Liberal Christian Blogs.

[mzmolly]

http://www.tcpc.blogs.com/index/

Peek around, you may be surprised what you find. ;)

"While many struggle to make sense of the devastation to the U. S. Gulf Coast produced by the hurricane Katrina, extremists of various persuasions had quick explanations.

...

If God sends calamities or decides to not prevent them, then people of faith are driven to find explanations for this cruel and outrageous behavior on the part of a just and loving God. In my mind, many liberal Christians, who would reject all the explanations for God’s criminal action quoted from the article, participate in the problem by talking and writing as if they have an inside track to the mind of God. They tell us of God’s plan, God’s creation, God’s hope for the world. I think if we are to hold out the promise of discovering God’s love and justice, we must abandon all notions of an interventionist God."

:hi:

[waiting for hope]

1. Obviously,

they don't know New Orleans very well......it is a very strong Catholic city and about two dozen catholic schools. Doth they protest because of that and not many fundies organizations? There is a Victory Church in Metairie, I'm sure they're feeling the love....

[mzmolly]

2. The fundies don't know much of anything, but I found the Progressive

Christian blog "Better Than Believing" a refreshing change in the typical Christian dogma we hear all to often:

http://www.tcpc.blogs.com/better/

Read his summary on "Unintelligent Design" if you get a chance:

Unintelligent Design
Much to the annoyance of many scientists and progressive Christians, The New York Times lately has been paying unwarranted attention to the proponents of "intelligent design". By granting space for the neo-creationists to express their objections to the basis of evolutionary biology, newspapers and magazines are providing an aura of legitimacy that these anti-intellectual Christianists do not deserve.

Although genuine scientists often refuse to engage in debates about evolution, some of them are becoming more determined to expose the absurdity of the "intelligent design" notion. One of the best pieces I have seen on this subject is an article by a former veterinarian, Lisa Fullam, who is currently an assistant professor of moral theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, California. In the article, which first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle under the title "Of God and the case for unintelligent design", she points out that the digestive track of rabbits is so poorly designed that they have to eat some of their own feces in order to extract the nutrients they need for survival. She goes on to describe how "horses are similarly badly put together." Their inefficient digestive systems produce gut blockages that without prompt veterinary intervention "lead to slow and excruciating death."

Only scientists may be aware of the badly designed digestive tracks of certain mammals, but anyone can observe the evidence that points to the design flaws in human beings. Was it really necessary for the vast majority of the population to suffer from backache? Then there is this silly business of nipples on men. What designer would want to accept responsibility for these useless appendages?

Unfortunately, in the midst of the political controversy over evolution, some well-meaning progressive Christians continue to write and speak about God as "creator", as if they really believed that God constructed the world and intervenes in nature. They may realize that they are using a metaphor, but to the general public they often sound as if they support the notion of intelligent design. ...

More at the link above:

[waiting for hope]

3. It's a shame that

you don't see that side in the media much....I think it would tone down some of the radicals like Robertson and Falwell.

[mzmolly]

4. Agreed. I think we need a progressive "interfaith" tv network to counter

PTL?

[waiting for hope]

5. That would be great....

but I've always been suspicious of big religious business, once money is involved, all the cretins come out to play and then the message would be lost.

[mzmolly]

6. Depends on how it's done. If someone like Jim Wallis ran it, I'd have

confidence in the deal.

:hi: