Rational Nation USA

"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties." -- Helen Keller

The conflicts between religion and science have existed and been well studied for generations, yet many people deny they exist at all. As someone who studied religion in college, I’ve seen both sides of this. On one hand, it’s true that many people apply religion and science in different ways, meaning they don’t always conflict. But on another hand — a much bigger hand — it’s impossible to ignore the war that has been waged between science and religion throughout human history. Jerry Coyne , who literally wrote the book on this subject in Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible , has a piece up at the Conversation pointing out how science and religion actually “represent incompatible ways of viewing the world.” In contrast to the methods of science, religion adjudicates truth not empirically, but via dogma, scripture and authority — in other words, through faith, defined in Hebrews 11 as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of thi...

Many Biblical scholars have argued from time to time that December 25th was not the actual birth date of Christ. It was just adopted as a day to celebrate the birth of Christ as a Christian substitute to the Roman festival Saturnalia in the third century. Saturnalia was celebrated as the Feast of Sun and was actually considered the birth date of the Sun God of the Romans. Catholic priests held a special mass that day for Christ and thus, it came to be known as 'Christ-mass' or 'Christmas'. Along with the date, several other pagan traditions, rituals and customs followed the way to become associated with Christmas such as decorating fir trees and burning yule logs. According to these scholars, Christ was most probably born on September 11, 3 B.C., which was Wednesday, according to the Bible. Source: References: ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA CLASSROAM Influence of Zoroastrianism on other religions Pagan Influence upon Roman Catholicism 10 Ways The Bible Was Influenced...

Hat Tip: Infidel753

May 2019 bring an end to our national disgrace which begin with the 2016 election that brought us tRump.

The 550 People, Places and Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List It is highly unlikely the tRump supporters will even read, let alone believe, the truth embodied in the voluminous number of insulting and incorrect tweets their buffoon leader has tweeted out. Click on the hot link above to read the 550 .

America is changing, so, it I entirely appropriate that members of the House of Representative leadership change with it. With the top three democratic leadership positions being held by individuals 78-79 years of age the "deal" that would seat Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House would insure that all three relinquish there leadership positions in 2022. This is good for the party, and, it will be good for America. Perhaps BOTH parties should adopt a rule that anyone holding any one of the  top three leadership positions  are required to relinquish said position at the end of their congressional term in which they turn 80. There comes a time in business and government when NEW blood is essential. If America hopes to continue its forward progress new blood is a must . Maybe the presidency should have a maximum age when one can assume the office. When elected by the voters. 72 perhaps? WASHINGTON — Representative Nancy Pelosi is nearing a deal with dissident Democrat...

Since the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump’s aides and advisers have tried to convince him of the importance of tackling the national debt . Sources close to the president say he has repeatedly shrugged it off, implying that he doesn’t have to worry about the money owed to America’s creditors—currently about $21 trillion—because he won’t be around to shoulder the blame when it becomes even more untenable. The friction came to a head in early 2017 when senior officials offered Trump charts and graphics laying out the numbers and showing a “hockey stick” spike in the national debt in the not-too-distant future. In response, Trump noted that the data suggested the debt would reach a critical mass only after his possible second term in office. “Yeah, but I won’t be here,” the president bluntly said, according to a source who was in the room when Trump made this comment during discussions on the debt. SOURCE It can't get much clearer than the above, tRump quite simpl...

It is not often these days that I post commentary from a "conservative" weblog. Today is different. Having come across a post at Always On Watch I believe has merit because it offers up great food for thought I decided to reproduce it on the pages this weblog. My hope is it generates some conversation that is thoughtful as well as respectful. Destructive Destruction Silverfiddle Rant! Apologies to John Prine … Daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County, Where good jobs are boomin' and men get good pay. I'm sorry my son but you're too late in askin' Mr. Jeff Bezos' website done hauled them away. You can’t bring those Sears jobs Back Is retail dead, destined for the obituaries along with the whale blubber industry that was replaced by kerosene lamps, which were replaced by the lightbulb? What kind of new economy will give people meaningful work as technology ends up doing so much of what humans used to earn their l...

The Eye of Sauron  , guiding the present day GOP and the conservative movement lead by Donald J. tRump and his minions. Willingly supported and assisted by FreeThinke , aka Franco Aragosta .

America was a better place because President George H.W. Bush dedicated his life to service to our country. The United States of America was a greater nation when he served as president than it is today. Current and future leadership of this nation would do well to emulate President Bush's example. Rest in Peace Mr. President. Though George H.W. Bush's presidency ended just a quarter-century ago, it seems like a different era altogether. He personified a time when Democrats and Republicans could work together and when international diplomacy was not scorned as a sign of weakness. Last year, a C-Span survey of historians ranked Bush — who died Friday at age 94 —    20th of 44 presidents considered . A survey of political scientists this year ranked him 17th . Though both polls put him atop the list of presidents turned out of office by the voters, they may be a bit low for a president who looks better and better each year. Bush was a thoroughly ...