steveawiggins
Latest Blog Posts - Sects and Violence in the Ancient World
- Hopeful HorrorI don’t make New Year’s resolutions. To my way of thinking, if I’m aware I’m doing something wrong, I try to change it at that point, rather than waiting. Needless to say, then, I’m up to my old habits of … Continue reading →...
- Reformation Blueson Jan 13, 2017 in Bible Posts Religious Violence Sects Catholicism Christianites eternity Martin Luther Pascal Protestantism ReformationWelcome to Reformation Year! Well, not actually. It’s more like an anniversary. Five centuries ago this Halloween, Martin Luther grabbed his silver hammer and history forever changed. In 1517 nobody could guess that that obscure strip of land acros...
- Saint Charleson Jan 12, 2017 in Current Events Evolution Posts Science Sects Catholicism Charles Darwin post-truth Santa Muerte votive candlesHonestly, I’m not sure where the idea of votive candles started. An educated guess—which will have to do in my state of limited research time—is that candles, like oil lamps, began as a practical necessity in places of worship. Temples, …...
- Reel SalvationSalvation is a fraught concept. It’s one of those topics that’s been commandeered by the evangelical camp so that mainstreamers are afraid to touch it, as if it’s catching. The thing is, Christianity is built around the idea that people …...
- Samaritans, Good and Otherwiseon Jan 10, 2017 in Bible Just for Fun Memoirs Posts Travel Weather commuting Good Samaritan New Jersey Transit New Jersey TurnpikeIt’s the coldest day of the winter so far. I’m noticing this because I’m standing on the shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike counting the NJ Transit buses that are flying by at highway speed. It’s been a morning of … Continue reading &#...
- Wild ThingsLast year my wife suggested we each do a reading challenge for the year. The one we selected was Modern Mrs. Darcy’s, which, with only a dozen books, seemed doable. What makes it a challenge is that to meet Mrs. … Continue reading →...
- What Democrats Don’t UnderstandHuman evolution (while it still legally exists) tells us a considerable amount about belief. Brain science (while we still have it) has long indicated that our noggins evolved to help us survive, not “to figure out” the world. Along its … C...
- Size Does MatterWhile not exactly a Luddite, my grasp on technology is tenuous. I grew up in what may be the last generation where computer use was considered optional—I made it through a master’s degree without ever using one, and could have … Continue re...
- Whose Story?on Jan 6, 2017 in Consciousness Current Events Posts economics history objectivity post-truth revisionismWhat really happened? I grew up thinking that reading history gave the answer to that question. In fact, it is a viewpoint that I still struggle against. You see, historians try to marshal as many facts as they can to … Continue reading →...
- Need to KnowIt’s particularly encouraging when the first book I finish in a year is an important one. I try my best to read books that won’t disappoint, but the thing about books is that you sometimes can’t tell until the end. … Continue reading U...
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