Is it ever right to divorce a spouse with Alzheimers?
My grandfather was raised as the youngest son of poverty-stricken dirt-farmers in the Appalachian foothills of Kentucky where the bonds of family are stronger than any other force in the universe, and a person’s promises are the only real measure of character. When my grandmother, early into their retirement, began manifesting subtle changes in her [...]
Is monotheism superior?
Israel Finklestein and Neil Silberman, in their classic work “The Bible Unearthed,” demonstrate that the archaeological evidence from ancient Palestine shows a movement away from the traditionally practiced polytheism of the Judahites towards a new type of monotheism, centered on the cultic worship of YHWH at Jerusalem. Although this change no doubt incorporated shifting religious [...]
Should we pray for rain?
The great state of Texas has the highest concentration of self-identified religious believers in the country, most from a Christian denomination or nondenominational church, and nearly all from religious traditions that accept the efficacy of prayer. One would not be out of line, then, to suggest that during this past summer’s drought, during which thousands [...]
Do Jews, Christians and Muslims better understand each other since 9/11?
There’s another, more foundational question that begs asking: Do followers of the three Abrahamic faiths really understand their own religions better since 9/11? If not, then I can assure you they are in no position to understand the faiths of other believers. During my frequent sojourns amongst the Dallas-area faithful, I’ve had the opportunity to [...]