Damn, what's with these politicians and their "Yes... but the hand of God..." answer to the evolution "belief" question. When the hand of god grabs my balls and plays with them I'll believe it.

I would like for this dumbass (who I realize people like) to have explained himself why you have to be a "fool" not to believe it. He only looks at the "beautiful" things, but totally ignores all the horrible things. And I'm just talking about nature. Once you get into societies, the shit really flies.

Long time lurker, sees "When the hand of god grabs my balls and plays with them I'll believe it", is sorely tempted to add to Favourite Quotes in his Facebook profile.

Looks to me like God's hand is all thumbs.

"When the hand of god grabs my balls and plays with them I'll believe it"

-- said the altar-boy to the priest...

(Thank you, I'll be here all week.)

On a more serious note, this reminds me of something Richard Attenborough once said. Occasionally, some crucifix-junkies would write him and complain that he never made any mention of God in his nature documentaries. They'd invariably speak of beautiful things like butterflies and flowers, and hummingbirds, and never about the things in nature that aren't so nice... Like the five-year old boy who sits on a riverbank in West Africa, with a parasitic worm burrowing through his eyeballs, guaranteeing that he'll be completely blind by the time he turns six... If an invisible super-dude in the sky is responsible for hummingbirds, then he's also responsible for those worms. In which case, God would obviously be a complete bastard. But this stuff, they never speak of.

That's absolutely right but you mean David Attenborough! I've seen him bring that one up during interviews, it's a good point well made.

I thought Ford (a former Democratic rep.) was intentionally quoting (Republican) McCain's rediculous "hand of God" cop-out, but nobody laughed.

Furthermore, if you think it reasonable to not interpret Genesis literally, what does evolution have to do with religion? Bringing religion back into the discussion like that makes the politician's stance look incredibly weak and shaky.

Yeah Frenetic, that's exactly what I think too. If you have to add a freaking "but I also believe God..." after "yes" when asked if you accept evolution, then you are implying that somehow religion contradicts evolution, just not your viewpoint of it. Just say yes you bastards!

Another possibility, which I think is just as likely, is that these guys think that God guided evolution, or he had it planned and got it started. In that sense, religion does contradict evolution, and they are ignorant of one of the main points of it. So they don't really accept it, at least not "completely". Then again, I hesitate to say that because I certainly am much less qualified than people like Ken Miller, which I think falls into the "got it started" category. So forget I said anything.

Or maybe he's just being inconsistent.

I nearly pissed myself when Shandling made his "Pop-up" remark.

That was comic-timing gold. And I usually think he's a prick and can't stand him.

Harold Ford Jr was boooorrring, and he hardly spoke. I would hate to hear speak longer.

shandling also stole a nice bill hicks line, about people who dont believe in evolution always seem to look the least evolved.

Junior Ford is one of the Billary crowd's DLC pets. The Democratic Party needs to fumigate these cockroaches.

...you mean David Attenborough! -- Craig

Of course, duh... You're quite right -- thanks man. I KEEP getting those two mixed up. :/

Norm -- off-topic, on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS Friday night, he did an interview with Jonathan Miller. In case you missed it, thought you'd be interested.

The best part was when Shandling answered his cell phone. Hilarious.

I think Ford's closing remark probably says more about the American electorate than it does about him. I remember reading a study that said atheists are less electable than any other major population demographic. While Ford is retired, he probably still plays enough in political circles to make such avowals necessary.

"Shandling also stole a nice bill hicks line, about people who dont believe in evolution always seem to look the least evolved."

P.S. - I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Hicks stole that line off Kinison :-)

Norm -- off-topic, on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS Friday night, he did an interview with Jonathan Miller. In case you missed it, thought you'd be interested.

Sorry to also be OT, but I gotta vouch for this interview. It was excellent. A sample:

You see, I'm always struck by the... what I've always called the vulgarity of the locations in which the awe-inspiring is felt. Why is it gotta be sunset, sunrise, birth and death, whereas in fact, I am not immune to mystey and awe [of the negligible and simple]

[...]If you don't get feelings of the sort of the transcendent from the negligible and the impermanent, I think it's because you don't respect the universe enough. If you're not moved by that, you require a huge transcendental cabaret in the shape of gods of one sort or another, or of one. It seems to me that it's almost vulgar to be greedy in that way.

It is a great interview. It is on bittorrent, so you guys should check it out.

I think Ford meant he believes in God, "but you'd have to be a fool not to [believe in evolution]."

Also, keep in mind that Ford is from Tennessee. My motto for this state is, "Where the Republicans are Republicans and the Democrats are too." I don't think last year's senate race was the last stand for him, and every word he says he is probably thinking about future elections.

Craig:

Long time lurker, sees "When the hand of god grabs my balls and plays with them I'll believe it", is sorely tempted to add to Favourite Quotes in his Facebook profile.

TheRealChristopher:

Looks to me like God's hand is all thumbs.

^ LMAO!!! XD

Taking in stride the fact that it's idiotic to find nothing in this country that needs attention or is a cause for concern - I think the problem is not that people, in general, find criticism of our problems to be unnecessary or offensive. It's that the people who do the 'criticism' tend to do it in a smug, dismissive way, and also seem to think that criticism is a substitute for actually doing something.

I would also venture to say that one of the bigger problems in this country is the fact that we bestow virtual sainthood on any idiot who 'sings good' or can play dress-up for the cameras. Sean Penn giving discourse on political issues? I thought he was still out on that leaky boat full of reporters failing to save people, or having a "Who's a more pompous ass" competition with Tim Robbins.

It's that the people who do the 'criticism' tend to do it in a smug, dismissive way...

Which is what you seem to be doing here.

...and also seem to think that criticism is a substitute for actually doing something.

Like anonymous bellyaching in someone else's blog? You're really "doing something," man. By all means carry on.

Average_Joe, Syngas, TeaForTheTillerman, or whatever silly anonymous moniker you hide behind, why don't you take your own advice here and get off your ass and do something substantive?

You continally harp about how we "pointy-headed" elitists talk down to Ma and Pa Kettle in Gooberville as if you're the spokesman for the common man, but of course we don't know fuck-all about you except you possess almost laughable intellectual insecurity and a penchance for knee-jerk sermonizing about all these slights and insults anyone with an IQ over 140 has for the average person out there in Jesusland.

You cast aspersions on Sean Penn, who at least--for what it's worth--is a public figure unfraid to express himself in a public forum.

You, on the other hand, are an anonymous dipshit who doesn't even have the courage to leave his real name or link to some profound forum where you're expressing all your brilliant ideas that we elitist intellectual assholes just don't get.

So your criticism, as usual, rings hollow and reeks of jealousy and cowardice and massive insecurity.

You really are a pathetic dork, and I mean that sincerely and with a little compassion.

Is it just me or is Shandling showing signs of taking too many hits to the head (he's heavy into boxing these days). He just seems strangely "off" somehow...

Spell check moment:

I meant penchant for knee-jerk sermonizing...

I thought that was a good point for Bill to bring up, and it was something that struck me when watching the debate. We are in a war, our education system is failing, kids are focused solely on themselves, the DOW Jones is soaring while people are defaulting on their home loans. And perhaps worst of all to me, our Congress cannot get a living minimum wage passed... right now, you have to make almost $10 an hour to reach the annual poverty level of $18,800.

And everything in this country is just fine.

It's not enough that he wears funny underwear and believes a known swindler and con-man founded the true church. Mitt Romney also has to be a talking-points Republican, too.

I'd be willing to vote for a Republican, but at this point, Ron Paul is the only one that sounds rational.

Yea, I was amazed Penn actually went to New Orleans and helped people. good on him, because that was some toxic sh*t for anyone to be exposed to, all over the place. really roughing it in a dangerous place. I dont think he can help it that if he gets recognised the media follows him around.

Unlike Geraldo, who staged some rescue and made some poor woman do another take getting off a boat.

The criticism in this country is a part of the slow drum beat of change gaining momentum.

as a people i feel we're too apathetic when comes to things that actually affect our lives (a generalization i based off the voter turnout of france compared to ours)

as a nation we export war and import cheap goods made by sweatshops with 92 hours work weeks (http://www.nlcnet.org/article.php?id=197)

"shandling also stole a nice bill hicks line, about people who dont believe in evolution always seem to look the least evolved."

Eh, I don't think either are the first to make that sort of joke. I think that falls into the category of being so obvious no one can claim to be the originator. I myself have made the joke when discussing evolution with people, and I have seen other people use it on forums in various places.

Average_Joe, Syngas, TeaForTheTillerman, or whatever silly anonymous moniker you hide behind

no no no... Syngas at least had a sense of humor, no matter how much he annoyed everyone here. lol

This Average_Joe, Tillerman dude is humorless and bitter and as Norm warned us all.. "Troll alert".. It's so difficult to avoid these danged trolls, dangit!