Question posed to Dinesh D'Souza:
"You maintain that the Big Bang must have had a cause, as you've been going on and on, however this in effect created the universe that is grounded in such rules as cause and effect. Yet at the same time you also maintain that as humans we are creatures of free will and choice and are therefore exempt from this universal canon of cause and effect. Doesn't that strike you as a gross inconsistency at best?"
Response from D'Souza:
"On the contrary it is completely consistent with my supposition, well hypothesis, let's call it a hypothesis, that a discretionary God who did not have to make the universe, the universe was not created out of necessity, it was created out of free--at least this is the Christian view--out of free will. We are created in the image of God which means that to some degree we have some resemblance to God, in what way? In what resemblance? God's not a material thing, there's no Christian tradition going back to the beginning that holds God be material, God is spiritual. So we don't resemble God in our material frame. That's why I have no problem with the theory of Evolution. Because I believe the material frame of man can be adequately explained by evolution, but I maintain that man also has a moral and a spiritual dimension. And while evolution has made pretty good headway in explaining what could be called 'low-altruism' -- I scratch your back you scratch my back -- or, the mother jumps in the burning car because 'wait a minute, her children happen to share her genes -- that's why she's doing it, disguised selfishness.' This is all very clever. But frankly, it doesn't go very far. It accounts for about 10 percent of morality. If you get up and give your bus seat to a stranger, you know, Richard Dawkins may come and go, 'Well that was a really cunning move - you're hoping the old lady will give you her seat next week.' No, you're just doing it because you're a nice guy. Or you give blood, or Mother Theresa, or 'Give me liberty or give me death.' There are lots of people who do things for strangers where they have no even disguised benefit. And I think evolution hasn't given a very plausible, it's given some implausible accounts of this, but it hasn't really accounted for morality. And I think that many people would admit that."
This debate is getting me fired up about going back to my notebook to finish blogging the notes I took about Dawkins' God Delusion. I'll have to go back and read what I've written so far and go from there.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Some Apologetics
Here is a quotation from Dinesh D'Souza (Christian Apologist) during a debate with Daniel Dennett (Philosopher and Atheist). D'Souza here is responding to the idea of "materialist morality" which says that everything can be reduced down to the movement of atoms, and that even our morality is determined by the physical world.
"Why would anyone be attracted to a metaphysics, that ultimately denies, if you will, half of our humanity? The whole subjective dimension, the whole moral dimension? I want to suggest that ultimately atheism is not so much an intellectual revolt, because think about it, when it comes to God I would agree that I don't know that God exists, I believe that he does. Now knowledge is not the same thing as belief. I wouldn't say I believe in my brother. I know the guy. You only believe when you don't know. So here's the difference. I don't know, and still I believe. Dan doesn't know, and therefore he doesn't believe. What unites us is both of us don't know. We're actually both ignorant. The only difference is, Dan thinks he's a 'champion of reason and I'm a champion of blind faith.' No! We are both reasoning in the dark. The only difference is he won't admit it."
It's not reasonable to hold debates between Theists and Atheists unless they both first agree that both sides have made conscious decisions to believe something. (Which are hopefully based on observations, facts and experiences.)
Unfortunately Dan Barker didn't do this when he came and spoke at UW - Eau Claire, and it severely cut into his credibility among thinking Christians and Atheists on campus alike.
You can find this debate in its full here. I of course only highlighted one individual point. There is much more background to this statement as well as an elaboration in the video. This quotation came in part 6.
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"Why would anyone be attracted to a metaphysics, that ultimately denies, if you will, half of our humanity? The whole subjective dimension, the whole moral dimension? I want to suggest that ultimately atheism is not so much an intellectual revolt, because think about it, when it comes to God I would agree that I don't know that God exists, I believe that he does. Now knowledge is not the same thing as belief. I wouldn't say I believe in my brother. I know the guy. You only believe when you don't know. So here's the difference. I don't know, and still I believe. Dan doesn't know, and therefore he doesn't believe. What unites us is both of us don't know. We're actually both ignorant. The only difference is, Dan thinks he's a 'champion of reason and I'm a champion of blind faith.' No! We are both reasoning in the dark. The only difference is he won't admit it."
It's not reasonable to hold debates between Theists and Atheists unless they both first agree that both sides have made conscious decisions to believe something. (Which are hopefully based on observations, facts and experiences.)
Unfortunately Dan Barker didn't do this when he came and spoke at UW - Eau Claire, and it severely cut into his credibility among thinking Christians and Atheists on campus alike.
You can find this debate in its full here. I of course only highlighted one individual point. There is much more background to this statement as well as an elaboration in the video. This quotation came in part 6.
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
I'm finally feeling better about the Japan thing. I knew I would start the climb back up the culture shock curve at some point, I just wasn't sure when.
I think what did it was getting the chance to talk to talk to several other JETs at the practice day for Mid-Year Seminar. Almost every single Shizuoka JET who is in their second year or longer was together on Tuesday. I took some pictures because we are so rarely together, and I haven't seen some of those people since last years' MYS. I got to talk to so many people about what I was thinking about Japan and being an ALT and recontracting and my school...it was great to get to run some things through out loud and to hear from other people how they were doing.
That played a big part. And talking to someone who was real and not having to fake something for appearances, or worry about how I was going to come across.
And a big part of it was a simple reminder from my friend Will that my faith is strong enough for me to stand on. I was on my knees yesterday morning before rushing off to school giving it all up and asking God to cover all of my needs.
I was actually relaxed at work for the day. I read articles about Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. Today I read a bunch of my Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy textbook. Gotta be well read for that FSOT. (And I finished Airframe by Michael Crichton tonight...not quite sure how that helped...)
So yes, I'm feeling much better. I feel ready again to take on the world. I got 7 1/2 weeks now until I'm on a plane back home and before then I got a long weekend in Tokyo, 2 days in Kakegawa, a longer weekend in Tokyo, a long weekend in Hiroshima, and 5 days in Nagasaki. The rest of the time is just filler.
It will be interesting to go back on all these blogs and plot the culture shock curve. Or the "missing home" curve. Or the "Luther's feeling sorry for himself" curve. Or the "lonely" curve. The loneliness hasn't left necessarily, I'm just ok with it. It's not like I've isolated myself - sometimes it's possible to be alone even when you're surrounded by lots of people.
Well, hopefully I can come up with some good stories for you. I should at least write down a list of story starters - some "1-liner ignition." I have a million things to tell you, and most of them will come up in moments ignited by asides; not finding any towels in a public bathroom, passing by a tree in bloom, the smell of fish in the air, students in uniform or the sound of a crossing signal. Anything could start them off. I want to hold on to moments though and call them back to you at anytime. Not that you want to know, but I know, I don't want to forget.
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I think what did it was getting the chance to talk to talk to several other JETs at the practice day for Mid-Year Seminar. Almost every single Shizuoka JET who is in their second year or longer was together on Tuesday. I took some pictures because we are so rarely together, and I haven't seen some of those people since last years' MYS. I got to talk to so many people about what I was thinking about Japan and being an ALT and recontracting and my school...it was great to get to run some things through out loud and to hear from other people how they were doing.
That played a big part. And talking to someone who was real and not having to fake something for appearances, or worry about how I was going to come across.
And a big part of it was a simple reminder from my friend Will that my faith is strong enough for me to stand on. I was on my knees yesterday morning before rushing off to school giving it all up and asking God to cover all of my needs.
I was actually relaxed at work for the day. I read articles about Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. Today I read a bunch of my Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy textbook. Gotta be well read for that FSOT. (And I finished Airframe by Michael Crichton tonight...not quite sure how that helped...)
So yes, I'm feeling much better. I feel ready again to take on the world. I got 7 1/2 weeks now until I'm on a plane back home and before then I got a long weekend in Tokyo, 2 days in Kakegawa, a longer weekend in Tokyo, a long weekend in Hiroshima, and 5 days in Nagasaki. The rest of the time is just filler.
It will be interesting to go back on all these blogs and plot the culture shock curve. Or the "missing home" curve. Or the "Luther's feeling sorry for himself" curve. Or the "lonely" curve. The loneliness hasn't left necessarily, I'm just ok with it. It's not like I've isolated myself - sometimes it's possible to be alone even when you're surrounded by lots of people.
Well, hopefully I can come up with some good stories for you. I should at least write down a list of story starters - some "1-liner ignition." I have a million things to tell you, and most of them will come up in moments ignited by asides; not finding any towels in a public bathroom, passing by a tree in bloom, the smell of fish in the air, students in uniform or the sound of a crossing signal. Anything could start them off. I want to hold on to moments though and call them back to you at anytime. Not that you want to know, but I know, I don't want to forget.
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Monday, October 20, 2008
Lyrics
Ingrid Michaelson - Far Away
I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay.
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea,
And close to my heart he'll always stay.
I will bear three girls all with strawberry curls, little Ella and
Nelly and Faye.
While I'm combing their hair, I will catch his warm stare
On our island in the blue bay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
There's a boy next to me and he never will be anything but a boy at the bar.
And I think he's the tops, he's where everything stops.
How I love to love him from afar.
When he walks right pass me then I finally see on this bar stool I can't stay.
So I'm taking my frown to a far distant town
On an island in the blue bay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
I want to go far away.
Away away, I want to go far away, away, away
I want to go far away, far away.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another life, to another life.
To another shore line
In another life.
I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay.
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea,
And close to my heart he'll always stay.
I will bear three girls all with strawberry curls, little Ella and
Nelly and Faye.
While I'm combing their hair, I will catch his warm stare
On our island in the blue bay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
There's a boy next to me and he never will be anything but a boy at the bar.
And I think he's the tops, he's where everything stops.
How I love to love him from afar.
When he walks right pass me then I finally see on this bar stool I can't stay.
So I'm taking my frown to a far distant town
On an island in the blue bay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
I want to go far away.
Away away, I want to go far away, away, away
I want to go far away, far away.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another life, to another life.
To another shore line
In another life.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A gone day
People say to me, "Good Morning" on my way to work and "Good Evening" when I'm on my way home.
I think the reason why Japanese people bow to each other instead of shaking hands is because they don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. And I mean ladies and gentlemen, #1 and #2. It's really disgusting. It baffles me and grosses me out every time I'm in the bathroom washing my hands and someone comes out of a stall and just walks right back into the teachers room. And I know that's guys and girls because the little girls' room is inside the men's bathroom. Most public places don't have soap and I know 99.9% of the population doesn't carry a pump-style bottle of dial in their pocket. We at least have soap at school - the nurse started an initiative several months back to put soap by the sinks - but I don't think the bottle has even needed to be refilled yet due to infrequent use. And I've even seen the nurse walk out of the bathroom without washing her hands.
I seriously considered playing hooky today. It was sooo nice out. And the sun was already below the horizon on my bike ride home. It's testing week so I had no classes today. I get to sit at my desk and let my mind wander... Like that book about an ALT, Tonoharu. I still hear it in my mother's voice as she read the first few pages to me over skype. She sent it to me later. It's pretty gosh-darn, dead on accurate. CLAIR should buy a copy for every JET participant and send it to them before they arrive.
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I think the reason why Japanese people bow to each other instead of shaking hands is because they don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. And I mean ladies and gentlemen, #1 and #2. It's really disgusting. It baffles me and grosses me out every time I'm in the bathroom washing my hands and someone comes out of a stall and just walks right back into the teachers room. And I know that's guys and girls because the little girls' room is inside the men's bathroom. Most public places don't have soap and I know 99.9% of the population doesn't carry a pump-style bottle of dial in their pocket. We at least have soap at school - the nurse started an initiative several months back to put soap by the sinks - but I don't think the bottle has even needed to be refilled yet due to infrequent use. And I've even seen the nurse walk out of the bathroom without washing her hands.
I seriously considered playing hooky today. It was sooo nice out. And the sun was already below the horizon on my bike ride home. It's testing week so I had no classes today. I get to sit at my desk and let my mind wander... Like that book about an ALT, Tonoharu. I still hear it in my mother's voice as she read the first few pages to me over skype. She sent it to me later. It's pretty gosh-darn, dead on accurate. CLAIR should buy a copy for every JET participant and send it to them before they arrive.
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On a clear day in Kambara you can see Fujisan thrusting high into the air, immense on the horizon. I often see just the top of Mt. Fuji over the various hills and factories that inhabit my town. But biking over on the river side I can see all of Fuji - from my feet all the way to its snow dusted top. Today I was biking to lunch and looking at the horizon where there was a wall of cumulus clouds in the North and East. It wasn't a high wall, but it was enough to completely cover the mountain. It was then that I suddenly realized how big the sky is. Here I'd been contemplating the immensity of Fuji, only to find it masked by a thin stretch of clouds covering only a fraction of the sky. I looked up and saw a brilliant blue. (Blue? That is definitely the color I would choose to paint the sky if I were a surrealist.) And then I looked around at the different shades as sky faded towards horizon. The sky is huge! I mean, you can't even see it all if you keep your eyes in one place.
I definitely want to come home. I'm really glad I booked a ticket to come back for 19 days in December. But I want to be back for good. I'm homesick. Probably the most homesick I've been since I've been in Japan. I am having fun here and there's no way I would break contract and come home - there's too many things I need to see and do still while I'm over here. But I know that I don't want to be here as an ALT forever. This is just a temporary thing. I'm ready to move on to the next phase in my life.
And I'd like to be able to do the hobbies I enjoyed back home: playing catch with a football, playing disc golf, lifting weights, not being 30 minutes to an hour-and-a-half commute from friends. And I'd like to be able to communicate with unlimited possibility with the people around me. I'm so hampered by my situation. When I get home I'm going to be talking silly to just about everyone.
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I definitely want to come home. I'm really glad I booked a ticket to come back for 19 days in December. But I want to be back for good. I'm homesick. Probably the most homesick I've been since I've been in Japan. I am having fun here and there's no way I would break contract and come home - there's too many things I need to see and do still while I'm over here. But I know that I don't want to be here as an ALT forever. This is just a temporary thing. I'm ready to move on to the next phase in my life.
And I'd like to be able to do the hobbies I enjoyed back home: playing catch with a football, playing disc golf, lifting weights, not being 30 minutes to an hour-and-a-half commute from friends. And I'd like to be able to communicate with unlimited possibility with the people around me. I'm so hampered by my situation. When I get home I'm going to be talking silly to just about everyone.
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