Tara Stiles: Generation X: Praying To No One?

Tara Stiles: Generation X: Praying To No One?

Interesting article, not sure what my thoughts are on it. I wonder if this is shocking to anyone really. Having been decidedly in the "not praying" camp for some time I don't find this shocking and honestly I'm not sure I find it rewarding either. I try not to take relish in another point of view's demise (some of you are laughing at that I'm sure). But either way I just wanted to know if anyone had any thoughts on this. Do you think this matters? Is it really that big of a deal?

Rick Warren vs. Daniel Dennett

I'm a big fan of the TED talks there are some amazing talks on here on a variety of subjects and if you haven't taken the time to view some of them, do yourself a favor and indulge. I found these two videos particularly neat. Rick Warren is of course the evangelist and preacher who wrote the monumentally famous The Purpose Driven Life here's his full bio on TED. He makes some interesting points in the talk and I can see why he's a compelling speaker and an inspiration to many modern Christians.

But Daniel Dennett, an outspoken atheist and humanist, seemed to find fault in what Pastor Warren had to say and challenged him in his response talk. I find it very interesting, and tend to agree with Dennett. I wonder what you think?

A Look Into Jewish Traditions

This weeks episode of Speaking of Faith on Public was a great listen. I was driving home and was tired of the 3 CDs I had and turned to public radio. Keeping the Sabbath Holy is why NPR stations normally play this program on Sunday mornings and I was lucky enough to be driving at Sunday and tune it at the right time. There are so many things I didn't know and Scott-Martin Kosofsky is very insightful and learned. So if you have time learn a little something new.

Jesus Made Me Puke (Rolling Stone)

The excerpt I read made me want to share this with you, I'll be reading the whole thing and let you know what I think. You do the same.

Jesus Made Me Puke: Matt Taibbi Undercover with the Christian Right

Whoring out the Faith.

You know I don't think people ever learn. After being fully embarrassed to call myself a christian as the Creation Museum was being built, I now find another reason to blush. In Tennessee there is a Bible theme park proposed. This would be "historical" as the men in charge of the project say. I just say this is ridiculous, and I think all the readers know why. The article even quotes the supports as comparing people who do not support the project to telling a bookstore to stop selling the bible because they are making money off of it. This is crazy. Selling a manuscript that is a crux to a faith is very, very, VERY different than a million dollar theme park that will probably be poorly done, and a financial disaster. I say wait ten years, and if the creation museum has not been turned into the headquarters for an insurance company, or the largest strip club in Ohio, then talk about this. But even then I say this is a stupid idea.

FIX: linking issue

Sorry about that kurfuffle(sp?) When I picked a new design for the site a while back I didn't look into the way it colored links, but all should be good now. If you see a link it will look like this now.

Review of Language of God

I finished a great book call "The Language of God" by Francis S. Collins the head of the human genome project. This was a book that mainly describes the authors view of theistic evolution (not intelligent design) or as he calls it biologos. His views are probably the closest to mine. He also gives some compelling arguments against things that Dawkins has said, and how Dawkins thinks he owns Darwin. More that those arguments, his argument against creationism and the AIG group is pointed and witty. This book may not be for the evangelistic atheist (see below post) but it was a good read for one who knows that it is stupid to place science and faith against each other. I, like Collins, see science as a way to bring more awe to my understanding of God, and my faith is a driving force to encourage science as well as the amazing mind for discovery that mankind has.

Also there are tons of links in this. For some reason Jeph does not have them highlighted, but run your cursor over this and find the many places I take you.