Religion Archive
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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March 1, 2011
Quotation Of The Day
“Yes, Virginia, atheist creationists do exist. And they're just as insane as the religious kind.” – PZ Myers at Pharyngula....Read all of "Quotation Of The Day"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:23 AM
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February 22, 2011
480€ For Denigration Of “Religious Teachings”
An Austrian court fined Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff 480€ for saying of Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha, “If this does not constitute paedophilia, what does?” Ed Brayton says, “Well, guess what? Muhammad married a 9 year old girl. By any reasonable definition, that...Read all of "480€ For Denigration Of “Religious Teachings”"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:14 PM
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February 16, 2011
God’s Gift – A Dynamically Stable Creation????
Here is one reason not to mix belief and politics. Minnesota State Rep. Mike Beard has faith. Here is an example of his faith. God is not capricious. He's given us a creation that is dynamically stable," Beard told MinnPost....Read all of "God’s Gift – A Dynamically Stable Creation????"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:09 PM
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January 31, 2011
Preacher Worries Mightily Over Kosher Halal Food
When you bite into a delicious pizza, succulent sandwich or luscious lamb chops, are you possibly eating food that has been sacrificed to idols? An outspoken American pastor says yes, and he's sounding the alarm for Christians to be aware...
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Posted by Duane Smith at 3:27 PM
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December 15, 2010
Science Fiction As Religion
A few months ago I posted “Biblical Minimalism, Science Fiction and Myth” in which I built upon an observation by classicist Elizabeth Vandiver. Simply put, science fiction is, in part(?), a response to our desire to make myth. Well, from...Read all of "Science Fiction As Religion"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:24 AM
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December 5, 2010
The World Won’t End On October 21, 2011
And Jesus won’t return on May 21, 2011 but there sure will be a lot of excuses after those dates. This web site serves as an introduction and portal to four faithful ministries which are teaching that WE CAN KNOW...Read all of "The World Won’t End On October 21, 2011"
Posted by Duane Smith at 1:28 PM
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November 27, 2010
Another Attempt At 19th Century Synchronism
Stephen Mathew and Jeyaraj Pandian and a fair number of their colleagues must have missed most of the twentieth century and a good part of the nineteenth when it comes to biblical scholarship. Medical researchers Stephen Mathew and Jeyaraj Pandian...Read all of "Another Attempt At 19th Century Synchronism "
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:32 PM
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November 17, 2010
The Heresy Of Not Believing: Life In Prison Or Death?
It seems that for Walid Husayin those may his best options. And he will not get to choose. Residents of Qalqiliya say they had no idea that Walid Husayin — the 26-year-old son of a Muslim scholar — was leading...Read all of "The Heresy Of Not Believing: Life In Prison Or Death?"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:58 AM
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November 9, 2010
Religious Muck Run Amok
Jim Davila has two abnormally troubling posts on PaleoJudaica.com. The first concerns the disposition of per-Islamic religious artifacts in Saudi Arabia. It seems that the question is whether things like ancient crosses should be destroyed or just covered up. Read...Read all of "Religious Muck Run Amok"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:08 AM
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September 12, 2010
I Assume This Is Not A Joke
Poe’s law being what it is, it’s so hard to tell a joke from the real thing. That said, it appears that a group of folks are planning a conference in support of geocentrism, “Galileo was Wrong: The Church Was...Read all of "I Assume This Is Not A Joke"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:19 AM
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September 11, 2010
On Burning Bibles
If that’s what someone wants to do, fine. Let them do it. At the intervention of one group of Muslims against another, a South African court has banned the burning of Bibles. In a moral world, no court should be...Read all of "On Burning Bibles"
Posted by Duane Smith at 11:51 AM
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September 9, 2010
Others Plan To Read the Qur’an Too
but perhaps on different days. I should have known that my idea to have a read the Qur’an day was not original. I’ve had very few truly original ideas that didn’t involve pissing against a wall. It seems that Larry...Read all of "Others Plan To Read the Qur’an Too"
Posted by Duane Smith at 8:58 AM
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September 8, 2010
Quotation Of A Week Ago
Keith Parsons on leaving philosophy of religion and returning to his first love, science and the philosophy of the history of science: BTW, in saying that I now consider the case for theism to be a fraud, I do not...Read all of "Quotation Of A Week Ago"
Posted by Duane Smith at 2:03 PM
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September 7, 2010
Let’s Have A Read The Qur'an Day
In reaction to the crazy and dangerous suggestion that people here in America burn the Qur'an on September 11 of this year, I think I will reread the Qur'an on that day. It’s been while. I suggest that as many...Read all of "Let’s Have A Read The Qur'an Day"
Posted by Duane Smith at 9:05 AM
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August 23, 2010
Wanting To Believe
Yesterday Shirley and I received an email from someone who has sent us abnormally interesting, accurate, stuff in the past. What he sent us this time was rather detailed and seemed plausible. It concerned Lee Martin, Captain Kangaroo and Mr....Read all of "Wanting To Believe"
Posted by Duane Smith at 7:45 PM
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August 4, 2010
John the Baptist Will Be Good For Tourism
Archaeologists in Bulgaria claim they have found remains of John the Baptist while excavating the site of a 5th century monastery on the Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan. . . . Further tests on the fragments are due to...Read all of "John the Baptist Will Be Good For Tourism"
Posted by Duane Smith at 10:03 AM
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Titles Only From Here On
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
April 13, 2008
CNN and the Faith Meme
April 10, 2008
Complicating a False Dichotomy
March 26, 2008
Do They Really Believe What They Say They Believe?
March 8, 2008
The Fall of Adam and Eve and Ethiopian Tourism!
February 16, 2008
Bart Ehrman and the Hypothesis of God
January 9, 2008
I'm on My Way to Annapolis, Missouri
December 27, 2007
The Big Theological Issue
December 23, 2007
I'm a Grade 6 Athorist
December 19, 2007
I-35 - God's Highway
November 25, 2007
"Psalms for Safety"
November 14, 2007
The Gods of the Philosophers Don't Bring Rain
November 3, 2007
The "Difference-Maker" and Samuel Beckett
October 23, 2007
Faith Based Baseball
October 20, 2007
Does the Universe Have a Purpose?
October 4, 2007
More Evidence for Duane's Inverse Bookshelf Length Law
September 7, 2007
Two Goats for Akash Bhairab and a 757