News items from the past week include joking about the use of violence to suppress religious dissent, claims that atheism is harmful to people, how the Christian Right got the FDA to reject Plan B emergency contraception, the history of attacks on prisons being too soft on criminals, and more.

Far-Right Attacks on Prisons Being Soft on Criminals
Contemporary American conservatism has long made the idea of 'law and order' an important political slogan. Conservatives attack the prison system for being too lenient, for emphasizing treatment over punishment, for pampering prisoners, and for being too sentimental. There is a precedence for such arguments, but it's not a very pleasant one.

Legislating Morality
There are a lot of people who say that we shouldn't legislate morality - but how justified is that, really? Just about every law you can point to has some moral purpose in the background, even if it's simply to protect human life. If there are laws without a moral purpose, we should wonder what their purpose really is.

Christian Thugs Using Violence to Silence Dissent
It's common when someone says something particularly vile and bigoted that they defend themselves by saying that they are only 'joking' and that those who take offense simply don't have a sense of humor. Occasionally this might be a fair defense, but often it's just an attempt to evade taking responsibility for one's comments and ideas.

Journalism During War
Patriotism & Journalistic Responsibility

Plan B, the FDA, and the Christian Right
Disturbing connections

Creationism and School Vouchers
Need for government oversight

French and English Enlightenments
Interesting differences...

Does Atheism Hurt People?
Madonna thinks so

Religious Schools vs. Secular Schools
Should religion be privileged?

Preserving Democracy
What does it take?

 

Book Reviews:

1) The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception
What role do embarrassment and shame play in human morality? Probably quite a bit - they are very effective means for controlling people in small groups. At the same time, though, they can lead people horribly astray. Just such a person was Jean-Claude Roland, currently in a French jail for killing his wife, his children, and his parents. Why did he do this and what led him to such horrific acts?

2) What Price the Moral High Ground? Ethical Dilemmas
It's commonly thought that people are more strongly motivated by selfishness than by altruism. This position is especially popular among economists and is believed to be based upon a realistic appraisal of human action as it evolved over the millennia. It may not, however, be entirely accurate - indeed, there is good reason to think that this position itself warps the perspectives and actions of economists themselves.

3) Rebuilding Zion: The Religious Reconstruction of the South
Religion played an important role in the Civil War - far more important than most people realize. Both sides viewed the conflict in explicitly Christian terms and claimed that God was on their side such that their victories or defeats were signs of God's preferences. Even less well known is the role played by religion in the South after the Civil War. Did Southerners repent of their religious defenses of secession and slavery once they lost? Absolutely not.