Through the Wormhole

Is anyone watching the new program hosted by Morgan Freeman on the Science Channel? It's called Through the Wormhole, and the first episode ("Is There a Creator?") debuted last Wednesday.

I really enjoyed it...it was a combination of real science, along with some ideas that could be more accurately described as science fiction. I found Dr. Garrett Lisi's work on E8 unification fascinating, and this presentation actually helped me grasp the concept of the elusive "theory of everything." Anything that can help me to wrap my feeble brain around a bit of quantum physics is awesome in my book. The concept of a "god experience" programmed in our brains is fascinating...and the thought of our world as a computer simulation created by our descendants is just plain fun, à la The Matrix.

The program has been criticized for not being scientific enough...among other things. In my opinion it was entertaining, and I'm looking forward to future episodes. A little bit of science put into an entertaining format (who says science has to be restricted to dry academics?) is a good thing in my opinion! It gets people talking...and more importantly, it gets people thinking. Programs like this make science more accessible to the layperson, and I'm all for it!

If you've seen it...what did you think?

One more reason to come out of the closet

Things have been pretty crazy around here, but instead of letting more dust gather on my blog, I figured I would take this opportunity to direct your attention to another of Dale McGowan's great blog entries.

I have several friends who are non-believers, but who are still living "in the closet". I don't fault them for it...I did the same thing for a lot of years. It isn't easy to come out as an atheist...or as any non-Christian for that matter...in this country. Many Christians may not realize it, but there are repercussions (sometimes serious ones) for anyone who admits they aren't a Christian.

It's easier in some areas and harder in others, but I know that where I grew up, the term "Christian" was used synonymously with "good person." And to say someone was an atheist was on par with saying they were against all things good. Even now, the only atheists most people see are the most outspoken (people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens), who they think are intellectual snobs. It's one reason why I have such a hard time identifying with the label of "atheist." The point of this blog entry is that, unless people are willing to come out of that proverbial closet, nothing is going to change.

If you are a not a person of faith, the best thing you can do is to be open and honest about your world view...while at the same time continuing to just be NORMAL. As people realize how many friends, family, and neighbors are atheists (or secular humanists, agnostics, freethinkers, brights, or whatever you choose to call yourself), the less stigma will be attached to our world view.

Check out what Dale has to say about it...and let me know what YOU think!

An Outbreak of Normal