since there was such a good response from the first poll, on to the second item on the docket. when you visit theologyweb how often would you say you spend outside of the forums such as the blogs, yearbook, arcade, chatroom? on a scale of 1-5 for consistency sake (1 being never to 5 being every visit). and if you do spend time on the extras on the site please post where it is you spend your time, ie. blogs, yearbook, arcade. and if you have any suggestions on how to make them more fun or... [Read More]

Do Talking Snakes Exist?

by Rusty Entrekin

In this brief excerpt from the mockumentary Religulous, read how Bill Maher slyly entrapped unsuspecting Arkansas Senator Sen. Mark Pryor. My comments are interjected in blue.

Maher began with the question, "Do you believe in evolution?"

Senator Pryor answered, "You know, of course, I don't know. Clearly the scientific community is a little divided on some of the specifics of that, and I understand that -"

Maher (interrupting): "I don't think they are."

Senator Pryor: "No, I uh, well-"

Maher (again interrupting): " I think they pretty much agree."

The truth is that Senator Pryor was right. While most scientists think that particle to species evolution (macroevolution) has happened, a significant minority do not, and among those who believe in it, there is still much conjecture and disagreement regarding the specifics of how it could have happened. Comparing DNA sequences has only deepened the disagreement, since most of the sequence comparisons do not match Darwin's concept of the tree of life. This was Darwin's idea that all life is descended from a common single-celled ancestor.

Senator Pryor: "I don't know how it all happened. I mean, I'm certainly willing to accept -"

We weren't there when it happened. So how could we really know how it all happened... unless we had a truthful and trustworthy eyewitness account to rely on? Wait a second! Isn't that what Christians and Jews believe God has provided for us in the Genesis creation account? In his next comment, however, Maher makes it quite plain that he doesn't think that account can be relied upon.

Maher (interrupting once again): "It couldn't possibly have been Adam and Eve 5000 years ago with a talking snake in a garden, could it?"

Within this simple question, there is a lot of communication and implication going on. Maher could have been more direct and asked something like, "You don't actually believe Jesus rose from the dead, do you?" but expressing disbelief in a talking snake is a much less sacred target, and less likely to offend. The intended effect of the question is the same, however, and that is to engender doubt.[Read More]