Scientifically, mindfulness is way down there with yoga, acupuncture, and homeopathy in terms of empirically observable results. The evidence for its effectiveness is largely subjective, e.g., self-reported improvements in mood, attitude, stress, or sleep. A recent paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science — co-authored by 15 prominent psychological and cognitive-science researchers — gently derided... Continue Reading

Democracies and republics are rare success stories in history.  At their best, they are worthy of imitation.  For a moment, Alabama and the wisdom of the ancients overlapped in this last election.  The lessons of Greece and Rome prove valuable.  The lesson of Alabama may yet as well.     Democracies are notoriously fragile. Athenians who... Continue Reading

Darwinian evolutionists believe RNA, a nucleic acid present in all living cells, were some of the first molecules to form on the Earth and give rise to living things. But for that to happen, the RNA would have had to somehow reproduce on its own without requisite enzymes that would not have evolved yet. Szostak... Continue Reading

In late November, the company revealed Barbie supports LGBT relationships. The post on the official BarbieStyle Instagram account shows Barbie with the fashion blogger Aimee Song–inspired doll, both wearing “Love Wins” shirts. The shirts are part of Song’s fashion line for Gay Pride month, and proceeds benefit an LGBT advocacy organization.   (WNS)–The recent push... Continue Reading

“For Old Schoolers, though, the relentless persistence of Christmas in all its schmaltz and devotion is an indication of how little discomfort Christians feel about making their own holiday an affair for Muslims, Jews, and secularists to enjoy or endure. Imagine thinking that Frank Sinatra’s Christmas albums would sell in Istanbul.”   In the mood... Continue Reading

“Children adoption cases have been a thorny issue in American politics, with religious agencies in various states asking to be allowed to operate by their beliefs and retain the right to refuse placing children into the homes of same-sex couples.”   A Kentucky Family Court judge who earlier this year said he cannot hear adoption... Continue Reading

His argument can thus be boiled down to this. If you discount or ignore all the contemporary and near-contemporary eye-witness and other accounts of Jesus’s life, because these sources were biased, then the other evidence like miracles, the lives of the saints, the faith of billions, and so and on can’t possibly be true. Therefore,... Continue Reading

Even more importantly, Sullins told me, the authors of the original study also published an article alongside his and acknowledged the corrected data do show disadvantages for children raised by same-sex couples. Although the authors suggested there were other explanations for the difference—rates of adoption, minority stress—Sullins said it was the first time “mainstream” social... Continue Reading

Fast forward about 600 years and there’s another “fulfillment” of this prophecy. Matthew tells us that Herod ordered the Bethlehem infanticide in order to fulfill “what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they... Continue Reading

“Welcome to Consensual Nonmonogamy, or CNM, as it has come to be known, not just within the purview of the New York Times’ explorations of modern romance but also within mainstream scholarly circles. With roots in progressive social science and jurisprudence, CNM scholarship now proclaims that open relationships have all the same benefits that monogamous... Continue Reading