Category: Religion
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Astrology vs Religion
Professor Reville of UCC has an interesting article in today’s Irish Times on the subject of astrology. After analyzing the practice he reaches the following conclusion: Astrology makes large claims that are extremely improbable from a scientific viewpoint. In order to take these claims seriously it would be necessary to have extraordinarily strong evidence. On…
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One way to protest…
The Muslim Council of Britain is someone I have some sympathy for, after watching the news earlier. The BBC reports: When a well-organised group of hecklers from a fringe, Islamist group stormed a general election event organised by the Muslim Council of Britain, it was a PR disaster the organisation could have done without. In…
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Sullivan to become atheist?
Andrew Sullivan is just a little freaked out at Ratzinger becoming pope. Choice quotes: It would be hard to over-state the radicalism of this decision. It’s not simply a continuation of John Paul II. It’s a full-scale attack on the reformist wing of the church. The swiftness of the decision and the polarizing nature of…
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New Pope
I am one of those people who actually wasn’t alive when the last Pope was elected, so it is interesting to see a new one. His policies sound exactly like JPII’s.
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Top Catholics question condom ban
This is likely to figure highly on the agenda of the new Pope. This subject has come up before, will the Church taking a softer line on condoms as a pro-life gesture be acceptable to Catholics?
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Fallen angels
In my opinion religion has only two positive consequences. Firstly, in times of trouble, like the death of someone close, it can be of great comfort. Secondly, religion can be useful in maintaining stability in society in general. Every other aspect of religious belief is negative. War, death and destruction, unnecessary guilt, discrimination, stunting of…
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Pope John Paul II
I think this to be one of the better obituaries going around.
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An assignment from the Heritage Foundation
Kevin Drum has been given a curious assignment…in relation to an impending debate on an apparently growing number of scientists around the world who no longer believe that natural selection or chemistry, alone, can explain the origins of life. …please prepare suitably relevant definitions for the following words and phrases: *”Growing number” *”Scientists” *”Believe” *”Theory”…
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Genes contribute to religious inclination
I am not surprised by this study, but it is still a good read on the day that’s in it. The team gave questionnaires to 169 pairs of identical twins – 100% genetically identical – and 104 pairs of fraternal twins – 50% genetically identical – born in Minnesota. The twins, all male and in…
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The Pope and Fatima
I never realised, but according to the Pope, and to the Vatican, there was a divine intervention during the assassination attempt in 1981. This is all related to the ‘secrets of Fatima’. There is a conversation with Maria Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart detailed on this Vatican website. The original text, in Portuguese,…