Monthly Archives: April 2008

Jesus: Fulfiller of Scripture

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series What Kind of Man Was Jesus?

It all revolves around one man: Jesus Christ. Either he was the greatest person of history, the unique Son of God, or he is nothing at all to us today. What kind of man was he really? We’ll have to take this one topic at a time, starting with this startling claim: “Do not think …

April 30, 2008 – 5:07 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in The Faith | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

Darwin-Nazi Link: Fundamentally Wrongheaded?

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Darwin to Hitler?

A few days ago Tony Hoffman suggested, Expelled’s charge and the constant revival of this aspersion on this website — that Darwin leads to Hitler — seems fundamentally wrongheaded…. Tom, you keep saying that although you concede that there is no philosophical link from Darwin to Hitler there is in fact a historical one. While …

April 29, 2008 – 10:23 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Origins and Science | Tagged , , , , | Comments (73)

Study Suggests Math Teachers Scrap Balls and Slices – New York Times

This reminds me of so many other untested beliefs. Parents and teachers have been of the opinion lately that students will understand math better using real-world objects to illustrate abstract concepts. Research now suggests this is wrong. “The motivation behind this research was to examine a very widespread belief about the teaching of mathematics, namely …

April 26, 2008 – 6:11 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , | Comments (2)

“When Language Can Hold the Answer” – New York Times

Interesting: In stark form, the debate was: Does language shape what we perceive… or are our perceptions pure sensory impressions, immune to the arbitrary ways that language carves up the world? [From When Language Can Hold the Answer - New York Times]

April 25, 2008 – 12:31 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Comments (2)

Mind and Brain: Philosophy or Science?

Denyse O’Leary was the co-author (with Dr. Mario Beauregard) of a book I reviewed in the April issue of Touchstone magazine: The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Case for the Existence of the Soul. Beauregard has published research (see links from here) challenging some neuroscientists’ view that spiritual experiences can be explained through physical brain science …

April 25, 2008 – 11:31 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (11)

“A souvenir from our homeland beyond the material world”

Via Amanda Witt and Wittingshire, a great post on the power and value of art on The Diary of a Former Atheist, including: All beauty and goodness has a living Source. In modern parlance, we call this source “God.” The closer we get to God, the closer we get to perfect joy. We have a …

April 22, 2008 – 3:15 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture | Tagged , , | Comments Off

“Expelled Critics: So Bored They Can’t See Straight”

This from Martin Cothran is the review of Expelled I wish I had been a good enough writer to do. It includes: In fact, ID critics seem to find it singularly profound to judge this movie on criteria that have little to do with the purpose of the movie. The movie doesn’t prove ID; the …

April 20, 2008 – 6:48 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Origins and Science | Tagged | Comments (11)

Expelled: My Not-Really-A-Review

Well, finally I’ve seen it. I loved it. It was entertaining, it was motivating, it was interesting, at times it was moving. That’s my short reaction. From there, though, I’m going to say what I wish many others writing about this movie would say: I’m too engaged in it to try to write an objective …

April 19, 2008 – 8:53 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, New Atheism, Origins and Science | Tagged | Comments (9)

Why the Darwin-Hitler Link Is So Sensitive

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Darwin to Hitler?

Dembski asked this question rhetorically. It would help to consider some actual answers anyway. I propose four of them here.

April 19, 2008 – 7:56 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Origins and Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (48)

Responding to Expelled: Think First

I’ll be on an airplane this evening, so I won’t see Expelled until sometime later this weekend. But I’ll be eager to read the reports tomorrow morning. Here is what I hope not to see on the ID/Christian blogs: “We’re right! They’re idiots!” Panda’s Thumb has been saying that kind of thing all along from its …

April 18, 2008 – 8:32 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture | Tagged | Comments (2)