politics

Antisemitism As Spiritual Evil

Antisemitism as spiritual evil “Prejudice means racism,” my friend insisted, reacting to my remark that we’re all prejudiced. About something, maybe many things. “No. It doesn’t. Think about the word itself: prejudge. It implies an opinion based not on fact or experience but “prejudgment,” closemindedness. Since her look was skeptical, I’m not sure I ever […]

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On Reparations, Policy and Guilt

On reparations, policy and guilt “This is nuts,” I said to John after reading that New York was paying reparations to black Americans “affected by slavery”and that black lives matter protesters had won 13 million–a little under 10,000 per person–in a class action law suit against the city. “It’s not nuts,” my husband said, “It’s guilt. But misplaced

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The Book of Samuel as Mirror of Us: Today

The Book of Samuel as Mirror of Us: Today You’ve guessed this photograph isn’t of the prophet Samuel.  It’s an image of Dr. Micah Goodman. Native Israeli philosopher and writer Goodman has the ear of Israeli leaders, and since discovering him, mine. Once I listened to Dr. Goodman’s first of five online lectures on Samuel, I discarded the

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Do You Not Know That Life is a Soldier’s Service?-Epictetus

Do you not know that life is a soldier’s service? The stirrings of Greek Stoic’s Epictetus philosophy were formed by his early subjugation as slave to Nero’s secretary, Epaphroditus. Freed after Nero’s death, Epictetus went on to write his Discourses and the Stoic Manual: the Enchiridion.  Although Epictetus had never been a soldier, his slavery immersed him in the battleground that

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The Right Not to Know: Advice from Solzhenitsyn

The right not to know Since I’m an admirer of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, I’ve used excerpts from his speeches and books for countless articles. Many of his comments are urgently relevant, although they were penned decades ago. This one: the right not to know, is another of the Russians’ remarks that seems to leap off the page and

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The Loss of Context: Pope Benedict and Islamophobia

The loss of context: Pope Benedict and Islamophobia If you’re wondering why I’d add another opinion, analysis or virtual eulogy to the many thousands already published about the death of Pope Benedict, I understand. Especially since I’m woefully ignorant of this man, his thoughts and writings. So why then add to the plethora of words

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Our Bodies Ourselves or Vehicles for Mission?

Our bodies ourselves or vehicles for mission? We women of a certain age remember when Our Bodies Ourselves was written and published. It was revolutionary on many levels, primarily in leading women—not just here but worldwide, to take ownership of their health. Although its subject is limited to sexuality, the effects of the “movement” resound decades later,

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The Patron Saint of Politicians: Thomas More

The Patron Saint of Politicians: Thomas More In the year 2000, then Pope John Paul ll declared that many leaders of nations, states, and governments had asked him to proclaim Saint Thomas More the Patron of Statesmen and politicians. The Pope’s Apostolic Letter which details the proclamation, begins: The life and martyrdom of Saint Thomas More have

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