Christian Groups: Biblical Armageddon Must Be Taught Alongside Global Warming
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday Funny: Teach the controversy!
Christian Groups: Biblical Armageddon Must Be Taught Alongside Global Warming
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
I'm embarrassed for my city and my state!
Fargo resident Brian Magee is appealing the state's decision to reject his application for a vanity license plate reading "ISNOGOD." He points out the state's approval of plates reading, for example, "ILOVGOD;" there's a discussion about the separation of church and state, government endorsement of one religion over another, blah, blah, blah, all very interesting.
That's not what bothers me the most. It's this: The Forum, the daily of newspaper of the Fargo-Moorhead community violated my orthographical pet peeve and spelled "atheist" with the 'i' before the 'e' in the headline!!!! (Be advised that The Forum also thinks they're All That and disables links to their articles--unless you pay a fee--after two weeks, so if you're reading this more than two weeks after the original post, you'll just have to take my word for it.)
In my defense, I am not a native North Dakotan.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
That's not what bothers me the most. It's this: The Forum, the daily of newspaper of the Fargo-Moorhead community violated my orthographical pet peeve and spelled "atheist" with the 'i' before the 'e' in the headline!!!! (Be advised that The Forum also thinks they're All That and disables links to their articles--unless you pay a fee--after two weeks, so if you're reading this more than two weeks after the original post, you'll just have to take my word for it.)
In my defense, I am not a native North Dakotan.
Monday, May 24, 2010
ExMormon available from Amazon!
Many of you are probably familiar with C. L. Hanson's excellent blog Letters From a Broad (and if you're not, you should be!). She's written a book and it's now available for purchase. A synopsis:
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
If you’re raised Mormon, you have a plan all laid out for you: baptism at age eight, meetings every week, scouting and the priesthood (if you’re a boy), perhaps a mission and/or BYU, then temple marriage, kids of your own, and finally exaltation. But not everybody sticks to the script. Exmormon is a series of eight-and-a-half novellas about the kids of three Mormon families as they try to follow the straight-and-narrow path but occasionally strike out on their own. Their stories neither praise Mormonism nor condemn it. Growing up Mormon may or may not be a tragedy; losing your childhood belief may or may not be a failure — but either way, it’s an adventure.Also, Hanson is donating the proceeds to Solar Aid and/or to the local conservation partnership with the Masoala National Park in Madagascar. A great read for a great cause!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday Funny: Debunking Mormonism
For all my fellow ex-mos. Thanks to Becky for posting this first.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Which book on evolution should I buy my kid?
My oldest son is very astute and precocious. (My younger son is too, but currently his vocabulary only extends to head nods or shakes, hop--which means help-- ball, heh-woh, and go!) He's been watching Dinosaur Train on PBS, which I think is a great show, but it's raised some confusing questions for him.
"Are dinosaurs still alive?"
"No, honey, they all died. They're extinct."
"Oh. Did dinosaurs have trains?"
"No, that's just pretend on TV. Only people can build trains and people weren't around yet when the dinosaurs were alive." (Suck it, Ken Ham!)
"Well, how did the people get here?"
"Well, after the dinosaurs died, there were other animals left that changed over time and became people other different animals."
"You mean they changed like frogs and caterpillars?"
"Well, that's a little different. When caterpillars and tadpoles become butterflies and frogs, that's called metamorphosis."
"Mefamorphis?"
Anyway, I tried to explain a little better, but wasn't sure how to present concepts like super-fecundity, natural selection, and the passing on of genes in ways that an almost-six-year-old could grasp. (Also at the back of my mind was that this conversation could easily segue into having "the Talk.") So I got on the internet to see what age appropriate books on the topic might be available. I've got it narrowed down to two. This one:
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
"Are dinosaurs still alive?"
"No, honey, they all died. They're extinct."
"Oh. Did dinosaurs have trains?"
"No, that's just pretend on TV. Only people can build trains and people weren't around yet when the dinosaurs were alive." (Suck it, Ken Ham!)
"Well, how did the people get here?"
"Well, after the dinosaurs died, there were other animals left that changed over time and became people other different animals."
"You mean they changed like frogs and caterpillars?"
"Well, that's a little different. When caterpillars and tadpoles become butterflies and frogs, that's called metamorphosis."
"Mefamorphis?"
Anyway, I tried to explain a little better, but wasn't sure how to present concepts like super-fecundity, natural selection, and the passing on of genes in ways that an almost-six-year-old could grasp. (Also at the back of my mind was that this conversation could easily segue into having "the Talk.") So I got on the internet to see what age appropriate books on the topic might be available. I've got it narrowed down to two. This one:
Or this one:
Has anyone read either of these and can offer me any useful information about them? My child's educational future is in your hands. Thanks!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
TED Talk Tuesday: Julia Sweeney has "the Talk"
I debated about whether to use this for TED Talk Tuesday or Friday Funny. I adore Julia Sweeney.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Super Women Writers!
Oh, if only my parents had bought me these when I was a kid! Thanks, Jen, for the link.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
More Glenn Beck craziness!
Now he thinks he's on par with Martin Luther King! Check out Lewis Black's take on Glenn's Nazi Tourette's too, if you haven't already.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Glenn to the Mountaintop | ||||
| ||||
The day I found out evolution was true
My mother had always taught me that sometimes science and religion disagree, but that's only because scientists don't yet have enough information. Sooner or later, scientific research always converges to confirm scripture. And I believed her.
Many of you have probably seen the news that came out this week of a study that seems to confirm that all life on earth evolved from a common single-cell ancestor. Nowadays, I read an article like that and my reaction is to smile, think about how cool science is, and marvel at our place in the vast, interconnected web of life on earth. The linked, related article at the bottom of this report, though, made me remember a time when I would have reacted very differently.
In the fall of 2004, I was sitting in a dentist's office. I had been re-baptized four or five months prior and I was attempting to regain faith in an institution that had severely maligned me, but that I still believed I was supposed to be a part of. (Part of a longer story, which you can read here.) My neighbor at the time, a fellow church member, had a phobia of driving and had never gotten a driver's license. Her daughter had a dentist's appointment and as part of trying to prove my Christlikeness and regain my testimony, I had given them a ride. In the waiting room, I came across an issue of National Geographic with the cover story titled "Was Darwin Wrong?"
I'd been raised in a church that tells its members they are "duty bound" to accept the biblical account of creation. This was reinforced by my mother's explanation of science's need to "catch up" with scripture. I picked up the article expecting to find out that Darwin was wrong, because, you know, scripture is always right and sooner or later those silly scientists come around and figure that out.
Instead, the article laid out Darwin's case and all the overwhelming evidence supporting it. Reading that well over a hundred years of research was still backing up Darwin was shocking to me.
A major support beam in an already-rickety scaffolding had just been knocked out of place. You mean Mom was wrong? Wow. What else was she wrong about?
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
Many of you have probably seen the news that came out this week of a study that seems to confirm that all life on earth evolved from a common single-cell ancestor. Nowadays, I read an article like that and my reaction is to smile, think about how cool science is, and marvel at our place in the vast, interconnected web of life on earth. The linked, related article at the bottom of this report, though, made me remember a time when I would have reacted very differently.
In the fall of 2004, I was sitting in a dentist's office. I had been re-baptized four or five months prior and I was attempting to regain faith in an institution that had severely maligned me, but that I still believed I was supposed to be a part of. (Part of a longer story, which you can read here.) My neighbor at the time, a fellow church member, had a phobia of driving and had never gotten a driver's license. Her daughter had a dentist's appointment and as part of trying to prove my Christlikeness and regain my testimony, I had given them a ride. In the waiting room, I came across an issue of National Geographic with the cover story titled "Was Darwin Wrong?"
I'd been raised in a church that tells its members they are "duty bound" to accept the biblical account of creation. This was reinforced by my mother's explanation of science's need to "catch up" with scripture. I picked up the article expecting to find out that Darwin was wrong, because, you know, scripture is always right and sooner or later those silly scientists come around and figure that out.
Instead, the article laid out Darwin's case and all the overwhelming evidence supporting it. Reading that well over a hundred years of research was still backing up Darwin was shocking to me.
A major support beam in an already-rickety scaffolding had just been knocked out of place. You mean Mom was wrong? Wow. What else was she wrong about?
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday Funny: Lewis Black says Glenn Beck has Nazi Tourette's
Warning: Viewing this video may cause side-splitting, snorting laughter. Stephen Colbert has a few words about Beck, too.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Back in Black - Glenn Beck's Nazi Tourette's | ||||
| ||||
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Faith" is fine invention
I <3 the Poetry Foundation.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
“Faith” is fine invention (202)
“Faith” is a fine invention
For Gentlemen who see!
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
TED Talk Tuesday: Nicholas Christakis: The hidden influence of social networks
No man or woman is an island. Your influence in the world is greater than you might realize. You can't not affect others; you can only choose whether your influence is positive or negative. This talk made me want to be more conscious about what I'm putting out there.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Looking for more atheist friends?
There's a new fan page (or I guess they're "like" pages now) on Facebook: You're an Atheist? add me & let's be friends!
Have fun with it!
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
Have fun with it!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Christianity: Not appropriate for children.
There's a Baptist church a few blocks from my house that we drive past pretty frequently. A couple of years ago when my oldest son was first learning his letters, he would point at the cross on the church's sign and say, "T!" Dad and I thought it was cute and let it go at that.
We left the LDS church when this boy was about six months old. His exposure to religion since then has been minimal. I dabbled in Protestant churches off and on for a couple of years after leaving Mormonism and would sometimes take my son with me. He's been to churches for some weddings and funerals of extended family members. That's about it. We haven't "pushed" atheism on him (nor do we intend to), but our son is currently non-religious by default.
Last week, we were driving by aforementioned Baptist church when my son--who turns six next month--asked, "What does the 't' mean?"
"That means it's a church," I said.
"But 'church' starts with 'c-h'." Smart, that kid is.
"Well, the 't' is actually a cross and that means it's a Christian church. That means it's for people who believe in Jesus."
"Jesus died in Fargo?"
I couldn't help giggling at this, but I was also curious. We live in a heavily Christian part of the country and my son has Christian friends. I wondered what he may have heard. "What do you know about Jesus?" I asked.
"Nothing," he replied. (Though I can't be sure that's entirely accurate. "Nothing" is also his response to "What did you do at school today?")
I thought about telling him the Christian story, just so he knows what it's about and why Christian churches have crosses. But then I paused as I realized that this would involve telling him about a man who was whipped and beaten and then had nails driven through his hands and feet and hung on a cross for several agonizing hours before dying. Sure, I wouldn't go into that much detail, but it's kind of hard to explain the cross without explaining the crucifixion, which is brutal and graphic. My son is very sweet and gentle. I want to preserve that innocence a bit longer.
Nope, I think he's too young to hear about the crucifixion of Christ, just like I think he's too young for Batman or James Bond. Maybe when you're older, son.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
We left the LDS church when this boy was about six months old. His exposure to religion since then has been minimal. I dabbled in Protestant churches off and on for a couple of years after leaving Mormonism and would sometimes take my son with me. He's been to churches for some weddings and funerals of extended family members. That's about it. We haven't "pushed" atheism on him (nor do we intend to), but our son is currently non-religious by default.
Last week, we were driving by aforementioned Baptist church when my son--who turns six next month--asked, "What does the 't' mean?"
"That means it's a church," I said.
"But 'church' starts with 'c-h'." Smart, that kid is.
"Well, the 't' is actually a cross and that means it's a Christian church. That means it's for people who believe in Jesus."
"Jesus died in Fargo?"
I couldn't help giggling at this, but I was also curious. We live in a heavily Christian part of the country and my son has Christian friends. I wondered what he may have heard. "What do you know about Jesus?" I asked.
"Nothing," he replied. (Though I can't be sure that's entirely accurate. "Nothing" is also his response to "What did you do at school today?")
I thought about telling him the Christian story, just so he knows what it's about and why Christian churches have crosses. But then I paused as I realized that this would involve telling him about a man who was whipped and beaten and then had nails driven through his hands and feet and hung on a cross for several agonizing hours before dying. Sure, I wouldn't go into that much detail, but it's kind of hard to explain the cross without explaining the crucifixion, which is brutal and graphic. My son is very sweet and gentle. I want to preserve that innocence a bit longer.
Nope, I think he's too young to hear about the crucifixion of Christ, just like I think he's too young for Batman or James Bond. Maybe when you're older, son.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
TED Talk Tuesday: Eve Ensler: happiness in body and soul
The creator of the Vagina Monologues shares where the project took her, what she learned about women's experiences, finding happiness in spite of all the suffering in the world, and gave me a newfound appreciation of vanilla ice cream.
If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out my new blog.
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