There is a frequently overlooked problem in video game design involving the consistency of the game narrative alongside the need for the player to be able to respawn, meaning continue the game in light of being slain by a game … Read the rest
Can a Religious Outsider Be a Theologian?
When I was an undergraduate studying religion and a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School I was taught that theology is written by religious insiders, and theologians are religious insiders. Non-Christians cannot be theologians of Christianity or write Christian theology, … Read the rest
My Hope for a Post-Pandemic America
My hope for a post COVID-19 Pandemic America is that Americans will see restrictions on their freedoms as a blessing.
Allow me to explain my blasphemous words by listing some of the things that I most dislike:
- Choosing between 50
We’re All Atheists!
That title was meant to be provocative, of course.
But I do have a point. There’s tremendous variation in what people mean by God, god, gods, etc., so much that the term atheist becomes slippery.
God crops up in unexpected … Read the rest
Understand Before You Criticize
Once when I was discussing a paper topic with Frank Clooney, I told him I wanted to critique some parts of the ritual theory of a third-century Indian thinker by the name of Shabara. He asked me, “Have … Read the rest
Amnesiac Vacation and Meaning in Life
I was re-reading Daniel Kahnemann’s Thinking Fast and Slow and came across this thought experiment about a hypothetical vacation:
At the end of the vacation, all pictures and videos will be destroyed. Furthermore, you will swallow a potion that will
Boy Scouts of America “Belief in God” Is Just a Shibboleth
I’m an Eagle Scout, have a Master’s in religion from a prestigious university, and I don’t shy from calling myself an atheist, so I have an uncommon perspective on Boy Scouts of America. In truth, I’m glad BSA is … Read the rest
The Merely Possible and Abortion
Have you ever considered how many children you have disdainfully denied existence by not having (more) children? I expect not. The huddling masses of merely possible kiddies (MPK’s) do not often concern us.
But should they? There are many points … Read the rest