Difference between revisions of "PZ Myers"

From Conservapedia
Jump to: navigation, search
(Prediction that atheism movement will stagnate or shrink unless atheists change)
(Prediction that atheism movement will stagnate or shrink unless atheists change)
Line 97: Line 97:
 
== Prediction that atheism movement will stagnate or shrink unless atheists change ==
 
== Prediction that atheism movement will stagnate or shrink unless atheists change ==
  
''See also:'' [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]] and  [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]
+
''See also:'' [[ Atheism movement]] and [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]] and  [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]
  
 
On  September 27, 2014 in a blog post entitled ''The Atheist Disillusionment'', PZ Myers declared:
 
On  September 27, 2014 in a blog post entitled ''The Atheist Disillusionment'', PZ Myers declared:
Line 106: Line 106:
 
I don’t know that we can.<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/09/27/the-atheist-disillusionment/ ''The Atheist Disillusionment''] - PZ Myers]], September 27, 2014</ref>}}
 
I don’t know that we can.<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/09/27/the-atheist-disillusionment/ ''The Atheist Disillusionment''] - PZ Myers]], September 27, 2014</ref>}}
  
Please see: [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]
+
Please see: [[Atheism movement]] and [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]
  
 
== Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks ==
 
== Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks ==

Revision as of 00:02, September 30, 2014

PZ Myers declared, "...I don’t object to bestiality in a very limited set of specific conditions..."[1][2] See: Atheism and bestiality

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

Paul Zachary Myers, better known as PZ Myers, is a liberal atheist and evolutionist activist in the creation-evolution controversy, contributing to The Panda's Thumb and Pharyngula blogs. Myers is also an associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM)[3]

PZ Myers commented, while listening to Michael Behe lecture on Intelligent design, that "In science, we scream a lot."[3] Myers' emotionalism may have helped earn him the label of having an "eccentric voice" by the newspaper USA Today.[4] In a 2014 lecture, Myers said he is known for being a "weird," "loud," "radicalized" and "firebrand" type of "New Atheist."[5]

In May of 2012, it was pointed out by supporters of Creation Ministries International's Question evolution! campaign that from a global perspective the public's interest in the views of PZ Myers and in atheism are on the decline while interest in Jesus and Christianity are on the upswing (see: Global atheism and Decline of atheism and Atheism and the internet and Global Christianity).[6]

According to Evolution News, Myers opposes democratically-elected school boards deciding how evolution should be taught; feeling that it should instead be done by "Scientists with years of training in the subject, and qualified science teachers who understand the fundamentals of the theory." [7]

In October of 2011, Christian apologist Ken Ammi commenting on Myers' dodging of a debate challenge from Vox Day wrote:

Will the biologist, PZ Myers, take on the challenge of the Question Evolution campaign and answer the 15 Questions for Evolutionists? Or, will he, yet again, run with tail betwixt legs, continue refusing to engage in reasoned discourse and merely keep on feeding his cult of personality hero worshipers?[8]

On September 7, 2011, Vox Day wrote concerning the Question evolution! campaign:

It should be interesting to see the answers to these questions presented by the Question Evolution campaign, assuming of course that an evolutionist who is capable of responding to substantive questions with answers that do not boil down to "you are stupid and ignorant of science to even ask me such a thing" can be found...

It is my contention that evolution is, from a scientific perspective, an almost totally irrelevant sideshow. The number of scientists who have actually used evolution for anything over the last 150 years is dwarfed by the number of scientists who are still desperately trying to provide a scientific foundation for TENS. The only reason evolution is assumed to be of such presumed importance is due to its philosophical usefulness to materialist philosophers and pedopropagandists like Richard Dawkins.[9]

PZ Myers on bestiality

PZ Myers said, "I don’t object to bestiality in a very limited set of specific conditions...".[1] When asked what conditions were acceptable for bestially to be morally acceptable, Myers was silent. [1]

See also: PZ Myers on bestiality and Atheism and bestiality and Evolutionary belief and bestiality and Atheism, academia and bestiality and Atheism and social intelligence

PZ Myers wrote about bestiality:

So, to answer clueless thick-skulled Christian idiot’s question, I don’t object to bestiality in a very limited set of specific conditions, but do not support it in any way[1][10]

A Christian commented on Myers's statement:

If you are sensing that there is something amiss with a person stating he neither supports nor opposes bestiality, then you are more perceptive with regard to moral reasoning than PZ Myers is. Myers once stated his morality is based on feelings of empathy. In an interview he stated, "If I punched you in the face, you would feel bad and I would feel bad ..and that's where morality comes from." Ironically, Myers offers a cartoon that mocks plaintive logic, that is, logic based on feelings, which is exactly the same basis of morality Myers appealed to in his interview.

When I sent Myers an email asking him to clarify what "specific conditions" would make bestiality morally acceptable in his opinion, he declined to address my email and my second article on the subject. There is really only one likely scenario in which it seems Myers would accept bestiality, also known as zoophilia, and that is if it is apparent that the animal is not being harmed and if it is demonstrating some kind of approval, enjoyment or "consent" in the act. The problem for Myers here is quite simple. If nothing must be held sacred, then why should bestiality be considered acceptable only under certain conditions and not always? Why should animal rights be an issue if animal rights are not sacred? These are logical contradictions he needs to address. What is happening here is that Myers is revealing in his quote that he does in fact believe that some boundaries must be held sacred.[1]

PZ Myers' daughter Skatje Myers' comments on bestiality

See also: Atheism and bestiality and Skeptic Skatje Myers' comments on bestiality

Skeptic Skatje Myers, the daughter of evolutionist and atheist PZ Myers describes herself as "atheist, agnostic, rationalist, complicated vegetarian (sans dairy and eggs mostly, avec dumpster diving, by-products, and ethical sources), existential and moral nihilist, social democrat”.[11]

On January 2, 2008 Christian apologist Vox Day wrote in an article entitled Atheist Dad of the Year:

If I were ever to have attacked atheism by arguing that on the rare occasions when atheists manage to successfully reproduce, their children would likely grow up possessing beliefs that are utterly immoral by Western moral norms and abhorrent to the average individual, many people would howl that I was unfairly engaging in baseless conjecture, regardless of the logic presented.

So, it's more than a little amusing to see PZ Myers angrily defending his daughter's public argument against anti-bestiality laws. Now, it's certainly the girl's right to advocate on behalf of whatever legal cause she feels is important to her, but this particular choice of subject really doesn't provide the most convincing evidence against the oft-repeated charge that atheists are hopelessly immoral. And if there's nothing rationally objectionable about the practice, then from whence comes this defensive paternal outrage?

The ironic truth is that Miss Myers is absolutely correct; once the basic concept of Natural Law is abandoned, there is no rational basis for banning anything from necrophilia to cannibalism other than a vague sense of "ickiness" inherited from preceding generations possessed of a more conventional morality.[12]

Skatje Myers, the daughter of atheist PZ Myers, wrote:

Sexual relationships between humans and animals come as such a shock to people, but it doesn’t to me. There can be very deep, meaningful relationships between humans and their pets...

That said, I remind you that my position isn’t based on my own personal wants. I just don’t see any reason to ban it other than the same reason things like homosexuality and sodomy were banned: it’s icky. I think it’s bad practice to put social taboos into legislature when no actual logical argument can be made against it.[13][14]

See also:

Skatje Myers on morality

On August 18, 2011, Skatje Myers wrote:

I’m a moral nihilist. I have no reason to believe that morality is anything other than preferences.

I have those preferences, of course — essentially it’s just intuitional leanings. Any need or desire to follow those leanings is purely for my own enjoyment. I decide what is right and wrong based on what I feel is right and wrong, and I follow them only because of a self-created obligation to myself. I demand that others follow the same “rules” I have for myself, because I want them to. It makes the world the way I want it to be.

The way I see it, every other system of morality is based on unjustifiable claims too, so why follow someone else’s invented ideas of right and wrong?[15]

Commentary on the suicide of comedian Robin Williams

See also: Atheism and social intelligence

In August of 2014, very shortly after the suicide of the popular, American comedian/actor Robin Williams, PZ Myers made a callous and socially/emotionally tone-deaf blog post on the matter compounded by him subsequently indicating in the blog post comment section that he should have been "more rude".[16]

Fellow atheist and evolutionist Jerry Coyne wrote in response to Myers' commentary on the suicide of Robin Williams:

This is one of the most contemptible and inhumane things I've ever seen posted by a well-known atheist. It reeks of arrogance, of condescension, and especially of a lack of empathy for those who loved and admired Williams not because they knew him, but because he brought them happiness and made them think.[17]

Myers was angry because he felt that the news of Robins Williams death was crowding out the news story of the African-American Michael Brown who was shot by a police officer (a race riot subsequently ensued).[18] Myers was criticized by one of the bloggers at Hemant Mehta's blog The Friendly Atheist due to his "his heartless, classless body blow to the still-warm corpse of Robin Williams."[19] In addition, Myers' hypocrisy was pointed out as he had made no blog posts previously about the Michael Brown matter and additionally Myers a day earlier, made "a substance-free 15-word post whose main attraction was a photo of a cute bulldog puppy."[20]

In 2011, fellow New Atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins was also criticized for his social ineptitude due to the events surrounding Elevatorgate incident (see also: Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins and Women's views of Richard Dawkins),

Prediction that atheism movement will stagnate or shrink unless atheists change

See also: Atheism movement and Decline of global atheism and Atheism and social intelligence and Atheism and emotional intelligence

On September 27, 2014 in a blog post entitled The Atheist Disillusionment, PZ Myers declared:

I will make a prediction, right here and now.... The number of people identifying as atheists will stagnate or even shrink, because organized atheism is happily in the process of destroying itself with regressive social attitudes, scandals, and their bizarre focus on irrelevant metaphysical differences that don’t help people...

Unless we change.

I don’t know that we can.[21]

Please see: Atheism movement and Decline of global atheism and Atheism and social intelligence and Atheism and emotional intelligence

Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks

See also: Atheist nerds and Atheism and social outcasts and Internet atheism and Atheism and marriage and Atheism and women

In 2013, the PZ Myers declared:

If we're going to expand our base and we're going to draw in more people to recognize the virtues of living in a secular world, we need to appeal to more than just that geek and nerd subset of the population. We need to have a wider base. ...I seriously believe that we're on the cusp of a crisis. We're not there yet but it's looming in front of us. Will we adapt and thrive and change the world? Or will we remain an avocation for a prosperous and largely irrelevant subset of the population? Will we become something more than a scattered society of internet nerds? That's what we have to do.[22]

In response, Evolution News and Views wrote:

A crisis looms, in Myers's view, because he looks around himself and sees a not very promising basis for a mass movement. He's right. There is indeed a quality of geeky isolation from reality, common sense, and the fullness of life that I see as a motif in atheist and Darwin activism alike.[23]

Atheist PZ Myers comment about Dawkins' attitude towards women

See also: Atheism and women

In 2014, PZ Myers said of New Atheist Richard Dawkins' attitude towards women: "At a time when our movement needs to expand its reach, it’s a tragedy that our most eminent spokesman has so enthusiastically expressed such a regressive attitude.”[24]

Banning of Thunderf00t from Freethoughtblogs

See also: Atheist factions

On July 13, 2012 produced a video criticizing PZ Myers involvement in his banning from FreeThoughtBlogs. The video accuses PZ Myers of a lack of integrity and engaging in censorship.[25]

Vox Day wrote that Thunderf00t's removal from Freethoughtblogs exemplified PZ Myers's unwillingness to intellectually engage his opponents and his lack of integrity.[26]

The issue which appeared to spark the contention was how to properly deal with the significant amount of misogny within the atheist community (see also: Atheism and women and Atheism and rape and Elevatorgate and Women's views of Richard Dawkins and Atheist leaders and immoral relationships).[27][28]

Health issues and previous poor health habits

For more information see: Atheism and obesity and New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight and Internet atheism and obesity

Medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[29]

2009 pictures of a significantly overweight PZ Myers can be found HERE and HERE and HERE. A 2010 picture taken in Australia shows PZ Myers drinking ale/beer and he had excess weight in his abdominal area.[30] In 2010, PZ Myers had health problems related to his heart.[31] In addition, medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[32]

Given PZ Myers' biological training and the wide dissemination of the harmful health effects of being overweight in terms of cardiovascular health and brain function, it is unfortunate that preventative medicine was not used in greater measure in terms of his health (see: Bariatric science).

PZ Myers inattention to diligently implementing the recommendations of nutritional science, exercise science and medical science is not entirely surprising given his vehement advocacy of evolutionary pseudoscience. There have been a number of notable evolutionists who have been overweight. In addition, the atheist community has significant problems with obesity. On June 1, 2011, Myers posted a picture of himself and others on his blog and Myers appeared to no longer have issues with being overweight.[33]

New atheism leadership's problem with being overweight

For additional information please see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight

PZ Myers is a leader within the New Atheism movement which is a militant form of atheism. The New Atheism leadership has had significant issues with being overweight (please see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight).

The term New Atheism which first appeared in the November 2006 edition of Wired magazine, is frequently applied to a series of six best-selling books by five authors that appeared in the period between 2004–2008. These authors include Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Victor J. Stenger and Christopher Hitchens.[34] 3 out of 5 of these atheist men have had issues with being overweight as can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE Also, as noted above PZ Myers has had problems with being overweight. In the late 1990s, Dennet had coronary artery bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass surgery reroutes blood around clogged arteries to enhance blood flow and oxygen to the heart).[35][36]

Hippocrates was an early advocate of the health benefits of exercise and nutrition.[37] On the other hand, PZ Myers and a significant amount of other New Atheism leaders, seem to have demonstrated a lack of a full appreciation of the importance of nutritional science, exercise science and the latest findings of medical science (see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight}. Also, unlike PZ Myers, Hippocrates was pro-life.[38]

For more information please see: Theories of New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight

Vox Day on the issue of atheism and obesity

See also: Overweight atheist PZ Myers posing with some young overweight fans

In 2011, the theist Vox Day had an individual complain about the notion that the atheist community has a problem with obesity (Please see: Atheism and obesity). As a result, on May 19, 2011, Vox Day released a blog post entitled Mailvox: now, who said atheists are fat? where 80% of the people taking a picture with PZ Myers were overweight and PZ Myers was overweight in the picture as well as can be seen HERE.[39] The picture was originally posted on PZ Myer's blog Pharyngula by Myers on May 16, 2011 and an online argument quickly ensued concerning the appearance of the photograph's participants.[40]

During his visit to the Creation Museum, PZ Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.VIDEO

An overweight PZ Myers and Creation Museum buffoonery

See also: PZ Myers embarrasses himself at the Creation Museum - satire

In August 2009, Myers led a group of over 300 atheist and agnostic students on a tour of the Creation Museum.[41] During the visit, Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.VIDEO In addition, the purpose of the dinosaur model is clearly for children to sit on for photographs.[42][43] Myers donned a borrowed cowboy hat and was egged on by the cheers and laughter of the students.[44]

PZ Myers' ironic speech at the 2010 Global Atheist Convention

At the 2010 Global atheist Convention, an overweight PZ Myers likened belief in God to a brain infection plus made the blanket statement that religion makes people stupid and/or do stupid stupid things.[45] As noted above, according to medical science, being overweight causes brain impairment.[46]


PZ Myers and militant atheism

PZ Myers is a militant atheist who has openly advocated the elimination of religion, likening it to illiteracy.[47] His language is extremely militant at times, and laced with expletives. In a diatribe in which he described those who believe in the Bible as "lunatics" and "bigots," Myers said:

I say, screw the polite words and careful rhetoric. It's time for scientists to break out the steel-toed boots and brass knuckles, and get out there and hammer on the lunatics and idiots.[48]

PZ Myers frequently rants against religion, religious people, and religious institutions (e.g. churches) on his blog. Myers has called evangelical Christianity "a blight upon the earth,"[49] religious people "ignorant, deluded, wicked, foolish, or oppressed victims of obsolete mythologies,"[50] and considers every church to be a "parasitic institution that contributes nothing to the tax base and encourages further ignorance in the population."[51] Myers has yet to offer scholarly work on the subject of atheism[52] (for example, PZ Myers has yet to offer scholarly works on the subjects of atheism and mass murder and atheism and uncharitableness). In addition, given Myers' diatribes that religious people are allegedly ignorant and deluded, it is quite ironic that Myers has yet to offer any compelling atheist apologetic material rebutting the studies that indicate the irreligious are generally more superstitious than evangelical Christians.

Militant atheism and intellectual slothfulness of PZ Myers

See also: Irreligion and superstition and Militant atheism and intellectual slothfulness of PZ Myers

The Christian apologetic website True Free Thinker declares concerning the intellectual slothfulness of PZ Myers:

That PZ Myers is emotively vociferous is evident to anyone who reads, well, virtually anything that he has ever written on any subject at all.

It is likewise evident that he is intellectually mute. How so? Where are his scholarly works on the truth of atheism? He has produced none.

He merely presupposes God’s non-existence without evidence, see:

ITS NAME IS DOOM — PZ Myers’ A Priori Presuppositional Presumption of Atheism

PZ Myers is Refreshingly Honest: Doom, Gloom and a Positive Affirmation of God’s Non-Existence to Boot!

PZ Myers – Contra Mitch Daniels and Pro Positive Affirmation of God’s Non-Existence, part 1 of 2

PZ Myers’ Dogmatheism Catechism

Etc., etc., etc.....

Where then are his proofs of atheism and disproof of theism? None exist but merely emotive besmirchments of straw-men and straw-gods.

His lack of scholarship and intellectual rigor in these areas, as well as the truth of my statements above, may be demonstrated in the following examples (which are a mere few of many).

PZ Myers dismisses Vox Day’s book The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens while admitting to only having read a few chapters.

Dr. Stephen Meyer published an article favoring intelligent design in a peer reviewed science journal which had traditionally only published material advocating the evolutionary position.[53]

Yet, he refuses to debate Vox Day on the existence of God, or evolution for that matter (Myers being a professor of biology) based on dismissing a book he barely read (yes, it is merely a lame excuse which he peppered with a barrage of emotive ad hominems) — see Speaking of Assiduous Absconders…Yet Again, Vox Day Challenges PZ Myers to Debate.

PZ Myers also dismissed Stephen Meyer’s book Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design referring to it as a “stinker,” “drivel” and “Discovery Institute Bulldung” whilst stating that, “Stephen Meyer lies.” Yet, he stated all of this, and more, whilst stating, “I suppose I’ll have to read that 600 page pile of slop sometime…”....This fact alone shows that he needs to read it, as Intelligent Design proponents are constantly begging their opponents to stop mischaracterizing Intelligent Design theory as holding to something to the likes of it’s so complex, it must have been . . . designed!

PZ Myers also refused to debate anyone from Creation Ministries International (CMI) even while he was in Australia for the preaching-to-the-choir-back-patting Global Atheist Convention - The Rise of Atheism – the “biggest ever atheist event in Australia’s history”...

Clearly, PZ Myers is popular because he scratches where many atheists itch: atheism is an emotional rejection of God very, very thinly veneered in a facade of scientific and intellectual respectability. Thus, PZ Myers plays upon and stokes the fires of emotion yet, he has not, is not and who knows if he ever will engage the intellect.[52]

Refusal to debate at atheist global conference and brief radio debate

See also: Richard Dawkins' public refusal to debate creationists

In 2010, the worldwide atheist community was challenged to a debate by Creation Ministries International as prominent atheists were speaking at a 2010 global atheist convention in Australia.[54] Richard Dawkins, PZ Myers and other prominent atheists refused to debate Creation Ministries International.[54] Generally speaking, creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates.

The website True Free Thinker declared concerning the refusal of Richard Dawkins, PZ Myers and other prominent atheists to debate the creation scientists and other staff at Creation Ministries International:

In keeping with his constant attention getting shenanigans and his equally constant absconding from debating apt challengers via a barrage of illogical and excuses, the moniker of cowardly clown fits Richard Dawkins more than ever (see Send in the Clowns – Richard Dawkins Obliges).

Enter Jonathan Sarfati (PhD in chemistry),senior scientist at Creation Ministries International, who recently published the book “The Greatest Hoax on Earth? Refuting Dawkins on Evolution.” Interestingly, Jonathan Sarfati sought to publish the book by the time that the 2010 Global Atheist Convention—billed as “The Rise of Atheism”—of March 12-14 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center in Australia.

The most intelligent, well informed and vociferous atheists in the world, including Richard Dawkins, Dan Barker, PZ Myers, et al, were challenged to debate while their worldwide choir was gathered in one place and yet, one by one they each found excuses to cower from debate even whilst proclaiming to their adherents the intellectual superiority of atheism.[54]

In January 2008, Myers participated in a brief radio debate with Discovery Institute fellow Geoffrey Simmons on Minneapolis/St. Paul radio station KKMS.[55]

PZ Myers refusal to debate Vox Day

See also: Atheism and cowardice and Atheism and debate

On September 4, 2011, Christian apologist Vox Day wrote concerning PZ Myers:

I have heard from numerous atheists who find his intellectual cowardice to be more than a little troubling given his usual tendency to create conflict rather than to avoid it. And he has handed an out to every single individual he ever hopes to challenge in the future. Why should they debate a nobody like him, a clown who isn't even a bigshot in his own field?

As for the PZ Myers Memorial Debate, we are still in search of an atheist to champion the argument that the logic and evidence for the nonexistence of gods is stronger than the logic and evidence for the existence of gods. It is certainly informative to see how many atheists do not appear to believe they are able to effectively make this case; in light of this, many Christians may find this to be a useful tactical approach when confronted by aggressive atheists in the future. This tends to confirm my previous observations that while atheists like to challenge the beliefs of others, they are very ill-prepared, and in many cases downright unwilling, to defend their own. So, if you want to shut them up, simply go on the attack. They'll run away with alacrity.[56]

On August 28, 2011, Vox Day declared concerning Myers:

What you clearly do not understand is that, by his own admission, PZ relies heavily upon emotional arguments rather than logical ones when he cannot simply appeal to an established scientific consensus. "I'll also cop to the obvious fact that, knowing that reason will not get through their skills, I'm happy to use emotional arguments as well. Passion is persuasive." His tendency to rely upon emotional rhetoric and passion rather than reason is precisely why he is afraid to debate people who rely primarily upon logic, because his ability to present reason-based arguments is relatively low. His ability to utilize reason is simply not equal to the skill of others who make use of it more effectively. PZ is without question an effective preacher to the godless choir of science fetishists, but he is remarkably unskilled at presenting convincing arguments, let alone conclusive ones, to those who do not already agree with him. Unlike you, he knows he is not an effective evangelist.[57]

PZ Myers' blog audience

See also: and Atheism and the internet

In 2010, the Christian apologetics website True Free Thinker wrote:

Scienceblogger Chad Orzel described the commentators on PZ Myers ' Scienceblogs.com site Pharyngula, and other Scienceblogs.com commentators, as "screechy monkeys."[58]

A somewhat similar report was made concerning the audience of Richard Dawkins's web community. In February of 2010, the news organization The Telegraph reported that the atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins was embroiled "in a bitter online battle over plans to rid his popular internet forum for atheists of foul language, insults and 'frivolous gossip'."[59] In addition, Richard Dawkins has a reputation for being abrasive.

PZ Myers' commentary concerning atheist meetings

PZ Myers recently commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.[60] Mr. Myers commentary concerning atheist meetings is not surprising given that survey data and website tracking data of prominent atheist websites indicate that in the Western World, atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women.

PZ Myers' blog posts often lack substance

PZ Myers,

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

See also: Atheism and the internet and Irreligion and superstition

In 2010, the Christian apologetic website True Free Thinker declared:

Just a few years ago PZ Myers fellow Sciencebloggers were complaining about his general lack of substance and about his cult of personality amen chorus of adherents whom were dubbed the screechy monkeys. PZ Myers should be thankful that Scienceblogs is not about science blogs and does not demand science on its Scienceblogs or else 99.9% of all posts on his pseudo-science blog would have to be deleted or, would have never been posted in the first place.

Now it is PZ Myers who is complaining about his fellow Sciencebloggers as he states that Scienceblogs has been facing a steady erosion of talent. The key question is What sort of talent? Talented at doing what?

If he references the talent to elucidate matters scientific then he is quite lacking himself.

If he refers to peppering virtually every post with ad hominems, mythunderstandings, promulgating of prejudice and positively affirming Gods non-existence without evidence then he is the pseudo-science blogger par excellence.[61]

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

See also: Irreligion and superstition

Myers appeared in the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. In the film, Myers compared religion to knitting and said it should be nothing more than "something fun that people get together and do on the weekend and really doesn't affect their life as much as it has been so far."[62] Up to and after the release of the film, PZ Myers viciously attacked the film and its makers many times and engaged in bizarre behavior. Two of the most notable incidents involved his failed attempt to gate-crash a showing of the film at the Mall of America[63] and his crashing and disruption (including plugging himself) of a conference call held by Expelled's producers after calling in early (likely to eavesdrop) and overhearing and then dishonestly using the phone code that allowed two-way communication.[64][65] Most bizarrely, in the latter incident, Myers interruption of the producers' call began with his referring to himself in the third person, probably in an attempt to conceal both his identity and the fact that he used a phone code he was not authorized to use.

PZ Myers on abortion

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade was an early advocate of abortion in the Western World.[66]

See also: PZ Myers and abortion and Atheism and mass murder and Atheism and morality

PZ Myers is not only "pro-choice", but he said he is "even willing to say" that he is pro-abortion.[67]

The website Evolution News and Views wrote:

Myers again, on abortion:

'what's at stake is a mere embryo, so it's no big loss if it's flushed and incinerated, and I don't have any illusions about whether this is deciding the fate of a human life -- it's not. There's no person...'

Myers' ugly assertion -- 'it's no big loss if it's flushed and incinerated...[t]here's no person -- demonstrates the New Atheist moral vacuum. New Atheists insist that there is no objective moral law; morality is nothing more than an evolved adaptation, or what each of us decides, ad nauseam. Yet if there is no objective moral law that transcends the individual will to power, then power, not justice nor mercy nor even love for one's own child, governs human conduct. Atheist morality boils down to this: '... because we can'. That has been the moral code of atheism in power for a century.[67]

In 2011, Myers wrote that when he sees dead baby pictures: "I look at them unflinchingly and see meat."[68]

Christian apologist Ken Ammi wrote in response to PZ Myers remarks concerning abortion:

What a tragic figure, what a deprivation of all that is human and humane, what a sad, sick and depraved soul: what a by product of atheism.

Beautiful, healthy, innocent and defenseless human babies who were brutally murdered in unimaginably brutal and inhuman, inhumane, and subhuman manners are to be likened to rats, mice, dogs, and misc amputated body parts. In his reductionist eyes it is all merely temporarily animated meat.[68]

PZ Myers's views are not surprising given the history of atheism in relation to the abortion issue. The Journal of Medical Ethics article declared concerning the atheist and sadist Marquis de Sade:

In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.[69]

Population control is based on pseudoscience and ill founded economic assumptions.[67]

Communion host incident

On July 8, 2008, PZ Myers posted an entry attacking Roman Catholic beliefs regards Communion. He was reacting to a news story, in which a student at the University of Central Florida described a physical confrontation over his failure to consume a communion wafer.[70][71] After ridiculing some people as "petty, hateful, and stupid," and asserting that "nothing makes them stupider than religion," Myers requested that his readers steal consecrated Communion wafers for him, so that he could desecrate them on camera. This rant predictably resulted in a strongly negative response from Catholics and those who support freedom of religious expression [72]; Myers has since complained about the "hate mail" and "death threats" he has received, comparing the defense of Communion to a "witch hunt." To date, the University of Minnesota has not taken official action against Myers for his inflammatory remarks, other than to remove the link to his blog from his faculty page. PZ Myers followed through with his threat, desecrating a eucharist and tearing out pages of a copy of the Koran and a copy of Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion.[73]

Meanwhile, Myers posted two vitriolic emails he had received and included the email addresses where they supposedly had come from. Predictably, his readers responded with their own threatening and harassing emails even though at the time it was not clear whether or not the email addresses had been spoofed One was allegedly from someone at 1-800-Flowers, though the husband of the user of the address subsequently owned up to sending the e-mail.[74] The account owner was fired by the company. Myers commented on the firing, saying, "She apparently did something stupid, which I don't have sympathy for. I would just rather not see people getting fired over an e-mail message."[75] Myers attempted to save face, claiming that the unsurprising behavior by his readers was not the intent behind his posting of the email addresses, and called for his readers to stop "dunning these people with email, threatening them back, signing them up for spam, or otherwise being a jerk." These pleas fell on deaf ears, while PZ Myers continued to avoid doing the obvious thing in simply removing the email addresses from his blog.[76][77]

Poor scholarship, weak leadership skills, denialism and engaged in selective quoting

Please see: PZ Myers' weak leadership skills

See also:

Myers and Conservapedia

True to liberal values, Myers has banned all direct references and links to Conservapedia on his blog due to what he claims was "serious problems with spamming" involving Conservapedia members.[78] Of course, no spamming (repeatedly posting the same message) actually occurred, making Myers' accusation a lie. Rather, his banning is an attempt to silence legitimate criticism which he is simply incapable of addressing.

See also

Comedy and satire:

External Links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Atheist Achilles Heels: Objective Morality and Sacred Life
  2. The “objective morality” gotcha
  3. 3.0 3.1 The Mad Scientist City Pages, Volume 26 - Issue 1303, November 23, 2005 Cover story
  4. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/06/atheist-national-geographic-pz-myers/1
  5. Which Is the Real PZ Myers?, Evolution News and Views, Casey Luskin June 9, 2014 12:07 PM
  6. Egnor, Michael P.Z. Myers: Darwinists Know What’s Best for Your Children Evolution News December 18, 2007
  7. Will PZ Myers debate Vox Day? And, on the “Question Evolution” campaign
  8. Questions for Evolutionist
  9. The “objective morality” gotcha
  10. Skatje Myers on The Separation of Church and State
  11. Atheist Dad of the Year
  12. Just when you think Slimy Sal couldn’t sink any lower - Skatje Myers, Daughter of atheist PZ Myers - in blog comments section of PZ Myers' blog post
  13. Skatje Myers' Website is currently under construction, RSS feed - Lacrimae Rerum,blog of Skatje Myers, blog article - Zoophilia Oct 2, 2007]
  14. Skatje Myers' website is currently under construction, Morality by Skaje Myers
  15. Robin Williams brings joy to the hearts of journalists and politicians once again
  16. On Robin Williams's Death, a Revealing Dispute Between Atheist-Evolutionist Spokesmen
  17. P.Z. Myers is (Surprise!) Unmoved By Suicide of “Wealthy White” Robin Williams
  18. P.Z. Myers is (Surprise!) Unmoved By Suicide of “Wealthy White” Robin Williams
  19. P.Z. Myers is (Surprise!) Unmoved By Suicide of “Wealthy White” Robin Williams
  20. The Atheist Disillusionment - PZ Myers]], September 27, 2014
  21. in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency
  22. in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency
  23. Richard Dawkins has lost it: ignorant sexism gives atheists a bad name by Adam Lee, The Guardian, September 18, 2014
  24. FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers
  25. Vox Day on Freethoughtblogs
  26. Thunderf00t, check your email - PZ Myers
  27. Thunderf00t on how to handle misogny in the atheist community
  28. http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/
  29. That’s not a heart! It’s a flailing Engine of Destruction!
  30. The Final Tally on the Camp Quest race: I win!
  31. http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html
  32. http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/dennett06/dennett06_index.html
  33. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4484
  34. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/pe/exs190web/exs190history.htm
  35. http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html
  36. MailVox: Who said atheists are fat?.
  37. [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/05/16/at-least-you-can-see-a-hint-of/ At least you can see a hint of what you missed Posted by PZ Myers on May 16, 2011]
  38. "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began?" (ABC News)
  39. http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/aroundtheworld/2009/08/16/children-and-the-creation-museum/
  40. "A firebrand visits Creation Museum" (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
  41. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQl2TMrgbM
  42. PZ Myers - Global Atheist Convention 2010
  43. http://www.atheistrev.com/2008/03/pz-myers-on-eliminating-religion.html
  44. http://web.archive.org/web/20070420142719/http://pharyngula.org/index/weblog/comments/perspective/
  45. Left or right, religion and politics don’t mix
  46. I’m surrounded! Posted by PZ Myers on July 11, 2007
  47. How do you save small town charm?, Posted by PZ Myers on July 18, 2007
  48. 52.0 52.1 http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/pz-myers-emotively-vociferous-intellectually-mute
  49. http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=1489
  50. 54.0 54.1 54.2 http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/richard-dawkins-cowardly-clown
  51. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk5Y3VoBeVQ
  52. Running, running by Vox Day
  53. Can one dodge a dodger?
  54. http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/pz-myers-and-pavlovs-monkeys
  55. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7322177/Richard-Dawkins-in-bitter-web-censorship-row-with-fellow-atheists.html
  56. The Woman Problem
  57. http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/pz-myers-contra-scienceblogs
  58. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHiZjOH1NmQ
  59. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/science/21expelledw.html
  60. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYAblaZmogA
  61. I always aim to misbehave
  62. http://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract
  63. 67.0 67.1 67.2 http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html
  64. 68.0 68.1 http://www.examiner.com/christian-apologetics-in-albuquerque/pz-myers-best-reason-for-rejecting-atheism-murdered-babies-are-just-meat
  65. http://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract
  66. 'Body Of Christ' Snatched From Church, Held Hostage By UCF Student, July 5, 2008[1]
  67. 'Body Of Christ" Returned To Church After Student Receives Email Threats, July 7, 2008[2]
  68. PZ MYERS HATEMAIL
  69. http://discoverthefaith.com/2008/07/26/update-on-professor-myers-desecration-of-eucharist/
  70. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/071608-woman-fired-over-death-threat.html
  71. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/071608-woman-fired-over-death-threat.html?page=2)
  72. Stop it now. please
  73. Mail dump
  74. Conservapedia has a new project