This compilation is provided by Living the Scientific Life. This is definitely not any sort of ecumenical outreach program. Here are the first seven slogans: Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers Honk If Your Religious Beliefs Make You An Asshole Intelligent Design Makes My Monkey Cry Too Stupid to Understand…
The new book is geared toward explaining evolution to the American public. Here's a pdf brochure describing the book. The book can also be read online in its entirety here. I read much of the chapter on Creationism. It's clearly written, with helpful illustrations. This looks like a good place…
This collection is a bit too painful to read at length, actually. If you ever doubt that fundamentalism is destructive to a healthy intellect, visit this collection and read a few entries. If you want to see the original entries, the links are waiting for you. And in case anyone is…
Tragedy struck our family suddenly, as it sometimes does, with no real warning signs or portents. One moment, contentment, a morning ritual of oatmeal and coffee, conversation about daily plans, and then a new moment - horror, blood, panic, and my oatmeal bowl in mid-air, suspended. That instant, so short so brutal, shattered us. Driving, driving to the animal emergency clinic - is this too fast? This is too slow - get in that lane - stave off panic, full of dread and fear, breathe in, breathe out dare to hope. So sorry, so sorry, no words to capture the sorrow. The history - years of love and effort and training with a much loved but unpredictable dog with and for whom we worked so hard (not hard enough?), and a greatly treasured older cat who ruled our home like a feisty queen, and with whom the dog always backed down, isn't the point here. But that history was the the fabric of our home, our life. Much effort, so much love and constant awareness. Years and years of vigilance, training and exercise wasn't enough, and now we lose two beloved beings in one short time. We live with that, we grieve, we work to move beyond remorse and guilt. During one of the many trips to the hospital, (so many, an eternity in a few days) I think - this is why we need a heaven. This yearning to know that loss isn't how we end, that there is some goodness waiting to counter this searing pain. That hope would help with my sorrow, with my anger, with my guilt and regret. Too know that my beings will live again, free of pain, happy. That the damage led to perfection. My yearning tastes of tears, so sorry, no words.
Can those who believe in God be good friends with those who don’t believe in God?
A fellow named Martin raised this intriguing point about a week ago here. He suggested that a person who doesn’t believe in God cannot possibly have a real friendship, a deep friendship, with someone who claims to believe in God. As I understood Martin’s point it’s absurd to claim a belief in God; it’s so incredibly absurd that a nonbeliever cannot ever fully trust a believer. In Martin’s view, in order to be true friends, believers need to quit saying those absurd claims about miracles and invisible Beings. And those believers need to stop claiming that they know things that they don’t know. According to Martin, it’s simply not worth it to try to maintain a friendship with people who claim to believe in gods and angels. The craziness exhibited by believers (regardless of all of their other redeeming social values) is a huge roadblock even the possibility of friendship.
I think I understand Martin’s concern. I’m a people who has a smaller number of deeper friendships compared to many other people. I’ve been told that I’m discriminating in my friendships and that’s likely true. I readily admit that I make myself less available to people with whom I have less in common. I admit further that I have often written off the possibility of friendship with some people based upon various beliefs they hold, despite the fact that such people are, in many …
