Spinoza is cool.

January 28, 2010

Just as Scripture was once adapted to the understanding of the people of that time, in the same way anyone may now adapt it to his own beliefs if he feels that this will enable him to obey God with heartier will in those matters that pertain to justice and charity. My accusation against them is this, that they refuse to grant this same freedom to others. All those who do not share their opinions, however righteous and truly virtuous the dissenters may be, they persecute as God’s enemies, while those who follow their lead, however dissolute they may be, they cherish as God’s elect. Surely nothing more damnable than this, and more fraught with danger to the state, can be devised.

*Theological-Political Treatise, 2nd edition, trans. Samuel Shirley (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998), 158.

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What’s Rational?

January 28, 2010

A friend had just finished critiquing folk for believing in “creationism” – such a belief is an absurdity. I asked: why is creationism irrational and yet the doctrine of the Trinity or the notion of resurrection rational?

Here we are, again, at the borderline.

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Modern Commentary

January 21, 2010

I happened upon this at the Museum of Contemporary Art – revealing, no?

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Why do so many liberals become Professors?

January 20, 2010

Here’s an interesting study reported by the NY Times (found it thanks to my NY Times app on my iPhone).
The academic profession “has acquired such a strong reputation for liberalism and secularism that over the last 35 years few politically or religiously conservative students, but many liberal and secular ones, have formed the aspiration [...]

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Happy New Year

January 5, 2010

I hope you enjoyed the holidays and are looking forward to another year. At any rate, a few changes are being made here at queer messages – and as soon as those are complete, I intend to return to the blog world.

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