Rod Dreher describes what happened at a conference sponsored by First Things on the future of religion in the public square. In the course of doing so, he describes a current controversy among conservative Catholics: The “Murrayites” believe that Catholicism is compatible with American-style political
We have racism (1932), sexism (1936), classism (1971), speciesism (1975), heterosexism (1979), ableism (1981). (See this discussion of “ism.”) Now someone is proposing “borderism,” for discriminating against people based on what side of a border they were born in. (more…)
Paradox of nature: a sub-atomic particle has been discovered that acts like both matter and anti-matter. (more…)
Ross Douthat has a rather brilliant essay in which he considers whether the church is facing a new pagan society, as in the first century. He thinks not, but he notices that some of the hostility against Christianity is very similar to the resentment against
Neuroscientist Adrian Owen has been studying the brain activity of people who are in a “vegetative state.” A recent experiment showed a classic episode, “Bang! You’re Dead!” from Alfred Hitchcock’s TV show, directed by the master of suspense himself, to two unresponsive people with brain
A British study has found that the biggest factor in a child’s educational success is the level of the father’s education. That is, if the father is well-educated, his children are likely to do well in school. And the father’s lack of education also manifests
Gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson wants to outlaw online gambling, which threatens his casino industry. So with the help of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, SC), he has formed an alliance with Southern Baptists, who also oppose online gambling because they oppose gambling in general, including what
The Supreme Court has refused to hear gay marriage cases. That means that the lower court rulings legalizing same sex marriage (in Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Wisconsin, and Indiana) will stand. Not only that, since these were circuit court rulings, the other states in the circuits
President Obama has declared victory in the economic sphere, pointing to decreased budget deficits and slowed growth in the cost of health care. We may now, he said, dispense with “mindless austerity” when it comes to government spending. But, as Fred Hiatt points out, such
The Extraordinary Synod on the Family is underway at the Vatican. Two hundred bishops of the Roman Catholic Church summoned by the Pope will discuss the church’s teachings about marriage, divorce, contraceptives, annullments, and sexual morality. In particular, the bishops will study the pastoral issues
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