Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Christian Social Thought

June 18, 2013

‘No Religion, Please. We’re European.’

It is no secret that Europe is becoming less and less religious. A 2010 survey stated that only about half of Europe’s citizens believed in God, with some places (such as Sweden and the Czech Republic) registering belief in only about 20 percent of the population. Continue Reading...
June 17, 2013

Thinking About Money? You Dirty, Rotten Scoundrel

A study from Harvard University and the University of Utah purports to show that merely thinking about money makes one unethical and more inclined to immoral acts. The Huffington Post reports: Researchers split up roughly 300 participating undergraduate students into two groups. Continue Reading...
June 17, 2013

A Conservative Case for Prison Reform

Conservatives known for being tough on crime, says Richard A. Viguerie, should now be equally tough on failed, too-expensive criminal programs. They should demand more cost-effective approaches that enhance public safety and the well-being of all Americans — including prisoners: Conservative should recognize that the entire criminal justice system is another government spending program fraught with the issues that plague all government programs. Continue Reading...
June 14, 2013

Intellectual Honesty Overcomes Radical Agendas

An apocryphal quote often (incorrectly it seems) attributed to John Maynard Keynes goes something like, “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” Eliot Ness, as portrayed by Kevin Costner in The Untouchables, answers a reporter’s question about the lawman’s plans once Prohibition is repealed: “I think I’ll have a drink.” Continue Reading...
June 11, 2013

Schmemann on Socialism

Man’s nature is to reject it, because it can only be thrust on people by force. The most fallen possession is closer to God’s design for man than malicious egalitarianism. Possession is what God gave me (which I usually (mis)use selfishly and sinfully), whereas equality is what government and society give me, and they give me something that does not belong to them. Continue Reading...
June 06, 2013

Libertarians in Black Cassocks

Jordan Ballor wrote a provocative post about fusionism today, titled “Libertarians in Black,” modifying Jonah Goldberg’s suggestion that there should always be a libertarian in the room during political discussions with a little help from Johnny Cash: I think we might be able to bring Jonah Goldberg and Johnny Cash together on this point, to say that there always ought to be a “libertarian in black” in the room, asking the right questions about what government policies do for the people, particularly the poor. Continue Reading...