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Three recent events, a complaint about a sermon, a movie about Margaret Thatcher and a FB conversation about gun laws, have me reflecting on the tendencies of ‘left-wingers’ and ‘right-wingers’. Both left and right folk will express concern for both ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’, but at different times. On the topic of social welfare: the left emphasise the ‘rights’ of the . . . → Read More: rights and responsibilities …funny how most (not all!) American Christians are happy to ‘get political’ when it comes to abortion and gay marriage (‘Oh yes, let’s fight for godly legislation!’), but scream ‘socialism’ when it comes to issues like benefits for poor, out of work, or infirm people – or (shock, horror) free health care… Doom to you who legislate evil, who make . . . → Read More: prophecy & politics Here (I don’t know if you have to have a Facebook account or not). On emotion. This morning an abortion-activist (pro) was on TV – then this evening I get forwarded this. My wife’s comment about the activist this morning was that she seemed far too ‘clinical’ about a very sensitive issue. On free speech. Both sides (and various positions . . . → Read More: fiery survivor of abortion quick reflections: It’s easy to paint Islam as a) inherently evil/violent or b) docile/dormant and harmless – it’s hard to patiently assess what Islam is actually like. It’s easy to tell a woman considering abortion a) that she’s a murderer or b) that whatever choice she makes is the right choice – it’s hard to journey patiently, lovingly, understandingly, etc-ingly, . . . → Read More: easy hard Humans are the most vulnerable and needy at the beginning and end of their lives. Prof John Wyatt describes (mp3 – PDF) the feeling of caring for his mother, stricken with dementia: Even when my mother was tragically affected by dementia she was still on the journey. Close to the end of her life I visited her in the nursing . . . → Read More: burdens I’m prolife, and firmly so, but I’m also pro support of women in real and really desperate and fragile situations. (hat tip – PZ Meyers) The word ‘teleology’ (from Greek τελος ‘telos’ – meaning ‘goal’, ‘end’, ‘purpose’ or ‘that toward which things tend’) is not a street-level term. However, the concept of a purpose, goal, function or ‘end’ to things most certainly is. It’s a common as anything. Teleology is blindingly relevant. . . . → Read More: teleology & ethics  31 comments  ethics, philosophy  abortion, advertising, art, belief, busyness, change, community, conflict, consumerism, creation, dignity, ethics, evil, god, humanity, Law, life, love, morals, order, pain, peace, philosophy, politics, relationships, science, sexuality, spirituality, technology, wisdom In a very interesting find, this is a site of atheists (and agnostics) who are pro-life. I think their arguments are (mostly) excellent, though of course it would be interesting to a) see how non-pro-life atheists would respond to them, and b) converse with them concerning things like how they determine (judge/establish/discover) the nature of human worth/value/dignity. Anyone who knows me knows I’m aware of the sensitivities associated with abortion. Although in one sense (something like the sense reflected in the post title) I think it can fairly be seen as a simple issue, I also affirm that it has complexities. . . . → Read More: surgery to save or end a life I’ve quite enjoyed reading through “Is Nature Enough: Meaning and Truth in the Age of Science“, by John Haught. One of the many points he articulates well is what he refers to as “layered explanation”. . . . → Read More: atheism and explanatory monism |
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