Is it a good thing for churches to engage in partisan politics?

In investigating further following my post on Pulpit Freedom Sunday, I was initially dismayed by the possibility that there was a reasonable chance that the US Supreme Court may rule that churches have the right to engage in partisan political activity and support candidates and parties while still retaining their tax exempt status. It seemed like it would be yet another case of privileging religion in public life, allowing them advantages that are denied to non-religious groups. [Read more…]

Obama talking black

When my children used to live at home and they heard me talking on the phone, they said they could tell immediately, even when they were little, whether the person at the other end of the line was of Sri Lankan origin or not, even though I was talking in English. They said they could tell from my choice of words and the inflections in my voice even though I was not aware of making any changes in my speech patterns. [Read more…]

Former British drone operator speaks out

A British serviceman, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, talks about his role as part of the US drone program, which was to use satellite imagery to identify targets on the ground. He describes how on one occasion he was about to order a hit on someone whom he thought was planting an explosive device in the ground. At the last minute, a much larger figure appeared on the scene and he realized that the first ‘terrorist’ whose death he had been about to bring about was a child playing in the sand. [Read more…]

Faithless in Britain

Those of us in the US who are atheists and other forms of skeptics and are surrounded by religious people tend to look enviously at countries in Europe that seem to have thrown off those shackles a long time ago. I have long argued that things are not nearly as bad as they seem and that there are increasing signs that disbelief in the US is growing and it will only accelerate with time. [Read more…]

Big Bird in the news

Election campaigns throw up wacky distractions from time to time but I never expected Big Bird of all people (or rather birds) to suddenly make a cameo appearance in this one. Mitt Romney’s throwaway remark in the debate that he would get rid of funding for Sesame Street and Big Bird was not his finest moment, considering that by now a couple of generations of people have grown up with fond memories of the giant muppet and want their children to experience the same magic. My own children loved him. [Read more…]