Loftus said that they are not wrong nor stupid for being religious and even discussed the skeptical nature of the most intelligent of the apologists. Loftus made the case that, in fact, people such as William Lane Craig are probably more intelligent than he is. I can name some religious thinkers far more intelligent than I am. The issue with religion is not intelligence. The issue is that of core values, and presupposition.

I will tell you now that I am more interested in having a beer with a creationist than I am with someone who insists that he or she knows the “right approach” to build enthusiasm for evolution. I get to the point where I can’t stand to be around people who know this answer, but can’t see the irony in the idea that they have come to this conclusion on how to increase the acceptance of science without using science to find out.

Being a religion hunter says a couple of things about you. First, you are likely sincerely seeking that something outside yourself. Unfortunately, the longer you look without finding, the more you are likely to become prey to the grifters, the charlatans, the greedy, and the idiots who just might kill you. Second, it says you are looking to others to give you what you are unable to give yourself. If you hunt out religions, you must carry the belief that other people know something, hold some secret, that you haven’t found yet–and that it’s something that they can share.

I was taught that at birth I carried the sin of Adam and Eve and that I needed to practice certain rituals or pray certain prayers to be cleansed of the sin that I never committed. I needed baptism, confession and contrition to access the creator. In another version of Christianity I needed to be “born again.” I could never be good enough for the creator on my own, being human. And being human, I was condemned to be separate from the creator unless I chose the right way to accept redemption.

As you may know, most of the Quiche Moraine crew has been involved with the Minnesota Atheists’ Atheists Talk radio show. Mike hosted the show until he took over as director earlier this year. At that point, Stephanie became the regular show host. Greg has been a guest multiple times, and all three have interviewed guests for the show.

A possible end to the U.S. “war on drugs”; why, yes, the CIA may mislead Congress from time to time; sea-based U.S. missile defense; U.S. burning bibles; and concealed carry in national parks.

Medical advance may give leg up; Pawlenty says no medical marijuana; birds carry grudges; anticipated Iraqi crop failures blamed on Turkey; contextualizing Gabriel García Márquez; and mental illness or the work of God?

We don’t let thirteen-year-olds drink, vote or drive. We don’t even let them set their own bedtime on school nights. Why is anyone asking this child his opinion of decisions that will affect his health, much less his life expectancy?

I remember reading Finding Darwin’s God awhile back. The first half of the book was an excellent defense of evolution and critique of creationism. The second half of the book was a poor defense of god belief. I remember thinking that if Miller had only applied the logic from the first half of his book to the second half, he would be an atheist.