A recent study has correlated a rise in teen pregnancy rates with the religious-based “abstinence only” programs during the Bush years. (more…)

It’s time to get off the fence and out of denial. There is a Christian terrorist campaign to deprive women of their legal rights. Are you willing to continue supporting them by using their coined word — pro-life — to describe yourself?

     No one is asking you to change your beliefs about abortion. But do you want the terrorism of women, those who support their rights and the clinics who provide vital medical services to women to be subjected to violence in your name? Because that is what is happening and has been happening for thirty years.

     Are you ready to condemn these actions without reservation? If not, you’re part of the problem. (more…)

This is an excerpt from a longer article. Take a look at the last line quoted here.

Viagra helps CIA win friends in Afghanistan

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

 

Four blue pills. Viagra.

“Take one of these. You’ll love it,” the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

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Mothers in Papua New Guinea have been forced to resort to infanticide in a tragic bid to end the tribal wars that have devastated the Eastern Highlands for the last 20 years, it has been claimed. All baby boys born in the last 10 years have been killed at birth, according to two women from rival tribes….In desperation, they agreed to murder their sons to reduce the number of men who could go into battle,… (more…)

A few weeks ago, I argued with a valued friend who surprised me by spewing reams of anti-feminist rhetoric. When I objected, she angrily denied she was anti-feminist. The entire exchange left me confused. 

 

     It started over feminists rejecting Sarah Palin’s candidacy. Many conservative women, who would never support a feminist candidate, felt free to tell feminists they must support Palin because she is a woman. I replied to one of these women–who I didn’t know–by explaining feminists won’t support any candidate who doesn’t support women’s rights. This was the beginning of the end of our friendship. My friend took exception to my stance, then devolved into a diatribe against feminists in general. 

  (more…)

In The Biblical Source of Western Sexual Morality, Peter J. Leithart wrote, “It is all too easy for Christians, when examining the moral behavior and beliefs of cultures, to impose our patterns of morality on them…The danger of this approach is not only that we will fail to understand another culture, but that we will appeal to a nonexistent ‘consensus’ as the standard of moral behavior. Conservatives and many Christians make this mistake when they call for the reintroduction of ‘traditional values.’ The question must arise, which tradition?”
 

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Last night – election eve — I watched Jesse Jackson with tears pouring down his face. Jesse Jackson was on the balcony beside Rev. King when the assassination occurred.

Jesse was a presidential candidate too. Both times, his role helped pave the way for Obama’s victory. Watching Obama’s acceptance speech, his face went from pride to worry about Obama’s welfare back to amazement again — as did mine.

What must he have been thinking? No doubt wishing King was here to see and experience his dream come true. (more…)