trentmkelly/rationalwiki huggingface dataset:
The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution

{{title-italics}}{{crenav}}
'''''The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution''''' is a book discussing [[spirituality]]  and its role in [[evolution]].  It was written in 2008 by Albert Low, a former human resources executive turned Western Buddhist Zen master.

==Overview==

Low claims he decided to write the book because of current problems within the Creation/Evolution "[[manufactroversy|debate]]".  According to Low, the neo-Darwinian view of evolution is too [[materialist]]ic to explain [[evolution]].  Simply putting [[God]] in the gap like the [[creationist]]s do is unacceptable from his [[Buddhism| Buddhist]] perspective. Low's spiritual view supposedly offers an alternative to the "current theories: random mutation (mechanistic neo-Darwinism), Genesis (God did it all personally), and Intelligent Design (God personally does what we can’t otherwise account for)." His main complaint in the book is an argument against natural evolution, which he claims is too materialistic to explain [[free will]], requiring the addition of a spiritual element.<ref>[http://www.albertlow.ca/originofhumannature Article by Albert Low]</ref>  

Low's alternative of [[spiritual evolution]], which he calls "intelligent evolution," is the view that a creative intelligence exists beyond the physical which explains [[consciousness]].<ref>[http://www.sussex-academic.com/sa/titles/philosophy/low.htm The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution by Albert Low ]</ref>

==Intelligent design?==

In an article titled ''By Design: Not all who are sympathetic to the idea of intelligent design are creationists'', Low has written that [[Buddhism]] neither affirms nor denies the existence of [[God]], nor does it deny the general theory of evolution.  Rather, the neo-Darwinian view of evolution is wrong since it denies that intelligence and creativity play a part in evolution.<ref>[http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=7b6fe3f6-73b7-4774-8bc7-dc73903d2552 Article by Albert Low]</ref><ref>[http://cnpublications.net/2008/07/25/id-is-not-creationist/ By Design: Not all ID believers are creationists by Albert Low]</ref> It appears Low advocates the view of [[guided evolution]] yet denies any God is doing it, which in a broad sense could still be called an [[intelligent design]] position.

Further, in an article on his website he supports the intelligent design ideas of [[Michael Behe]] and wrote "Behe’s criticisms of the current theories of evolution are trenchant and could open many people’s minds to the perspective of The Origin of Human Nature."<ref>[http://www.albertlow.ca/originofhumannature The Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution by Albert Low]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Origin of Human Nature: A Zen Buddhist Looks at Evolution, The}}
{{crebox}}

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

Categories: Intelligent design creationism, Religious books
The Pentagon

[[File:The Pentagon January 2008.jpg|thumb|Beat that, Миноборонпром!]]
{{uspolitics}}
The '''[[United States]] 
Ministry of Peace
 Department of 
War
 Defense''' maintains its 
[[Military-industrial complex]]
 bureaucratic headquarters in a five-sided building, which, imaginatively, is known as '''The Pentagon'''. Apparently the shape was chosen because it reduces the time for someone to walk from one office to any other<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/23/AR2007052301296_pf.html How the Pentagon Got Its Shape], ''Washington Post''</ref> (it doesn't take more than seven minutes to walk between any two points). Planned and built in the early 1940s,<ref>[https://pentagontours.osd.mil/history.jsp The Pentagon Tours], DoD</ref> the building has over 3.7 million square feet of floor space; about 24,000 people work there daily.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/pentagon.htm GlobalSecurity.com: The Pentagon]</ref> 

The Pentagon was one of the three buildings attacked on [[9/11]] by [[Al-Qaeda|terrorists]] armed with box cutters and jet planes.

The Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as it needs (and thus twice as much toilet paper).  This is due to its having been built in (then-)[[segregation|segregated]] [[Virginia]].  However, at the same time, President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] had passed an executive order banning segregation within federal government facilities.  Thus, even though they were built, the bathrooms were never designated by race as were facilities in the rest of Virginia.<ref>[http://www.snopes.com/military/pentagon.asp A House Divided], Snopes</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
{{stub|United States politics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pentagon, The}}

[[Category:Architecture]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:United States politics]]
[[Category:United States government]]

Categories: Architecture, Military, United States politics, United States government
The Resistance Manifesto

{{Books}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Resistance Manifesto''''' ({{Isbn|9780967346649}}) is a 2005 book by [[conservative]] [[Christian]] [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theorist]] [[Mark Dice]].<ref>''The Resistance Manifesto'' by Mark Dice (2008) The Resistance. ISBN 0967346649.</ref><ref>http://www.abebooks.com/9780967346649/Resistance-Manifesto-Mark-Dice-0967346649/plp</ref> The book is  about the "facts and fiction" (as Dice defines them, at least) surrounding [[New World Order]] conspiracy theories. It provides supposed proof of [[Biblical prophecies]] occurring presently while claiming that Christianity in [[America]] is being destroyed by [[Satanic]] forces, denounces [[atheism]] and secularism (equating both to [[Satanism]], no surprise), and discusses the [[Illuminati]] and how they control the [[earth|world]].  The book also promotes a lot of [[denialism|denialist]] nonsense in regards to the [[9/11 conspiracy theories|September 11 attacks]], [[evolution]] and [[global warming denialism|global warming]], and warns of the Illuminati's [[gay agenda]]. Dice also denounces [[homosexuality]] as a "poison" and puts forth the [[slippery slope]] argument regarding homosexuality. It is a favourite among many right wing Christian conspiracy [[crank]]s.

==See also==
*[[Texe Marrs]]:  Endorsed the book during its release.
*[[Satanic panic]]

==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X10UWSMZbmU Trailer] for ''The Resistance Manifesto''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|books}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Resistance Manifesto, The}}
[[Category:Atheophobia]]
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Christian fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Conservative deceit]]
[[Category:Denialism]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:Pseudohistory]]

Categories: Atheophobia, Books, Christian fundamentalism, Conservative deceit, Denialism, Homophobia, Propaganda, Pseudohistory
The Sacred and the Profane

{{religion}}{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Sacred and the Profane''}}
The '''''Sacred and the Profane''''' ({{Isbn|9780156792011}}) is a 1987 book by Mircea Eliade exploring the dualistic notions of religion following Emile Durkheim's theories. In general, it describes the philosophical concept of [[dualism]], conceived originally by [[Emile Durkheim|Émile Durkheim]].  Durkheim described the world in terms of individual "things" and their relative sacredness (holiness) in relation to religion. While Durkheim requires that "Sacred" be transcendent, powerful, and awe-inspiring, Eliade focusing largely on world religions and world myths, expands the notion to include a variety of "types" of sacred — while always maintaining the sharp distinction between that which is religious (sacred) in nature, and that which is mundane (profane). Both authors assert that all human cultures break their world into these two groups.

==Criticism==

Critics have argued that while the terms are useful in understanding human classification of worldly things and ideas, as well as understanding human religion, not every culture draws such clear distinctions.<ref>[http://epress.anu.edu.au/nts/mobile_devices/ch06s03.html The sacred-profane distinction is not universal]</ref> [[Christianity]] is a strongly dualistic religion, largely a legacy of its Greek philosophical heritage, so the distinction is more prevalent and obvious.

[[Neopagan]] and [[New Age]] religions frequently describe the entire universe as sacred, and make a concerted effort to bring the sacred into the mundane.  

[[Pantheism]] also assumes that the divine is in all things and [[Buddhism]] teaches that all beings have [[Buddha]] nature at some level.<ref>[http://the12stepbuddhist.com/what-is-buddha-nature What is Buddha Nature?]</ref>  

The Navajo believe their homeland is sacred and thus every action taken while living in their homeland is sacred.<ref>[http://www.xpressweb.com/zionpark/index3.html Navajo Religion, A Sacred Way of Life]</ref>

==See also==

* [[Apollonian and Dionysian]]
* [[Universalism]]

==External links==

*[http://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/emile-durkheim-sacred-and-profane.html Emile Durkheim – the Sacred and the Profane – summary and review]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sacred and the Profane, The}}
__NOTOC__
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Religion]]

Categories: Books, Philosophy, Religion
The Serpent and the Rainbow

[[File:The Serpent and the Rainbow (book).jpg|thumb|left|165px|''The Serpent and the Rainbow'' book cover]]
{{Books}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Serpent and the Rainbow''''' is a book written by ethnobotanist Wade Davis in 1985. The book is responsible for popularizing the idea that [[Haiti]]an [[Vodun|Voodoo]] priests can use [[drugs]] derived from pufferfish<ref group=note>Fish in the family Tetraodontidae</ref> venom (tetrodotoxin) to simulate [[death]] in victims, causing them to be buried, dug up, and enslaved as brain-damaged [[zombies]].

The victims are then said to be administered a second powder, this one including [[datura]] and part of a recently deceased child's brain. The opinions of scientists on this matter range from plausibility to outright [[crankery]]. The obvious ethical issues involved with testing the hypothesis have made it something of a moot point.

One strong argument against this hypothesis, however, is the fact that analysis of the powder revealed pufferfish venom in quantities far too small to have an effect.  Davis originally proposed that it was the neurotoxin in the venom that gave the powder its effect, meaning that at least that part isn't true.

On a related note, The TV show ''[[MythBusters]]'' tested whether someone could survive being buried alive for two hours before being rescued. Host Jamie Hyneman attempted the feat, but when his steel coffin began to bend under the weight of the earth used to cover it, the experiment was aborted.<ref>''MythBusters'' Season 1: Episode 5,"Hammer Bridge Drop, Buried Alive, Cola", Original airdate: October 24, 2003.
</ref>  Most of the places where voodoo was historically practiced, like New Orleans, are close to sea level, so these burials are most likely above ground. <ref> http://www.experienceneworleans.com/deadcity1.html </ref>

Davis was assisted by Max Beauvoir, who has been elected the head of unified Haitian Voodoo: a controversial move as there is often little hierarchy among houngan priests and priestesses. Beauvoir is the son of a doctor and dislikes the unscientific portrayal of zombies as seen in most Hollywood films. <ref> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/world/americas/05beauvoir.html?_r=2&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin& </ref>

It was ''very'' loosely adapted into a 1988 movie starring Bill Pullman and directed by Wes Craven.
==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096071/ ''The Serpent and the Rainbow'' on IMDb]
*[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/TheSerpentAndTheRainbow ''The Serpent and the Rainbow''] on [[TV Tropes]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}
==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Films]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Serpent and the Rainbow, The}}
{{stub|pseudoscience}}

Categories: Books, Films
The Skeptic's Dictionary

{{skepnav}}
{{cquote|Whether it's the latest [[shark cartilage]] [[scam]], or some new '[[repressed memory]]' idiocy that besets you, I suggest you carry a copy of this dictionary at all times, or at least have it within reach as first aid for [[psychic]] attacks. We need all the help we can get.|||[[James Randi]] ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_skeptic_s_dictionary.html?id=6FPqDFx40vYC&redir_esc=y</ref>}}
'''The Skeptic's Dictionary''' is a website and a book that has entries on [[pseudoscientific]], [[occult]], [[paranormal]], and other junk [[belief]]s in an encyclopedic order. Edited by former professor, [[atheist]]<ref>[http://archive.li/cK8pU Todd Carroll Ph.D.] ''Who's Who'' (archived from 10 Jan 2016 23:05:25 UTC).</ref> and [[skeptic]] '''Robert Todd Carroll''' {{lived|1945|2016}},<ref>{{wpa|Robert Todd Carroll}}</ref> the site was launched in 1994 and now boasts more than 750 entries "from abracadabra to [[zombies]]" (the actual list starts with [[2012 apocalypse|2012 doomsday theories]] and includes entries on [[Abraham-Hicks]] and abracadabra, which come before acupuncture alphabetically).<ref>[http://skepdic.com/ From Abracadabra to Zombies] ''The Skeptic's Dictionary''</ref>

The website is popular and is an antidote to the vast amount of paranormal, pseudoscientific, and other dubious material and [[quackery]] available online and offline. 

==See also==
*[[Encyclopedia of American Loons]]
*[[Quackwatch]]

==External links==
*[https://www.skepdic.com/ The Skeptic's Dictionary]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|Skepticism}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skeptic's Dictionary, The}}

[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Websites]]

Categories: Books, Websites
The Twilight Zone

{{title-italics}}
[[File:Thetwilightzone-logo.svg|thumb|right|165px|The ''Twilight Zone'' logo]]
{{film}}
:''Not to be confused with [[Twilight]], for the love of God.''

'''''The Twilight Zone''''' was a brilliant television series hosted, written, and produced by {{wpl|Rod Serling}} from 1959–1964. While many episodes dwelt on cosmic questions and ideas, some were little more than ghost stories, albeit well-executed. Most episodes had a surprise twist ending that forced the viewer to reappraise everything they had seen up to that point, and many are famous for providing thought-provoking morals that resonate even today, ranging from how [[paranoia]] can destroy society to the evils of [[totalitarianism]]. Notably, Rod Serling received death threats after {{wpl|He's Alive}} was aired, an episode that portrayed [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] as a bad person.

The show has appeared in four separate incarnations: the original series in the 1950–60s and revivals in the mid-1980s, 2002, and 2019-20. None of the revivals were nearly as prolific as the original, all three having been canceled rather quickly. However, one lasting side effect of the 1980s revival is that J. Michael Straczynski and Harlan Ellison became friends, which set the stage for their cooperation on <u>Babylon 5</u>.

==Film==
In the early 1980s, work began on ''The Twilight Zone: The Movie''. A tragic incident overshadowed the film itself, however. During the filming of one scene, a helicopter crashed on-set in [[California]], killing three actors, two of them children.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191006163529/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-31-me-15037-story.html Paul Feldman, "'Twilight Zone' trial to begin this week," ''Los Angeles Times'', Aug. 31, 1986, accessed Oct. 6, 2019.]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Fun:List of things to be scared of because of the Twilight Zone|RationalWiki's list of things to be scared of because of the ''Twilight Zone'']]

==External links==
*[http://epguides.com/TwilightZone/ Episode guides]
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052520/ ''The Twilight Zone'' on IMDb]
*[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/TheTwilightZone1959 ''The Twilight Zone''] on [[TV Tropes]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|films}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Twilight Zone}}
__NOTOC__
[[category:Science fiction]]
[[category:Television programmes]]
[[Category:Horror]]

Categories: Science fiction, Television programmes, Horror
The Voyage that Shook the World

{{film}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Voyage that Shook the World''''' is a 
[[Young earth creationism|creationist]] [[propaganda]] flick
 [[Bullshit|world-class documentary]] from [[Creation Ministries International]] about the life of [[Charles Darwin]]. It's only 52 minutes long, so it was clearly aimed at television.

In April 2015, the film received a AUD$90,504 tax rebate (20% of the entire production cost of AUD$452,518) from Screen [[Australia ]] despite only taking in AUD$116,436.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/film/christian-creationist-film-gets-nearly-100000-in-taxpayer-funds/story-e6frg8pf-1227325580439 Christian creationist film gets nearly $100,000 in taxpayer funds], ''The Australian'', April 29, 2015.</ref>

==The rogues' gallery==

The film features interviews with real live scientists. These were apparently obtained  in a similar  manner as the interviews for ''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]'', by establishing a front company so said scientists would be unaware that creationists had anything to do with the film. Some people claimed this deceptive behavior violated the [[Ten Commandments#Ninth Commandment|Ninth Commandment]]; a big shot with CMI admitted the deceit, but replied (paraphrase) "The ends justify the means! Pay no attention to the 
man behind the screen
 underhanded movie-making tactics! Look at this wonderful film we've made!"<ref name="Crawley">http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2009/06/creationists_defend_darwin_fil.html</ref>

==Reception==

To date, the film has been noticed about as much as a grain of sand dropping into a lake. As of July 2012 it has a rating of 5.3/10 at the IMDb, although, strangely, there are a very high number of glowing reviews giving the film a perfect 10 out of 10 stars, with many casting doubt on [[Darwin]]'s ability as a scientist. Even more strangely, a large number of these fabulous reviews were given by people who had only ever reviewed this one film.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1447799/</ref> How 
obviously deceitful
 very odd. At least one blogger has stated that it is standard creationist fare.<ref>http://lippard.blogspot.com/2009/07/voyage-that-shook-world.html</ref>

General screening in Canada, UK, US and South Africa supposedly started September 2009, but even [[Fox News]] didn't review it.

==External links==

*[http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/10-08-04/#feature Skeptic.com - Distorting Darwin (Review of ''The Voyage that Shook the World)]

==References==

{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voyage that Shook the World, The }}
[[Category:Evolution]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]

Categories: Evolution, Propaganda
The Wartburg Watch

{{Christianity}}{{title-italics}}
The '''''Wartburg Watch''''' is a Christian blog that critiques trends towards [[authoritarianism]] within [[Evangelical Christianity]] that have been increasingly promoted by well-organized conservative parachurch organizations. These include cult-like congregational discipline<ref>http://thewartburgwatch.com/permpage-church-discipline-and-abuse/</ref> and gender [[complementarianism]] that goes so far as to distort the [[Trinity]].<ref>http://thewartburgwatch.com/2017/08/25/kevin-giles-on-complementarians-who-now-reject-wayne-grudems-view-of-the-trinity/</ref> 

The ''Watch'' is written by female bloggers Dee Parsons and Wanda Martin.<ref>[http://archive.is/OmgLQ Wikipedia – The Wartburg Watch]</ref> They primarily oppose [[Calvinist]] groups like 9Marks and the Gospel Coalition, characterizing their teachings on congregational discipline as abusive and legalistic.<ref>http://thewartburgwatch.com/2017/02/22/what-should-we-do-about-9marks-and-other-abusive-churches-guest-post-by-dale/</ref> 

The ''Watch'' reminds us that although fundamentalist Evangelicals like to position themselves as offering a "personal relationship with God" as opposed to a "religion" that follows the "teachings of [[pope|a man]]", their churches are increasingly becoming authoritarian to the extent that members who are under church discipline may be [[cult|barred from leaving]]. ''[[Bible|Sola Scriptura]]'' is no longer there to allow ''members'' freedom of belief and conscience; it is there to allow the religion's leaders to act as "mini popes" who have the authority to interpret scripture their own way detached from Christian history, [[excommunication|excommunicating]] those who "[[skepticism|cause division]]" or are "[[argument from authority|insubordinate]]". It is in this context of valuing authority over truth that Evangelicalism changed from the religion of [[civil rights]] to the religion of political extremism and [[creationism|creationist]] pseudoscience.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External Links==
* [http://thewartburgwatch.com The Wartburg Watch]

[[Category: Christianity]]
[[Category: Journalism]]

Categories:  Christianity,  Journalism
The Wonders of Creation Reveal God's Glory

{{sources needed}}{{film}}{{title-italics}}
'''''The Wonders of Creation Reveal God's Glory''''' is a video released in 2009 by the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] with the intent of persuading the viewer that [[Jehovah]] created the [[universe]], the [[Earth]] and [[plants]] and animals.

While it has a great deal of the expected [[propaganda]] about [[intelligent design]], and appreciation for the works of Jehovah, it is replete with interesting scientific facts about various aspects of our world. Refreshingly, these scientific explanations are much more accurate than earlier publications of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The photography is truly beautiful, and the production quality is extremely high.

Topics covered include iridescence, fractals, Fibonacci sequences in nature, the nature of freezing [[water]], the [[moon]], the [[Goldilocks Zone]] and comments on the size of earth (though some suspect this point is overstated in the video), numerous ingenious solutions to problems that evolution has solved... and attributes all of these things to [[God]].

==External links==
*[http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/178729/1/The-Wonders-of-Creation-Reveal-Gods-Glory-DVD-watch-on-YouTube Jehovahs-Witness.net: the movie in 12 parts]

[[Category:Films]]
[[Category:Intelligent design creationism]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wonders of Creation Reveal God's Glory, The}}
{{stub|creationism}}

Categories: Films, Intelligent design creationism
The atheist's nightmare

{{fork}}
[[File:Atheist nightmare.jpg|thumb|The crackers are a reference to the [[Eucharist]]. Together, these things keep atheists up at night.]]
*[[Banana argument]]
*[[Peanut butter argument]]
----
'''The atheist's nightmare''' is a term for the above two arguments made against [[evolution]]. It derives from the title of the video that explains why peanut butter disproves evolution and a quip made by [[Ray Comfort]] before explaining the [[teleology]] of a banana. While "the [[atheists]]' nightmare" was seemingly used seriously by the arguments' proponents, it was quickly appropriated by [[skeptics]] and online snarkers to mock the sheer ridiculousness of the arguments.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atheist's nightmare}}