Some people are incurable classifiers; they’re inclined to divide people into classes; and some people are not. I try to avoid the temptation to classify people and refuse to join those are always ready to stereo-type people into derogatory. But this implies that would I list myself outside the class of those who put people into different classes.
The killing of Osama raises some interesting moral and philosophical issues. However, one might hesitate raising them in the context of the overwhelmingly popular view that “that the assault had been lawful, legitimate and appropriate in every way,” and that even as an act of vengeance, the killing of Osama was a good thing.
In 1988, a survey was reported involving more than 2000 college students on 41 campuses across the country.[i] About 40% of these students (62% in Texas from a different survey[ii]) said they believed that human life originated in the Garden of Eden in the last 10,000 years, and that the worldwide flood described in Genesis was literally true, and that dinosaurs and humans lived at the same time.
House of Representatives passed the Ten Commandments (10C) Defense Act Amendment by a vote of 248 to 180. This act called for the 10C to be posted in every public school room, courtroom and government building across our nation.[i] Supporters in Congress claimed that “God’s Laws” formed the basis of the American legal system. . .Yet, posting the 10C is a really bad idea, unless our goal is a medieval Christian theocracy.
A conflict of global importance exists today between two fundamentally different views of morality and even of reality, itself. One view is supported by several hundred years of solid scientific discoveries, rational critical thought, comparative religious studies, and humanistic ethics. The other view is based on narrow inflexible interpretations of ancient religious texts. The United States with its Christian Right and their medieval faith-based agenda is a disquieting anomaly in the present industrialized world — an anomaly that wishes to turn the clock back and undo not only the scientific and democratic revolutions of our time, but also to repeal the Enlightenment.
Many believers in God are offended by the mere statement of non-belief. Many believers in a supernatural being look on the contrary statement of non-belief as a threat, an insult, and even an “outrage.” Why is this so?
Today, the mega-theme of biological evolution is securely tied by literally thousands of lines of evidence anchoring it to virtually every other area of human knowledge. Thus it would appear to be the height of scientific ignorance, stubbornness and/or religious blindness to reject evolution just because it sounds too impossible, or because it’s personally distasteful, or because it conflicts with a literal reading of one specific ancient creation story. One might just as well reject gravity.
In 1960 motherhood was still being preached in the pulpit as the noblest calling for women. Marriage was for the primary purpose of rearing a family. A childless couple or a one child family was still seen as a sorrow or a sign of selfishness. Then in 1960 the first birth control pill was introduced.
Historically (and still today) there remain many reasons held by men in political and religious power for opposing the R & D of better contraceptives, birth control education, and the dispensing of birth control methods.
Even though the scientific revolution has invaded our lives at almost every level and has discredited many sacred dogmas and religious myths, religions still flourished. Religious loyalties still persist.