I’ve long been interested in what are called “fine-tuning” arguments for the existence of God. I’ve posted many entries here that have been devoted to them either wholly or in part. (See, for example, my several discussions of the late British particle physicist Sir John Polkinghorne, who spent his last decades as an Anglican priest, and the blog entries that I’ve based upon Geraint F. Lewis and Luke A. Barnes, A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos... Read more
The terrible mass shooting that occurred last night in Monterey Park, California, hit literally close to home. The Star Ballroom is located at 122 West Garvey Avenue, between Garfield Avenue and Alhambra Avenue. Garvey was effectively the southern border of my everyday, familiar world when I was a child, and Garfield was my world’s western border. The family business was located just off of Garvey, a bit to the east of Monterey Park. The first movie that I... Read more
While doing a little clean-up today — my wife is coming back tonight after two weeks in Virginia, and it’s panic season (e.g., time to do the dishes, do the wash, restore some semblance of minimal household order) — I came across the following typescript. The author is identified on the paper and I was once acquainted with him/her, although I haven’t seen him/her in several years and am not sure that s/he hasn’t died. I’m not going... Read more
But, first, I call your attention to a couple of my typically mean-spirited and buffoonish crimes against humanity: “Beautiful Patience,” written by Daniel C. Peterson. “Abstract: Believers in the God of Abraham — who include not only Jews and Christians but also Muslims — are exhorted to call upon him every day, as well as in times of need. We are promised that he will respond to petitionary prayers. Moreover, we are assured that, in the end, believers will... Read more
These three pieces have gone up quite recently on the website of the Interpreter Foundation: Conference Talks: “Science and Genesis: A Personal View,” originally presented in 2013 by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw Given their status as targets of humor and caricature, the well-worn stories of Adam, Eve, and Noah are difficult for many people to take seriously. However, we do an injustice both to these marvelous records and to ourselves when we fail to pursue an appreciation of... Read more
I mentioned the other day that I had responded to an online article in Newsweek entitled “Black Mormon told they can’t marry white members because “seed is cursed.”” Almost immediately, a clutch of vocal anti-Mormons showed up to target me, personally. I wasn’t surprised. It’s happened many times before. So, basically, I backed out of the “discussion,” realizing that no real discussion was ever actually going to occur. Today, though, somebody calling himself “Clarence” appeared, responding to me with... Read more
By now, you may perhaps have heard of this outrageous case from Hamline University in Minnesota. (I’ve already mentioned it here in my blog entry for 30 December 2022, noting that I myself have used precisely the same image — see immediately above — in lectures that I have delivered, accompanied by exactly the same explanation about varieties within Islam and about differences of Muslim opinion with regard to images of the Prophet Muhammad.) Here is an octet... Read more
When I was a young’un — long, long ago, in a galaxy far away — there was a rather powerful weekly magazine called Newsweek. Apparently it still exists even now, at least online. And, just today, this wonderful article went up: “Black Mormon Told They Can’t Marry White Members Because ‘Seed is Cursed'” Virtually all of the responses, thus far, have been negative toward the Church. And quite understandably so. I replied in the comments section — I... Read more
Elder Russell M. Nelson was set apart as the seventeenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 14 January 2018 — which means that this past Saturday marked his fifth anniversary as the leader of the Church. Here are some interesting retrospectives on his tenure in office: “A Look at President Russell M. Nelson’s 5-Year Prophetic Ministry: Leadership, revelation and invitations from the 17th Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ, set... Read more
I’m halfway through a period of temporary bachelorhood: My wife is babysitting one of our granddaughters out in Virginia, assisted by my middle son. I couldn’t go because of some obligations here at home. But it now appears that I may actually survive. And, someday, I’ll do the dishes and do the wash. Certainly before she comes home! A while back, I posted a number of entries here about the destruction in the New World that... Read more
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