Category: Religion
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We’re Making It All Up
I am a huge fan of the human imagination. I’m a huge fan of all imagination; I’m convinced plenty of other animals and creatures have imaginations, too. They use them – same as we humans do – to problem solve both small and big problems. Finding food, a safe place to sleep, our place in […]
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Why E Pluribus Unum Matters
Most Americans – if they think about the country’s founding – focus on “All men are created equal”. Alas, when our founders wrote those words, they didn’t mean them. Oh, they meant the “men” part. Only men could be other men’s equals. But by “men”, they meant only men like themselves: white, wealthy, land owning […]
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Certainty v Uncertainty
Want to know the real difference between atheists and theists? It all comes down to uncertainty. Atheists can handle it. Theists detest it. In fact, they’re “certain” uncertainty doesn’t exist. Or it can’t – or shouldn’t. Because, in their world, all questions are answered. By a deity. Mysteries remain of course, but they’re all part […]
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Maybe A “War On Christmas” Is A Good Thing
I grew up Jewish in America. That’s probably why Christmas always feels like I’m crashing someone else’s party. And the person whose party I’m crashing doesn’t like me very much. Strange thing is, the party aspires to be a celebration of a spiritual ideal while actually celebrating something else entirely: consumerism. There’s nothing wrong with […]
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Religionistas Don’t Believe IN God, They Believe They ARE God
I blame monotheism. Anything that puts the voice of the creator of everything into a person’s head is playing with fire. Take your average “religionista” (be they Christian fundamentalist, evangelical or other True Believer). They’ll tell you proudly: they have a personal relationship with God that you probably don’t. That means when God talks, they […]
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I’m Grateful To Hebrew School For Making Me An Atheist
Let me stretch that out a bit: I have always been grateful to Hebrew School for making me the atheist I am today. Now, in all fairness, I suspect I was an atheist when I dropped from the womb. Hebrew School didn’t make me an atheist. But, it did close the deal. Whatever lingering doubts […]