Newsletter 02-07-05

News items from the past week include a scientist trying to describe evolution as a religion, the claim that liberals shouldn't have free speech, fundamentalist plans for women and women's rights, the question of whether conservatives can support gay marriage, and the argument that conservatism can only be based on natural law philosophy.

Teleology, Intelligent Design, and Children
Studies show that children are much more likely than adults to infer the existence of purpose or design in events around them. Whatever the event, children seem to instinctively reach out for an "explanation" that includes some conscious, personal force causing it according to specific intentions. Do you think this sounds familiar?

Michael Ruse, Evolution, and Religion
Is evolution a religion? Many on the Christian Right who oppose evolution and scientific naturalism would like to say so because if they can convince people of it, they can mount the argument that teaching it in schools violates the "separation of church and state" that they never otherwise care about. So why would a supporter of evolution help them?

Travesty in Dover
Discussion of "Intelligent" Design in schools in Dover, Pennsylvania has gone forward despite objections from civil libertarians and scientists, but that "discussion" isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Supporters argued that they were introducing more debate and critical thinking to the science curriculum, but the reality is very different.

Sikh Clergy Clamping Down on Gay Marriages
Will it work?

No Free Speech for Liberals?
Maybe not...

Muslim Woman's Children Believe Muslims Go to Hell
What happened?

California: Cities Continue Illegal Prayers
Why?

Conservatism, Atheism, Gay Marriage
Any connection?

Fundamentalist Agenda For Women
What does it hold?

Natural Law Conservatism
Can there be other kinds?

 

Book Reviews:

1) Christianity: A Short Introduction
Christianity is the largest and, perhaps, the most diverse religion on the planet. You can study it your whole life and still not know everything there is to know about it, which is probably why there are so many books every year on the subject. You could go broke buying them all and still not learn anything.

2) The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology
The concept of sodomy has played a role in Christian theology for centuries, but it seems to have achieved an especially important status among American Christians today. Sodomy is treated as though it were emblematic of all sinfulness and among the lowest sorts of things that a human being might want to do. Where does this concept come from and how has it developed within Christian doctrine?

3) Soldiers of God: Primal Emotions and Religious Terrorists
The human species has obviously evolved from earlier primates, which means that we owe not just our biology but also significant aspects of our behavior to our evolutionary past. How much of our religious behavior, though, can be attributed to past evolution and primitive needs? Might traditional religion simply be an expression of other primitive drives?