri Afraid to come out? Why not apply your reasoning to other nations? If that is the case, why is America the laughing stock of the world?

[tweaker1bms]

@Nilguiri Imagine how worse it'd be if we COULDN'T kick all their asses too lol

[ReasonablyChic]

"Lord Voldemort asks..."

LOL

[imroy264]

Hugs for PZ!

[blueelm]

Why can't I see it?

[aratinacage]

Major lolz @ 2:57

[jrparri]

To answer his question at the end, I'd say that reddit has a slashdot-ish culture and tradition of pedantism and gotcha fact-checking that pretty much means anything and everything is rebutted mercilessly.

[jrparri]

... narwhal?

[09garrison]

lol redditors leaving comments on youtube...

[theshmee]

is it just me, or is the video/audio out of sync?

[frenzyfol]

Not out of sync for me. The audio is a little flat, but still audible.