bestest posts of 2004

Here are the posts that made me think in 2004, from the blogs I read nearly every single day.

Mere Orthodoxy
I noticed that all of the most thought-provoking posts were by my brother--no offense to the other bloggers, but he and I naturally lock horns on just about any topic.

• Bewildered, an investigation of the Gnosticizing of modern-day Christianity
• Under the Microscope, scrutinizing media biases related to evangelical Christianity
• Lo, He Comes..., reading the New Testament rightly
• Christmas, sycretism or baptism? You decide.

Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Ed Brayton loves to deflate stupidity, and there are plenty of stupids to be found online. Some of his better posts, though, aren't as prickly.

• The Demarcation Problem, what separates science from non-science?
• Alan Keyes: A Man of Principle?, the beginning of the end for Illinois' loserest politician
• Bush Seeks Judicial Activism to Overrule First Amendment, reason enough to blog at 2:30 in the a.m.
• Advice for Aspiring Comedians, exactly as it says
• Response to the Anonymous Creationist, a clear, not-so-concise answer to evolutionary FAQ's (See this posting as well)

Pharyngula
PZ Myers is nothing if not opinionated, warm-hearted, and often quite funny. But he's at his best when in Science Teacher mode.

• A cunning dark bird, if you think bird-brained is an insult...
• Evolution of the whale ear, read and learn
• Development of cavefish eyes, read more and learn more

The Evangelical Outpost
Joe Carter posts more than is humanly possible, but somehow manages to stay interesting. His landmark achievement over the past year has been his Know Your Evangelicals series, a great place to learn about the heterogeneity in Evangelical Christian thought.