Monthly Archives: March 2011

I had a long visit with some local college students the other evening.  It is not everyday students are interested in talking to an old guy like me. The event was attended by people of all ages.  After a little small talk one … Continue reading →

It is a wonder that there are atheists.  It is hard to be out of sight of a church steeple in any town in the United States.  That visual advertising is everywhere.  Children by the millions are carted off to Sunday … Continue reading →

Recently, our two local Catholic Bishops released a list of not-for-profit organizations that people should not give money to.  Among these were organizations which provide health services for women and food for poor people.  To get on the Bishops’ bad list they … Continue reading →

In my field of economics, the is a word called “externalities”. Externaities happen when there is a transaction between two people, or an activity by one person, and others are affected.  The field we call “pollution” is about externalities.  If we who drive … Continue reading →

When discussing various “sins”,  I like to use the metaphone of the Leader Board in golf.  Golfers with lower scores do not make the Leader Board. In my lifetime, several sins that were on the sin Leader Board have slipped off, working … Continue reading →

What is it that makes a person part of what we call “community”?  Here I’m using the word as it applies to an area.  Wherever people live, there are individuals who take ownership of and feel connected to that community.    What … Continue reading →

I can’t remember ever believing in the concepts of heaven and hell.  So it is hard to understand the enthusiasm some folks have for the idea that others are going to hell.  They so love this notion of hell for others that they cannot tolerate suggestions … Continue reading →

I’ve referred often here to Albert Mohler, the President of the Southern Baptist Seminary.  While he is regarded by some as an intellectual, I sometimes find his political and religious views so primative it is chilling. During the last few decades … Continue reading →

From what I’ve read, these are heady times for people who insert religious meanings into ordinary events.  By ordinary events, I mean earthquakes and the resulting tsunami.  The nuclear meltdown is pretty ordinary too in that it has happened a few times before. The … Continue reading →

Perhaps some readers are old enough, like me, to remember that period of U. S. history called “The Ugly American”.  Perhaps there was a book with that title.  I do remember it was about U. S. behavior toward other countries … Continue reading →