Mystic Politics

Psychology vs. Physiology: The Science of Prayer http://mys.tc/2dg

Do People Get Less Religious When Societies Grow More Egalitarian?

When countries embrace progressive social policy, that tends to create a decline in religious belief. Why?

Is it due to better education or is it that the impoverished don’t need to depend on the church for help any longer?

[Debate] Is There an Afterlife?

Is There an afterlife? -a discussion featuring Christopher Hitchens, Rabbi David Wolpe, Sam Harris, & Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson -Moderated by Rob Eshman

This is one of our favorite debates at Mystic Politics- distinguished by its affability and easy conversation despite severly disparate views of what transpires upon termination of the human body. There is the feeling when watching that this is one of the rare moments in debates where the debaters are talking to each other and not at each other, and the focus is on exploring- and not racking up points.

Is religion totalitarian and presumes to have answers beyond what it’s capable of? Or have certain people experienced bits of truth, which- when taken together- might highlight what lies just beyond the periphery of the minds eye?

Too Much Religion In Political Talk, Pew Survey Finds

‘Politicians should keep their religion to themselves and quit publicly praying and talking so much about their faith, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.’

[Image] Nay, do not hate your enemies, but instead, pray for them…

The Battle Over School Prayer and Why It Matters http://mys.tc/1l9 politics religion education

The Battle Over School Prayer and Why It Matters

“Despite the dominance of economic issues in the upcoming Presidential election, Republican candidates have not foresworn using religious issues to attract the support of “Values Voters.” In an effort to reinvigorate his faltering campaign, Texas Governor Rick Perry ran a commercial in Iowa touting his own evangelical faith in which he highlighted two favorites among religious conservatives: gay rights and school prayer. Later in an interview with FOX television’s Chris Wallace, Perry defended introducing religion into the campaign, and he promised if elected President to support a constitutional amendment to return prayer and Bible reading to the nation’s schools.”

New Media and Islam http://mys.tc/1d1

As social media and social networking allows for greater exposure to proselytizers and Islam friendly media, some clerics decry the cyber-world as inculcating a paradigm which is non-conducive to reflection and meditation.

Do you troll Facebook or other social sites and still find time for quiet introspection?