McDowell is worried: “The Internet has given atheists, agnostics, skeptics, the people who like to destroy everything that you and I believe, the almost equal access to your kids as your youth pastor and you have… whether you like it or not.” Kind of revealing: McDowell is admitting that if you want to get kids into your religion, you need to get them young enough, before they've been exposed to other ideas. (tags: internetapologeticsjosh-mcdowellchristianityreligion)
An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-licence photo wearing a pasta strainer as "religious headgear". This sounds sensible to me: if you're going to allow special privileges for religions, you should do so for all of them. (tags: religionatheismfunnypastafarianismramenfsm)
Former fundie talks about how her uncle convinced her by asking questions, preventing the whole cached thought/semantic stop sign thing, and showing how alternative ways of living can be fulfilling. (tags: fundamentalismreligionquiverfulldebate)
The investigative journalist Nick Davies on how the phone-hacking scandal has escalated, leading to News of the World's announced closure. (tags: videolawpressnews-of-the-worldnick-daviesmurdoch)
A suggestion: if you want to show that you understand the other side's position, test whether you can be distinguished from a genuine advocate of that position in a suitably anonymous test. (tags: philosophydebateturing)
"How do people defend their beliefs in bizarre conspiracy theories or the power of crystals? Philosopher Stephen Law has tips for spotting their strategies." A bit similar to my Bad Arguments stuff: Law has "everything is based on faith" as the so-called "nuclear option". An interesting article, might buy the book he's plugging. (tags: religionscienceempiricismsceptismphilosophynew-age)