Category Archives: Religion

Ancient and Modern Morality, Examples

David French and Stephen Breyer on originalism; Short items about how Trump is out of his mind (from Robert Reich), his “blood bath” comments, and his threat to shut down the media; Jamelle Bouie on how the election isn’t about … Continue reading

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OnlySky, Religions, Cults, and the Crazies

The end of OnlySky; What the difference between religions and cults is; Items about the crazies: Hillary’s acid, executions, God’s law, and how vaxxed people are inhuman. * Alas, the end of OnlySky, which might have been called a safe … Continue reading

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Alternative Realities? Or The Twilight Zone?

Political links as views into an alternative reality, or perhaps the Twilight Zone; Michelle Goldberg about Mark Robinson; Peter Wehner about how Christians support a morally depraved ex-president; hypocrisy in Alabama; two pieces about Christian nationalist Matt Schaefer; Short items … Continue reading

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The Anthropocene, or Not

Experts have declined to acknowledge “Anthropocene” as an official name for our current geological time; And how to some extent the decision was political, if not in the obvious sense; And wondering why Republicans continue to nominate candidates like Mark … Continue reading

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Conservative Fantasies: Boogeymen and Groomers

Robert Reich on the resurgence of anti-science fundamentalism, recalling again that Scopes trial; A 60 Minutes interview with the founders of Moms for Liberty, which apparently did not go well; How Trump and his follows believe in dystopian fantasies; Short … Continue reading

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The Flaw of Math, or Perhaps Just the Limits of Human Cognition

Veritasium on math’s fatal flaw, or perhaps just a limitation on the extent humans can understand reality; Considering why cars are built to be able to break the law; A cartoon about religious folks who believe the Bible was written … Continue reading

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Steven Pinker’s HOW THE MIND WORKS, post 5

Several quotes, in addition to those already provided. From Chapter 3, Pinker makes an essential point about how natural selection works. People aren’t driven by their genes to reproduce or even survive — not consciously; people are driven by their … Continue reading

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Steven Pinker, HOW THE MIND WORKS, post 4

Chapter 8, “The Meaning of Life,” is the last 45 page chapter of this 565 page (counting only text) book. Here he covers matters of human culture, much as Wilson did at the end of his 1978 book. Given that … Continue reading

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More on the IVF Brouhaha

Vox summarizes the issue; Republicans are walking the issue back; they know it won’t win them votes; Amanda Marcotte on how this is about Christians controlling women; Robert Reich on the emerging Republican theocracy; A link to Connie Willis’ latest … Continue reading

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Progress, and Regression

Progress: This afternoon the US has landed a spacecraft, albeit unmanned, on the Moon, for the first time in over 50 years; Regression: the religious mindset behind the Alabama IVF decision; more examples of the ambitions of the Christian nationalists; … Continue reading

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