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Carnival of the Godless 134 will be here next weekend – get your submissions in pronto, folks!
Welcome to the 118th Carnival of the Godless! Today, May 31st, marks the anniversary of the ascent of that great Egyptian Pharaoh, Ramses II, to his throne. Not something that has much import in this day and age, you say? Shelley thought the same thing, hence his famous poem “Ozymandias”. So, inspired by Socratic Gadfly waxing poetical, I’m going to try and shoehorn this Carnival into Shelley’s masterpiece… wish me luck…
I met a traveller from an antique land
Sometimes it does feel as though the theists we meet have wandered in from an antique land. maussie ponders the divide between the respect we give the religious and the reaction we get back. Rick Foreman, meanwhile, considers how one might communicate with such travellers, and Ron Britton analyses their strange language.
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Has your statue fallen over? Benjaminista looks at the best way to knock down idols.
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Sand, or more precisely, silicon, is at the heart of our computing industry. Computers are getting pretty smart these days – as Rick Foreman finds when he investigates Artificial Intelligence and the future of human evolution.
Half sunk, a shatter’d visage lies, whose frown
A frown usually indicates some form of doubt or disapproval. Magdalune examines the hypocrisy inherent in the Christian view of doubt. And speaking of shattered things, Jason Stotts has some wise words regarding the shattering of illusions.
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Well, if it’s amusing/terrifying facial expressions you want, The Whited Sepulchre has found possibly the funniest exposition of heaven ever! Wrinkled lips and sneers of cold command also put me in mind of a certain G.W. Bush, and Glowing Face Man takes a look at one of his more ludicrous legacies.
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Passions can mess up your logic, so the Spock-like Russell Blackford stays calm and controlled as he demonstrates that evidence does not require faith. Meanwhile, Seth Manapio observes that sculptures do not always necessitate a sculptor. Nonetheless, points out revatheist, in order for Christianity to work, they’ve got to have a sculptor on board.
Which yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things,
One poor girl who didn’t survive was Madelaine Neumann. Archvillain discusses the Madelaine Neumann case and the intolerance of religion, whilst (((Billy))) sees how the evidence of “lifeless things” works against creationism.
The hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed.
Mocking hands and voracious hearts – that’s good parenting! Living with Mormons looks at the perfect age to make a major spiritual decision. Most mocking of all is the insidious leakage of religion into law, as vjack explains.Mind you, mockery can sometimes be justified, as Greta Christina discovers.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
You need a pedestal to support your statues – but what happens when you have nothing solid to stand on? Mike Volmer wonders how many turtles you would need.
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
“King of kings”? Rather an extreme title, but as Luke Muehlhauser points out, just because it sounds ridiculous doesn’t mean it’s not accurate.
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Ah, the pomp and bombast of the powerful. Christine experiences something similar when she accidentally goes to Mass.
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Nothing remains of the Spanish Inquisition, either, but Uncredible Hallq shows that actually, some people rather regret that.
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
Creationists would love to believe the theory of evolution is a colossal wreck, but GrrlScientist looks at Jerry Coyne’s latest book, Why Evolution Is True, and demonstrates that it isn’t so.
The lone and level sands stretch far away
And in the end, there’s nothing left – CyberLizard muses on death, depression and – to avoid getting overy morbid – delight.
Hope you enjoyed this installment of the Carnival – next month it can be found at Sunnt Skeptic. See you there!
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