SCILIGION
(SCIence & reLIGION)
Meetup Discussion Group

This is a free bi-weekly discussion group to discuss the issues between science and religion. All religious faiths (and atheism) are included and welcomed. Any questions dealing with science and religion are fair game, such as:

-- Is there DNA evidence for evolution?
-- Were Adam and Eve real people?
-- Can Christians accept evolution?

SPECIAL NOTE
This group has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy
for angry outbursts or rude language. If you
can't guarantee 100% that you'll behave
respectfully, then please do NOT attend.

GO HERE TO SIGN-UP
AND ATTEND A FREE SESSION:

 http://www.meetup.com/sciligion/

Our Mission Statement:
"Present a forum where everyone, regardless of belief system,
feels welcome to explore issues of how science and religion interact."

Ground Rules:
-- No personal attacks, angry outbursts, foul language, rudeness, etc.
-- Treat each other as friends; not as enemies
-- Show respect to others even if we deeply disagree with their viewpoint
-- Treat all questions as "good questions" (there are no stupid questions)

Objectives for these meetings:
-- To learn new things regarding science and religion
-- Make new friends who are interested in the interplay of science and religion
-- Develop a "love for the truth" and a "seeker mentality" within all participants
    (we are all still learning)
-- Videotape for playback on community access TV (Portland OR area) and
    the internet

     Our programs are videotaped so they can be played on local community access TV and the internet.  This is an attempt to raise community awareness.  We hope to whet the appetite for the topic of interfacing science and religion.  Many churches don't talk much about it, so we hope to fire-up the conversation within churches, in the hope of advancing spiritual and intellectual maturity.  (For those who are camera-shy, we have a place off-camera for you, so you can still participate in the meetings without being on camera.)

     Homework is not required.  However, we will have an advance agenda for those who want to "study-up" before the meeting on the planned topics.  Be sure to sign-up as a member at the meetup group (click here) to get on the email list and get the agenda and general discussions.

Upcoming Meeting Dates for 2009:

Meeting Format:
7-8 pm: pizza meal (optional)
8-9 pm: videotaped discussion (main event)
9-10 pm: after meeting discussion (optional)

02/17/09 #10 (room/equipment reserved):
Topic: A discussion of Satan

  7-8pm:   pizza dinner (optional)
  8-9pm:   videotaped event (main mtg.)
  9-10pm: after-mtg. discussion (optional)

Details: Bernie will lead a discussion on the topic of Satan.  Does he exist? If so, what is he like, and what does he do?

Since we have members of the Christian, Bahai Faith, and atheist worldviews, we will discuss at least the opinions of these.

Click on the following files to see Bernie's 10 min. presentation (MS Powerpoint, PDF).

------ OLD PLAN, to be rescheduled due to injury ------

Topic: Discussion on Angels.

  7-8pm:   pizza dinner (optional)
  8-9pm:   videotaped event (main mtg.)
  9-10pm: after-mtg. discussion (optional)

Details: Linda will give a presentation on Angelic-human interactions.  Linda says Angels have messages for us, love us, and can even heal us.   Linda's website is www.AngelsAreNearUs.com .  Linda is a Meetup.com group leader for Angel Believers- click here to see her webpage.   
TBD: May have an optional demonstration of a meditation session.

03/03/09 #11 (room/equipment reserved):
Special guest presentation from Gretchen Newmark.

Topic: Buddhism

  7-8pm:   pizza dinner (optional)
  8-9pm:   videotaped event (main mtg.)
  9-10pm: after-mtg. discussion (optional)

Details: Gretchen is a Buddhist meditation trainer.  Click here to read more about Gretchen and her work.

03/17/09 #12:
Topic: TBD

03/31/09 #13:
Topic: TBD

04/14/09 #14:
Topic: TBD

04/28/09 #15:
Topic: "How to disprove God using science" (an atheist perspective) by Sciligion member Kurt.

05/12/09 #16: Buddhism and Psychology
Special guest presentation from Stanford Siver.

From the presenter, Stanford Siver:

A presentation about Process Oriented Psychology, also known as Process Work. It’s a paradigm developed by Arny Mindell; integrating western psychology, Buddhism, shamanism, and quantum physics. See www.aamindell.net and www.iapop.org .

Anyone interested in this might want to take a look at Arny’s Quantum Mind: The Edge Between Physics and Psychology (click here to see).

Stanford is a Meetup.com Buddhist group leader- click here to see his webpage: http://www.meetup.com/DWBC-Portland/ .

05/26/09 #17:
Topic: TBD

Then summer break and discussion if this should consider, and what form it should take if so.

Past Meetings and videos:

2008:
    10/14: SciLi1: The first meeting to plan future meetings and direction. 
               Video download*:  Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                               Google Video

10/28: SciLi 2: Discuss the main points of new movie by Bill Maher "Religulous."
               Video download*: Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                              Google Video

11/11: SciLi 3:
            1.  "Does carbon dating prove or disprove evolution?"
                     A general discussion.
            2.   "If God exists, it should be able to prove He exists." 
                      Presentation by Keith Cantrell (15 min.), then discussion. 
               Video download*: Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                              Google Video

11/25/08: SciLi 4:
  -- Bernie Dehler: CS Lewis & Evolution (last chapter in "Mere Christianity")
                             (Click here for MS Powerpoint slides; ppt format)
                             (Click here for MS Office Document Imaging; mdi format)
  -- General discussion: "Why are you an atheist, Christian, etc.?"
               Video download*:  Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                               Google Video

12/02/08: SciLi 5:
  -- Part 1: Bernie Dehler: DNA evidence that evolution actually happened
                             (pseudogenes and human chromosome #2)
                             (Click here for the powerpoint slides.)
  -- Part 2: General discussion on "the apparent miracle of life"
                  (Click here for slides.)
      was: Robbie Barwick: Intelligent Design: Debunking "Irreducible Complexity"
               (will be rescheduled)
               Video download*:  Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                               Google Video

12/16/08 SciLi 6:
  -- Bernie Dehler: What is a "Evolutionary Creationist?"^REF
  -- Steven Schultz: An academic overview of "The Problem of Evil"
               Video download*:  Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                               Google Video, YouTube (excerpt)
^REF:Website reference for biblical passages affirming a flat earth, immoveable earth, an ocean of water over the earth, and that the sun moves across the sky:
http://www.ualberta..ca/~dlamoure/3EvoCr.htm

01/06/09 Sciligion #7:
     A personal story: Morality changes when going from Christian to atheist.
     Tom Gebhardt will make a presentation relevant to his status change
     from Christian to atheist.
               Video download*:  Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player,
                                               Google Video

01/20/09 Sciligion #8: How do you practice spirituality, if at all?
Topic: Spirituality. What does it mean to you as a Christian, atheist, spiritualist, etc.?
               Video download*:   Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player, 
                                                Google Video, YouTube (Excerpt)

02/03/09 Sciligion #9:  A review of "The Atheist manifesto" written by famous atheist author Sam Harris.
Topic: Bernie will lead a discussion on the main points of the "Atheist Manifesto" which is posted here.  Bernie's preliminary response, click here to see MS Word doc. (click here for text version, but formatting is slightly messed-up).
               Video download*:   Windows Media Player, Quicktime, Real Player, 
                                                Google Video, YouTube (Excerpt)

* To download a video to your PC,
   right click with your mouse on the link and select "save target as...".

 

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Our first meeting on 10/14/08:

Chris, Bernie, and Keith (Theresa off-camera)

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Additional Resources

Online science/religion debate videos, "Closer to the Truth"
Association of Christians in science, "The ASA"
Science/religion online videos, Richard Dawkins (atheist)

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Contact:
ScienceLovesReligion@yahoo.com

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TV Schedule for past videotaped meetings
(Ch. 11 is throughout all the Portland tri-county area,
other channels are in Oregon's Washington County only.)

Ch	Date	Time
23	Friday, January 02, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, January 04, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, January 07, 2009	6:00:00 AM
11	Thursday, January 08, 2009	8:00:00 PM
23	Friday, January 09, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, January 11, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, January 14, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, January 16, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, January 18, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, January 21, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, January 23, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, January 25, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, January 28, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, January 30, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, February 01, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, February 04, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, February 06, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, February 08, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, February 11, 2009	6:00:00 AM
11	Thursday, February 12, 2009	8:00:00 PM
23	Friday, February 13, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, February 15, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, February 18, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, February 20, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, February 22, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, February 25, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, February 27, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, March 01, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, March 04, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, March 06, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, March 08, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, March 11, 2009	6:00:00 AM
11	Thursday, March 12, 2009	8:00:00 PM
23	Friday, March 13, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, March 15, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, March 18, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, March 20, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, March 22, 2009	11:30:00 AM
11	Wednesday, March 25, 2009	6:00:00 AM
23	Friday, March 27, 2009	11:00:00 PM
23	Sunday, March 29, 2009	11:30:00 AM

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