trentmkelly/rationalwiki huggingface dataset:
The Elevated Places

{{Sources needed}}
{{islam}}
[[File:GoldCalf.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Lo, the [[cow]] mooeth]]
{{cquote|How many a township have We destroyed! As a raid by night, or while they slept at noon, Our terror came unto them. No plea had they, when Our terror came unto them}}

'''The Elevated Places''' is the seventh [[sura]] of the [[Qur'an]]. It's got quite a bit about the whole [[Eden]] stuff, sort of like [[Genesis]], only angrier. Notably, in this version, the forbidden fruit is claimed to grant [[immortality]]. There's also a load of ranting about [[Hell]]: "And the dwellers of the Fire cry out unto the dwellers of the Garden: Pour on us some water or some wherewith [[Allah]] hath provided you", it says. "They say: Lo! Allah hath forbidden both to disbelievers".

[[Homosexuality]] is denounced: "And [[Lot]]! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination such as no creature ever did before you? Lo! ye come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but ye are wanton folk." Allah then boasts about how he "rained a rain upon them". Indeed, a large part of The Heights is taken up by God mouthing off about the people he's killed.

One of the more memorable parts is an account of the whole golden calf scene from [[Exodus]] - with the notable addition that the calf "gave a lowing sound". Moooooo!

On non-Muslims: "Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a [[dog]]; if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our [[revelation]]s".

==See also==
*[[RationalWiki:Annotated Qur'an]] ({{Qur'an|7|5=The Elevated Places}})
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge]]
*[[Qur'anic scientific errors]]
*[[Qur'anic contradictions]]
*[[List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an]]

{{stub|Islam|Islam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elevated Places, The}}
{{qurbox}}

[[Category:Suras]]

Categories: Suras
The Fall: The Insanity of the Ego in Human History and the Dawning of A New Era

{{sources needed}}
{{pseudohistorynav}}
{{title-italics}}
'''''The Fall: The Insanity of the Ego in Human History and the Dawning of A New Era''''' is a book by Steve Taylor PhD, a psychologist at Leeds Beckett University. Originally published in 2005 with a new edition that includes an afterword published later in 2018, it claims that ''"It is not natural for human beings to kill each other, for men to oppress women, for individuals to accumulate massive wealth and power, or to abuse nature"'', and that [[human nature]] changed after a period of [[Climate change|aridification]] 5900 years ago. (The title of the book refers to the [[Biblical]] story of the [[fall of man]]; coincidence?) Some of the book's findings are now mainstream views. It is widely accepted by anthropologists that there was a long period of 'prehistoric peace.' For example, such is the view of the mainstream popular books Yuval Noah Harari's ''Sapiens'', and Rutger Bregman's ''Humankind''. It is also widely accepted that prehistoric hunter-gatherer groups - and contemporary hunter-gatherer groups who follow the same 'immediate return' lifestyle that our ancestors once did - were [[egalitarian]], and more gender-neutral.

==The science==
Furthermore, ''The Fall'''s thesis also includes some climate science. As the name suggests, an aridification event occurred 5900 years ago- and it was one of the most severe events during the {{wpl|Holocene||.}} It is responsible for the current desertification of the Sahara Desert and Northern [[Africa]] in general, which devastated and all but wiped out the ancient neolithic civilizations that had once thrived in this "Green Sahara". The inhabitants of the areas affected were forced to move or die, much like the Ubaidians (ancient [[Sumerians]]), who also suddenly disappeared around this time and were soon replaced with the Uruks. Occurences of the damage and climate change from the event were the Old World: in [[China]], for instance, the event marked a period of cold.
==Bibliography==
*''The Fall: The Insanity of the Ego in Human History and the Dawning of A New Era'' [[Special:Booksources/9781905047208|ISBN 9781905047208]]
==See also==
*[[Golden age]]
*[[Noble savage]]
*[[Naturalistic fallacy]]

==External links==
*{{see-wp|5.9 kiloyear event}}

{{stub|pseudohistory}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall: The Insanity of Ego in Human History and the Dawning of a New Era, The}} 
[[Category:books]]

Categories: books
The Family Of Imran

{{islam}}{{cquote|And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers.}}

'''The Family of Imran''' (Arabic: ''Ali-Imran'') is the third ''sura'' of the [[Qur'an]].

==Jesus==
The family of the title is none other than the family which [[Jesus]] belongs to, Imran being the father of the [[Virgin Mary]]. You won't find him in the [[New Testament]], but you may find him in [[Exodus]]: Imran is the Arabic version of the name Amram, the father of [[Moses]].<ref>http://bible.cc/exodus/6-20.htm</ref> There is speculation that [[Mohammed]] had managed to confuse [[Mary, mother of Jesus]], with Miriam, sister of Moses.<ref>''The Koran'', translated by J.M. Rodwell, Sura 3 note 1.</ref>

===Annunciation===
In a minor but interesting addition to the familiar story of Christ's birth, the angel who appears to Mary provides a curious anecdote about a clay bird coming to life: "Allah createth what He will... And will make him a messenger unto the Children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave". That's, er, ''nice''.

==Contradictory battle==
The ''Sura'' also contains an account of the battle of Badr, which the Muslims won because Allah sent 3000 [[angel]]s to help them. Elsewhere the Qur'an claims that it was just one thousand angels,<ref>http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/contra/fought.html</ref> but there we go.

==Bin Laden==
One part of the ''sura'' was quoted by [[Osama bin Laden]]: "Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living."<ref>http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/3/index.htm</ref> Nope, sorry, they're dead.

==See also==
*[[RationalWiki:Annotated Qur'an]] ({{Qur'an|3|5=The Family of Imran}})
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge]]
*[[Qur'anic scientific errors]]
*[[Qur'anic contradictions]]
*[[List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|Islam|Islam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Family of Imram, the}}
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[[Category:Suras]]

Categories: Suras
The Final Theory

{{pseudosciencenav}}

'''''The Final Theory''''' is a work of [[crank]] [[physics]] by '''Mark McCutcheon''', which is heavily advertised on the Internet.

According to one intrepid soul who actually read the thing:

:The book is another take on an expansion theory. In a nutshell, expansion theory says that the reason [[gravity]] is so indistinguishable from an acceleration is because it is acceleration, caused by matter expanding at an ever accelerating rate. There is no gravitational force in expansion theory; it's [[Einstein]]'s equivalence principle taken literally. "The Final Theory" starts there, and doesn't end until it tries to rethink much of modern physics … In my opinion, "The Final Theory" is broken at its foundation, and demonstrates some curious misunderstandings of standard theory.

The author himself seems mostly lucid in email conversation.<ref>{{wayback|http://homepage.mac.com/ruske/ruske/finaltheory.html}}</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.thefinaltheory.com/ The Final Theory] (homepage)

==See also==
*[[Relativity]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Final Theory, The}}
[[Category:Pseudophysics]]

Categories: Pseudophysics
The God Who Wasn't There

{{title-italics}}{{sources needed}}{{film}}
'''''The God Who Wasn't There''''' is a documentary film, released in June 2005.  It was written and directed by former [[Fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalist Christian]] Brian Flemming.

In it, Flemming examines the [[Bible]] and discusses the history of early [[Christianity]], raising doubts as to whether the [[New Testament]] personage [[Jesus]] [[Evidence for the historical existence of Jesus Christ|ever really existed]].  Flemming examines the similarity of the Jesus story to other [[messiah|savior myths]] of the time and points out inexplicable gaps in early Christian history that combine to shed doubt on the Bible's Jesus story.

The film also features interviews with many of the usual suspects, including [[Richard Dawkins]].<ref group=note>Dawkins only appears in the DVD special features, not the body of the film</ref>  Unfortunately the film's last interview is one in which Flemming ambushes his former principal with demands for "scientific proof" of God's existence, without immediate provocation.

==External links==

*[http://www.thegodmovie.com/ Official site]
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455507/ ''The God Who Wasn't There'' at IMDb]
*[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/god_who_wasnt_there/ ''The God Who Wasn't There'' at Rotten Tomatoes]
*[http://www.richardcarrier.info/NotesOnTGWWT.pdf Critical Notes on the Movie ''The God Who Wasn't There''; Researched and Compiled by Richard C. Carrier]
*[http://www.answeringinfidels.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=87 Answering Infidels review the DVD and are, of course, dismissive]

==Notes==

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{stub|media}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:God Who}}
[[Category:Films]]

Categories: Films
The Haunting Of

{{Paranormal}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Haunting Of''''' is a [[God]]-awful series that airs on The Biography Channel. It is a spinoff of the just as God-awful show ''Celebrity Ghost Stories''. The show features interviews with 
washed-up has-beens
 "[[Appeal to celebrity|celebrities]]" who claim to have had [[paranormal]] experiences. After they tell their "stories" they take the paranormal "investigators" back to the place where they claim to have seen the 
[[ghosts]]
 "entities".

==Names you may (but probably don't) recognize==
*Fairuza Balk &mdash; Starred in ''The Waterboy'', ''American History X'' and ''The Craft''. Appears in episode 4 (Season 2).
*Barry Bostwick &mdash; Voices Grandpa Clyde Flynn in ''Phineas and Ferb''.
*Kelly Carlson &mdash; Played Kimber Henry in ''Niptuck''.
*Giancarlo Esposito &mdash; Played [[drug]] lord Gus Fring in ''Breaking Bad''.
*Gina Gershon &mdash; Her career took a hit after she was in ''Showgirls'', but she recently appeared in ''How to Make it in America''.
*Eric Mabius &mdash; Played Daniel Meade in ''Ugly Betty''.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531095/ His IMDb page</ref>
*Beverley Mitchell &mdash; Was in ''7<sup>th</sup> Heaven'' and now plays the school counselor in some crappy ABC family show. 
*Chazz Palminteri &mdash; The incompetent cop from ''The Usual Suspects''.
*Regis Philbin &mdash; Former host of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' and ''Million Dollar Password''. 
*Rowdy Roddy Piper &mdash; Retired professional wrestler. <ref>http://www.wrestlecrap.com/inductions/the-haunting-of-roddy-piper/ Background</ref>
*Michael Rappaport &mdash; Was in ''Prison Break''.
*Elisabeth Rohm &mdash; Detective Kate Lockley from ''Angel''. 
*Connie Stevens &mdash; Was in ''Maverick'' and ''Hawaiian Eye''. Hasn't done anything of note lately besides donating thousands to the [[Republican Party]], apparently.<ref>http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Connie_Stevens.php She donated to [[Allen West]] too</ref>
*Jay Thomas &mdash; Played the [[Easter Bunny]] from ''The Santa Clause 2'' and ''The Santa Clause 3''. No wonder he's desperate.
*Nadine Velazquez &mdash; Hey, it's the housekeeper from ''My Name is Earl''!

== See also ==
*[[Woo]]
*''[[Ghost Adventures]]''
*''[[Ghost Hunters]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunting Of, The}}
[[category:pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Television programmes]]

Categories: pseudoscience, Paranormal, Television programmes
The Monkey Man of Delhi

{{Cryptid}}
'''The Monkey Man of Delhi''' incident took place mid 2001 in the [[India|Indian]] capital of New Delhi during a sweltering heat wave. It is considered a case of [[Mass_hysteria#Mass_Delusions|mass hysteria]].<ref name=skep>Massimo Polidoro, [https://skepticalinquirer.org/2002/07/return_of_spring_heeled_jack/ Return Of Spring-Heeled Jack]. Skeptical Inquirer 26:4, July/August 2002.</ref>

The first reports came in May 2001 and throughout the month dozens of people reported seeing, or being attacked by, a creature approximately 4 feet tall and covered with thick black hair. Some witness said that the creature had a metal helmet, metal claws, glowing red eyes, and three buttons on its chest. Some suggest that the Monkey Man could make itself invisible and leap from building to building in single bounds.

==Monkey Man cases==
*On May 13th 2001, 15 people reported to hospital with bites and scratch marks from an unknown creature.
*A pregnant woman woke to screams by her neighbors that “The Monkey Man is here!” on the 15th May. The woman died after falling down a flight of stairs.<ref>[https://archive.is/U1NTR 'Monkey man' fears rampant in New Delhi]. Archived from the original at [[CNN]], 16 May 2001.</ref>
**On the same night a four-foot-tall Hindu mystic was mistaken for the Monkey Man and beaten by an angry crowd.
*A van driver was set upon on May 18th in a second case of mistaken identity.
*The Monkey Man, no stranger to contemporary music, was spotted at concert on 21st May where it attacked a band member.
*Further sightings were received from Kanpur in early 2002.  A witness described a monkey-like machine that sparkled red and blue lights.

As many as three people were killed, after jumping from high buildings to escape the Monkey Man, before the panic wound down.   The mysterious shaggy creature was last seen on an Aeroflot flight from Delhi to Moscow in June 2001, where it had to be restrained.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010703003218/http://english.pravda.ru/main/2001/06/11/7490.html Monkey-man attacks Russian airliner]. Archived from the original at pravda.ru, 11 June 2001.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Spring Heeled Jack]]
*[[Mothman]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monkey Man of Delhi, The}}
[[category:Cryptozoology]]
[[category:Paranormal]]

Categories: Cryptozoology, Paranormal
The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories

{{crenav}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Mystery of Life's Origin:
 Misrepresenting 
Reassessing Current Theories''''' is an 
[[intelligent design]]
 religious book written in 1984 by the [[creationists]] Charles B. Thaxton, Walter L. Bradley and Roger L. Olson.

==Authors==

The book was written by two [[chemists]], Charles B. Thaxton and Roger L. Olson, with Walter L. Bradley, an [[Salem hypothesis|engineer]].<ref>[http://www.ldolphin.org/mystery/ About the Authors]</ref> All three of the authors are devout [[Christian]] creationists, yet attempt to downplay this and pretend to be neutral in parts of the book to sell more copies.<ref>[http://www.discovery.org/a/3594 Article at the Discovery Institute]</ref> Charles Thaxton is a fellow of the [[Discovery Institute]].<ref>[http://www.discovery.org/p/96 Charles Thaxton, Fellow - CSC]</ref> 

The book has been claimed as one of the first books that started the modern ID movement in America.<ref>''Allene Phy-Olsen (2010) Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design'' p. 16</ref>

==Overview==
The authors attack [[science]] and reject all natural theories for the origin of life on earth, and end up claiming that the [[Christian]] God did it all.

==Reception==

The book is endorsed by [[young earth creationist]]s and other religious creationists who believe that the book has debunked any natural theory for the origin of life.<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/origin-life Ken Ham Website]</ref><ref>[http://www.darwinismrefuted.com/thermodynamics_03.html Muslim Creationist Website]</ref> The book has also been supported by creationists who believe the book has proven the existence of the Christian [[God]].<ref>[http://www.louisiana-lcg.org/miscellaneous/mystery.html Book Review by a Creationist]</ref>

In scientific and rationalist circles, the book has been universally rejected as anti-science and promoting religious [[pseudoscience]] and [[creationism]]. Scientists have written that the authors have not understood and have mispresented the theories of life's origin that they were meant to be criticising and set up arguments where they do not exist. Many scientists have debunked the claims in the book from each of the chapters.<ref>[http://www.fsteiger.com/mystch7.html A Review of "The Mystery of Life's Origin."]</ref> Despite this some creationists still continue to claim the book has debunked [[evolution]] yet the book has nothing to do with evolution.

==See also==
*''[[Adam and Evolution: A Scientific Critique of Neo-Darwinism]]''
*''[[Science and Human Origins]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories, The}}
{{crebox}}

[[Category:Intelligent design creationism]]
[[Category:Religious books]]

Categories: Intelligent design creationism, Religious books
The Naked Ape

{{title-italics}}{{sex}}
'''''The Naked Ape''''' is a [[popular science]] book by Desmond Morris. Dr. Morris surprised society in 1967 by writing a pop [[anthropology]] book, first serialized in London's ''Daily Mirror'' [[tabloid]], in which he described [[human]]s in the same objective, analytical way that zoologists describe animals.

Dr. Morris was the curator of mammals at the London Zoo, a specialist in [[primate]]s, and his then radical idea was to view mankind as no more than a very complicated [[primate]]. The title of the book is derived from the fact that there are 193 species of monkeys and apes on the planet, of which man is the only one not entirely covered in fur and is, therefore, the only naked ape.

Some critics of the book pointed out that  Dr. Morris was a zoologist, not an anthropologist, and as such was making radical
speculations by defining man in purely zoological terms.

The book made for a livelier-than-expected read because it focused on [[sex]] and mating rituals. Morris pointed out that man is "the sexiest [[primate]]" and noted that Homo Sapiens not only has the biggest [[brain]] of all primates, but also the largest penis. 

== Movies ==

A 1973 movie directed by Donald Driver — based on the book — was made starring Johnny Crawford and Victoria Principal. This version of The Naked Ape is somewhere between a documentary and a series of anecdotes, which some claim makes it difficult to follow.

In 2006 an independent movie was made based loosely on the book, written and directed by Daniel Mellitz, starring Josh Wise, Chelse Swain, Sean Shanks, Amanda MacDonald, Tony LaThanh, Corbin Bernsen.

== Bibliography ==
*Morris, Desmond ''The Naked Ape'' (1967) [[Special:Booksources/0385334303|ISBN 0385334303]]

* John Lewis, B. Towers, ''Naked Ape or ''Homo sapiens''?: Reply to Desmond Morris''. Teilhard Study Library, 1969; [[Special:Booksources/0900391219|ISBN 0900391219]]

== External links ==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/12/newsid_3116000/3116329.stm BBC news item at the 1967 book launch] 
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070433/ 1973 film The Naked Ape ]at the Internet Movie Database, and [http://www.scoopy.com/nakedape.htm review] 
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381053/ 2006 film The Naked Ape] at the Internet Movie Database 
{{stub|Sexuality}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Naked Ape, The}}
[[Category:Books]]

Categories: Books
The Navigators

{{sources needed}}{{biblenav}}
'''The Navigators''' is a [[Bible]] study group which originally formed among military members just before [[World War II]] and has since expanded into a full-fledged "ministry" not specifically targeted at military members.  They are active on many military bases as well as college campuses.  They are based in - surprise, surprise - [[Colorado|Colorado Springs]].

==Mission==
The stated mission of The Navigators is to "advance the gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the Nations through spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among those who don't yet know Him." The Navigators is an international, interdenominational Christian Organization, whose objective is to help fulfill what they see as Christ’s commission, making disciples of all nations. They individually teach the basics of the Christian life to new believers who then teach others. They work on campuses, military bases, and among lay men and women on every continent.

==Conversion tactics==
They promote a particularly simplistic approach to personal [[religion|religious]] conversion using two themes:
* The [[Four Spiritual Laws]], an assertion that there are four naturally-occurring spiritual laws in the universe everyone is subject to.  The [[Campus Crusade for Christ]] originated this concept.
* The "bridge" illustration: Pride originated sin, which leads to the fall of man from a presence with God. [[God]] is on the other side of this bridge, and through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, we are able to reconnect with God, if we choose to accept His heavenly gift.

The Navigators also do a lot of [[tract]]-giving and practice a strong emphasis on members being "accountable" to each other and [[Discipling and Shepherding|placing themselves under the moral authority of]] their Bible study leader, a practice that assists obedience to Christ.  The Navigators have worked closely with and are promoted by the [[Billy Graham]] Evangelistic Association and Bill Bright's Campus Crusade for Christ.  Their NavPress publishing house is nowadays one of the major publishers of evangelical [[Christian]] books, many of which are aimed at young adults and teens.

==No relation==
* Alligators
* {{wpl|Henry the Navigator|Henry the Navigator (Portugal)}}
* {{wpl|Prince Henry of the Netherlands (governor)|Prince Henry of the Netherlands aka "The Navigator"}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Navigators}}
[[Category:Christians]]

Categories: Christians
The Necessity of Atheism

{{atheism}}
''If ignorance of nature gave birth to gods, knowledge of nature is made for their destruction.''

''''The Necessity of Atheism'''' is an 1811 essay in English by the poet {{wpl|Percy Bysshe Shelley}}. It became an instant academic scandal. Written during his time at Oxford, its publication predictably led to his temporary suspension once he confessed authorship. The essay itself, a surprisingly direct argument, delves into life, consciousness, and perception to assert that God is merely a superstition to be dismissed. To back his point, Shelley even cited influential ancient Roman authors who apparently didn't give a fuck about conventional theology either. This early brush with controversy foreshadowed the career of one of the Romantic era's most influential poets, known for later works such as "Ozymandias."

== Quote: ==
{{cquote|Hence it is evident that, having no [[proof]]s from either of the three sources of conviction, the mind cannot believe the existence of a creative God: it is also evident that, as belief is a passion of the mind, no degree of criminality is attachable to disbelief; and that they only are reprehensible who neglect to remove the false medium through which their mind views any subject of discussion. Every reflecting mind must acknowledge that there is no proof of the existence of a Deity.


God is an [[hypothesis]], and, as such, stands in need of proof: the onus probandi rests on the theist. Sir [[Isaac Newton]] says: ''Hypotheses non fingo, quicquid enim ex phaenomenis non deducitur hypothesis, vocanda est, et hypothesis vel metaphysicae, vel physicae, vel qualitatum occultarum, seu mechanicae, in philosophia locum non habent''. To all proofs of the existence of a creative God apply this valuable rule.}}

==Source==
*[[wikisource:en:The Necessity of Atheism (Shelley)|''The Necessity of Atheism'']] on Wikisource
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