I’d be remiss not to pass along the videos below. They each deserve their own post and discussion, but that would frankly be quite the chore. So, being the lazy blogger I sometimes am, I’m just throwing them all into one ‘video bomb’ post.
The first video argues that Christian philosopher William Lane Craig’s arguments for theism commit circular reasoning. Craig is no intellectual lightweight; it’d be extremely naive to disregard him after only a seven minute YouTube clip. But still, I think there is something to this criticism.
At the beginning of this year, SHAFT watched the critically-acclaimed BBC television play “God on Trial.” The play takes place at Auschwitz during WWII. Some Jews in the camp convene a trial against God, charging him with breaking his covenant with the Jewish people by allowing the Holocaust. In this scene, the guilty verdict is announced.
On Friday, Christopher Hitchens and Tony Blair (who recently converted to Catholicism after leaving office) debated whether religion is a positive force in the world. It was a respectful and at times engaging debate, but it wasn’t very even. Hitchens handily bested Blair, in my opinion.
Tim Minchin is a brilliant songwriter. His song “White Wine in the Sun” is an atheist’s defense of Christmas. It’s beautiful and always gets me in the holiday spirit.
Remember the “I’m a Mormon” ad campaign that the LDS Church released this summer? Well, by way of response, there is a new series of “I’m an ex-Mormon” ads.
Lastly, QualiaSoup, one of my favorite atheist YouTubers, produced this great and informative video on evolution, intelligent design, and so-called ‘irreducible complexity’.
Never fear, the Screaming Nephite is here!
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In reverse order.
1. Though I am a theist, I have never liked the Intelligent Design arguments. I am completely an evolutionist — and a theist. Most Intelligent Design advocates seemed to be just taking on a new name to cover up the fact that they are creationists. However, there have been some thoughtful Intelligent Design proponents who were also evolutionists — Professor Holmes Ralston III for one. I still think his arguments, while more subtle that creationists, are just god-of-the-gaps logic. I prefer Thomas Aquinas’s 5 Proofs. I consider his governance proof the best Intelligent Design argument.
2. Nice Ex-Mormon Video — not much meat.
3. Nice song by Tim Minchin. I never liked heavy eyeliner on men whether it is Tim Minchin, Michael Jackson, or Billie Joe Armstrong. Actually, I don’t like heavy eyeliner on women either.
4. I listened to all nine parts of the Hitchens-Blair debate. Both made good points. The audience was mostly negative towards the debate question “Is religion a positive force for good in the world?” prior to the debate. 57% NO, 22% Yes, & 21 UNDECIDED. The winner of the debate by the rules is the one who can convince the most people to change their minds or make up their minds in their direction. The final vote was 68% NO and 32% YES. Hitchens achieved an 11% increase and Blair achieved a 10% increase, thus, Hitchens won by 1%. It was not a resounding defeat, but a narrow victory. I really like Hitchens and Blair.
5. God On Trial is a wonderful movie. The movie is based on the story of Elie Wiesel’s book “The Trial of God”. Elie Wiesel, holocaust survivor remains a theist Jew, but with deep skepticism towards certainty and old forms of understanding of the Jewish god. The scene in the video is the climax of the trial. An important Russian Rabbi has been silent throughout the trial and finally bursts out against the arrogant and evil Jewish god of their Tanakh (Old Testament). What is just as poignant is the true climax of the movie, which occurs when the Nazi guards come to take a number of prisoners to their death. Those who are not chosen for execution as well as those who are chosen for execution begin to pray. Even in the poison showers, the most certain atheist Jew beings to recite his traditional Jewish prayer with his hand on his head (Jews do not pray with their heads uncovered.) In Wiesel’s book, the Jewish god is similarly convicted by the 3 rabbis judging god. After the conviction of the failed god ‘who must not be there’, the eldest rabbi-judge stands and announces that it is time for the evening prayers. There is a profound uncertainty and humility that the theist must face. History matters. The honest theist must face the lessons of history.
6. Oops. I didn’t watch it.
Thanks for your thoughts, Vince. As to your #5:
I never meant to imply that “God on Trial” is a film against the existence of god. I think anyone who saw either the clip or the entire movie would understand that it is not. But it is a powerful indictment of the god of the Old Testament.