Elon Musk resurfaced on Twitter in a big way ... this time with a pic of someone arguably more famous than him -- the Pope!!!

There's Elon at the Vatican, mugging with Pope Francis and 4 of his 7 kids, saying "Honored to meet @Pontifex yesterday," adding, "My suit is tragic."

Here's what's interesting ... Elon's talked in the past that he's an atheist -- nevertheless, the Pope is the Pope so no reason not to shake hands and have a chat.

One of the kids who did not attend -- Vivian Jenna Wilson, previously known as Xavier, who announced a few weeks back she's a transgender woman and wants no relationship whatsoever with her dad.

As for Elon's religious history ... he was not raised a Catholic, although he did attend Anglican Sunday School. He has said in the past he is not Christian.

He seems to embrace elements of Christianity, once saying "I agree with the principles that Jesus advocated. There's some great wisdom in the teachings of Jesus, and I agree with those teachings," adding, "Things like 'turn the other cheek' are very important, as opposed to 'an eye for an eye'. An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind."

See the article here:

Elon Musk and 4 of His Kids Meet Pope Francis at the Vatican - TMZ

The appeal to youth group is that its all so familiar. While the main church service could be formal and even sort of cold, youth group felt like school, with similar dynamics, social structures and, often as not, insane games and snacks. Thats part of the appeal. Youth group was often so close to the rest of your teen existence that it could get a little predictable. In fact, certain recurring characters pop up in every youth group. Here are a few of the most common ones.

The Kid Who Already Knew the Greek and Hebrew

Like, we get it. You want to be a pastor when you grow up. But where are you, a 14-year-old, getting this seminary-level training?

The Kid Who Clearly Is Just Trying to Find a Date

Dont get us wrong, weve all been there. When you run out of potential significant others at school and work, church is a fallback option. But could you at least try to look semi-interested in the message?

The Kid Who Sure Seems Like They Should Have Graduated Last Year

You do know theres a college/young adult ministry, right?

The Burgeoning Atheist Whos Just Trying to Prove the Youth Pastor Wrong

All are welcome here, Devin, but maybe we can address this after group prayer time?

The Pastors Kid

Who wants to call Pastor Steve and tell him Alexis hitchhiked away from Bible Camp?

The Future Americas Got Talent Contestant

I think 45 seconds of guitar solo on Oceans is plenty, Preston.

The Kid Who Brought a Djembe on Every Youth Group Trip

Just in case we need a little percussion. (Pro tip: We never do.)

The Kid Whose Mom Is Always Last to Pick Him Up From Church Events

Are you sure we cant give you a ride, Ashley?

The Worship Pastors Kid

Who wants to call Pastor Grace and tell her Carissa hitchhiked back toBible Camp?

The Kid Who Takes the Youth Group Games Way Too Seriously

Settle down, Tanner. The NFL isnt scouting Chubby Bunny champions.

The Kid Who Took Sword Drills Way Too Seriously

Marissa, how on earth did you open to exactly Psalm 96:4 in one try?

Originally posted here:

11 Youth Group Kids Every Church Had to Deal With - RELEVANT - RELEVANT Magazine

So Friedrich Nietzsche was right, God is dead and we have killed him.

That's what the latest census tells us: the number of faithless is closing in on the number of faithful.

In my lifetime I have seen Australia change from being an almost completely Christian country to one where now just 44 per cent practise Christianity.

This is no surprise. It mirrors a widespread shift away from religion by citizens of the Western world, most of whomwere traditionally Christian, alongside increases in religions like Hinduism which has grown more than 55 per cent in Australia since 2016 as our communities diversify.

Yet the numbers reporting no religion is also increasing and the impactis rapidly gathering pace.

Philosopher Charles Taylor, in his book A Secular Age, warned: "Modern civilisation cannot but bring about a "death of God."

Taylor said we have seen the rise of an "exclusive humanism". We have swapped God, he wrote, for a "culture of authenticity, or expressive individualism, in which people are encouraged to find their own way, discover their own fulfilment, "do their own thing".

Scholar of religion and politics Jocelyn Cesarihas traced the evolution of secular modernity in her book, We God's People. We have now reached a point in Western Europe, she says, where"worldly" things are allthere is.

There is a division between the immanent and the transcendent between what is Caesar's and what is God's. The immanent is the realm of politics.

Believers, she says, "are expected to keep the transcendent to themselves".

Cesari says the nation is now "the superior collective identification" overtaking "religious allegiances."

This is where the West was bound to end up. The tension between secularism and faith emerged out of the Thirty Years War the wars of religion that laid waste to Europe between 1618 and 1648. It's estimated as many as 8million people were killed.

It led to the birth of the modern state and coincided with an explosion of new ideas that we call the Age of Reason or The Enlightenment.

Across Europe reason was elevated above faith. People were encouraged to break with tradition. Thinkers like Rene Descartes the father of modern philosophy told us "I think therefore I am."

The mysteries of the universe were no longer the province of God.

Immanuel Kant summed up the Enlightenment with three words: dare to know.

While historically the West was founded on Christianity, the modern West was shaped by the break with God. People were sovereign. Liberalism prized the individual above all.

SociologistPhillip Rieffsaid we swapped a sacred order for a social order. That accelerated in the 20th century with social revolutions up-ending society and demolishing old ethical and moral boundaries.

French writer Olivier Roy says "secularisation has given way to large scale de-Christianisation." There is now, he says, "a serious crisis surrounding European identity and the place of religion in the public sphere".

The Church has found itself out of step with changing societal values on issues like divorce, abortion or same sex marriage.

Roy says: "Little by little, the very definitions of sexual difference, family, reproduction and parenthood have been redrawn." The scandal of child sex abuse in the church has further stripped religion of its moral authority.

Personal freedom, Roy writes, "prevails over all transcendent standards." Society is now ordered on "new valuesfounded on individualism, freedom and the valorisation of desire."

The West is a place beyond history. The past is another country. Tradition is seen as stifling, old fashioned. No doubt some traditions are well rid of. Which woman or person of colour would want to return to the white, male, dominated 1950s? But what are we left with? Is there still a role for tradition?

HistorianTim Stanleythinks so. He says the "war on tradition"has "translated into a soulless consumerism, and, while some flourished, many felt alienated and unfulfilled."

In his new book Whatever Happened to Tradition, Stanley fears our "liberal order is out of ideas, that's partly because we have deprived ourselves of valuable experience".

For some, the response to this soulless voidhas been a retreat into fundamentalism. We see this in radical Islamic groups like Al Qaeda or Islamic State whichrepresent a rejection of Western modernity.

Similarly right-wing or white-supremacist groups reach back to "tradition" as an attempt to recover some lost glory.

Stanley warns against this fundamentalism, yet he wonders what the secular West offers in response. Across the West, he says, "there is a dearth of purpose and spirit: we can't agree on who we are or what we are about, or even of these big existential questions matter."

Yet if people have turned away from religion it does not mean they are without faith.

Atheism in its own way can become an article of faith.

The new radical atheists quote the likes of scientistRichard Dawkinswith the certainty of scripture. They proselytise with evangelical vigour. In the West, identity is the new faith.

We are free to re-imagine and reinvent ourselves, untethered from the past; from family or faith.

It is a peculiarly Western phenomenon. Elsewhere religion is booming. The heart of Christianity has shifted from Europe to Africa and Latin America.

Officially atheist, China has experienced what's been called a Christian revival. It is estimated that by 2030 China may have the world's largest Christian population.

And despite what the census tells us is happening here, Christianity is not dying. Pew Research shows that in the century between 1910 and 2010, the number of Christians grew from 600million to more than twobillion.

Pew says that by 2060 Christianity will remain the world's largest religion with more than three billion followers.

Islam is the world's fastest growing religion driven significantly by a higher fertility rate. By the end of this century it is thought there will be more Muslims than Christians in the world.

This is a reminder if one is needed that the West is not the world. Indeed in many parts of the world the turn to religion is connected with a rejection of colonialism and Western values.

Sudipta Kaviraj, Columbia University Professor of Indian History, asks: "Why should the history of Europe happen elsewhere?" In Bengal, he says, Hindus in the 19th century "rejected an unconditional embrace of the package of moral values of Western modernity". Modern individualism, he says, was seen as "impoverishing the character and content of collective life".

In modern India, he writes, even the secular "need and desire transcendence as intensely as the devout."

Kavirajcautions against seeing the world through eyes of the West, not to speak, he says, "the facts of one history through the language of another." Yes, the West is more secular, less religious, and hyper-individualistic but that is not how most people live.

Western ideas of progress are founded on burying the past, killing God, and making the human divine. It can be liberating and holds the promise of freedom. But it doesn't speak to all. It doesn't even speak to all in the West who replace old faiths with new faith, who feel alienated and alone and long for somewhere to belong.

As Charles Taylor sees it, the journey of the secular West is from an enchanted age, to an age of disenchantment.

If as Nietzsche said, "God is dead", we in the West might ask what comes next?

Stan Grant is the ABC's international affairs analyst and presents China Tonight on Monday at 9:35pm on ABC TV, and Tuesday at 8pm on the ABC News Channel, anda co-presenter of Q+A on Thursday at 8.30pm. He also hosts the Religion and Ethics Report on RN.

Posted2 Jul 20222 Jul 2022Sat 2 Jul 2022 at 7:00pm, updated3 Jul 20223 Jul 2022Sun 3 Jul 2022 at 9:53am

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The census shows Australians are becoming less religious but why have we chosen to live without God? - ABC News

To the Editor:

I get that there are rules, but rules should be for EVERYone, not just those that have received complaints.If you cant have signage, statues, crosses or whatever, then no one should be exempt. If you only make those remove that have complaints, you could just be playing into a neighbor war. what is fair for one should be fair for all.Personally, I feel if I want a cross or a bird or a fish, it should be my choice. I own the property and I pay for taxes, landscaping, yard work, etc.Now I understand that people could take their decorations a bit far, so there should be a limit, but i dont understand how a small white cross is hurting anyone or anything, unless now we are giving in to liberalism whose feelings might be hurt because maybe they are atheist and dont want to look at a cross. Look in Arlington and see what is there, and why they are there. Its called freedom my friends.

JoEtta HinrichsenVillage of Marsh Bend

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Everybody should have to follow the rules - Villages-News

BONNE TERRE Elaine Bales was a second-generation Jehovahs Witness (JW) who lost her family and friends when she walked away from the false religion. Now a follower of Jesus, she leads a worldwide ministry that replaces the lies of the Watchtower with the truth of Scripture.

Paul Blizard was a third-generation JW who met Jesus in 1982 and was disfellowshipped from the Watchtower for approving a blood transfusion for his daughter.

Christopher Marshall was a Bethelite, working in the Watchtowers headquarters in New York, before meeting Christian apologist Al Stewart and coming to faith in Christ.

All three of these once-devoted JWs are now serving Christ faithfully and are featured speakers at There Is Something Better, the 2022 Witnesses Now for Jesus Conference July 22-23 at Sonrise Baptist Church in Bonne Terre.

The event is free and runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

Other speakers include Robert Bowman, widely regarded as the leading evangelical scholar addressing Mormon and Jehovahs Witness interpretations of the Bible; Roger Sherrer, a former atheist who now serves as youth pastor at First Baptist Church, Lebanon, Mo.; Charles Smith, a former Jehovahs Witness who serves as director of Witnesses Now for Jesus Midwest; and Rob Phillips, who directs the apologetics ministry of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

This conference is designed to show the power of the gospel to transform lives, says Smith. Each testimony illustrates the deceptive ways Satan keeps people in darkness through false religions. At the same time, conference attendees will hear about the redemptive work of Christ, who shows that when it comes to a search for truth among the worlds religions, there truly is something better.

Apologetics is simply the practice of defending the Christian faith. Apologetics comes from the Greek noun apologia, which means a defense. Every Christian is urged to be ready at all times to defend the faith with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16).

For more information about the event, contact Charles Smith at 314-277-3866.

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Apologetics conference to feature former Jehovah's Witnesses - The Pathway

When Thor (Chris Hemsworth), that big-hearted hunk of a god, accidentally runs into Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) his big-brained, astrophysicist, Earthling ex-girlfriend the encounter is wild even by superhero standards. In the midst of a battle against the latest force of evil, Thor spots Jane, now carrying his very own famously powerful hammer. She is wearing armour and a red cape and has flowing blonde hair. "That's my hammer you've got," he says, as they stare into each other's eyes. "And that's my look." Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder is a Tale of Two Thors, a romcom interspersed with Universe-saving battles. It might make you wonder: What if Bogart and Bacall had superpowers?

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The first thing to know is that this film is enormous fun. As he did in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Waititi brings his distinct voice to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's cookie-cutter franchise. His formula balances a tongue-in-cheek tone with adventure, prizing wit over action; a relief from Marvel's more sombre instalments. (Doctor Strange has his qualities but he's not a witty sort.) In Love and Thunder, Waititi injects more emotion than in Ragnarok and goes for weightier themes, about nihilism and belief, love and death. The themes may be half-baked, but they exist.

The next important thing to know is that this is not really Jane's story. Disney's marketing talks a good game about how Jane is wielding the God of Thunder's hammer, Mjolnir, and has become a superhero called Mighty Thor. True enough, but this is still original Thor's film. Fortunately, Hemsworth is better than ever at making the character the most human, lifelike and appealing of gods, a regular guy except when he's saving the world.

Early on, his sidekick, Korg a giant, sweet-tempered pile of rocks with Waititi's voice tells children the story of the Thor-Jane romance, filling in any background a new viewer might want. It's a goofy account that reveals details about their break-up which also manages to name-check Jane Fonda.

Voldemort with a nose

Soon the familiar characters are threatened by a new villain, Gorr (chillingly played by Christian Bale), who has become disillusioned with gods in general. Instead of becoming an atheist or agnostic like a normal person in his situation, he goes for revenge, and becomes known as the God Butcher. Grey-toned from head to toe, he is basically Voldemort with a nose.

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Thor: Love and Thunder review: A romcom with epic battles - BBC

Many people are interested in distinguishing between the words agnostic and atheist. The difference is quite simple: atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods, and agnostic refers to someone who doesnt know whether there is a god, or even if such a thing is knowable. This distinction can be troublesome to remember, but examining the origins of the two words can help.

Agnostic first appeared in 1869, (possibly coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley), and was formed from the Greek agnstos (meaning "unknown, unknowable"). Atheist came to English from the French athisme. Although both words share a prefix (which is probably the source of much of the confusion) the main body of each word is quite different. Agnostic shares part of its history with words such as prognosticate and prognosis, words which have something to do with knowledge or knowing something. Atheist shares roots with words such as theology and theism, which generally have something to do with God.

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Atheist | Definition of Atheist by Merriam-Webster

Measuring atheism is complicated. Some people who describe themselves as atheists also say they believe in some kind of higher power or spiritual force. At the same time, some of those who identify with a religion (for example, say they are Catholic or Jewish) say they do not believe in God.

One thing is for sure: Along with the rise of religiously unaffiliated Americans many of whom believe in God there has been a corresponding increase in the number of atheists. Here are some key facts about atheists in the United States and around the world:

1 The share of Americans who identify as atheists has increased modestly but significantly in the past decade. Pew Research Center telephone surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019 show that 4% of American adults say they are atheists when asked about their religious identity, up from 2% in 2009. An additional 5% of Americans call themselves agnostics, up from 3% a decade ago.

2 The literal definition of atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,according to Merriam-Webster. And the vast majority of U.S. atheists fit this description: 81% say they do not believe in God or a higher power or in a spiritual force of any kind. (Overall, 10% of American adults share this view.) At the same time, roughly one-in-five self-described atheists (18%) say they do believe in some kind of higher power. None of the atheists we surveyed, however, say they believe in God as described in the Bible.

3 Atheists make up a larger share of the population in many European countries than they do in the U.S. In Western Europe, where Pew Research Center surveyed 15 countries in 2017, nearly one-in-five Belgians (19%) identify as atheists, as do 16% in Denmark, 15% in France and 14% in the Netherlands and Sweden. But the European country with perhaps the biggest share of atheists is the Czech Republic, where a quarter of adults identify that way. In neighboring Slovakia, 15% identify as atheists, although in the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, atheists have a smaller presence, despite the historical influence of the officially atheist Soviet Union. Like Americans, Europeans in many countries are more likely to say they do not believe in God than they are to identify as atheists, including two-thirds of Czechs and at least half of Swedish (60%), Belgian (54%) and Dutch adults (53%) who say they do not believe in God. In other regions surveyed by the Center, including Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, atheists generally are much rarer.

4 In the U.S., atheists aremostly men and are relatively young, according to the 2014 Religious Landscape Study. About seven-in-ten U.S. atheists are men (68%). The median age for atheists is 34, compared with 46 for all U.S. adults. Atheists also are more likely to be white (78% vs. 66% of the general public) and highly educated: About four-in-ten atheists (43%) have a college degree, compared with 27% of the general public. Self-identified atheists alsotend to be alignedwith the Democratic Party and with political liberalism.

5 The vast majority of U.S. atheists say religion is not too or not at all important in their lives (93%) and that they seldom or never pray (97%). At the same time, many do not see a contradiction between atheism and pondering their place in the world. About a third of American atheists say they think about the meaning and purpose of life at least weekly (35%), and that they often feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being (31%). In fact,the Religious Landscape Study shows that atheists are more likely than U.S. Christians to saythey often feel a sense of wonder about the universe (54% vs. 45%).

6 Where do atheists find meaning in life? Like a majority of Americans, most atheists mentioned family as a source of meaning when Pew Research Center asked an open-ended question about this in a 2017 survey. But atheists were far more likely than Christians to describe hobbies as meaningful or satisfying (26% vs. 10%). Atheists also were more likely than Americans overall to describe finances and money, creative pursuits, travel, and leisure activities as meaningful. Not surprisingly, very few U.S. atheists (4%) said they found lifes meaning in spirituality.

7 In many cases, being an atheist isnt just about personally rejecting religious labels and beliefs most atheists also express negative views when asked about the role of religion in society. For example, seven-in-ten U.S. atheists say religions influence is declining in American public life, and that this is a good thing (71%), according to a 2019 survey. Fewer than one-in-five U.S. adults overall (17%) share this view. A majority of atheists (70%) also say churches and other religious organizations do more harm than good in society, and an even larger share (93%) say religious institutions have too much influence in U.S. politics.

8 Atheists may not believe religious teachings, but they are quite informed about religion. In Pew Research Centers 2019 religious knowledge survey, atheists were among the best-performing groups, answering an average of about 18 out of 32 fact-based questions correctly, while U.S. adults overall got an average of roughly 14 questions right. Atheists were at least as knowledgeable as Christians on Christianity-related questions roughly eight-in-ten in both groups, for example, know that Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus and they were also twice as likely as Americans overall to know that the U.S. Constitution says no religious test shall be necessary to hold public office.

9 Most Americans (56%) say it isnotnecessary to believe in God to be moral, while 42% say belief in God is necessary to have good values, according to a 2017 survey. In other wealthy countries, smaller shares tend to say that belief in God is essential for good morals, including just 15% in France. But in many other parts of the world, nearly everyone says that a person must believe in God to be moral, including 99% in Indonesia and Ghana and 98% in Pakistan, according to a 2013 Pew Research Center international survey.

10 Americans feel less warmly toward atheists than they do toward members of most major religious groups.A 2019Pew Research Center surveyasked Americans to rate groups on a feeling thermometer from 0 (as cold and negative as possible) to 100 (the warmest, most positive possible rating). U.S. adults gave atheists an average rating of 49, identical to the rating they gave Muslims (49) and colder than the average given to Jews (63), Catholics (60) and evangelical Christians (56).

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Nov. 5, 2015.

Excerpt from:

10 facts about atheists | Pew Research Center

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50 Atheist Youtube Channels Every Atheist Must Follow

Ah, another story about the young religiously unaffiliated folks who have received so much ink in recent years, following in the footsteps of the spiritual, but not religious and Sheilaism trendsetters of previous decades. But how many of the nones are actually atheists or agnostics? Hold that thought.

The other big idea here is that Epstein was a popular choice among the Harvard chaplains, in part because of his abilities to build bridges between a wide variety of religious brands including evangelical Protestants and Christian liberals. Hold that thought, as well.

I found myself, while reading the Times piece, wondering: What is the dominant religious worldview at postmodern Harvard? I am sure that there are more than a few atheists and agnostics there. But people I know with ties to the campus tell me that a kind of woke liberal faith is the norm, which actually fits with the schools roots in mainline Protestant New England. Also, there are more than a few evangelicals in the mix (look up The Veritas Forum).

I was reminded of the debates almost a decade ago at Vanderbilt University, as campus leaders tried to push evangelical Protestant student ministries off campus because of tensions over You Know What. In a column at that time (The new campus orthodoxy that forbids most old orthodoxies) I noted:

Leaders of Vanderbilt student groups were told they must not discriminate on the basis of "race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service, or genetic information. ... In addition, the University does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression."

Here the the chunk of that column that I believe is relevant to this new Times piece about Harvard:

(S)ome conservatives called this struggle another war between faith and "secularism." In this case, that judgment was inaccurate and kept many outsiders from understanding what actually happened, according to the Rev. Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican minister who worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Vanderbilt during the dispute.

"What Vanderbilt did affirmed the beliefs of some religious groups and rejected those of others. That isn't secularism. Vanderbilt established that there is an orthodoxy on the campus, which means that it has taken a sectarian stand," said Warren.

"The university established some approved doctrines and now wants to discriminate in order to defend them. ... As a private school it has every right to do that," she added, reached by telephone. Meanwhile, conservative Christian schools "have their own doctrinal statements, but they're very upfront about that. Students who go to those schools know what they're getting into. The question is whether Vanderbilt will be just as candid and tell students about these new limitations on free speech, freedom of association and freedom of religion" on campus.

Is that what is happening at Harvard?

I would predict that liberal religious groups feel little or no tension with the Ivy campus powers that be. I know that, at one point, InterVarsity and similar small-o orthodox groups were facing a crackdown at Harvard.

So, the Times piece stressed that the committee that selected Epstein as chief chaplain included an evangelical chaplain but this person was not named or quoted (as opposed to the liberal Lutheran chaplain who is a major source for the piece).

It only took me 30 seconds or so to find an online guide to the Harvard chaplains and it is a fascinating list. There are plenty of liberal campus ministers, but there are also six InterVarsity staffers, a leader for Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), a representative of the Reformed University Fellowship, a Southern Baptist or two and various representatives of Orthodox Judaism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others.

If one of the major themes of the article was that Epstein is an effective bridge builder, why not seek out one or two traditional believers to speak on his behalf? Why only quote the left? Why not talk to the Veritas Forum leaders, since that is an evangelical ministry that was BORN at Harvard?

The Times piece noted:

The dozens of students whom Mr. Epstein mentors have found a source of meaning in the schools organization of humanists, atheists and agnostics, reflecting a broader trend of young people across the United States who increasingly identify as spiritual but religiously nonaffiliated. That trend might be especially salient at Harvard; a Harvard Crimson survey of the class of 2019 found that those students were two times more likely to identify as atheist or agnostic than 18-year-olds in the general population.

Well, dozens of students is important (if vague), but it did make me wonder how those numbers contrast with the total membership of the various other campus ministries. InterVarsity has a half-dozen staffers? How many students take part in their prayer circles, Bible studies, seminars, etc.?

Crossroads host Todd Wilken and I also spent some time discussing this next chunk of the Times piece:

Nonreligiosity is on the rise far beyond the confines of Harvard; it is the fastest growing religious preference in the country, according to the Pew Research Center.More than 20 percent of the country identifies as atheist, agnostic or nonreligious called the nones including four in 10 millennials.

Mr. Epsteins community has tapped into the growing desire for meaning without faith in God. Being able to find values and rituals but not having to believe in magic, thats a powerful thing, said A.J. Kumar, who served as the president of a Harvard humanist graduate student group that Mr. Epstein advised.

Read the rest here:

New podcast: Harvard head chaplain is an atheist and Gray Lady covers half of that story - GetReligion

By Michael Brown, CP Op-Ed Contributor | Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Harvard University was founded as Harvard College in 1636. Its stated purpose was: To train a literate clergy. Among its mottos were, Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae (truth for Christ and Church) and In Christam Gloriam (to the glory of Christ). Now, Harvard has hired an atheist as its chief chaplain. And no, this is not a poor joke.

As reported by the New York Post, This spiritual leader doesnt need a higher power.

Harvard Universitys organization of chaplains is getting a new president to coordinate the campus Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and assorted other religious communities. Only the new president, 44-year-old Greg Epstein, does not identify with any of those traditional religions himself.

He is an atheist.

But how can an atheist be a university chaplain?

Epstein explained to The New York Times, There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life.

We dont look to a god for answers. We are each others answers.

The only problem is with Epsteins explanation is, well, everything. He may believe in God or not. He may follow a religion or not. Thats his own business. And he may have some great ideas about living an ethical life.

But to be a chaplain, by definition, means to be a religious leader, not simply a department head or an administrator or someone who believes in ethical living. And so, to appoint an atheist to be chief university chaplain is like appointing a Christian evangelist to head up the universitys atheist club. Or a devout Muslim to head up the universitys Judaism club. It is a total contradiction in both purpose and logic.

As for Epsteins appointment being controversial, thats not how Harvards leadership felt, voting to elect him unanimously. What a perfect choice! Couldnt think of anyone better!

The Merriam Webster website offers these four definitions for chaplain: 1: a clergyman in charge of a chapel; 2: a clergyman officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court; 3: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society); 4: a clergyman appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function).

According to Dictionary.com, a chaplain is: 1. an ecclesiastic attached to the chapel of a royal court, college, etc., or to a military unit. 2. a person who says the prayer, invocation, etc., for an organization or at an assembly.

And a military website states that: The chaplain's responsibilities include performing religious rites, conducting worship services, providing confidential counseling and advising commanders on religious, spiritual and moral matters. Chaplains are commissioned officers stationed wherever there are military members, including combat environments.

But if you dont believe in God, you cannot perform any of these functions.

Really now, how can you conduct a worship service if there is no God to worship? How can you perform religious rites, all of which presuppose the existence of a deity, if there is no deity?

To whom do you pray? What hope can you offer regarding the world to come? How can you help someone connect to the spiritual, unseen, eternal realm? Who, outside of the human race, forgives your sins or empowers you to change?

And if you yourself are convinced that there is no God, doesnt that mean that you view all religious believers as being in serious error, not to mention deeply deceived?

Its one thing if Harvard said, Rabbi Epstein does a great job of bringing people of different religions together. Terrific. Then hire him as an administrative coordinator for the chaplains department. But dont hire him as your chief chaplain. To do so only heaps further scorn on Harvards wokeness.

As for Epstein being a rabbi, that is just as absurd as being a chaplain, if not more so. (For the record, he received ordination as a Humanist Rabbi from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism.)

Without God, there is no Judaism, since Judaism is the story of God choosing the Jewish people for Himself, rescuing them from bondage in Egypt, and giving them His Torah. Thus, to have Judaism without God would be similar to having Christianity without Christ. It simply cannot be.

But why let truth and facts and logic get in the way? Lets just set our own standards and, to cite the title of Epsteins 2009 book, which has suddenly become a bestseller, lets just be good without God.

In the end, if someone wants to try and be good without God, that is their choice. Just dont call that person a rabbi or a chaplain. To do so, to say it once more, is a total contradiction in terms.

As for the Harvard of old, in order to graduate with the most basic degree in arts (not theology, which came later), the student had to be able logically to explain the Holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testamentsandbe blameless in life and character.

Among the Rules and Precepts of Harvard to be observed by the students were these: Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life.

And: Every one shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoretical observations of Language and Logic, and in practical and spiritual truths ...

As for the Harvard of today (in terms of its spiritual condition and worldview), need I say more?

Dr. Michael Brown(www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicatedLine of Fireradio program. Heholds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University and has served as a professor at a number of seminaries. He is the author of 40 books. Connect with him onFacebook,Twitter, orYouTube.

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When Harvard hired an atheist to be the chief university chaplain - The Christian Post

by Joe Bukuras

Washington D.C., Sep 1, 2021 / 18:00 pm

Bishop Robert Barron said on Tuesday that the Harvard University chaplains made a complete and abject surrender by electing an atheist as the president of their association.

What does bother me, Barron wrote in an Aug. 31 op-ed for the New York Post, is the complete and abject surrender on the part of the presumably religious leaders at Harvard who chose this man.

If a professed atheist counts as a chaplain which is to say, a leader of religious services in a chapel then religion has quite obviously come to mean nothing at all, he continued. Barron is the auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire Catholic media.

Last week the New York Times announced that Greg Epstein, an atheist and humanist chaplain at Harvard University, was unanimously elected as the chief chaplain of the Harvard Chaplains, the association of more than 40 chaplains serving Harvard students of various religious denominations.

However, the Harvard Catholic Center and a Christian alumni association took issue with some reporting of Epsteins new role. The Harvard Catholic Center clarified to CNA this week that Epsteins role as chaplain facilitator is administrative, and has no effect on its ministry at Harvard.

There really is no influence in the role other than the fact that he has the title as the president as the Harvard Chaplains and that hes the liaison between that group and the president of Harvard, said Nico Quesada, marketing and media director at the Harvard Catholic Center, to CNA on Monday.

Epstein will also convene all the university chaplains when they have matters to discuss, he said, and thus will be representing the entire group but hes not representing his own opinions if that makes sense.

The Harvard Catholic Center is the chaplaincy to the universitys Catholic students, based at nearby St. Pauls parish in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is staffed by three priests serving as part of the universitys chaplains association.

Barron on Tuesday urged Harvard religious chaplains who elected an atheist to lead their association to [s]how a little self-respect. Being a chaplain has something to do with the worship of God and you shouldnt be ashamed to say it.

My point is, Barron said, that the relativizing of doctrine has led, by steady steps through two centuries, to the situation at Harvard today: Even that most elemental of doctrines belief in God doesnt matter. One can still, evidently, be perfectly religious without it

Before his election as president, Epstein previously served as the vice president of the university chaplains association. He has been the humanist chaplain at Harvard since 2005, and also serves as humanist chaplain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During the 2020 presidential election, he served as the national chair of Humanists for Biden on behalf of humanists, atheists, agnostics, and others. He has authored the book, Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe, a response to prominent atheists on humanism.

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Bishop Barron: Election of atheist as Harvard chaplain president 'complete and abject surrender' - The Catholic Telegraph

. . . while I offer a serious answer to his caricature regarding the Bible and genetics

This occurred in a combox at anti-theist atheist Jonathan MS Pearces blog. Words of atheist Makoto will be in blue.

*****

He has abundantly revealed Himself in the Bible. That is its purpose. There are arguments about how to interpret it, but for the most part, all Christians agree on the basic aspects of the nature of God (classic theism).

And we come back to how is that different than other holy works for other religions. I wasnt even trying to get into the fact that different Christians obviously disagree on how to interpret your bible, because Christians cant even agree on how being saved works, which seems like it would be a pretty important aspect of your bible!

Its different because it is consistently verified by historiography and archaeology, which is consistent with (but not proof of) its divine inspiration. Ive been writing a lot about this lately on my blog: the Bible & archaeology (as well as science).

See, for example:The Bible on Germs, Sanitation, & Infectious Diseases.

Scientifically accurate? Theres plenty to choose from on this topic, but since when do we breed animals in front of background props to change how the offspring look?Now, you could say it was a miracle, of course, but miracles, by definition, would not be scientific.

See also my web page:Bible & Archaeology / Bible & Science (A Collection). You asked me why I thought the Bible was different from other holy books. This is why.

I did a quick search I didnt see a single instance of breeding, sex, offspring, or similar terms in that post. I did notice the whole Piltdown Man thing, which science disproved, not religion, though

You replied to my post about breeding with a different set of points. Sorry, I was trying to stay focused. Did you have a reply to my point about breeding, or is this deflecting to other science parts that you feel have support?

You asked me how is that different than other holy works for other religions[?]. I replied that Its different because it is consistently verified by historiography and archaeology, . . . (as well as science). I then offered as one evidence of that, the biblical teaching on germs. Your task, then, would be to explain how that knowledge got there, which took modern science 3100 years from Moses time (13th c. BC) to figure out? You went off on the issue of breeding (which is not a biblical teaching on science).

Thats not my argument. You asked me about why I believe the Bible is different, and I answered. Thus, for the discussion to rationally continue, you have to offer a disproof of the biblical teaching on germs, or explain variously how the ancient Hebrews in the 13th c. BC could know these things, short of divine inspiration (which is my explanation). And thats only one argument of many that I have compiled, as regards the Bible and science, and the Bible and archaeology.

Do you want to address the breeding issue? If not, fine, I understand, I just wanted to be very sure we both agree this is in the bible you claim is scientific.

I did, in saying, its not a biblical teaching on science. In other words, I deny that it has anything to do with the topic at hand. It merely indicates Jacobs pre-scientific (but not anti-scientific) understanding of breeding of animals.

I gave a specific example of biblical teaching that is remarkably in harmony with post-19th century science regarding germs and hygiene. Do you wish to address (or refute) that or not? I have provided a concrete example of the Bible being extraordinarily accurate, 3100 years before science caught up with it. It seems to me that ispreciselydead-on-topic.

Moreover, heres an article that satisfactorily explains this topic you brought up (showing that nothing in the account contradicts genetics):

A Mendelian Interpretation of Jacobs Sheep (J. D. Pearson,Science and Christian Belief, Vo. 13, No. 1, pp. 51-58, 2001). Thats my counter-response to the ultimately off-topic issue you raised. You have yet to offer any counter at all to my far more nuanced and complex argument about the Bible and germs.

Man, you really dont want to talk about breeding at all, do you? It literally is science, after all. Bible says, in Gen 30:39, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.This is very straightforward. Very biblical! Do you have a reason this should not be accepted as god-based science, despite it being literally in the bible?

Nice try. I already answered with a link that refutes what you are contending (three minutes before this comment of yours). Man, you really dont want to talk about the (13th c. BC) biblical teaching on germs at all, do you? It literally is science, after all.

I did not see your refutation when I was typing up my reply. I will read it now. I have to admit, its crazy to think the bible says that the point was to breed them in front of reeds. That seems absurd, because your linked article implies that it would not matter! They couldve bred anywhere, yet the bible says it was in front of reeds that was important. Why?

Understood and thanks. I eagerly await your counter-interpretation on the Bible and germ theory. Im sure youll have a fascinating theory as to how this knowledge was in possession of ancient Hebrew nomads over 3200 years ago.

I have to admit, there is a side to this I completely agree with, in regards to biblical germ theory! Lev:13:45-46:

A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, Unclean, unclean!As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.

If only more Christians were willing to listen to that these days, it very much describes the use of masks and social distancing/quarantine

Science is not at all unanimous on masks.

Im still waiting for your theory on breeding in front of reeds, so thats cool.

Its in the article that I posted 28 minutes ago.

Right, I read that. I still dont get it, though. It literally is denying the participation of the reeds, which.. if I check my bible.. is a key factor. Was that something unrelated? If so, why was it in the bible?

Im not gonna go over the article. It was addressed there. Now its your turn to deal with my argument on germ theory, and Im not holding my breath . . .

Glad I didnt hold my breath. Its now been about 28 hours and counting, since no response has been forthcoming.

[30 hours passed from the time of my original challenge question]

Oh, my apologies. I got bored. You bored me.You lash out at atheists left and right, werent presenting anything useful that I saw, and I decided I had better things to do. Such is life.

Right. This is what atheists do when they have no answer to Christian arguments. Thanks for the entertainment!

***

Photo credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images(4-11-12) [Pixabay / Pixabay License]

***

Summary: Exchange with an atheist that delved into the Bible & science. I submitted my article on remarkable biblical knowledge of germs in the 13th c. BC. He offered a non-argument on genetics.

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Bible on Germ Theory: An Atheist Hems & Haws - Patheos

Cheryl K. Chumley is one of the worst writers for the conservative Washington Times, which isnt easy. Its not enough to just offer right-wing takes on current events; she willfully misunderstands what shes writing about, whether shes calling for the takedown of Satanic monuments that dont exist or saying that Christians who oppose Christian Nationalism are very un-Christian.

Her latest diatribe involves trashing Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the only voices of reason coming from the government during the pandemic.

She doesnt bother pointing out anything he said thats untrue. Instead, shes criticizing him for being an atheist. Fauci said in a 2015 interview that he was a humanist despite his Catholic upbringing because I have faith in the goodness of mankind.

This is apparently very problematic for Chumley.

More than that, hes a humanist meaning, he takes his moral compass from his own mind. He has little-to-no concern with the stuff of higher authority the constraints that come from fears of heavenly accountability.

An atheist in charge of U.S. government, policy, economics, education and constitutional freedoms, as they relate to coronavirus response what could go wrong, right?

Hes unelected. Hes largely unaccountable to the people. Hes atheist, which speaks volumes about his character, his moral compass and his understanding of American Exceptionalism and basic founding and constitutional principles. And hes just been outed for lying.

The path is clear: He has to go.

He was not outed for lying. Shes referring to a piece written by Sen. Marco Rubio, whos downplayed the pandemic, in which he criticized Fauci for saying the percent of immunized Americans needed to achieve herd immunity was higher than he felt Americans could tolerate. In other words, he made a decision when it comes to communicating the importance of getting vaccinated because he didnt want to generate fear in a public that includes many anti-vaxxers. Maybe that deserves criticism, but thats a far cry from lying about the science, and nothing he said changes COVID restrictions or policies regarding the vaccines.

But Chumley, who cant simply criticize that decision, thinks his non-religiosity is why he cant be trusted, even though the entire administration is full of conservative Christians who have been openly lying to the public about damn near everything for the past four years.

As for his character, Fauci was recently named one of the most admired men in America by Gallup, though that poll is really more about fame than anything else. (Trump was at the top of the list.)

Heres a difference Chumley never brings up: Fauci doesnt spend any time talking about his personal religious beliefs unless hes specifically asked about them. The evangelicals surrounding Trump cant stop talking about their faith because they constantly fantasize about a theocracy.

Also: Why is it okay to slander Fauci because of his humanism? As American Atheists president Nick Fish rightly noted, you would never see something like this in a legitimate publication:

If the New York Times calls out conservative Christians, its because theyre using those beliefs to inflict harm upon other people, not because theyre Christians. Chumley has no substance to use against Fauci, so she just cites his religious label, as if atheists shouldnt be allowed in positions of power. Its embarrassing and its awful journalism. Which means its par for the course for the Washington Times.

By the way, not that it matters, but Faucis boss is Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health and an evangelical Christian. Collins has no issue with Fauci. You would think that would carry some weight with Chumley. I guess not.

(Screenshot via YouTube)

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Conservative Writer: Dr. Anthony Fauci is Immoral Because He's a Humanist - Friendly Atheist - Patheos

In this brand-new year, lets pump up the positivity and raise a glass to a beautiful 2021. Beautiful, in every way. In a real way.While a pale pink pearly dawn breaks over the distant horizon, I find myself singing an old Hindi film song: Dekh tere sansar ki halat kya ho gayi BhagwanKitna badal gaya insaan Its an evergreen song from the 1954 film Nastik (The Atheist), a crime drama written and directed by the irrepressible I S Johar. We all asked god exactly this question in the year just gone we urged Him to take a good, hard look at the state of the earth, while we lamented on how mankind had changed. It has changed irrevocably, and one fervently hopes, for the better. Since most of us had no choice but to stay cold sober this New Years Eve, unless of course you were Bollywood love birdscelebrating in Ranthambore, our thoughts turned to ourselves.

By default, this has been a year designed for introspection. Given the universal state of despair and panic, as the pandemic raged on and on and on, people started on a journey that was entirely unplanned a long, tumultuous one within their own selves. They arrived at places they did not know existed. Speaking personally, it was one hell of a ride! What started off as a distraction to keep dark, morbid Covid thoughts at bay, turned into an adventure, an exploration scary and thrilling at the same time. Not sure how many of you experienced insignificance and smallness, but I did.

Compared to the scale of global mass devastation and so many deaths my life shrank and shrank in a good way. In the larger scheme of things, we all figured how very inconsequential our pedestrian concerns were. A heightened state of awareness generated mixed feelings anxiety on one hand, and liberation on the other. We were freed from the pettiness of our daily insecurities. We asked ourselves tough questions, and all those trivial preoccupations of the past slunk away guiltily, leaving us feeling that much lighter.

My biggest learning involved waste. Waste in a larger context. Time became the most precious commodity who knew how much time was left for each one of us? I became possessive and frugal about my waking hours. Figuring out how best to maximise the one resource (time) that cannot be either bought, borrowed or stretched, made me consciously cut, cut, cut. We all became great editors of our own narratives. We ruthlessly chopped non-essentials this included people. So many important but tricky decisions that had been kept on hold for decades became crystal clear as we pruned all the annoyances and irritations, the blocks and barriers. Time became an extravagance, a luxury beyond any other. Yes, there was loss so many of us dealt with the deaths of people we loved. Memories started playing games, as did a surfeit of information. How much more could we possibly absorb?

No matter who propounded which theory, the virus was one step ahead of us all. The French have a lovely expression, cest la vie. It is mandatory to shrug while uttering these words. It is true, life is what it is, what it has always been, what it will continue to be. We poor creatures will have to adapt and change. Why not? A hard lesson has been learnt by the world. The vaccine will be here shortly. It will provide just one of the answers for our survival, not all. We will certainly beat the virus, and any mutant that shows up. What is equally imperative is for us to change our wretched ways and think anew.

Enough has been said about the environment and how we have abused the very matter that sustains us and nurtures life. If we dont understand the meaning of the word respect now, we will have learnt absolutely nothing during the pandemic. But we are not that stupid, right? We are like cockroaches we survive! And like cockroaches, we crawl out of dark spaces when required to find food, find partners, mate, reproduce. We are hard to crush, even when a heavy boot lands on us. During these past months, when everything appeared pretty hopeless, I channelled my inner cockroach and scurried about in my restricted space, confident that I would make it to the other side. The tragedy being, so many didnt.

To all those who lost loved ones, and to all our courageous frontline workers, 2020 belongs to you. We are alive, thanks to you. Its a debt that can never be fully repaid. We shall go forth from this point onwards, stronger, wiser, healthier the journey has just begun. Heres to a gorgeous new year! I am singing Michael Jacksons immortal anthem as I write this: Heal the worldmake it a better placefor you and for me and the entire human race there are people dyingif you care enough for the living make it a better place for you and for me.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Loss, despair marked 2020. Let healing be the hallmark of 2021 - The Times of India Blog

I believe George Bernard Shaw was spot on when he quipped: I am an atheist and I thank God for it.

I can count on one hand the number of times I darkened the doors of a church these last 30 years.

But it would be below the belt to use the outgoing Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martins retirement as an excuse to now bash the Church ad nauseam.

It would be like shooting fish or rather Ichthys in a barrel.

You have to know when to pick your David versus Goliath battles, which is something Archbishop Martin would tell you himself after being on the losing end of so many in recent years.

He was ordained a priest aged 24 in 1969 and no doubt there mustve been times during these 50-odd years when he felt like throwing in the towel.

So, it would be mean-spirited not to doff your hat to someone sailing off into the sunset after spending their entire life in the same job.

I once interviewed Dr Martin and walked away with tremendous respect for the man himself.

The 75-year-old mightve lived in palatial splendour but he had the common touch something desperately lacking in his two arrogant predecessors.

He never forgot his humble roots thanks to the hardships in his own early life.

He first lived with relatives in the inner city before his parents got a council house in Ballyfermot, Dublin, when he was aged five.

It probably explained why he could be found shopping in Lidl.

He joked: I have also been in Aldi and Tesco Im not going to go in for advertising!

Dr Martin never courted the limelight himself because he turned down most interview requests.

Archbishop Martin mightve had aspirations of becoming a BBC broadcaster in his youth, instead of possessing any great calling.

But he obviously didnt like hearing his own voice for the sake of it.

Its a real measure of the man that he only talked to the media when he had something important to say. Perhaps he learnt that from his older brother Seamus ironically an atheist who was a foreign correspondent for the Irish Times. He seemed to be someone who practised what he preached and had a love the sinner, hate the sin mentality.

His innate compassion shined brightly, like the sun does through a church stained glass window, when the elephant in the room raised its ugly head during our lengthy chat.

His voice became emotionally charged when he spoke to me about his tremendous anger towards those priests who sexually abused children.

On the downside, I was disappointed with how he danced around my question about the Church either covering up or turning a blind eye to abuse in some incidences.

But I admired how Archbishop Martin, who described himself as thick skinned, was able to handle the pressure of being first in the firing line at a time when the Church was constantly under attack.

He said: Im never one to have a martyr complex. Im never one to think, Wouldnt it be great to have been archbishop 20 years ago when everything was different? You cant live like that.

Now, it would be stretching credulity to hail him as some kind of maverick lone voice in the wilderness. He was not the type hell-bent on radically reforming the Church.

Archbishop Martin was a safe pair of hands and a team player, who was willing to toe the (hard)line for Rome.

In fairness, I think hell will freeze over before the Church softens its stance on abortion or civil partnership.

But I found it disappointing when he dismissed the idea of married priests. Perhaps Dr Martin wouldve been less mealy-mouthed if he wasnt speaking with his Archbishop hat on.

Considering he spent most of his vocation in Rome and knew the lay of the land there, I reckon he mightve made a good Pope.

I suppose thats the biggest compliment you could pay any man of the cloth.

Hes going to be missed and I wish him all the best in his retirement.

His successor Archbishop Dermot Farrell certainly has big shoes to fill.

More here:

Jason O'Toole column: It will be tough to follow in the footsteps of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin - Irish Mirror