One of Us!: Daniel Radcliffe is an atheist!

The religious nutjobs in America now have yet another reason to hate Harry Potter: the actor who incarnates our beloved wizard in the film series has openly revealed himself as a proud, relaxed atheist. Attaboy, Daniel!

In an interview with Esquire magazine, Radcliffe risked the US box office prospects of the new Harry Potter film by declaring himself to be an atheist.

In a pronouncement that will dismay America's religious Right, which has long voiced suspicions about Potter's "anti-Christian" message, the 19-year-old actor said he did not believe in God.

He also expressed his admiration for Professor Richard Dawkins, the prominent atheist and bete noir of Evangelical Christians.

Radcliffe has been reticent on the subject of religion in the past, but in an interview to promote the latest instalment in the film franchise, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released on July 15, he said: "I'm an atheist, but I'm very relaxed about it. I don't preach my atheism, but I have a huge amount of respect for people like Richard Dawkins who do. Anything he does on television, I will watch."

He joked: "There we go, Dan, that's half of America that's not going to see the next Harry Potter film on the back of that comment."

I don't see why anyone would worry about a drop in the box office – anyone who's offended by witchcraft and fantastical hocus-pocus will already have been boycotting the films and burning Harry Potter effigies and books for a decade now, so seriously, anyone who's still watching the films or reading the books will likely have no problem with a young atheist in lead role. (Not to mention that anyone who stops watching a series they previously enjoyed just because an actor happens not to believe in their branch of faith is a total ass, but that's a given.)

I'm surprised I haven't heard of this before – apparently he said this at the release of Half-Blood Prince, now almost four years ago.

I was sorry to read this next little bit, though:

Prof Dawkins, author of best-selling book The God Delusion, is no fan of Harry Potter, once remarking that tales of witchcraft are "anti-scientific".

Oh come on now. That's just silly. It's a fantasy novel. What the heck does he want, science-based magic? Frankly, hating on Harry Potter just because it's supposedly "anti-scientific" (which is really a stupid claim in itself) is just as pathetic as anyone who hates, say, House for being "anti-woo". Kinda disappointing coming from someone as obviously intelligent and usually dead-on accurate as Professor Dawkins, but no-one's always 100% rational, I guess.

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Bless these children, for they will lead the way ...

Sounds biblical, no? Which sort of contrasts with this new, enlightening and joyful news from a small UK survey which basically tells us that teenagers are abandoning their religious faiths – and that's for those who even had a religion to begin with. In fact, up to two thirds of children don't believe in gods at all.

Teenagers even say family, friends, money, music and even reality television are more important than religion.

It also emerged six out of ten 10 children (59 per cent) believe that religion "has a negative influence on the world".

The survey also shows that half of teenagers have never prayed and 16 per cent have never been to church.

Is it just me, or are kids and youths from across the pond always a few steps ahead from the kids and youths we have over here in North America in terms of spiritual beliefs and overall behavior? Rather disheartening for us, really ... Though you can't help but smile at this news, nonetheless.

How 'bout some more good news?

The research also found 55 per cent of young people are not bothered about religion and 60 per cent only go to church for a wedding or christening.

Only three out of 10 teenagers believe in an afterlife and 41 per cent believe that nothing happens to your body when you die, but one in 10 reckon they come back as an animal or another human being.

And what does the Church have to say about these revelations? Tired, repetitive and unsubstantiated crap, of course:

A Church of England spokesman said: "Many teenagers aren't sure what they believe at that stage of their lives, as is clear from the number who said they don't know whether they believe in God.

"On the other hand many of these results point to the great spirituality of young people today that the Church is seeking to respond to through new forms of worship alongside tradition ones."

Right. Chalk it up to those dumb kids not knowing what to believe in and being rebellious. Never mind that they may just be opening their eyes to the possibility of a world without the poisoning aspects of religiosity.

In the end, it's as this lady puts it:

Hanne Stinson, chief executive of The British Humanist Association, said: "It confirms that young people - like adults - do not need a religion to have positive values.

"The 'golden rule', which is often claimed by religions as a religious value, is in reality a shared human value - shared by all the major religions and the non-religious and almost every culture - that predates all the major world religions."

Exactly.

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Another instance of my liking some Rap

Don't worry though, its overuse of the word "dick" is perfectly legit in this case. (Seriously, how the hell haven't I come across this one sooner?)

Particularly like PZ's squiddie cap. Look like the little professorial atheist is finally hitting the big time.

(I must wonder, to anyone who knows crap about Rap and its artists: is that Eminem's voice I hear? I can't tell for sure.)

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We're taking over! ... Barnes & Noble, for now

From the bookstore outlet in Chandler, Arizona, you need not look further than this aisle. What more needs to be said that the photo doesn't give away by itself?

Epic WIN.

Made even better in that I don't see a single New-Agey or Oprah-condoned bit of tripe anywhere near it. *Purrs*

(via Pharyngula)

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Proclaiming my allegiance!

I've always been a Pastafarian ... at least now I've got the badge of honor to prove it.

Flying Spaghetti Monster: You Know He's Watching

... And for good measure, why not some celebratory gratuitous Jesus-bashing?

Tee hee hee. Now doesn't that taste ... divine?

(*Ducks*)

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I've never been prouder to be an atheist

That is, now that I've discovered something I can NOT believe I've never heard of. Introducing, to the two or three cretins like me who've never heard of them before, 'The Atheist Experience' from Houston, Texas. (Yes, finally some southerners that don't sweat Bible verses.)

Official site with info @ http://www.atheist-experience.com/.

You can also watch most, if not all, of these videos on YouTube – just search for 'atheist experience'.

Forgive me if I don't go into details and description as I usually do, only I've got a few years' worth of videos to cram in ... But here's the basic set-up: you've got one or two 'hosts', atheists, who accept calls from anyone from fundies to Creationists to other atheists to folks that don't really have a particular opinion, about anything from religion and philosophy to science. Those folks ask questions, the hosts reply as best as they can, and it's all unscripted and improvised, which means much of the time the results are totally unpredictable – half the time it's all fine and dandy, the other half the caller nearly strokes in a fit of delusional rage (wait, isn't that typical of religiots?) while the hosts, who seem to possess truly divine patience and cool-headedness, either cut them off or just laugh in sheer amusement.

This is the stuff that comprises my wet-dreams. Now excuse me while I watch a few more snippets of sanity, reason and science from the South. *Slams door shut*

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