Monthly Archives: April 2011

Writers’ quote of the day: Anton Chekhov on descriptive writing

Posted on 30/04/2011 by

‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.’ ~ Anton Chekhov

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

Painting of the day: ‘Daybreak at Tent Island’ by Carol Evans

Posted on 30/04/2011 by
Posted in Visual Arts

Book Review: Graeme Hunter reviews ‘The Last Superstition’ by Edward Feser

Posted on 30/04/2011 by

Reviewed in  Touchstone magazine: ‘Feser is a talented philosopher who can present Christian thought in broad strokes or in fine detail with equal authority.  His book is notable for the clarity with which it reassembles the essential elements of Christian philosophy – … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Book Reviews, Philosophy

New Atheism is turning into a quasi-religious movement

Posted on 29/04/2011 by

Atheists continue to demonstrate extreme confusion Now some of them demand military chaplains, making clear that atheism is, indeed, a particular species of religion which demands priests and prophets to mediate the Ultimate to them, re-affirm them in the basic … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism

Archbishop of York John Sentamu shows British Anglicanism morally corrupt at the very core

Posted on 29/04/2011 by

Royal wedding: Archbishop backs William and Kate’s decision to live together before marriage The Archbishop of York backed Prince William and Kate Middleton’s decision to live together before marriage, saying that many modern couples want to “test the milk before … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, Politics, World Events

Best possible use for copies of Richard Dawkins’ ‘The God Delusion’

Posted on 29/04/2011 by
Posted in Atheism, Visual Arts

A summary of the evidence that David Elkington’s Jordanian metal “codices” are fakes

Posted on 29/04/2011 by

The evidence that the metal codices are fakes More: The early Christian lead codices from Jordan are now confirmed as forgeries Whether lead plates or bronze tablets, the Jordanian ‘early Christian’ codices are forgeries Peter Thonemann publishes emails between him … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology

Peter Enns on evolution and Calvinism, parts 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15

Posted on 29/04/2011 by

Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are here. Parts 5, 6 and 7 are here. Parts 8, 9 and 10 are here. Evolution and our Theological Traditions: Calvinism, Part 11 by Peter Enns Evolution and our Theological Traditions: Calvinism, Part 12 … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Presbyterian, Reformed, Sciences, Theology

An observation on followers of the New Atheism and how they treat empirical evidence

Posted on 28/04/2011 by

1,200 scientific studies have found empirical evidence that religious faith is good for your health.  Now 1,200 (or so) angry atheist bloggers are busy finding reasons why not a single one of those studies could possibly be valid.

Posted in Atheism, Sciences

Writers’ quote of the day: E. L. Doctorow on writing a novel

Posted on 28/04/2011 by

‘Writing a novel is like driving a car at night.  You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.’ ~ E. L. Doctorow

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

1,200 scientific studies find empirical evidence that religious faith is good for your health

Posted on 28/04/2011 by

Faith ‘good for your health’ Being a practising Christian is good for your health, according to a report by a group of doctors, because it makes you happier and more optimistic. Based on evidence from over 1,200 studies and 400 … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Sciences

C. S. Lewis on evolution and ‘Intelligent Design’, parts 1, 2 and 3, by Michael L. Peterson

Posted on 28/04/2011 by

C. S. Lewis on Evolution and Intelligent Design, Part 1 C. S. Lewis on Evolution and Intelligent Design, Part 2 C. S. Lewis on Evolution and Intelligent Design, Part 3 More: C. S. Lewis on evolution and ‘Intelligent Design’, part … Continue reading →

Posted in C. S. Lewis, Inklings, Sciences

Seven Bible myths that you’ll hear repeated again and again by fundamentalist preachers

Posted on 28/04/2011 by

1.  The “eye of the needle” refers to a gate outside Jerusalem. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God,” says Jesus in … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism

Painting of the day: ‘Nanaimo Harbour’ by E. J. Hughes

Posted on 27/04/2011 by

‘Nanaimo Harbour’ by E. J. Hughes

Posted in Visual Arts

Quote of the day: Hitchens on why the capital of China is Peking and not Beijing

Posted on 27/04/2011 by

‘I’ll start calling Peking ‘Beijing’ (and perhaps Bombay ‘Mumbai’ though I don’t think I’ll ever do that given the nasty origins of this name) when we also start calling China ‘Zhongguo’, Vienna ‘Wien’, India ‘Barat’, Croatia ‘Hrvatska’, Rome ‘Roma’, Warsaw … Continue reading →

Posted in Peter Hitchens

Writers’ quote of the day: why verbose writers are like the cuttlefish

Posted on 26/04/2011 by

‘He that uses many words for the explaining any subject doth, like the cuttlefish, hide himself for the most part in his own ink.’ ~ John Ray

Posted in Quote of the Day, Writing

Book Review: ‘Toward the Gleam’ by T. M. Doran, a good idea poorly executed

Posted on 26/04/2011 by

‘Toward the Gleam’ by T. M. Doran, Ignatius Press, 2011 I have just finished reading this novel and must admit that I was sadly disappointed.  It is advertised as an action adventure in which the main protagonist “races against time” … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, C. S. Lewis, Inklings | Tagged , , , , , ,

Photograph of the day: Aran Islands cemetery

Posted on 26/04/2011 by
Posted in Visual Arts

Derren Brown exposes the fake fundamentalist faith healers

Posted on 26/04/2011 by

Derren Brown vs Faith Healers

Posted in Fundamentalism

Atheists and fundamentalists play childish game of tit for tat over silly “Rapture” prediction

Posted on 26/04/2011 by

Atheists and fundamentalists near Oakland, California are having a billboard battle over “the Rapture.”  In other words, religious fundies and secular fundies are going at each other over ”Left Behind” nonsense.  [The article calls the religious group “evangelicals” but — at least, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Fundamentalism

Writers’ quote of the day: James Michener on the importance of rewriting

Posted on 25/04/2011 by

‘I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.’ ~ James Michener

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

Photograph of the day: Vince’s Cross, Antarctica

Posted on 25/04/2011 by

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged , , , ,

Franklin Graham, son of Billy, loses all credibility as a Christian leader

Posted on 25/04/2011 by

Rev. Franklin Graham said he might support wealthy windbag Donald Trump in the 2012 presidential election.  As the Charlotte Observer noted: “There was no discussion of how Graham, a conservative Christian, could support a thrice-married owner of gambling casinos.”  Graham … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism

Photograph of the day: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper celebrates Easter Sunday

Posted on 24/04/2011 by
Posted in Visual Arts

Pope Benedict XVI gives the Urbi et Orbi blessing in Saint Peter’s Square, Easter Sunday, 2011

Posted on 24/04/2011 by
Posted in Visual Arts