Photo by Riot Studios

This week’s buzz features a funny new movie about four “Christian” con men, a new Creationist museum in Idaho, a new TV show from the co-creator of Lost, and the BioLogos AMA.

Believe Me, Coming to Theaters September 28th

In Believe Me, four broke college seniors become “Christian” con men. The movie features Nick Offerman, Lecrae, and the guy who played Shooter McGavin, Christopher McDonald. Do yourself a favor and watch the trailer.

This movie looks hilarious. Check out the full cast and learn more about the film.

New Creationist Museum in Idaho

The Northwest Science Museum opened in Boise this month. The museum teaches young-earth creationism, the belief that God created the world around 6,000 years ago.

Joseph Laycock wrote a brilliant article about this museum in Religion Dispatches:

By pitting Genesis against scientific theories, Creationists have tacitly conceded to materialist claims that scripture is only of value if it is true in a historic and scientific sense.

By claiming Creationism is “true science,” the Northwest Science Museum ironically implies that only science is of any value.

A BioLogos video explains a better view of scripture: “Doesn’t evolutionary creation contradict a plain reading of the Bible?”

The Leftovers Series Premiere

The Leftovers debuted on HBO last night. The show takes place three years after a rapture event: 2% of the world’s population disappeared into thin air. Writer Tom Perrotta explains the show’s drama:

If you’re a contemporary middle-class American, you’ve lived your life in unparalleled comfort. Maybe without any religious faith at all. There’s a kind of inertia through your life. This story places characters in situations where they’re no longer able to have that comfortable passivity in terms of these questions. So it is a philosophical show in that sense, but these characters are living that philosophical question, not just pondering it.

While the show asks fascinating questions, it tries too hard and is excessively depressing. I recommend watching the trailer, but skipping the show.

Recapping the BioLogos AMA

BioLogos had an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit last Tuesday. Jim Stump, BioLogos content manager, had a great response to a great question: “What would you say is your weakest premise?” He cited divine action:

I would say that our biggest challenge is to explain divine action. We are not deists, who think that God started things up and let them go. Neither do we think that the natural systems God implemented are defective and in need of constant tinkering. So we’ve got to give a narrative that shows how God is “mightily hands-on” (to use a phrase of Jeff Schloss’s) and involved in the details of his creation, while at the same time allowing for creation to “become”. Stay tuned to BioLogos for more work on this in the future.

Jim’s right. It’s easy to say that God and evolution are compatible, but it’s harder to explain how that’s possible.

What Happens When Atheists Rule?

Last week, Richard Ostling compared atrocities committed by atheist and Christian regimes. His comparison is very balanced.

Debating the “Wars of Religion”

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) featured a written debate between philosopher Russell Blackford and theologian William Cavanaugh. The two discussed Christianity’s role in the European wars of religion.