I have just picked up on an interesting article from The Guardian which suggests that the well publicised ‘new atheist’ movement (represented by the Dawkins/Dennett type of school) is essentially motivated by a political agenda - and in particular fear of radical Islam and ‘fundamentalist’ America.

Bunting rightly recognises that in their “vituperative polemic” the new atheists may be doing themselves no favours - and also comments on the worrying tendency towards ‘irreligious intolerance’ - which sounds scarily like an atheist version of the Inquisition.

But perhaps most interestingly of all, she picks up on a point which the evolutionary thinkers have still failed to answer adequately - “the durability and near universality of religion is one of the most enduring conundrums of evolutionary thinking.”

But the ‘new atheists’ don’t seem to like debating questions they have no answers to.

We went to see Spiderman 3 yesterday.  A good film, if a little longer than would have been ideal!  For a more in-depth discussion, here is one of a number of reviews and comments at Hollywood Jesus.

I will limit myself to a few observations.

As with the almost painfully blatant ‘Christian allusions’ in last year’s Superman Returns, S3 plays obviously with Christian themes.

For example:

• There is a strong (and commendable) message of ‘forgiveness’ as a great key to life, but it is mixed in with a great deal of popular ’self-realisation’ babble. 
• The idea of sin within even ‘heroes’ is brought out - but even here there is a strong element of lack of responsibility for this - it is the fault of the ’symbiote,’ not of Peter Parker.
• Spiderman undergoes some manner of ‘redemption’ within a church, but alarmingly at the same time, it almost appears that Eddie’s prayer for the death of Spiderman is going to be granted. 
• And the ‘New Goblin’ manages both forgiveness and self-sacrifice.

But at the end of the day, even in Aunt May, the most obviously ‘devout’ character in the movie, the Christian message has been watered down and removed from the great Biblical themes of Sin and Redemption.  Redemption appears to be attainable by the individual, without the need of the help of God - even without the help of a ’superhero.’

Nevertheless it is great fun as a movie, and perhaps thought-provoking for the intelligent viewer.  Enjoy it, and be thankful that the story it tells is only a shadow of God’s glorious story.

A news article this morning caught my eye.  The Fire Brigade Union are having an argument about the representation of minority groups on their executive committee.

The debate centres on whether having black, gay and women representatives on the committee gives those ‘interest groups’ greater power than corresponds to their proportion of the total membership.

It represents a microcosm of some issues which we find in society at large.  Because of course, suggesting that these representatives shouldn’t have so much influence immediately leaves you open to the charge of “racism, homophobia or sexism.”  Toleration now seems to be our society’s primary value - although as many have argued this isn’t real tolerance.

But the reality is, that in a parallel way, well-organised ‘minority’ groups in democracies can affect the lives of everyone.  And therein lies the challenge for Christians today.

Where is the Christian Voice in (and my focus here is very limited) UK politics?  There is surely a place for political involvement by Christians - and in a democracy that should not simply be limited to organisations like The Christian Institute but individuals should be getting involved.

At the recent protest in London regarding the Sexual Orientation Regulations, there were a large number of Christians present.  But in reality only a small percentage of the total number of Christians in London alone, never mind throughout the country.

There is theological thinking to be done on how to engage, which is why this year’s Oak Hill School of Theology on Public Theology is so timely.

But we should not just be thinking, but also doing.  We are not called to build heaven on earth, but we are called positively to influence the world in which God has placed us.