by Bret Capranica | Jul 18, 2005 | Culture, General Theology
The L.A. Times prints an interesting article on the new public relations offensive of atheists. They appeal to human reason and naturalism as their source of truth and are seeking celebrity and political status in order to change the existing cultural bias against them. The newest brand of atheism calls itself “The Brights.” Here is their statement of belief: “What is a bright? A bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview A bright’s worldview is free of supernatural and mystical elements The ethics and actions of a bright are based on a naturalistic worldview.” Furthermore, they state: “The movement’s three major aims are: Promote the civic understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview, which is free of supernatural and mystical elements. Gain public recognition that persons who hold such a worldview can bring principled actions to bear on matters of civic importance. Educate society toward accepting the full and equitable civic participation of all such individuals.” This is the new atheism that seeks to be more subtle in its attempts to remove God from the culture. Promote naturalism and reason and people will abandon God is the basis of Bright religion. Obviously, their belief system is hardly new, but makes for interesting reading and, of course,...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 14, 2005 | Culture
Dr. Al Mohler blogs about his own greeting card mishap and launches into a cultural evaluation of where greeting cards are headed these days. I had no idea. Which means that I rarely walk into a Hallmark store. I prefer the cards at The Crackerbarrel to...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 13, 2005 | Culture, Science
The authority of objective scientific studies is often touted and used as an oft played trump card over many moral and biblical convictions. Even some sincere Christians will dump the Bible because the studies show. . . . Linked above is a rarely published discussion of the obvious. Scientific claims of conclusive information more often than not turn out to be not so conclusive after all. This report serves as another drop in the bucket of my chagrin regarding the indefinite results of very definitive claims from the scientific community. The article notes: “New research highlights a frustrating fact about science: What was good for you yesterday frequently will turn out to be not so great tomorrow.” “The sobering conclusion came in a review of major studies published in three influential medical journals between 1990 and 2003, including 45 highly publicized studies that initially claimed a drug or other treatment worked.” “Subsequent research contradicted results of seven studies – 16 percent – and reported weaker results for seven others, an additional 16 percent. That means nearly one-third of the original results did not hold up, according to the report in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association.” Amazingly, one researcher concluded, “The general public should not panic” about refuted studies, he said. “We all need to start thinking more critically.” Really? More critical thinking by rational people might actually lead to a more moral, perhaps biblical mindset. I’m not sure our Adamic nature will allow that to...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 12, 2005 | Culture, Psychology
Excessive gambling among victims of Parkinson’s disease can now be linked to one of the most popular drugs used to treat the malady. In fact, a number of excessive behaviors, like sex and shopping, can also be attributed to the drug Mirapex among Parkinson’s patients. The article linked above gives a number of “testimonies” of people caught up in virtually unrestrainable urges to excessively gamble (among other excessive behaviors). As soon as they stopped taking the drug, the urge was not as strong. As you might expect, a California attorney is filing a class action lawsuit against the drug company. This is an amazing drug. What the study did not indicate (at least the article citing it) was whether any of these people ever had any excessive impulses before the drug. A biblical evaluation would suggest that the impulse has always resided within. The behavior was no doubt already a part of their lives. Perhaps the drug so affected these people that their will to be self-controlled simply succumbed to the already residing desire to sin. Jesus said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” [Mark 7:20-23] According to the popular “course of this world,” it appears that the excessive nature of our American behavior can never be a result of indwelling sin. In other words, we must find any...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 10, 2005 | Culture, General Theology
How should we pray about this storm? Al Mohler has some pertinent thoughts from his blog linked above. What appears a random choice of natural elements is really a sovereign system of divine intentions. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (Matthew 10:29). Within the wrath of hurricane Dennis, a branch will not break apart from God’s divine intentions. I have friends and family who will feel Dennis’ impact today, the Lord’s Day. I pray that the goodness of God through the tragedies that strike will become very clear today, even now. Easy to say while on the left coast, right? Well, it was only a month ago that the earth shook us during offertory. God is in complete control and His purposes may be beyond our tracing out on this day. Yet, the tangled mess of a multitude of circumstances will one day be seen as the perfectly orchestrated tapestry of God’s grace. And in awe we will bless His holy...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 6, 2005 | Culture
Albert Mohler notes today how a bank in Manchester, England has asked a Christian organization to close its accounts with the bank because of its beliefs regarding homosexuality. I wonder if the bank also has account holders from aberrant religious groups who oppose homosexuality? Any Islamic organizations? Mormons? What about the Church of England and Roman Catholic groups? Have they also been asked to close their accounts? I bet it depends on the account balances more than it does the belief systems. Mohler notes for us another organization that intolerantly and inaccurately tries to enforce...
