The Influence of Piety: Same-Sex Marriage

Nearly forty-five years after federal civil rights legislation was passed, the idea of treating people equally under the law is hardly controversial. However, sexual-oriented minorities have faced constant opposition from government officials and the people who elect and support them. Gays and Lesbians have been, and continue to be, legislated against and demonized. One may wonder why the United States lags so far behind other liberal western democracies when it comes to protecting its citizens. The answer is no doubt … Read on…

The Bad Virus

Think of religion as a collection of viruses, specialists in modifying a host’s behavior in specific ways, that somehow got into our ancestors during the long period of human biological evolution. As they settled in and adjusted to their environment, they developed various degrees of symbiosis with the host and each other. The host evolved both physically and in terms of cognitive powers; in the process, new needs appeared that some of the religion viruses were able to fill, including … Read on…