Jim Downard

As someone who follows the creation-evolution debate quite closely I take advantage of lots of free newsletter links that organizations make available, from Science magazine to local creationist organizations like Chuck Missler’s Koinonia House over in Coeur D’Alene, to that Mount Olympus of Intelligent Design, Seattle’s Discovery Institute.

With the passage of some weeks the History Channel’s miniseries “The Bible” begins to fade from the public eye and embark perhaps on a gentle migration (as so many fleetingly popular titles do) to the bargain price video bin at Walmart. I have already delved into some of those aspects of the series that catches the eye of this feisty non-Christian (focusing on Genesis, the Samson Tale and the Exodus), and will conclude with the transition the story took from Old to New Testaments.

Atheism comes in as many flavors, just as their are Christians who range from literalist Young Earth creationism believers all the way to those who don't accept biblical miracles or even the divinity of Jesus.  But just as one could argue that a "Christian" who doesn't accept the divinity of Jesus is a pretty wishi-washy Christian, so too an "atheist" who has a hankering for some gods is an odd bird indeed.

I often describe myself as a "devout agnostic but a functional atheist." By which I mean that I do not rule out in principle that god(s) might exist (though many a dogmatic atheist does exactly that), though since if asked do I believe in any particular god, as I don't, that makes me a functional atheist.

I do indeed celebrate Christmas, though obviously as a secular holiday. So as the mood takes me, Christmas tree and decorations go up, and I play Christmas albums and movies all the rest.

What forms or methods of personal growth and living into your values work for you? I believe we all seek inner peace, but sometimes the only language I know to express my growth is hard for atheists to understand because of differences of understanding those words.

How do you feel about billboards constructed by atheists that openly attack faith? I'm in support of any message that encourages people to explore beliefs — or unbeliefs, as the case may be — but not at the sake of attacking what others practice. What are your thoughts?