Year: 2021

Dreamcatcher (PRO) – The Secrets of Star Trek

Look out for each other. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss the latest episode of Prodigy, the moral of the story of working together, whether Holo-Janeway is really fooled by the Protostar crew, and if they really are stranded.

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Life on Mars (Martian Life, Alien Life, Exobiology) – Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World

For centuries, people have wondered whether there is life on Mars and NASA’s 1970s-era rovers seemed to prove there was, but then doubts arose. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli look at whether there is life on Mars, how it would have got there, what it would be like.

Help us continue to offer Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today?

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Mysterious Headlines

This Episode is Brought to You By:
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World is brought to you in part through the generous support of Aaron Vurgason Electric and Automation at AaronV.com. Making Connections for Life for your automation and smart home needs in north and central Florida.

Catechism Class, a dynamic weekly podcast journey through the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Greg and Jennifer Willits. It’s the best book club, coffee talk, and faith study group, all rolled into one. Find it in any podcast directory.

Fiorvento Law, PLLC, specializing in adult guardianships and conservatorships, probate and estate planning matters. Accepting clients throughout Michigan. Taking into account your individual, healthcare, financial and religious needs. Visit FiorventoLaw.com

Want to Sponsor A Show?
Support StarQuest’s mission to explore the intersection of faith and pop culture by becoming a named sponsor of the show of your choice on the StarQuest network. Click to get started or find out more.

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The Weekly Francis – 10 November 2021

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 21 October 2021 to 10 November 2021.

Angelus

General Audiences

Homilies

Messages

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “May the protection of minors be more and more a concrete, ordinary priority within the Church’s educational works. May it be the promotion of an open, trustworthy and reliable service, in strict contrast to every form of domination, betrayal of intimacy or silent complicity.” @Pontifex, 4 November 2021
  • “Being a member of the people of God is a gift, a responsibility: the responsibility of witnessing by our deeds, not just our words, to God’s wonderful works, which, once known, help people to acknowledge his existence and to receive his salvation. #Synod” @Pontifex, 5 November 2021
  • “Contemplating the Heart of Christ, we can allow ourselves to be guided by three words: memory, passion and comfort.” @Pontifex, 5 November 2021
  • “Memory. To remember means ”to return with the heart“. It is good for us to nurture our memory with those who have loved us, taken care of us, lifted us up. The Heard of Jesus reminds us that whatever happens to us in life, we are loved.” @Pontifex, 5 November 2021
  • “Passion. The Heart of Christ is an impassioned heart, wounded by love, torn open for us on the cross. That tenderness and suffering, that Heart reveals what God’s passion is: man.” @Pontifex, 5 November 2021
  • “Consolation is a strength that does not come from ourselves, but from the One who is with us: Jesus, the God-with-us. Let us encourage ourselves with this certainty, with God’s consolation. And let us as the Sacred Heart for the grace of being able to console when it is our turn.” @Pontifex, 5 November 2021
  • “Let us care for our common home, and also for ourselves, trying to eliminate the seeds of conflict: greed, indifference, ignorance, fear, injustice, insecurity and violence. Humanity has never before had at its disposal so many means for achieving this goal #COP26![img #EnvConflictDay” @Pontifex, 6 November 2021
  • “Let us #PrayTogether for the people of #Ethiopia, so sorely tried by the conflict that has lasted more than a year and has caused numerous victims and a serious humanitarian crisis. I renew my appeal for fraternal harmony on the peaceful path of dialogue.” @Pontifex, 7 November 2021
  • “In the #GospelOfTheDay (Mk 12:38–44), Jesus proposes the poor wideo as a teacher of faith: the sound of her few coins is more beautiful than the grandiose offerings of the rich, since they express a life sincerely dedicated to God with unconditional trust.” @Pontifex, 7 November 2021
  • “The world needs Christians who know how to demonstrate the beauty of the Gospel by the way they live; who are weavers of dialogue, models of fraternal life; who bring the sweet fragrance of hospitality and solidarity, who protect and safeguard life.” @Pontifex, 8 November 2021
  • “Let us commit ourselves to fostering an education in fraternity, so that the outbursts of hatred that would destroy that fraternity will not prevail. The threat of antisemitism still lurking in Europe and elsewhere is a threat that must be defused.” @Pontifex, 9 November 2021
  • ““Faith in Christ in your heart is like Christ in the boat” (Saint Augustine). We wake Christ up in our hearts and then we can contemplate things with his vision because He sees beyond the storm. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex, 10 November 2021

Papal Instagram

War of the Sontarans – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The Doctor goes to Crimea. Jimmy Akin and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss the historical context of the 2nd chapter of the Flux; the return to form of the Sontarans; and the interesting context of What would the Doctor do?

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Starstruck (PRO) – The Secrets of Star Trek

Holo-Janeway and the kids start the long road of building trust. Jimmy Akin and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss how they (and the audience) continue to get to know the crew, the ship, and the Star Trek universe as Prodigy continues its work as an intro for a new generation of Trekkies.

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Science and the Kalaam Argument: Some Words of Caution

The Kalaam Cosmological argument is one of the more popular arguments for God’s existence.

In essence, it states (1) that anything that has a beginning must have a cause, (2) that the universe has a beginning, and so (3) the universe must have a cause, which is God.

There have been various attempts to show philosophically that the universe has a beginning, but these arguments don’t work.

However, there also have been efforts to support the second premise of the argument by appealing to contemporary science and Big Bang cosmology.

This is more promising, but there are some cautions that need to be made in this area also.

Christian apologists should not rely on Big Bang cosmology in an overly confident way, and they need to be aware of the current state of cosmology and the effects it has on the way the Kalaam argument needs to be presented.

It’s important that they be aware of this (a) so that they present the argument correctly and do not distort what current science indicates and (b) so that they don’t cockily present the argument and find themselves called on the carpet by a knowledgeable skeptic.

Here are three articles that apologists wanting to use the scientific version of the Kalaam argument should be aware of.

 

No Singularity?

It’s common to hear claims that at the moment of the Big Bang there was a singularity in which space and time came into existence.

This used to be common thinking among cosmologists, but it is not taken for granted today.

Here Ethan Siegel, who is a mainstream astrophysicist (i.e., not a fringe nut) explains:

The TL;DR for apologetic purposes is that we ought to be careful making claims that the Big Bang shows the existence of a singularity in which space and time sprang into existence.
Siegel’s point is that this was the conventional understanding among astrophysicists 40 years ago, but that the view has since been undermined by the failure to observe certain features that the universe should have if it were true.
Instead, contemporary astronomical evidence points to the whole universe once existing in a hot, dense state that then began expanding (i.e., the Big Bang) but it does not show that space and time sprang into existence at this point.
Siegel admits that there could have been a singularity at some point prior to the Big Bang where space and time sprang into existence, but astrophysics doesn’t presently show that.

 

Cosmological Response to the Kalaam

In this second article, Siegel offers a critical evaluation of the Kalaam argument from the perspective of modern astrophysics.

Apologists should be aware of this type of critique.

Article 2: Does Modern Cosmology Prove the Existence of God?

 

The Crisis in Cosmology

Finally, apologists need to be aware of what’s called the “crisis in cosmology.”

In recent years, measurements have been taken that call into question important elements of current cosmological thought.

This has led cosmologists themselves to begin discussing a “crisis” in their field.

There also are assumptions in Big Bang cosmology that need to be examined.

While some form of the Big Bang is still the dominant model in cosmology, apologists need to be aware of the crisis in cosmology and be careful in how confidently the present current cosmological ideas in their arguments.

Here is a treatment of that.

Article 3: Escaping Cosmology’s Failing Paradigm

 

Apologetic Integrity

Apologetic integrity demands that apologists accurately present the data on which their arguments are based.

Therefore, when presenting cosmological ideas in their arguments, apologists must be aware of the current state of cosmological science, and it must be accurately reflected in how the present evidence for the Christian faith to others.

They must not misrepresent the science when making scientific arguments.

These articles will help Christian apologists be aware of important issues that have a bearing on the Kalaam argument.

Canals on Mars? (Martian Life, Alien Life, Extraterrestrials, Exobiology) – Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World

After 19th-century astronomers said Mars has a worldwide network of canals, people speculated there was not just life but a civilization there. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli explore whether there is life on Mars, and if so, how it got there and what it is like.

Help us continue to offer Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today?

Links for this episode:

Mysterious Headlines

This Episode is Brought to You By:
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World is brought to you in part through the generous support of Aaron Vurgason Electric and Automation at AaronV.com. Making Connections for Life for your automation and smart home needs in north and central Florida.

Catechism Class, a dynamic weekly podcast journey through the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Greg and Jennifer Willits. It’s the best book club, coffee talk, and faith study group, all rolled into one. Find it in any podcast directory.

Fiorvento Law, PLLC, specializing in adult guardianships and conservatorships, probate and estate planning matters. Accepting clients throughout Michigan. Taking into account your individual, healthcare, financial and religious needs. Visit FiorventoLaw.com

Want to Sponsor A Show?
Support StarQuest’s mission to explore the intersection of faith and pop culture by becoming a named sponsor of the show of your choice on the StarQuest network. Click to get started or find out more.

Direct Link to the Episode.

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The Weekly Francis – 3 November 2021

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 10 June 2021 to 3 November 2021.

Angelus

General Audiences

Messages

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “Climate change can be faced with a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world, and an effective solidarity based on justice, a sense of our common destiny and a recognition of the unity of our human family in God’s plan for the world. #Faiths4COP26” @Pontifex, 29 October 2021
  • “When we pray, we never do so alone: even if we do not think about it, we are immersed in a majestic river of invocations that precedes us and proceeds after us. #Prayer #CommunionOfSaints” @Pontifex, 30 October 2021
  • “The #WordOfGod must be repeated, made one’s own, safeguarded. It must reach every aspect of life, involve, as Jesus says in the #GospelOfTheDay, the entire heart, the entire soul, the entire mind, all of our strength (Mk 12:28). It must resound within us.” @Pontifex, 31 October 2021
  • “Let us build cities that, while preserving their respective cultural and religious identity, are open to differences and know how to promote them in the spirit of human fraternity. #FratelliTutti #WorldCitiesDay” @Pontifex, 31 October 2021
  • “This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities – what we value, what we want, what we seek – and re-plan our future, committing to act in our daily life on what we have dreamed of. The time to act, and to act together, is now! #COP26![img” @Pontifex, 31 October 2021
  • “I am thinking about the population of Haiti who are living in extreme conditions. I ask that all leaders of nations help this country, not to leave it on its own. How much suffering, how much pain there is in that land. Let us #PrayTogether for Haiti, let us not abaondon them.” @Pontifex, 31 October 2021
  • “Do not be afraid to set your sights higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God. Do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Holiness does not make you less human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace” @Pontifex, 1 November 2021
  • “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self. #UniversalSanctification” @Pontifex, 1 November 2021
  • “Blessed be Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world, together with this immense flowering of saintly men and women who populate the earth and who have made their life a hymn to God. #AllSaintsDay” @Pontifex, 1 November 2021
  • “The saints, who often count for little in the eyes of the world, are in reality the ones who sustain it, not with the weapons of money and power, but with the weapon of #prayer. #AllSaintsDay” @Pontifex, 1 November 2021
  • “There is a mysterious solidarity in Christ between those who have already passed to the other life and we pilgrims in this one. Our deceased loved ones continue to take care of us from Heaven. They pray for us, and we pray for them and we pray with them. #Prayer #FaithfulDeparted” @Pontifex, 2 November 2021
  • ““To you who pass by, think about your footsteps and your final step”: that it be peaceful. These tombs are a message of peace: “Stop, brother and sister, stop! Stop, weapons makers, stop!”” @Pontifex, 2 November 2021
  • “There is no time to wait. Unfortunately, there are too many people suffering from the environmental crisis. Urgent and courageous action is needed along with the responsible preparation of a future in which humanity will be capable of taking care of itself and nature. #COP26![img” @Pontifex, 2 November 2021
  • “When we are tempted to judge others badly, we must rather reflect on our own weakness. It is good to ask ourselves what drives us to correct a brother or a sister, and if we are not in some way co-responsible for their mistake. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex, 3 November 2021
  • “Love is the supreme rule for following the path of Christ, it makes us aware of our weakness, and merciful and in solidarity with the difficulties and weaknesses of others. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex, 3 November 2021
  • “Let us #PrayTogether that people who suffer from depression or burn-out will find support and a light that opens them up to life. #PrayerIntention” @Pontifex, 3 November 2021

Papal Instagram

The Halloween Apocalypse – The Secrets of Doctor Who

The 13th Doctor starts her final season with the first chapter in a six-episode arc. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss the many threads that are unspooled here and how this may be the best 13th Doctor episode yet.

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Lost and Found (PRO) – The Secrets of Star Trek

It’s the start of another new Star Trek series and Jimmy, Dom, and Fr. Cory are ready to discuss it. Prodigy is another animated series that is the most Star Wars-like Trek show ever, but it’s not a bad thing. It’s also not just a show for kids, but for all Trekkers.

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