Thoughts of a Freethinker

Most public discussion today of the faith called Judaism centers on support or opposition to Netanyahu and the election there coming very soon. It was refreshing to read a thoughtful Rabbi's reflections on the origin of the faith and its place in an increasingly secular U. S.   Over the years, many have tried to "backwards engineer" history, take existing archaeology discoveries and/or what is documented in surviving ancient writing or inscriptions, taking the chain of groups backwards in time to conclude where they came from and why. This has been hard to do with the Jews of ancient Israel. No one knows where they came from or who they were before they showed up in the Bible story and known history during the Roman Empire.  The link talks of Abraham and his finding God. The Rabbi admits there are two theories about when Abraham discovered God. One is that it came to him when he was four years old, the other that it was when he was 40 years old. One the sources was Maimon...

A survey of pastors found giving was down more in small churches than large and down more in churches regarded as "black churches". So far as I know these are not random samples but email requests and only those who choose to respond do so. This method may introduce bias of one kind or another. Reliable information about the lives of churches is hard to come by. There are surveys of church members asking how often they attend. Preachers are asked about attendance. Both of these yield much different and more optimistic numbers than drone photographs of church parking lots on worship day. The latter show lower attendance than the self-reporting. In recent months Christian sites repeat results of a survey or two that found the decline in Christianity has leveled. That seems to refer to the rate of decline, it is not increasing but decline continues. The number of churches closing has not slowed. One would guess churches, which are small businesses, close at about the same rate a...

I've not seen any historian determine when Christian fundamentalism began to steamroll every other political and religious idea and win elections. If readers know there is such an agreed upon date when this exclusivity was first successful they can add it to the comments. There is always some subjectivity in such a judgement but perhaps agreement is possible. There are a few atheists in the House. Their political success is not the same as a national election or a state one that has national publicity. The coming Midterm might be the first to challenge the power of the false notion Christianity, and only one view of it, is the only legitimate political force in U.S. elections. A well-known Christian writer reviewed the history of Christian exclusiveness, reminding us that public statements against Jews by Christians has been acceptable for a long time.  At this moment, we have two opposing views of the Christian faith. Conservative Christians had a press event blessing President Tr...

Interviews with Republican office holders and party offices revealed they are preparing right now to blame someone else for the coming election failures. Trump is blaming staff of individual campaigns. He has ordered some staff fired and sent his own replacements. Some blame the Republican National Committee for not sending enough money soon enough. Others say Republican candidates have not come up with reasons for people to vote for them. Many point to Trump forcing out good candidates because he felt they did not pay proper respect for him and then he had loyalists selected who are terrible candidates.  Many Republicans, of course, know the principal reason things are not going well for them is Trump's tariffs, Russia in Ukraine and the war in Iran. Many Republican candidates are swimming against the current. Where I live in Iowa the Republican candidate to an open senate seat has served in the House. There she apparently voted seven or so times in favor of Trump's tariffs. ...

I've read that spending on Halloween decorations, costumes, food, etc. now rivals Christmas. I don't claim to understand why it has become so popular. A Christian columnist recently provided a theory from the Christian point of view. Why the ten foot high skeleton, he wondered. It seems to me part of some change in our culture. Over-thinking things like this is a temptation. Maybe Halloween is just something fun to fill up leisure time and something to do with children.  I recall decades ago an active Christian professor friend of ours who had preteen children said he and his wife would not allow any Halloween activity in their family. He said it was just not a morally healthy activity. I'm sure his children now have children of their own and I wonder what happens there. I would guess that Halloween takes over households of those who don't like it just as Christmas has taken over people who scoff at its origins. If it is correct that people spend more time and money on ...

Now in both Texas and Kansas holes are being poked in old Christian myths. It's wonderful. The Methodist preacher candidate in Kansas says Christians can go to heaven even if they don't believe in the crazy myth Mary got pregnant with Jesus without sexual intercourse (God blew into her ear and she got pregnant).   I've been saying for years the liberal branch of the faith will be the one that survives the longest. The conservative literal Bible is just too nuts to hang in there with the changing times. Even if liberal preacher candidates lose they will have had an impact on many peoples' thinking about religion.  Kamala Harris ran for President and talked a lot about abortion rights. Her theory at the time was that because several states had voted to liberalize abortion availability it would translate into votes. We know it did not. Yet, the number of abortions rose after her candidacy, and availability has increased in the mailed pill. There are many other variables in...