Gould’s God-Talk: Is the Panda’s Thumb Incompatible with ID?

Charles Darwin, creationism, devolution, Earth’s Catastrophic Past, Evolution, Faith & Science, harmony, Intelligent Design, John Calvin, Louis Agassiz, Natural Theology (book), panda, Panda's Thumb, Peter Van Inwagen, proportion, Religions (journal), St. Paul, Stephen Jay Gould, suboptimality, symmetry, theology, thumb, William Dembski, William Paley, Young Earth Creationists
Stephen Jay Gould was renowned as a paleontologist, not as a theologian. Yet perhaps his most iconic argument is theological in nature.  Source
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Is the Panda’s Thumb Suboptimal?

adaptationism, carnivores, common ancestry, computed topography, dexterity, digits, economy, efficiency, Evolution, evolutionists, George Schaller, Intelligent Design, leaves, live observation, magnetic resonance imaging, mammals, Panda's Thumb, pseudo-thumb, Religions (journal), shoots, Stephen Jay Gould, suboptimality, The Giant Pandas of Wolong
The basic argument is that “[o]dd arrangements and funny solutions” point to evolution whereas “ideal design” points to a “sensible God.” Source
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Truth Matters

1. Does Truth Exist?, Annie Brown, Apologetics, Biblical Inerrancy, Christianity, Gospel, relativism, Religious Pluralism, SES, Southern Evangelical Seminary, truth
The world defines truth as relative and subjective: “You have your truth, I have my truth.” It is customizable to one’s preferences and lifestyle. Definitive or absolute truth is considered offensive to the culture at large. This confusion over truth is further fueled by social media. Liking, sharing, retweeting, and posting happen with the click of a button. To promote and defend “your truth,” all you have to do is open an app on your phone. Though some may suggest that our culture is more unified based on the controversial matters of our day, I would argue that we are walking in greater disunity than ever before. Can’t We All Just Coexist? The Coexist bumper stickers often seen on the back of vehicles advertise that all religions are equal with…
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7 Archaeology Discoveries Associated with the Life (and Death) of Jesus | with Dr. Titus Kennedy

AFR, Apologetics, app, Archaeology, cross examined, cross examined official podcast, faith, God, google play, iTunes, Jesus Christ, Podcast, Radio, Spotify, stitcher, Titus Kennedy, truth, Weekly Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | TuneIn | RSS What historical evidence is there for people like Peter, Simon of Cyrene, Pontius Pilate, Jesus, Caiaphas, and other key figures in Jesus’s crucifixion? Seven people who had something to do with the trial of Jesus have been found through archaeology! Moreover, excavations in Israel have unearthed numerous archaeological finds that corroborate precisely what’s recorded in the Bible. But what if excavations in Israel are just the tip of the iceberg? Beyond Israel, has the wider ancient world yielded artifacts that shed light on the biblical narrative? And what about Jesus? Is there any archaeological evidence that leads us back to Him? For this midweek podcast episode, Frank invites author…
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My Dinner with Steven and Louise Weinberg

Atheism, atheists, attorney, Austin, Baylor University, Christianity, Faith & Science, faith and science, Intelligent Design, Jesus, Law, law professor, Louise Weinberg, naturalism, Nobel Prize, Phillip E. Johnson, physicists, physics, Physics, Earth & Space, scripture, Steven Weinberg, The First Three Minutes, The Nature of Nature, theism, theists, University of Texas, Waco
Weinberg was holding court, going on about how much he knew about the origin of the universe and how atheism was the only intellectually viable option. Source
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Dawkins, Dennett, and the Taste for Iconoclasm

aquatic ape, Boston, Commentary, copyright, Daniel Dennett, Darwinists, David Berlinski, Elaine Morgan, Evolution, evolutionary anthropologists, iconoclasts, Intelligent Design, ISI Books, letters, Michael Behe, MIT, Phillip Johnson, Richard Dawkins, smooth skin, The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis, Tufts University, Uncommon Dissent
I’ve had two memorable encounters with Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett, one with Dennett alone, the other with both together. Source
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Why Do You Call Yourself a Christian?

Apologetics, Christianity, christology, Gospel, identity in Christ, salvation, Theology and Christian Apologetics, What does it mean to be a Chrstian?, Who is Jesus?
Have you ever heard the tale of the elderly woman who wanted to restore an old painting and… well, didn’t? Meet Potato Jesus. The woman’s intentions were noble. I certainly respect her heart. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is not an artist and did not restore Martinez’s work. Just because she intended to do something and thought she was able, that didn’t turn her into an artist. Desire and good intentions aren’t enough. [1] Nowadays, anyone can set up a page and identify as whatever they want. But taking a name for ourselves doesn’t make us that thing. We still have to be it or become it.   Two Ways to Identify We can identify ourselves in two ways: “I’m x, and by that, I mean this,” and…
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