I wouldn't go so far as to say that they're fiction for certain, but there's certainly not evidence to suggest that they're fact.
As far as the authenticity of the photographs, people believed for 60 years that the Cottingley fairies were real until the photographs were eventually exposed as a hoax perpetrated by a 16 year old and a 10 year old. Just saying.
@Ryan S, that is assuming that philosophy is the path to truth. Personally I feel that science has more to offer when it comes to finding the truth of things. Philosophy has its uses too but when you read too much into it it becomes a distraction. I am aware of your post-modern opinions of science, so there is no need to tell me again.
I'd just like to point out to those of you for which it isn't clear: Skeptics generally accept the scientific consensus that global warming is due to humans, and label those who call themselves "climate skeptics" as "global warming deniers".
Not sure if this is relevant, but the development of hypermania while taking SSRIs is often a sign of misdiagnosed bipolar. Bipolar tends to commence with a long, depressive period that is often misdiagnosed as major depression, however in a person that is bipolar, the prescription of SSRIs is inappropriate as excess serotonin can lead to hypermania, upon which it becomes apparent the individual has been misdiagnosed.
Regarding your talk of thinking of your mortality, perhaps you would be interested in terror management theory: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_management_theory It has implications in the research of religious beliefs, tradition, and interestingly, disgust.
As far as the authenticity of the photographs, people believed for 60 years that the Cottingley fairies were real until the photographs were eventually exposed as a hoax perpetrated by a 16 year old and a 10 year old. Just saying.
I dare anyone to google image "baby pygmy hippo".
...except for Japanese whaling boats.
"Richard Dawkins who'd have you believe religion is the "root of all evil"."
"Dawkins has said that the title 'The Root of All Evil?' was not his preferred choice, but that Channel 4 had insisted on it to create controversy."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyp2J_YqCp8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78peItMQR3w
Stunning!
Regarding your talk of thinking of your mortality, perhaps you would be interested in terror management theory:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_management_theory
It has implications in the research of religious beliefs, tradition, and interestingly, disgust.