Score One For The Skeptics!

[joreth]

I don't know how many of you who read my journal have also viewed the various evolution vs. creationist YouTube videos (I referenced them once, but I don't remember where now), but I just found the video in which VenomFangX had to apologize to Thunderf00t!

A little backstory, VFX is one of the most arrogant and ignorant of the creationist apologists and makes YouTube videos spouting his effluvia of creationist bilge. Thunderf00t is a proponent of evolution and has a quite remarkable series entitled "Why Do People Laugh At Creationists".  In some of Thunderf00t's videos, he takes on VFX personally and debunks many of his claims.  VFX took exception to this and filed false (and hence, illegal) DCMA takedown notices (which are, very simply put, a charge that someone is violating copyright laws and a demand for YouTube to remove the video).  Thunderf00t obtained evidence that these charges were false and, not only got his videos put back up, but got the most awesome retribution ever! 

Because what VFX did was a felony charge, Thunderf00t legally had the right to sue the pants off of him and press charges.  Instead, what he did was require that VFX publicly apologize and spell out exactly what he did wrong and why it was wrong, including a statement of relief and gratitude for Thunderf00t's handling of the whole situation.

Thunderf00t has just made my list of personal heroes.

Comments

Re: my 2 cents

[joreth]

For your questions about morality ... morality is not decided by religious belief. That is merely one mechanism for assigning authority. And considering all the atrocities committed in the name of "morality" and religion, frankly, I would feel much better living in a society whose rules and regulations were decided on a rational and reasonal basis as opposed to superstition and theocratic power. You are completely wrong about how atheists and rationalists see society and it's one of the most common misconceptions by religious people. You are telling me more about yourself than about me.

For instance, you are basically telling me that if you did not have a big sky-daddy threatening to spank you if you misbehave, that YOU would be out there raping, murdering, theiving, being racist, sexist, ect. because you assume no one is capable of self-regulation without these constraints. Fortunately, atheists do not require the threat of punishment to know that it is in our individual and collective best interests not to do those things in addition to our biological imperative not to behave so.

Read Greta Christina, for she spends a lot of time discussing these very issues and I, frankly, don't have the patience for dealing with people who see humanity as so vile, so worthless, so selfish, and so hateful as to assume we need to be watched all the time like naughty children or monkeys with loaded guns. Also, read tacit, specifically , for why the world is actually more awe-inspiring and more wonderous without a god.