headline of the day
President: “I do not believe in the Divinity of Christ.”
As the Spirit Moveth
A pentecostal minister has provoked the ire of her fellow believers after praying in tongues via her Facebook wall.
(The Dish)
Richard Dawkins’ thoughts on Rick Perry, and by extension on a frighteningly large American political class
A politician’s attitude to evolution is perhaps not directly important in itself. It can have unfortunate consequences on education and science policy but, compared to Perry’s and the Tea Party’s pronouncements on other topics such as economics, taxation, history and sexual politics, their ignorance of evolutionary science might be overlooked. Except that a politician’s attitude to evolution, however peripheral it might seem, is a surprisingly apposite litmus test of more general inadequacy. This is because unlike, say, string theory where scientific opinion is genuinely divided, there is about the fact of evolution no doubt at all. Evolution is a fact, as securely established as any in science, and he who denies it betrays woeful ignorance and lack of education, which likely extends to other fields as well. Evolution is not some recondite backwater of science, ignorance of which would be pardonable. It is the stunningly simple but elegant explanation of our very existence and the existence of every living creature on the planet. Thanks to Darwin, we now understand why we are here and why we are the way we are. You cannot be ignorant of evolution and be a cultivated and adequate citizen of today.
I think I found a Dawkins article Andrew can get behind?
from the comments
Daryl’s quote brings to mind Jon Huntsman’s recent newsworthy antics, mainly that he’s distancing himself from his opponents by saying that he trusts scientists’ expertise from everything ranging from global warming to evolution. Strange to see how this has become controversial, but again, I think the bottom line is that A) conservatives also tend to be very religious and science often makes claims that contradict religion and B) conservatives don’t like to be told what to do. Palin et al. often frame the debate around environmental regulations by saying “they want to restrict how you do a, b, and c” – it’s a rhetorical fallacy that never accounts for the actual science or reasoning behind regulations, but it’s been pretty successful so far.
I recently saw that a reporter was questioning Rick Perry on how, if he selectively believed what the scientific community claims, how he could be trusted to responsibly support the scientific community in keeping America on the forefront of technological advancement. Not surprisingly, he didn’t really have an answer.
quote out of context
But also, more educated people spend more on alcohol, and praying reduces alcohol consumption.
That Inspired Extra Seventh
Scholars at the Hebrew University have spent the last 53 years studying variations on the ancient text in order to publish an authoritative version of the Hebrew Bible. Along the way, they made some interesting discoveries about the evolution of the holy book:
The Book of Jeremiah is now one-seventh longer than the one that appears in some of the 2,000-year-old manuscripts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Some verses, including ones containing a prophecy about the seizure and return of Temple implements by Babylonian soldiers, appear to have been added after the events happened.
Interesting to see that the predictions of biblical scholars are now being verified – though, I imagine for many, these sorts of things won’t matter. Fun fact: the last member of the original team of scholars, who started with the project in 1958, died last year at age 90.
photo out of context
(via @joshtpm)
Take that, Scroggins!
Most of us regard Kurt Vonnegut’s classic novel Slaughterhouse-Five as a masterpiece of thought-provoking science fiction, but the School Board of Republic High School in Missouri felt differently. They decided to ban the novel.
And in response, the Vonnegut Memorial Library offered to provide a free copy to any of the 150 students who were originally supposed to read it.
Of Fox & Facebook
Fox News invited the spokesman for an Atheist group onto one of their programs to discuss a recent lawsuit opposing a cross-shaped memorial at Ground Zero. Almost immediately afterwards, the Fox News Facebook page was flooded with thousands of comments:
Following the appearance of Blair Scott, the Communications Director for the American Atheists, Inc., on Fox News’ America Live show, the network’s Facebook page was overrun with death threats and other violent commentary—more than 8,000 messages advocating rape, murder and crucifixion of any and all atheists, in fact.
(Italics mine) I don’t think it’s any secret that the comments on Facebook posts tend to resemble the graffiti on bathroom stalls, but even I was shocked by the comments. In fairness (and balance, I suppose), Fox News did make a point to delete the post (before it got too out of hand, I guess) and made the following statement:
We make every attempt to keep our Facebook page as safe as possible and we take immediate steps to remove all hateful and dangerous language.
Irony noted.
headline of the day
Dutch rethink Christianity for a doubtful world
quote out of context
And he just says, “Ellie, what are you doing? Come on, now. You can’t beat the Mother Superior right here in the middle of the church. Here. Sit down.”
spam name
Willia Breann.
from the comments
You know Alabama is in that mix. Old-timey Church of Christ preachers were sedate compared to Penecostal Holiness. I did a good bit of visiting when I was growing up. It scared me to death, thrillingly. I remember the summer swelter, a bare lightbulb on a long cord, speaking in tongues. Sweat-soaked shirts, thrashing, a man marking a blonde toddler’s head with “holy oil.” I held myself perfectly still, head bowed, hands clenched, watching. “Get me out of this,” I prayed. But the next day, I ran for the neighbor’s car. From sighs, disapproval, disappointment, from undone and unsaid. Toward the too blistering too much.
quote out of context
“I congratulate them for doing what’s right and removing the two books,” said Scroggins, who didn’t attend the board meeting. “It’s unfortunate they chose to keep the other book.”
from the comments
I wrote a poem once called “The Church Camp Kids Dry Hump the Summer to Bits.” Doesn’t really matter what the poem said.
Cults
Grace and I just returned this week from vacationing in Michigan and visiting family. While we were back, religion was brought up often, as Bible-Belters are wont to do in such an environment. In one of the more interesting conversations I had with my mother-in-law, I wondered aloud to her whether the belief systems of modern cults were really so far fetched, compared to their more established Abrahamic counterparts. One has to wonder whether those reading the centuries-diluted accounts of Jim Jones a thousand years from now wouldn’t wonder whether he was, indeed, more than a man after all.
Does anyone remember the Jonestown massacre? I’d really like to understand how the collective American psyche grappled with that experience.
(Video: “Go Outside,” Cults)
they ate well, but died young
The medieval recipe book of the Benedictine monks of Evesham Abbey has been published and the diet is insane(ly tasty):
The monks also had a very sweet tooth and even ate sweet porridge served with meat.
Deserts were often soaked in honey and included fritters and nutmeg cookies.
“They also liked soft cheeses – baked cheesecake was very much a medieval dish,” said Mr Snowden.
Other favourites included mussels cooked with leeks and Saracen’s sauce, a spicy red sauce used for cooking meat.
“They also loved to have a dish made with white crab meat fried in olive oil and mixed into scrambled eggs with a herb base,” said Mr Snowden.
He said the monks’ diet lacked fruit and vegetables because that food group was seen as something to eat when there was nothing else handy.
The average age of the monk, according to the article, was thirty-five.
quote out of context
From this paper you can surmise a bit about the origins of religion, the seen and the unseen, and the demand for conspiracy theories, in addition to robot vacuum cleaners.
Ojo de Cabra (Goat’s Eye) Beans
I ordered some dried cannellini and some pintos and some teparies from this outfit out west, but now I want some of these goat’s eye beans.
Because who wouldn’t want to eat “his father’s eyes”?
surfing madonna
Sadly, local officials are taking down the uncommisioned piece from a San Diego railroad bridge.
from the moderated comments
I watched the documentary on the Amish teens who visited Britain and I actually identified with the Amish girl and her thoughts. I was raised in So. Cal in the 60′s and though not from an overtly regligious family, I did not like way most teens acted, going after drugs and sex and dressing provocatively. I guess I was different in that I loved horses and art and was often teased by kids my age not acting like the majority (parties, dating, smoking pot, etc.) I wish more kids were raised to be self-sufficient and not just seek video games and pleasures. These young Amish were a real testimony for God.
Why You Should Watch Filth
I know I’m like a cheerleader for John Waters here on clusterflock, but I really do love the man and I love the way his mind works and what he says. This is one of a series.
I always wanted a brother, and I wish John Waters had been my big brother.
(Thanks to Juanito for tipping me to this.)
after farting
And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.
Joyce McKinney calls Pete Ashton
In honor of the impending release of Errol Morris’s Tabloid, I give you Joyce McKinney’s call to Pete Ashton.
[haiku url="http://www.clusterflock.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/joycemckinneycallspeteashton.mp3" title="" graphical="true"]
Update: clusterflock’s visit from Joyce.
Dallas
Carrollton man crashes, undresses, dies in second of two accidents in Far North Dallas
Man found dead in South Dallas pond after using drugs, talking about walking on water
(thanks, Patrick)
