Thinking to Believe

The mythical being we call Santa Claus or “St. Nick” is loosely based on a real historical figure, Saint Nicholas of Myra.  St. Nicholas served as the bishop of Myra in the early fourth century.  While he is known as a giving man, most do not realize that he gave people more than money.

The story goes* that he was one of the bishops present at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, and was a defender of the full deity of Christ against Arius.  When Arius took the floor and began to argue for his view of Jesus (a view that claimed Jesus was a created divine being who was less than fully God), Saint Nicholas’ heresy meter went off…as well as his temper.  He entered the “ring” and proceeded to slap Arius in the face for speaking such heresies.

So next the next time you think of Santa Claus, don’t think of the jolly ‘ol fat man in the red suit; think of the fist-fighting defender of orthodoxy! Take that…and that…and that you heretics!

BTW, legend has it that when Nick slapped Arius, Arius yelled out “Ho ho homoousios.”  If you didn’t get that, don’t worry. Just a stupid theology joke.

*I have to admit that there are not good historical grounds for the story. St. Nick is not mentioned as being present in the contemporary historical sources, and the story about him punching Arius does not appear in any literature until the late 14^th century.  Furthermore, Arius wasn’t even allowed to speak at the council since he was not a bishop (Eusebius of Nicomedia defended Arius’ position for him at the council), so he couldn’t have slapped Arius. Despite the questionable historical veracity of the account, it’s just too fun to pass up.

Starting the week on the lighter side.  Here are some famous misquotes and misattributions (from Wikiquote):

• “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.”, Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (played by Judy Garland)
  • This phrase was never uttered by the character. What she really said was Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.

• “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” — Voltaire
  • Thought to be words of Voltaire, it was actually written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall.

• “Just the facts, ma’am.”
  • This, the best known quote from the Jack Webb series Dragnet, was never said by Sgt. Friday in any of the Dragnet radio or television series. The quote was, however, adopted in the 1987 Dragnet pseudo-parody film starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks in which Aykroyd played Sgt. Joe Friday.
  • Correct versions:

“All we want are the facts, ma’am.”
“All we know are the facts, ma’am.”

• “Elementary, my dear Watson” – Sherlock Holmes
  • (more…)

I was once told my theology professor to stop including so many “thats” in my papers.  I complied, and remain critically aware of using unnecessary “thats” to this day.  But there is a place for using “that.”  Indeed, sometimes it is right to write multiple, consecutive “thats” in a single sentence.

For example, “I know that that professor does not like me using the word ‘that.’”  But if it’s right to write “that” twice, could it be right to write “that” that much more?  Yes.  That “that that” is perfectly acceptable English should be obvious to all.  But that’s not all the “thats” that that professor should allow.  That that “that that” that I spoke of earlier is proper, no one can deny.  But could someone deny that it’s possible to use six “that thats” in a single sentence?  They could, but that would be a mistake because now that that “that that” that that professor did not like proved to be an acceptable use of English, there’s no telling how many more “thats” can be used in a sentence.  Perhaps we could use as many as seven.  But I would understand why, upon hearing that, that that “that that” that that professor initially objected to would no longer seem all that objectionable.  And that is all I have to say about that.

I have been a Christian for nearly 20 years.

And I have spent much of that time studying the faith.
My motivation has been to overcome personal doubts.

Knowledge is said to dissipate doubts, right?
I have not found that to be the case, personally.
Doubts continue to plague my mind.
Do you know what that’s like?
I can no longer put up pretenses.
Now is the time for me to come clean:
God does not exist!

All the theistic arguments are flawed.
Personally, I don’t think I ever believed them.
Reality is, we are alone in this universe.
It is a sad fact, but we must face it.
Life is too precious to waste on religion.

For those who continue to believe, I wish you the best.
Outstanding claims require outstanding evidence, however.
Ontological commitments must be rationally based.
Living as if God existed is not something I can do anymore.
So I say sayonara to God, and good night to you.  It’s been fun.

Check it out here.  Very cool.

Here is a funny video mocking the new iPad.

HT: Between Two Worlds