The problem of evil: What is your opinion?

Mt. Woodside, Fraser Valley, BC (photo from trekearth.com)

My latest article on my other theology related blog, satire and theology has received better than average feedback. The posting has to do with religious album covers and is both amusing and more importantly somewhat deals with some serious spiritual issues. My intention with satire and theology is to pursue theological truth, through the use, at times, of satire, which is literary sarcasm that exposes the folly of an individual or organization. I am not trying to make fun of Christian faith and philosophy, or any faith and/or philosophy in a mean-spirited fashion, but I am attempting to find truth. On this site, theology is primarily dealt with in philosophical, and Biblical approaches with a little satire and humour, and this is a very important approach, but on the other site the articles are shorter with less citing of documentation, and perhaps a little more practically orientated. I must admit to have had many good laughs concerning the present satire and theology article. Even some of the technical mistakes with the article in regard to Outlook Express and Blogger have been amusing. Chucky and I had quite a few laughs sitting in this office reading through and adding to the article on Friday night. Please check the article out if you would like to laugh and learn perhaps, as I did, and feel free to leave a comment.

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2007/06/religious-album-covers.html

I presently have 188 questionnaires in my possession, and several more through mail may arrive. But, I am not going to assume that they shall arrive, as arrivals through email and mail have been slow lately. I would ask anyone reading this article that attends a Christian church to please seriously consider assisting me with my questionnaire, by completing one, if you have not done so already. Once I reach my goal of 200 questionnaires received, I will no longer need to request assistance on my blogs, and that would be nice! The questionnaires are completely anonymous and can be returned to me by regular mail if one does not want me to see their email address, however, the questionnaires that are returned to me through email remain anonymous as well. When I am entering the data on a SPSS data file, the questionnaires do not have names on them. If someone wishes to pass on information concerning my questionnaire to others please feel free to send along my blog URL and/or my email address from the blog header, and/or feel free to email or print out copies of the questionnaire. As well, a pastor from San Diego was nice enough awhile back to post a download link for my questionnaire. If you download from his site, please click on survey and hit cancel when the user name and password box comes up.

http://www.pastormarkonline.com/

The related article is entitled.

Do you want to help someone earn their Ph.D.?

While I am presently attempting to bring in more completed questionnaires, I am also entering the questionnaire data on to a SPSS data file. I have prepared what is known as a codebook. Pallant (2004: 12). The codebook is prepared on a SPSS data file, and includes defining and labeling variables. Pallant (2004: 12) The variable names are unique and clearly identify information. One variable from many typical questionnaires, including mine, is age, for example. Pallant (2004: 13). Once variables are defined, coding needs to occur, which is assigning numbers to each possible response. Pallant (2004: 12). The coding instructions for the age variable would include, within my questionnaire, for example, under 25 as 1.

Please scroll down this blog, or check in archives for my Questionnaire Feedback articles, which are both informative and amusing.

PALLANT, JULIE (2004) SPSS Survival Manual, Maidenhead, Berkshire, Open University Press.