Some atheists have long adopted the smug view that religious belief is a product of ignorance, while atheism is the default position of the educated.  Well, according to a recent study, this is not so: "Time to accept that atheism, not god, is odd".

Indeed, some of the data indicates quite the opposite, but the nuanced nature of the study’s results defies a simple explanation.  Two factors, however, seemed clear enough: first, ethnic background plays an important role in determining one’s beliefs on the God question; and, second, that unbelief is unnatural.

If you’re interested, read the linked article and then, for the full explanation of the study, click on “Where do atheists come from?”

Many have asked for an update on our eleven year-old daughter, Sasha, whom we adopted last spring.  Her progress has been remarkable, to say the least.  Sasha’s understanding of English, her new surroundings, and her assimilation into our family have outpaced what most said we should expect.  Honestly, it is hard for Lauri and I to imagine that she has ever been anything but our girl.  Sasha is a sweet girl who is animated by a genuine love of life.

It has been Lauri, however, who has done the heavy lifting of educating Sasha.  When I say “educating Sasha”, I mean much more than you may assume.

A few weeks ago Lauri and I took our family to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.  It has been almost twenty years since I’ve been to a circus and I had forgotten the scale of the performance—jugglers, trapeze artists, acrobats, high wire acts, firewalkers, contortionists, lion tamers, cowboys, dancers, motorcycle stuntmen, strongmen, clowns, elephants, horses, tigers, and the list goes on.  It is quite overwhelming.