By now you should have realized that there is a war going on.
The stakes are high and the combatants are bloody vicious to each other. On one end we have Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Victor Stenger. (And many more) and on the other end we have Stephen C. Meyer, William Dembski, and Michael Behe. (And many more) Ben Stein made a movie last year about this war called “Expelled!”.
This fight is a nasty one, but the real casualties are regular people like you and I who don’t hold multiple PHD’s from Ivy League universities. Information trickles down from the talking points of each camp and most of the time these talking points are pure oversimplified nonsense. Darwinists brutally slam biochemists like Dr. Charles Garner who note that “The threshold of evidence for evolution is set far lower than any of the other sciences”.
Richard Dawkins vehemently declares “Intelligent Design is not science!” Despite the peer reviewed papers of Stephen C. Meyer (Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington DC), William Dembski and Stephen Behe’s science of protein structures and synthesis.
Online people are called IDiots, retards, uninformed, ignorant, and worse despite the real scientists having serious debates when the cameras aren’t rolling and the press is far far away. Just last week Biola University hosted a debate with evolutionists versus a panel of ID scientists. It was complex, cordial, and well informed.
No one was called uniformed because the fact is Intelligent Design doesn’t need the gaps of science to prove its point. It doesn’t want the gaps. It wants the lab, the method, and the results of serious scientific evaluation. A couple of years ago Richard Dawkins debated John Lennox and though I thought it was an even debate, Dawkins apparently thought he would steam roll over the Christian and he didn’t even come close.
In fact beyond the name calling and cursing Christopher Hitchens and Victor Stenger have both met their match at the hands of William Lane Craig. Dawkins outright refuses to debate him. Atheist professor Dr. Bradley Monton recently wrote “Evolutionists have attempted to stifle the science of Intelligent Design as ridiculous for over 30 years by calling it names and forcing the perception that it is a religion, however, ID continues to grow and become stronger in every field of legitimate research.”
Websites like ARN.Org, ID the future.com, Biologic Institute.Org, Uncommon Descent.com, Reasonable Faith.Org and many more have amazing peer reviewed scientific arguments for intelligent design for those who aren’t afraid to read the opposition of the norm.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
How Far We've Come
“The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the unbelievers if any believer not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false.” Thomas Aquinas 1250 A.D.
I’ve known so many good Christians who have had no answer for atheists who attack their religion for being intolerant, ignorant, and aggressive. Some say Christianity is a crutch, and for many it is. So is atheism, or naturalism, or just plain indifference. We all simply believe what we want to believe (for our own psychological reasons) despite the facts, despite the evidence. Who wants to change?
There’s no single argument that can be given to convince you that there is a God. There’s no persuasion I can give to make someone pray to Jesus Christ and ask for wisdom. In the end if you want to be an atheist you’ll find enough literature to make you feel that your ”absence of theism” is a valid world view.
I suppose that a natural world is affected by far greater things than natural reasoning. I believe in people to always try their best to better themselves, to seek out perfection and maturity. I trust in the power of brotherhood and family to make manifest the promises of life’s sanctification. I understand that there are bad people in the world, that there are bad Christians in the world, but we don’t have to be those people. I am not one of those Christians.
When I became a Christian I was afraid I’d change. I knew beginning a prayer relationship in Jesus’ name would begin to change me from the inside out.
But I was wrong.
It was the sin that changed me. It was the world that changed me. It was my life of human experiences and lessons, social wisdoms and norms that changed the person I am to the person I was. It was God who brought me back. Jesus who made me, created me and led me to build this relationship that makes me reacquaint myself with myself. Don’t be afraid that church is going to change you, be afraid that life has.
God bless you and all and thank you for reading my blog.
I’ve known so many good Christians who have had no answer for atheists who attack their religion for being intolerant, ignorant, and aggressive. Some say Christianity is a crutch, and for many it is. So is atheism, or naturalism, or just plain indifference. We all simply believe what we want to believe (for our own psychological reasons) despite the facts, despite the evidence. Who wants to change?
There’s no single argument that can be given to convince you that there is a God. There’s no persuasion I can give to make someone pray to Jesus Christ and ask for wisdom. In the end if you want to be an atheist you’ll find enough literature to make you feel that your ”absence of theism” is a valid world view.
I suppose that a natural world is affected by far greater things than natural reasoning. I believe in people to always try their best to better themselves, to seek out perfection and maturity. I trust in the power of brotherhood and family to make manifest the promises of life’s sanctification. I understand that there are bad people in the world, that there are bad Christians in the world, but we don’t have to be those people. I am not one of those Christians.
When I became a Christian I was afraid I’d change. I knew beginning a prayer relationship in Jesus’ name would begin to change me from the inside out.
But I was wrong.
It was the sin that changed me. It was the world that changed me. It was my life of human experiences and lessons, social wisdoms and norms that changed the person I am to the person I was. It was God who brought me back. Jesus who made me, created me and led me to build this relationship that makes me reacquaint myself with myself. Don’t be afraid that church is going to change you, be afraid that life has.
God bless you and all and thank you for reading my blog.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Storming The Check Books Of Normandy
France is such an easy place to ridicule.
For starters many don't really care for us. Which is enough to deride them whenever possible. Furthermore they opposed us going into Iraq (gasp!). And have nationalized healthcare (gulp!) And what isn't there to hate about a country that runs so heartily on tax revenue (gah!).
So it's no surprise that whenever Republicans need a punching bag or insult, France is always on the tip of the toungue.
Big spending, tax increases, healthcare reform just about sum up what President Obama is authoring for this country and already conservatives are digging in for a fight.
Not to mention that Republicans throw the word "Socialist" out like panties at a Tom Jones concert. The party of opposition have become the party of "No" "No" "No". And any ideas of bank and economy recovery coming out of the right are as old and bankrupt as, well the banks and economy.
It's hard to believe that if Obama's strategies succeed, conservatives will ever give credit. If this time next year we've come out of this misunderstood and great recession it'll be the talking heads on Fox news or radio trying their best to explain away the progress on anything and everything that doesn't begin and end with Barack Obama.
Surely if the economy falters in 8 months it'll be the President's head on the Republican mantle.
I find it hilarious how quickly conservatives are trying to blame Obama for our current situation and make us forget about the ridiculousness of the past 8 years of Republican policies.
When Clinton early on employed policies for economic prosperity (which the right also tried their best to vote down) Republicans tried their best to implant the idea that Reagan's policies were finally coming to maturation.
"It takes years after a presidency to witness its true results!"
So it was during Dubya's 8 year presidency that we were assured that history would judge him favorably. That we were experiencing economic growth and that Bush's tax plan, Bush's budget, and Bush's economic policy was sound.
But not 60 days into Obama's presidency conservatives are already calling it "Obama's recession". True he owns it, but let's never forget who gave life to this beast and lets not dumb down further and forget who got us out if we indeed ever do break free of this economic disaster.
Worse comes to worse we could all just move to France.
For starters many don't really care for us. Which is enough to deride them whenever possible. Furthermore they opposed us going into Iraq (gasp!). And have nationalized healthcare (gulp!) And what isn't there to hate about a country that runs so heartily on tax revenue (gah!).
So it's no surprise that whenever Republicans need a punching bag or insult, France is always on the tip of the toungue.
Big spending, tax increases, healthcare reform just about sum up what President Obama is authoring for this country and already conservatives are digging in for a fight.
Not to mention that Republicans throw the word "Socialist" out like panties at a Tom Jones concert. The party of opposition have become the party of "No" "No" "No". And any ideas of bank and economy recovery coming out of the right are as old and bankrupt as, well the banks and economy.
It's hard to believe that if Obama's strategies succeed, conservatives will ever give credit. If this time next year we've come out of this misunderstood and great recession it'll be the talking heads on Fox news or radio trying their best to explain away the progress on anything and everything that doesn't begin and end with Barack Obama.
Surely if the economy falters in 8 months it'll be the President's head on the Republican mantle.
I find it hilarious how quickly conservatives are trying to blame Obama for our current situation and make us forget about the ridiculousness of the past 8 years of Republican policies.
When Clinton early on employed policies for economic prosperity (which the right also tried their best to vote down) Republicans tried their best to implant the idea that Reagan's policies were finally coming to maturation.
"It takes years after a presidency to witness its true results!"
So it was during Dubya's 8 year presidency that we were assured that history would judge him favorably. That we were experiencing economic growth and that Bush's tax plan, Bush's budget, and Bush's economic policy was sound.
But not 60 days into Obama's presidency conservatives are already calling it "Obama's recession". True he owns it, but let's never forget who gave life to this beast and lets not dumb down further and forget who got us out if we indeed ever do break free of this economic disaster.
Worse comes to worse we could all just move to France.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Through The Looking Glass
The election is over.
Now the catastrophe that is American employment, education and politics is on display for the whole world to eagerly observe how we collectively deal with the problems of this age.
Barack Obama was impressively voted in to change the direction Bush & co have taken the United States in the last 8 years. While some of these problems extend past the 8 years, Americans fully expect Barack Obama to deliver substantive improvement in job growth, energy options, education reform, enviromental protection, not to mention our 2 wars, the middle east crisis, and a home mortage meltdown on top of an enormous economic meltdown.
I no longer encourage my children to dream about being the president.
Not only is Obama's job near insurmountable but by the end of the first week it is becoming obvious that many Americans want this new omlet of "Change" without breaking any eggs.
I'm tired of that word. "Change".
I'm all for leading America into a new direction but everytime Obama picks an old war horse for a position, any time a compromise has to be made to better serve the country, or a decision or a statement is not understood or distorted to serve opposition arguments the word "change" will inevitably appear for years and years to come.
"Is this the CHAAANNGE Obama promised us?"
"Where's the CHAAANGE?"
"This isn't CHAAANGE!"
So, I'll say it now, I'm sick of the damn word.
And through the looking glass of American politics arguments are more important than results. Viewpoints trump facts, and the debate holds more allure than the solution.
After all Rush Limbaugh didn't just sign a $400 million contract for festering bridges and lucid analysis. No, the big money is in the fight.
The problem is in the win-win nature of the lie. If you're called out on the manipulative nature of the press you favor the publicity, if you're left alone you garner an audience.
So Sean Hannity continues to call Michelle Obama unpatriotic because she says she's not proud of her country.
(Though that wasn't what she said at all and the entire speech was based on unprecedented voter turn out and participation not America's faults or glory.)
Rush Limbaugh continues to refer to the Obama's "slave blood" and nationally declares he wants Obama to fail.
And on the left, MSNBC continues to exert their undying devotion to Obama. He had them at "Hello".
Because the problem exists on both sides and Obama will have to upset his left supporters and decry the right's flaws while still appearing to be unpartisian.
A perfect example was this week when Obama reminded Republicans "I won" when hammering out a stimulus bill. When Bush and McCain attempted to prevent the banks from crumbling down around us they could barely pass a bill despite late night fighting, a failed attempt and a watchful country.
While Obama conceeded points towards Republican wishes he reminded them that he disagreed with their overall philosophy of governing and so does America if nationwide elections are any indicator.
"I won" was a reminder that Republicans are not and should not get everything they want anymore.
It's an obvious observation but it didn't take long for the press to incite the controversy. Across the nation newsmen told Americans what to think and how to feel about this.
And all across the country each side regurgitated what they heard and subsequently what they felt about this.
"Is this the CHAAANNGE we've been waiting for?"
Now this is as old as politics, but the real problem is when national debate devolves into a football rivalry. You begin to make as much sense as the naked paint man with the beer helmet.
Do we want this guy running the government?
Isn't the dream of every American to continually improve? To learn more than we did, to be better people than our fathers, to grow and increase our understanding?
Then lets try to put aside the old looking glass and come to the facts.
Fox News is an unabashedly Republican news station unable to deliver the truth. Compared to them everyone is liberal. So stop telling everyone that the media is liberal, it's like Nazi's calling everyone in the world pro-Israel.
So is MSNBC...but for Democrats.
Radio men lie. Both left and right commentators. They're strictly for entertainment. Not truth.
Start from here and recognize that there is big money spent everyday to lie to you, distort your intelligence and change your mind. Personally the only news I watch any more is Sunday talk with George Stephanopoulos, Meet the Press, and Anderson Cooper. (John King isn't bad) But I can also tolerate Fox's Bill Oreilly, Brit Hume and even Sean Hannity when I want to raise my blood pressure.
I don't watch MSNBC anymore lest I feel dirty.
The bible says judge a tree by its fruit. So let's judge by what comes of Obama closing Gitmo before we call it niave. Let's judge Democrat's plans to pour money into schools, infrastructure, and energy by what happens, let's judge by results and not by what ideology we suscribe to.
And for God's sake turn off Rush Limbaugh.
Now the catastrophe that is American employment, education and politics is on display for the whole world to eagerly observe how we collectively deal with the problems of this age.
Barack Obama was impressively voted in to change the direction Bush & co have taken the United States in the last 8 years. While some of these problems extend past the 8 years, Americans fully expect Barack Obama to deliver substantive improvement in job growth, energy options, education reform, enviromental protection, not to mention our 2 wars, the middle east crisis, and a home mortage meltdown on top of an enormous economic meltdown.
I no longer encourage my children to dream about being the president.
Not only is Obama's job near insurmountable but by the end of the first week it is becoming obvious that many Americans want this new omlet of "Change" without breaking any eggs.
I'm tired of that word. "Change".
I'm all for leading America into a new direction but everytime Obama picks an old war horse for a position, any time a compromise has to be made to better serve the country, or a decision or a statement is not understood or distorted to serve opposition arguments the word "change" will inevitably appear for years and years to come.
"Is this the CHAAANNGE Obama promised us?"
"Where's the CHAAANGE?"
"This isn't CHAAANGE!"
So, I'll say it now, I'm sick of the damn word.
And through the looking glass of American politics arguments are more important than results. Viewpoints trump facts, and the debate holds more allure than the solution.
After all Rush Limbaugh didn't just sign a $400 million contract for festering bridges and lucid analysis. No, the big money is in the fight.
The problem is in the win-win nature of the lie. If you're called out on the manipulative nature of the press you favor the publicity, if you're left alone you garner an audience.
So Sean Hannity continues to call Michelle Obama unpatriotic because she says she's not proud of her country.
(Though that wasn't what she said at all and the entire speech was based on unprecedented voter turn out and participation not America's faults or glory.)
Rush Limbaugh continues to refer to the Obama's "slave blood" and nationally declares he wants Obama to fail.
And on the left, MSNBC continues to exert their undying devotion to Obama. He had them at "Hello".
Because the problem exists on both sides and Obama will have to upset his left supporters and decry the right's flaws while still appearing to be unpartisian.
A perfect example was this week when Obama reminded Republicans "I won" when hammering out a stimulus bill. When Bush and McCain attempted to prevent the banks from crumbling down around us they could barely pass a bill despite late night fighting, a failed attempt and a watchful country.
While Obama conceeded points towards Republican wishes he reminded them that he disagreed with their overall philosophy of governing and so does America if nationwide elections are any indicator.
"I won" was a reminder that Republicans are not and should not get everything they want anymore.
It's an obvious observation but it didn't take long for the press to incite the controversy. Across the nation newsmen told Americans what to think and how to feel about this.
And all across the country each side regurgitated what they heard and subsequently what they felt about this.
"Is this the CHAAANNGE we've been waiting for?"
Now this is as old as politics, but the real problem is when national debate devolves into a football rivalry. You begin to make as much sense as the naked paint man with the beer helmet.
Do we want this guy running the government?
Isn't the dream of every American to continually improve? To learn more than we did, to be better people than our fathers, to grow and increase our understanding?
Then lets try to put aside the old looking glass and come to the facts.
Fox News is an unabashedly Republican news station unable to deliver the truth. Compared to them everyone is liberal. So stop telling everyone that the media is liberal, it's like Nazi's calling everyone in the world pro-Israel.
So is MSNBC...but for Democrats.
Radio men lie. Both left and right commentators. They're strictly for entertainment. Not truth.
Start from here and recognize that there is big money spent everyday to lie to you, distort your intelligence and change your mind. Personally the only news I watch any more is Sunday talk with George Stephanopoulos, Meet the Press, and Anderson Cooper. (John King isn't bad) But I can also tolerate Fox's Bill Oreilly, Brit Hume and even Sean Hannity when I want to raise my blood pressure.
I don't watch MSNBC anymore lest I feel dirty.
The bible says judge a tree by its fruit. So let's judge by what comes of Obama closing Gitmo before we call it niave. Let's judge Democrat's plans to pour money into schools, infrastructure, and energy by what happens, let's judge by results and not by what ideology we suscribe to.
And for God's sake turn off Rush Limbaugh.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Hello again
I'll be blogging again. Sorry I've been gone so long. I've been wrapped up in so many things...sheesh.
See ya soon. I want to take this blog in new directions, while still focusing on President Obama, I do have two other subjects in my title I want to talk about again.
Thanks.
See ya soon. I want to take this blog in new directions, while still focusing on President Obama, I do have two other subjects in my title I want to talk about again.
Thanks.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Ooooh! I HATE that wascally wabbit
Looney Toons is such a good cartoon series. Anytime you get a bunch of dancing trees, wide-eyed squirrels, and grumpy old men with over-sized shotguns together you know things can't be so bad.
Of course today's cartoons steer far from buck shots and cross dressing but it's not too hard to find a nostolgic glimpse of cartoon land's best rilvaries.
I wonder what John McCain would look like if he boiled up face red in full steam?
I imagine he's angry enough. How frustrating it must be for any candidate up against Barack Obama.
It seems every time he's cornered with an unfortunate flub, attacked with a scathing critique, or surprised by a scandalous acquaintance, he manages to give a big wet sopping kiss to his adversary before merrily jumping off.
Woop! Woop! Woop!
They have got to really hate this guy.
So like an Elmer Fudd, Marvin Martian, or Wile E. Coyote, the answer is simple.
Get more guns! (Or rockets I suppose)
Attack! Denounce! Seize! And barrage in a salvo of bombastic reprobations!
"Karl Rove denounces Obama as an elitest!"
"Dobson attacks Obama's religious acumen!"
"Sean Hannity seizes on Barack's speech!"
"Liberal!" "Empty Suit!" "Radical!"
And did I mention he's black?
Now whenever Daffy faced Marvin's pistol lazer he naturally broke out a bigger pistol.
And in the loony world of politics this is fair game.
A bigger gun, and then another, and then another until BOOM! You're President.
Now Bugs, he's a different bunny altogether. Shoot, blast, explode all you want, Bugs Bunny survives, he maneuvers, out thinks his rival, and he allows his enemy to win a fleeting victory, an empty assault, because Bugs plays for the finale instead of the moment. Bugs is thinking about us. You and I at the end of the show.
"Ain't I a stinker?"
It's hard not to smile when you witness the theatre.
The man with "no experience" who manages to handily subjugate his attackers.
The empty suit that weighs a ton eh?
The truth is all the attacks against Obama, that do not directly address a difference in policy, are pretty pathetic.
An elitest negro from Kansas who pulled himself from a broken family to attend Harvard?
Hell, even my blood's bluer than that.
And the more Republicans continue to repulse and find issue with every thing Obama says when he breaks the mold of typical candidate speak (On religion, cultural antipathy, and Barack's sense of political and international "savoir-faire")
The more they'll find themselves looking down the rabbit hole, wondering how they could have possibly missed when they fired so many shots?
Maybe a bigger gun?
What's amazing is that John McCain, the man conservatives seem to bash a whole lot, is the only person capable of beating Obama.
Do you think Romney or Guilani would have held any ground against this guy?
Obama would have crushed Mitt's plastic smile and Rudy's batty bravado with a single rally.
But whenever John tries to focus on the issues he believes in, or draw attention to his strength's of experience and service, an attack ad on Obama's wife surfaces.
And when McCain tries to tell his fellow Republicans to drop an ad or evacuate a fear campaign he's ridiculed by his own party.
They just haven't quite figured out that the game is changed a little this year.
So they publicly deride their own candidate and look to FOX News, Pat Robertson, and Karl Rove to win this election for them.
And that's truly looney.
.
Of course today's cartoons steer far from buck shots and cross dressing but it's not too hard to find a nostolgic glimpse of cartoon land's best rilvaries.
I wonder what John McCain would look like if he boiled up face red in full steam?
I imagine he's angry enough. How frustrating it must be for any candidate up against Barack Obama.
It seems every time he's cornered with an unfortunate flub, attacked with a scathing critique, or surprised by a scandalous acquaintance, he manages to give a big wet sopping kiss to his adversary before merrily jumping off.
Woop! Woop! Woop!
They have got to really hate this guy.
So like an Elmer Fudd, Marvin Martian, or Wile E. Coyote, the answer is simple.
Get more guns! (Or rockets I suppose)
Attack! Denounce! Seize! And barrage in a salvo of bombastic reprobations!
"Karl Rove denounces Obama as an elitest!"
"Dobson attacks Obama's religious acumen!"
"Sean Hannity seizes on Barack's speech!"
"Liberal!" "Empty Suit!" "Radical!"
And did I mention he's black?
Now whenever Daffy faced Marvin's pistol lazer he naturally broke out a bigger pistol.
And in the loony world of politics this is fair game.
A bigger gun, and then another, and then another until BOOM! You're President.
Now Bugs, he's a different bunny altogether. Shoot, blast, explode all you want, Bugs Bunny survives, he maneuvers, out thinks his rival, and he allows his enemy to win a fleeting victory, an empty assault, because Bugs plays for the finale instead of the moment. Bugs is thinking about us. You and I at the end of the show.
"Ain't I a stinker?"
It's hard not to smile when you witness the theatre.
The man with "no experience" who manages to handily subjugate his attackers.
The empty suit that weighs a ton eh?
The truth is all the attacks against Obama, that do not directly address a difference in policy, are pretty pathetic.
An elitest negro from Kansas who pulled himself from a broken family to attend Harvard?
Hell, even my blood's bluer than that.
And the more Republicans continue to repulse and find issue with every thing Obama says when he breaks the mold of typical candidate speak (On religion, cultural antipathy, and Barack's sense of political and international "savoir-faire")
The more they'll find themselves looking down the rabbit hole, wondering how they could have possibly missed when they fired so many shots?
Maybe a bigger gun?
What's amazing is that John McCain, the man conservatives seem to bash a whole lot, is the only person capable of beating Obama.
Do you think Romney or Guilani would have held any ground against this guy?
Obama would have crushed Mitt's plastic smile and Rudy's batty bravado with a single rally.
But whenever John tries to focus on the issues he believes in, or draw attention to his strength's of experience and service, an attack ad on Obama's wife surfaces.
And when McCain tries to tell his fellow Republicans to drop an ad or evacuate a fear campaign he's ridiculed by his own party.
They just haven't quite figured out that the game is changed a little this year.
So they publicly deride their own candidate and look to FOX News, Pat Robertson, and Karl Rove to win this election for them.
And that's truly looney.
.
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