The full episode is on Youtube (odds are C4 will take it down soon, but as of writing there are three versions). The ending is extremely freaky, but then that is Darren Brown for you. He is an avowed sceptic, who waxes lyrical about Dawkins in his own book, and who just happens to be one of the most accomplished mind readers and hypnotists out there.

If you haven’t already seen his Messiah series, you should. It is one of the best sceptical programs ever, mostly because he several times better at the psychic and religious tricks than the ‘genuine’ article.

I’m not as excited by Doctor Who as — ahem — some people, but this news report made me perk up:
The evolutionary biologist and best-selling author of The God Delusion will appear as a guest star in the new series of Doctor Who, which …

1)The Hero
2) The Hero’s Sidekick
3) The spunky, idiotic comic relief guy (or gal) who is WAY more annoying than funny.

Now the war between Dr. Who fans and detractors begins. . .

I love my wife. <3

That bespeaks an unhealthy obsession. Who cares why he’s giving it up? At least a religion will get him out of the house and talking to people.

By the way, what makes a replica of an old police box a Tardis per se?

Dr. Who defeated Satan (or, at least, a good facsimile thereof) in the second season of the new series. When Jesus was accused of using demonic power to cast out demons, he said that was ridiculous, because “a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” Therefore, Doctor Who cannot possibly be evil. QED.

“Ah . . . But the Valeyard is very evil – and one of the Doctors. So at least one of the Doctors is evil.”

But did not the sixth Doctor hurl himself willingly into the Rani’s tractor beam, and thus end that life so he may avoid becoming the Valeyard?

Verily, let it be said that no Time Lord have greater love than he who lays down his current regeneration for the cosmos!

That’s so the Doctor.

The guy’s a bit unhinged anyway. Bi-polar, alcoholic, OCD, sounds like. I understand that these things are mental disorders, and they’re ones that make the person avoid seeking real help, but at the same time impressionable. It’s really sad that he’s giving up something he loves that he knows is fiction for something else that he thinks is real.

QFT!

I hope he’s selling a ton of books. I have gaps in my library!

(I could see if he was claiming that RTD was the devil due to the overwhelming “shippiness” of the recent batch of companions, but as was seen in last seasons finale – the Doctor is closer to Jesus than Satan. *grumble grumble grumble* I’ll stop now, before I punch my keyboard out of fangirlish wangst.)

I would keep a watchful eye on ebay, but if I do, I’ll end up buying stuff, I just know it!

I can respect that. But, why can’t he balance out his love for God, with a healthy balance of loving other things? I guess that’s the question for me. Is his love for God merely an unhealthy obsession?

(Now that I am no longer religious, I have a truck-load of Chick tracts I want to unload – they’re priceless! OK just kidding. If I did have them, there’s no way I’d get rid of those! Collectors will pay huge bucks for those things! )

What does “full-size” mean when you’re talking about a TARDIS? Inside dimensions or outside dimensions?

If he was a man of God, he wouldn’t have gone to the papers, he’d have anonymously donated the stuff to a charity who could do a charity auction to raise money for the needy.

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”

Matthew 6:1-4 – It’s a pretty famous direct quote allegedly from Jesus

Since that is the name used in the comments section of the article from the guy who seems to be the subject, I’m guess they are one and the same.

If so, his items will appear here:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZumboman

Nothing yet, but check back every few days…

Many other people’s God delusions cause them to go kill people.

In the great, grand scheme of things, it really could be worse.