Vol. 1 No. 20 – Christmas 2006

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Publisher's Note

It’s been a great year!
Personally, I have enjoyed, as I have enjoyed most all of my adult life, the intellectual stimulation of debate with many people…
And the birth of TART Remarks represents, frankly, a high point for me personally. Beware the man with access to technology and something to say!
Is the very great liberty of personal remarks permitted at this time of merriment?
Perhaps.
I must thank a number of people, at the risk of not naming a few that should be named. But here goes…
George Claassen has done more to help me calibrate my baloney detector than anybody that has ever crossed my path. Science savvy and armed with a ready turn of phrase George has zero tolerance with nonsense and remains the nemesis of snake oil sellers!
Ben du Toit is a true friend. Nuff zed.
Jaco Gericke… Jaco Gericke will eventually be known as one of the world’s great Bible scientists.
My friends, known by assumed and real names – ordinary men and women, many of whom I have never even met: Leo West, George Ferreira, André Bartlett, Blouwildebees, Plaaswolfie, evolvefish, Godzilla, Stefan, Sidney, Estian, Theo…
All of those thinkers who are never too busy to take a call, or to reply to an e-mail or sms: Phillip Tobias, Sakkie Spangenberg, Van Zyl Slabbert, Willie van Aardt, Irma Kroese, Christo Lombaard, Hansie Wolmarans, Hennie Viviers, Julian Müller, Jurie le Roux…
(I know, you’re thinking I’m name dropping… exactly what Madiba said the other day.)
Jurie van den Heever and Leon Retief: Always ready to take time to explain when I do not understand. Which is often.
Karl de Pauw for his indefatigable efforts to keep me informed with notes and articles from magazines and sources I have often not even known existed.
Elsabé Brits for sharing her notes with me, her feelings – indispensable in formulating a broad picture.
Jean Oosthuizen, a brave journalist with broad shoulders…
Johannes de Villiers. Always at the ready.
Alida van der Westhuizen – when I am unable to locate a Media24 article or report…
I am engulfed by the Christmas spirit!

Editor's Note

It’s Noel. There – I‘ve given it away. It says so right there on the cover.
Let’s have a chuckle and a laugh. Let’s escape, for a moment, through the back door of merriment, the demands of everyday life.
The leading article this week comes from my book Pun Intended – and do please re-read the advertisement for the book: A new pun is featured.
A number of Christmas quotes dot the pages of this Christmas issue: some funny, some wise and some bordering on crudity. (I’m not completely engulfed by the Christmas spirit!)
There’s an article on our propensity, or lack thereof, for attending church.
And there’s an article on Intelligent Design… yep! The IDiots are at it again. In fact, they’re simply still at it. If ever there was a reason to doubt evolution it is to be found in the improbability of skin evolving to the thickness of that covering Intelligent Designers. Not enough time, see.
O, Jesus and Mo have something to say. About Christmas.
See y’all in 2007! Unless it is announced that the Pope is gay. Say what?

Contents

Publisher’s note

Editor’s note

A Christmas Carol?

Grandparents linked with church-going

Intelligent Design: The God Lab

Tolle lege, tolle lege

The sound of thorns crackling in the fire

Vol. 1 No. 19 – December 11, 2006

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Publisher's Note

Quite a week, it was! On the religious front, that is.

In South Africa the annual 16-day Campaign Against Violence Against Women and Children ended December 10.

The Reverend Elsje Büchner, pastor of the Dutch Reformed (NG) congregation of Lux Mundi and member of the algemene sinodale moderatuur (general synodical executive church-council), pontificated in the matter… and was rewarded for her trouble, courtesy of TART reader George Ferreira, with the iron fist of reason in the solar plexus. (See box.)

It is rumoured that NG gays wishing to be married under South Africa’s proud new Civil Unions Bill may be referred to the Reformerende Kerk – a “gay-friendly” church (the terminology spawned by preposterous doctrines is flabbergasting) “reaching out to the gay community, since none of the mainline churches are willing to accept their gay members unconditionally.”

Apparently, NG theologian Adrio König, on December 10, declared on the Afrikaans radio station RSG that it would be “safer and better” for the church to maintain a “fundamentalist” approach – as opposed to a “liberal” approach.

Verily, it is well nigh impossible for an intelligent individual to be a member of the NG Church – to be a member of any church, in fact.

The University of Stellenbosch appointed theologian Professor Russel Botman rector.

I regard Botman as a man of supreme integrity. But Botman is a believer – a theologian…

Should someone who believes in God, a creation, and life everlasting run a university in the 21^st century? Should an alchemist, an astrologer, a phrenologist, an AIDS dissident, a chiromancer? I think not.

I am of the opinion that any salient specialist subjecting to the supernatural risks an anomaly that will almost certainly subvert the best endeavours.

How should a specialist be judged admitting thus:

I consult a supernatural entity regularly for insight on managing challenging issues and are advised on the best course of action through innuendo and suggestion that may be described as a sequential mental process in which one thought leads to another by association.

Such consultations are sometimes unilateral and take the form of entreaties, petitions, adoration, contrition and thanksgiving, without response from the supernatural.

I am convinced beyond a valeity of doubt that such consultations will ineluctably result not only in the revelation of optimal strategies, but also in the provision of incomparable tactical insight and the mental and physical strength to facilitate successful implementation.

I furthermore am convinced that such continued consultations will result in my immortality subsequent to my death.

Would I have such a specialist run my investment portfolio? I think not. Would I have such a specialist run my health care regime? I think not. Would I have such a specialist run my company? I think not.

Editor's Note

Belief in “god” supposes belief in “Creation”.

I have long harboured this conviction and when I considered the informal poll in the matter of belief in creation (and the virgin birth) on the Kerkbode website, I was struck again by the inevitable folly that is spawned by belief in “god”.

The church, Christianity, will not abandon the concept of “god” – therefore it must accept all that flows from that single conception… and be forever relegated to mythology.

I consider, in this issue, the fact that specific non-negotiable beliefs disqualify Christians from holding particular offices and positions of influence.

Professor Sakkie Spangenberg wrote a comprehensive report on The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins. Although this book, and comment on it, has been featured on several occasions in past TART issues, this review is an important one from a theological perspective and is published in its entirety – in Afrikaans.

Contents

Publisher’s note

Editor’s note

A belief in “god” triggers many, many beliefs…

Religion for a captive audience, paid for by taxes

The God Delusion reviewed by Professor I J J Spangenberg

The sound of thorns crackling in a fire

Vol. 1 No. 18 – December 4, 2006

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Publisher’s note

Dr Fritz Gaum, erstwhile editor of the Kerkbode – official mouthpiece of the Dutch Reformed Church, and father of gay DRC Reverend Laurie, writes in the latest By of his understanding of homosexuality and the Bible, before and after learning of his son’s sexual orientation.

“I am sorry. At that time (referring to an article critical of homosexuality) I was all too certain that I knew, when in fact I did not know”, Gaum reflects with shattering honesty.

He continues, reflectively, “What do I know now?”

It is men like Gaum who has the power to change paradigms. This much I concede in an open letter to him.

Completely unrelated, and halfway across the globe, Benedict XVI visited the famous Blue Mosque and turned towards Mecca in an apparent gesture of ostensible “non-ill will” to Islam… and scarcely was the holy butt swung round or it was officially declared that the pope did not “pray”, he simply “meditated”.

Religion. Respect? Ridicule!

But then again, there are men like Fritz Gaum. May the expectation of rational input not be disappointed.

TART reader and In-depth Reporter (Science) of Die Burger, Ms Elsabé Brits, has embarked on a estimable campaign. Elsabé wants to produce A1 posters for insertion into newspapers to bring science to children. Posters on the new look solar system; cosmic evolution and the Big Bang; dark energy and dark matter; black holes…

This is an expensive endeavour and potential contributors and sponsors are invited to contact TART Remarks with a view to help reify Elsabé’s dream. My company, BOLD Communication, will certainly contribute by offering professional communications solutions to the project.

Editor’s Note

I am an avid reader of and contributor to the Internet forum Kletskerk (literally Chat Church) – where contributors may express no holes barred opinion from God to masturbation. It is a result of the Dutch Reformed Church’s declared “Season of listening” and for all my criticism of religion, and the DRC in particular, I have always saluted this effort even if I had been known to suggest that little “listening” in fact occurs.

During this last week many comments on the influence of the Holy Spirit were posted. It got me thinking.

What is the real role of the Holy Spirit in a world where religious diversity often results in bloodshed, torture and horrendous deaths? And why the enormous religious diversity in the first place?

Contents
Publisher’s note
Editor’s note
Letters to the editor
Out of sight insight – the holy spirit debunked
Pope calls divisions among christians 'scandal to the world'
Case: dennis grace v. Freedom from religion foundation, 06-157
Settlement leaves largest questions unanswered
Religion and righteousness
The sound of thorns crackling in a fire

Click here to order a free copy of Tart Remarks, Vol. 1 No. 18 – December 4, 2006