John Ashcroft's resistance to the wiretapping program put forth by the White House is a classically Pentecostal way of approaching a problem: strictly by the book, no matter how unhappy it makes people. Pentecostal churches are best known for exuberant worship, but are have been traditional centres for very strict legalism. Ashcroft's Assemblies of God …
The More We Do, the Worse It Gets
A little while back, the following was noted in the piece The Trouble with Americans Negotiating: Basically, Americans look at negotiating with Iran, Syria or anyone else the same way they do business deals: the negotiators go in, they apply whatever skills they have at “doing the deal,” but they get the deal done. Failing …
Clarifying Positions (Maybe)
I have a few answers of my own to Liam's response to my last piece on the subject of gay marriage and adoption. I have, thus far, understood Don to be advocating that homosexuals be excluded from marriages recognized by the state (i.e., civil marriages.) If that is not the case, then my efforts have …
Back and Forth on Marriage
Liam's response to my question is interesting: Much as in religious marriage, it is absolutely forbidden by law to engage in a civil marriage unless the parties involved genuinely and demonstrably love each other... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding. The truth is that, much as in religious marriage, the answer to that question depends upon who is …
More Hard Questions for the Left Coast
Earlier this week I responded to some email satire about gay marriage, adoption and other related issues. Sure enough, I got an email answer, but, in a sign of progress, now same answer is posted on his blog. Now that this debate can be pursued on a blog-to-blog basis, in reading Liam's response there one …
You Can’t Fix a Problem by Denying It Exists
Ruby Payne's work on effectively interfacing with and helping students from the lower income levels has brought the expected howls of indignation from her colleagues. But the truth is that this is the absolutely most explosive issue in the U.S. today, which is why no one wants to discuss it. Let's look at this from …
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Gradualism: An Historical Consideration
For a long time historians have unfolded their narratives without worrying about setting up a chronological punctuation, without the need of pausing at a major stopping point. When the concept of medaevalism was imposed on general consciousness--it has only been a century--the dogma of evolution, of the continual and slow transformation of nature and of …
Gay Marriage and Adoption: Rescuing Absurdity from Itself
Back in the fall, I received an email from one of our visitors challenging my article Gay Marriage: What Marriage? and especially my statement that "it can be shown that the optimum home for children is one where there is a father and a mother." I referred him to a number of places on this …
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Better to Stick with Secularism
The whole Sojourners' discussion with Clinton, Obama and Edwards is a exercise in wishful thinking by both the Sojourners and the Democratic candidates. It's no secret that the Democrats' own base is very secular. It's also no secret that the Republicans' base tends to be religious. So the trick for these candidates is to sound …
Fox News Needs a Geography Lesson
The uncovered plot to blow up the jet fuel at the JFK Airport is being continuously reported on Fox News, as one would expect. However, their geography leaves a lot to be desired of. Leading up to the 1300 FBI news conference, one of those arrested was a member of the parliament of Guyana, which …
Positive Infinity 