Tag Archives: Religion

Of Interest: “Pastor Hosts Assemblies at Texas High School Despite Atheist Protests, Christian News”

Okay. Who’s running the real ploy here? A Texas high school allowed an Assemblies of God pastor to lead two school assemblies Wednesday despite sharp criticism from a number of atheist organizations. The pastor, Kyle Embry, didn’t speak about faith or even introduce himself as a pastor during the event, yet some are accusing him …

October 17, 2011 – 2:08 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Miscellanea, Worth Reading | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Gregory S. Paul Again?! Unbelievable!

The infamous Gregory S. Paul study rears its disreputable head once again. When, oh when, oh when will this lousy research die its proper death? But here it is once again, on the Washington Post website, of all places! How often do we hear from religious apologists that lack of religious belief is responsible for …

September 20, 2011 – 12:23 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science, Religions | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

Who’s Afraid Of Big Bad Science?

Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum ask in today’s LA Times, Who in the United States will read Dawkins’ new book (or ones like it) and have any sort of epiphany, or change his or her mind? Surely not those who need it most: America’s anti-evolutionists. These religious adherents often view science itself as an assault …

August 11, 2009 – 10:44 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , | Comments (150)

Sam Harris Contra Francis Collins as NIH Head

I was thinking of writing a response to Sam Harris’s recent bleat against Francis Collins. Collins, a world-class researcher, is also a medical doctor to whom my family owes considerable gratitude; when he was actually practicing medicine years ago, he treated one of our family members. But that’s not why I would want to respond …

August 6, 2009 – 4:20 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in New Atheism, Origins and Science, The Faith | Tagged , , , | Comments (16)

Spirituality Without Religion

The LA Times is reporting on a “Spirituality for Kids” curriculum being presented in some Los Angeles public schools.   ‘Spirituality for Kids’ is not religious,” said Karen Timko, who is in charge of elementary counselors for the Los Angeles Unified School District and has included the group in a resource fair for counselors. “It’s tools …

April 14, 2009 – 6:00 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Life and Choices | Tagged , , | Comments (10)

“Born believers: How your brain creates God — New Scientist”

The question at New Scientist was, how did we ever come up with the idea of gods? The answer begins, It turns out that human beings have a natural inclination for religious belief, especially during hard times. Our brains effortlessly conjure up an imaginary world of spirits, gods and monsters, and the more insecure we …

February 11, 2009 – 6:00 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

“Is Religion Adaptive? It’s Complicated” — Scientific American

Here’s an interesting discussion at Scientific American: “Is Religion Adaptive? It’s Complicated.” Schloss’s point is the one that gets most people thinking. “That’s all fine and dandy about the scientific research, but what does it all tell us about the existence of God?” What if, as I suggested in my answer to this year’s “Annual …

January 19, 2009 – 6:13 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science, Postmodernism/ Relativism | Tagged , | Comments (177)

Because “Because God said so” could be the answer for everything…

When Doug wrote this on the Discover Magazine blog, the magazine thought it was good enough to warrant printing it in their December issue: “Because God said so” could be the answer for everything. While [sic] go to school anyway? Just teach our kids that phrase. No need to go to medical school, no need …

November 8, 2008 – 8:30 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , , | Comments (14)

“Is Religion an Answer? Marriage, Fatherhood, and the Male Problematic”

From the conclusion of a paper out of the University of Virginia (emphasis added): This brief provides an array of evidence indicating that religion is an answer to the male problematic—that is, the tendency of fathers to become detached, emotionally or physically, from their children and the mothers of their children. I find that fathers …

June 30, 2008 – 3:00 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Evidences | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Against One-Dimensional Thinking

“Pantalaimon,” a commenter on Thinking Christian, supplied a number of quotes yesterday to show that (in his words) ID is not a scientific research program in any sense, and never has been. Scientific understanding is of no intrinsic interest to ID. Any “research” they may undertake is strictly subservient to the philosophical goal of crushing …

January 16, 2008 – 12:11 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Origins and Science | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (38)