The sounds of laughter and joy echoed throughout the neighborhood as the sidewalks and tiny patches of lawn became filled with energetic children ready for summer in the sunny suburb. It was Julia's first day of summer break after finishing first grade, and she was thrilled to finally get to use her new bike. Her … Continue reading “Everything Happens for a Reason”
The modern practice of circumcision originated from a time when overall hygiene was poor and infectious and sexual diseases were out of control. Now, what with showers and cleansing products available, penis infections are (almost entirely) a thing of the distant & dirty past. Before modern circumcision, there were ancient circumcision practices, which existed to … Continue reading Genital Mutilation in the US
We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure signal changes in the brains of thirty subjects—fifteen committed Christians and fifteen nonbelievers—as they evaluated the truth and falsity of religious and nonreligious propositions. For both groups, and in both categories of stimuli, belief (judgments of “true” vs judgments of “false”) was associated with greater signal in … Continue reading Some Quotes from Sam Harris on Creationism
The no-shampoo method has been floating around the hippie community and after careful deliberation and research, I decided to try it. As strange of a concept as this may seem, I haven’t used shampoo in nearly a year. This movement is centered on the idea that our bodies should not be exposed to chemicals when … Continue reading No-poo
Things introduce meaning to one’s life. Things are both complementary, and necessary. Things can be worth a fortune and a half, or worth less than dirt. People LOVE their things. Materialism is the result of a society in which people can accumulate excessive amounts of products they don’t necessarily need at affordable costs; this, coupled … Continue reading Things
The reason that vegans stand against the killing of animals, from an ethical standpoint, is because of two things about animals: they are conscious and can feel pain. The word for consciously aware beings who are able to experience pain is sentience. We, along with nearly all other species, are sentient beings based on our … Continue reading Why Legal US Abortion is Vegan-Friendly (and Ethically Sound in General) Every Time
“Can’t you show up on time for once?” She stepped through the slightly crooked doorway and saw the group of friends already gathered on a blanket on the floor of the less than luxurious studio flat, the curtains drawn and barely a flicker of light in the open, empty room, setting the scene for what … Continue reading Untitled
A couple of days ago something happened that I’ve been waiting some time for. The food court was packed at midday with hungry and impatient people, my sister sat beside me as we enjoyed our vastly contrasting lunches (as usual) surrounded by the subtle roar of the crowd and the slightly too upbeat pop music … Continue reading A Short Story About Gentle Encouragement
The word evidence is triggering to some, perhaps because it implies challenge to their faith (or highlights their lack thereof). This piece will discuss evidence as it relates to the theistic claims of Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). Many people get confused expecting there to be “evidence of atheism”, when actually the side who … Continue reading Theism & Atheism – A Discussion on Evidence
KITCHEN STAPLES (Of an American Vegan) RAW WHOLE FOODS Nuts – Cashews are probably my most preferred right now due to their versatility in meals, and peanuts in the shell are a favorite of mine for a filling snack. I also like any nut butter that isn’t oily; it’s definitely a staple for toast, bagels, … Continue reading Kitchen Staples
