Faith and Beauty

“What, therefore, was to be in the temple? For one thing, the temple was to be filled with art work. “And he (Solomon) garnished (covered) the house with precious stones for beauty” (2 Chron. 3:6). Notice this carefully: the temple was covered with precious stones for beauty. There was no pragmatic reason for the precious stones. They had no utilitarian purpose. God simply wanted beauty in the temple. God is interested in beauty.”

This comment from Francis Schaeffer was preceded by a demonstration from scripture that art need not be representational.  Some Christians miss the value of art. Are there limits to artistic expression? If so what are they?

The Epicurean Dilemma

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?  Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?  Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

–Epicurus

This old argument gets a lot of modern press. Bart Ehrman, for example cited
the familiar, even tired, quotation, in his book on the problem of evil. Often flouted by cynics and atheists, the logic is neither as damaging nor irrefutable as it may first appear.

For example, insert the word “scientist,” in the place of “God,” and “smallpox,” or even, “cancer,” in the place of “evil.” You would then have the following:

Are scientists willing to prevent smallpox, but not able? Then they are not omnipotent.
Are they able, but not willing? Then they are malevolent.
Are they both able and willing? Then whence cometh smallpox?
Are they neither able nor willing? Then why call them scientists?

Wikipedia says, about smallpox, “As recently as 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 15 million people contracted the disease and that two million died in that year.” Yet by 1979 the WHO certified the eradication of the disease as a result of decades of concerted immunization.

Select a point in time prior to 1979. Were scientists willing to eradicate the disease? Of course they were, and there was an active program to end it forever. Were they able? Yes, with time and a comprehensive immunization program. Did individuals die in the meantime? Yes.

Is God both willing and able to prevent Evil? One is required by Christian teaching to say, “Yes, of course He is.”
Then why is there evil? A Christian answer might be given such as, “God is beyond time but He has in place a program to one day eradicate evil forever.”
Is there suffering in the meantime? Clearly.
Will evil endure forever? A Christian by faith says “No. Evil is temporal, not eternal.”

The epicurean dilemma neither proves nor disproves anything. It is smoke blown by non-theists to confound theists. It neither disproves nor proves the existence of God but does direct attention beyond the mere propositions of the argument, to consideration of the paradox of apparent indifference to the suffering of creation by a Creator who is believed to be omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent.

Time, Change, and Thanksgiving

It was October 3rd 1863 when Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving proclamation that established “the last Thursday of November” to be a day of “thanksgiving and praise.” This proclamation rested on the earlier proclamation of George Washington and on the tradition of the first thanksgiving that was celebrated by native Americans together with landed immigrants from Europe in 1621.

In 1939, under pressure from American business interests, FDR issued a new proclamation, moving the date of thanksgiving to the 2nd last Thursday of the month of November in order to allow a full month of shopping before Christmas.  It was understood at that time that most Americans began their Christmas shopping after Thanksgiving (Black Friday has a history!).

More than a mere historical curiosity, this is an illustration of the powerful influence of corporations on the practice of American religion.  I don’t intend to identify every way that the US version of Christianity is affected by the business community.  I only suggest that the faith of many of today’s followers may not actually be the faith of their fathers.  Christianity has been impacted, changed, and has reinvented itself, and been reinvented by ages, fashions, and movements from Paul of Tarsus to Billy Graham and awareness of this fact ought to make us less smug and perhaps, more thankful for the diversity represented across time and geography.

See also “Kitsch substituted for Spirituality,”

Jesus “junk and trinkets.”

The 911 Site Mosque Issue

The nation is still coming to terms with the issue of a proposed mosque in lower Manhattan near the site of the world trade towers collapse following the terrorist attack of “911″ by Islamic terrorists.  Critics allege that the proposed mosque will be a “victory mosque.”  Defenders tend to minimize the proximity of the mosque to the former world trade towers.

At the White House “iftar,” celebrating the commencement of Ramadan, President Obama said “But let me be clear, as a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America.”

Despite the tragedy of 911, Obama’s comments sum up the issue as one of individual rights and responsibilities in relation to local laws and ordinances.  But, is it wise to build a mosque so near the 911 site? Well this is another question. Withdrawal of the project will rest mainly on appeal to the builders whom, I believe,  would demonstrate both wisdom and discretion in carefully considering the unsurprising level of public disapproval of the project.

Child Disciplining Movement Turns Deadly

- Salon.com

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The Salon article talks about discipline practices that include wrapping children tightly in blankets (one child died of asphyxiation), and beating others with diverse instruments including lengths of plumbing supply line.  A 7 year old girl died after being beaten with the plumbing supply line from organ failure due to massive tissue breakdown.

Michael and Debi Pearl of “No Greater Joy,” ministries are the authors and promoters of the program of corporal punishment that they say is designed to bring about the total obedience of children, even infants, to their “sovereign” parents.  Apparently, according to the Pearls, a proper spanking leaves a child “without breath to complain.”

The article also probes the dangerous set of expectations that are set up by the tenets of the teaching.

Followers of Christ Verdict in Oregon City

In March 2008 Carl and Raylene Worthington, members of the Followers of Christ church in Oregon City, Oregon, opted to practice faith healing rather than turning to evidence-based medicine in treating their 15 month old daughter Ava.  Prosecutors said that the child’s blood infection could have been easily treated with antibiotics and the couple were charged with manslaughter and with criminal mistreatment. The defence argued that the Worthington’s sincerely believed that Ava’s health was improving.  Additionally, Oregon lawmakers have noted a pattern of infant mortality and child mortality among members of the Followers of Christ church, greatly in excess of mortality rates among similar groups elsewhere.

This past Thursday all charges against Raylene were dropped and Carl was found guilty only for criminal mistreatment.  Oregon live notes: “Although the law prohibits the Worthingtons from using a religious defense against the manslaughter charge, jurors considered the Worthingtons’ beliefs in finding that the couple acted reasonably in relying on faith healing rather than attempting to revive their daughter when she stopped breathing or calling 9-1-1.”

The whole affair was tragic on several levels.  Neither Ava nor many other children of Followers of Christ members who have died, perished due to a terminal illness.  They died because they did not receive an intervention as simple as conventional, everyday, antibiotics or other medications.  Neither the Worthingtons nor any of the other members of the Followers of Christ should feel the burden of having to choose between the false dichotomy of faith or medicine.  When it comes down to fundamental choices of life and health vs morbidity and/or mortality, the law should intervene.  Freedom of religion no longer deserves protection when it comes to endanger the lives of others whether they be snake-handlers in the Appalchians or faith healers in Oregon City.

Oregon Live

Rick Ross

Ex-members opinions (language warning)

Dispatches – Saving Africa’s Witch Children

An unbelievable number of African children are being stigmatized, marginalized, and abused in just one Nigerian province, Akwa Ibong.  The youtube.com link leads to several videos illustrating the problem and one Englishman’s efforts to help the “witch children,” with health care, food, education, and a safe place to live.  This victimization of children is fanaticism at its ugliest.

The “bishop” in the first video estimates that there are 2.3 million witches in Akwa Ibom alone.  Ironically, he believes he is the only one capable of administering the cure, an exorcism involving prayers and potions that very few can afford.

Video Link

Dispatches – Saving Africa’s Witch Children – Channel 4

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Darwin Day February 12th

Today marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin. There is even a website devoted to the 200th anniversary marking the birth of this distinguished naturalist: Darwin Day.org

Fox News mentions Gallup and Pew polls which show that fewer than 4 in 10 Americans believe that evolution is factual (Fox News article). The Gallup poll found a significant link between understanding of evolution and education, “Just 21 percent of respondents who had up to a high school level of education believe in evolution, compared with 74 percent of those with postgraduate degrees.” It is a little surprising that only 74% of those holding post grad degrees accept evolution as fact. “Among weekly churchgoers, only 24 percent said they believe in evolution, while 41 percent do not and 35 percent have no opinion.”

Fox News also offers several links to evolutionary articles and hosts it’s own online center. Missing Links Fox News Evolutionary and Paleontology Center Celebrations today in Britain include exhibitions of artifacts, tours, and, at the Bristol Zoo if you visit wearing a real or fake beard (certainly non sexist), you get in for free (Bristol Zoo). Quoted from an article on the Bristol Zoo site, “Simon Garrett, Head of Learning at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “Darwin is now a household name and, over the last 150 years, his ideas have revolutionised our understanding of nature and our place within it. Bristol Zoo’s ‘beard day’ is a fun way of commemorating Darwin’s life and work while allowing visitors to find out more about his theories.” ” “Among the biggest celebrations is at the Natural History Museum in London which is putting on films, talks and pea soup, cooked to the recipe of Darwin’s wife, Emma.” And, at 5:45 pm today there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at Darwin’s grave in Westminster Abbey.

Some Say Religious People Live Longer…

We’ve all seen the many, mostly US studies, that suggest that religious people live longer.  Especially those that attend religious services on a weekly basis or greater.

A puzzling paradox to me then is why the nations with the greatest longevity are largely those that are the least religious.  Sweden, for example, has been considered the least religious nation in the EU yet it’s people live significantly longer than Americans, who are the most religious.  Swedes live longer on average than even Canadians with the exception of the Canadian sub group who live in British Columbia.

Evidently the adage that “correlation is not causation,” proves truthful again.  Or, what do you think?

George Bush opines on the Bible and Evolution

President Bush was recently asked about his opinions on creationism and evolution. The bit below is nicked from the UK’s “the Telegraph.”

“I think you can have both,” Mr Bush, who leaves office January 20, told ABC television, adding “You’re getting me way out of my lane here. I’m just a simple president.”

But “evolution is an interesting subject. I happen to believe that evolution doesn’t fully explain the mystery of life,” said the president, an outspoken Christian who often invokes God in his speeches.

“I think that God created the Earth, created the world; I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an almighty and I don’t think it’s incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution,” he told ABC television.

Asked whether the Bible was literally true, Mr Bush replied: “Probably not. No, I’m not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it.”

David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network told CNN”s John Roberts on Thursday, “I think a lot of social conservative evangelicals were surprised — probably grabbing the smelling salts as we speak.”

A question I’m interested in hearing about is “how important is it anyway to take a literal interpretation of the Bible?”  If this were 1980, would Bush’s opinion make a difference in the election outcome?  Many “emergent church” representatives gave Bush some half-baked kudos on his remarks and conceded that they felt the same way, what do you think?