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Hoodwink Avoidance - A Ten Step Guide

Even though the title of this post kind of delivers everything you really need to know about its content, I thought I might expand on the term hoodwink for those who may not know it. It's to pull the wool over one's eyes, proverbial or natural. To make it clear; it's a list of things which may help us all to NOT be fooled, deceived or otherwise done over.
And I know there are probably thousands more "Great Granny's sayings" or "Dad's sweet one-liners" that could swell the list to way more than any ten step guide could contain but hey it's a ten step guide, it couldn't possibly have any more because then it wouldn't be one; it would be a mockery of both the title and all the other ten step guides out there.
If, however, you have any fab parent's good advice, serious or hilarious leave 'em in the comments. That way it can fulfill the brutally strict criteria which was set up for all ten step guides by the globally powerful TSG guild; an organization that will, with a zeal and relish rarely seen in this politically correct age, actually drum members out for even the slightest transgression! They're almost religious about it!
Anyway, the point of this guide which, as I may have mentioned, consists of ten steps, is to, hopefully, help us all through our collective daily diet of commercials, scammers, manipulators, salesmen, government spin, religions & their faithful followers, con men, corporations and family; not to mention, those special family members with secrets, or who are secrets! No names, no pack drill (shhh).
So, bush sufficiently beaten around and dilly-dallying complete, here it is, I give you...
a ten step guide of Hoodwink avoidance techniques.

1. Listen with your head, not your heart
2. Hear ONLY the words that are spoken
3. Assume nothing
4. Interpret nothing without comprehending
5. Have nothing interpreted for you
6. Trust nobody's opinion
7. Expect everybody to have their own agenda
8. Expect your government to screw you over
9. Expect to die
10. Make up your own mind up about the quality of advice given in ten step guides
11. Not all ten step guides go up to eleven
Much of the content of this guide was probably,
originally, supplied by Buddha.(Quote)
Repackaged for your pleasure by my head.


Oh shit! Eleven! The ten step guide guild's gonna flip!
Naaarghh, I hear the drums! What a thing to get crucified for!
Why did I ever start this ten step guide thing anyway?
Oh no, they're at the door.
Hello.
What do you mean it's not so much because there are eleven?
What? Of course they're steps!...? I mean, aren't they?
Well, I didn't know! really! No, no, are the cuffs really necessary?
Hey, wait, I'm still in my slippers!
Where are you taking me?
Will someone call my lawyerrr....... ??
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American Education Oh My

If you've not seen the video below yet, it's a highly visual indictment of the American education system.
It was sent to me with the tagline "Why are people so stupid?"
After watching it, somewhat dangly jawed, I came to the conclusion, to paraphrase Forrest Gump's mum:
"the product of American education system is,
as the product of the American education system does".

But maybe we shouldn't think of them so much as people but more beauty contestants not wanting to rock the competition judge's boat?
It also occurred that although almost every woman displayed a shocking lack of knowledge that Evolution is as close to a factually true a you can get, I thought is was positive that there were only a couple out of the 51 who delivered outright "No"s and overall they provided a general "Yes it should"; I guess at least the concept of freedom of speech still lives in fertile ground there.

Now all we need is biology and science teachers who teach fact as fact.


Miss USA 2011 - 51 Delegates Interview (Q2 - Evolution taught in school)

http://youtu.be/UkBmhM0R2A0

Makes you wonder tho, are the American government allowing such shockingly inadequate teaching practices to thrive because religous indoctrination keeps the people in line?
Here's the brlliant ZOMGitsCriss' take on it...


And finally, in case you think I'm being only castigating American bad teachers, have a read of "Not Only in Faith Schools" - Everywhere, science is being taught by the religiously indoctrinated and it's very, very scary.

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UK Citizens Unable To Attend the Sharia Debate

Dear all,
If any of you are as concerned as I about religious tribunals acting independantly of the British Judicial system and making summary judgments over British Citizens, Please add your local MP's name where indicated in the letter below and your own to the bottom, and email everything between the dotted-lines to you local MP's email address (available here)

This is really important people, do it today - Don't let the supporters of Sharia be the only voices there! :)
One last thing, when you've emailed your MP, please copy this post, paste into an email and send it to every UK citizen in your email address book.
Let's all make some noise people, we ALL deserve equality of justice!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Dear (Insert Local MP Name),
I wonder if you are aware of the debate detailed below.
I am deeply concerend about religiously derived courts making arbitrary rulings on British citizens within the UK and feel no such courts should be allowed powers within the UK.
I would like to support the position of 'One Law for All' and 'The National Secular Society' in this debate but cannot be in attendance.
I wonder if it would be possible for you, as my parliamentary representative, to offer their position any support that you are able.
Best regards
(Insert Your Name here)


Subject: Urgent Debate: Sharia Law in Britain at House of Commons 28 June 6-8pm
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:11:49 -0400
From: m.namazie@onelawforall.org.uk

One Law for All and the National Secular Society invite you to a debate on the use and practice of sharia law in Britain. This is to be held in a committee room in the House of Commons on Tuesday 28 June 2011 from 18.00-20.00 hours. The event will be chaired by Jim Fitzpatrick MP.

The focus of the debate is the practice of sharia law under the powers of the Arbitration Act 1996 and whether sharia tribunals should be permitted to hear cases of family and criminal law.

If you would like to attend please RSVP onelawforall@gmail.com.
For more information, go to www.onelawforall.org.uk.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More Here


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Science Saved My Soul

You've probably seen this before, it's been around for a good few months now but it's a very fine piece and well worth watching again.
If you haven't seen it before, get a brew and a cookie and enjoy 15 minutes basking in the clarity of reality, brought to you on this occasion by Phil Hellenes.
(recently featured on The Thinking Atheist podcast)


http://youtu.be/UkBmhM0R2A0


Makes one proud to be a British Atheist.
Thanks Phil. You did a cracking job.

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Bill to curb sharia courts in Britain

One Law for All and the National Secular Society back Bill that aims to curb sharia courts in Britain
"Sharia debate in Parliament

The public are invited to a debate in Parliament jointly organised by the One Law for All Campaign and the National Secular Society. The practice of sharia law will be debated and in particular whether it should be permitted under the powers of the Arbitration Act. Sharia tribunals and councils are in free operation across the United Kingdom – some operate under the power of the Arbitration Act 1996. The debate will be chaired by Jim Fitzpatrick MP.
When: Tuesday 28 June 2011, evening
Where: Houses of Parliament, Westminster

If you would like to attend please email onelawforall@gmail.com for details
."
If you cannot attend, lobby your MP to do so on your behalf.
This is vitally important. Please take some action.
More on Sharia courts

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Resisting the Rusty Bronze Age Blade

Fabulous news, the Netherlands, dragging Europe out of the Bronze age by its recently absent conscience.
"
Dutch law set to axe religious slaughter
- Financial Times
The Dutch parliament is preparing to pass a law that would end religious slaughterers’ exemption from rules requiring animals be “stunned” or anaesthetised before they are killed...

... Marianne Thieme,(Netherlands' Party for the Animals) its charismatic young leader, says religious leaders who object to the law are trying to hold back history.
“Here in our society we no longer accept that animals must suffer,” says Ms Thieme. Religious groups have often opposed progressive social change, she adds. “We saw the same thing with women’s rights.”

"
Full article at FT.com


Sometimes it's great to a European Human, this is definitely one of those times.

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The Intellectually Dishonest Islamists

The guy in this video, Adnan Rashid, is supposed to be a professor. (If you are a student, I hope for your education's sake you can see beyond, what I believe to be his patent intellectual dishonesty.) The guy behind the camera, showing equal intellectual dishonesty, is our favourite promoter of idiocy; Islamist clown & international man of mythtery, Hamza "I'm not European, I'm Greek" Tzortzis.
Anyway the video is supposed to be a response to conversations which Adnan and Hamza had with various prominent atheists at the World Atheist Conference in Dublin, but as far as I can see they've just made stuff up!

http://youtu.be/QA9RnYpM7ME

If this is what passes for truth in Islam then it's little wonder that Islamists have no doubt that Islam is the 'religion of peace'.

Here's is the truth of what went down...
This is Adnan's original question to Richard Dawkins and Mr Dawkins, although initially partisan, genuinely truthful response.


http://youtu.be/TAyZaSI-5Gc

This is the Hamza/PZMyers conversation filmed by skyzthelimi7

Part 1
http://youtu.be/z5rNtEdptaY

Part 2
http://youtu.be/5HDhykqupxo

And, just by way of confirmation, this is exactly the same piece produced by 'Islamic Education and Research Academy' (If only that were true, eh?). It's recoded on the very expensive Sony camera that you can see in skyzthelimi7's video (which makes one wonder, where is the funding coming from?)
http://youtu.be/3T5Pm7qLH50

Please feel compelled to nip along to Youtube click dislike on Adnan & Hamza'a video. It's not nearly as harsh a battering as it deserves but it's the best we can do :(
Oh, and if you like, you can click here to search Youtube for the same video - You will find a number of copies, reposted by Hamza's Islamist groupies (In an attempt, I presume, to spread their Porky pies, to as many viewers as possible.)
As a side thought here is intellectual dishonesty on this scale slanderous to those being misrepresented?
Also, If you've got the time, you can find Maryam Namazie's keynote speech on her blog post "Islamic inquisition" It's well worth the read. Maryam has also responded to the accusations Adnan made about her speech in his video above in he blog post "Sharia law does bear strange fruit."

Update - 13th June

Atheist Alliance International recorded Maryam's speech and the Q&A after it...

http://youtu.be/KqHUbK7yW6g


Really boys, did you think we would not spot such intellectual dishonesty?
Perhaps you think we're some easily fooled bronze age desert dweller, possibly called Muhammad, or something?

If you are Muslim, please do something about this group's deceptive nonsense, they are making it look like all Muslims are this dishonest.

If you want to see more of Hamza's wordplay and philosophical sophisms click here

Update 30th June

In response to the claims made by Adnan Rashid in his conversation with PZ myers above (about what the Qur'an says about embryology) here's an apparently properly researched, very enlightening video about the reality of the situation...

There are multiple and various links to much of the information he references in the video on the 'more' info box Youtube
Finally, here's a link to an academic refutation of the Quranic embryological claims
Ansering Islam - Embryo
http://youtu.be/ZDAgAW3q9c0(Thanks to @Boydsleator for finding and passing it to me.)
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No Time For Hamza

I've haven't yet seen what our very try-hard "International man of Mythtery" Hamza Tzortsiz said, just the tweet he posted about it...
I was given 2 minutes to speak to the World Atheist Convention & invited them to intellectually engage with us #wac11 @MuslimMatters @iERAuk
So, 2 minutes Hamza? Count your blessings baby; I wouldn't have given you that.
Why? Your message is meaningless.

I can’t say what description or definition those in attendance would give of atheism; each atheist states the one which she or he is most comfortable, but I'm quite sure some of them would mirror my view.

For me atheism means there is no god/allah/teapot.
I therefore do not care what your precious book says about the god it proposes.

If you or any other religious person (check that for polite!) attempt to tell me that you have the answers, written down centuries ago by a prophet from a god, I may only comprehend from that one, more, or all of the following....
A. You are a Charlatan making gold from the poor as all clergy.
B. You are Deluded and therefore dangerous.
C. You have found evidence for god in a book which was written so that you will find evidence for god! Really, what else did you expect to find in there?
D. You are promoting allegiance to a brutally restrictive authoritarian manifesto and claim it's perfect because it's written by your god - yes, the same god who does not exist.
E. You have convinced yourself there is an omnipotent god/allah/teapot without a shred of evidence. I find therefore that I am unable to trust you (or any other who believes)
So, I see no way we could come to agreement.
For me it is simple...
There is no god so, the manifesto you promote is based on the lie by which it is enforced.

You seem convinced (I say 'seem' because of point A. above) that this document is the way to perfect and peaceful society, whereas, I can only see it as the blueprint for an authoritarian dictatorship over obedient drones.

You see paradise, I see North Korea or, more precisely, I see Big Brother of George Orwell’s "1984"

You find comfort in the pretending, I see a paranormal prison whose purpose is to enslave humanity.

Don't be mad, Hamza, it's not personal and it's not exclusively Islam I feel this way about, it's all the fascist faiths.
However the unholy trinity Judaism, Christianity and Islam offend my DNA the most.

The only way you (or any religious person) can truly have dialogue with me is when you come to realise that your religion is merely another system of governance and, because there is no all-powerful deity, it has no divine right to rule the world.

So here we are at the end and I suppose there's only one thing left to say you offered me a platform recently to debate the points I'd made against your lecture.
To which you still haven't responded by the way

I declined but have reconsidered; I am now provisionally willing to accept...

I will share a stage and debate with you when twelve months have elapsed in which no woman, man or child has been killed, maimed or otherwise physically or psychological persecuted or damaged because of Islam or Shariah law.
In case you were wondering, I consider circumcision to be maiming and prayer five times a day to be brainwashing!

Sadly, I guess you aren't going to be sending a taxi for me any time soon.

If you are still wondering
why I'm so down on religion please see the tab labels above.

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This is What Anarchy Looks Like

For all who fear that anarchy is instantly born of life without controls.
(Yes, religious people that means you!)


Experiment:
Town in Great Britain turns off traffic lights...

http://youtu.be/lwHfibl1AoI

My conclusion:
Civilization comes from being civil to each other.

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