I found an article yesterday, and I have thoughts on it. Seeing as it has to do with religion and that probably isn't kosher to discuss at work, I will instead throw it out to the blogosphere.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/23/dawkins.darwin.atheism/index.html

On one hand, I don't wish to acknowledge this article, so that it gets more hits and people think it's more "legitimate". However, since the conversation is going to happen whether or not I am apart of it, I feel that it is okay to state my beliefs and opinion on the matter. Plus I have some down time at work.

In the article above, the biologist Richard Dawkins states his case for atheism becoming more "militant" and aggressive in defending their (according to him, correct) views. Among the faulty logic he mentions that: "Religion teaches us to be satisfied with non-explanations".


A quick view of the religious past may give some credence to some of what he says. There have been numerous times where religion hasn't had the answers to questions and "answers" that Science proposes, and then Religion uses its political and social power to try and cut science off. However, in the end, that never works, since as a human race we have a pretty natural instinct to try understand the world around us. (Although I have met a lot of deeply religious people who don't try to understand the world around them. Santo misterio and all that jazz. But as humankind, that peace or complacency is not prevalent.)

Unfortunately for Mr. Dawkins, I would imagine that he has never given all the religions a good chance. Just because people have frequently used the name of God for their own selfish purposes is not proof there is no God. Jacob said it well: "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish" (2 Nephi 9:28).

I'm grateful to be a member of the true church of Jesus Christ - not a church and faith that limits the search for knowledge, but one that embraces it. Check out these treasures from revealed scripture:

"The glory of God is intelligence. Or, in other words, light and truth" D&C 93:36

"Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom" D&C 88:118

"All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." (Alma 30:44).

Mr. Dawkins says that he sees no room for science in religion. Well, if God were to establish His religion and His church on the earth, he would make that religion with room for man to learn, study, and attempt to discover all of his secrets.

I look forward to the day when our understanding of Science completely matches that which is in the scriptures and which has always been taught to us from the beginning by the prophets. I'm confident that it will happen.

Well I don't mean to ruin my great conclusion there, but here's an article from a New York Times blog about evolution. It was the 150th anniversary of the first publishment of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species". It's great (both in a little kid, cute way and also in a long-term, invigorating way) to see us humans struggle and make attempts at understanding the world around us. We'll figure it out someday...
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/an-evolve-by-date/?hp

If it makes you happy.......

A couple of things that make me feel good:

Insurance - How great is this stuff? I get to drive, live, and walk around knowing that if anything happens to me...my health...my life...my wife's health...my car...my house...it can all be protected. How great is that? I think it's amazing. It's so nice to think that if my house catches fire while I'm gone, I will still be able to have a place to live and not lose all the investment that I've put into it. Or if I die in a plane accident, Torrie wouldn't be saddled with a mortgage and have to start working right away again. (Obviously I would not want that to happen, and it would be horrible. But to know that it could and not ALL would be lost...that makes me feel good.)

Running - Since I've come out to Dallas I've been running everyday and it feels wonderful! It has a great impact on the rest of my day and I'm sure it's doing good things for my health as well. I'm excited to run a race and see how fast I can go. I have a theory - seeing as the physical/mental/emotional/spirtual are all connected, when I am pushing myself in one area (running consistently, for example) I think I'm better and more motivated at all aspects of my life.

(And you bet I just put a picture of Sarah Palin from Runners' World to be the picture for my running section. haha.)

Breakfast - The best part of staying at a hotel is the free breakfast. If I stay at the Homewood Suites, it's usually a pretty nice deal, one step above a continental breakfast. They'll have something cooked and it will be good. If I stay at the Embassy Suites, it's a made-to-order omlette that is heavenly. Let's be honest, it's hard to wake up early each day to make breakfast. Having it made for you...and for free? Definitely makes being away from home just a little bit easier.

A couple of quick quotes from CNBC's neat little evening last night with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

In response to a question as to the best advice that they could give:

"First of all, I'd say marry the right person." [LAUGHTER] "And I'm serious about that. " [APPLAUSE] "It will make more difference in your life. It will change your aspiration, all kind of things. It's enormously important who you marry. "– Warren Buffett

In response to a question about if business schools can really teach ethics:

"Well, I think the best place to learn ethics is in the home. I think most of us get our values from what we see around us before we get to business school. I think that it's important to emphasize them, but I think that if I had a choice of having great education and ethics fully on in the home or as a course in a school later on, I would choose the home." - Warren Buffett

Great thoughts.

Reading in Texas

So for the next few weeks I will be in Dallas for some training. I fly out on a Sunday night, spend M-F going to work downtown and spending the night in a hotel, and then fly to see Torrie on the weekend. It's pretty lonely and I'm going to have to find things to do to keep myself busy.

This week I brought three books with me, from our personal library or the Lexington public library. Since I have nothing else to do, I'm going to write my thoughts on them. They are:

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

So, the movie is great. We all know that. But did you know it came from a book? I knew, and thought it would be fun to read sometime. Well, the lady who sold us our new (to us) piano was giving away ten boxes of books. While leafing through the books, I found this one and snatched it up. The actual copy of the book was printed in 1969 and has the old school style pages that don't match up perfectly. It's pretty cool.

The book is a little dirty for my taste - a little too graphic sexual content. However, with skipping over those parts, the book is fascinating. I've only seen the movie once or twice (yay for AMC) but I caught many more details from reading the book.

Of the many themes covered in the book, one of the main ones is the rule of law. One of the reasons for Don Corleone's organization is to provide a place for people to go to obtain justice, instead of going to a corrupt government. The original Mafia families in Sicily started that way in order to fight back against all the different, corrupt powers that have ruled over Sicily. They couldn't go to the government or anyone for justice, so they went to themselves.

And you now what, for 19th century Sicily....I can somehow understand that. While ultimately the population will be better-served by a country, government anfd culture that follows a code of laws, I can see how they are somewhat justifying in taking things into their own hands. However, I am grateful to live in a country where it's not necessary. America, while admittedly unperfect, is a free country, and the more that we choose to follow the law, the better place we will live. However, if as a people - and looking at the problems our country/world is facing right now, I am more and more convinced that this is the case - we choose to not follow the law, we will no longer enjoy the freedom and prosperity that we have enjoyed for so long.

Sorry about the tangent. Anyway, great book, except for the graphic parts. The violence isn't too bad, it's the sex.

Anyway, these are the other two books I'll be reading this week:

The Gathering of Zion: The Story of the Mormon Trail by Wallace Stegner
Torrie had this book from one of her college history classes. I'm excited to read it - well, I've started already - and the theme that I've noticed is that the pioneers weren't perfect. The author is very clear about that, and it seems to me that the purpose of the book is to dirty the "squeaky clean" image of the pioneers. (Oh and yes, Brigham Young had multiple wives. We know. Not a big deal, Mr. Stegner.) Well I for one am comforted that the early pioneers weren't perfect. I'm more than okay that they swore every once in awhile and argued and disagreed with who should go first in the road (think: road rage but with wagons). Cause you know what...I do too! The Lord used imperfect people in order to do His work. That means I, an imperfect person, can still help out today as well.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I got this from the library...placed a hold on it. I did this like a month ago and it came in right before I came out to Dallas. My expectations are pretty low - I liked Angels and Demons and Di Vinci Code, but I understand that it's just a thriller and will probably follow the same basic plot, so I'm not expecting anything great. It's all about keeping the right expectations...