C. J. Werleman accused of plagiarism

Jerry Coyne’s Insight

Why Evolution Is True

C. J. Werleman (b. 1973, Wikipedia bio here) is a writer, commentator, and atheist who has lately used the pages of Salon to attack Richard Dawkins, Bill Maher, and Sam Harris for Islamophobia, misogyny, and other sins. These old privileged white males (Sam has been accused recently of “aging”) apparently don’t understand, as Werleman does, that the perfidies of organizations of ISIS don’t reflect Islam, but culture and Western oppression. Here are three of Werleman’s attack-dog pieces in Salon, just from September:

“Atheists don’t get terrorism: Why Sam Harris fails to understand the Islamic ‘threat'”

“Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and atheist’s ugly Islamophobia”

“What atheists like Bill Maher have in common with medieval Christian Crusaders”

Werleman is the atheist’s Reza Aslan.

Salon, of course, odious clickbaiting venue that it is, positively laps up Werleman’s stuff. But perhaps the lapping is through, for if a blogger called “Godless Spellchecker” is correct, Werleman is…

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‘The Hitch’ – Indie Christopher Hitchens Documentary

Are you a fan of Hitch? Of course you are.  The below documentary was brought to my attention last week, and it’s wonderful. Kristoffer Hellesmark has managed to put together a lengthy film chronicling the life of the great late polemecist.  It’s a superb blend of archive footage, Hitch voiceover from his autobiography audio book and Kristoffer’s own impressive visual style.  Highly recommended.  A thoroughly decent way to spend a Sunday in my opinion.  Please share your thoughts in the comments section.  Enjoy.

Kristoffer’s note:

I was looking for a documentary about The Hitch to watch but
I could never find one. I waited and waited. Finally I figured:
“Why don’t I just make one?”. That was the inspiration for this project.
I did not make it to gain financially as I do not own most of the
footage used.

I simply wanted to in my own small way, further the legacy of Christopher Hitchens.

Thanks for watching.

 

‘The Hitch’- Christopher Hitchens documentary from Kristoffer Hellesmark on Vimeo.

Ep#18 – A Conversation with an #ExMuslim

I’m proud to be joined by an #ExMuslim from New York on The #GSPodcast.  Going under the pseudonym ‘Wall In Space’, we talk pre and post-9/11 New York, the backlash and how leaving the faith has affected his family life. We also find the time to talk about the late, great, Christopher Hitchens.  Yes, I ask him about bacon too.  Happy now?

Guest: ‘Wall In Space’

Also available on Stitcher and iTunes.

Donate to the running costs of The GSPodcast at www.gspellchecker.com

Relevant Links:

Buy ‘God Is Not Great’ – Christopher Hitchens
Buy ‘Mortality’ – Christopher Hitchens
Buy ‘Perfect Soldiers’ – Terry McDermott
Read the comments section of ‘The Crazy Nigerian’ Blog post ‘Religion Is For Sinners’.

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Who Does Mo Ansar Think He Is?

Update 15/05/14: It seems time has truly been called on Mo Ansar’s ‘career’.  Numerous sources have now compiled articles exposing his deception.  Please see the appendix at the bottom of this post for a collection.

[cryout-pullquote align=”left|center|right” textalign=”left|center|right” width=”33%”]”Picture all experts as if they were mammals” – Christopher Hitchens[/cryout-pullquote]

I’ve always liked these words of wisdom from Hitch, but I’ve found them particularly resonant over the last few years.  Social media has, for better or worse, afforded everyone a soap box of sorts.  A digital arena where ideas can be propagated or challenged.  It’s also equipped us common-folk with a direct line of access to so-called ‘Public Figures’.

Don’t like their opinions?  Well, now we can let them know without so much as a postage stamp.
The ‘Public figures’ I’m referring to in this instance are those frequently wheeled out onto our telly screens for topical news segments.  They confidently share their ‘valuable’ insight into “escalating tensions of some such thing or other…” or press the “need for tolerance yada yada…”  Sometimes to inform us with authority that  “Men are raised to hate women”. You know the sort.

They know what they are talking about.  Of course they do.  They’re on our telly screen after all.
This brings me to my fascination with Mo Ansar.  And it is truly a fascination.  The mystery surrounding the existence of his UK media profile brings me such joyous puzzlement I want to embrace and squeeze him.

Ep#17 – Dan Arel – 9/11 Memorial Cross

Dan Arel, Correspondent for The American Atheists has his lunch break unceremoniously stolen by The #GSPodcast.  We talk The American Atheists Convention 2014, the controversial 9/11 memorial cross and share our mutual love for Maryam Namazie.  Dan also spills some details on his upcoming Secular Parenting book.

Guest: @DanArel  Website: www.danarel.com

Also available on Stitcher and iTunes.

Donate to the running costs of The GSPodcast here.

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Ep#16 – Noah Review & Religious T Returns!

It’s all about fun on this week’s #GSPodcast. The wonderful Laura and Daniel return to help me review Ray Comfort’s Noah ‘movie’ (YouTube – Full Movie). Our man on the inside, Religious T will also be dropping by to talk religion and battle me in round 2 of The Northern Game!
Guests: @LauraLeeBiology, @lepage_d & @ReligiousT

Also available on Stitcher and iTunes.

Donate to the show here.

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Team #GFGS Returns – Let’s Do Something Good Again!

Would anyone like to help me do something good again? Back in 2013 I launched ‘Good For Good’s Sake’. This came about after being overwhelmed by the level of compassion & activism displayed by those that engage in the online ‘atheist community’.

I strongly felt that if this shared camaraderie could be channelled in a charitable context, we could really help some people who needed it. As atheists we share only one thing for definite; absence of belief in gods. Our politics, cultural backgrounds and our world-views may differ. Some of you may think Michael Bay makes good films for instance. BUT. There’s one thing I feel we could all agree on: the only thing required to be good is the recognition that it is good for its own sake. We don’t do good for the promise of eternal life, or post-death reward. We don’t do good because it is a doctrinal imperative. We do good because we have empathy, and as conscious creatures, we have concerns for the well-being of our fellow primates across the globe.

With this in mind, Team #GFGS has raised a staggering £22773.03 for charitable causes so far. We’ve done this by ourselves, without media or corporate backing. Without promoting an ideology, or indoctrinating as a condition of our good deeds. A small group of people, in an even smaller pocket of the World Wide Web came together to achieve something that will make a positive difference to many people. That has to be good, right?

This brings me on to our third charitable drive. Are you up for the challenge? I’ve decided to choose Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Many of you will be familiar with what they do already. For those that aren’t, please see the below video and their website here.

MSF is an entirely Secular charity that delivers emergency medical aid on a global scale to those who need it the most, regardless of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. As with the last fund-raiser, this one will also end on Christmas Day 2014. Be a part of something important.  You can donate online by clicking ‘Sponsor Me’ below, or text ‘GFGS50 £5 (or any amount) to 70070. Spread the word where you can. Please keep an eye on my Twitter feed for updates. If you wish to hold an event for Team #GFGS to raise some money, please let me know!

Be good,

GS

Special thanks to @Wavish for the #GFGS logo

Easter Review: ‘The Real Easter Egg’

Evangelism is alive and well.  Chocolatey, chocolatey evangelism.

Many of you may have noticed ‘The Real Easter Egg’ gracing our supermarket shelves, adorned with the promise of telling the ‘true’ story of Easter.  Not to mention the proclamation of ‘charity’ plastered all over the packaging.  Ever wondered what it’s all about?  Probably not.  But I’m going to save you the £3.00 and tell you anyway.  You’re welcome.

Given the fact that there are now a few variations of this product on the shelf this year, I would be inclined to believe they’ve been selling well (It is chocolate after all), or perhaps they’re simply happy to pour ‘God’ knows how much of whoever’s money into a failing enterprise for the sake of filling some impressionable child’s noggin with superstitious nonsense.  Indeed, I’ve had images tweeted my way to show these packaged humpty dumpties, sitting tragically alone on the shelves, remaining long after the other non-indoctineggs have been snapped up.  If anyone knows how to obtain sales figures on these tasty propagandeggs, I’d be pleased to have them shared my way.

The egg I’ll be taking a look at is the one shown in the image above.  If you’ve picked up one of the other variations, please feel free to let me know of any differences in the comments below.  I must say on a personal note, I was incredibly disappointed to discover the sticker set was absent this year.  Arranging Jesus in imaginative positions amongst the other characters filled my entire Sunday last year.  I’ll do my best to avoid egg puns, but I’m not promising anything.

Ep#15 – Peter Boghossian – Faith & Epistemology

Author of ‘A Manual For Creating Atheists’ and Philosophy Instructor Peter Boghossian drops in on the #GSPodcast to talk faith, street epistemology and critical thinking.  How do we convince people that faith is not a reliable path to truth? Also, did the #GSPodcast experience a divine smiting?*

*Nope.
Guest: Peter Boghossian (@PeterBoghossian)
Buy the book on Amazon: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/gspelsblog-21/detail/1939578094

Also available on Stitcher and iTunes.

Donate to the show here.

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Ep#14 – Homeopathy

It’s Homoeopathy awareness week!  The Project Manager of the Good Thinking Society will be joining me on the #GSPodcast to run through the only 12 things you need to know about Homoeopathy. SPOILER: It’s absolute nonsense.
Guests: Michael Marshall (Project Manager of @GoodThinkingSoc).

Also available on Stitcher and iTunes.

Donate to the show here.

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