Camp Inquiry to be featured today on NPR

Today, on National Public Radio's daily program All Things Considered, there will be a story on Camp Inquiry, the summer camp in Holland, New York that provides a friendly, accepting environment for young atheists and agnostics, and teaches the virtues of personal responsibility and critical thought. The camp is for children aged 7-16 and runs for a week in the middle of July, during which time campers can participate in the following workshops:

Monsterbusters & Mythmarauders

Campers will use a variety of methods to investigate claims of the paranormal, urban legends, and UFO sightings.

In the Footprints of Darwin

Experts in the natural sciences will guide campers in understanding the evolutionary model as counter to claims of creationism and intelligent design.

Sleights of Hand & Tricks of the Eye

A professional magician unravels the mysteries of illusion.

Human Expression

Professional artists and teachers lead campers in creative self-expression through the visual and performing arts.

Expressly Human: The Ethical Life

Campers will participate in conversations and activities designed to address the changing global community, diversity, and the need to act as a responsible moral agent.

The Character of Character

Through discussions of film and literature, campers will consider moral and ethical dilemmas faced by both fictional and familiar folks.

Imagination & Science

Campers will discover the fascinating science behind imagination, and find out that the two realms aren’t as far apart as they seem.

All Things Considered airs at 4:00 PM EST (at least it does in Michigan, YMMV).

Atheist Experience and April First "Fools" Bumper Stickers

If it doesn't work, visit http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3454662743009947826&q=atheist+experience+foolish+atheists&ei=ohGOSPifK6eQqwPt1KjBCA&hl=en



Do you remember the post Ray had where an angry atheist threatens to sue over a bumper sticker? Well, He calls into yesterdays episode of the Atheist Experience. this is the whole episode, so you'll probably have to watch a little before you get to the caller who sent Ray the message. Nonetheless, it's an excellent show either way.

Ray's definition of a real christian

When mudskipper asked:
Can someone tell me how I can experience God experientially?
I want to have an experience like Ray had"

stranger.strange.land gave a standard reply invoking guilt and fear. And then added:
"But this is a crucial point. You will then either harden your conscience to what you have experienced, or you will be broken and see Jesus (through the preaching of the gospel) as your only hope."

stranger is correct. The kind of emotional breakdown that follows the understanding of the christian concept of sin and guilt, and the release from that because of jesus' sacrifice brings about an overwhelming emotional response. I know because I have experienced it, and I suspect, so have some of the Raytractors.

Interestingly, at the baptist church I used to attend we were warned against relying on feelings and emotions. We were taught to put faith first, and feelings would follow. if we chased the feelings we would eventually be disappointed and, like relationships that founder after the first bloom of romance is gone we could spend out time forever searching to recapture that emotional "rush".

After years of being deeply entrenched in fundamental Baptist doctrine, a slow drift away from the church and its influence allowed me to re-assess. I saw that I was basically no different from your average joe in the street, and yet I was supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The internet, atheist blogs, and particularly Ex-Christian.net allowed me to break free from a guilt-ridden, supersticion-based way of living.

But here a core doctrine of Ray Comfort and his Rayniacs. I was what they would call a "false convert" How can they ever know if they will turn out to be false converts too? the parable of the sower gives examples of plants that grew up healthy before they were choked with weeds. On top of the guilt must be this constant fear of loss of faith, of backsliding.

On the one hand they accuse us of being blind because we can never know jesus personally like they do, of not having faith. And yet they must also be aware that because of the failings of our minds and senses, "knowledge" based on the emotional, based on things we have "felt" must be the most fragile, and ephemeral of all.

Atheist Experience: Best Caller

Proof That God Exists? Yeah right.