This is an absolutely crazy story which ranks up there for grotesque creepiness with John Wayne Gacy Jr., the community clown cum serial killer. The story concerns Ronald Brown, a popular puppeteer at various Christian churches, camps and on TV. While serving the Lord in various capacities, Brown spent his spare time fantasizing about torturing, raping, killing and eating young children. […]
Archives for August 2013
13. Is John Loftus still a fundamentalist? (The Loftus Rauser Road Trip Part 5)
This is the final installment in my series of five conversations on God with John Loftus that we recorded during our God or Godless Alberta Tour 2013. This episode was recorded in conversation with John and David Williams (President of Taylor Seminary) while driving north to Edmonton immediately after our second debate in Red Deer. The launching […]
Jerry Coyne attributes the return of measles to religion
You may have heard the unfortunate story. A health and wealth, prosperity, word of faith mega-church in Texas has been encouraging their members to decline vaccinations because of their aberrant word of faith theology. The result? A spike in measles infections. Jerry Coyne then weighs in on the issue with an article titled “Measles back […]
A spooky Jesus?
For the last two thousand years the world has produced countless images of Jesus. The images run the gamut, from the pious to the provocative, the blessed to the blasphemous. But this summer while speaking at a camp retreat, I came across an image that was presumably aiming for pious and blessed, but which came […]
Must properly basic beliefs have universal sanction? A reply to James F. Sennett (Part 2)
In “Must properly basic beliefs have universal sanction? A Reply to James F. Sennett (Part 1)” I introduced James F. Sennett’s paper “Direct Justification and Universal Sanction” and stated my intention to offer a critique of it. This is that (long overdue) critique. Let me state at the outset that I share a lot of […]
Why I haven’t been blogging much lately
Nine days ago I wrote the introductory installment in a critique of a paper by James Sennett. My hope was to follow it up with part 2 a couple days later. Alas, that didn’t happen (but rest assured it will shortly). In fact, I haven’t done much blogging at all in August. There are two […]
Why bother with the philosophy of religion? A theologian answers
Here’s the second of two video interviews I did for the Center for Philosophy of Religion at Notre Dame. If you thought the other (two minute) interview was too long then I have good news: this one is half as long!
Can you prove that God exists?
Back in May while I was visiting the University of Notre Dame I recorded a couple videos for the Center for Philosophy of Religion. In this short (2 minute) video I discuss whether one can prove that God exists.
Are atheists really the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet?
A few weeks ago I saw a fellow wearing a T-shirt which proudly declared “I’m an atheist. Debate me!” And I thought to myself, if that guy were stuck in an elevator with a Calvinist wearing a shirt emblazoned with “John Calvin is my homeboy” … would either one make it out alive? So this morning […]
Must properly basic beliefs have universal sanction? A Reply to James F. Sennett (Part 1)
James F. Sennett, “Direct Justification and Universal Sanction,” Journal of Philosophical Research, XXIII (1998), 257-87. A little while ago one of my readers, Silver Bullet, gave me a copy of this paper by James Sennett and asked me my opinion on Sennett’s argument. I promised to write an article in reply and so here it is. […]
The preview for my new book on heaven is now on Amazon
You can check it out by clicking the Amazon widget for What on earth do we know about heaven? on the right side of the screen. The preview has the table of contents, introduction, and excerpts from some of the chapters. I can say without a doubt that this is the best book on heaven […]
12. A conversation on scripture as narrative with biblical scholar Keith Bodner
In this episode of the podcast we sit down with Dr. Keith Bodner, Professor of Religious Studies and the Stuart E. Murray Chair of Christian Studies at Crandall University in Moncton, New Brunswick. While the study of scripture since the Enlightenment has frequently been dominated by textual critical questions, Professor Bodner brings his background in English […]
The Bible Babinski thinks God should have written: On “The Christian Delusion” (Part 9)
This is the nine and final installment of my 2010 review of The Christian Delusion which was originally published at “The Christian Post”. I may return to review some more of the essays in the weeks to come. * * * Edward T. Babinski, “The Cosmology of the Bible,” 109-47. Yes, we are now into Part […]
Put the phone away when you drive: A short film by Werner Herzog that you simply must watch
Werner Herzog is my favorite documentarian so when I heard that he’d just released a new film against texting and driving on youtube, I had to watch it. Slate’s review said it best: This short (34 minute) film, titled “From One Second to the Next,” is haunting. And you really owe it to yourself to […]
