2% is a lot!

In a recent discussion with some friends I made the comment that the difference between Human and Great Ape DNA was around 2%. The retort was that this amounted to a massive amount of raw data, therefore somehow nullifying the point.

In preparation for an upcoming video I decided to do a little checking. According to Biblical web sites (such as http://agards-bible-timeline.com/q10_bible-facts.html) the King James version of the Bible contains 66 books. 2% of 66 is 1.32 books. To be somewhat more accurate, the KGV contains some 783,137 words in 1,189 chapters – an average of 658 words per chapter. So if I were to change 23 random chapters this would equate to 2%.

According to the numbers on the given web site, just changing the words “Lord” and “God” to something else, say “Salami”, would account for a 1.4% change in the source text. If I were to do such a thing, then claim that the book suddenly and spontaneously appeared on my bedside table on night, you might think I was a little crazy – especially given the striking similarity to other “holy” texts.

Yet isn’t this exactly what creationists are asking us to believe? Surely such amazing coincidences in the texts of the two books points to a common ancestry? One book must have been based on the other. Statistical analysis would certainly lead one to reach this conclusion.

The same can be said for the genetic code. Such similarities are not adequately explained by a magical being poofing them into existence – both sets of DNA share a common ancestor. Just think about the many different versions of the Bible out there to choose from. Are they all the one true book? Or is it more likely that they all share a common ancestor – one root holy text from which all the others are derived. What do you think?

ACL lie about census

The Australian Christian Lobby are lying again. This time they are mischaracterising the Atheist Foundation of Australia’s “No Religion” campaign by stating (emphasis mine): “While the census data is rightly used to assist the government to plan for services and infrastructure, other groups, including some atheists, are seeking to push their agendas by encouraging people [...]

Dog Heads

The excellent British broadcaster BBC 4 recently aired a fascinating program called “The Medieval Mind” which explores the philosophy, theology, and predominate thinking of the dark ages. The first episode deals with knowledge and revealed numerous intriguing insights into how the medieval mind determined epistemological truths. Monks, priests, and other godly people were in possession [...]

Atheists n Agnostics speak out in Arabic

I flagged this video a few days ago, but only watched it this evening. It’s is not often we see ex-muslims speaking out against the “religion of peace”. What these people have done is extraordinary and brave given the fundamentalists attraction to extreme violence.

The perfect God

I want a god whose ultimate goals which do not necessitate the creation of mysterious suffering and death. I want a god who doesn’t violate causation by causing things to begin to exist from nothing in the absence of time. I want a god who does not give us “free will” then punishes us for [...]

Atheism 2.0

“Atheism 2.0” is a 20 minute TED presentation by Alain de Botton in which he proposes a new approach to evangelising atheism. Alain suggests (apparently without evidence) that we have “secularised badly” and we should sift through the rituals, traditions, and behaviours of religion to identify and adopt their efficient mechanisms. “I have come here [...]

The Bizarre Bible

Atheists are often told by believers to read the Bible and it will all become clear. Trouble is, many of us have tried that and it doesn’t seem to have helped. Take these verses for example: This does not sound like a great night out to me. “But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master [...]