In 40 years since the collective murder-suicide at Jonestown, most stories and scholarship have focused on Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones and the dangers of cults, missing the larger story of the Temple—a significant social movement that mobilized thousands of activists to change the world in ways small and large, from offering legal services to people the poor to campaigning against apartheid. Read more
Who was “Dr.” Seuss, how did he come to be writing and illustrating children’s books, and what was he trying to get across in his strange little tale about the people of Whoville and their delightfully diabolical nemesis, the Grinch? Read more
One of the world’s most famous Christmas carols, “Silent Night,” celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. Over the centuries, hundreds of Christmas carols have been composed. Many fall quickly into obscurity. Not “Silent Night.” Read more
With social media and networking sites, media has evolved into something that everyone can be a part of; concerning the age-old issue of combating bigotry and prejudice, we must appreciate the responsibility that comes with. Everything we write anywhere on the internet should be done in a way that brings people together, not drives them apart. Read more
On the day of winter solstice, many Native American communities will hold religious ceremonies or community events. The winter solstice is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest hours of sunlight and the Southern Hemisphere has the most. For indigenous peoples, it has been a time to honor their ancient sun deity. They passed their knowledge down to successive generations through complex stories and ritual practices. As a scholar of the environmental and Native American religion, I believe, there is much to learn from ancient religious practices. Read more
As the Christmas season gets underway, companion animals are on the gift list. Many of the go-to items for cats contain catnip. In my view, it’s worth considering whether giving a mood-altering substance to a pet is ethical. Read more
St. Nicholas and Santa Claus are historically the same man. But unlike the jolly figure who purportedly flies on a sleigh from the North Pole, the saint came originally from the balmy Mediterranean coast. When you tell your children about Santa Claus, why not include the tale of Santa’s well-traveled bones? Read more
Climate change deniers are going to hell — a hell on earth of their own making due to their deliberate obstruction of efforts to prevent and reverse the worst effects of climate change. The sin and the crime is that unless their obstruction is stopped, they will take the rest of us with them down into an abyss of suffering and ultimately planetary death. Read more
Today in the United States there are those foolish enough to think they can “erase” what God has created. The Trump administration thinks it can render transgender people invisible by making laws about genitalia and defining gender as “immutable.” This is hubris, the theological term for the kind of excessive pride that makes a person think they can know better than God. Really, Trump administration, that never works out well for those arrogant enough to try it. Consult the ancient... Read more
The #MeToo movement has revealed how widespread are the suppressive mechanisms that cause women to be disbelieved. This is on full display since research psychologist Christine Blasey Ford accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempted sexual assault. Read more
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