Monthly Archives: November 2009

On that “Special Relationship”

Posted on November 11, 2009 by David Hume

When it comes to multiple loyalties we know about the issues which cropped up with Germans, Italians and Japanese during World War II, and the vociferous anti-German activism of World War I, the ambivalence which the Irish viewed intervention on … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged , | 12 Comments

The nation-state as idol

Posted on November 11, 2009 by David Hume

Rod Dreher & Daniel Larison discuss the intersection of religion and patriotism. The issue of course isn’t adherence to a higher law vs. the nation-state; even those without explicitly religious motivations can reject loyalty to a state whose actions they … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, data | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Dealing with the big colorful lie

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David Hume

The British ruling on “Who is a Jew” seems to have a lot of legs, see The Atlantic Wire for a link round-up. One of the problems with the intersection of religion and policy is that everyone has different standards … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 7 Comments

Is Britain establishing Protestantism as the state religion?

Posted on November 8, 2009 by David Hume

Who Is a Jew? Court Ruling in Britain Raises Question: By many standards, the JFS applicant, identified in court papers as “M,” is Jewish. But not in the eyes of the school, which defines Judaism under the Orthodox definition set … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | 23 Comments

We’re not going to catch up

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

A recent item on New York City’s public radio station announced an award program for local science teachers.  Featured was a teacher who had his students keep journals “reflecting on their scientific thinking,” ” in the tradition of Leonardo.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Civilizing the young

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

Many Americans who are indifferent to faith will confess they find themselves challenged as they try to raise good and decent children without the religious confidence their parents had. writes William McGurn, for whose sagacity I have the utmost respect.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 19 Comments

In Congress sex matters on abortion

Posted on November 7, 2009 by David Hume

Below are the mean ratings from an abortion rights group for the year 2007-2008. The number of women in Congress at any given time is small, so the inclusion of two very moderate Republicans such as Olympia Snowe and Susan … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, data | Tagged | 3 Comments

Abortion, men & women on the same page

Posted on November 7, 2009 by David Hume

Over at The Washington Post Ezra Klein has a post, The gender politics of the abortion “compromise”: It’s sadly telling that the “compromise” proposal limiting abortion was offered by Bart Stupak, and seconded by a Republican male. The opposition was … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, data | Tagged | 1 Comment

Torture porn

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

Liberal and left-wing critics of Bush’s “war on terror” have brandished the word “torture” to refer to every stressful interrogation practice that soldiers in Afghanistan and Guantanamo desperately and clumsily evolved in their effort to gather intelligence on presumed terror … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Nicholas Wade’s New Book

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Bradlaugh

Nick Wade’s new book The Faith Instinct comes out next week.  I’ve been reading it for review, and it’s excellent.  He seems (I’m only 60 pages in) to plant himself firmly in the religion-is-adaptive camp. This puts him in a … Continue reading →

Posted in science, Science & Faith | 4 Comments