Paranormal State

Paranormal State is the name of a new (to me at least) television series on the A&E network. I just happened to record it the other night on A&E HD and watched two episodes today. The show is a reality (?!) show about paranormal investigators from Penn State University. They check out unusual circumstances that may be paranormal-related. It is a bit biased towards Catholicism (they believe in hauntings, demons, possesions, etc) but they also have a Wiccan on board for rounding out their armament versus the paranormal/spiritual world. I would like to have seen them take more of a skeptical approach like the TAPS show does on the SciFi network, but it is still entertaining. Here is their website.

I recommend you watch it some time and reply with your thoughts about it. I believe they edit the hell out of the show for dramatic effect, but I don't blame them. It would be boring as hell if they never found anything interesting (even if it is a bit manufactured.)

Intelligen Design Comments

After being gone for a while, I was surprised to see there is a current dialog going on in the 'Intelligent Design' post below. I guess I was surprised that people actually still visit my site. That is motivation enough for me to get busy posting again soon!

Sorry

I am sorry I have not been posting lately. I have been extremely busy with some family issues. Nothing bad- good, actually. I should be able to start posting again within the next week or so.

My question has been answered!

The Official God FAQ site is here, and it has all the answers!

(Thanks to Protium, who had posted this on his blog here.)

Biblical Error is Impossible...

Here is the Vatican's position (from the Vatican website), in the words of Pope Leo XIII in 'Providentissimus Deus' (his 1893 encyclical on the Study of Holy Scripture):

"[I]t is absolutely wrong and forbidden, either to narrow inspiration to certain parts only of Holy Scripture, or to admit that the sacred writer has erred. For the system of those who, in order to rid themselves of these difficulties, do not hesitate to concede that divine inspiration regards the things of faith and morals, and nothing beyond, because (as they wrongly think) in a question of the truth or falsehood of a passage, we should consider not so much what God has said as the reason and purpose which He had in mind in saying it-this system cannot be tolerated. For all the books which the Church receives as sacred and canonical, are written wholly and entirely, with all their parts, at the dictation of the Holy Ghost; and so far is it from being possible that any error can co-exist with inspiration, that inspiration not only is essentially incompatible with error, but excludes and rejects it as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that God Himself, the supreme Truth, can utter that which is not true. This is the ancient and unchanging faith of the Church, solemnly defined in the Councils of Florence and of Trent, and finally confirmed and more expressly formulated by the Council of the Vatican. These are the words of the last: "The Books of the Old and New Testament, whole and entire, with all their parts, as enumerated in the decree of the same Council (Trent) and in the ancient Latin Vulgate, are to be received as sacred and canonical. And the Church holds them as sacred and canonical, not because, having been composed by human industry, they were afterwards approved by her authority; nor only because they contain revelation without error; but because, having been written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author." "

Wow, I thought the Catholics were one of the more lenient in terms of explaining away some of the more obscure passages. I guess I was wrong.

Intelligent Design?

Neil Tyson is a brilliant scientist. He uses logic and reasoning extremely well. There are numerous videos of him on YouTube that show how great a speaker he is. This following is one of my favorites: (thanks, Tommy) BTW: it kind of relates to my previous post, but I didn't see this video until tonight.

Does God have legs?

Upon reflecting on the creation stories of the Bible while sitting on the shitter (I had nothing to read at the time), more questions arose in me regarding the Christian God of the Bible. It is said that man was created "in the image of God". Did God have legs? I wondered this because he apparently had nothing to stand on for all eternity in the vastness of nothingness. Why would He need legs? He needn't walk anywhere. Why do we have legs? Why don't we have the ability to float or fly or 'exist' in our space? Now I can see the arms thing. You can say they were needed for 'creating', but I figure He could just do it with His mind or something.

Now my mind started to race to other things that I had never given thought to about the man/God physical relationship (no, not that kind of physical relationship!)

Why do we need to eat and drink to survive? Certainly there was no need for food or water for God to survive. He being the omniscient He is (supposed to be), He could save millions of the needless suffering people and children that starve to death, dehydration, food poisoning, etc.

Why do we need to breathe air to survive? God exists in space or nothingness. There is no atmosphere for God. Why do we need air to breathe so we can survive? Again, many needless deaths could have been avoided by those who suffocate, drown, or get lung cancer (smoking would not be an option if we needn't breathe, right?) And why did God create 75% of the Earth's surface water if we cannot survive in it as a natural environment?

Why do we require a person of the opposite sex (God seems to be male according to the Bible) to procreate? And how did God determine what a female would look like? He did not make the female in 'His' image, unless He has tits and a vagina (and a monthly penchant for being pissed off...hey, now that explains a lot of the evil God in the Old Testament!) But that would negate the whole "created man in His image" argument.

Speaking of procreation, why did we need to procreate? Why didn't God just make all of us. He made Adam (and Eve), so why not make everyone? That would save so many needless deaths from pregnancy complications, abortion, stillborns, etc. And it would not require sex, so rape would not exist (and homosexualism- since the Christian's seem to be so against it.)

Why do we require temperatures in the ~ 35F to 100F degree range to survive? God apparently needs no heat to survive. He exists in nothingness. How cold (or hot) is that? I would venture a guess of something like deep space with no sun for heat... pretty effing cold! How about creating a perfect planet with a balmy 72F all over, all year round? This would negate heatstroke, burning to death, frostbite, hypothermia, etc. Damn, this dude is starting to sound like a really sick bastard now.

I'm sure more will come to me, but I will need to eat a few burritos first to make it back to my 'thinking chair'.