Category Archives: debate

The Changing Left-Right Nature of Atheism

I remember when atheism was clearly aligned with the left. It was a mere decade ago or so that stem cell research and sundry other hot-button issues characterized the distinction between the atheist liberal community and the Bush-loving, religious conservative … Continue reading

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A Premodern/Postmodern Pope?

Cross-posted on the Corner. From First Things, an interesting take on the pope’s eco-encyclical by R.R. Reno. Here’s an extract: “Everything is connected” is [the Pope’s] mantra in Laudato Si. True to this principle, Francis links his suspicion of science … Continue reading

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California Injects Some Sense on Vaccination

Or at least it’s getting closer to doing that. This from Reuters/Religion News Service: California parents who do not vaccinate their children would have to home-school them under a bill passed Thursday by the state Senate, the latest move in … Continue reading

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Conservative vs. ISIS and…Silicon Valley

For a guy who laments moral relativism, Rod Dreher doesn’t shy away from equating ISIS, though with the expected qualifier, to the folks in Silicon Valley. Upon reading a dialogue between two future forecaster types at Edge.org – who talk … Continue reading

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“Pre-Traumatic Stress Disorder”

Cross-posted on the Corner Just when you think that the misery that climate change is bringing in its wake can get no worse, there is this. Grist reports: …From depression to substance abuse to suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder, growing … Continue reading

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Star Turn

The BBC: A Conservative MP has spoken of his belief in astrology and his desire to incorporate it into medicine. David Tredinnick said he had spent 20 years studying astrology and healthcare and was convinced it could work….Explaining his beliefs … Continue reading

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Superstitions Old and New

Raw Story: Televangelist Pat Robertson advised a mother on Monday that she could cure her son’s stomach pains by finding someone to cast out demons that were possibly caused by an ancestor who practiced witchcraft. In an email, a viewer … Continue reading

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Can Water Weep?

Cross-posted on the Corner: The Independent: In the latest episode of ‘Gwyneth Paltrow states the absolute ridiculous’, the actress has claimed that saying negative things to water can hurt its feelings. What? Well, that’s a little bit of a stretch … Continue reading

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“Nostalgia for the Absolute”

In the course of an article triggered by the bullying of climatologist Lennart Bengtsson, Mark Steyn digs up this extract from a tremendous “imaginary address” by Yale law professor Stephen Carter to America’s Class of 2014, currently so busy, as … Continue reading

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Finding order where there is none

Via Andrew Sullivan, Benjamin Wallace-Wells’ examination of American conspiracism in New York magazine: The seduction of conspiracy is the way it orders chaos. Hmmm, that sounds like another phenomenon I could mention, which makes this entertainingly ironic : In the … Continue reading

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