I really do like keeping up on the news, the vital (Syria updates) and not so vital (latest trends in planking.) Whether or not you agree with me, you may have been surprised to learn the extent of the National Security Agency's sharing of our communications, including phone calls, emails and Internet use, with little to none of the protections we thought we were afforded. The recent revelations made by Edward Snowden are nothing if not unnerving, and they keep coming.
The 12th anniversary of 9/11 is upon us and our country is on the brink of taking military action against Syria. It makes me wonder if the powers that be (Obama, Kerry, Congress) ever think about responding to evil in the world without using violence.
In the spring, my small group bible study completed a DVD study called “Jesus, Bombs & Ice Cream.”
As someone who is a practical materialist, who does not believe we possess any supernatural spirit apart from the self-awareness generated in our brains, and who furthermore does not believe in any supernatural deities, my answer is a general no.
We've spent the past week bringing you stories of religion and violence from around the country – what happens when violence crosses thresholds in churches, synagogues and mosques? Here's a quick wrap-up, where you can find all the stories in one place.
First, if the question assuming that "ultimate meaning" can only exist in a context of some kind of afterlife (eternal or otherwise), then the deck is stacked, and no answer apart from that would be conceivable. The issue ultimately relates not to the afterlife at all, but to what meaning and purpose people come to think about their own lives and the lives of others.