Ask Sam Harris A Bunch Of Stuff

Sam Harris, author of the New York Times bestsellers, The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, and The Moral Landscape, answers questions submitted by readers. This is his second entry in this series (the first can be found further below).

The full video is an hour long. Links to specific topics/questions are provided below:

1. Eternity and the meaning of life 0:42
2. Do we have free will?  4:43 
3. How can we convince religious people to abandon their beliefs? 14:52 
4. How can atheists live among the faithful? 19:09 
5. How should we talk to children about death? 21:52 
6. Does human life have intrinsic value? 26:01 
7. Why should we be confident in the authority of science? 30:36  
8. How can one criticize Islam after the terrorism in Norway? 35:43
9. Should atheists join with Christians against Islam? 41:50
10. What does it mean to speak about the human mind objectively? 45:17 
11. How can spiritual claims be scientifically justified? 50:14 
12. Why can’t religion remain a private matter? 54:52  
13. What do you like to speak about at public events? 58:09 

Sam's first entry in this series is below (without the handy chapter links, unfortunately).

2012 Candidates: Where They Stand On Marriage Equality

Marriage Equality USA has released a handy matrix detailing each candidate's stance on marriage equality and other related issues.

Most of us don't need much help knowing where the GOP candidates stand, unfortunately, but it is interesting to see where they split hairs.

It's also more than a bit disappointing to see that a Republican is more progressive on the issues than Obama. One would think it wouldn't require an openly gay politician like Fred Karger to find support across the board for equality.

(h/t Pam Spaulding)

Man Designs and Plays Largest Drum Set In the World, For God

Dr. Mark Temperato, or RevM, as he's called, has built the largest drum set in the world. It's massive. The set is comprised of over 500 pieces. It boasts over 90 drums and 90 cymbals and features the 'World’s Largest Symphonic Gong.'

Why? To "worship God and wage war against the enemy."

From the Breath of Worship site:

At times, during the course of a service, the Holy Spirit may instruct Mark to minister on the drums or symphonic gong. During these moments, people’s lives have been deeply touched and often experience a sudden manifestation of the presence of God. A prolific speaker, Mark’s high energy, down-to-earth teaching style utilizes both his speaking ability and custom digitized sound effects, thus using sound teaching to declare the Word of the Lord. A moment with God, it lingers for a lifetime.


Whether preaching from behind the pulpit or playing the drums, one of the most appreciated aspects of Pastor Mark’s ministry is the use of the prophetic gifts. God is using his fresh approach prophetically as a catalyst to WAKE UP America from the shadow of indifference that has swept across this nation.


The first time Mark played drums in a Church was in 1978.Since that time God has used his drumming, teachings with signs & wonders to touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. God uses Dr. Marks, high energy teaching style. And his unique abilities to declare the Word of God. At times the Holy Spirit may instruct him to minister on the drums or play the symphonic gong. During these moments, people often experience a sudden manifestation of the Glory of God. It is an experience people never forget and lives are deeply touched.


Mark plays for an audience of ONE – “The Creator of the Universe”! Everybody else gets the overflow and all the Glory goes to God!

You may notice that the immense drum set features only one bass drum. Says RevM, "I only use one bass drum on my main set because there is only “ONE GOD” and only One way to get to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ." Makes perfect sense.


Visit the site for more, including an FAQ, and a breakdown of his gear.

NC Church Sign: 'God loves gays but hates a perverted life style. Turn or burn.'

Story Updated 8.15.11 (see bottom of page)

Seagate Community Chapel in Wilmington, NC is feeling the heat after news reports and photos of their sign circulated online.

The sign reads: "God loves gays but hates a perverted life style. Turn or burn."

The sign maker, Anna Benson, told local news channel WECT that she "loves the gays." She states that her signs are always straight from the Bible, and the pastor stands by any message she posts, as long as it's biblically accurate.

"We're going to teach the entire truth," said Heuring, "and I'll take the heat for it."

Feel free to contact the church and give them some heat:

Seagate Community Church
5823 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403-4715
(910) 799-1035 ‎

Here's a map for those of you in the Wilmington area who might like to attend services this Sunday.




UPDATE: The anti-gay sign at Seagate Community Chapel was vandalized Sunday afternoon. According to WECT:

Witnesses tell police a tall man took a hammer to the sign before leaving in a silver Ford Taurus. The car is reported to have bumper damage and a missing hubcap from the front left tire.

This happened after police broke up a peaceful protest held outside the church.

Wilmington Pride protested the sign's message Sunday morning. The organization supports homosexuals in the community. A member of the group wrote that the church's message "supports hate of homosexuality".

Pictures of Presidents With Teleprompters

I just heard Jon Huntsman on CNN making some Obama/teleprompter comment. The whole teleprompter jab has been dumb from the beginning.

Every. President. Uses. Teleprompters.

Every. One.

And even those who aren't president, but make fun of the president who uses teleprompters, use teleprompters.

If I were a public speaker, I'd want a teleprompter. I bet you would too.

The next person who uses the teleprompter meme should be banned from using a teleprompter. Forever.

Colbert's 'Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow' Super PAC Releases First Ad

Colbert's 'Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow' Super PAC has released their first ad in Iowa, just in time for the Ames Straw Poll.

Don't forget, Nation. Write in Rick Parry. With an A.

Christianity For Skeptics: A Godless Dutch Church?

A Dutch vicar is making waves for his views on Christianity.

Rev Klauss Hendrikse

The Reverend Klaas Hendrikse is quoted by the BBC as saying the following:

"Make the most of life on earth, because it will probably be the only one you get."

"Personally I have no talent for believing in life after death," Mr Hendrikse says. "No, for me our life, our task, is before death."

"God is not a being at all... it's a word for experience, or human experience."

"You don't have to believe that Jesus was physically resurrected."

Hendrikse is not the leader of a Humanist or UU congregation. He presides over the Sunday service at Exodus Church in Gorinchem, central Holland. The church is part of the mainstream Protestant Church in the Netherlands. The service is conventional enough -- hymns, readings from the Bible, the Lord's Prayer, etc. But Hendrikse's sermons are what sets the service apart from conventional church.

Hendrikse appears to be tapping into a growing need for churches to address the doubt that has increased in congregations as more and more people are unable to reconcile scripture with what they know about the world.

From the BBC:

Mr Hendrikse describes the Bible's account of Jesus's life as a mythological story about a man who may never have existed, even if it is a valuable source of wisdom about how to lead a good life.

His book 'Believing in a Non-Existent God' led to calls from more traditionalist Christians for him to be removed. However, a special church meeting decided his views were too widely shared among church thinkers for him to be singled out.

A study by the Free University of Amsterdam found that one-in-six clergy in the PKN and six other smaller denominations was either agnostic or atheist.

The Rev Kirsten Slattenaar, Exodus Church's regular priest, also rejects the idea - widely considered central to Christianity - that Jesus was divine as well as human.

Reactions to the church's loose reading of the Christian doctrine has led to both jeers and cheers:

Deputy mayor, Sytse de Jong, accuses progressive groups of trying to change Christianity to fit current social norms.

"When we get people into the Church by throwing Jesus Christ out of the Church, then we lose the core of Christianity. Then we are not reforming the institutions and attitudes but the core of our message."

Dienie van Wijngaarden, who's been going to Exodus Church for 20 years, is among lay people attracted to such free thinking.

Some believe that traditional Christianity has too restrictive a notion of the nature of God
"I think it's very liberating. [Klaas Hendrikse] is using the Bible in a metaphorical way so I can bring it to my own way of thinking, my own way of doing."

Wim De Jong says, "Here you can believe what you want to think for yourself, what you really feel and believe is true."

Amen.