Turns out, Dole’s opponent Kay Hagan got 3,600 contributions within 48 hours of Dole airing of the controversial ad, which centered on Hagan’s attendance at a fundraiser at the Boston home of someone active in the atheist community.

I do believe Daylight Atheism readers can count themselves in as the source of at least some of those contributions. And I hope this election has sent a strong message to future religious demagogues: Inciting anti-atheist bigotry pays off, all right - for your opponent.

One, the rise of Eastern Empire? I'm pretty sure basically none of them were Christian. Hell the largest empire in the history of the world didn't change anyones religion at all. The Mongols, 3 completely separate faiths Islam, Christianity and Buddhism existed within their empire. And the Japanese and Chinese dynasties were not Christian. (the japanese followed Shinto, and the Chinese practiced taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Folk religions) As for the western cultures, they came to prominence during the period of enlightenment where rational thinking was considered the greatest virtue. With Voltaire being an atheist and Nietzsche declaring "god is dead". In fact Christianity produced what is known as the "dark ages" by writing over the vast majority of scientific knowledge to create prayer books. In fact they even wrote over Archimedes' The Method, the contents of which would not be rediscovered until Goefred Liebniz and Sir Isaac Newton. (aka Infinite Summation or the foundations of calculus)

In fairness, I think he was referring to the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire, which was primarily Christian for most of its history, up to its conquest by hordes of Islamic heathens, which John's "Christians win" view presumably conveniently ignores.

Note the doleful music

Nice one, mikespeir!

One, the rise of Eastern Empire? I'm pretty sure basically none of them were Christian. Hell the largest empire in the history of the world didn't change anyones religion at all. The Mongols, 3 completely separate faiths Islam, Christianity and Buddhism existed within their empire. And the Japanese and Chinese dynasties were not Christian. (the japanese followed Shinto, and the Chinese practiced taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Folk religions) As for the western cultures, they came to prominence during the period of enlightenment where rational thinking was considered the greatest virtue. With Voltaire being an atheist and Nietzsche declaring "god is dead". In fact Christianity produced what is known as the "dark ages" by writing over the vast majority of scientific knowledge to create prayer books. In fact they even wrote over Archimedes' The Method, the contents of which would not be rediscovered until Goefred Liebniz and Sir Isaac Newton. (aka Infinite Summation or the foundations of calculus)

In all honesty I don't believe in anything until it is proven to me. You come in here asking for proof of nothing when in reality the burden of proof lies on the affirmative. Abiogenesis was shown in the miller-urey experiments in which amino acids were generated when a mixture of methane, water, ammonia and hydrogen were exposed to a pair of electrodes. You believe something that was written 1400-1800 years ago and touting it as fact. You completely ignore scientific evidence that you don't want to hear. You are closed minded and an ignoramus. So stop trolling and go away.

Darn kids and their new fangled '70s slang! (the eighteen seventies, that is.)

Leum "..but recklessly stupid and pointless negative campaigning..."
Yes, but look at their market.

"...that, as our host noted, isn't even well-designed."
Elitist! I suppose you granola eating, wine drinking, teeth brushing, sock wearing, lib'rul elitists can do better?

This campaign shows that the real issues are no longer supportive, and they must appeal to the worst in people to bring votes.

Yes, the Republican Part is morally and intellectually bankrupt. It has nothing to offer anymore except for hate, greed, cynicism, and corruption. Hence we are seeing not just negative campaigning, but recklessly stupid and pointless negative campaigning that, as our host noted, isn't even well-designed.

Is this scary, should we be afraid? Yes. In a desperate attempt to win the GOP has finally abandoned all semblance of honor and is tapping into the very worst side of American culture. But I do not think this can be successful for very long (small comfort though that may be in the next 4-8 years should McCain become President). The hope for a better life will win out, in the end, against the fear of change. My only fear is that things will get horrifically worse before they get better.

I am a white male in a heterosexual relationship. We have been together for ten years but are not married. Why? Why should we? We are committed to one another and a cermony, religious rite, or govenment document will not change how we feel about each other. I think that many homosexual couples feel the same way, but they are faced with the fact that in most places they cannot have what the two of us take for granted.

I grew up in a small (pro-America according to Palin, et.al.) town in Oklahoma. Small town values are great, once you get past the closed-minded, bigoted, scared ideals of those who relish in it. I have been in the liberal island of Austin, TX since 1996. I look at what I see now, around me here, and what I know from my upbringing. You can look at the YouTube clips of the ignorant and racist screaming against Obama and pity them, but I know them. All of them. Not by name but by familiarity. And I am scared! Scared that what I thought was penned in by the borders of those small towns only to realize that they branch out and connect to others and so on.

After I realized the hijacking of science by the Young Earth'ers I started to slowly become more active. I always thought my godless views were best kept to myself which is where I feel all religious views should remain.

I agree, it is time to stand up for those of us who demand evidence for the befiefs that others claim to know in their heart. This campaign shows that the real issues are no longer supportive, and they must appeal to the worst in people to bring votes. 15-16% is a large portion of the American population that can bring about real change. Let's all get out and vote. Remember that what is considered an extreme view today can be the norm in a single generation.