Republicans Continue the Big Lie with Voter Suppression Laws

Last updated on: April 6, 2021 at 5:58 am By Kermit Zarley

Some red states—having a Republican governor and a Republican majority legislature—are changing their voting laws to benefit Republicans and thereby disenfranchise Democratic voters. Democrats and others are complaining that these new laws restrict voter rights. Republicans are basing these new voter laws on their notion, still propagated by former Republican President Donald Trump, that the 2020 presidential election was a “fraud,” a “hoax, and that the election was “stolen.” They argue that voter laws must be changed to prevent such... Read more

Historian Bart Ehrman on Life After Death

Last updated on: April 4, 2021 at 10:08 pm By Kermit Zarley

Dr. Bart Ehrman is a leading historian on Christian Origins even though he is an agnostic. I’ve met him due to both of us being members of the Society of Biblical Literature. Ehrman graduated at Moody, Princeton, and is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since today is Easter, The Los Angeles Times has op-ed by Dr. Ehrman entitled “How Christians came to believe in heaven, hell and the immortal soul.” Ehrman begins this op-ed by correctly... Read more

Spieth Wins Valero

Last updated on: April 4, 2021 at 5:22 pm By Kermit Zarley

Jordan Spieth, after nearly four years of absence from the winners’ circle, finally broke through today to win the Valero Open at the TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas, Spieth’s native home state. It was his twelfth victory on the PGA Tour. Beginning the day tied for the lead with Matt Wallace, Spieth took the early, sole lead and finished the day with a six-under par 66 to win by two strokes over Charlie Hoffman. Spieth had to overcome... Read more

Christian Leaders Misrepresenting The Faith

Last updated on: April 1, 2021 at 7:10 pm By Kermit Zarley

It seems there are so many stories popping up about Christian leaders bringing ill-repute upon the Faith in recent years. The biggest one is probably widespread cases of pedophilia among Roman Catholic priests that has been going on in many parts of the world, especially in the U.S., for several decades and that have been brought to court in recent years, with the Church suffering considerably monetarily. In recent years, there has been various other sexual misconduct by other Christian... Read more

More Nones But Fewer Nuns

Last updated on: March 25, 2021 at 11:43 am By Kermit Zarley

That is not a typo. Actually, there are fewer nuns. The Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. had about 240,000 priests and nuns in 1964, but in 2014 it had only about 90,000. So, there are fewer nuns, but more nones. My friend Scot McKnight is a New Testament professor at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois, which is near Chicago. He has some interesting statistics about church affiliation in his “Scot’s Newsletter” today. He derives it from a new book... Read more

Matt Jones Wins Honda Classic

Last updated on: March 21, 2021 at 7:23 pm By Kermit Zarley

Australian Matt Jones shot a course-record 61 the first day and 66 today to win the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, by five strokes for his second win on the PGA Tour. Brandon Hagy finished alone in second place. Jones last won on the PGA Tour the 2014 Houston Open. Jones mastered all areas of the game throughout most of the tournament. Today, he clawed his way through “the bear trap” magnificently without a scratch. That refers to... Read more

Private Citizen Donald Trump Under Investigation

Last updated on: March 19, 2021 at 7:44 am By Kermit Zarley

I’ve been taking a break from posting about ex-President Donald Trump ever since he left the White House and has been living in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, as a private citizen. And I intend not to comment about him much anymore. But I thought I would now only bring us up to date on what his legal situation is. Today, The Washington Post has an article penned by four of its reporters entitled, “Trump faces an onslaught of legal... Read more

U.S. Catholic Church to Pay Reparations for Slavery

Last updated on: March 17, 2021 at 12:40 pm By Kermit Zarley

A Jesuit order of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church announced Monday that it has established Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation for making monetary reparations to descendants of slaves that the church owned in the past. It has pledged $100 million for this endeavor in order to try to atone for its past involvement in slavery. This foundation actually happened due to a group of descendants of slaves approaching the Jesuit order with such a plan, and it was accepted. The... Read more

Republicans May Prevent Herd Immunity

Last updated on: March 16, 2021 at 10:37 am By Kermit Zarley

People are getting vaccinated around the world for COVID-19, especially in advanced countries. Israel has vaccinated a larger percentage of its population, more than half now, than any other country. Israel has had the most aggressive vaccination plan of any country even though ultra-Orthodox Jews have been very resistant to being vaccinated. Part of Israel’s progress has to do with the price national governments have paid to get the vaccination material. In the free world, Israel agreed in the very... Read more

Justin Thomas Wins The Players

Last updated on: March 14, 2021 at 5:10 pm By Kermit Zarley

Justin Thomas, the third-ranked pro golfer in the world, came from behind in dramatic form to win The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass by one stroke over 47-year old, perennial, runner-up, yet world-class player, Lee Westwood. Thomas shot 66 and 68 this weekend, a record, for a 14-under par total of 272 on one of the game’s toughest layouts. Westwood was cruising today, coaxing a 2-3 shot lead until Thomas made his move early in the back nine today. And... Read more