"Do not be scared by the word authority. Believing things on authority only means believing them because you have been told them by someone you think trustworthy. I believe there is such a place as New York. I have not seen it myself. I could not prove by abstract reasoning that there must be such a ... Continue reading
Are You Being Influenced?
August 15, 2021 By 1 Comment
Some pastors are known for their controversial political views, others for their less-than-orthodox teachings, but it’s hard to beat the Rev. Sheryl Ruthven when it comes to making attention-getting claims: she believes herself to be a prophetess who is the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene, one of ... Continue reading
Deconstructing Bart Ehrman
April 9, 2009 By
Back before cable and the internet, we used to depend on Uncle Walter for news. A consummate professional, CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite could always be relied on to get his facts straight and the questions of the day answered with precision.Today, the inescapable 24/7 news cycle and the ... Continue reading
Framing stories: Bias and truth
April 20, 2008 By 1 Comment
In a dusty pueblo not far from Gallup, New Mexico, the Zunis were noisily celebrating the end of winter. Costumed dancers wearing animal-skin cloaks, feathers and shells hurried through the dark streets, their faces hidden behind colorful masks, their bodies painted in ancient designs. The dancers ... Continue reading
What others have to say
November 29, 2005 By
In between fixing recalcitrant computers and answering my phone, I've been reading some great stuff on other blogs. BTW, I use Bradbury Software's excellent Feed Demon to collect the latest posts. Much faster than clicking down through a list of bookmarks. Julana writes at Life in the Slow Lane. ... Continue reading
Martian perspectives
January 10, 2004 By Leave a Comment
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is about to get down and dirty on the Red Planet, and what I want to know is, who's driving? Suppose you were the NASA engineer assigned to put that 400-million-dollar dune buggy through its paces. Imagine that it's your job to tool around a rock-strewn planet 38 ... Continue reading
Beauty and truth
November 22, 2003 By 1 Comment
A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness. —John Keats The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives. —Albert Einstein A few weeks back, while California was burning to the ... Continue reading
