The concept of free will is central to many religious doctrines and arguably believed in by most people. But does it exist? Are we truly able to make decisions based purely on an intrinsic will that is free from all motivations, influences and desires? This essay explores this complex topic.
Read moreHow do you determine if something is true? It could be anything from a claim about history or why your car is making a funny noise to what is most likely to happen in the future. Every single day of our lives, whether we realize it or not, we use probabilistic reasoning. As much as we would like it, it’s usually impossible to prove anything to a point of being irrefutable. This makes some people very uncomfortable as we humans love certainty. Nonetheless, we reason this way all the time probably without realizing it.
Read more
For many, the Bible is the infallible, perfect Word of God, authored by the divine Creator of the Universe, penned by the prophets and pious religious leaders whose hands were guided by the Almighty. Traditionally, the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) are said to have been written by Moses himself. But a close look at the text shows that this simply cannot be true.
Read more
Evolution is a significant topic in discussions of religious belief, primarily because it challenges long held traditions and beliefs based on Scriptures. However, there are currently two theories of Evolution at large in the world. They are opposed to each other, yet they aren’t competitors. In this article we are going to examine both theories, their propositions, evidence, merits and why they both exist.
Read moreNote: I was originally intending to post this on the very day of the anniversary of my apostasy but I was unable to complete it to my satisfaction. May 24, 2015. It was a day I will always remember. It was the day that for the first time in my life, I seriously considered that the Christian beliefs that I
Read moreImagine for a moment that I am a prominent Evolutionary Biologist and I’m being interviewed on television about my scientific viewpoint versus Intelligent Design or Creationism. The interviewer refers to the complexity of life, the suitable conditions on Earth, the human eye, etc, and asks how I can explain all of this. My reply is something like: “We can
Read more
If you are a religious believer, odds are pretty good that you are confident that you are correct. You have a list of reasons why it is the truth and everyone else is wrong. But is that ability unique to your faith? This article covers what all religions can do to explain the truth of their claims and why this ability is not so special.
Read more