Sometimes, in writing, things need to get cut. My latest collection of essays entitled Killing Babies, is now available for purchase from online bookstores in print, and Kindle format from Amazon. Purchase the print version from Amazon and download the Kindle version for free. These essays originated on this blog in their earliest forms, but … Continue reading Killing Babies now Available
Category: Religion
All Seeing
Conceptions of God are constantly in flux, which is what yields so many different religions. In Lake Woebegone Days, Garrison Keillor humorously describes numerous disputes among church congregations over the interpretation of scripture which lead to factions developing which cause the congregations to split. Baptists and Methodists primarily disagree over the method of baptism, and … Continue reading All Seeing
Conceptions of God
What we think of as God is a personification of the whole of the universe crafted in the image of humanity. That's why the concept of God changes depending upon the observer. This is evident in the pages of the Bible, as the vengeful Yahweh of Genesis morphs into the loving Heavenly Father of the … Continue reading Conceptions of God
Cosmic HubrisÂ
There's a hedge that believers frequently cite when discussing the existence of a supreme being. It's better to believe in God regardless of whether or not God exists, because the consequences of believing in a God that doesn't exist are less than for not believing in a God that does. The same argument can be … Continue reading Cosmic HubrisÂ
Nature of God
The nature of that which we call God exists in the act of creation. The instilling of matter and energy with their given properties which set in motion the building blocks of the universe. Afterward, what more needed to be done? The basic elements of everything that followed were in place and all that was … Continue reading Nature of God
No Master Plan
People frequently question the so-called "will of God" and are often confused over the direction God seems to be guiding their lives. Schizophrenics often hear voices that they frequently identity as the "voice of God" but for the rest of us, deciphering what God intends for us becomes a matter of interpreting vague signs and … Continue reading No Master Plan
Real Bible Studies: The Sons of Israel
The Bible is as much a political document as it is a religious one. Stories printed there were crafted to support a specific narrative, perhaps to bolster the reign of a particular king or party in its quest for control. Over time, these stories were edited, re-edited, and re-arranged to support different narratives. One such … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: The Sons of Israel
War of WordsÂ
For centuries, those attempting to manipulate the public conscience have understood that appealing to emotions or instincts is far more effective than appealing to intellect. The advertising industry makes a fortune each year manipulating the audience's emotions to sell everything from coffee and toothpaste, to candidates for all levels of public office. In his review … Continue reading War of WordsÂ
Creation Myths
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." So begins the first creation narrative in Genesis, chapter one. This narrative, which among other things states that water existed on earth before there was light, encompasses the creation of all living things, including humans. The story is directly contradicted by the following chapter of … Continue reading Creation Myths
Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Abraham and AbimelekÂ
After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the bible is pretty much done with Lot and his nameless daughters, until their descendants, the Moabites and Ammonites start hassling the tribes of Israel many generations later. One wonders why Lot didn't just drop in on his uncle, given the special relationship Abraham seems to have with … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Abraham and AbimelekÂ