While the Secular Outpost strives to promote a professional, respectful atmosphere, it’s useful to be reminded that “Real Life” can sometimes be very different.Here’s a case in point. A vitriolic, apparently (?) Catholic Twitter user with the handle (@NIGELTEAPOT) recently sent me a stream of 18 tweets before blocking me.Here’s the context. Pastor Rick Henderson … I Get Hate Tweets

A new fossil discovery supports the Genesis account that snakes had legs before God cursed them for enticing Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit: http://conservativetribune.com/fossil-proof-of-bibles-story/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=TPNNPages&utm_content=2015-07-28 Call me a nitpicker, but I am still not satisfied!  After all, the serpent that “tempted” Eve was also quite loquacious, and not only loquacious, but, according to Genesis, … New Fossil Proves Genesis!

Naturally, an atheist site like this SO often focuses on the bad stuff about Christianity. Digging up the dirt is easy since, after 2000 years of Christian history, there are tons and tons of it just lying around ready to be shoveled. It is important to remember, however, that for all the holy warriors, fanatics, … Christianity: The Good Stuff

I notice that Ramadan begins next Thursday. This, of course, is the month that Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. I am not sure that it is good for your health to abstain from water if you are working outside in 110 degree temperatures, as are common in many parts of … Why not a Fast from Religion?

This is a greatly belated review of Paul Johnson’s A History of Christianity (New York: Athenum, 1977), 556 pp. I have had this book in my possession for nearly forty years, but have only read it through recently. As a representative of what we might call “scholarly popular history,” it is virtually unsurpassed, belonging in … Christianity: An Angel with a Dirty Face?

Here is a simple representation using Bayes’ Theorem of how a miracle claim would be assessed, where m is the claim that a miracle has occurred, e is the evidence for the claim, and k is background knowledge: p(e/m & k) × p(m/k) p(m/e & k) = ——————————– p(e/k) So, the credibility of a miracle … The Real Problem with Miracles

The comments on my last post contained a lively exchange about hell. Here is a quote from my piece “Heaven and Hell” in Debating Christian Theism, edited by Moreland, Meister, and Sweis (Oxford: 2013), pp. 539-540. Here I am responding to The Catholic Encyclopedia’s defense of the traditional doctrine of an eternal punitive hell. The Catholic Encyclopedia: … Hell and Retribution

This morning I found the following message in my inbox: Hi, I have just been looking at some of the videos of you v William Land Craig and I have to say for sheer stupidity you take some beating! Satan loves people like [you] though he hates you on a personal basis. Rose White To … Fan Mail from a True Christian