Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 61
July 31, 2017
The baptized Charlie Gard dies
The baby Charlie Gard, the subject of a controversial legal battle, was taken off of life support and died. LifeSite has an informative article, quoted after the jump, on Charlie’s death and his parents’ efforts to keep him alive despite the hospital’s wishes. The article includes some more details about the hospital’s overbearing behavior–such as [Read More...]
Administration in turmoil
President Trump’s new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, called a reporter to deliver an on-the record obscene rant against the president’s chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and leading advisor Steve Bannon. (For what he said, go here. Caution: X-rated language.) Meanwhile, President Trump continues to blast his own Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. And his Secretary of [Read More...]
Republican health care reform is dead
Senate Republicans failed to pass a health care bill, failed to repeal Obamacare, and failed to pass even a “skinny” repeal that would have left part of the program in place. Obamacare, unchanged, remains the law of the land. From Alexander Bolton, McCain casts crucial vote to kill ‘skinny’ ObamaCare repeal | TheHill: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) [Read More...]
July 28, 2017
Not “Nones” But “Nons”: The Non-denominational Movement
Today one out of six Americans are non-denominational. Only 30% of Americans belong to a Protestant denomination, down from 50% before 2000.
Not “nones” but “nons”: The non-denominational movement
Different Protestant theologies have manifested themselves in different Protestant denominations: Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc. But now an increasing number of Christians are attending non-denominational churches. Today one out of six Americans are non-denominational. Only 30% of Americans belong to a Protestant denomination, down from 50% before 2000. Non-denominal congregations are not tied to a [Read More...]
The academic effects of marijuana: A controlled experiment
Marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, with “cannabis cafes” being a fixture of university towns. But the city of Maastricht changed the local ordinance so that only the Dutch could go to the cafes, not foreigners. Which meant that the sizable foreign student population at the University of Maastricht was suddenly cut off from legal [Read More...]
American scientists “edit” the genes of human embryos
For the first time, American scientists have “edited” the DNA of developing children. The Oregon researchers used a new technology that allows genes to be sliced, diced, and recombined. It had never been used on human beings before in the United States. Apologists for the procedure emphasize the beneficent possibilities, to cure genetic diseases. [Read More...]
July 27, 2017
“Why Is It Fine to Criticize Christianity But Not Islam?”
"New Atheist" Richard Dawkins has been dis-invited from an event sponsored by a Berkeley radio station. Why? Because he has said things offensive to Muslims.
“Why is it fine to criticize Christianity but not Islam?”
“New Atheist” Richard Dawkins has been dis-invited from an event sponsored by a Berkeley radio station. Why? Because he has said things offensive to Muslims. Dawkins is a critic of all religions, concentrating particularly on Christianity. In his response to the station’s letter cancelling the appearance–an occurrence that has become so common in academic circles [Read More...]
The transgendered are banned from the military
President Trump announced that the U.S. military would no longer “accept or allow” transgender individuals from serving in the armed forces. How many transgendered servicemen and women are there currently? The official estimate is around 2,450 of the 1.3 million on active duty. But the Defense Department thinks the number is in the low hundreds. [Read More...]
