Tim Kent On Why Believers Think Prayer Works

This is a nice list. Check it out.

Blog Essays on "Answered" Prayer

Hey Christian, You Can Test Your Prayers Objectively.

On God Answering Prayers Retroactively.

Who Answers Prayers?

Does God Answer Prayer? A Better Perspective.

Proving That Prayer is Superstition

Why Believers Think God Answers Prayer

Hector Avalos and Me

Recently I met up with Dr. Avalos in Goshen, IN, for a lecture he gave on his book Fighting Words: The Origins of Religious Violence, which I highly recommend. He and I are your hosts here at DC as the #1 ranked Biblioblog, although Hector doesn't post that often.

Has Christianity Passed the Outsider Test for Faith?

It is said that Christianity has been passing the Outsider Test for Faith (OTF) from the very beginning, and is still doing so as the gospel penetrates non-Christian cultures. Let me respond briefly.

Professor Matt McCormick On "Defense Lawyers for Jesus"

William Lane Craig's and Wolterstorff’s revelations here put their arguments for God in a new light. When Craig presses the Kalam argument, or any other argument for a religious conclusion, what we see now is that he doesn’t really mean it. He has openly resolved to reject any other argument no matter what its merits if it doesn’t have the right conclusion. The acceptability of any argument is determined solely by whether it gives him the conclusion he already favors. Trying to argue him out of that conclusion is doomed to fail because the only legitimate function that reasoning can be put to, as he sees it, is in support of Jesus. There are no considerations, reasons, pieces of evidence, or arguments, even in principle that could possibly dissuade him. That would presume that his conclusions about Jesus were arrived at on the basis of reasoning, and not the other way around. Link

Professor Keith Parsons: "Are Supernatural Hypotheses Testable?"

The most interesting supernatural hypotheses are those that are can be tested, but, for some reason or another, always seem to elude actual testing. Consider the theistic hypothesis, the hypothesis that the God of theism exists. This hypothesis can be tested, and, as we noted above, according to scripture has been tested in the past—with spectacularly positive results. The problem, of course, is that all those alleged public demonstrations of divine power occurred long, long ago, in what Hume called “ignorant and barbarous nations.” In short, it is eminently reasonable for the skeptic simply to deny that such events ever occurred. What we need, then, is something now, something very public and conclusive. As I say, an Elijah-like test could be broadcast worldwide now. Or, if such a display is considered vulgar, there could be rigorous, reproducible results performed in a scientific setting and verified by the qualified parties. So why not? Link.

Feuerbach Was Right All Along, We Create Our Own Gods

Some people might be interested in knowing that humans are creating their gods in their own images.

For many religious people, the popular question “ What would Jesus do?” is essentially the same as “What would I do?” That’s the message from an intriguing and controversial new study by Nicholas Epley from the University of Chicago. Through a combination of surveys, psychological manipulation and brain-scanning, he has found that when religious Americans try to infer the will of God, they mainly draw on their own personal beliefs. Link

Michael Brown vs Bart Ehrman on the Problem of Suffering

Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Bart Ehrman debated the topic: Does the Bible Provide an Adequate Answer to the Problem of Suffering? at Ohio State University on April 15, 2010. Link

Quote of the Day, by Sam Harris

Whatever else may be wrong with our world, it remains a fact that some of the most terrifying instances of human conflict and stupidity would be unthinkable without religion. And the other ideologies that inspire people to behave like monsters—Stalinism, fascism, etc.—are dangerous precisely because they so resemble religions. Sacrifice for the Dear Leader, however secular, is an act of cultic conformity and worship. Whenever human obsession is channeled in these ways, we can see the ancient framework upon which every religion was built. In our ignorance, fear, and craving for order, we created the gods. And ignorance, fear, and craving keep them with us. Link

Why the Idea of a Spirit is Full of Hot Air

Long ago in a cave a caveman looked at his friend who then died. He was upset. His friend would not move.  He noticed that air no longer came out of his friends mouth. He knew the air had left him.

So he gathered up his friend and some food and a few of his friend’s possessions and buried them all. Perhaps it would all go wherever his air went.

God Must Love Football

Well it’s almost time for football again. So you know what that means another season of watching numerous players point up at the sky after they score or kneel down and bow their head so as to give credit to their god or thank him or whatever. And while I enjoy watching sports I hate watching that and every time I do see it I want to ask those players if they truly think their god helped them catch the ball or run through the tackles? If the answer is yes I would be curious to ask them why they think their god seems to help them on some plays as and not on others? How does their god decide who should catch the ball or break a tackle? Or better yet why does their god care about football at all?

Dr. Hector Avalos: 'True' Religion Begats Violence

Enjoy.

Wake Up! Your god is a Monster

"If any religion allows the persecution of the people of different faiths, if any religion keeps women in slavery, if any religion keeps people in ignorance, then I can't accept that religion.” -Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi Author

Objective Morality vs. Christianity, by Non-Stamp Collector

Church Sign: "God is Still Speaking"

This message is on a banner in front of a liberal church where I live. Let me guess, the message coming from their God is one of love: love for families, for neighbors, for minorities, for animals, for the environment, and love for our enemies both personal and global.

Where was that message when we needed it, when Christians killed each other for what they now consider to be trivial disagreements during the eight French Wars of Religion, the 30 Years War, the Crusades, the Inquisition or Witch Hunts? Why is God's message always representative of the age we live in? I've written on this before, concerning the messages people report from Alien encounters. These things are related and they strongly disconfirm any claim that God spoke at all. Link.

DC is the #1 Biblioblogger and I Wasn't Even Trying This Past Month

Actually I blew their socks off. The Biblioblogger list is associated with the prestigious Society of Biblical Literature. There are atheists, liberals, moderates and conservatives on it. Chalk one up for the atheists. Boy, some of them love to hate me for this.

It's a Miracle I've Been Healed, Praise Atheism

Yesterday I went to get contact lenses and was told my dominant left eye has gotten better and is nearly at 20/20 vision. Since it is my dominant eye, most of my everyday activities do not require glasses or contacts at all. I just hadn't noticed that putting my glasses on didn't make much of a difference. How often do we not see what should be plain to see? I just didn't notice. When I want to focus on something in the distance I just have to shut my right eye. When reading fine print up close I just shut my left one, since my left eye is not quite 20/20. While I may get contacts anyway, I really don't need them at all. Praise atheism! Isn't she good?

Christianity Will Die From Embarrassment

Take Exhibit A, Pat Robertson. Statements like the ones he makes will continue being an embarrassment to evangelicals who will gravitate more to the left, while the left will continue to jump ship. This will take some time but it's already taking place. Thank the ever-present almighty internet. Thank you, thank you very much.

Americans Have Lost Faith In Religious Leaders And Church Attendance

So says a new book.

"We Are Atheism" Campaign Launches

I support it. Take a look and see what you can do.

A Typical Day On the Internet

The Internet is a big place, full of e-stores, chat rooms and videos of cats, and as you might imagine, it's incredibly busy on any given day. As more and more business is conducted online, more and more business opportunities are created due to the massive size of the internet. Companies like Amazon, Apple, and even Walmart are giants in e-commerce and their online revenues are continuing to soar. Last year, e-commerce raked in $680 billion worldwide. And on Black Friday alone, Amazon sold 32 items per second. With the help of services like Facebook, Twitter, and email, companies are able to reach practically anybody on the Internet – all 7 billion of them. See for yourself below:

Without a Doubt the End of Christianity is Assured in the Future

Human beings will evolve into different sorts of creatures, perhaps like the Na'vi of James Cameron's movie Avatar. Then the Bible will clearly be an antiquated book. The salvation of the human race and the incarnation of the second person of the trinity will have no relevance for the creatures we are yet to become. Christianity will fall into the dustbin of history just like all other dead religions. Too bad this assured end is far off into the future. But it WILL happen, just as assuredly as I am writing this today in the year 2011.

A Parting Thought for My Brother

My brother and his wife visited from the west coast and stayed the night last week. We had talked about his Christian faith. I gave him both barrels to no avail. Then as they were leaving, as his wife took a picture of us together, I said: "Keep in mind according to your faith I am going to hell." Now hopefully they will think of what I said whenever they look at that picture. Can he really imagine his brother in hell? See if that breaks them out of their dogmatic slumbers. It should.

I Have Better Answers to Fundamental Questions Than Christians Do

A local church has an advertisement in our newspaper for a thirteen week course on basic church teachings purporting to have the correct answers to fundamental westernized questions. I defy someone to tell me why my succinct answers to these questions aren't much much better than what they will say. Here goes:

Creation Museum's Latest Project: Ark Encounter

According to Ken Ham's vision, they aim

To rebuild the Ark, to full-scale biblical dimensions, as a sign to the world that God’s Word is true and its message of salvation must be heeded. Just as the Ark in Noah’s day was a sign of salvation, as well as judgment, an Ark rebuilt today can be a sign to point to Jesus Christ, the Ark of our salvation, and to coming judgment. Link.

To think there was a world-wide flood depicted in the Bible is delusional. Of course, if you believe it you can always donate to this project. ;-)