In this website, "SSM" refers to same-sex marriage
Updated essays:
As of 2012-JAN, our dedicated server in Dallas, TX contained over 6,000 essays
and menus. This includes our home page, thousands of menus and many thousands of individual essays. We update many dozens of essays each week.
We continually add to our interesting quotes section; we add recent descriptions to many topics that are rapidly in flux.
Essays planned for the near future:
We estimate that we need to write at least another two thousand essays
before our web site will be reasonably complete. Even then, there will
probably be new "hot" topics emerge with a ethical and religious
content -- like polygamous marriages, same-sex marriages, abortion access, equal
rights for transsexuals, etc. These will necessitate the writing of new
articles.
In recent months, the conflict between religious conservatives and sexual
minorities -- defined both by their sexual orientation and gender identity --
have monopolized much of the news. Back in 2011-FEB, when the Obama Administration decided to no longer defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), some commentators predicted that this would form a tipping point on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) rights. This seems to have happened, because subsequent months saw an accellerating rate of change towards LGBT equality. The change has been so rapid that it has formed the bulk of our web site's new essays so far in 2011. With more than 40 states denying their loving, committed same-sex couples access to marriage, activity on a state-by-state basis will probably be the main religious/civil rights topic for the foreseeable future, unless the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on same-sex marriage (SSM) as it did during 1967 with interracial couples in the ironically named case: Loving v. Virginia.
New and rewritten essays:
During the past four months, we have posted new or rewritten essays on the following topics:
During 2012-FEB:
This month, we recommend the book: "Thou Shalt Not Love: What Evangelicals Really Say to Gays" by Patrick M Chapman
"Nick" writes: "Provides a thorough and scholarly rebuttal to arguments Evangelicals use against homosexuals and same-sex marriage. Highlights the deceiving arguments and misleading information used by the Religious Right. Includes the latest science on what causes homosexuality and if it can be changed, and cultural evidence of same-sex marriage and families around the world. Also puts an anthropological twist on what the Bible says about homosexuality. Overall, one of the best books on the current debate over homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Very timely given the marriage amendments and debates. A definite read for both gays (and their families) and Christians, and certainly gay Christians!"
This month, we recommend the book: "And Man Created God: Is God a Human Invention?" by Robert Banks
Amazon.com's product description:
"Most recently leveled by the New Atheists, the question of the likelihood that God is a human invention was first asked in ancient Greece and has preoccupied religious believers for centuries ever since. Here, renowned scholar Robert Banks explores the history of this objection—from its earliest vocalization in the ancient world to its most famous advocates, including Freud, Marx, and others -- and offers compelling evidence that takes both sides of the argument into account. Ideal for those with a general interest in New Atheism or for those studying religion, this informative guide will offer readers the chance to sort out once and for all what -- if any -- elements of their idea of God are man-made."
The author includes a description of four leading modern approaches to the core origins of God:
God as the product of human wishes as promoted by Ludwig Feuerbach.
God as a substitute for oppressive conditions by Karl Marx
God as a projection of repressed desires by Sigmund Freud
God as the symbol of human potential by Erich Fromm
Random religious thoughts...: These are observations by the webmaster: Important stuff that you will probably never hear in your church, mosque, synagogue, circle, etc.
Canada: Federal Conservatives renew attack on same-sex marriage:Part 1Part 2
"In the history of Christian hostility toward Jews, historian Cohen discerns the consequences of a condemnatory image: the Jew as Christ killer.
That image, Cohen acknowledges, originates in the New Testament, especially the Gospel of John. But careful investigation identifies a chain of theologians and clerics who have elaborated the image of Jews as deicides to advance their own cultural interests. Such Christian leaders have thus made the faith's most visible symbol -- the cross -- a visual indictment of a beleaguered minority. That indictment has grown particularly ugly when amplified by lurid fantasies about Jews performing bloody rituals of human sacrifice and cannibalism. Closer to the cultural mainstream, the Christian imagination has demonized the Messiah-murdering Jew in devotional woodcuts, street plays, and modern cinema. Yet when Jews have responded to this ominous imagery, they have, surprisingly, sometimes claimed the cross as a symbol of their own suffering. No wonder modern Christians have struggled to reassess a cultural history in which their doctrines have incubated anti-Semitic atrocities. Jews and Christians alike will find much here to ponder."
"Here are reasoned yet passionate calls for all who care about biblical interpretation, homosexuality, and discerning a way forward to join together, no matter their perspectives, in sober and prayerful deliberation under guidance of the Holy Spirit. Excerpts from Part III, see fuller responses there: 'I heartily welcome this first effort among Mennonite scholars to publish a book-length resource examining biblical, theological, and pastoral issues about homosexuality'."' --Sheldon Burkhalter
"We should indeed 'continue the dialogue' with the goal of enlarging our capacity to be both welcoming (evangelistic) and covenantal (disciplined) congregations and conferences." --John A. Lapp
"I am glad this book is being published. It represents a courageous next step in the journey." --Mary Schertz
"Let's not continue the dialogue. . . . Homosexual behavior. . . . is sin. With some exceptions, the overarching intent of these essays appears to be to question that. . . ." --Richard A. Showalter
New and updated essays during November:(41 essays):
This month, we recommend the book: "Must Christianity be Violent: Reflections on History, Practice, and Theology," edited by Kenneth Chase and Alan Jacobs.
Kenneth Chase is director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics and associate professor of communications at Wheaton College. Alan Jacobs is professor of English at Wheaton College. He is the author of "A Visit to Vanity Fair."
An Amazon.com's review by Paul Alexander:
"This timely and helpful work is the result of a conference at Wheaton College (Illinois) in 2000. The goal was to investigate and apply the Christian ethic of peace and how it has been compromised by believers over the centuries. The triadic focus of the book allows the reader to consider historically both Christian complicity and prophetic action regarding the First Crusade (Joseph Lynch), the conquest of the Americas (Luis Rivera-Pagan), American slavery (Dan McKanan), the Holocaust (David Gushee), and whether Christians have done more harm than good (Mark Noll).
Christian practices are also considered, such as teaching American history from a perspective of constructive nonviolence (James Juhnke) and the emerging Just Peacemaking Theory that seeks to bring just war theorists and pacifists together to engage in concrete peace building practices that can prevent wars (Glen Stassen). Stassen continues to improve the approach with both biblical scholarship (from NT Wright, EP Sanders, JD Crossan, etc.) and practical implementations.
Richard Mouw, Stanley Hauerwas, and John Milbank provide the theological wrestlings that conclude the book. Mouw presents a Reformed perspective of the atonement and defends it against the claims that the atonement inherently promotes violence. Hauerwas' "Explaining Christian Nonviolence" admirably explains why nonviolence cannot be explained. It is not an ideal that can be abstracted from Christology, ecclesiology, eschatology, the Christian life, and discipleship. It can be lived, it is a skill. Milbank answers with a chapter on the double passivity of violence: the passive watching of violence is itself violent. The transcript of their public conversation about Christian Peace, with questions from the audience, is also included."
Amazon.com's review: "At first glance it may seem that J.K. Rowling's boy wizard and the crucified Jesus prophet who became the Christian savior have absolutely nothing to do with each other - and yet the unease and sometimes outright animosity between the followers of these two figures suggests otherwise. Harry has been banned, burned, and abused by religious fundamentalists for over a decade. At the release of Rowling's final book, however, many readers were surprised to discover parallels between Jesus and Harry that, in such apparently diverse world-views, had no right to be there.
As a result, recent years have witnessed a revolution in Christian responses to Harry, with many groups, writers and religious leaders praising Rowling's young sorcerer as ultimately Christian and a clear metaphor for Jesus Christ. And yet the most spine-tingling question has so far been ignored: Why do these similarities exist at all? Although it is easy to accept that Rowling crafted the literary character of Harry Potter after the figure of Jesus, shouldn't it pique our interest that Jesus - a monumental figure in modern world religion generally believed to have been historical - has so much in common with the obviously fictional fantasy world and character of Harry Potter? ..."
The Religious Tolerance facebook group has been "upgraded" by Facebook. It currently has about 6,840 members and is extremely active. See: http://www.facebook.com/
This month, 
This month, 
This month, 
This month, 
This month, 
This month, 
Page Translator: