I agree that religion has a business side (what doesn't?) but it has also preserved civilizations for thousands of years.

If there is such a thing as Enlightened Atheism, it can make light of superstition but also recognize religion's historical importance to the survival of the State, and by proxy, the indivdual.

And the last 2 minutes of this is Comedy RHODIUM.


>> ^criticalthud:

Religion, at it core, is the most successful business model in the history of humankind.

>> ^EMPIRE:

I disagree with Penn, when he says Mormonism isn't crazier, just more modern.
It absolutely IS crazier. The founder of Mormonism is someone who we know (because there are official, historical records, from a time when these records were already pretty believable) was a convicted con man. And he stuck his head in a hat to decode ancient tablets which, by the way, he was the only one to have seen.
Mormonism is one of the stupidest religions around. Period.
Just like Scientology


At least Mormonism is still a Christian religion. Sure, they are more like Christians: the director's cut with additional footage never before seen and the core tenants of the religion are based on a delusional con-man's fantasies, but they are still, at the core, a Christian religion.

I do have to give Mormons credit for their family support, charities, and their ability to take care of their members in need. They have a fantastic family support group. When the shit hits the fan and the world ends, Mormons will be the last few people standing.

I am an atheist as they get, but as an organization, Mormons do some pretty great things for the community. Scientology, on the other hand, is a scary cult that needs to be destroyed.

http://videosift.com/video/Witch-hunt-scene-from-Monty-Python-and-the-Holy-Grail>> ^Kofi:

The people in the court are not admitting to the fallibility of their religious beliefs yet also denying the possibility of those same beliefs manifesting in such an obvious and concrete way.

Your video, Mitt's Magical Mormon Undies: Penn Jillette's Rant Redux, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

It was a good try, but even with one quality and two promotes, the vid still picked up just 6 votes. There's no love for song-poems on the Sift, I guess. Glad you liked it anyway. (Maybe I should have mentioned it was recommended by Penn Jillette.)
In reply to this comment by gorillaman:
*promote

Congratulations! Your video, Penn Jillette narrating a juggling competition, has reached the #1 spot in the current Top 15 New Videos listing. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish but you managed to pull it off. For your contribution you have been awarded 2 Power Points.

This achievement has earned you your "Golden One" Level 44 Badge!

>> ^Deano:

9.86!? What the hell do they have to do to impress these judges? Juggle 10 chainsaws?


10, I'd assume, requires perfection. I've never before witnessed competitive juggling, but per Penn they made a couple of extremely minor mistakes. If those hadn't happened, I'm guessing 10 would have been the result.

>> ^Deano:

9.86!? What the hell do they have to do to impress these judges? Juggle 10 chainsaws?


Pfft Chainsaws? Go back to the Minor Leagues.

Now if you set the chainsaws on FIRE. THEN you have 10.0 material.

Your video, Penn Jillette narrating a juggling competition, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

Congratulations! Your comment has just received enough votes from the community to earn you 1 Power Point. Thank you for your quality contribution to VideoSift.

We are nearing the edge of collapse. Spending has really gone out of control. The last 3 years under Obama have been an explosion of spending. QE3 will come and debase the dollar even more. Money is noticeably worth less already from the QE1, QE2 and banks bailouts and the substantial increase in spending. . In short order we well be totally enslaved to bankers, like some countries in Europe where the lenders are dictating the terms.


Some say raise taxes. Even if one could tax every corporate and rich person there still be a drop in the bucket. Sure you might scrape up for 1 year of cash to cover government spending. Then what? everyone will be tapped out. (Penn Jillette did a podcast that was posted on th sift that addressed this aspect. I just cant find it now.)


Only through cutting spending and getting our debt down to a respectable level will turn this ship around.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'Penn Jillette, Michael Goudeau, Obama, weed, a little blow' to 'Penn Jillette, Michael Goudeau, Obama, weed, a little blow, marijuana' - edited by messenger

>> ^Enzoblue:

Please please please forgive me, but if Jillette has never smoked pot or drank iIN HIS LIFE... I just can't trust that constitution. I don't know what to say, do I think less of him? Do I distrust his motivations? Seems to me that any human who has never jumped off the wagon just to see what happens next can't relate to me, or pretty much most of the free thinkers I do relate to.

Would he have to suck a dick before you could trust his position on gay marriage? He's on the correct side of the issue, afaic. Why does he need any different motivation than simply recognizing that there are hundreds of thousands of people sitting in prison for a victimless, non-violent "crime"? He can't be outraged unless he's smoked pot?

>> ^Boise_Lib:

>> ^Enzoblue:
Please please please forgive me, but if Jillette has never smoked pot or drank iIN HIS LIFE... I just can't trust that constitution. I don't know what to say, do I think less of him? Do I distrust his motivations? Seems to me that any human who has never jumped off the wagon just to see what happens next can't relate to me, or pretty much most of the free thinkers I do relate to.

I hear ya.
I also don't know how to relate to that.
Not even a sip of wine? Did he always feel superior? Or, just his own fear?


That is such a weird stance to take. What is it about drugs and alcohol that is so integral to your experience that you don't know how to relate to a person that's never tried it? I drink, but there's nothing magical about alcohol. I'd be the exact same person if I'd never had any.

Do you feel the same way about other people that have never tried other experiences? Have never eaten beetles or fermented fish or rotten soybeans or killed a man or surfed on the north shore or climbed a mountain?

You've never climbed a Russian bridge and stood on the rails? Did you always feel superior?

>> ^Enzoblue:

Please please please forgive me, but if Jillette has never smoked pot or drank iIN HIS LIFE... I just can't trust that constitution. I don't know what to say, do I think less of him? Do I distrust his motivations? Seems to me that any human who has never jumped off the wagon just to see what happens next can't relate to me, or pretty much most of the free thinkers I do relate to.


I hear ya.

I also don't know how to relate to that.

Not even a sip of wine? Did he always feel superior? Or, just his own fear?