I have to give props to my husband for recently committing unanticipated acts of feminism. At a recent party, a (male) acquaintance was drunkenly holding forth about how women fundamentally change when they have sex (presumably each time, given his justification) but men do not. Therefore, it is astronomically worse for a woman to cheat […]

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I did some bad things during my stint as a Mormon missionary in Japan.  I’d like to repent of one of them right now.
Some of my Japanese friends confided deep, personal spiritual experiences with me.  In several cases I coopted their experiences for my own ends, and using my words, contorted them so that they […]

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I’ve been collecting emails since the success of the last Fun Quotes post. Without further ado:
A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes.
-James Kern Feibleman, philosopher and psychiatrist (1904-1987)

This is definitely something I’ve believed in for awhile. It’s just nice to hear someone with authority say it (in this case, the […]

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I still do think that is has wonderful aspects to it, that it can inspire people to greatness (though is not necessary for it), and that it has basis in fact, tradition, and/or necessity. I think that, because of these facts, it should be respected, as should history, but I do in no way think […]

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I think that a 12 hour day (or at least a day that requires daylight savings time), a 7 day week, a 3-4 week month, and a year that’s dependent on leap years & seconds are hopelessly outdated and rely on cultural history rather than science or necessity (there’s a great idea about 3 day […]

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“The Abortion Curriculum Has Left the Classroom,” a scary explanation of how medical students are graduating these days with a hole in their repertoire.
Spark is a category for sharing links. No intense commentary, just a link & a brief reason you might want to click on it. Something to Spark your Mind to Flame, if […]

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Detail from the Scroll of Hungry Ghosts showing ghosts devouring corpses in a graveyard. Click to see the full image.
A few years back, I took a graduate course called “Japanese Ghosts.” It was a fascinating blend of cultural, folklore, literary, feminist, political and religious studies. One article argued against the common assumption […]

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Ever since we first invaded Afghanistan & Iraq, I’ve seen these “War is not the answer” bumper stickers. I like the sentiment, even if I may not always agree with it. As I’ve said before, I’m not and probably could never be a non-violent person. But there are extremes to every situation. I’m not one […]

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Why Magic Works (YouTube).
Question: I was thinking ‘religion’ while watching this–anyone else have the same thoughts? Where does it fit (or not)?

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In a lot of ways, I already do. I earn my living manipulating data flow as a database and web developer. I spend many of my evenings reading social sciences and cultural theory, critically analyzing it all and critiquing them with professors and grad students. Many of my interactions with my spouse, my children, my […]

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