(Below is blog post. It contains naive ramblings and no great conclusions—and lots of mizpellings and grammatical errors.) Why is it hard to mix cultures?…What is a culture? A culture is a collection of people who share certain beliefs and values and, to some degree at least, share ideas on how those values should be expressed. For …
My Mom loved rock music of all sorts. So when I came of age (musically speaking) and found a song and band I loved, it didn’t matter that the band had a satanic cult reputation and I was going to a Catholic school. If I liked Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult, that …
I bust up every time I see this. Having gone through six years of Catholic school, I know there’s more than a little truth behind the image: If you’re happy and you know it, that’s a sin!
This cartoon commentary by Heathwood and Lee illustrates so brilliantly my reaction to Pope Francis’ recent…advice…that one should expect a physical or violent reaction if criticizing another’s faith, so just don’t criticize. Would Pope Francis have said the same to Jesus Christ, whose life was devoted to exposing the hypocrisy of the Jewish leadership of …
JT Eberhard is a persuasive young man. An atheist and advocate for freedom of thought, he speaks regularly about atheism and how to discuss religion and atheism with religious believers. During this talk, JT Eberhard asks a number of questions that hit home and trace my path from reasonably devout Catholic to an irreligious agnostic, …
The 7 deadly sins, a list created, appropriately, by the Catholic Church is familiar to many: Lust Gluttony Greed Sloth Wrath Envy Pride Below is a revised, non-secular list, which also provides insights on our weaknesses.
Stephen Fry makes a strong case that the Catholic Church is NOT a force for good. I can’t agree that it’s an all or nothing proposition, but I totally agree with Fry’s critique regarding the Church’s position on contraception and the many deaths that thoughtless position has caused in spreading AIDs in Africa and elsewhere. …
I totally agree with and applaud Melinda Gates’ statements about the Catholic Church’s position on contraception. The Vatican’s position on this issue, and its impact on women’s rights, human health, and the spread of HIV in Africa and elsewhere, is one of the key reasons I’m no longer a Catholic. Melinda Gates, the “impatient optimist,” …
“Tivoli is my home town, Flavius Agricola my name . . . Friends who read this, do my bidding. Mix the wine, drink deep, wreathed in flowers, and do not refuse to pleasure pretty girls. When death comes, earth and fire devour all.” -epitaph of Flavius Agricola via Funerary Monument of Flavius Agricola | Indianapolis …
