Authentication

How does God authenticate with all of humanity?

What protocol does the supreme deity use to confirm communication with human kind?

What procedure or algorithm does God use to ensure we do not confuse divine communications with those of a false agent who spoofs divinity?

Authentication is a serous issue. Sometimes the problems of authentication can be solved by a familiar voice, a familiar face, a secret handshake, a secret knock, or a secret password. But, even these security tokens can be compromised. For centuries, the greatest minds have toiled to solve the problems that come with establishing secure authentication. This search continues today because very important people have realized that false security is far worse than no security at all.

Just ask the Queen Mary of Scots.

So, when a preacher preaches or when a small still voice speaks in your heart, how do you authenticate that voice as God? How do you know that communication isn't forged or compromised in some way?

When a lucid vision compels you to engage in a certain action, how do you authenticate that message?

With the Bible-- God's Word?

And how is God's Word authenticated?

By miracles?

Miracles seem to authenticate God within the scriptures themselves.

But what agent outside of the Bible authenticates those stories of yesteryear to a modern society-- especially when Biblical archaeology and document analysis undermine a literal reading of the Bible?

In short-- how to you prove that your God is really speaking to you and that the rest of the world should listen and obey?

How you decide to personally authenticate God is certainly your business. But, how God authenticates himself to the world as a whole is another matter altogether. No one has the right to compelled another person to exclusively follow after an allegedly divine voice-- not until a universal form of authentication is established for God.

I don't see that happening any time soon . . .

Think about it. Would you want me telling you what God you should be serving?

Brilliance Lost: Ignorance is NOT Bliss

Neil deGrasse Tyson gives a very interesting talk. To me, he really rips it up.

Short version:

By watching this one, you get the gist of his point. But, you might miss a lot of important context worth hearing. And what is the main point? We have a lot to lose when we displace the drive for discovery with blissful ignorance.




Full version:

You get to see Tyson really build up his case against the real harm that comes from embracing Intelligent Design as a real part of science.

Maybe the Nones Will Help Us

The March 12, 2012 edition of Time Magazine presented an interesting cover story entitled Ten Ideas That are Changing Your Life. This story was broken up into ten sub-articles each written by different authors. I found all of the articles highly interesting. But, due to the theme of this blog, I wanted to focus on only one particular article here-- The Rise of the Nones, by Amy Sullivan. She shares how the population of non-religious people is growing to an all time high in the United States (about 16% of the US population). But, this group isn't referencing mainly atheists or agnostics. The majority of this group seems to be made up of church-goers who have become tired of dogmatism; theists who are still seeking spirituality and fellowship with other believers-- but they refuse to be described by or bound by any particular denominational or sectarian label within Christianity.

So when filling out surveys, these people mark their religious preferences as "none".

Thus the title of the Time Magazine article: The Rise of the Nones.

This trend causes me to wonder if the Nones will help us atheists to be better accepted by the rest of the religious world. Have the Nones let go of dogmatism in exchange for tolerance and acceptance of non-believers? Will the Nones regard us atheists and agnostics as actual contributers to society rather than the cause of God's wrath upon America?

I wonder if this trend concerning the Nones is a sign that more and more people of religious faith are becoming flexible enough to believe without imposing upon others. Can the Nones fully appreciate and accept both sides of the coin concerning freedom of religion?

Can the Nones help us?

Maybe they can. Or, perhaps it's all wishful thinking on my part.

Time will tell. And when the results finally come in, I really hope the news is good.

Interesting TED talk about the Cyrus Cylinder

Neil MacGregor gives an interesting talk about the Cyrus Cylinder. 

Click the link to open the video:


An Interesting TED Talk About the Cyrus Cylinder

No Choice

Prayer is neither peaceful nor sacred when someone is forced to participate in it.