This was the final regular show for Jamie. It was an all female show, so I read the news and then waited in the bar. Our panel included a variety of perspectives and experience. Joining me tonight are EMT Wendy Heath, who will be joining me for a new spin-off podcast starting soon,  and CSU Journalism School professor and researcher Donna Rouner.

News Items:

Blasphemy Day
The first annual blasphemy day was held Sept. 30th worldwide. From the website, www.blasphemyday.com, “The objective of International Blasphemy Day is to open up all religious beliefs to the same level of free inquiry, discussion and criticism to which all other areas of academic interest are subjected.” Across the world people are executed for minor offenses that violate local morality. Even in America, people are killed for perceived slights. In fact, the U.N. has proposed anti-blasphemy resolutions. Blasphemy Day is a movement intended to help stop this.

I attended the events at Colorado State University. I was very surprised to see that, despite the various and clearly offensive slogans and cartoons posted (including the first of the infamous Mohammed cartoons) very few people took offense for long. In fact, the only person who raised his voice at all was an atheist who was agitated by the event in general. But then we atheists are generally grumpy anyway so no surprise there.

Though the supposedly blasphemous images present attracted believers of all types, often angry at first, they were quickly disarmed by the members of Leaders In Free Thought, the CSU club presenting the event locally. One of the main points of the day was to show how absurd it is to take offense to a slight against your own religion while allowing others. As such nearly everyone was represented. The many who approached the table angry left content, surprised to be met with friendliness and open debate. This will be an annual event, and I hope to see listeners there next year.

Victor Stenger
Speaking of Leaders In Free Thought, they will be presenting a talk by Victor Stenger Wed. the 7th of Oct. Victor Stenger is the author of The New Atheism, Quantum Gods, and God: The Failed Hypothesis as well as being a fellow of the Committee For Skeptical Inquiry. More information can be found on the Leaders For Free Thought page on Facebook and on rational-alchemy.com when I post it, which I haven’t yet, but I will I promise….

Suck It Creationists!
A new ancestor of humanity has been discovered in Ethiopia. Ardipithecus ramidus Is a 4.4 million year old hominid with an opposable big toe and a chimpanzee sized brain. It’s 1.2 million years older than Australopithecus afarensis. This means that our common ancestor is probably even older than we thought and gives us a shiny new transitional fossil to show the young Earthers.