Crazy e-mail

I just got another one of those crazy e-mails. This one is informing me of the comments that Anne Graham (Billy Graham's daughter) is supposed to have made about hurricane Katrina (I remember seeing the same e-mail before, but it was 9/11 as the subject). What struck me most was very close to the beginning.

After being questioned about what she thought about what god thought about the tragedy of hurricane Katrina, she supposedly said, "I believe god is deeply saddened by this, just as we are..." and then goes on to mention how we have kicked him out of schools and public places, etc. and adds, "...and being the gentleman he is, I believe he has calmly backed out..."

How can anyone claiming to be a christian read such ignorance and stupidity and not immediately begin to question their "faith"?

If there were a god, such as the one described in the bible, he would be directly responsible for the damned hurricane to begin with. Given that, he would be laughing at the outcome because everything he does, he does for his own pleasure. And using the term "gentleman" to define an entity who has been given credit for the senseless slaughter of millions of innocent people, and would have you stone to death any of your children who may have disobeyed you or talked back to you -- well, that's just absurd.

Do you get crazy e-mails like this?

Born Again Atheist - A View of Nature

On The Carl Sagan Portal you will find the following "Mission Statement"

"Our mission is to awaken the broadest possible public to the wonders of nature as revealed by science."

How simple and beautiful that little sentence is. How much the world could gain by incorporating this loving and honest philosophy into our view of life.

Carl was a brilliant physicist, who was able to teach in lucid and entertaining ways that often left people learning far more than they expected to learn when they began their journey with him. A delightful example of this is the monumental series "Cosmos". If you ever have a chance to read or watch anything that Carl has published, you will find his views, unfettered by supernatural superstition, refreshing and revealing.

Born again

In Christianity, to be born again is to undergo a "spiritual rebirth" (regeneration) of the human soul or spirit, contrasted with the physical birth everyone experiences. The origin of the term "born again" is the New Testament: "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.'"[Jn 3:3 NIV] It is a term associated with salvation in Christianity. Individuals who profess to be born again often state that they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Indigo Bunting

The Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the stars to navigate. Its habitat is farmland, brush areas, and open woodland. The Indigo Bunting is closely related to the Lazuli Bunting, and interbreeds with the latter species where their ranges overlap.