The 47th edition of the Carnival of the Godless is up at Coralius' place. I especially enjoyed the Atheist Ethicist tackle the meaning and usage of the word atheist. It's a topic many have written about before, but it is integral for those who are "new to godlessness", whether personally or indirectly, to avoid equivocation. The article couples well to this by Lowder, as well as this lengthier exposition by Grange.
I also especially enjoyed this take on Christian Nihilism.
Also in godlessness, check out the new 90-minute documentary, The Exodus Decoded, using natural causes to explain the events described in the book of Exodus. I've heard the explanations before, using the rains in Ethiopia to explain red silt in the river, which killed the cattle, coupled to the cycle of the locusts, etc., etc. Personally, I think they lend too much credence to the story by trying to explain the myths. I'm more inclined to see it the way Finkelstein and Silberman do -- as a myth central to the identity of an assimilated peoples:
Long gone also are the serious scholarly attempts to trace archaeologically the progress of the Exodus of 600,000 Israelites across Sinai toward Canaan. The Bible offers us a powerful expression of liberation, peoplehood, and covenant painted in the most searing Hebrew prose and poetry the world has ever known.Sort of loses its power when we go and try to make the event real and natural, doesn't it?
In general religious issues, check out talk2action's blog, as well as Faith in Public Life, two group blogs always putting out good stuff on that most interesting of intersections: faith and culture.
In sharper thinking, check out Paul's seven tips/rules to help us learn how to...think!
And finally...(drum roll)...your quote of the week:
“Left Behind” series co-author Jerry Jenkins said he welcomed the controversy surrounding complaints about the game’s content that made headlines.Wow. Not more violent than this? Not more violent than a God whose Bible records 2,038,334 confirmed kills, without including the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the Egyptians...which would at least add a few hundred million more (mostly from the Noachian event). Clever for Jenkins to use the OT as a basis -- Christians can't doubletalk their way around calling a video game violent if that implies their cherished book, (and many beliefs) is as well, now can they?
“(The controversy) makes you examine your motives, success (and) what you’re doing,” he said. “I looked at the violence for the game to be in the (Christian retail) market. It’s not more violent than the Old Testament,” Jenkins added. [link added, bold mine]
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