Thoughts of a Freethinker

David French, formerly a leading figure in the Christian right, has come to realize conservatives Christians self-destruct when they use the faith to condemn innocent people like gay and trans. A few years back he refused to acknowledge the gender of a trans economist. He recently changed his view on this and used the proper female pronoun referring to the formerly male man. "What are French's self-serving motives?" the right-wing blogosphere is screaming . Let's review. An adult male decides to make known publicly what he has known privately since he was a small child: He is a she. For this woman, the change is a bit more complicated than others who make known their actual gender. She was a public figure as a man and now is just as prominent, or more prominent, as a woman.  The religious right seems more concerned with their inability of stop people from changing pronouns than they are with the societal consequences. What are the consequences to the rest of society w...

From the book Why Religion Went Obsolete is a list of benefits the author often hears when those he interviews and from written material. Each reader can decide for herself whether each is commonly believed or not. Hear is the list: 1. Morals. 2. Positive psychology (good/positive feelings) 3. Getting along with each other 4. Modeling (models of good people0 5. Moderation 6. National Solidarity The book is about cultural attitudes toward religion and how the culture no long supports religion as it once did. The list above is how the culture saw religion in the 1950's. The author devotes 20 pages discussing these which we can only touch on here I've read several books about our founding fathers, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin, etc. It is often said our founding fathers were Christians therefore our nation is Christian. The basis for saying these men were Christian is they said things in speeches and letters about God or the deity. I never saw that any of them w...

As more women leave the Mormon church the male leadership seems to be asking, "Why is this? We've always said our women are beautiful. Yes, we had lots of rules for women that did not apply to men, but we men needed these rules and we tried to be fair to women. Don't women understand this? OK, we have to look at a few of rules we men established for our women." They have modified the uncomfortable and unattractive dress code for women's underwear.  The link shows that back in the 1960's the dress code for women was not much different than what non Mormon women wore. But in the following decades men decided women must not show their shoulders in public and their bottoms must be very covered. The result was hot, uncomfortable and sometimes unhealthy clothing. Recently, the exodus of women changed men's minds about the morality of these absurd dress codes. Tank tops are now allowable.  Other changes in Mormons over time included allowing black members and gay...

When Pope Leo spoke to a large group of current and future priests he projected the personality type he wanted to see in Catholic clergy. He wants to see joyful and happy-appearing clergy. If they are not happy he then wants them to share their feelings with their faithful. A reporter chose to contrast that message with Francis who often told clergy to tend tbeir flocks and not get too tied in knots over theology and internal church politics.  The respective messages are not completely different but not quite the same. Francis' message was one of service to the faithful. Leo's is a message of self-image to future priests. Leo wants young men to see themselves as very likeable and the jovial center of attention in the parish. Perhaps that was his experience in parish life and he liked it. Francis' parish life probably was one of commiserating with some in his parishes who were poor and doing what he could for them. The two experiences were different. Leo's effort has som...

Decades ago, the right-wing panic button was interracial marriage. Racial integration happened and that button was removed from the keyboard. Twenty years ago it was gay marriage. If there was gay marriage the "institution of marriage" would be destroyed. Humans would start marrying cows. Gone is that button. Lately, trans has had a button. But the new one will be Islam. Consider the MAGA reaction to the primary victory in the New York City Democratic primary of a Muslim. There will be efforts to pass laws against Muslims holding public office. Maybe readers have had different experiences, but I have had several Muslim friends and consider them totally fine people. They have no use for others "who claim they are Muslims but are not really of the faith." That is to say, people who consider themselves Muslims look down on branches different than their own just as Christians do to each other. Just as many Hindus are convinced theirs is the only true religion so do some...

A U. S. House member from Florida backed enthusiastically Florida's anti abortion bill. It passed. Then she had a problem pregnancy and needed an abortion. She was certain the abortion by pill would be best for her and asked doctors for it. Initially, doctors refused. They and their attorneys thought the anti-abortion law, 30 pages long, would put doctors in jeopardy if they gave Representative Kat Cammack an abortion.  The lawmaker became angry. She found the text of the bill on her phone and read parr of it to the doctors. Of course, the part of it she read was the part which gave doctors permission to terminate a pregnancy when it was clear the pregnancy endangered the woman. She did not read the parts which carry on the rights of the fetus and destroying a fetus is murder. Her doctors knew Rep. Cammack who wanted the abortion would not pay their legal bills if some zealot anti-abortion group went after them. They knew, also, the legislator would not pay their grocery bills if t...

  A family friend became a Lutheran minister late in life. She shared some of the experience from the "inside." One of the things was how locked in some in her congregations were to what happened during a church service. Experimentation was risky.  During the decades I was a regular church attendee I was no different. After years of going though the service, nodding and moving on from people I did not know or did not really want to engage in conversation with I looked forward to chatting with those I liked at the coffee time after the service. Then, like a bolt of lightning, this new fade came into churches. In the middle of the service the preacher would say, "Please greet the friends sitting near you." There was uncomfortable mumbling and handshakes and it was back to the service. I hated that. Shaking hands is unsanitary, making conversation without getting acquainted was not meaningful. Sometime people would say something religious like "God bless you"...