Vol. 1 No. 4 - August 28, 2006

Does "god" exist? This is the issue under consideration this week. I have spent many hours working through volumnous notes collected over numerous years. So much more need be said. But the leading article this week is at bottom an honest attempt to better understand… Homo sapiens sapiens.

Dr. Jaco Gericke, of the University of Pretoria, contributes a refutation of Anselm's Ontological Argument. I am elated to publish something from Gericke's pen as I regard him as one of the world's most promising theologians. Perhaps this statement may be quoted in his honour at some distant future date, when all had been said about what is expected to be a fulgurant career.

The Illinois Democrat, Senator Barack Obama, is tipped to be the first member of a minority to win the White House. A specific American prejudice is briefly examined in this issue.

Having considered the case for and against "god", I publish a "Cartoon Essay" on the influence of "god" – and no better candidate presents himself than the "Leader of the Free World", George W Bush.

There is the usual snippets from around the world: religious influence on society. This week Hezbollah, the Episcopalians, the Rev. Jerry Falwell and stem cell research are noted.

TART Remarks has received it's first correspondence and publishes two letters, one from UNISA's Professor Spangenberg and another anonymously.

I invite readers to share with me. I am touched, and certainly impressed, by the reaction to TART Remarks. Next week, subsequent to the processing of specific information, TART Remarks will be delivered to more than 4,000 individuals globally. For a fifth issue, methinks that is not too shabby!

Contents

"I AM", or "He is not": does "god" exist?

A refutation of anselm's ontological argument

Barack Obama for the White House?

Hezbollah's successes should not blind British Muslims to its real aim

Episcopalians contemplate divided future

Rev. Falwell decries stem cell research

Stem cell bill worries Abbott

A cartoon essay – "god" in action

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Tart Remarks, Vol. 1 No. 4 – August 28, 2006

Vol. 1 No. 3 - August 21, 2006

The protest of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) activists at the International Aids Conference in Toronto, Canada, is an object lesson for rational people to avoid lethargy and to take a stance against nonsense. Does faith have the same effect on the human condition than garlic, lemon and beetroot have on HIV/AIDS? Does protest against irrationality include protest against faith? Nutrition is important – is faith? There are certain benefits that simply cannot accrue from nutrition alone; does the same go for faith? TART considers this issue in Tolerance.

The Afrikaans press continues to dumb down its readers: Intelligent Design crops up in its pages regularly in a futile attempt to confirm an Intelligent Designer (“God”) at the helm of nature and humanity. The latest offering, by Die Groot Gedagte author, Gideon Joubert, is considered in “Intelligunt Dezine”… raising the dead at Die Burger.

Censorship, that bane of human freedom, is also alive and well and wearing the latest in designer clothing – all the more to be able to exist surreptitiously among us. (Is it not strange how complete butt nakedness can assume the appearance of designer wear?) What may we ordinary beings read, and see, and know – be exposed to… and what not, according to editors? Sensuur in ‘n goedkoop aandpak evaluates this issue.

I continue to be surprised at the reaction to TART Remarks. When comments range from “this poor lost soul has clearly never read the Bible” to “I respect his brutal, narking honesty” one feels justified in thinking that one may be doing the odd right thing, and do it right.

Nathan Bond

Contents

Tolerance

“Intelligunt Dezine”… raising the dead at Die Burger

Sensuur in ‘n goedkoop aandpak

Hungry for fresh recruits, cult-like Islamic groups know just when to pounce

Mainstream middle of the road

Welkom, baie welkom, meer as welkom

Our new Solar System

Misdaad in Suid Afrika

It's a god's life, having a chocolate bar named after you

Cinderella’s coach found!

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Tart Remarks, Vol. 1 No. 3 – August 21, 2006

Vol. 1 No. 2 - August 14, 2006

Die invloed van die Geloofsbestel op die Afrikaanse Pers het die afgelope week duidelik geword: George Claassen, Die Burger se wetenskapredakteur, sowel as ombudsman, en een van drie adjunk redakteurs, is summier ingelig dat hy voortaan nie meer wetenskapredakteur sal wees nie.

Ek monitor die Afrikaanse pers al sedert 2002 om berigte te identifiseer wat 'n hand op die blaas verhouding met godsdiens aandui.In hierdie uitgawe berig ek omvattend oor my bevindinge.

Die voortslepende geweld in die Midde-Ooste is beswaarlik nuuswaardig – nes die feit dat die son elke oggend opkom beswaarlik nuuswaardig is. Die verhouding tussen die Verenigde State van Amerika en die staat Israel is egter 'n ding wat my aandag hou. Ek publiseer 'n opstel hieroor wat ek reeds in Februarie 2004 geskryf het – the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Fundamentalisme gedy: Verlede week het ene dr. Bernard Ficker van Somerset-Wes 'n lesersbrief in By geskryf waarin hy beweer dat ons huidige weeklikse siklus van sewe dae die gevolg is van die sewe-daagse skeppingsweek van God.

Ek is oorweldig deur die reaksie wat ek op TART Remarks ontvang het oor die afgelope week!Baie dankie aan almal wat geskryf het, en wat gebel het. Hierdie tydskrif bestaan al lank in my agterkop en dis lekker om dit nou 'te sien".

Nathan Bond

Contents

Die Afrikaanse pers en godsdiens

The United States and Israel – a peculiar relationship

Die sewedagweek: Die gevolg van die Skepping?

The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason by Sam Harris

Religion-Related Fraud Getting Worse

Another movie to rile Christians

The Scientific Method - Creationist Method cartoon

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Tart Remarks, Vol. 1 No. 2 – August 14, 2006

Vol. 1 No. 1 - August 7, 2006

The immediate past saw many theological influences on the psyche of all the world and his wife.
Twee teologiedosente van die NG Kerk, proff. Jurie le Roux en Julian Müller, van die Fakulteit Teologie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria, wat van leerdwaling aangekla is, is op 28 Julie deur ’n kommissie van die Ring van Pretoria-Oos onskuldig bevind.

Die debat oor wetenskap en geloof gedy in die Kaapse media: Die wetenskapredakteur van Die Burger, dr. George Claassen, het Leon Rousseau se boek, Die Groot Avontuur: Wondere Van Die Lewe Op Aarde, op 17 Julie geresenseer. Dit het gelei tot 'n hewige debat op die koerant se brieweblad. Die adjunk-redakteur van Die Burger, dr. Leopold Scholtz, het Sake van die Dag ook aan die tema gewy.

Rapport, sowel as Die Burger het berig oor ‘n 72-jarige predikant van George en ‘n kreasionis van Riversdal wat "Noag se ark" iewers op 'n berg in Armenië gaan soek – op die gesag van navorsing van prof. William Shea, emiritus-hoogleraar aan die Andrews-universiteit in Michigan.

Ek verwys ook na ‘n resensie van Kurt Vonnegut se 1963-novelle Cat's cradle – ‘n persoonlike gunsteling en ‘n boek wat ek weer sal lees as een van die laaste dinge wat ek sou doen as ek net 24 uur het om te leef. (Ek sal ook na John Lennon se Imagine luister.)

Nathan Bond

Contents

Tukkie-teoloë vrygespreek

Die wetenskap- en geloofdebat

Beriggewing in die Afrikaanse pers bevorder goedgelowigheid

Cat's Cradle

An engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, and a theologian...

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Tart Remarks, Vol. 1 No. 1 – August 7, 2006