Monthly Archives: November 2009

Huston Smith on death

I’m gearing up for next semester’s PHIL 500 class. The theme will be Death and Immortality. Recently, Huston Smith was profiled in Shambhala Sun magazine, but here is a short article from CNN.Com on his response to his daughter’s death. … Continue reading

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Redemption through yoga

Not a news flash. But it always seems like a “miracle” of sorts to see this transformation in anyone.

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Mormon church supports gay rights

Who woulda thunk? With a historic endorsement from the Mormon church, the Salt Lake City Council unanimously passed a pair of ordinances making it illegal to discriminate against gays in housing and employment. Church support for the ordinances is due … Continue reading

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E.T. phone the Vatican

OK. Here’s more on the Vatican and space. This time a search for alien life. In the interview last year, Funes told Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano that believing the universe may host aliens, even intelligent ones, does not contradict a … Continue reading

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Climate change and a crisis of faith

[Worshipers at a shrine in Muranga pray facing Mt. Kenya during a ceremony to ask for rain. They also sacrificed a goat. The 17,057-foot mountain has lost 92% of its glacier cover over the last 100 years. Edmund Sanders / … Continue reading

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Religion and violence

It’s sad that so much of contemporary discussion about religion centers on violence: the violence that is generated and sanctioned in the name of religion. Some critics of religion have argued that religion is inherent problematic. One such problem is … Continue reading

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Religion and technology

A discussion of the long relationship between religion and technology. “Employ these new technologies to make the Gospel known, so that the Good News of God’s infinite love for all people will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological … Continue reading

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Islam and creationism

The discovery of “Ardi” supports a creationist perspective? This isn’t what I’d have thought but apparently there is a rise of creationism in some Muslim communities. But there is another creationist movement whose influence is growing, and which is fueling … Continue reading

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Etiquette and religion

Randy Cohen is an ethicist who writes for the New York Times. This recent article discusses a touchy issue: is it OK to criticize religions (the religious leaders) or religious believers for holding beliefs or making statements that are not … Continue reading

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Crumb meets Genesis

I never was a fan of Crumb’s cartoons. They always seem a bit creepy to me. But this caught my eye. I’d like to check it out. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb

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