Progressive Christianity is a Threat to Ken Ham’s Deceptions

Last updated on: January 11, 2014 at 11:07 am By James F. McGrath

Ken Ham has gone on record as saying that progressive Christianity is dangerous. This is good news. Any authentic Christianity ought to seem dangerous to oppressors and charlatans and the narrow-minded. Otherwise, we are doing it wrong. Among the ironic things Ham said was this gem: Apparently they call this sort of thing ‘Progressive Christianity.’ I guess that means ‘evolving Christianity’ – whatever the secular world believes about where they came from, you accept that as infallible and then change... Read more

Sherlock and Sheldon among the Prophets

Last updated on: January 11, 2014 at 9:34 am By James F. McGrath

I’ve been getting caught up on shows that I ought to have been watching for a while. Both Sherlock and The Big Bang Theory feature main characters who exhibit behaviors and abilities which suggest placement on the autism spectrum – incredible genius in some respects, but also difficulties in social interactions and knowledge that most ordinary people take for granted. In the episode “A Scandal in Belgravia,” mention is made of Sherlock believing in a “higher power” – namely himself.... Read more

The Bible Alone

Last updated on: January 11, 2014 at 8:18 am By James F. McGrath

As some conservative Christian leaders recently emphasized, inerrancy is a key doctrine. If you adhere to it, it can have a detrimental effect on all your other beliefs, and throw your entire worldview out of whack… Read more

The Far Future

Last updated on: January 10, 2014 at 6:19 pm By James F. McGrath

Via IO9, I learned of this timeline of the far future on the BBC website: Read more

Elysium

Last updated on: January 10, 2014 at 1:42 pm By James F. McGrath

I recently watched the movie Elysium. It can't decide whether it wants to primarily be an action sci-fi movie or a dystopian political commentary, and so it tries to do both. But it is the latter that makes it powerful. The movie envisages a future in which the wealthy have moved to Elysium – a space station in Earth's suburb, if you will. There they have clean air, high tech medical equipment, and a lifestyle denied to most of humanity.... Read more

False Dichotomy

Last updated on: January 10, 2014 at 11:30 am By James F. McGrath

The Canon was Decided at the Council of Orlando

Last updated on: January 10, 2014 at 8:35 am By James F. McGrath

IO9 reported that Disney is apparently holding a meeting to determine what will be considered part of the Star Wars canon and what won’t. It is as though we have entered a parallel universe in which Dan Brown is right about the formation of the canon, only his timing is off and the canon is that of Star Wars rather than the Christian Bible. Still, even when a council decides, there are constraints. I can’t envisage this council jettisoning any... Read more

Human First

Last updated on: January 10, 2014 at 7:49 am By James F. McGrath

The image quotes something I wrote a while back in a post with the title “Human First.” I was reminded of it in a recent discussion on Facebook, and so thought I would excerpt a quote to share. Read more

Ken’s Ark

Last updated on: January 9, 2014 at 9:49 pm By James F. McGrath

PZ Myers shared the above graphic, which uses a comparison to illustrate the problems with claiming that the Noah’s ark story is a factual one. But it seemed to need to be updated, given the fact that Ken Ham’s ark replica park is sinking. And of course, like so many conservative Christians, he is happy to attribute his successes to divine power, but thinks it makes sense to blame Satan for his failures. Read more

God with No Strings Attached?

Last updated on: January 9, 2014 at 11:34 am By James F. McGrath

David Hayward has created another thought-provoking cartoon. It illustrates the difficulties inherent in speaking about God. God, as the ultimate reality, transcends our understanding. For that very reason, those who desire certainty regularly fall prey to those who offer them substitutes, the less than ultimate, who claim to being God closer to them and to their comprehension. And as part of the package, they tend to offer control, guilt, and abuse. The question that remains is whether we can disentangle... Read more