You somehow think this is an insult? OMFG. Well, whatever. Obviously, you ARE so worthy. Uggg.

Ahhh, the Xtian “fundamentalist”. The self-proclaimed fruitcake. If you are right about your [alleged] beliefs, somehow, I don’t see you showing up at the pearly gate in Pat-R’s undies with frutcake recipe in hand and actually getting through. Something about lacking in the love-thy-neighbor department and acting like a true Christian. But have it your way.

Ah well. Just don’t get Pat’s panties in a bungie. And I guess I’ll see you in – well, you I think can figure it out from here…

Read His commandments, Exodus 20:1-26. – I know that somewhere along the road of life each of you lost or abandoned any prior relationships with almighty GOD. Yes, I am a fruitcake for Jesus, will be until the day I die and I’m ready to share the recipe with each of you.

)

btw Bob, I think it’s great that you believe what you do.
are you interested in making lots of money for Pat?

I have a great deal for you- 1 frequently used bridge in excellent condition.
no cheques please, cash only & in small bills…

Holloween began over 2000 yrs ago with people known as the Celtics. They lived in what is today England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This was also the beginning of the Celtic new year, a time to give thanks to the sun god for the harvest. It was a pagan belief that on one night of the year the souls of the dead return to their original homes, there to be entertained with food. If food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc toward those failing to fulfill their requests. Sacrifices were offered on this night to the dead spirits because it was thought they visited their earthly dwellings and former friends.

In modern day Satanism and Witchcraft covens, this is the day when Satan himself comes to “fellowship” with his followers. Many changes have occurred over the centuries, but one thing has stayed the same, the practice of giving an “offering”, consequently ingnorant adults encourging children to sin “Trick or Treat”.

It is Satan’s objective to get all to worship him. God tells us to not have any thing to do with this.

Peter I 5:8 – Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.

1Thessalonians 5:22 – Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1Timothy 4:1 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.

Observed as a holy day of obligation by Roman Catholics, priests in white vestments will lead the faithful in reciting prayers in honor of the saints, including those not listed in the Catholic Church calendar. The Catholic Church believe “All Saints’ Day enriches the faith of all who observe it. When they honor the saints, that they actually give glory to God.

Originally known as the Feast of All Martyrs in memory of the martyrs of the early Church who died for their faith in Christ, All Saints’ Day has evolved into a solemn observance during which the Church remembers all who have died in the faith.

You have no reason to be part of this holy day of Satan. Don’t use the old cop out “well every body does it”. No everybody is not doing it. God will hold you responsible for what you do on Halloween.

Like, say, people who don’t even know how to SPELL it?

It’s Halloween, with an A. Short for All Hallows Eve, because it’s the day before All Hallows (or All Saints) Day, a festival celebrated by the Catholic Church for over a millennium.

The name has nothing to do with the word “hollow”, and if you spell or pronounce it that way, then YOU are ignorant.

As for your ridiculous claim that it’s “satan’s high holiday” . . . show us some evidence, or shut up and go away.

I do not condone any bad PR does, but he isn’t the reason I’m annoyed.

many of you mock Christians and other religious people, then turn around and complain like pampered brats when someone doesn’t agree with your current theories.
i am mostly neutral in beliefs regarding science, but I do believe this fact: that this universe was created.
If you disagree, that’s your opinion, (and my belief, that that is your God given right.)

People should stop judging entire faiths by one fanatic/non fanatic.

Science will never be true science until it views things from outside the box, meaning creationism and evolution, instead of peering out of the box through a narrow telescope.

Thanks to the Bad astronomy website, by the way, for so much information, my head is full of new thoughts and ideas to ponder tonight because of your articles.excellent

For very interesting reading, i suggest you try Lee Strobel’s books.
maybe if you looked at things from both sides of the “fence”, instead of your own opinions, you would be able to post more scientific posts than

Rats!! You beat me to the predictions for 2007. Here are a couple more:

1. Some religious leader or celebrity type(such as Katie Couric) will say or
write something that will cause Phil to “blow a gasket” and to become
as hot as a supernova(just being sarcastic Phil).
2. Billy “Divine Wind” Dembski and the rest of the IDiot crowd will continue
whining about the Dover decision.

Hey, there are pleanty of sheep out there, just waiting to get sheared. The only question is, who is so lacking in ethics they would take such advantage? Obviously, only someone who is sociopathic, like Pat Robertson,,,

Maybe I should make a few predictions for 2007?
!) somewhere . there will be a war.
2) somewhere, there will be an earthquake.
3) somewhere there will be a big storm.
4) somewhere, some people will die,,,of something,,,

There, I guess that about covers it,,,please send all money intended for god to me,,,I’ll take GOOD care of it for,,,him?,her?,It??? Whatever,,,

Dang, why did Mom have to raise me with an ethical sense? Without one, I coulda been rich,,,

Gary 7

This entire comment on the blog has nothing whatsoever to do with astronomy, and only very passingly does it have any link to science or anti-science. Phil, can you just leave this stuff alone? I respect your right to an opinion, but these erstwhile diatribes don’t add anything to your blog.

Read what TR says. Phil’s blog here is not just about astronomy, but about skepticism and a search for scientific facts, not the fictions promulgated about and “from” magical sky daddies by their ultra-religious shills. I can’t think of anything MORE appropriate than dissecting the mystical claims of a TV religion charlatan, particularly when his predictions come with the oily sheen of pseudo-scientific/religio-mystic mumbo-jumbo. His words are just snake-oil sales pitch, writ for a 21st-century audience he has no respect for.

I could not disagree more. Science is about checking predictions against empirical observations, and (particularly as opposed to anti-science) it’s about striving for a thoughtful, rational understanding of the universe.

The fact that the media is helping Pat Robertson bilk his followers out of millions of dollars by perpetuating the notion that he has some magical powers despite all evidence to the contrary is very much a matter for discussion in a forum about bad science.

Moreover, considering the negative impact that this man and his kind are having not only on his followers but on the whole country, this is a much more important issue than whether or not an egg will stand in its end.

I’m just sorry that Phil is preaching to the choir.

He’s probably both.

On the plus side his 700 club charities spent over $230,000,000 in humanitarian relief last year according to Give.org, so at least his charity foundation is sound.

Well, except that he has a history of diverting that “hunitaritarian relief” to other, more profitable, ends – like running his diamond mines:

“In April, 1997 two pilots who worked for Operation Blessing charged that planes linked to Robertson and his ministry flew mostly to haul equipment for ADC’s private diamond operation. Robert Hinkle, the chief pilot told reporter Bill Sizemore that of about 40 flights within Zaire during the half-year period he was there, “Only one or at most two” were related to the humanitarian mission of Operation Blessing. The rest were “mining-related.”

“We got over there and we had ‘Operation Blessing’ painted on the tails of the airplanes, Hinkle told the Virginian-Pilot, “but we were doing no humanitarian relief at all. We were just supplying the miners and flying the dredges from Kinshasa out to Tdshikapa.” ”

http://www.skeptictank.org/robem2.htm

As for predictions, this is all fairly convenient. You predict something at the very end of the year. You then have 360+ days for it to come true. If it does, you claim victory. If it doesn’t, you can ascribe it to your own efforts or just ignore it since everyone but some die-hard fuddy-duddies (who didn’t believe you anyway) will have forgotten it by that point. Your followers will forget it, purposefully or not, and the media will do everything possible to avoid mentioning it. It is a zero-risk plan.

I do find it amusing that he predicted lots of hurricanes in what turned out to be one of the mildest hurricane years in quite a while. It was a pretty safe bet on his part, too, considering how many hurricanes there were in the last several years.

I was trying to emphasize the word “possibly” in the second line, but my HTML tags didn’t parse correctly!

Oh well, if god can screw up his tsunami predictions, I guess we can all make mistakes.

“ a tsunami”????

(Or does than mean that god wasn’t sure what was going to happen? Then why do so many people pray to him?)

Seriously now, PR is a nut-case. Nobody cares or institutionalise him for making prophecies, but God forbid (pun intended) something happens to give him justice. If you thought US leadership was anti-science, just wait…