thoughts in and out of season
One keeps seeing such stories: Syphilis spikes among New York gay men. Officials suggest that the situation “‘reflects increased sexual risk-taking behavior … possibly due to factors including the availability of effective treatment, prevention burnout, misperceptions of risk and the impact of other health problems such as depression and substance abuse.'” Such things are … More ...
This story manages to capture quite a lot about a New York attitude toward religion in general and Christianity in particular: Gideons pass out Bibles in New York. At the end Norman Siegel gives the authoritative word—it’s part of the goodness and wonder of being a New Yorker to feel a bit queasy about … More ...
To discuss the Episcopal Church as it now is may be, to borrow from Dr. Johnson, “to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility.” Still, it clarifies thought to consider the present state in America of an institution that once expressed the spiritual life of much of our branch of European civilization. Maybe the Episcopal Church still … More ...
Another study, if you find yourself among people who demand studies: Children of Post-Abortive Moms Have More Behavioral Problems. Not surprising, unless you accept the liberal view that the body is somehow external to the person, so that a woman’s attitude to the life growing within her is something she can choose at … More ...
A common slogan among deep thinkers is that the problem with Islam is that unlike Christianity it’s never had a Reformation. On the face of it the claim is an odd one. The Protestant Reformation was an attempt to purify Christianity and return it to its pure and original form, cleansed of all syncretic cultural … More ...
Since educated people today are convinced that “studies” are how we know things, it’s worth keeping some references in your back pocket. Here’s something recent from Britain, Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family. Yes, it’s really true that recent changes in family patterns have been bad for almost everybody involved.
In evident response to recent disputes over the rights and wrongs of the late unpleasantness between North and South here in America, the Eurocrats are talking about settling such issues in advance: Bid to lock Britain into EU.
Say what you like about the New York Times, their science coverage isn’t bad, at least as long as it’s not one of Natalie Angier’s chirpy little pieces. Every now and then they even have group photographs of particle physicists and such. When looking at such pictures I’ve always wondered why no one challenges … More ...
If it has to be asked, there’s no answer: What is Britishness anyway? What has made someone British has not been a single quality or small set of qualities that distinguishes him from foreigners. No such bright line was ever needed, because until very recently there hadn’t been demographically significant immigration to Britain for over … More ...
Politicians, like all promoters and salesmen, are optimistic by nature. Why else would they put so much effort into pursuing office when success is so doubtful and the rewards so dubious? A current version of the eternal story is presented by the World magazine cover story on Polyglot Politics—The GOP’s Latino outreach. The conservative … More ...