April 2012
154 posts
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Global Imobiliare: Vatican Wants To Fight The...
‘Vatican officials traveled this week to the island of Sicily, the heartland of the Mafia, to promote the church’s role in fighting organized crime.’
Read more: Global Imobiliare: Vatican Wants To Fight The Mafia?
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Bad News, Good News about anti-Islamic, Neo-Nazi...
‘There is alarming news about the rising racist and xenophobic movements in Europe, often called “Far Right”. A hundred years ago European racism was directed against Jews, and today virtually the same prejudice: Back then it was the “Can you be Jewish and European” question, today it is the “can you be Muslim and European” provocation.’
Read more: Bad News, Good News about anti-Islamic,...
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Spiritual Servitude? How Religion Justifies...
‘Which revered religious figure - Moses, Jesus, or the Prophet Mohammad - spoke out boldly and unambiguously against slavery? Answer: None of them. One of these men owned slaves, another created laws to regulate - but not ban – slavery. The third’s chief spokesman even ordered slaves to obey their masters, religious scholars say.’
Read more: Spiritual Servitude? How Religion Justifies Slavery
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Reading: A Dao of Web Design
“What Zen was to the 70’s (most famously with motorcycle maintenance), the Tao Te Ching was to the 90’s. From Piglet and Pooh to Physics and back, many have sought sense in applying the Tao Te Ching to something (the Tao of Physics), or something to the Tao Te Ching (the Tao of Pooh). It can be a cheap trick, but lately it has struck me that there is more than a little to be understood...
March 2012
113 posts
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Ron Burgundy: Behind The Scenes
San Diego’s very own Ron Burgundy recently stopped by the show to announce the sequel to “Anchorman.” Here’s a behind the scenes look at how that all went down courtesy of Funny or Die.
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Mayan Prophecy? Occupy 2012 and the Doomsday Cult...
‘One thing that became abundantly clear was that neither the Aztecs nor the Mayans were any more concerned about 2012 than the Catholic priests were concerned about the rapture. Several prominent shamans and tribal elders actually told me that they do not believe there is any pragmatic science behind the western interpretations of the 2012 prophecy.’
Read more: Mayan Prophecy? Occupy 2012 and...
American Anti-Scientism: Conservatives trust...
“For whatever reason, this appears to involve opposing science and universities and what is perceived as the ‘liberal culture.’ So, self-identified conservatives seem to lump these groups together and rally around the notion that what makes ‘us’ conservatives is that we don’t agree with ‘them.’”
Read more: American Anti-Scientism: Conservatives trust science less than ever
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Atheism Rising, But God Is Not Dead Yet: 10 Ways...
‘For most of the 20th century, smart people assumed — with smug certainty and probably more wishful thinking than they’d be willing to admit — that humanity’s long obsession with religion is finally winding down. God is dead — done in at last by the forces of enlightenment and reason. Humanity is now free to chart a new course, without worrying about the Big Bad He-God In the Sky. But, as the...
Rick Santorum: Opus Dei Focused On Religion Not...
‘Rick Santorum’s ties to the Catholic group Opus Dei have been recently highlighted in news reports. Guest host Jacki Lyden continues the conversation about Opus Dei with long-time member, John Coverdale. They discuss the role of religion in politics and address claims that the group promotes a conservative political agenda.’
Read more: Rick Santorum: Opus Dei Focused On Religion Not Politics
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The Quantum Exodus: Hitler's Gift to American...
‘Gordon Fraser’s fascinating ‘The Quantum Exodus’: In a series of mini-profiles, he tells the story of the scientists (mainly physicists) who were forced to flee Europe and the Nazis because they were Jewish. Many of them ended up in the United States and many of them worked on the atomic bomb, so valuable was their expertise, but I wondered how many of them would have gotten clearance to work...
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The Holy Cosmos: The New Religion of Space...
‘Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson are high priests, astronauts are like saints that ascend into heaven, and extraterrestrials are as gods — benevolent, wise, and capable of manipulating space and time.’
Read more- The Holy Cosmos: The New Religion of Space Exploration
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Conservative Consciousness: 3 Reasons Republicans...
‘So then, the question is, why do people deny this? And why, might I add, do Republicans in particular deny this so strongly? And if your answer to that question is, “oh, because they’re stupid” — well, you’re wrong. That’s what liberals want to think, but it doesn’t seem be correct. In fact, it seems to be precisely the opposite — smarter (or more educated) Republicans turn out to be worse...
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Captive Virgins, Polygamy, Sex Slaves: Marriage &...
‘Traditionally, Republicans tend to run on a platform of God, guns and gays. This time, it’s God, gyne-policy and gays – a set of urgent priorities straight from the mouths of conservative bishops and evangelists who call themselves Bible believers. There’s no way to understand politics anywhere without understanding religion, but to an outsider American Christianity — and so American politics —...
Mystic Propaganda: Islamophobia and the 2012...
‘When, in the last years, Marine Corps Intelligence put together a report on the practice of “cultural Islam” in Afghanistan, it noted that “Afghans are a traditionally superstitious culture,” specifically referencing the weight given to dreams and symbols as well as “practices…such as the evil eye superstition.” The “official use only” document noted that the Taliban sometimes plays to “Afghan...
China Pissed: Dalai Lama wins Templeton Prize in...
‘Grit your teeth, China leaders. The Dalai Lama, possibly the globe’s most famous contemporary voice for non-violence and compassion, was named the winner of the 2012 Templeton Prize today.’
Read more- China Pissed: Dalai Lama wins Templeton Prize in science, religion
The Politics of Tibetan Buddhists' Suicide-by-Fire
‘A Tunisian set himself afire and brought on Arab spring. Why don’t 30 Tibetan self-immolations bring on dramatic change?’
Read more: The Politics of Tibetan Buddhists’ Suicide-by-Fire
Religion vs Science: Religious Right is wrong...
‘Meanwhile, candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination reject the overwhelming scientific evidence for human-caused climate change. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich once held rational positions but have since capitulated to the fossil fuel lobby. Rick Santorum just seems out of touch on every issue, from rights for women and gays to the environment. He’s referred to climate...
Psychology of Religion: Are People Born with...
‘A controversial new book contends that we are all born predisposed to religious belief. Justin L. Barrett discusses his research, his feud with Richard Dawkins—and why he’s a believer himself.’
Read more: Psychology of Religion: Are People Born with Religious Belief?
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Santorum's Goyim Gaffe: Protestant, Catholic,...
‘There was a time when it seemed like progress for Catholics and Jews to be folded into Protestant America and frequently referred to as a single entity. For most, that time has passed.’
Read more: Santorum’s Goyim Gaffe: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish -We’re All Christians!
Religion has always sought Politics to keep its...
‘Doctrine of necessity is not a new phenomenon in politics, and Islam has implemented it more than any other religion, There is a strong relationship between religion and politics, where the former dominates the latter, says Dr Aslam speaking at Safma.’
Read more: Religion has always sought Politics to keep its Societal Hegemony
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What I'm Drinking: Goya Coconut Water [Agua de...
“It’s just a shame that, as The Atlantic Wire’s Adam Martin points out, it’s so...”
– Finally, One Measly Conviction in a Rape Cop Trial (via ashleybaxstrom)
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Red Lentils: A Gastronomical Experiment
Switched up normal Goya Lentils for Ziyad Red Split Lentils. Rice, water, salt, oil, lentils = dinner. Bold, I know…
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Mayan Civilization's Demise Tied To Religious...
‘A dread of malevolent spirits haunting forsaken areas could, along with environmental catastrophes, help to explain why some areas in the ancient Mayan world proved less resilient than others when their civilization disintegrated, researchers suggest.’
Read more: Mayan Civilization’s Demise Tied To Religious Beliefs, Fear Of Evil Spirits
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Science & Santorum's 'War On Porn'
‘In a statement first posted last week on his campaign website, Santorum cites “a wealth of research” demonstrating that pornography causes “profound brain changes” and widespread negative effects in both adults and children, including violence against women. There’s no such evidence of brain changes, researchers say — though the question of pornography’s harmfulness is still in some dispute.’
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Biblical Archaeology: Faith, Forgery, Science, and... →
‘On March 14, a Jerusalem judge acquitted a man accused of forging an inscription on a small stone coffin. The writing, on what’s known as the James Ossuary, reads “James son of Joseph brother of Jesus.” Its promoters claim that it’s the first archaeological evidence of Jesus Christ’s existence and that the box once held the bones of Jesus’ brother...
