Silly column. I'm sure there are things in the bible that happened roughly as written and other things that are distorted or pure fiction. The interesting question is how can we distinguish between them? We expect an honest seeker who asserts a portion of an old text accumulated over a long period of time from various authors (such as the many versions of the bible) is "true" to advance some actual historical, archeological, scientific or other evidence. To say a story is true because it is embarrassing to the author is evidence of nothing. Are we to assume the parts that are not "embarrassing" to the authors are false?

I don't see why supporters of the "traditional" definition of marriage should care whether same sex couples get married or not. So what if other people don't agree with their traditional definition of marriage. No one is asking them to change their marriage or give up any benefits or obligations that being married gives them. If a state or the federal government wants to recognize gay marriage and give gay couples the same benefits and obligations straight couples have it doesn't affect them. So why should they be sticking their noses in other people's business and demanding they agree with their definition of marriage?

Nope I have done my research and he has not blamed it on a utube video

I don't think you have any liberal friends then. You may have idiots for friends. By the way, Obama never said Benghazi murders were caused by a U tube video. He said they were terrorist attacks. Maybe you are the idiot, not your friends.

Article should be titled 15 lies ABOUT Liberalism Stupid Conservatives believe. All 15 points are themselves either lies or distortions about what Liberals believe. Its amazing how stupid Conservatives are. No wonder they are turning the Republican party into the party of the undereducated, doddering elderly white, trailer trash, and feeble minded!

While disagreement with the any of the positions outlined in the article is certainly possible and should surprise no one, I find it somewhat amazing that anyone would find them particularly objectionable or horrifying. What is the purpose of the article other than to stir up non-productive debate between theists and atheists?

OK, I'll give it a shot. What category am I? 1. No. I don't know precisely how the first DNA molecules were formed. Nor does anyone else. By definition, no one was there to observe. 2. No. But its a good story and I am sticking to it. 3. No. The big bang theory neither proves nor disproves the existence of whatever your specific concept of "god" is. 4. I believe in the existence of gamma rays, but not in the reality of the Hulk 5. Gravity is one of the fundamental forces of nature, along with electromagnetism, the strong and the weak nuclear forces. Gravity is far better understood on macro scales (einstein's general theory) than it is on the quantum scale (black holes, etc.).

I don't think most theists actually believe that atheists like me are "pervasive threats" to their political beliefs and objectives. After all many of us are economically very conservative if often "socially liberal" and can agree on many things, including morality. Somehow, I think the perceived "pervasive threat" is to their need to have agreement from every one that they personally will somehow survive death as a "spirit" or "soul" whatever these concepts mean. Disagreement with their personal immortality means that there is a possibility that they may in fact really die and that truth is very hard to come to terms with.

Actually, you need to look a little deeper into modern science before you claim to know what atheists believe. Modern scientific research shows us that more than likely there is no "such thing as nothing". The Higgs field pervades all of space-time, the universe is and always has been composed mainly of dark matter and energy (of which we know almost nothing about its properties) rather than the "ordinary matter" that composes us and the world we know. It is proven that space is constantly expanding and that it can be warped by massive objects. In short, modern physics has proven that a "vacuum" is full of electromagnetic waves, which can never be completely eliminated. In short there is no such "thing" as "nothing" and never was.

Uh, one problem... What are god's values you are choosing. There is no consistent definition, not even in the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita or other religious text. What ever ones YOU choose are YOUR values, just like those I as an atheist choose are MY values. In general whichever ones we choose we will probably agree on at least 3/4 of them. Interestingly, many people who call themselves Christians will not agree on 100% of them and probably many will disagree with all of yours.