Category Archives: Religious Belief

When Sociologists Get Religion

As my students know, Durkheim, the “father of sociology”, had a great deal to say about religion. Some of it, from my point of view, helpful. Sherkat, a professor of sociology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, no longer has … Continue reading

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Oprah gets schooled

I awoke this afternoon just in time to see the Oprah show on Tues. Geishas and Dominican nuns. The list of what Oprah claimed she didn’t know makes me wonder, no, makes me worried about the general religious knowledge Americans … Continue reading

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Haiti and faith

CNN has a segment on the faith of Haitian parishioners at a Georgia church and Haitians in general.

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Other Christians

I just answered a Twitter poll about religious identity. It’s no secret that I’m a Christian. And many of you know I’m an Episcopalian. I’ve found recently that when I get worked up over an issue, it’s best to “write … Continue reading

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Jesus the invisible babysitter

Here’s another video from “Big Think”. This one features actor Ricky Gervais explaining why he’s an atheist.

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Copts killed in Egypt

Sad. Sad. From CNN. Shooters opened fire at a gathering outside an eastern Egyptian church, killing six during the celebration of a Christian sect’s Christmas Eve, Egypt’s Interior Ministry reported. The situation for Copts has been deteriorating. This story about … Continue reading

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The importance of unbelief

I just watched this video interview of Stephen Fry. He’s a British actor whom I first watched as the butler “Jeeves” to Hugh Laurie’s “Bertie Wooster”. (A still photo of the pair is here.) The video is about 15 minutes … Continue reading

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Where’s the gardener?

Anthony Gottlieb,writing in the online journal More Intelligent Life takes a look back at philosopher John Wisdom’s parable and an examination of the meaningfulness of statements about God. The parable went like this. “Two people return to their long neglected … Continue reading

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Jewish roots remain in Los Angeles neighborhood

This story from the LA Times is calling out for a sociologist or anthropologist to study. The old man with the Santa Claus beard pulled a black yarmulke from the trunk of his Cadillac and limped across the street. Hundreds … Continue reading

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The end is near

Forget about 2012. “That date has not one stitch of biblical authority,” Camping says from the Oakland office where he runs Family Radio, an evangelical station that reaches listeners around the world. “It’s like a fairy tale.” The real date … Continue reading

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