tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post1528771964057181613..comments2023-10-26T22:06:11.166+11:00Comments on Metamagician3000: New York Times story on the Center for InquiryRussell Blackfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-67740366121684887542010-10-07T16:58:34.917+11:002010-10-07T16:58:34.917+11:00Excellent post, Russell, and an excellent response...Excellent post, Russell, and an excellent response to the first commenter (Anonymous) as well. All very well stated and to the point.Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-62873128116459886942010-10-05T02:18:45.835+11:002010-10-05T02:18:45.835+11:00"stalinist in its dealings with its employees..."stalinist in its dealings with its employees"<br /><br />This actually applies to those employees who had been supportive of Paul Kurtz, openly or otherwise. All who were -- save for one -- have now been driven out of the organization. Those who remain have unequivocally repudiated Kurtz, and their jobs are firmly secure under Lindsay. Those remaining also happen to be -- in the main -- the same people who maintain a certain antipathy towards Kurtz's original vision for CFI. So one could say that Lindsay has been victorious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-36028568475275805272010-10-04T19:52:02.987+11:002010-10-04T19:52:02.987+11:00"If we get rid of cancer, what will we replac..."If we get rid of cancer, what will we replace it with?"<br /><br />THAT is absolutely priceless. Mr. Rawlinson, you've made my day!<br /><br />I'm a little confused. Didn't John Shook of the CFI just annoy most atheists in an article in the Huffington Post in which he said atheists had to know more theology, that they were too religiously ignorant (I guess that recent PEW poll showing atheists know more about religion than the religious was most inconvenient)? Is this the same CFI that is now a hotbed of strident atheism and "stalinist" in its dealings with its employees? What's Shook doing there then?Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01304815781816862252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-14126724749721786952010-10-04T05:28:10.157+11:002010-10-04T05:28:10.157+11:00You have no idea how accurate your description is,...You have no idea how accurate your description is, Russell. Spot on, as anyone who actually spends time in the building -- and has seen Dr. Kurtz's increasingly erratic behavior for themselves (and can actually compare it to his dishonest public statements) -- will attest. Spot on, but very sad nonetheless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-75302094320940386462010-10-04T04:04:18.933+11:002010-10-04T04:04:18.933+11:00I tend to lose a good measure of respect for any a...I tend to lose a good measure of respect for any apologist who uses the "If religion dies what will we replace it with?" angle, because it is, frankly, stupid. <br /><br />To me - someone who, like most atheists I know, felt incredibly <i>liberated</i> by ditching religion - it's a bit like saying "If we get rid of cancer, what will we replace it with?" We don't need to replace it with anything. People witter on about the social side of churches etc... nonsense. Anyone would think there weren't ample opportunities for socialising without churches, and usually in places and amongst people with a far greater sense of what's fun, stimulating and convivial than a church full of superstitious people.Jack Rawlinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-8576766639955903272010-10-03T14:40:55.068+11:002010-10-03T14:40:55.068+11:00I didn't summarily dismiss anyone as anything....I didn't summarily dismiss anyone as anything. I wrote some closely-argued post posts based on what is on the public record, including what Kurtz is deliberately getting out there. There may be a lot on that is known only privately that supports Kurtz, but there may also be a lot that doesn't. If anything, Kurtz is in a better position, as a free agent, to say things about that than someone in a management position who has to walk a very fine line. Really, we can't speculate about private infomation. All we can do is look closely and objectively at the information available, including how Kurtz is choosing to conduct himself in public. <br /><br />If he says a mixture of silly, implausible, and plainly self-serving things in public, no amount of private information, not on the public record, can take away from that. It's his choice to say those things, after all.<br /><br />Maybe there's private information to the effect that Ron Lindsay beats up little old ladies and has sex with parrots, but none of us can base our opinions on that.<br /><br />Now, if you want me to devote time to some kind of private investigation, you'll need to pay me for my time and expenses. Don't you see how silly it is asking a blogger whether he's done something that would cost him tens of thousands of dollars to do exhaustively? If you have to have done that to be entitled to criticise Kurtz, then none of us are entitled to criticise him. But that's absurd. He's saying things in public, and we get to comment on how it comes across and what the public record seems to show. If he doesn't want criticism, he has the option of shutting up.Russell Blackfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-82474162990012848482010-10-03T14:24:51.421+11:002010-10-03T14:24:51.421+11:00Russell: I must say, you seem pretty cocky and sur...Russell: I must say, you seem pretty cocky and sure of yourself when it comes to this tragic situation with CFI. How close are you to the situation? You are basically defending Lindsay and Company by simply repeating the talking points put out there by Lindsay and the current CFI board. Have you taken the time to ask Kurtz what his real concerns are? Have you taken the time to speak with others who agree with Kurtz's criticisms, including a sizable number of individuals who have been pushed out of CFI, or left on their own accord? It seems pretty easy for you -- an outside observer who obviously prefers the tactics associated with the more aggressive and strident new atheism -- to sit back and condemn Kurtz. How about you take the time to REALLY investigate what has transpired over the the past two-and-a-half years before you summarily dismiss Kurtz as an angry and bitter old man unwilling to cede power. As a person close to a few of the players in this mess, I can assure you that the situation is a lot more complex than you portray it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com