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Entries Tagged as 'Religion'

Confronting Creationism

A Short Guide to Debunking Common Creationist Claims

September 4th, 2007 · Written by · 1 Comment

Creation

Religious fundamentalists who still espouse belief in a geocentric Universe are now met with ridicule and scorn; not due to discrimination but a lack of evidence for their cause. Unfortunately, the same can not be said about the 40-50% of Americans who, despite a near unanimous consensus among scientists, refuse to accept the theory of evolution. Ever since Darwin published The Origin of the Species in 1859, the idea of common descent has been hard for many religious individuals to swallow. The refusal to accept anything as truth that contradicts the Biblical account of creation has resulted in a massive war of misinformation waged by anti-evolutionists in our courts, schools, and places of worship.[…]

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It’s Time to Evolve

September 3rd, 2007 · Written by · No Comments

Let’s be humbly honest. We don’t really know what folks are describing when they use words like God or Allah or Oneness. None of us can be absolutely sure if the beliefs entire afterlives are gambled on are the least bit valid. And even assuming the unlikely scenario that one of the world’s religions is right about everything it purports, what are the odds that you’re lucky enough to be counted among its adherents? Certainly not very high, considering the number of possible choices.

Why then are most of us so sure about things we can’t possibly be sure about? […]

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Week of the Steeple

September 3rd, 2007 · Written by · No Comments

Once a week, Quinn walks up the hill to visit Arbelia. He brings her chocolate bars and inquiries. Quinn is 25 years old. Born in a big room in a small town, brought round the states, ‘sbeen soaking it up and wringing it out. Arbelia is 80 years old. A poet, shaman, songwriter, biker, gardener, mother and grandmother, she has been incarcerated for 25 years. Quinn has been learning to sail. Arbelia has been painting landscapes.

It has occurred to me that I might be able to get in there as an outsider and unify and belong but to not stop belonging to anything, everything and nothing.

They were introduced by a mutual friend and have been visiting for a year and a half or so. They have created a cushion of mutual respect. A true place to start to speak from. They’ve been calling it traveling. With work and play and wordplay long the way. So once a week, Quinn heads down to the prison for a brief and precious visitation and he and Arbelia hit the road together.

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Faith and Reason

Artists and Professors Examine God’s Place in America

September 3rd, 2007 · Written by · No Comments

Book Cover

Whether it’s jazz, hip-hop, or rock, music is often born of the two headed beast of religion and politics. While in the hands of the much-maligned Bush Administration, the country has seen an explosion of politically fueled records. And given the influence of religion on today’s divided political landscape, it’s no surprise that many musicians have also been grappling with notions about God.

With over two decades in one of music’s most influential punk bands, Bad Religion frontman Greg Graffin has been one of the most outspoken voices on religion in society. Holding a master’s in geology from UCLA and a Ph.D. from Cornell University, Graffin will soon pack up the road gear from this year’s Warped Tour and head to UCLA where he teaches life science courses. […]

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Jesus is Coming… Tomorrow

Millions of Christians think the end times are imminent this year, as they were in 2006, and 2005, and 2004, and… you get the idea.

September 3rd, 2007 · Written by · 5 Comments

Buddy Jesus - Dogma

A 2006 survey for the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. They found 79 percent of American Christians believe in the second coming, and 20 percent believe it will happen in their lifetime. Yikes! A quick overview of the power of doomsday mythology.

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→ 5 CommentsTags: Nonfiction · · ·