Very nice. And it made it into the NYtimes!

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James Woods importantly demonstrates that cruel and arrogant theodicies animated American Christianity early in the history of the republic.  Episcopal and Methodist churches, oddly sometimes deemed “moderate” (moderate about what, exactly?), spouted the bone-crushing horror of their punishing god in earthquake scenarios. 

More now than ever, it is important to maintain and teach the Constitutional principle of separation between church and state.  Let the miasma of Christian theodicy sound from hollow pulpits.  It is clear that we are the only source of our rights and responsibilities toward each other, especially in time of disaster.  Let’s pursue those rights and responsibilities with reason and human solidarity unclouded by metaphysical obfuscation.

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this is not about the metaphysicial but about religion.

to confuse the two is ignorance defined.

research needs to be addressed in both the metaphysical and in the physical.

to do otherwise is religion dogma defined.

nothing should get in the way of research but religious dogma on both sides hinders research.

each side thinks their truth is thee truth.

paradigm paralysis defined. and throw in a little self righteousness. ok a lot of self   righteousness.

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Very good article.

How contradictory and unintelligible to say, on the one hand, it was God’s will that this terrible disaster fell upon the people of Haiti, while on the other hand, purporting that the now massive relief and charity effort is somehow also the will of, or at least made possible by the divine grace of, this same god.
Christians, you can’t have it both ways. 

Either your god is a cosmic bully, who revels in the suffering and misery of us lowly humans who are powerless to stop him, or he himself is powerless in the face of nature, loving or not, no more capable of saving us from such disasters as we are.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYQ3SpaInk4&feature=PlayList&p=4F6E10BDFAB5C2DF&index=3

this is an example of research into the paranormal both sides need to be researched.

that is true science not scientism.

this gold leaf lady proves little only that more research needs to be done.

materialism may not be able to explain this but the materialists lives on a very slipply slope one unexplained paranormal phenomena and kaboom the whole materialistic paradigm comes unglued.

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In the words of Maude, “God’ll get you for that!”

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Thanks for the article.  It is so frustrating to me that the constant, irrational thrusting of the Christian or some god into every deed or natural occurrence continues. What is it in so many people that they prefer,or need, to `kowtow’ in so many ways, even in dire times…(rhetorical question of course) in spite of common sense and the need to survive?

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