The Briefing 01-04-16

Upheaval in Middle East reminds of theological rift in Islam between Shiite and Sunni sectsWashington Post (Liz Sly) — Saudi Arabia breaks diplomatic ties with Iran as crisis intensifies

Leftward moral and political trajectory points to more fundamental American secularizationThe Atlantic (Peter Beinart) — Why America Is Moving Left

Absence of religious affiliation lends to politics becoming religion, basis for moral lifeWeekly Standard (David Gelernter) — What Explains the Vicious Left?