My
last major post dealt with one solid fact; the reality that is there is no book or even a verse of the entire Bible older than 250 BCE. Even though I offered $30.00 as a reward to anyone who could prove me wrong, my challenge still stands as it did was four months ago . . .
totally unanswered.
In the introduction to his new book,
Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief, Lawrence Wright writes, "Scientology plays an outsize role in the cast of new religions that have arisen in the 20th century and survived into the 21st."
The book is a look inside the world of
Scientology and the life of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, who died in 1986. A recent ad for Scientology claims to welcome 4.4 million new converts each year.
Listen to an interview with Lawrence Wright on
NPR HERE
I've heard many times, especially from scientists, that scientists don't "believe" evolution, they "know" it. I think this involves a bit of terminological confusion, and I think this confusion is bad for the overall discussion about evolution in the public arena. In this article, I'll briefly discuss why scientists do indeed believe in evolution and, in the process, say a few things about the nature of (religious) faith and its relation to knowledge.
But since the Colts didn't progress to the Super Bowl and the season is almost over, take this:
Look, debates are all well and good, but being such fervent supporters of the Bible as the Inspired Word of God, why not settle things the good, old-fashioned biblical way?
William Lane Craig, as we all know, is an apologist with a predilection for the Kalam Cosmological Argument, which goes like this:
1) Everything that has a beginning of its existence has a cause of its existence;
2) The universe has a beginning of its existence;
C) Therefore: The universe has a cause of its existence.
The point I want to make today is about quantum indeterminacy. This is the notion that, at the quantum, microscopic level, things could be indeterminate, or 'uncaused'. This potentially invalidates the first premise.
First, let’s established an objective definition:
Disease: 1. An abnormal condition of an organism or part, especially as a consequence of infection, inherent weakness, or environmental stress, that impairs normal physiological functioning. 2. A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful. (
The American Heritage Dictionary, 2ed. 1985)
Sent to me by Julian Haydon, enjoy:
Lowder and I are at odds with each other. I don't like it. He may not either. But we are. Perhaps he's liking the attention. I, however, don't need it. People who don't blog have no idea how that by using Ads it increases the desire for more hits, but it does. In a few recent posts and comments I have repeatedly said I respect Lowder. Not once has he said that of me. So let me use Lowder as a potential example of how badly people reason, all of us, and how that ulterior motivations can cloud our judgments. Then I'll issue a challenge to him.
The irony of this is perhaps best noted in the Hebrew Bible itself:
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1: 9)
I have selected two books dealing with ancient Sumerian and Akkadian myths dating back over 2,000 years BCE as recycled in New Testament .
The following two maps have been placed in the Appendix of my book, The Outsider Test for Faith:
While moving my library, I came across a booklet containing the 1987 lecture for the
Inaugurating of The LeRoy A. Martin Distinguished Professorship of Religious Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga by Professor Thor Hall (PhD, Duke University) entitled
Tradition Criticism: A New View of Wesley
Take a look at this video posted by Randal Rauser, who argues that the size of the universe does not lead to atheism:
Since 1948, the conservative Christian station in the Up State of SC has been Bob Jones University’s
WMUU. The station’s call letters stood for
World's Most Unusual University.
As before, Julian Haydon is sending me these excellent excerpts. Enjoy.
Picture right is the typical
Salvation Gospel Tract found at bank ATM’s, left on tables at restaurants and ironically, in restrooms. This one was left under a wiper blade on my wife’s car at work by
Freedom Baptist Church (as stamped on the back) located just a quarter mile from where she works.
Evangelist Dr. Oliver B. Green (Feb. 14, 1915 – July 26, 1976) was the president and founder of
The Gospel Hour (still on many Christian stations today) who loved good fundamentalist Bible theology and defended the King James’ Version of Bible. Rev. Green preached solid Baptist's truth backed by eternal salvation for all true believers and eternal Hell fire for all non-believers. (I used to listen to him in the early ‘70s on my way to college where, as a Christian, I majored in Bible.) His website states:
Again I thank Julian Haydon for sending me these items from Ingersoll.
and the one I reviewed on Amazon and liked the best, The Religious Condition: Answering And Explaining Christian Reasoning.
On Amazon.com Jason just reviewed my revised book, Why I Became an Atheist,
saying,(1963) Blamires explores the question of how one’s Christian convictions ought to change the way one thinks. Like all great books, The Christian Mind has aged gracefully and its analysis continues to provide novel insight into the world around us.
it would be, 
