what I’ve been reading – thought provoking blog posts

I think my Sunday School teachers should be grateful that the internet wasn't as prevalent when I was in their classes... Or maybe I should be grateful, I suspect I would have had a LOT more conversations w/the Sunday School Superintendent. Not a fan of Jesus at Godless in Dixie Fascinating Womanhood: Pandora's Box at … Continue reading what I’ve been reading – thought provoking blog posts

Archangel Michael, Dragon Slayer

The other morning Kid1's teacher cheerfully greeted us with the news that the children would be celebrating the festival of Michaelmas. The children would be polishing their golden swords in perpetration for the event, and dyeing golden capes. There would be a great pageant, and  Archangel Michael would come and slay a dragon. She was … Continue reading Archangel Michael, Dragon Slayer

what I’ve been reading – superstition, sex & creation

Narendra Dabholkar - Narendra Dabholkar, fighter against superstition, was killed on August 20th, aged 67Another Obamacare Win: Religious Birth Control Exemption Thrown Out by CourtMichigan Attorney General Schuette: Marriage is for regulating sexual relationships to make babiesChristians, Can We Drop This 'Creationism' Thing Already?Texas Textbook Hearing Incites Debate Over Whether Students Should Learn Creationism meme via … Continue reading what I’ve been reading – superstition, sex & creation

Ancient philosophy meets Darwin: Can science offer a way of life?

NaturalisticPaganism's avatarNaturalistic Paganism

Ancient philosophers differed from those today in one crucial way:

For them, philosophy was a way of life.

Can science, too, be a way of life?

Philosophy as a way of life

All the ancient philosophers, from Socrates to the Buddha, investigated their world not just for the sake of learning, but in order to discover how to live a flourishing life.

For example, when Socrates asked his fellow Athenians about piety or virtue, it wasn’t just for love of conversation – he wanted to expose the confusion fouling up the unexamined life.  When Hypatia of Alexandria explored mathematics and astronomy, it wasn’t just for the sake of learning – she wanted to know how she fit into the cosmos.  And when Siddartha Gautama investigated the nature of desire and aversion, it was not out of pure interest in psychology – he wanted to know how to eradicate suffering.  All…

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