“It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” — Clifford’s Credo

This is quite a nice article I blundered into from some group that call themselves SKP Freethinkers (“SKP” => “escapee”, buncha recreational vehicle nuts, but with very solid Freethinker / skeptic foundations).

This is as good a statement of Freethought principles as I have seen recently, and in fact, Freedom From Religion Foundation agree, asking to reprint it as a pamphlet. It is clear, concise and to the point – simple enough even for baboons to understand. It is well worth a read, and whilst doing so, bearing The Naked Emperor and “freethought”blogs.com in mind. Here’s the link and some choice quotes –

What is a freethinker?

…No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. To the freethinker, revelation is invalid and orthodoxy is no guarantee of truth…

…Freethinkers are naturalistic. Truth is the degree to which a statement corresponds with reality. Reality is limited to that which is directly perceivable through our natural senses or indirectly ascertained through the proper use of reason…

…Arguments based on faith, authority or ad hominem character attacks are unacceptable…

…An ethical choice is rarely a simple “right and wrong” decision. Most moral questions involve a conflict of values, requiring a careful use of reason. Obedient conformity to the dictates of another mind is supremely immoral and very dangerous…

…freethought is a philosophical, not a political, position. Freethought today embraces adherents of virtually all political persua­sions, including capitalists, libertarians, socialists, communists, Republicans, Democrats, liberals and conservatives. There is no connection, for example, between atheism and communism…

…the only way we will have progress. A multiplicity of individuals thinking, free from restraints of orthodoxy, allows ideas to be tested, dis­carded or adopted. The totalitarianism of religious absolutes chokes progress…

Ouch. Reading through it, and it is a checklist of everything freefromthoughtblogs is not, and what PZ Myers does not represent. Only two real options here –

  1. SKP Freethinkers are stupid and don’t know shit. Therefore, by extension, so are FFRF.
  2. Or, that Myers and cohorts use “freethought” as a marketing gimmick, just like burger chains use “healthy and nutritious” – by lying through their teeth using mined quotes and deceptive data because the Baboon King knows his baboon minions are too stupid to know any better.

Where does the smart money go? Don’t really need to answer that for folks that aren’t part of the PZ Myers cult.

The above examples point to the precise types of failures in critical/clear/Freethinking that are endemic to everything associated to freefromthoughtblogs, and are pretty much the points that I have been raising here from the very start about FTB and associated baboon troops such as Skepchick et al.

Chairman Myers (artists impression)

I have been making the case that none of these folks that are involved are even close to being acceptable ambassadors for Freethought or skepticism or even atheism. That at every turn, as baboon-in-chief, Myers attempts to subvert these movements and inject his own brand of narrow and divisive ideology into them – a superficial and bigoted brand of brain poison that cannot sustain itself without a steady stream of scapegoats and public spectacle – and Myers demands absolute obedience and unquestioning submission to that ideology.

I further make the case that Myers and his hordes have far more in common with islamists, via their dogma and ability to spontaneously generate outrage out of the tiniest piece of trivia; and Calvinists via their deranged neo-puritanism – the insistence on bringing the fear back into sex and setting gender relations back decades.

This is the first reason for the palpable hatred that the baboons now express for me, and the obsessiveness of the new demonology they are inventing around me that has now spilled over a couple of dozen different threads all over the baboon board. It has very much become a monomania.

The second and more serious reason for their hatred is the actual subject matter of the blogs I present. What is contained in the pages here is allegedly the “proof” of my being a rape apologist, advocate of violence against women and far, far worse. These accusations bespatter freefromthoughblogs, though if you look, the curious thing you’ll note is the absolute lack of citation to any of their venom. But the evidence is all here, unaltered, nothing removed. This site is the basis for their catastrophism and hyperbole and demands that I should be forever removed from polite society. You can read it all here for yourself.

The sum of their rage expressed in my comments sections can be viewed here. What is evident in this compendium is that out of the hundreds of comments, there is not a single one that actually addresses any of the points I raise. Not one. Their attacks have been universally, to quote the SKP Freethinkers text, all “based on faith, authority or ad hominem character attacks”. Unfortunately, the baboons have a significant problem – I actually rely on Freethought principles, and I only relate observable facts that are independently verifiable, and I reference everything meticulously. Even if the baboons were capable of discussing anything in a civil manner, they would have nothing to say – because there is no substance for their defense. They behave consistently in the grubby, disgusting and inexcusable ways I point out, and they have no way to respond in a civilised manner. This is the real reason their hatred festers and gnaws at their bowels. They only have filth and viciousness to resort to – and as they demonstrate, that is in infinite supply. Criticism and laughter – it burns them so much.

This is the status quo. Quite unpleasant. I want to delve into the specifics, but that is a nauseating task as it entails browsing the baboon board itself, and I don’t feel up to the task right now, so it will have to wait until part 2. But it has reached a point of excess that can no longer be trivially ignored. While personal abuse, threat and slander don’t particularly bother me, the baboons themselves are now realising that. Direct harm and intimidation are having no effect – so now they are fishing for indirect routes, and their derangement is heading off into disturbing new territories. Their malice now has the possibility of causing harm to innocent third parties. The joke has now stopped being funny. I need to fortify myself for the rest. It needs to be thoroughly documented.

Related –

PZ Myers: The Smear Gets More Personal

It’s Been 36 Hours And The Swat Team Isn’t Here Yet

PZ Myers: Would You Buy A Used Car From This Man?