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Saturday, August 11, 2012
Explaining How God Could Morally Punish the Snake for Telling Truth to Adam Eve
Genesis depicts God as punishing the snake for getting Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, it really doesn't look like the snake did anything wrong. If the snake did nothing wrong, though it couldn't have been just or moral to punish him.
Share Your Opinion: How God Could Morally Punish the Snake?
Religious Privilege AntiAtheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Bigotry isn't just a matter of treating one group as inferior, but also of treating another group as superior. Anti-atheist bigotry can be expressed by telling atheists that they aren't moral enough for politics as well as by telling Christians or religious believers that they are needed in politics because the government has need of their moral values. Bigotry and privilege are two sides of the same coin whether the issue is race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or belief in gods.
Read Article: Religious Privilege & Anti-Atheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Atheists Who Believe in Gods Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods
Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an atheist yet also say that they believe in God? Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an agnostic yet also say they are absolutely certain that there is a God?
Share Your Ideas: Atheists Who Believe in Gods? Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods?
Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism
Atheism is only the absence of belief in gods, so there is nothing self-contradictory if atheists believe in astrology, alien abductions, Bigfoot, psychic powers, and a host of other mystical, supernatural, and paranormal things. Being an atheist doesn't mean being a skeptic, and vice-versa. However, paranormal claims aren't very different from religious ones and a relevant atheism is one based upon a consistently and broadly applied skepticism, not one focused solely on religion or theism.
Read Article: Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical? Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism?
Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
A Gallup survey found a strong correlation between belief in an active God which has a plan for individuals and believing that the government shouldn't be too active in helping people. Thus it seems that if a person believes in an active, intervening god it's more likely they also believe that the size and power of human government should be small.
Read Article: Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
Explaining How God Could Morally Punish the Snake for Telling Truth to Adam Eve
Genesis depicts God as punishing the snake for getting Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, it really doesn't look like the snake did anything wrong. If the snake did nothing wrong, though it couldn't have been just or moral to punish him.
Share Your Opinion: How God Could Morally Punish the Snake?
Religious Privilege AntiAtheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Bigotry isn't just a matter of treating one group as inferior, but also of treating another group as superior. Anti-atheist bigotry can be expressed by telling atheists that they aren't moral enough for politics as well as by telling Christians or religious believers that they are needed in politics because the government has need of their moral values. Bigotry and privilege are two sides of the same coin whether the issue is race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or belief in gods.
Read Article: Religious Privilege & Anti-Atheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Atheists Who Believe in Gods Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods
Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an atheist yet also say that they believe in God? Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an agnostic yet also say they are absolutely certain that there is a God?
Share Your Ideas: Atheists Who Believe in Gods? Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods?
Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism
Atheism is only the absence of belief in gods, so there is nothing self-contradictory if atheists believe in astrology, alien abductions, Bigfoot, psychic powers, and a host of other mystical, supernatural, and paranormal things. Being an atheist doesn't mean being a skeptic, and vice-versa. However, paranormal claims aren't very different from religious ones and a relevant atheism is one based upon a consistently and broadly applied skepticism, not one focused solely on religion or theism.
Read Article: Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical? Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism?
Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
A Gallup survey found a strong correlation between belief in an active God which has a plan for individuals and believing that the government shouldn't be too active in helping people. Thus it seems that if a person believes in an active, intervening god it's more likely they also believe that the size and power of human government should be small.
Read Article: Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
Explaining How God Could Morally Punish the Snake for Telling Truth to Adam Eve
Genesis depicts God as punishing the snake for getting Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, it really doesn't look like the snake did anything wrong. If the snake did nothing wrong, though it couldn't have been just or moral to punish him.
Share Your Opinion: How God Could Morally Punish the Snake?
Religious Privilege AntiAtheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Bigotry isn't just a matter of treating one group as inferior, but also of treating another group as superior. Anti-atheist bigotry can be expressed by telling atheists that they aren't moral enough for politics as well as by telling Christians or religious believers that they are needed in politics because the government has need of their moral values. Bigotry and privilege are two sides of the same coin whether the issue is race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or belief in gods.
Read Article: Religious Privilege & Anti-Atheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Atheists Who Believe in Gods Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods
Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an atheist yet also say that they believe in God? Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an agnostic yet also say they are absolutely certain that there is a God?
Share Your Ideas: Atheists Who Believe in Gods? Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods?
Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism
Atheism is only the absence of belief in gods, so there is nothing self-contradictory if atheists believe in astrology, alien abductions, Bigfoot, psychic powers, and a host of other mystical, supernatural, and paranormal things. Being an atheist doesn't mean being a skeptic, and vice-versa. However, paranormal claims aren't very different from religious ones and a relevant atheism is one based upon a consistently and broadly applied skepticism, not one focused solely on religion or theism.
Read Article: Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical? Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism?
Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
A Gallup survey found a strong correlation between belief in an active God which has a plan for individuals and believing that the government shouldn't be too active in helping people. Thus it seems that if a person believes in an active, intervening god it's more likely they also believe that the size and power of human government should be small.
Read Article: Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
Explaining How God Could Morally Punish the Snake for Telling Truth to Adam Eve
Genesis depicts God as punishing the snake for getting Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. However, it really doesn't look like the snake did anything wrong. If the snake did nothing wrong, though it couldn't have been just or moral to punish him.
Share Your Opinion: How God Could Morally Punish the Snake?
Religious Privilege AntiAtheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Bigotry isn't just a matter of treating one group as inferior, but also of treating another group as superior. Anti-atheist bigotry can be expressed by telling atheists that they aren't moral enough for politics as well as by telling Christians or religious believers that they are needed in politics because the government has need of their moral values. Bigotry and privilege are two sides of the same coin whether the issue is race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or belief in gods.
Read Article: Religious Privilege & Anti-Atheist Bigotry are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Atheists Who Believe in Gods Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods
Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an atheist yet also say that they believe in God? Are there good reasons why a person might describe themselves as an agnostic yet also say they are absolutely certain that there is a God?
Share Your Ideas: Atheists Who Believe in Gods? Agnostics Who Are Certain About Gods?
Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism
Atheism is only the absence of belief in gods, so there is nothing self-contradictory if atheists believe in astrology, alien abductions, Bigfoot, psychic powers, and a host of other mystical, supernatural, and paranormal things. Being an atheist doesn't mean being a skeptic, and vice-versa. However, paranormal claims aren't very different from religious ones and a relevant atheism is one based upon a consistently and broadly applied skepticism, not one focused solely on religion or theism.
Read Article: Why Should Atheists Be More Skeptical? Why is Skepticism Relevant to Atheism?
Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
A Gallup survey found a strong correlation between belief in an active God which has a plan for individuals and believing that the government shouldn't be too active in helping people. Thus it seems that if a person believes in an active, intervening god it's more likely they also believe that the size and power of human government should be small.
Read Article: Believers in an Active God Believe in an Inactive Government
Are You an Atheist or Agnostic Who Feels Deeply Spiritual
A significant percentage of atheists and agnostics in America report in surveys that they are deeply spiritual. Do you consider yourself to be one of the 25% of atheists and agnostics in America who feel deeply spiritual? Or spiritual at all? If so, why?
Share Your Story: Are You an Atheist or Agnostic Who Feels Deeply Spiritual?
Why People Are Irrational about Politics and Religion
Most people will agree that beliefs should be rational, but most people also aren't always very rational when it comes to beliefs - especially political and religious beliefs. But why? How can people agree that rationality is important then ignore rationality when it comes to beliefs that are important? The answer has to do different types of rationality: epistemic rationality vs. instrumental rationality.
Read Article: Why People Are Irrational about Politics (and Religion)
Is Agnosticism a Religion Agnosticism is Epistemology Not a Religion
Because of agnosticism's place in debates about religion, some may get the impression agnosticism itself is some sort of religion. No one with a decent understanding of either agnosticism or religion accepts such a conclusion. Agnosticism is fundamentally a question of epistemology, not of religion.
Read Article: Is Agnosticism a Religion? Agnosticism is Epistemology, Not a Religion
Iranian Cleric Gays GayRights Advocates are Lower than Animals
Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli, a Muslim scholar in Iran's holy city Qom, has recently declared that not only are gay people lower than dogs and pigs, but so are people who defend the right of gay people to be treated like equal human beings. The preferred treatment for such people is death.
And that's what helps make Islam a religion of peace, right?
Godless Ethics Morality and Values Do Godless Morals Values Exist
It's common for religious theists to claim that their religious morality is far superior to secular, atheistic, and godless morality. Of course everyone prefers their own religious morality and the commands of their own god, but when push comes to shove the general attitude is that any religious morality based upon the commands of any god is vastly preferable to a secular morality that doesn't take any gods into account. There are many reasons to think that this viewpoint is false.
Read Article: Godless Ethics, Morality, and Values: Do Godless Morals & Values Exist?
Fallacy of Amphiboly Ambiguity Fallacy Due to Grammar Defects
The fallacy of amphiboly occurs when a sentence is ambiguous because the grammar allows for multiple interpretations. Usually this is due to defects in how the sentence is structured. Amphiboly tends to be found most often in humor, but there are some serious situations and arguments where the fallacies of amphiboly can be found.
Read Article: Fallacy of Amphiboly - Ambiguity Fallacy Due to Grammar Defects
Comment of the Week Belief vs Behavior Orthodoxy vs Orthopraxy
Belief and behavior are inseparable because what you believe determines how you behave. Nevertheless, there are significant differences between ideologies that emphasize "right beliefs" (orthodoxy) and those that emphasize "right behavior" (orthopraxy). That's especially true when it comes to religions. Why do you suppose that is?
Friday, August 10, 2012
Trinity TV Living Large and High on the Hog
California-based Trinity Broadcasting Network is the world's largest Christian TV channel and it's currently involved in a massive financial scandal. Former employees, who also happen to be relatives of the company's founders, allege widespread embezzlement. Brittany Koper, granddaughter of TBN founder Paul Crouch, claims that hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations have been spent on luxury homes and just generally luxurious living.
Brittany Koper was also the finance director, so she was in a position to know what was coming in, know what was going on, and figure out what was happening. She is suing for wrongful termination over her spilling the beans on the financial wrongdoing, so evidence about this is likely to play a role in he court case.
Trinity TV Living Large and High on the Hog
California-based Trinity Broadcasting Network is the world's largest Christian TV channel and it's currently involved in a massive financial scandal. Former employees, who also happen to be relatives of the company's founders, allege widespread embezzlement. Brittany Koper, granddaughter of TBN founder Paul Crouch, claims that hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations have been spent on luxury homes and just generally luxurious living.
Brittany Koper was also the finance director, so she was in a position to know what was coming in, know what was going on, and figure out what was happening. She is suing for wrongful termination over her spilling the beans on the financial wrongdoing, so evidence about this is likely to play a role in he court case.