I have been introduced to an evangelist named Louie Giglio recently (thanks to my stepsister).

This talk is not cutting edge or current, but it does reveal some interesting side effects of human nature.

The talk is a sort of science-evangelism. It’s wonderful that Louie appreciates science, but don’t think that his approach is quite … pristine for lack of a better word … for the non-religious.

Here’s his talk in a few short sentences (without the melodic keyboards in the background):

1) Our universe is big. Look at these huge stars!
2) Here’s a black hole that looks like a cross via hubble! (applause)
3) Here’s a protein (laminin) that looks like a cross … it holds our cells together! (applause)

I really would like to believe that my skepticism hasn’t run off uncontrollably, but I look at a room full of people who really want to believe in something awesome, and I feel the energy of it, and I feel moved by it, and I feel completely separate from it.

I think, wow, you found two things in the whole wide universe that look like an X.  Two intersecting lines.
Louie describes this protein, laminin,  as his knockout blow… a hook jab that he’s exceptionally proud of.

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For the video (and comments) from youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg_ZVS6Kecw&feature=related

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One of my favorite comments to the video:

“Praise God for this video! Only true believers can fully understand this message.
God bless you Mr. Giglio and other true servants of God! ”

And another:

“WOW I was totally blown away……thats absolutely awesome! My 2 teenage kids were completely impressed! Thank you for sharing that with us! God bless you!”

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My mind jumped to a seemingly unrelated email I recieved a few months ago by Athen (my step mom)

http://www.foldmoney.com/

This shows how you can fold money and make images that look kind of like historical events.

These images are more complex that a simple intersection of two lines.  They look like the twin towers.  But despite the more intricate complexity involved in their making, I feel that most Christians will have an easier time being skeptical of the significance here.
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Pattern recognition is a wonderful thing. It really is. It’s good that we can see faces in the clouds, etc.
It really is.

But why is this being used as a basis for faith. Yes, the universe is big. Yes, there are lots of things shaped like two intersecting lines (a cross)

But, I can’t help but feel like I belong to a whole different species when I see people who interpret folded money as fore-tellings of apocalyptic events, or the structure of proteins (as diagrammed in science text books) as sources of reaffirmation of beliefs and convictions.

Here’s the rub though:  Our brain tends to latch on to things we feel are significant and toss out the rest.
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I have met a few men of faith who draw their faith through prayer and research into the Bible. Among them are my father and a brilliant preacher named Butch Simmons.

I cannot understand how people get so much inspiration from things shaped vaguely like a cross, however. There is a universe of shapes out there. If we put any special kind of significance on the capital letter ‘V’ these people would hold flocks of geese in the highest of spiritual regard.

I am just completely baffled how to process this. I don’t understand why I was given this video.  I don’t understand its positive commentary.  Maybe I am missing the part of me that takes this sort of thing as evidence.  Maybe a degree in philosophy has bred in me an extra thing (skepticism) which most people lack.

But then people are skeptical of things like aliens.  So, maybe it’s not even skepticism at work.

I’ll sleep on this.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm and is filed under Philosophy and Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.