Mystic Politics

Science and Religion: The Views of Two Religious Scientists

If the universe is governed by physics, and God created the laws of nature, would religion in this sense contradict science?

Why Don’t Christians Have To Get Circumcised?

A German court ruled on Tuesday that parentsmay not circumcise their sons at birth for religious reasons, because the procedure violates the child’s right to bodily integrity. Both Muslims and Jews circumcise their male children. Why is Christianity the only Abrahamic religion that doesn’t encourage circumcision?

Where do you think circumcision comes from? Fertility ritual? To mark slaves?

[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?

Israel, Zionism and the Diaspora: What is Halacha? Who is a Jew?

“Who is a Jew” for Israel may be just one more step from secular towards religion as civil law.

Do you think the question of who or what a Jew is pokes at the ‘hebrew as a race’ thing?

Not Kosher: NYC Ultra-Orthodox Hasidim Child Sex-Abuse Allegations

For Hasidim, every waking act is defined by the laws of the Torah; they depend on the teachings of rabbis to guide them in all parts of their day. Influence from the secular world threatens to invade their insular community.

Now revered leaders of the community are accused of protecting child predators and punishing the victims who dare to speak out about what was done to them, all to avoid outside involvement.

Not Kosher: NYC Ultra-Orthodox Hasidim Child Sex-Abuse Allegations

Man spends 12 months practicing 12 different religions

‘Finding faith in God again was not Bowen’s aim. This young father of two was looking for faith in humanity.’

Religion, Birth Control, and Population Growth: A Real MindFuck

‘In considering their positions, which are at worst hostile to birth and population control and at best neutral or non-committal, one is presented with two religion-infused scenarios: 1) Earth’s natural resources can sustain an ever-expanding population fueled by an unchecked and, one might say psychopathic, drive to exponentially expand a country’s abundance through market forces, whether free market or mixed economy, etc., or 2) God’s divine providence will somehow provide for the masses (wishful or magical thinking).’

Science vs. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam on Finding God

‘God might exist, but the Abrahamic religions are an obstacle. Quantum physics will lead us to find the fundamental mechanisms of the universe.’

Neo-Zionism: Israel Needs a New Narrative

‘Despite the fact that Israel is now a well-armed (nuclear) sovereign state, both narratives lock Israel and Jews into permanent victim status–a lens that could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. There are two ways Israel might be eliminated. One is by the actions of external forces; unlikely, given the consequences for any nation that would try to obliterate the country. The other is by the actions of its own leadership.’

Biblical Brutality: Is Religion the Cause of Most Wars?

‘There are many common misconceptions about religion that are often taken as unquestioned facts, such as the idea that religious people are inherently anti-science, that a literal reading of holy texts is the “true” religious stance, that faith is incompatible with reason, and that all religions claim to posses sole and absolute truth.’