their faux-outrage at religion so much self-congradulatory bunk

You don’t think there’s real reasons to be outraged at religion?  I think you don’t have enough imagination to get Python.

If you are claiming that there is a text dating to within a few years of the death of Jesus it is incumbent on you to advance evidence for the truth of such a claim.  It is not incumbent on skeptics to prove such things don’t exist. (As a point of logic, it would simply be impossible for them to do so; hence, burden of evidence.)

If you disagree then please prove there is no document dating to 500 BC demonstrating that Ba’al is the one lord and master of all mankind.

Jeez, Bob Marley got better publicity.

To be fair, he also had better sacraments.

Its corrosive, I’d argue, to tell a 14 year old that nobody can possibly know anything with certainty about Jesus.

The only records we have that Jesus ever lived at all are the gospels, and it’s very clear from the language of the gospels that they weren’t intended as factual histories.*  We don’t know anything with certainty about Jesus…even that he existed at all.**

*This doesn’t mean there wasn’t a historical Jesus that inspired the gospels.  It just means that the gospels weren’t intended as a literal history of that man’s life.

**Jesus’ existence is and probably will always be an open question.  There seems to be a great deal of motivated reasoning happening here because looking at the actual evidential basis for claiming Jesus existed it’s not really sufficient to establish the existence of such a person.  Nonetheless there seems to be a huge counterevidential bias towards believing such a person did exist.  I suspect motivated reasoning is at work here, people seem rather emotionally attached to the Jesus myth.  Looking at it from a perspective of pure intellectual curiosity I find the case less than compelling.

By that logic the basic precepts of critical thinking are “corrosive”.

I feel strongly about all of the colonization and social programming efforts of all Western European colonial powers. In part because I am an American (I know, guys sorry for coopting the term. I’m a USA’er). The English just do a really good job of illustrating my frustration.

Plus they systematically attempted to destroy nearly all of my ancesors.

However, it is bright, resourceful chaps like Messrs. Palin and Cleese that make me admire them at the same time. Even non-Christians like myself find themselves continually questioning their beliefs. It is remarkable to hear two young men able to play the games of the old sophomores with such grace. Turnabout is fair play.

That which the pols do because they think it’s populist does not necessarily map to that which is welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EwaFkPMdlY

I’m pretty certain personal faith never significantly featured in the election campaign – not to the extent it appears to in the USA. 

Irony at it’s absolute finest.

That very well might be the most accurate thing anyone could say about Jesus.  We dont know, do we?  Accurate, undeniable information from that era is fuzzy at best.  Not all recorded history is 100% accurate.  Not even history from yesterday.

Religion in public life is one of the big differences between the UK and the USA. If any of our politicians started talking about religion, people would edge away nervously

Your Prime Minister, David Cameron, has been banging on relentlessly about how the UK must remain a Christian country, the importance of the Church of England, maintaining Christian values, the inalienable right to wear a crucifix to your job, etc. Your claim is not supported by a weekly reading of any major UK media.

a much bigger and more worthy target than iron age mythologies which somehow persist in the modern era.

Erm, don’t these “iron age mythologies” RELY on a closed system of thought?! That’s pretty much what religion *is*. Just look at the Republican Texas Party Platform, which wishes to stop teaching Critical Thinking Skills in public schools.

I don’t think you really understand what he meant by “closed systems of thought.” Your obvious bias is showing, though.

I have to cringe at the arrogance of these folk who think that they are some sort of ultimate defender of religion, and that it is their holy duty to get out there and represent religion.

If you are indeed a Christian, then you must know that this sort of thing is part of Christianity, right?  Indoctrine and preach and spread the word of JESUS! and of course multiply, multiply, multiply!  Have you even read the bible?

Gosh!