Yes, today there will be multiple posts, because there's just so much to write about... 

Here's a fascinating excerpt from http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=86656 , with my comments below...

The debate as to whether a science-led campaign involving condoms use or moral calls for abstinence and fidelity is the key to the effective HIV/AIDS control continues to take centre stage as experts say this unresolved issue is hampering prevention strategies within the communities.

The battle lines have been drawn between these two groups with religious leaders and scientists taking very entrenched positions on condom use.

The reason why there is such "entrenched" animosity between the two positions is quite simple - they have different sources-of-authority / different starting beliefs.  Those who call themselves "scientists" (what they really mean is "methodological naturalists" or "secularists") have no transcendent basis for their morality - they are merely pushing (hard) for whatever seems most practical in their man-centered and science-informed pragmatism.  On the other hand, many of those who consider themselves Christians in this debate are basing their efforts on the Bible, which (1) does provide a transcendent basis for their position, and (2) which has evidence supporting its claim to supernatural authority.

There will be no 'peace' until Shiloh returns.

Wow, this link really sums up well what I was trying to say to some of my friends a few weeks ago about "Christian" movies.  Actually, it might seem to be saying the opposite as what I was telling my friends (I was saying "we need more 'mainstream' christian movies"), but I don't think there's a conflict.  I agree with what the author of the article says - that there is a time and place for "underground" Christianity in the mainstream/public arts, of a breaking-up-fallow-ground-of-nonBiblical-worldviews sort of nature (e.g. the Passion, or perhaps like the Chronicles of Narnia will be??  probably not, but who knows?)

But the main point that the author makes seems very true - it is actually impossible to produce explicitly 'Christian' art that is deemed 'acceptable' and 'mainstream' by 'the world'.  In as much as it becomes mainstream, it is no longer Christian; in as much as it is is pure Christianity, it will be relegated to the 'fringes' of 'fundamentalist evangelicalism.'

Thoughts?

here's a fascinating commentary link about a Nature article... and about the eminent scientists who are outraged by it...

And my thoughts:

The Nature magazine seems to be one of the premiere/avantgarde science magazines, as evidenced by the fascinating phenomena that they seem to be somewhat influenced by postmodernism, while still trying to retain their modernist materialist scientific outlook.  They are trying desperately to remain "mainstream scientific" in the naturalistic sense, without offending their increasingly postmodern constituency which believes that science does not have all the answers and that in fact nobody has ANY absolute answers.  Thus Nature recommends "reconciling" science and belief, by relegating belief to "myth" status.  Or perhaps "pleasant myth" or "traditional myth" or "cultural myth" status, if that floats your boat better.

But there are still some die-hard modernists (read the above article), who will not tolerate this mushiness.  I admire them, in a way.  Even though they come to the wrong conclusions, they are seeking the perfect goal - Truth.  They don't tolerate this "religious truth and scientific truth don't have to mesh" platitude.  "They have zeal, but not according to knowledge."

Here's an interesting article about "church"

...with this interesting quote:

"Children mature morally by resisting evil, but if it comes at them too fast, too often, and from influential peers, they will become desensitized and sin will begin to appear less evil to them."

What do you all think?  Is he right?  Wrong?  In what ways?

Some of you might think that this is irrelevant, but in a few short years this will be extremely relevant for most of us...