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Archive: Susan Jacoby
King's hearings an un-American activity
The irony is that such hearings can only discourage cooperation from Muslim Americans with the efforts of government intelligence agencies to uncover homegrown plots.
By Susan Jacoby | March 7, 2011; 08:33 AM ET | Comments (9)
"Dog bites man" stories selected as top religious news of the year
If Imam Rauf, who plans to deliver many talks around the nation next year, can help bring some honesty to bear on this discussion, he would become a bigger story than the controversy over the mosque.
By Susan Jacoby | December 27, 2010; 02:41 PM ET | Comments (49)
Voting a civic duty, not a religious act
If I were pope, the only statement I'd issue before elections is that it's a positive moral act to vote, because every citizen who is too lazy to go to the polls--who needs to feel "enthusiasm" in order to do his or her civic duty--drains democracy of its meaning and vitality.
By Susan Jacoby | November 1, 2010; 11:23 AM ET | Comments (37)
Mixed marriage inevitable and desirable in a pluralistic society
As an atheist, I have no doubt that intermarriage does, in most cases, lead to attenuation of the more rigid forms of religious faith. On this matter, the priests of my childhood and generations of rabbis were absolutely right. Of course, I consider this a good thing.
By Susan Jacoby | July 26, 2010; 02:19 PM ET | Comments (346)
If all religions are same, someone should tell the religious
If religions were all essentially alike, religion could never have been the source of conflict it has been throughout human history. The very different things expected of humans by God in different religions is far more important than any general belief in providence.
By Susan Jacoby | July 7, 2010; 09:39 AM ET | Comments (36)
Death is death, announced by Tweets or carrier pigeons
This controversy is as irrelevant to the basic issue as all of the quibbling over whether a firing squad (in this case, the method selected by the prisoner according to Utah state law) is more barbaric than execution by lethal injection. Death is death. Killing is killing.
By Susan Jacoby | June 22, 2010; 11:37 AM ET | Comments (47)
Religious and secular entitlement plus stupidity in the Middle East
What is needed for a Middle East peace settlement is the abandonment of illusions that Jews or Muslims, Israelis or their Arab neighbors, are entitled to something they want because of their respective aggrieved histories, or because Yahweh and Allah have have singled them out.
By Susan Jacoby | June 7, 2010; 07:40 PM ET | Comments (33)
Faith, feminism and abortion: an individual's business, period
The issue here is not the morality of abortion. As it happens, I agree with the religious right that abortion is a moral issue. I simply do not agree that one faction's wickedly rigid definition of immorality should be translated into illegality.
By Susan Jacoby | May 17, 2010; 12:01 PM ET | Comments (53)
The Supreme Court vis-a-vis the Supreme Being (or not)
Religious correctness demands that we pretend it doesn't matter. But religious conviction does matter, as we have seen time and time again in Scalia's contention that American governmental power derives from God.
By Susan Jacoby | May 10, 2010; 02:18 PM ET | Comments (71)
National Day of Prayer always an unconstitutional custom
There could be no better demonstration of why there should never be government-sponsored national days of prayer, prayer breakfasts, prayer picnics, prayer chat rooms, or prayer sing-alongs than the ludicrous spectacle of the Department of Defense deciding who gets to officiate at these thoroughly unconstitutional events.
By Susan Jacoby | April 26, 2010; 01:33 PM ET | Comments (52)
Why are we even talking about Glenn Beck?
My question for the week is why any sane person would waste five minutes responding to anything Glenn Beck has said. You might as well debate Porky Pig or Donald Duck.
By Susan Jacoby | April 13, 2010; 08:04 AM ET | Comments (49)
Proselytize away, just not on my tax nickel
Of course there is a problem with American religious groups proselytizing overseas--not because they don't have a perfect right to proclaim their faith from every rooftop and minaret, but because many of these organizations have long received U.S. government funding for their charitable works.
By Susan Jacoby | March 1, 2010; 01:43 PM ET | Comments (57)
More religion in foreign policy: what the road to hell is paved with...
The role of religion around the world, and in individual nations and regions, is so complicated that I cannot imagine anything good resulting from American diplomats becoming more closely involved with religious communities abroad.
By Susan Jacoby | February 23, 2010; 04:26 PM ET | Comments (95)
Use insults only to insult
As a writer and a civil libertarian, I'm not crazy about movements to "ban" words; terms that are considered offensive tend to go out of use as soon as they are considered offensive by enough people.
By Susan Jacoby | February 16, 2010; 03:01 PM ET | Comments (98)
What if the Super Bowl were aborted?
I wonder if CBS would have accepted an ad, paid for by the Alzheimer's Association or the American Medical Association, about the higher incidence of early Alzheimer's and other brain disorders among ex-football players who have sustained concussions?
By Susan Jacoby | February 2, 2010; 10:06 AM ET | Comments (182)
Obama: nothing but a man, and who said otherwise?
No one with a functioning mind ever believed that Obama was a secular or any other kind of messiah. Let us see whether he will become a more effective president as well as a leader of rational--and I emphasize the adjective "rational"--humanity.
By Susan Jacoby | January 25, 2010; 02:17 PM ET | Comments (307)
Suffering and the futility of faith
Haiti is not a special case. There is no way to reconcile senseless suffering, whether caused by man or by nature, with belief in an all-powerful, benevolent deity. It's the theodicy problem, and people of faith who try to rationalize the role of suffering in "God's plan" must inevitably fall back on the bromide, "God must have his reasons."
By Susan Jacoby | January 19, 2010; 01:55 PM ET | Comments (874)
Brit Hume and the right to stupid speech
Hume said what he said because Christianity, despite America's growing religious pluralism (including an increase in the number of Americans who reject all religion), still occupies a privileged position in the United States. He said what he said because he could get away with it. At least on FOX.
By Susan Jacoby | January 11, 2010; 02:34 PM ET | Comments (349)
Irish blasphemy law: Monty O'Python with a darker side
This Irish blasphemy law may be silly and will probably collapse because it is unforceable, but the concept of blasphemy as an offense punishable by the state--or by violent individuals--is more than offensive. It has been an evil throughout history.
By Susan Jacoby | January 5, 2010; 03:24 PM ET | Comments (113)
The year in faith and reason
The most important of these events in the United States in 2009 was the overlooked "Manhattan Declaration," a broad condemnation, signed by numerous leaders of the Protestant Christian Right and by seventeen prominent Roman Catholic bishops, of legislation that allows or finances women's access to legal abortion; of embryonic stem cell research; and of gay marriage and same-sex unions.
By Susan Jacoby | December 24, 2009; 08:40 AM ET | Comments (119)
No just wars, only futile or necessary wars
Can any war be morally justifiable if it is waged by a society in which only a tiny proportion of the population is expected to bear the burden? This is a war presided over by a governing class the has exempted itself from personal consequences.
By Susan Jacoby | December 21, 2009; 04:38 PM ET | Comments (105)
The "war on Christmas" flap is getting old
With 40 million Americans having trouble putting food on the table and 10 percent out of work, there are more important things to worry about than whether the president, following the tradition of his predecessors, is disregarding the separation of church and state by displaying a creche in the White House.
By Susan Jacoby | December 7, 2009; 01:38 PM ET | Comments (546)
Muslims, not minarets, were targeted by the Swiss
The Swiss vote was not, of course, about minarets, which are surely more aesthetically pleasing as than the cutesy woodwork that adorns so many Swiss chalets. It was about the widespread European fear of the Muslims within their borders.
By Susan Jacoby | December 1, 2009; 05:20 AM ET | Comments (399)
Goodness just feels good; no gods or devils need apply
Something has gone very wrong with anyone who derives pleasure from the pain of others, and that something has to do with the inner man or woman. And when the inner man or woman is twisted, no deity wielding a lightning bolt or the threat of the eternal flames of hell can rescue human beings who have condemned themselves to a living hell. Right here on earth.
By Susan Jacoby | November 23, 2009; 01:18 PM ET | Comments (229)
The Catholic Church's religious blackmail of secular government
Of course the Roman Catholic Church, like every other institution, has a right to uphold and fight for its moral beliefs in the public life of this nation. What the church is doing, however, is attempting to hold Americans who do not agree with its views hostage.
By Susan Jacoby | November 17, 2009; 09:52 AM ET | Comments (194)
Religious fanaticism is the issue, not religion
The particular nature of this man's religious belief, not his general "religious affiliation," is the issue. When someone shouts "Allahu Akbar" before taking aim at a roomful of people, I'd say that's a sign that religious fanaticism -- specifically, a brand of Islamic religious fanaticism -- had something to do with his state of mind.
By Susan Jacoby | November 9, 2009; 01:51 PM ET | Comments (201)
On the avoidance of death in life
The reason why this issue has become another attack point for the religious right is not, as conservatives contend, fear of government control. It is, rather, the belief that only God has the power of life and death. That's one reason why the right regards assisted suicide with horror.
By Susan Jacoby | November 3, 2009; 09:18 AM ET | Comments (100)
Just as easy (and hard) to be good (and bad) without God
Basic religious and legal strictures are merely a codification of what humans already know, through their own intellect and experience, is necessary to maintain a decent society for all.
By Susan Jacoby | October 26, 2009; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (643)
Hate crimes an extra menace to society
For the victim, a crime is a crime is a crime. But for society, a crime has more significance if its intent is to undermine basic human rights.
By Susan Jacoby | October 19, 2009; 02:14 PM ET | Comments (187)
Anti-vaccine junk science: A question of ignorance
The anti-vaccination movement has made the job of public health officials more difficult because of its constant drumbeat, unsupported by credible scientific evidence, that vaccines are responsible for autism.
By Susan Jacoby | October 12, 2009; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (153)
Thanks, But No Thanks, From A Happy Atheist
The fact that there are many Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, and atheists whose lives are models of concern for their fellow humans--and many whose lives are sinkholes of selfishness--suggests that religious belief, or the lack of it, has little to do with our daily decisions on behalf of good, evil, or apathy.
By Susan Jacoby | October 9, 2009; 10:17 AM ET | Comments (564)
Nuclear Arms: The Ultimate Anti-Life Issue
Somehow, I don't think praying will get the job done here (although if I were a religious believer, arms control would certainly be on my wish list when I spoke with my higher power). Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is presumably praying for another result.
By Susan Jacoby | September 28, 2009; 02:10 PM ET | Comments (419)
Faith-Based Aid Is Unconstitutional, Period
To require any religious institution to hire people who do not agree with and represent its principles is absurd. That is why the government should not be in the business of funneling money for social services through any faith-based organization, whatever its hiring practices.
By Susan Jacoby | September 21, 2009; 03:55 PM ET | Comments (299)
Rage, Racism And American Unreason
What we are seeing is the rage of a minority at an African-American president who is considered not only wrong in his policies but illegitimate as the leader of our nation.
By Susan Jacoby | September 14, 2009; 03:08 PM ET | Comments (657)
Support Your Local Religious Gun Nut
This country is currently in the grip of a powerful anti-rationalism that, while it is the work of a minority, is nevertheless seeping like poison into the body politic. That some anti-rational members of the clergy are spreading this same sickness, this paranoia, this exaltation of weapons, is hardly surprising.
By Susan Jacoby | September 9, 2009; 01:49 PM ET | Comments (268)
If You Think The Culture Wars Are Over, Think Again
That Texas, which has already weakened it 21st-century high school biology curriculum to placate fundamentalists who have learned nothing in the last 90 years, is now "revising" its history standards, is a real cause for alarm--though it is hardly surprising.
By Susan Jacoby | August 31, 2009; 02:12 PM ET | Comments (438)
Ignorance About Sexually Transmitted Diseases
No, this is not the usual subject for an "On Faith" column, but the nonsense about sexually transmitted diseases purveyed by a blogger on my thread needs correction. Ignorance about STDs is one of the main reasons for their easy...
By Susan Jacoby | August 26, 2009; 09:09 AM ET | Comments (96)
Dying A Natural Death: Sufficient Mercy For A Mass Murderer
The Scottish justice secretary was wrong. The Lockerbie murderer deserved to die in prison, not to return home to be greeted as a hero.for participating in the murder of 270 people on Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988.
By Susan Jacoby | August 24, 2009; 08:40 AM ET | Comments (57)
Health Care: A Moral Imperative For Any Decent American
The truth is that neither liberal secular nor liberal religious forces in our society have stepped up and fought for health care as a moral imperative in a way that has effectively countered the irrational right-wingers, like Sarah Palin.
By Susan Jacoby | August 17, 2009; 01:35 PM ET | Comments (249)
Moral Idiocracy: Media Coverage Of Clinton In Africa
The larger story is the media's universal preference for celebrity gossip and petty personal conflict over substantive issues.
By Susan Jacoby | August 13, 2009; 05:51 AM ET | Comments (22)
I have no doubt that the latest message from God sounds like tweeting to believers.
By Susan Jacoby | August 10, 2009; 03:08 PM ET | Comments (35)
More Gay a.k.a. Human Church Leaders: So What?
There are a great many more serious moral issues than these periodic eruptions over gay clergy,
By Susan Jacoby | August 3, 2009; 05:29 PM ET | Comments (141)
Eureka! Old Men Say Man's Holy Books Can Hurt Women
While religion is not the only source of women's subjugation, it has always been one of the major sources. However, the problem is not "male interpretation of religious texts" but religion itself.
By Susan Jacoby | July 21, 2009; 06:16 AM ET | Comments (281)
Personal Values Influence Law And Vice-Versa
The reason why the high court has nine justices, not one, is that the framers of the Constitution knew perfectly well that politics is involved in the interpretation of laws.
By Susan Jacoby | July 14, 2009; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (148)
Public Schools Are For Education, Period
At a time when American public schools are falling behind public education in other nations in the developed world, it is sheer stupidity to expand the number of days off for any purpose, including a religious purpose.
By Susan Jacoby | July 7, 2009; 10:24 AM ET | Comments (174)
The Scarlet Letter For Politicians
I think it's perfectly obviously that saying you've let down God, your wife and family, and the voters (not always in that order) is part of the ritual of public apology for any politician who is caught committing adultery.
By Susan Jacoby | June 29, 2009; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (174)
Obama: What Would Michelle, Sasha and Malia Say?
This is a rare case of tone-deafness on President Obama's part. He has no more business criticizing the French for following their secular view of what religious symbolism should be permitted in public.
By Susan Jacoby | June 24, 2009; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (18)
Theocracy Destroys Democracy
Theocracies, as long as they are supported by the military, are always intractable dictatorships.
By Susan Jacoby | June 14, 2009; 05:57 PM ET | Comments (200)
Just Another Hater With A Gun
We live in a nation in which any lunatic motivated by racial, religions, political, or just plain personal hatred can buy a gun and use it.
By Susan Jacoby | June 10, 2009; 04:21 PM ET | Comments (57)
Let A Thousand Weddings Bloom
No one in the United States has ever contemplated requiring members of the clergy to perform marriage ceremonies that violate their faith. That is just another canard of the Christian right.
By Susan Jacoby | June 7, 2009; 04:46 PM ET | Comments (102)
Grading Obama's Speech: A For Diplomacy, C- For Religious Dishonesty
Obama exaggerated the virtues of all religions--not only Islam--and simply ignored the historical fact that religious liberty for all is a secular principle born of the Enlightenment.
By Susan Jacoby | June 4, 2009; 03:46 PM ET | Comments (85)
When Religion Becomes Child Abuse
In life-threatening situations, parents should not be permitted to withhold established, non-experimental medical treatment from their children for any reason--including but not limited to religious reasons.
By Susan Jacoby | May 22, 2009; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (30)
Obama and Notre Dame: Profiles in Courage
Can you imagine George W. Bush appearing live before any audience that was likely to contain opponents of the war in Iraq?
By Susan Jacoby | May 16, 2009; 11:42 AM ET | Comments (174)
Torture is Wrong in So Many Ways
Torture, like slavery, is one of those grand old human traditions that most civilized humans have now (in theory) turned against.
By Susan Jacoby | May 11, 2009; 02:57 PM ET | Comments (122)
Priestly Celibacy: A Self-Inflicted Wound
Palestinians and Israelis are going to embrace one another at the Wailing Wall and the Dome of the Rock before the rigid old men who run the Vatican open up the doors of the priesthood to people who want to serve their god and enter into the full experience of loving and being loved by another human being.
By Susan Jacoby | May 9, 2009; 01:26 PM ET | Comments (442)
How About An Infotainment-Free Day?
I would much prefer a proclamation endorsing a "National Day of Reflection and Quiet." The U.S. government has no business issuing declarations taking any position on prayer.
By Susan Jacoby | May 4, 2009; 02:47 PM ET | Comments (200)
No Apology, Sanction To Theocrats
We cannot continue to play footsie with states governed by religious laws that sanction every kind of human rights abuses in the name of their deity.
By Susan Jacoby | April 20, 2009; 02:47 PM ET | Comments (122)
Obama Revives Forgotten Principle Of Founders
We are not a Christian nation, and our government is not a Christian government. That's a simple fact, and one of the glories of our history--as the founders understood.
By Susan Jacoby | April 13, 2009; 05:21 PM ET | Comments (345)
Benedict's Evasive Apology
When the Pope apologizes for anything, his statement generally signifies nothing more than an attempt at damage control in the wake of an unanticipated public relations disaster created by his and his church's actions.
By Susan Jacoby | April 4, 2009; 08:55 AM ET | Comments (257)
Religions Rooted In Delusions
I do not believe that there is one bit of difference between any religious conviction based on belief in the supernatural and a delusion.
By Susan Jacoby | March 31, 2009; 11:10 AM ET | Comments (156)
The Devil In Ms. And Mr. Jones
Madoff is just another example. albeit a high-profile one, of the evil that lurks in the hearts of men. In his case, the prime motivator must have been, could only have been, greed.
By Susan Jacoby | March 23, 2009; 04:41 PM ET | Comments (153)
Secularism And Religious Iliteracy
People who describe themselves as "spiritual, but not religious" are like people who say they place great importance on reading but never go to the library, buy a book, or read a book online.
By Susan Jacoby | March 18, 2009; 07:49 AM ET | Comments (253)
A "Slippery Slope" Only If We're Stupid
The same human reason that propels science can also erect ethical barriers to certain medical practices; the "slippery slope" is inevitable only if we are too stupid or too cowardly to make important moral distinctions.
By Susan Jacoby | March 10, 2009; 07:59 AM ET | Comments (102)
It's Not Only Moral To Help Your Neighbor, It's Smart
I believe that extending a helping hand -- yes, via higher taxes -- to my neighbor is not only morally required but makes good sense from a self-interested standpoint. All of us who congratulate ourselves on having "played by the rules" ought to take a hard look at the fact that the rules aren't the same for everyone in this country
By Susan Jacoby | March 3, 2009; 04:41 PM ET | Comments (263)
Patriarchal Religion, Domestic Violence And A Beheading In Buffalo
I'm curious about whether Ms. Pappas, from a feminist perspective, or various imams, from a Muslim religious perspective, think that beheading your wife is any more or less of a crime if a man is not religiously motivated.
By Susan Jacoby | February 27, 2009; 07:42 AM ET | Comments (183)
Sacred Texts: We're Just Talking About Books
Since I don't consider any texts "sacred," I might as well be commenting on whether people would be better advised to read books alone or in clubs.
By Susan Jacoby | February 23, 2009; 05:35 AM ET | Comments (381)
Darwin The Disturber
Susan Jacoby: Darwin's conclusions about life continue to trouble and challenge us, sure proof of his genius.
» Susan Thistlethwaite: How Darwin Helps Christianity Evolve
By Susan Jacoby | February 12, 2009; 12:24 AM ET | Comments (153)
Government Money For Religion Equals Government Favoritism Of Religion
With all due respect to Obama's desire to broaden the program beyond the honeypot for right-wing evangelical groups that it became under President Bush, it is impossible to dole out money for programs directly administered by religious institutions without doing violence to the separation of church and state.
By Susan Jacoby | February 11, 2009; 08:39 AM ET | Comments (82)
Obama's Outreach To Muslims Laudable But Passions Block Reasonable Solutions
Obama is obliged to try to continue to seek peace because that is what decent political leaders do. But I don't think anyone is going to get very far with people who believe that they're entitled to a certain piece of Jerusalem because Muhammad ascended into heaven there, or to some piece of desert because Jewish prophets are supposedly buried there.
By Susan Jacoby | January 30, 2009; 09:16 AM ET | Comments (346)
Dubious Holocaust "Lessons" 2009
If there is one indubitable lesson of the Holocaust, however, it is that the horror happened -- and that anyone who says it did not happen should be excluded from the community of civilized religious and secular discourse.
By Susan Jacoby | January 26, 2009; 03:46 PM ET | Comments (275)
Religious Rhetoric: Obama Tones It Down, And Chief Justice Roberts Bungles Secular Oath
Yes, he mentioned God, but as an atheist, I have no objection to a president who believes in God making such a reference. What he did not do was invoke a Higher Power as a source of and a justification for public policy. Most important, he is the only modern president to include "nonbelievers" in his litany to Americans of diverse faiths.
By Susan Jacoby | January 21, 2009; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (518)
Inaugural Prayers: As American (And Extra-Constitutional) As Cherry Pie
Let us hope that our new president and our legislators, in spite of their bowed heads on Inauguration Day, realize that they, and not God, are responsible for getting us out of the economic and foreign policy mess that the previous president got us into on the advice of a "Higher Power."
By Susan Jacoby | January 13, 2009; 01:44 PM ET | Comments (590)
The Limits of Reason: The Ever-Elusive Search For A Middle East Peace
The region is always on the edge of violence. How can it be otherwise, when the primary parties to the conflict both believe that their god has chosen them to live on holy ground? The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the most tragic example in modern history of the folly of trying to base political arrangements on the myths in ancient books.
By Susan Jacoby | January 6, 2009; 02:33 PM ET | Comments (630)
The Most Predictable Story Ever Told
Why should we expect anything different from religion in 2009? On the bright side, secularists will continue to fight the good fight against ignorance, superstition, and religious attempts to impose their values on different kinds of believers and on nonbelievers.
By Susan Jacoby | December 31, 2008; 09:11 AM ET | Comments (698)
Obama's Religious Inaugural Blunder
Barack Obama's choice of televangelist Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation on Jan. 20 is an insult to everyone who voted for Obama in the hope that he would restore reason, evidence, and science to their proper place in the governance of the United States.
By Susan Jacoby | December 22, 2008; 10:59 AM ET | Comments (741)
Gay Rights: Religious Justification And Condemnation Equally Irrelevant
Faith-based arguments on behalf of gay marriage actually give aid and comfort to the sort of right-wing religious groups that threw volunteers and huge amounts of money into the California battle over Proposition 8, because they legitimize the idea that religious belief is a proper test for determining legal rights.
By Susan Jacoby | December 11, 2008; 02:02 PM ET | Comments (235)
How Do You Confront Utter Madness?
One thing that the Obama administration could and should stop doing is acting as if the only violence that counts is terrorism in which westerners die.
By Susan Jacoby | December 3, 2008; 08:20 AM ET | Comments (374)
Welcome To The Unchurched, President And Mrs. Obama
Lincoln, who was suspected by many of being (gasp!) a secret freethinker and religious skeptic, resisted considerable political pressure in his refusal to join a church. Obama, who is a believer, might choose to remain unaffiliated for different reasons.
By Susan Jacoby | November 25, 2008; 06:06 PM ET | Comments (52)
Thanksgiving Proclamations: Cracks In The Wall Of Separation
Presidential proclamations of thanksgiving to a deity offer one more example of an extra-constitutional custom that has now acquired a quasi-sacred status. The problem with these proclamations is that they pave the way for public acceptance of gross violations of the constitutional separation of church and state.
By Susan Jacoby | November 19, 2008; 08:54 AM ET | Comments (57)
On The Unreliability of Compassion Without Enforceable Law
Let me say first that I am unequivocally in favor of compassion. But Karen Armstrong's proposal that the world should write a "Charter for Compassion" is typical of the mushy thinking displayed by those who promote the dubious notion that all religions have a similar core.
By Susan Jacoby | November 12, 2008; 07:50 AM ET | Comments (63)
Yes, We Can
Let us seize this day to celebrate the triumph of what Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature" over fears rooted not only in our nation's immense problems today but in a tortured racial past that also lives in us.
By Susan Jacoby | November 5, 2008; 08:54 AM ET | Comments (113)
I Vote For Reason
As an atheist, I have no "religious" reasons to vote for any candidate. As a citizen who cherishes the separation of church and state, I will always vote for the candidate who stands farthest from the positions endorsed by the religious right.
By Susan Jacoby | October 28, 2008; 03:29 PM ET | Comments (186)
The Worst Angels Of Our Nature: Rage And Racism On The Campaign Trail
Any politician who provides fuel for the worst sort of American fire, or remains silent in the face of bigotry and threats of violence, is a disgrace to this country.
By Susan Jacoby | October 14, 2008; 02:04 PM ET | Comments (271)
McCain, Obama, Palin: Judgment, Not Guilt By Association, Is The Issue
The candidates' current behavior and recent records--whether you are for or against them--offer ample evidence of their public policy views and their capacity for leadership. We don't need "gotcha" moments from past associations to judge them. By their current words and deeds we can know them..
By Susan Jacoby | October 7, 2008; 05:00 PM ET | Comments (98)
Church-State Queries For The Goose And The Gander
Because Biden has a long record of votes on issues germane to the separation of church and state, I am more interested in Palin's answers. I'd like to find out whether she knows anything, other than what she has been told in extremist churches, about the secular side of American history.
By Susan Jacoby | October 1, 2008; 08:07 AM ET | Comments (205)
The Republicans And The Christian Right: They Want To Decide For Us All
Who cares if poor women are the ones who will have to pay the price for the heartless religious fanaticism of right-wing Republicans?
By Susan Jacoby | September 26, 2008; 06:58 AM ET | Comments (98)
If We Rely On Faith To Fix The Economy, We'll All Need Charity
Individuals may behave morally or immorally in their financial dealings, but financial institutions and markets are amoral. That is why government regulation is needed to strike a balance between the common good and untrammeled profits.
By Susan Jacoby | September 16, 2008; 08:09 AM ET | Comments (179)
The Nomination Of Sarah Palin: Religious Extremism Triumphant
Palin wants to force her values on women who do not agree with her, and that is the definition of religious extremism
By Susan Jacoby | September 12, 2008; 12:03 PM ET | Comments (338)
Unwanted Advice for Candidates On The Faithiness Trail
There is no point in my advising John McCain or Barack Obama about the role that religion should play in their campaigns. Expecting an American presidential candidate to take any advice from an atheist is like expecting a general to take advice from a pacifist.
By Susan Jacoby | August 27, 2008; 10:55 AM ET | Comments (157)
Saddleback Church Forum: A Religious Test For The Presidency
Rick Warren is not to be blamed for taking advantage of the public's faithiness in order to promote his brand of evangelical Christianity. The candidates are to blame for their eagerness to appease not only evangelicals but all who do not understand our heritage as the first secular government in the world.
By Susan Jacoby | August 18, 2008; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (135)
Starting Campaign 2008 In Church
would either of you have accepted an invitation to appear at a forum sponsored by a secularly oriented group like Americans United for Separation of Church and State?
By Susan Jacoby | August 14, 2008; 08:01 AM ET | Comments (114)
Forgiveness Is No One Else's Business And Faith's Got Nothing To Do With It
I don't think that Edwards deserves any forgiveness from voters or political associates who supported his campaign. He took their money and loyalty under false pretenses. He made a fool out of every one of his supporters.
By Susan Jacoby | August 13, 2008; 09:02 AM ET | Comments (31)
The Poor Ye Shall Always Have With You
The basic appeal of religion to the poor is that it promises in the next life what its adherents do not enjoy in this life. That is why impoverished workers in South America are flocking to Pentecostal religions and people dying of AIDS in Africa are flocking to Roman Catholicism.
By Susan Jacoby | August 6, 2008; 08:30 AM ET | Comments (502)
Racial Prejudice: What's God Got To Do With It?
The real question, in my view, is why 70 percent of Americans are so sure that they do not harbor racial prejudice. I don't see how any honest American of any race or ethnic group can pretend to be immune to racial bias.
By Susan Jacoby | July 31, 2008; 04:48 AM ET | Comments (71)
Yes, There Are Atheists (And Religious Minorities) In Foxholes
The real issue is that right-wing Christian evangelicals, encouraged by the Bush administration and religious conservatives at the top level of the officer corps, have attempted to push their views on non-Christians (and liberal Christians) within the service academies as well and on military bases.
By Susan Jacoby | July 29, 2008; 09:36 AM ET | Comments (327)
The Undead World Of Supernatural Junk Thought
What unites all believers in all forms of the supernatural and the paranormal is that they either require no evidence or invent evidence to fit the faith they already hold.
By Susan Jacoby | July 18, 2008; 11:01 AM ET | Comments (356)
Don't Know Much About Theology, Don't Know Much Philosophy...
Americans as a people have become supremely ignorant about and indifferent to the specific meanings of words, and they are equally confused about important historical distinctions. Why shouldn't some American atheists be as ignorant about the meaning of atheism as many religious Americans are about religion?
By Susan Jacoby | July 1, 2008; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (669)
The Most Unforgettable Books I Ever Met
The King James Bible, which is indeed the only great book ever written by a committee.
By Susan Jacoby | June 25, 2008; 08:14 AM ET | Comments (171)
Notes Of A Free-Speech Junkie
We can only be grateful to the framers of the Constitution that sharp criticism of religion, including satire, is permitted in movies, on pay television, and in books--none of which, I should point out, anyone is obligated to watch or buy.
By Susan Jacoby | June 18, 2008; 08:50 AM ET | Comments (624)
The Mind-Body Connection
I date the origins of my atheism from a visit to the hospital, at age seven, to see a playmate in an iron lung, a boy who had been running and playing ball with the rest of us. That made a permanent impression on me. I began questioning all of the nonsense I had already been taught about the existence of a loving God.
By Susan Jacoby | June 10, 2008; 08:24 AM ET | Comments (1017)
Obama The Unchurched: It Was Good Enough For Lincoln
The outrage at all of the comments by nut-case clerics that have already surfaced during this campaign reflects a deep split in American attitudes about religion and about what kind of religion they want political leaders to embody.
By Susan Jacoby | June 4, 2008; 08:31 AM ET | Comments (552)
Greed Is Not Good--So What Do We Do About It?
For the past eight years, the United States government has been run by people who basically share the Gordon Gekko "greed is good" philosophy. Economic inequality has increased exponentially as have the value of the gargantuan salaries of CEOs and heads of Wall Street firms.
By Susan Jacoby | June 2, 2008; 09:00 AM ET | Comments (342)
Gay Marriage: Some Day (But Not Now) We'll Say, "Oh, Never Mind"
I don't have the slightest idea why happily or unhappily married heterosexuals feel so threatened by the very existence of same-sex marriages, but I can only hope that this controversy will not expand and overwhelm the more fundamental issues at stake in the 2008 election.
By Susan Jacoby | May 21, 2008; 07:48 AM ET | Comments (463)
Dog Bites Man Story: Evangelicals Want More Religion in the Public Square
The "Evangelical Manifesto" issued last week in Washington suggests that I may have been wrong in my analysis of the relationship between evangelicalism and fundamentalism.
By Susan Jacoby | May 16, 2008; 02:00 PM ET | Comments (593)
Clinton, Obama, McCain: Human Beings, Not Moral Paragons
I cannot imagine any political process less suited to finding out whether a candidate is either honest or trustworthy than the American way of running for the presidency in an era when "character" is defined by shrinking sound bites and endless video loops on blogs.
By Susan Jacoby | May 12, 2008; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (618)
White Ignorance, Wright's Narcissism
I have read the full text of Jeremiah Wright's remarks and I can recognize an egomaniac, black or white, when I read one. Wright represents the "black church" in the same sense that Rod Parsley, John McCain's wacko spiritual adviser, represents the "white church."
By Susan Jacoby | May 5, 2008; 12:50 PM ET | Comments (713)
Pope Benedict And The Soul of Power
First, he was saying that the church and its members must live out their faith by engagement in social issues--not only by personal piety. As a secularist, I have no problem with that.
By Susan Jacoby | April 23, 2008; 07:27 AM ET | Comments (356)
Pope Benedict Wants You!
One thing that devout believers in ecumenical dialogue simply don't get about the Roman Catholic Church is that its leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI, truly believe that theirs is the one, true faith.
By Susan Jacoby | April 9, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (198)
Pope Benedict and American Catholicism: On The Titanic's Deck
The saying, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic," a favorite maxim of the nuns in the parochial schools I attended, is no longer true.
By Susan Jacoby | April 7, 2008; 03:42 PM ET | Comments (459)
Martin Luther King: The Irreplaceable Man
As a secularist, I also want to point out that the power of King's moral appeal, while rooted in his own faith, transcended all religions.
By Susan Jacoby | April 4, 2008; 06:07 AM ET | Comments (92)
More Faith-Based Tomfoolery: McCain And His Anti-Muslim Spiritual Guide
The true mystery is why the majority of Americans, having had a recent look at the goofy views of many clerics--yes, "spiritual advisers" to candidates for the highest office in the land--still regard faith as an essential qualification for the presidency.
By Susan Jacoby | April 1, 2008; 03:27 PM ET | Comments (180)
Memo to Candidates: Pick A Feel-Good Pastor
A candidate should not be held responsible for the whacko views of a friend or family member, but the relationship between a congregant and the pastor of his church is quite different. The very essence of membership in a particular church is an assumed community of values. Obama can't deny that.
By Susan Jacoby | March 25, 2008; 06:30 AM ET | Comments (155)
It's A Tool, Stupid!
I have no idea what this question has to do with faith, except that everything involving computers has become a form of faith in our society.
By Susan Jacoby | March 12, 2008; 07:14 AM ET | Comments (19)
Memo To Politicians: Let Jesus Rest In Peace
Enough with this silly speculation about what Jesus would have done. I am interested in what Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain would do as president of the United States. And I am certain of one thing: none of these candidates is the reincarnation of Jesus.
By Susan Jacoby | March 10, 2008; 12:45 PM ET | Comments (188)
The American Spiritual Bazaar: Something For Everyone
I wish that the large number of Americans who are unaffiliated with any particular religion would think seriously about secularism and atheism.
By Susan Jacoby | February 29, 2008; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (145)
Hope Is Not A "Cult of Personality"
It seems that it's all right to talk about faith in political campaigns if you're talking about faith in some supreme being (who is not running for the presidency) but it's not all right to talk about faith in ourselves and in the future of our country, as Obama often does.
By Susan Jacoby | February 20, 2008; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (178)
On the Civil Supremacy of Secular Law
The suggestion that British law should, in certain instances, recognize the authority of Islamic religious courts is the most politically destructive, anti-secular, and legally indefensible statement by a western religious leader in recent history.
By Susan Jacoby | February 13, 2008; 07:49 AM ET | Comments (199)
Secularism: The New Taboo
We must find a way to rescue secularism, and the separation of church and state, from the denigration of both the religious right and the religious left.
By Susan Jacoby | February 7, 2008; 01:13 PM ET | Comments (182)
It's The Theocrats, Stupid
My guess is that Afghan President Hamid Karzai will intervene to overrule this decision, handed down by local judges (without a defense lawyer to represent the accused) in an area of Afghanistan where fundamentalist Islamist mullahs dominate law and culture.
By Susan Jacoby | February 1, 2008; 01:59 PM ET | Comments (142)
We're Electing a President, Not A Holy Fool
Even a great many of Huckabee's fellow fundamentalists, as suggested by the victory of John McCain in South Carolina, know that when you start talking about a godly amendment to the Constitution, you've ruled yourself out as a viable maintream presidential candidate.
By Susan Jacoby | January 24, 2008; 06:05 AM ET | Comments (533)
Envy: Personal and Political Poison
Although there's nothing good to be said on behalf of gluttony and greed (and American society is certainly filled with both), it seems to me that envy is the most prevalent and destructive of all sins.
By Susan Jacoby | January 16, 2008; 09:25 AM ET | Comments (303)
Jewish Identity Is What Each Jew Makes Of It
The neocons like Kristol and Wolfowitz have simply proved that a Jew can be just as stupid as anyone else--say, Bush. Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Only in America.
By Susan Jacoby | January 11, 2008; 06:43 AM ET | Comments (253)
God Save Us From God's Politics
I want a president who doesn't confuse his own desires with the will of God.
By Susan Jacoby | December 30, 2007; 02:42 PM ET | Comments (104)
Ever-Present Political Panderers
This bill pledges "support for Christians in the United States and worldwide." Whew! And here I thought our government hated Christians around the world!
By Susan Jacoby | December 23, 2007; 08:50 PM ET | Comments (116)
Ho Ho Ho: We Spit On Heathen "Happy Holiday" Greetings
What the religiously correct want is a celebration of the birth of Jesus in public schools and in government ceremonies. This is not about religious belief but about power.
By Susan Jacoby | December 17, 2007; 07:24 AM ET | Comments (108)
Religion No Panacea For Social Injustice
What many religious figures, including the empire-builder Rick Warren, do is confuse charity with work for fundamental social change.
By Susan Jacoby | December 13, 2007; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (197)
Romney: Unfit Not As a Mormon But As A Religious Panderer
What does disqualify Romney in my view is that he is yet another right-wing religious candidate who wants to further erode the barrier between church and state.
By Susan Jacoby | December 8, 2007; 08:45 AM ET | Comments (134)
Sexual Sin: A Private, Not Public, Affair
Secular Europe has the right idea: unless you're talking about forced sex or sex that involves the betrayal of national security, the erotic lives of political figures generally have no business in the public square.
By Susan Jacoby | November 28, 2007; 10:19 AM ET | Comments (221)
When Happy and Unhappy Families Are All Alike
Thanksgiving, I should note, is most Americans' favorite holiday precisely because it transcends ethnic and religious distinctions
By Susan Jacoby | November 21, 2007; 09:45 AM ET | Comments (65)
The Cheapening of Forgiveness
There are unforgivable offenses, for which the withholding of forgiveness is a perfectly appropriate response. Unending, corrosive hatred is not the only alternative.
By Susan Jacoby | November 14, 2007; 03:08 PM ET | Comments (230)
Torture: Finally, A Real Values Issue
Islamist terrorists are no more likely to be telling the truth under torture than were Jews who renounced their religion and embraced Christianity during the Inquisition.
By Susan Jacoby | November 13, 2007; 07:06 AM ET | Comments (238)
Does Any Sane Person Take Halloween Seriously?
We have talk of World War III, wildfires in California, record home foreclosures, and people are worried about the religious and satanic implications of Halloween?
By Susan Jacoby | October 30, 2007; 09:44 AM ET | Comments (91)
Cooperate Or Die
If you're willing to stop driving obscene gas-guzzling SUVs, why should I care if you believe that the Bible is literally true?
By Susan Jacoby | October 24, 2007; 09:04 AM ET | Comments (290)
Religion: Merciful, Merciless, Inescapably Human
If the merciful ideal of religion defined all religious traditions, the earth would not be filled with the corpses of people murdered for believing in different deities.
By Susan Jacoby | October 17, 2007; 09:18 AM ET | Comments (312)
Deadline Is A Reality, Not Just A Metaphor
Say it now. Do it now. Show your love now, because you may never have another chance.
By Susan Jacoby | October 10, 2007; 07:43 AM ET | Comments (147)
What Religion Becomes a Political Hopeful Most?
I would never vote for hypocrites who try to sound more religious than they really are in order to pander to the religiously conservative.
By Susan Jacoby | October 9, 2007; 10:32 AM ET | Comments (57)
God Is Not...Well, He's Just Not
There are good people who believe in all sorts of gods or no god. Why are atheists so threatening to so many Americans that the only way to deal with our arguments is to demonize us as human beings?
By Susan Jacoby | September 22, 2007; 08:57 AM ET | Comments (597)
Cult Plus Time Equals Religion
A more useful distinction would separate religions that attempt to control nearly every aspect of people's lives from religions that don't.
By Susan Jacoby | September 19, 2007; 08:01 AM ET | Comments (247)
No Message Reaches Lunatics
There is no point in trying to talk to any of these people. They are utterly delusional (crazy, in lay terms) as well as evil.
By Susan Jacoby | September 11, 2007; 06:27 AM ET | Comments (249)
The Theodicy Problem: No Problem for An Atheist
If there were a deity responsible for both human evil and impersonal natural disasters, I would hate him.
By Susan Jacoby | September 5, 2007; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (557)
Road to Sainthood Paved with Good Publicity
What is striking about Teresa's doubt is that it is all about her. She is concerned about the destiny of Teresa.
By Susan Jacoby | August 29, 2007; 08:11 AM ET | Comments (420)
The Sickly Smell of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
"Don't ask, don't tell" is an immoral policy for hypocrites and cowards. And that's true whether we are talking about a secular institution like the United States Army or a church....
By Susan Jacoby | August 27, 2007; 08:20 AM ET | Comments (127)
"I Love This Poor Earth, For I Have Not Seen Another"
I derive comfort and inspiration from voices -- these great, fallible human voices -- raised in praise of mortal life.
By Susan Jacoby | August 16, 2007; 08:32 AM ET | Comments (69)
Doctors Are Not Gods
It is unconscionable for doctors to deprive patients of information they need to make an informed choice. The Bush administration has encouraged this kind of misleading, faith-based medicine.
By Susan Jacoby | August 9, 2007; 10:28 AM ET | Comments (714)
Constitutional Ignoramuses in the Senate's Dog Days
That a Hindu prayer in the Senate is worth a story, much less a front-page story, attests only to our level of national stupidity.
By Susan Jacoby | August 1, 2007; 09:19 AM ET | Comments (213)
"Muslims Speak Out": An Unbalanced Panel
As a regular member of the On Faith panel, I am reluctant to bite the hand that publishes me. Nevertheless, I must point out that the "Muslims Speak Out" forum represents a gamut of opinion stretching, roughly, from A to...
By Susan Jacoby | July 25, 2007; 04:45 PM ET | Comments (198)
Religious Bureaucrats Are To Religion As Military Music Is To Music
What is important about this pope's preoccupations is his obliviousness to certain real and disturbing moral issues.
By Susan Jacoby | July 19, 2007; 08:32 AM ET | Comments (99)
Once A Sacred Cow, Always A Sacred Cow
What is wrong with a religion that claims to have an infallible leader is the idea that what was once held sacred must remain sacred today.
By Susan Jacoby | July 12, 2007; 10:16 AM ET | Comments (373)
Give Me Those Old-Time Religions!
Here is another argument in favor of atheism, as opposed to either polytheistic or monotheistic religion. Atheism costs the taxpayers nothing.
By Susan Jacoby | July 9, 2007; 07:57 AM ET | Comments (446)
Enough of Heaven and Hell
Oh, for heaven's sake. This question irritates the...inferno out of me. Of all the pointless, utterly childish notions associated with traditional religion, belief in eternal bliss in heaven or eternal damnation in hell surely tops the list....
By Susan Jacoby | June 27, 2007; 07:03 AM ET | Comments (348)
Doubt: The Voice of Reason
I have always traced the end of my own faith to the frequent repetition of the story of Doubting Thomas.
By Susan Jacoby | June 13, 2007; 07:35 AM ET | Comments (171)
Hail to Chief Executive, Not Chief Theologian
One of the most repellent aspects of the Democratic debate this week was questioning candidates about how their faith had affected their most intimate lives.
By Susan Jacoby | June 6, 2007; 08:14 AM ET | Comments (300)
In Praise of Foxhole Atheists
There is nothing good to be said for keeping one's faith in the supernatural in the face of war.
By Susan Jacoby | May 30, 2007; 09:43 AM ET | Comments (193)
The Gods: Made in Our Image
If people truly believed in an afterlife, they would be happy to have lived into their 80s and ready to join their departed loved ones.
By Susan Jacoby | May 23, 2007; 09:58 AM ET | Comments (363)
The Ill Truth About Falwell
Predictably, obituary writers are already portraying the Reverend Jerry Falwell as a more respectable figure than he was. Ah, what a beautiful tradition it is to speak no ill of the dead!...
By Susan Jacoby | May 15, 2007; 02:54 PM ET | Comments (130)
The Man Nobody Knows
Jesus, it seems, is just about anyone any Christian wants him to be. Poor man.
By Susan Jacoby | May 9, 2007; 08:09 AM ET | Comments (157)
Mormons: Time Sanctifies Everything
The beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the institution's official title, are no more--and no less--irrational than the beliefs of any other religion.
By Susan Jacoby | May 2, 2007; 09:02 AM ET | Comments (509)
Cheap Apologies and Unearned Forgiveness
Whether we are talking about pure evil or ordinary human fallibility, no one merits forgiveness for simply saying, "I'm sorry."
By Susan Jacoby | April 26, 2007; 08:55 AM ET | Comments (123)
Diverse Muslims, Violent Islamist Fundamentalism
There are hard distinctions to be made here. Only a bigot or a fool would suggest that all Muslims are fundamentalists.
By Susan Jacoby | April 19, 2007; 07:54 AM ET | Comments (754)
An Atheist's Creed
"We, too, have our religion, and it is this: Help for the living--Hope for the dead."
By Susan Jacoby | April 17, 2007; 01:06 PM ET | Comments (111)
The Silly Season of the Supernatural
You either believe that Jesus rose from the dead or you don't. The proposition is not subject to any kind of natural proof.
By Susan Jacoby | April 10, 2007; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (228)
In God Our Press Trusts
The media do not treat religion fairly because they routinely give preferential treatment to religion.
By Susan Jacoby | March 28, 2007; 10:36 AM ET | Comments (307)
Who's Afraid of the End of the World?
One person's "truth claim" is another's page in a textbook of clinical psychological disorders, and belief in the Rapture end-of-the-world scenario offers an excellent example of the latter.
By Susan Jacoby | March 25, 2007; 09:52 AM ET | Comments (374)
Anti-Catholicism: A Phony Issue
No one can look at the immense social, economic, and political influence of American-born Catholics today and seriously think that anti-Catholicism is a real impediment to their progress.
By Susan Jacoby | March 14, 2007; 09:45 AM ET | Comments (193)
Know-Nothing Nation: Flunking Religion Too
Knowledge fosters skepticism about faith--and I believe that our country needs much more skepticism and much less faith.
By Susan Jacoby | March 7, 2007; 09:15 AM ET | Comments (201)
Calling All Gays: Try Reason Instead of Religion
How revealing and repellent it is that religious people should waste their time arguing about whether two adults who love each other should have the right to solemnize their marriage in church!
By Susan Jacoby | February 28, 2007; 09:09 AM ET | Comments (75)
Disagree With Me And You're a Bad Jew
Right-wing Jews promulgate the idea that liberal Jews, Jews who raise any questions about Israeli policies, are bad Jews.
By Susan Jacoby | February 21, 2007; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (87)
Sex Is Neither Sin nor Sacrament
Punitive monotheistic religious attitudes toward sex have changed only to the extent that they have been modified by women who refuse to accept the notion that their enticing bodies are hopelessly impure vessels designed to tempt men.
By Susan Jacoby | February 14, 2007; 08:32 AM ET | Comments (203)
Who Prays and Who Pays?
The National Prayer Breakfast is sponsored by a mysterious organization in Arlington, Va. called the Fellowship Foundation, an international nonpartisan Christian outreach group.
By Susan Jacoby | January 31, 2007; 09:43 AM ET | Comments (121)
Keep Religion Out of Government
Any Democratic candidate today must challenge the right-wing assertion that respect for secular government means disrespect for religion.
By Susan Jacoby | January 24, 2007; 09:19 AM ET | Comments (75)
WHY Women are More Religious Than Men
In my most recent posting on women and religion, I raised the baffling question of why women are more religious than men. Astoundingly, many readers seem to think they know the answer: women must be stupider than men. They cite...
By Susan Jacoby | January 18, 2007; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (136)
Religion and Women: Chains That Still Bind
I admire the determination of women who have fought for equal status within their religions but I am happy that replacing a patriarchal God with a matriarchal Goddess, or unisex Spirit, is not my problem.
By Susan Jacoby | January 18, 2007; 08:39 AM ET | Comments (88)
Whose Justice, Whose War?
Our indifference to the hundreds of thousands Iraqi lives lost since we launched a war on their soil speaks volumes about American values.
By Susan Jacoby | January 10, 2007; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (106)
Memories of a Skeptical Girlhood
My first serious memories about religion date from the period when I, already a religious skeptic, began reading the Bible.
By Susan Jacoby | January 4, 2007; 05:13 PM ET | Comments (272)
No Atheists (Still) Need Apply
There is still a deep prejudice against atheists in this country--expressed in the ridiculous notion that belief in God is some sort of qualification for public office.
By Susan Jacoby | December 28, 2006; 11:50 AM ET | Comments (880)
Nothing But a Man
Take away all of the supernatural tales in the Gospels, and what you have is a complicated man and charismatic speaker.
By Susan Jacoby | December 20, 2006; 09:26 AM ET | Comments (0)
Our Non-Christian Constitution
I would prefer to see elected officials take their oaths on the Constitution rather than any sacred book
By Susan Jacoby | December 12, 2006; 06:19 AM ET | Comments (42)
Doubt: The Perfect Gift
My mom, who was a practicing Catholic, simply replied "I don't know" when I asked why God would put a child in an iron lung. She was honest--and more power to her.
By Susan Jacoby | December 7, 2006; 11:25 AM ET | Comments (174)
Courageous Muslims Should Be Supported
The best that outsiders can do...is to support those Muslims who are risking their lives to challenge a religious culture that attempts, as so many religions have in the past, to suppress dissent by killing dissenters.
By Susan Jacoby | November 29, 2006; 12:45 PM ET | Comments (17)
An All-American Equal Opportunity Holiday
There is no shortage of secular entities for a freethinker to thank
By Susan Jacoby | November 22, 2006; 04:45 PM ET | Comments (16)
Dialogue of the Dumb
One of many naive American beliefs is that all we need to do is talk to one another and our differences will somehow morph into "common ground." But blind faith is impervious to evidence and cannot be swayed by argument--however...
By Susan Jacoby | November 15, 2006; 03:22 PM ET | Comments (13)
Dumb Dialogue
Bind faith is impervious to evidence and cannot be swayed by argument
By Susan Jacoby | November 14, 2006; 08:00 PM ET | Comments (70)


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Case of 12 x 75cl Kumala wine, including: 4x Kumala Semillon Chardonnay, 4x Kumala rose and 4x Kumala Cabernet Shiraz red wine. Warning: Alcohol not to be sold to under 18 year olds. |
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Very dissapointed- not as picture shows!
Never the less the red can be made good with some mulled wine spices- and cassis liquer can make the white nice! the rose is actually ok!
Pros: Tastes Ok
Cons: Over-priced, Is Actully Kumala Basic, Not The Wine In Picture
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Vulture is reporting that the director of The Muppets, James Bobin, and the co-writer of the film, Nicholas Stoller, have been signed to contracts that will have them writing a sequel to the film, presumably with the intent to further spread its liberal, anti-capitalism propaganda. No more details on its plot are available, although it's probably safe to assume that Bobin will return to direct the sequel, as well. The Muppets wasn't any kind of huge success at the box office, topping off at around $150 million worldwide (by comparison, the god-awful Smurfs movie made $560 million), but presumably it was profitable enough to give Disney the impetus to move forward with another one. It helps when Kermit doesn't have to get paid.
Unfortunately, it looks like Jason Segel won't be back to write the second film; Vulture says that this is due to his other work commitments, as he has a few movies coming out this year (including Five-Year Engagement and Jeff, Who Lives At Home), as well as his work on How I Met Your Mother. Still, it's difficult to see why he wouldn't make time to pitch in on the script for this, considering it was largely his and Stoller's passion to see a new Muppets movie that got the film off the ground. Maybe he's sure it's in good hands?
Apparently Segel might come back to actually star in the presumed sequel, if he likes the script, and it'd be hard not to imagine that he'd make up whatever he wants to say on set anyway if that transpires. We'll know sometime next year, I'd imagine, assuming that everyone can fit the project into their busy schedules. Really, I just want to know if Bret McKenzie will be coming back; the movie worked because it had a great script, obviously, but the songs were really outrageously amazing. You have to figure that they'll try to bring him back sometime later in the process, but that Oscar's going to increase his asking price. I could give or take more Amy Adams, though.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- While athletes suffer from traumatic forms of the injury, for many others age is to blame for torn rotator cuffs.
It's believed millions of Americans over 60 suffer from one. Every year 250 thousand people go under the knife for relief, but now there's a surgery free alternative you can do for free.
Just taking plates out of the cupboard was excruciating for Kay Subhawong.
She has a torn rotator cuff. The small muscles that hold the shoulder joint together have ripped apart.
"That type of rotator cuff tear occurs with aging just like getting wrinkles or gray hair," John E. Kuhn, MD, Chief of Shoulder Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Ivanhoe.
Kay thought her only option was an operation.
"I was really scared. I am not a fan of surgery," Kay said.
"It usually takes people about four months before they can even think to get back to any kind of labor type work and it usually takes a year to get a full recovery," Dr. Kuhn explained.
However, Vanderbilt's Dr. John Kuhn convinced Kay to skip surgery and do exercises instead.
Dr. Kuhn is director of the Moon Shoulder Group, a network of doctors researching the best options for bad shoulders.
"We found the exercises programs that were found to be effective at treating rotator cuff disease and consolidated them into one physical therapy program," John E. Kuhn, MD, Chief of Shoulder Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Ivanhoe.
The program focuses on range of motion, flexibility, and strengthening.
"We do not expect the therapy program to make someone's tendon heal, but it does take their pain away," Dr. Kuhn explained.
Kay says that she was still miserable after six weeks of exercises, but after twelve weeks her arm didn't really hurt.
A new study of 452 rotator cuff tear patients found the exercise program helped 85 percent avoid surgery.
"The effects last for two, up to five years so far," Dr. Kuhn said.
Kay finished the program about five years ago.
"I really have not had trouble since," Kay explained.
Her shoulder misery is just a bad memory. Now, she's focusing on making good ones.
"I just pulled my suitcase all over Europe a few weeks ago," Kay said.
Dr. Kuhn says the exercise program has changed the way he practices.
He tells us he's using therapy instead of surgery a lot more than he used to. The entire shoulder program is available for free online. The doctor says you should talk with your physician before starting it.


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Harvard Law School collaborates with law firm Milbank for executive development
Harvard Law School has announced a new multi-year training program for providing executive education to mid-level associates at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy over the course of their careers.
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Apollo Group announces the launch of a school under University of Phoenix to provide ongoing education to adults and executives.
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The Center for Professional Development at Stanford University has signed an agreement with the International Air Transport Association...
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Now that President Barack Obama must nominate a new President of the World Bank, he's keeping his mouth shut, especially in an election year.
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New York University on Wednesday announced plans to offer an MFA program in game design, and a top game designer told the International...
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Hastings Lake YMCA Day Camp
Summer Day Camp
Campers will experience new things, develop new skills, and have fun along the way.
Our Videos
Day Campers sing it out at Leaning Tower YMCA
YMCA of Metro Chicago and Have Dreams are Making a Difference
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At Y summer day camp, we create an exciting, safe environment for kids to have an unforgettable summer of fun. And while they're taking part in unique experiences and adventures, they're also building self-esteem, developing interpersonal skills and making lasting friendships and memories. Summer is just around the corner, so sign up at the membership desk today!
- Professionally Trained Staff - Our caring counselors are professional role models
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Space is limited—register early! Most camp sessions begin in early June and run through late August, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with extended care offered before and after regular camp hours. Contact your local center for more information.


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The Nike Zoom Streak LT track flat is designed for use on the track, roads or XC surfaces. Ultra-lightweight upper features highly breathable/drainable mesh and an internal arch bandage that provides lightweight, targeted support through the midfoot. Full-length Cushlon midsole with a Nike Zoom� unit in the heel offers added protection. Embedded midfoot shank delivers an improved heel-to-toe transition. Mini Waffle� outsole gives durable traction and grip. Wt. 5.4 oz. |


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2010 Tikal Natural Red Wine Mendoza
3.78 average rating
107 ratings – rate it
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91 Points | International Wine Cellar , January 2012
(made with organic grapes): Red-ruby. Pure, complex nose offers blackberry, blueberry, violet, licorice and a whiff of chocolatey oak. Ripe but juicy and firm, with harmonious acidity framing the dark berry, black cherry and saline flavors and keeping the wine's sweetness under wraps. Finishes with chewy, ripe, palate-dusting tannins and very good soil-driven length. Has the structure to age. A superb value.
91 Points | Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
Your Rating & Review
107 Member Ratings
Average Member Rating: 3.78 out of 5 stars5 stars | (21) | |
4 stars | (51) | |
3 stars | (29) | |
2 stars | (3) | |
1 stars | (3) | |
Member Notes
2010 Tikal Malbec
by Barbee14221982
Well rounded, good fruit with sufficient complexity. A great value.
Deep red
by McVeigh13427333
bold but smooth
Nice, but not outstanding
by Howse13793144
Full bodied and fruity. May just need a year in the celllar.
by Collins13896455
My first experience with this wine was not positive. I found it very unappealing. Very raw and fruity. no sophistication. high alcohol. I am going to try again in a day and hopefully it will have opened up and offer some expression.


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Rocket STB-GEN 20 Dreadnought Guitar Bag
Catalogue Number: 690-2812
- 20mm foam padding
- Internal reinforcement
- Double stitching for added protection
Product Details
This robust and heavy duty dreadnought guitar bag is brilliant for the mobile musician. Thick foam padding protects your guitar from scuffs and scratches while the 2 shoulder straps carry handle and accessory pouchs means you can carry everything you need for a killer gig or practice.
back to topProduct specifications
Key Information | |
Colour | Black |
Type | Guitar case |
Material | |
Material | Reinforced Nylon |
Features | |
Hard Shell | N |
Lightweight | Y |
Accessories Included | |
Shoulder Strap | Y |
Additional Information | |
Legal Copy | Please note due to stock availability we may occasionally substitute this item with its Stagg branded equivalent. These are exactly the same products bar branding and packaging. |
Buy from Normans Musical Instruments
- £28.00
- 28 Clubcard points
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The purpose was to secure a rebate fulfillment company for the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. The Appliance Rebate Program offered Minnesota residential consumers a rebate when purchasing a qualifying ENERGY STAR® appliance at a Minnesota retail location during the Program timeframe.
Total Funding Available: Up to $5,009,000 (including administrative costs for program)
Status: Work being completed
Date Launched: 11/09/09
Date Closed: 11/30/09
Proposals Received: Six
Number Selected: 1-Helgeson Enterprises
Contract Start/End Dates: January 15, 2010 through June 30, 2011.
Rebates Redeemed: 25,367 (3/2/11)
Value of Redeemed Rebates: $4,587,050 (3/2/11)
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Minnesota Department of Commerce + 85 Seventh Place East + Saint Paul, MN 55101


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Plazm Magazine: Documenting Creative Culture Since 1991
Plazm is a magazine of design, art, and culture with worldwide distribution. Founded by artists as a creative resource, the magazine is now published by the nonprofit New Oregon Arts & Letters.Order Plazm #30 now.
Malia Jensen
by Jon Raymond
When Malia Jensen was little, growing up in the wooded foothills of rural Oregon, an issue of Esquire magazine informed her of a little fact that has stuck with her ever since. Earthworms, her father's magazine reported, feel pain.
Not an esoteric idea, really, or very hard to grasp, but the kind of little idea that can gently work a very large power, growing from the smallest fraction of importance to a breadth and scope that somehow inflects the entirety of everything. Just think how tiny and spread out all that pain is; it adds up in a way. Imagine all the little blind worms in the world, all their thin pink skin bending and writhing and hurting in tiny segments, and then zoom out to where the earth's horizon curves away. From underground where the worms hurt, to the dirt they eat, to the trees and leaves and out into the sky, the pain echoes and multiplies until something wavers and warps and it becomes apparent that things are much different than they were just moments before. When leaves shimmer in the sun now, they are pretty and in pain. It is delicious, like a loose tooth rubbing against a cluster of nerves.
This kind of gentle yet resounding yet darkly limned effect is one that Jensen has been re-creating in her artwork since beginning to show it in the early 90s. In doing so, the Portland artist has returned again and again to the world of animals–deer, opossums, birds, goats–and more specifically to the world of feelings that lie just beneath their furry faces. To get there, Jensen has often made recourse to the weird art of taxidermy, finding something in its inherent violence, and its futile attempt to disguise it, that dovetails nicely with her own creepy-cute sensibility. In "Beauty Mark" (1994), for instance, the muscular bust of a deer finds it's skin rendered in the shiny black rubber of an innertube, neatly riveted along the sinuous contours of the animal's neck and face in dominatrix-y fashion. A red, circular patch falls on it's neck like a hickey, and nubs protrude where antlers once were, neither of which detail raises the piece from its coma of blank inexpression. "Long Mile" (1993) reprises the same fetish-ish surface, lying on the floor in an unnerving lump, its muscles firm but its form all truncated, like a cuddly, mutant fawn seizing up on the forest floor. Unclear whether flayed or bound, both animals present unsettling images of fear cloaked in cuteness, or maybe vice versa. Like an unexpected encounter in the woods, they charge the air around them with spooked tension, then nervous laughter, then tension again.
Among Jensen's more recent endeavors is a proposed public sculpture, yet unmade, featuring a thirty-foot tall beaver constructed from the wreckage of a demolished Portland, Oregon onramp. Entitled "Rubble Beaver," the idea crackles with the vaguest of polemical impulses, tapping the almost totemic status of beavers in the Northwest (they're Oregon's state animal) to make an ambiguous statement regarding regional identity and the politics of place. Further, in the context of Portland, a city growing in fairly dramatic bounds, "Rubble Beaver's" slim semiotic valence combines with its gargantuan scale shift to form a clever, even mind-bending, commentary on the telos of urban development. By using the ruins of the enlarging city to memorialize its first land developer, the beaver, Jensen attends to the unpredictably disfiguring effects inherent in both shrinking and swelling, and to the unbreachable gap between time and site. Ultimately, her sort of monstrous monument folds together polarizing discourses of growth and contraction, creation and destruction, industriousness and frivolity, all in a single, dense package.
Like many in Jensen's menagerie, "Rubble Beaver's" lattice of sustained tensions can give the illusion of something like inner calm. Like the puns she embeds in many of her titles, Jensen's objects move with equal force in distinctly different directions, following both irony and sentimentality to opposite yet oddly adjacent endpoints. Its a trick that turns fitful in a piece like "Pillow" (1994), a wooden chopping block carved in the shape of a fluffy bed pillow. Though it looks demure enough at first–the soft corners, the slight indentation where the head goes–a moment's contemplation uncovers a devious logic blooming beneath its polished surface. Like a coin spinning on end, the sculpture's concise visual pun flutters back and forth in the span of a thought, turning from slicing to sleeping, dicing to dreaming, in punishingly lucid revolutions. In a way, its not so different from Jensen's other, animaloid pieces, which likewise flash between biting and inviting with the abruptness of real pets.
With no eyes, mouths, or ears, Jensen's senseless animals often appear helpless prey to the sadistic whimsy of their creator. As their materials jar against their shapes–one deer head is upholstered in the red rubber of a hippity-hop toy; another deer, this one a full-body, aluminum-leafed plaster cast, lies broken into three pieces–Jensen's sculptures seem to ache with cruel, unresolved comedy, like cutting remarks left unacknowledged, or punchlines only half-heard. Indeed, Jensen's imagination doubles its dark meanings in almost a sing-song voice, suspending delicate contradictions between sign and surface to unlock both muted horror and strange, mournful longings in the natural world it watches and of which it's part. Sort of like Nature itself, whose self-consciousness never really awakens, Jensen's creatures inhabit a world where emotional need precedes sensual awareness, and where the brute ability to feel, in humans and dumb animals alike, often arrives as something of a miracle.


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Canada has always been a progressive nation open to bold new ideas. Our Parliament has produced cornerstones of our Canadian identity such as enshrining our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and creating our public health care system.
Stephen Harper's secretive regime is now blocking Canadians from knowing what happens in committees and even provides misleading information to Canadians and to Parliament.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes that Parliament should belong to the people instead of the Prime Minister. Liberals are committed to exploring Parliamentary and Electoral reform in order to realign our institutions with democratic principles and to ensure more meaningful and effective representation.
This statement is inspired by policy resolutions submitted and voted on by Party members.
2012 Resolution References: ON-19, ON-21, SK-79, SLC-90
I've recorded a special video message with a behind-the-scenes look at our priorities for next year, so you know where we're headed and what you can do. Watch my video presentation and then chip in $3, just 75 cents after your tax credit, to make our plan for 2014 a reality. More »
MONTRÉAL AND OTTAWA— The Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, made the following statement today on the National Day of Remembrance and Action […] More »
MONTRÉAL– The Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, made the following statement today on the death of former South African President, Nelson Mandela: […] More »
OTTAWA– The Liberal Employment, Social Development, and Labour Critic, Rodger Cuzner, issued the following statement today on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities: "Today marks […] More »
OTTAWA– The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Ralph Goodale, sent the following letter today to Canada's Information Commissioner re-emphasizing his outstanding request for […] More »
So, in the spirit of the holidays, we're giving away twelve, limited-edition Justin Trudeau scarves as part of the Win Dinner with Justin contest. Just donate $3 -- seriously, that's 75 cents after your tax credit -- to show your support for Justin Trudeau, and signal to Canadians you're serious about change. If you do, you'll automatically be entered for the chance to win dinner with Justin and four guests in your town, as well as one of twelve limited-edition Justin Trudeau scarves. Check out our "Canadian Parliamentarian's guide to tying a scarf" on the donate page to see more. More »
OTTAWA– In response to recent reports, Parliament should prioritize Liberals' legislation that would guarantee oversight and accountability of Canada's national security agencies, said Liberal Public Safety […] More »
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VANCOUVER– The Liberal Health Critic, Dr. Hedy Fry, issued the following statement today on World AIDS Day: "We are at a defining moment in the fight […] More »
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Vaccination Schedule for Your Newborn
Vaccines help your baby to build up defenses against serious illness and diseases. Routine times of immunizations are at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years old. Speak to your baby's health care provider shortly after birth to see the exact times she would like your baby to be vaccinated. For information about specific vaccines and the recommended childhood vaccination schedule, refer to the box below. Recommended Childhood Vaccination ScheduleHepatitis B Usually given within 12 hours of birth, between 1 and 4 months, and at 6 to 18 months. Dosage and timing depends on the mother's immunity to Hepatitis B. Rotavirus Given at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) Given together at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and at 4 to 6 years. Acellular pertussis is the preferred vaccine for pertussis as it is associated with fewer reactions. Hib (Haemophilus influenza Type B) Given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and at 12 to 15 months. PCV (Pneumococcal) Given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and at 12 to 15 months. Inactivated poliovirus Given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 to 18 months, and at 4 to 6 years. Influenza Recommended annually for children 6 months and older. MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) Given together at 12 to 15 months and at 4 to 6 years. Varicella (also known as chicken pox) Given at 12 to 15 months and at 4 to 6 years. Hepatitis A Two doses given between 12 months and 24 months. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians, 2007 Most recent page update: 9/9/2010
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Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality and value of maternity care through consumer engagement and health system transformation. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families. |
News and Features
Listening to MothersSM III: New Mothers Speak Out (June 2013) reports on new national surveys about issues women face in the postpartum period and their views about maternity care.
Access the full report and supplementary materials Listening to MothersSM III (May 2013) is the third national survey exploring women's experiences in pregnancy and childbirth. Commissioned by Childbirth Connection, conducted by Harris Interactive, and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the survey polled 2,400 women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals from 2011 to 2012. Results show that medically intensive experiences are typical, and evidence-based practices are underutilized. Childbearing women need better support and knowledge to navigate their maternity care. Access the full report and supplementary materials New Report: Maternity Care and Liability Go to report and supporting materials New Report: The Cost of Having a Baby in the United States Go to report and supporting materials New Cesarean Resources: Go to Best Evidence Report Go to web pages and booklet for women
For 95 years, Childbirth Connection has been dedicated to improving the
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This is a beautiful, comfortable hotel with very helpful staff. I stayed at the Hoi An Lantern Hotel for 3 nights in November and enjoyed my stay. The staff are very sweet and always make sure that you are enjoying your stay. My room was spacious and stylish. Every evening as part of turn down service the hotel staff hand... More
- Also Known As:
- An Phu Hoi
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- With the impression designed in the style of the people of Hoi An . Hoi An Lantern Hotel always gives you a warm experience feeling as the real people of the ancient town of Hoi An.You can enjoy your own eyes the charming landscape of the Hoi An ancient city , the river flows into the Sea, the green rice fields along the trails or the brighten sunrise in the morning and romantic sunset on the way down through the telescopes at the Observation of Lantern restaurant . ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Agoda, Asiatravel.com Holdings, Travelocity, HostelBookers and Tingo so you can book your Hoi An Lantern Hotel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


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Step into the future of TV.
This web-enabled LED Smart TV, with its superior picture quality and Full HD 1080p, offers a gateway to a world of entertainment, social networking, multitasking, and more. Connect to your favorite digital content from Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Pandora, Facebook and Twitter and explore other new interactive TV experiences using Smart Hub. Check out specially designed Samsung Apps for Fitness, Family, and Kids. Skype with your friends. Watch 3D movies and youll be amazed by the incredible depth of images, combined with the dynamic Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby Pulse sound. The Ultra Slim bezel provides a virtually edgeless picture for a truly immersive viewing experience. Simply put, this Series 7 Samsung TV pushes the limits of both design and performance.
55" Class (54.6" Diagonal) Slim LED HDTV with1080p Resolution
(based on 5 reviews)
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
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Good TV for Money
By Nick
from Lake in the HIlls IL
About Me Power User
Comments about Samsung UN55ES7100 55 inch 240hz 3D Slim LED HDTV:
Love think border
1 week later
By CJ
from New Jersey
About Me Enthusiast
I love this TV. Got a good price from buydig and very happy. People who see it immediately notice the "3D" quality it seems to naturally have. I was very surprised by the good quality the actually 3D was as well. I will probably get a sound bar soon as I think the sounds can improve but the sleekness is worth is. Some of the HD channels aren't as clear as i was expecting (slightly granulated) but i have yet to really mess with picture adjustments so hopefully that can be fixed. Get the keyboard. Its a pain in the butt typing everything by selecting individual letters for the smart tv commands and setup.
Nice product at great price
By LED TV guy
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About Me Casual User
The product has been great. Watched couple of movies with it. The picture is great. The remote is not very friendly for some apps and browser, but in general it is good. This is good product at the best price.
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
Great deal
By His greatness
from Ny
Fantastic TV, crystal clear picture and my teenage kids love the web browser. Couldn't beat the price I got it for at Beach Camera!
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What I Expected
By Doug H.
from Liberal, Kansas
Great Picture


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LEXIE is a shoulder bag, messenger and backpack in one! A medium weight printed fabric with a light grey background and cream ikat dots is complimented with a faux suede in a light purple and Ash Bark straps.
Features: Part of our versatile "LINKS Collection", LEXIE comes with two short straps and a ring attacher to allow multiple looks and different ways to carry. Use a single strap, or both together, to wear as a shoulder bag, link the two together to create a long strap to wear messenger style, or hook the straps to the hidden d-rings in the side seams to carry as a backpack. May also be worn with the adjustable strap as seen on the ISABEL, and either NANCY or ISABEL may be clipped onto the back for extra storage or a pop of color. The interior is lined with standard black poplin and has one zippered pocket and 4 small open pockets for access to keys, ipod, phone and more.