Sapere Aude!

Hillbilly Preacher to Bush Satanic Versions of the Bible

Jehovah Witnesses and Anti-Intellectualism

Religious communities often, I think, discourage education at least when it comes to subjects where a student might encounter something critical of that religion. Pharyngula directs us towards the Jehovah's Witness anti-intellectualism.

When I was a high school senior the youth minister at my church held a special Sunday School class for all of us about to head off to college.  The talk was about how we should be careful to watch out for those liberals in higher education that have an agenda to undermine religious belief.  But, for these folks, encouraging people to think critically about their religious beliefs constitutes an attempt to undermine religion.

Conservatizing the Bible

This conservatizing the Bible thing has got to be a joke, right?  If it's not then it's really, really sad.  I grew up holding the view that the King James Version of the Bible was a divinely inspired translation of the original Hebrew and Greek texts.  I don't those that view anymore.  In fact, I'm more inclined these days to think that something like the conservative Bible project has been instrumental in shaping what we know call the Bible in the sense that people's political, historical, cultural contexts influences how the Bible was put together.  But, if I did still hold that view of the Bible, the Conservative Bible Project would still bother me.

Glenn Beck Blames Minority For Social Ills

Studies keep showing that religious belief is doing pretty well. It seems like increasing secularization of society is more of a myth an a reality.

Christian Groups Block Showing of Darwin Movie in U.S.? | PEEK | AlterNet

Looks like some Christian groups are trying to block the showing of a movie about Charles Darwin.  I take it that these sorts of actions are a kind of unconscious confession that their beliefs cannot withstand criticism.  I wonder if Ben Stein will make a movie about it?

If Obama's a Racist, then What is This Guy?

Conservative Philosophers Are Idiots Too!!!!

Maverick Philosopher: Political Correctness Watch.  A pathetic repetition of ad hominem attacks by a philosopher.  Brilliant, huh?

Jon Stewart on Glenn Beck on Health Care

Apparently, getting a job at a right-wing news outlet has changed Glenn Beck's views on the American health care system.

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The debate over health care has finally soured me completely on politics. I'm so fucking tired of people who clearly have no goddamn clue about basic forms of politics crying "socialism" and "fascism" about health care while the real fascist policies (like indefinite detention, domestic surveillance, etc.) are completely ignored or rather actively supported by the folks crying "fascism".

Sarah Palin's Persistent Lack of Concern for Facts

After claiming that Obama's death panels would terminate her son's life, Sarah Palin called for civility in the debate over health care.  But, she's back at it again.

Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin defended her claim that the Democratic health care

proposal would create “death panels” in a statement Wednesday night slamming President Barack Obama.

“Yesterday President Obama responded to my statement that Democratic health care proposals would lead to rationed care; that the sick, the elderly and the disabled would suffer the most under such rationing; and that under such a system, these ‘unproductive’ members of society could face the prospect of government bureaucrats determining whether they deserve health care,” Palin wrote in a note on her Facebook page.

“The provision that President Obama refers to is Section 1233 of HR 3200, entitled ‘Advance Care Planning Consultation.’ With all due respect, it’s misleading for the president to describe this section as an entirely voluntary provision that simply increases the information offered to Medicare recipients,” she continued.

“Section 1233 authorizes advanced care planning consultations for senior citizens on Medicare every five years, and more often ‘if there is a significant change in the health condition of the individual ... or upon admission to a skilled nursing facility, a long-term care facility... or a hospice program.’"

Now, here is that section of the Bill.  Nothing in it implies involuntary euthanasia.  Palin is a liar.

Indoctrination at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

My father, sister, and brother-in-law all have master's degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where William Dembski current teaches.  Check out the course requirements for his undergraduate class on Intelligent Design.

This is the undegrad course. You have three things to do: (1) take the final exam (worth 40% of your grade); (2) write a 3,000-word essay on the theological significance of intelligent design (worth 40% of your grade); (3) provide at least 10 posts defending ID that you’ve made on “hostile” websites, the posts totalling 2,000 words, along with the URLs (i.e., web links) to each post (worth 20% of your grade).

He requires students to defend his views.  That's not education.  That's indoctrination.  If Dembski has such a principled position on teaching the controversy, intellectual honesty and academic freedom why does he require his students to defend his views?  You could not get away with that at a legitimate institution of higher learning.  (Hat tip: Dispatches From the Culture Wars)