Author Archives: Heather Mac Donald

Brooks bashes the “new atheists”

David Brooks argues that the view that moral decision-making results from an intuitive, pre-rational engagement with the world, rather than from logical deduction from a set of moral principles, is a  challenge to “the new atheists, who see themselves involved … Continue reading

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Non-believers we can do without.

Andrew writes: The idea of an atheist ‘movement’ “on the march” is not, I confess, something that fills me with great joy. Especially when its leaders march under such idiotic banners as the British bus ads:  “There’s probably no God.  … Continue reading

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Greenhouse gasbags

More proof that greenhouse-gas environmentalism—for liberals, one of the main reasons for getting rid of the allegedly anti-science, religiously-driven Bush Administration–is just posturing.   The California  legislature has been struggling to close a $41 billion budget deficit.  This is the same … Continue reading

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Secular green ideas waste foolishly

Chez Panisse founder Alice Waters argues that the federal school lunch program should be revamped to give children locally-grown, organic produce.   She’s right about the scandal of federally-subsidized junk food being served to children; it’s a tragedy that Americans have … Continue reading

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Belief and criminal offending

Here’s some data that at first glance supports the “religion as social prophylactic” argument.  When asked to state their religion, 46.5% of the 20,000 or so mostly low-level offenders who cycle through the Grand Rapids county jail each year (which … Continue reading

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Marriage-lite

I happen to think that gay marriage will be a very high-risk social experiment, with consequences that we can’t begin to foresee.  But the compromises devised in the hope of placating the modern non-discrimination principle have huge unintended consequences as … Continue reading

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Civility and order

Peggy Noonan argues that faith will hold the United States together during the recession: Tuesday I talked to people who support a Catholic college. I said a great stress is here and coming, and people are going to be reminded … Continue reading

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Theology and belatedness

Anyone who has not read evolutionary theorist Jerry Coyne’s essay on science and religion in the New Republic is missing a tour de force.  Under review are two books attacking creationism and intelligent design.  Their authors–a physicist at Eastern Nazarene … Continue reading

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Please explain

Will Bill O’Reilly or anyone else who saw the hand of God in the safe landing of US Airways Flight 1549 this January please explain why God chose not to save Continental Connection Flight 3407, which plunged into a house … Continue reading

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Giving science its due?

Nadya Suleman’s publicists refer to her “eight tiny miracle children,”  which we should celebrate because they will be raised in a “Christian, caring environment.”  I assume her PR team means a medical miracle.  Taxpayers’ potential bill for the octoplets continues … Continue reading

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