This video brings together two clips from the Doctor Who episodes “Voyage of the Damned” and “Planet of the Dead,” in which the Doctor refers to having been present for the original Christmas and Easter. At the original Christmas, he says he “got the last room,” while he starts to say about the original Easter “between you and me, what really happened is…” before he is interrupted by the beeping of a device. They are clips I showed in my... Read more
I was intrigued to see the New York Times article today about something called “Robotic Church.” While one can find lots of examples of human beings going through the motions, this is about an artist bringing together multiple robotic creations of his, capable of making music, together in one place in Brooklyn to “make a joycul noise” together. This comes at a great time, as the next meeting of my religion and science fiction class will shift our focus to... Read more
David Hayward shared this cartoon yesterday: I am sure that there are some who will find it offensive. But the cross has not always been a public symbol for Christianity, and the removal of a physical symbol doesn’t necessarily indicate the removal of that which is symbolized. But on the other hand, I don’t think that the removal of the symbol of the cross is necessary in order to make room for open questioning. Indeed, it might be more effective... Read more
Tyler Francke tackles Ray Comfort’s silly stance on evolution, pointing out that one could say the same thing about the water cycle in light of what the Bible says. Click through to read his post. Read more
I had seen this before, filled in from the perspective that the man in the picture is Kenny Loggins. And there is a greater resemblance. But since this version is at the intersection of religion and science fiction, I thought I ought to share this one identifying him as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Read more
This evening I had the delightful privilege of hearing Desmond Tutu speak at Clowes Memorial Hall here on the campus of Butler University. In addition to his talk, his manner and his sense of humor being delightful, the occasion also saw the announcement that Butler University and Christian Theological Seminary will together be creating a Desmond Tutu Center, focused on the work of global justice, diversity, and reconciliation. As the university’s press release says, South African cleric and anti-apartheid activist... Read more
My talk yesterday on Doctor Who and religion was well attended. A colleague snapped a photo afterwards when I was still answering questions but numerous people had had to slip out. I honestly don’t remember doing the jazz hands thing, but I’m sure it was appropriate in connection with whatever point I made. Also, apparently the window behind me looked like a cross, and some colleagues wished that I were taller and had extended my hands upwards to allow for... Read more
Rachel Held Evans posted an interview with Derek Webb on her blog. It includes the following wise statement: I have simply tried to avoid giving short answers to questions for which there are no short answers. And I know there is a real temptation in our culture that we must. But that is a lie. Just because someone asks doesn’t mean you have to answer, especially if goes against what feels like wisdom or against your conscience. So I do... Read more
HT Matthew Morgenstern on Facebook Read more
Hemant Mehta shared this church sign. What it says is quite ironic, given that, since it is from a Free Methodist church, it is probably intended to be antievolutionist. But taken at face value, it is an excellent summary, putting in a nutshell a point made at greater length in a chart that Scott Bailey shared: See too the treatment by P Z Myers of the young-earth creationist distinction between historical science and observational science. Read more
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