Faith & Society

I have a friend named Jim, who many people would think of as gay, or at least bisexual. However, he doesn’t see himself that way. He is married but has been attracted to men for as long as he can … Continue reading

Due to my websites about sexual identity issues, I receive many inquiries from people asking why people are gay. Recently, a note from a mom writing about her son caught my eye. She wrote:He saw a Christian counselor for 2 months in … Continue reading

On Thursday, January 11, the new Democratic Congress followed through on its ambitious agenda to promote embryonic stem-cell research. As it moves forward, President George W. Bush will be grabbing his veto pen. As he does, we will hear charges … Continue reading

Stranger things may have happened in the annals of church history, but the recent lopsided votes in several Virginia Episcopal congregations may qualify as among the strangest at first glance. Why? They voted in favor of leaving that denomination’s Virginia … Continue reading

It’s difficult to explain how much the world has changed in 25 years. Those who lived through December 1981 would be well-served to pause this Christmas season and give thanks for the differences. In December 1981, much of the world … Continue reading

Given the decision making power of Santa Claus on the matter of gifts, my children make sure they leave Mr. Claus some seriously good cookies on Christmas Eve. However, most children don’t know that there is much more to the … Continue reading

Eat right. Wear seatbelts. Avoid cigarettes. Use sunscreen. Yearly, thousands of college kids hear this wisdom from their university health services and wellness professors. However, it is unlikely that these same students will hear this gem: “Casual sexual liaisons on … Continue reading

The vagueness of the term “stem cell research” is one of the biggest problems in the ongoing stem cell debate. Writers, debaters, scientists, public figures and politicians should differentiate between “embryonic stem cell research” and “non-embryonic stem cell research” in … Continue reading

Study Also Questions Fraternal Birth Order Effect Mark Twain said once: “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” If environmental factors in sexual orientation could talk, they might say the same thing. For sure, social or family factors in … Continue reading

Riding an exercise bike at my employer’s physical fitness center, I saw live images on the large television screen shot from Paradise, Pa. At first there were no people in the scenes, just buildings and a message at the bottom … Continue reading

As the midterm elections heat up, it is a good time to discuss the political use of religion. Many have linked Republicans’ electoral success in 2000 and 2004 to their ability to appeal to the values of religious voters. Exit … Continue reading

Representatives of the religion of peace have had their hands full over the past week or so with organizing demonstrations, burning the pontiff in effigy, promising to assassinate him, instigating church bombings, killing at least one nun, and generally threatening … Continue reading

Medical expenses are rising faster than the costs of any other service. They are climbing at rates that exceed not only those of inflation and dollar depreciation but even the Federal government itself. In fact, they are consuming an ever … Continue reading

Does family birth order predict homosexual orientation? If you read the popular press, you might think so. A recent report from Canadian psychologist, Anthony Bogaert, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests a link for males, but … Continue reading

As I watched the latest debate over stem cells in Washington, I was struck by the Democrats’ confidence that this could be a winning issue for them in the fall elections. Yes, in recent years public support for stem cell … Continue reading

I was awakened this morning at 4:45 a.m. by a ringing telephone. A call that early in the morning often brings bad news—sometimes news of a death. I braced myself. The call was indeed about a death, but the news … Continue reading

Our cousins in Great Britain, from whom we inherited a language, a political culture and, most specifically, the principle of freedom of speech, are going off the deep end, to judge from the jailing of Edward Atkinson.  Here’s the background: … Continue reading