Religion Archive
May 3, 2013
A Bait and Switch Argument
Writing for the Family Research Council, Rob Schwarzwalder attempts to make a religious liberty argument against Bruce Leiter’s new book, Why Tolerate Religion?. Schwarzwalder quotes Leiter almost correctly, “[N]o one has been able to articulate a credible principled argument for...Read all of "A Bait and Switch Argument"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:58 PM
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April 25, 2013
Primitive With Modern Conveniences
Last night Shirley and I were watching a lecture on Stravinsky's "The Rite of Sprint" by Robert Greenberg. Greenberg mentioned Debussy's rather sarcastic comment on the Rite, "If you like it, it's primitive music with every modern convenience." Debussy's comment...Read all of "Primitive With Modern Conveniences"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:43 AM
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January 19, 2013
Are Rabbis In The Plan?
If one follows Rabbi Daniel Lapin’s logic perhaps not. Rabbi Lapin said on the American Family radio show, In the Lord’s language there is no word for retire. I hope you’re not thinking of retirement, but if you are, it’s...Read all of "Are Rabbis In The Plan?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 6:42 PM
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January 15, 2013
Some Of His Best Friends Are Muslims
There was no photo-op or press release from Rep. Walter Jones’ (R-NC) office when a local library in his district was awarded a federal grant to expand its collection. Instead, in an exceedingly rare move, Jones actually criticized the grant...Read all of "Some Of His Best Friends Are Muslims"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:08 PM
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January 10, 2013
Will This Make It Twice As Binding?
President Barack Obama is putting a symbolic twist on a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible but on two – one owned by Martin Luther King...Read all of "Will This Make It Twice As Binding?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:53 PM
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January 2, 2013
For Only ₪200 You Too Can Learn To Be A Prophet
I'm a little late with this. A couple of days ago Yahoo News (and others) reported, For just 200 shekels, about $53, and in only 40 short classes, the Cain and Abel School for Prophets says it will certify anyone...Read all of "For Only ₪200 You Too Can Learn To Be A Prophet "
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:50 PM
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December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas!
To all my secular readers in the western tradition, to all my Christian readers, and to anyone else who likes the greeting, I wish you the warmest Merry Christmas. To those who don’t appreciate the greeting, I remind you that...Read all of "Merry Christmas!"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:05 PM
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November 16, 2012
Crazies Target the Sphinx And The Pyramids
And the Egyptian government must take it seriously. Al Arabiya News reports, Egypt is taking a jihadist’s calls to destroy the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx “seriously,” an Egyptian interior ministry source has said, according to reports. The source, who was...Read all of "Crazies Target the Sphinx And The Pyramids"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:28 PM
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September 2, 2012
Sun Myung Moon Dead
Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, died today. I’m never sure what to say when someone like Moon dies. What I do know is that his life and his church will join L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology and...Read all of "Sun Myung Moon Dead"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:34 PM
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June 25, 2012
The Effect Of Aliens On Religious Beliefs
MSNBC is running a story that asks the question, “Would finding aliens shatter religious beliefs?” “Experts” don’t think so and neither do I. When belief is faced with any potentially contradicting evidence, it reacts in one of four ways. Morphs...Read all of "The Effect Of Aliens On Religious Beliefs"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:02 PM
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June 22, 2012
The Unchanging Bible Argument
I’ve heard some truly abnormal arguments in my day. Heck, I’ve proponed some truly abnormal arguments in my day. But this one may take the cake. Of course, I’ve heard before that religion provides some sort of unchanging foundation for...Read all of "The Unchanging Bible Argument"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:17 PM
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May 26, 2012
Quotation Of The 5th Century BCE
For if it were proposed to all nations to choose which seemed best of all customs, each, after examination, would place its own first; so well is each convinced that its own are by far the best. I will give...Read all of "Quotation Of The 5th Century BCE"
Posted by Duane Smith at 3:21 PM
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April 25, 2012
Why Tolerate Religion? The Book
Back in May of 2006, Brian Leiter posted a draft paper “Why Tolerate Religion?” in which he argued that there is no credible case for tolerating “religion qua religion.” At the time, I reported on it and quoted Mark Twain...Read all of "Why Tolerate Religion? The Book"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:05 AM
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April 9, 2012
Jesus Poll – The Problem
The Blaze wants to know what readers who answer online polls think about the reality of Jesus’ existence. Here's the question and the answer options. Did Jesus Christ really exist? Absolutely, but he wasn't God's son. Yes, and He was...Read all of "Jesus Poll – The Problem"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:48 PM
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March 19, 2012
I’m Having Trouble Doing Two Things At The Same Time
I have a head cold and I’m putting the finishing touches on my SBL Western Region presentation. Just getting those two things done is stretching my capabilities. So don’t expect abnormally interesting blogging here. But if you want to read...Read all of "I’m Having Trouble Doing Two Things At The Same Time"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:25 AM
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February 24, 2012
Why The Surprise?
In The God Delusion (pages 50-1 in my 2006 copy), Richard Dawkins defines a spectrum of beliefs concerning the existence of God. He illustrates his spectrum with 7 categories. Category 1 is “Strong theist” (it’s not belief, it’s knowledge) while...Read all of "Why The Surprise?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:39 PM
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December 26, 2011
Condemning Religious Intolerance Without Restricting Free Speech.
There is good news in the recent UN resolution on religious intolerance. For the first time in more than a decade, the U.N. General Assembly on Monday [that’s last Monday] condemned religious intolerance without urging states to outlaw “defamation of...Read all of "Condemning Religious Intolerance Without Restricting Free Speech. "
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:17 PM
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November 16, 2011
Religion, Science, and Deduction
It is sometimes hard to know whether a learned person while blogging is using a term conversationally or technically. I’m having this problem as I read one of James McGrath's recent posts at Exploring Our Matrix. For context I reproduce...Read all of "Religion, Science, and Deduction"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:37 AM
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October 21, 2011
Not Dead Yet
Well, with only a few hours to go here on the west coast of the US it appears that the world did not end today. There seems to be a rather unbroken continuity in events from yesterday to today. Now...Posted by Duane Smith at 8:04 PM
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October 14, 2011
October 21 Is Coming
Not so long ago Harold Camping was sure the world will end on October 21. No doubt due to a combination of illness and embarrassment about Jesus not returning on May 21, he isn’t saying now. One of his followers,...Read all of "October 21 Is Coming"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:05 PM
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September 29, 2011
Iran, The Death Penalty, And Belief
The conviction and possible execution of a Christian pastor in Iran is but the latest example of faith feeding on faith. Such barbaric actions should not only be roundly condemned they should be stopped. The best idea, if universally adopted,...Read all of "Iran, The Death Penalty, And Belief"
Posted by Duane Smith at 4:34 PM
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July 14, 2011
John Hobbins’ Favorite Dead Protestant Atheist
John Hobbins has an interesting post on Christopher Hitchens and the King James Bible. John says that Hitchens is his favorite living “Protestant” atheist. His favorite all time Protestant atheist is Nietzsche. It’s not clear who his favorite none Protestant...Read all of "John Hobbins’ Favorite Dead Protestant Atheist"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:03 PM
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July 6, 2011
The Virgin Mary From The Sky
I’ve more or less lost interest in supposed images of Jesus or Mary or anyone else, but I just couldn’t let this one pass. As Ed Brayton at Dispatches from the Culture Wars says, “Read this article and remind yourself...Read all of "The Virgin Mary From The Sky"
Posted by Duane Smith at 12:37 PM
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June 22, 2011
I Got 100%
And on this Christian Science Monitor quiz of knowledge about religion that should be a solid C....Posted by Duane Smith at 1:21 PM
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May 21, 2011
This Story Raises More Questions Than It Answers
Can you redo a prayer? A prayer at Friday’s session of the Minnesota House given by anti-gay preacher Bradlee Dean erupted a firestorm of criticism among DFL legislators and some in the GOP. Dean, whose fiery brand of anti-LGBT preaching...Read all of "This Story Raises More Questions Than It Answers"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:21 AM
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Anyone Missing?
It’s now after 6:00 PM in much of Europe and places east. Are there an unusually number of people unaccounted for? I didn’t think so. Harold Camping needs to go back to his calculations and see who he can con...Posted by Duane Smith at 8:57 AM
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May 16, 2011
The End Is Coming
If it weren’t for reports that Jesus will return on May 21 and that some god will destroy the world on October 21, blog traffic here would be normal. But traffic is abnormally high for this time of year. Something...Read all of "The End Is Coming"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:22 AM
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April 21, 2011
The Bible On Net Neutrality
According to David Burton, But we talk about it today because it is a principle of free market. That’s a Biblical principle, that’s a historical principle, we have all these quotes from Ben Franklin, and Jefferson and Washington and others...Read all of "The Bible On Net Neutrality"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:21 AM
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April 11, 2011
Did They Actually Believe This?
I’ve always wondered the extent to which religious beliefs are, well, believed. Mark Twain famously observed in his Notebook of 1879, “Religion consists in a set of things which the average man thinks he believes, and wishes he was certain.”...Read all of "Did They Actually Believe This?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:40 PM
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March 3, 2011
A Proper Ruling For A Despicable Organization
I think the Supreme Court was correct in ruling in favor of the loathsome Westboro Baptist Church. We can’t demand freedom of speech only for those whose opinions and behavior we like. Fred W. Phelps and the members his family...Read all of "A Proper Ruling For A Despicable Organization "
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:50 AM
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Titles Only From Here On
March 1, 2011
Quotation Of The Day
February 22, 2011
480€ For Denigration Of “Religious Teachings”
February 16, 2011
God’s Gift – A Dynamically Stable Creation????
January 31, 2011
Preacher Worries Mightily Over Kosher Halal Food
December 15, 2010
Science Fiction As Religion
December 5, 2010
The World Won’t End On October 21, 2011
November 27, 2010
Another Attempt At 19th Century Synchronism
November 17, 2010
The Heresy Of Not Believing: Life In Prison Or Death?
November 9, 2010
Religious Muck Run Amok
September 12, 2010
I Assume This Is Not A Joke
September 11, 2010
On Burning Bibles
September 9, 2010
Others Plan To Read the Qur’an Too
September 8, 2010
Quotation Of A Week Ago
September 7, 2010
Let’s Have A Read The Qur'an Day
August 23, 2010
Wanting To Believe
August 4, 2010
John the Baptist Will Be Good For Tourism
July 23, 2010
Immoral Questions
July 10, 2010
When Religious Convections and Image Collide
July 1, 2010
People Bought A Device That Supposedly Turned Tap Water Into Holy Water
June 27, 2010
A Sure Sign Of Lack Of Evidence
June 8, 2010
An Improving Quiz
May 20, 2010
Draw Mohammed Day
April 27, 2010
Noah’s Ark, One More Time
March 22, 2010
On The Idea of Divine Anger
March 17, 2010
Unbelievers In The Pulpit
February 10, 2010
Moral Intuitions And The Origin of Religion
February 9, 2010
Quotation of the Day Before Yesterday
January 20, 2010
Why Isn’t This Polytheism?
January 12, 2010
Daniel Dennett on "The Evolution of Confusion."
January 3, 2010
I'm Not Quite Sure What To Call Harold Camping
December 31, 2009
On The Fight Of The Century Decade Year Month Week
December 29, 2009
Will It Ever End?
December 9, 2009
Amanda Marcotte On Stephen Prothero
November 8, 2009
The Faith of Children
November 7, 2009
On Tennis and Reason
November 2, 2009
Incomplete Reporting or Complete Nonsense
October 29, 2009
Following Twain's Divine Law
October 22, 2009
Freedom of Speech, Blasphemy and the Privileging of Religion
October 18, 2009
The Rapture: A Saga That Will Never End
October 17, 2009
On Teaching Theologians To Dance And Other Irritating Things
September 30, 2009
Happy Blasphemy Day
September 27, 2009
Are How and Why Questions In Different Domains?
August 9, 2009
Goat Sacrifice and Forced Circumcision
July 16, 2009
On Not Thinking About Gods
July 3, 2009
Evangelism As A Reality Show
June 28, 2009
A Slippery Soul
June 20, 2009
Fredrick Sontag Dies At 84
June 15, 2009
But Don't Buy Anything On Shabbat
June 14, 2009
Tweeting Religion 101
April 25, 2009
Religion and Cognitive Science
April 16, 2009
Biblical Scholars and Personal Religion: A New Blog; A New Project
March 20, 2009
Follow the Leader
March 8, 2009
Among The Lesser Reasons I Am Not A Theist
December 17, 2008
Why?
December 14, 2008
Ghosts and UFOs and Witches, Oh My!
December 7, 2008
From Religious Tract to Musical Classic
October 21, 2008
The Unmentionable and the Unnamed
October 13, 2008
Just Try To Parody This
October 5, 2008
The Theology of Cats
September 18, 2008
Why Was This On The News?
September 15, 2008
Creationism and Intelligent Design
September 10, 2008
It's A Legend, So Pass It On To The Kids
July 31, 2008
Seeking the Virgin? Don't Look at the Sun
July 24, 2008
Faith and Science: No Meaningful Common Epistemology
July 16, 2008
Is There a Divine Curse on Our House?
June 24, 2008
The Problem With Those Unaffiliated
June 20, 2008
With Just One Exception He Taught Values
May 29, 2008
Theodicy Happens
May 18, 2008
Extra Baggage and the Enjoyment of the Trip
May 16, 2008
Hazon Gabriel, Rephaim and an Ugaritic Text
May 13, 2008
Einstein's 1954 Letter to Gutkind
April 24, 2008
Sectarian Science and Mecca Mean Time
April 20, 2008
The Truly Expelled
April 17, 2008
Why Bother Answering Silly Questions?
April 16, 2008
On A Very Strange Question