Category Archives: Religion

More About the Weirdos

Posted on Thursday 8 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Why folks in Louisiana are obsessed with placing Bibles in every classroom; The books Utah is banning from all classrooms; How JD Vance’s shifting religious beliefs have aligned to the ancient authorities; And short items. When I was growing up, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Religion | Comments Off on More About the Weirdos

Things Change, Necessarily

Posted on Sunday 4 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Seen in passing on Facebook today: Understand science, and you’ll understand religion. (In particular, I’d say, cognitive sciences, and human evolution.) \ Today’s topics: How Republicans accuse Democrats of being anti-family, while voting against programs to help families; How about … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Progress, longtermism, Religion | Comments Off on Things Change, Necessarily

Tribal Antics, Racism, Misogyny

Posted on Friday 2 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thought for the day. It occurs to me that — at the risk of tossing out another simplistic dichotomy — the OT is pure tribal morality, while the NT, parts of it anyway (Jesus, maybe, though not Paul), presents a … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Religion | Comments Off on Tribal Antics, Racism, Misogyny

Nostalgia, Weird Ideas, Joy vs Grimness, Prayers

Posted on Tuesday 30 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Tom Nichols on how nostalgia for the past tells us lies; More on JD Vance’s tribal morality and short-term thinking; Robert Reich on Kamala’s joy and Donald’s grimness; And the meaning of why Trump rallies open with Christian prayers. —— … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal history, Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on Nostalgia, Weird Ideas, Joy vs Grimness, Prayers

Tribal Human Nature Fights Back

Posted on Friday 26 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thomas L. Friedman asks Trump and Vance: What is wrong with you people? Republican attacks against Kamala Harris as being childless reveal base tribal motivations for how society ought to be run; And who’s brainwashing whom? Do children ‘belong’ to … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Tribal Human Nature Fights Back

The Incoherency of Religious Rationales

Posted on Saturday 20 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s generally considered impolite to point out the irrationality and incoherency of religious faith, but sometimes the examples are so blatant, you wonder if they aren’t signs of some mental disorder. Like those cases where brain damage causes one side … Continue reading →

Posted in Meaning, Religion | Comments Off on The Incoherency of Religious Rationales

Never Mind Policy or Principles, Conservatives Need Only Stories

Posted on Thursday 18 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Politics and the Narrative Drive converge in items today. Robert Reich about how the GOP is courting unions; How J.D. Vance emphasizes his personal story rather than conservative principles; How Republicans cling to the myth of migrant crime; And how … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Narrative, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Never Mind Policy or Principles, Conservatives Need Only Stories

Save the Children?

Posted on Thursday 11 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Never mind homeschooling; now there’s a cult of “unschooling”; Nascent thoughts about conservative morality, children, MAGA, and the return to a simpler past — which would be, childhood; How Oklahoma is letting right-wing figures (including David Barton) run its social … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Education, MInd, Religion, Technology | Comments Off on Save the Children?

Stories, and Change

Posted on Tuesday 9 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Miscellaneous items today, including a few from a couple weeks ago. Oklahoma, insisting the Bible be taught as an historical document, seems intent on mis-educating its children and ill-preparing them for life in the 21st century; How conservative attacks against … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Religion, Social Progress | Comments Off on Stories, and Change

Once You See It

Posted on Saturday 6 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How issues in politics 100 years ago resemble those of today; How Republicans and Democrats live in radically different universes; What the “genius” of the American Founders were thinking; Zbigniew Preisner’s film score for Damage Once you see it, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Morality, Music, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Once You See It