Anthony McIntyre's Blog, page 687

In The US, 'Civil Religion' Ensures Church And State Remain Tied At The Hip

New Humanist ✒ Americans who profess no religious affiliation make up a sizeable voting bloc. Yet despite this, faith continues to guide US policymaking. Becky GarrisonThe First Amendment to the US Constitution prevents the government from making laws designed to regulate the establishment of any religion, or that would prohibit the free exercise of religion. Yet the US remains a decidedly "

Physics And The Immortality Of The Soul

Scientific American ✒ a piece by physicist Sean M. Carroll from a decade ago on the question of the human soul.The topic of "life after death" raises disreputable connotations of past-life regression and haunted houses, but there are a large number of people in the world who believe in some form of persistence of the individual soul after life ends. Clearly this is an important question, one of

An Illegal Jesus

Right Wing Watch ✒ Lauren Witzke Says the Equality Act Will ‘Illegalize Jesus Christ.’Kyle Mantyla2-July-2021Right-wing activist Lauren Witzke appeared on “The Alex Jones Show” Thursday, where she warned that the Equality Act will “illegalize Jesus Christ” if it becomes law.Witzke—the GOP’s 2020 Senate candidate in Delaware and a flat Earth, QAnon-believing conspiracy theorist with ties to white

A Morning Thought @ 1298

Kevin Deehan

Anthony McIntyre ⚱ shares his thoughts on a man he first met in prison when both were still in their teens and who died in April. Kevin DeehanFriday the 13th and freezing was how I remember my first encounter with Magilligan Prison. Mid-December, it was not the warmest clime in the world to be. Fortunately, unlike the huts in the cages of Long Kesh, Magilligan had heating pipes running the length

Lynx By Ten To The Power Of One Hundred And Seventeen

Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.Before We Conform, Let Us At Least Be Curious‘A True Blue… He Had No Fear’ – Dublin GAA Fan Jack Daniel (15) Laid To RestProfessor Luke O'Neill Predicts 2022 Will Be The Year Ireland Wins The

Xmas Behind Bars

Pádraic Mac Coitir ✒ Kicks off  the TPQ 2022 writing with memories of Xmas in Gaol.I don't dwell on my time in gaol but occasionally I'll be asked to do a talk or write something about it. This morning is one of those times I'll write about food on Xmas day. I'm writing it because when I was out for a dander I met an oul comrade and we spent a couple of minutes talking about food and he suggested

A Morning Thought @ 1297

Agnes Magee

Anthony McIntyre ⚱ with fond memories of a Lower Ormeau Road mother who died in October.When I lived there, almost fifty years ago, the Lower Ormeau Road was a small nationalist enclave of around less than thirty streets. It has expanded since. The half mile stretch of road, an arterial route in and out of Belfast City Centre, was bordered at each end by the River Lagan to the South and the

Lynx By Ten To The Power Of One Hundred And Seventeen

Ten links to a diverse range of opinion that might be of interest to TPQ readers. They are selected not to invite agreement but curiosity. Readers can submit links to pieces they find thought provoking.Before We Conform, Let Us At Least Be CuriousJames Webb Space Telescope: World’s Most Powerful Telescope Blasts Into OrbitCovid Ireland: 6,735 New Cases As Dr Tony Holohan Gives Stern Warning To