I was asked today why my poppy was red and not white. The answer is simple really. They died so that we could be free and I deeply respect and appreciate that and cannot fathom those who do not. RELATED POST: ANZAC Day: Lest we Forget or Have we Already?
Entries from April 25th, 2010
Science and Religion: Theism and Explanatory Idleness
April 20th, 2010 50 Comments
A few weeks ago I was a panelist at a forum on Science and Religion at the University of Auckland, the podcast of that forum is available here. After this forum a member of the audience sent me the following email. I have reproduced my response below. Hey Matt Unfortunately I didn’t have time to […]
Tags: Faith and Reason · Science and Religion
Guest Post: Does Tax Exemption for Churches Directly Cost Taxpayers?
April 17th, 2010 152 Comments
Bethyada of True Paradigm offers us this guest post. I find it interesting because I wrote some thoughts about the New Zealand Association of Rationalist Humanist’s position on the issue of religious trusts having tax exemption in Equality or Hegemony: NZARH and Religious Trusts back in 2008. There I pointed out that humanist trusts that […]
Tags: Bethyada · Charity · Ken Perrott · Tax Exemption
Oxford Calling… Can you Help Glenn Peoples?
April 9th, 2010 11 Comments
The 18th Conference of the European Society of the Philosophy of Religion at the University of Oxford is on “Religion in the Public Square” and will feature my favourite philosopher (next to Matt of course) Professor Nicholas Wolterstorff and New Zealand’s own Glenn Peoples who blogs and produces brilliant podcasts at Say Hello to my […]
Tags: European Society of the Philosophy of Religion · Glenn Peoples · Nicholas Wolterstorff · Religion in Public Life
William Lane Craig and his Debate with Michael Tooley
April 7th, 2010 15 Comments
“Is God Real?” was the subject of the recent debate between William Lane Craig and Michael Tooley at the University of North Caroline on 24 March 2010. Whilst it is not available for free anywhere online, you can purchase it here, find reviews here, a pre-debate radio interview between the two here and of course […]
Tags: Alvin Plantinga · Debates · Michael Tooley · Problem · William Lane Craig
Auckland Bloggers Drinks – This Thursday
April 5th, 2010 5 Comments
On the first Thursday of every month (except for this month because the first Thursday fell on the eve of Good Friday and people tend to go away for Easter weekend) Auckland bloggers gather for the B3 (Bloggers Bar Bash). What: Auckland Bloggers Drinks When: Thursday 8 April from 6.30pm Where: Galbraiths, 2 Mt Eden […]
Tags: Bloggers Drinks · Events
A common objection to belief in the God of the Bible is that a good, kind, and loving deity would never command the wholesale slaughter of nations. In the tradition of his popular Is God a Moral Monster?, Paul Copan teams up with Matthew Flannagan to tackle some of the most confusing and uncomfortable passages of Scripture. Together they help the Christian and nonbeliever alike understand the biblical, theological, philosophical, and ethical implications of Old Testament warfare passages.
Guest Post: No Official Religion in God’s Own?
April 6th, 2010 124 Comments
David Simpkin is a Hamilton based lawyer with an interest in church-state issues. He studied law at the University of Auckland and holds a BA majoring in history and political studies. David is married to Susan and has a infant son, Caleb. He attends Whitiora Bible Church in Hamilton. David writes: As a holiday weekend that coincides with […]
Tags: David Simpkin · Freedom of Religion · Guest Post · Human Rights Commission · Religion in Public Life · Religious History · Rights and Freedoms · State Religion