Conversation with God

I do not see myself as a religious person. I do not actively practise any religion, and I put no value in the fact that I chose to go through the rituals of both baptism and confirmation in the Danish protestant church. I do however, know some people who, although they do not practise a specific religion, characterise themselves as religious.

About a year ago, I was for the first time introduced to the book "Conversation with God" by Neale Donald Walsch. It is the first of a series of books in which Walsch asks questions and God answers.

I immediately liked the book. The style is straightforward, the chapters are short, it is written in colloquial English, and even though I disbelieve and even disagree with many of the facts and arguments presented in the book, I must say that I love the recurring theme and message:

• You are the creator of your own reality

In my opinion it is a message that you can embrace or deny, regardless of your overall conception of religion or belief. If you read it, please tell me what you think.

Illustration courtesy: de-conversion.com

The pope and darwinism

Religion and science sometimes clash - mostly when both claim they have the explanation of everything. The International Theological Commission compiled the Vaticans views on evolution in a chapter called 'Science and the stewardship of knowledge' as parts 62-70 of 'Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God'. In this text they do not express a denial of evolution, but rather an acceptance that the evolutionary theory is compatible with the existence of God.

In summary paragraph 69. makes an interesting statement (here paraphrased by Philip):
According to the church both
(1) the neo-Darwinists that deny God because the incorrectly conclude 'purely materialistic evolution (A) -> no God (B)' and
(2) the intelligent design disciples which say "'purely materialistic evolution -> no God' is a wrong conclusion -> evolution is wrong" (i.e. not(A->B) -> C)
are *equally* wrong (the former because their conclusion (A->B) is wrong, the latter because they think that evolution exactly means (A->B) which it doesn't).

This is a very diplomatic and logical point of view expressed by the church. From reading this, my personal opinion about the pope and statements from the church has been shifted towards a more positive attitude.

See also:
Catholic opinions on evolutionary origins - Atheism.about.com
Evolution and the pope - Catholic.net

Belief

When I was in New York over easter, a friend of mine there asked me: "Are you religious?" He himself being a catholic, he was interested in knowing what church I belonged to. When I answered him "No" he was very surprised. "So... what do you believe in?" he asked. I told him, as I will tell you now, that I believe in people; I believe that people are good.