Monthly Archives: January 2013

First Amendment, Second Amendment

The Economist picks up on this letter from 64 Roman Catholic theologians in favor of gun control. With so much talk of late of the supposed attack on religious freedom represented by Obamacare’s contraception mandate, this passage caught my eye: … Continue reading

Posted in Church & State, debate, law, politics | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

More on Morsi

Cross-posted on the Corner: Der Spiegel: To comprehend the Egyptian president and grasp how the Muslim Brotherhood shapes its members, it helps to speak with men who knew Morsi during his time with the Islamist organization — and who also … Continue reading

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History Rhymes

Cross-posted on the Corner: A number of people here have noted that yesterday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Well, in Mali they were burning books. The Christian Science Monitor reports: Fleeing Islamist extremists torched a library containing historic manuscripts in … Continue reading

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Making social engineering work

I tend to find the objection that having women in combat positions is a case of social engineering somewhat short-sighted. The military has long been a testing ground for social engineering. In the 1st century B.C. the Marian reforms helped transform … Continue reading

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Academia as the liberal party at prayer

What’s the Meaning of the Moody’s Report?: The new report from Moody’s Investors Service, casting doubt on the financial state of affairs in higher education, has provoked a good deal of anxiety. … The comments about tuition are potentially most … Continue reading

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The Dukhovnik

Here’s a must-read in the FT that sheds yet more light on Putin’s relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church: …Father Tikhon wields influence in the church far above his modest rank of Archimandrite, or abbot, due primarily to his contacts … Continue reading

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Just Another Foolish Priest

A cleric talking nonsense is hardly news, but when it’s the right sort of nonsense, the Washington Post can be relied upon to gush: Ambitious and outspoken, the new head of Washington National Cathedral has attracted more attention over the … Continue reading

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The Great Agnostic

Writing in the Weekly Standard, here’s Katherine Mangu-Ward with an entertaining review of a new biography of Robert Ingersoll, the Great Agnostic: While today’s GOP is associated with public displays of faith, the Republican party of Ingersoll’s day was more … Continue reading

Posted in history | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Fascist Loot!

Just a week or so after the latest Papal attack on the iniquities of greed, international finance and all the rest of it, the Guardian obliges with an entertaining piece of history: Behind a disguised offshore company structure, the church’s … Continue reading

Posted in Religion | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Gun control versus terrorism control

The current meme on right wing talk radio regarding gun control is that there are some rare unforeseeable tragedies—such as the Newtown massacre—that just occur as part of the random awfulness of life.  Government cannot prevent every last bad outcome, counseled … Continue reading

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