religion

US: 250 Years Later – Part 60: God

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In 1776, God was woven directly into America’s understanding of itself. Faith shaped public life, political language, personal identity, and the belief that history itself unfolded under divine guidance. Two hundred and fifty years later, spirituality exists within a far more diverse landscape of religions, personal practices, philosophies, and private reflections. This letter follows America’s changing relationship with God and asks whether the deepest human search has ever truly changed… or simply found new languages through which to speak.

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US: 250 Years Later – Part 44: Easter

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In 1776, Easter arrived quietly. It unfolded through prayer, family gatherings, returning warmth, and small signs that winter had finally loosened its grip. Two hundred and fifty years later, Easter lives simultaneously in churches, kitchens, candy aisles, social media feeds, and family traditions. This letter follows America’s changing Easter story and asks what people are truly celebrating beneath the pastel colors and plastic eggs.

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US: 250 Years Later – Part 21: Church and State/Religious Freedom

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In 1776, church and state were deeply intertwined across much of America. Religion shaped laws, taxes, politics, and public identity, while dissent often carried real consequences. Two hundred and fifty years later, America remains engaged in one of its longest arguments: how to protect both freedom of religion and freedom from coercion. This letter follows the evolution of religious liberty and asks what true pluralism actually requires.

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US: 250 Years Later – Part 20: Church

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In 1776, church was not merely a place people attended. It was atmosphere itself, shaping time, politics, morality, and community even among people who never formally joined congregations. Two hundred and fifty years later, church exists in sanctuaries, livestreams, podcasts, storefronts, and digital spaces, still asking ancient questions about meaning, belonging, and hope in an increasingly fragmented world.

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US: 250 Years Later – Part 19: Christmas

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In 1776, Christmas in America was not one holiday but many. Depending on where you lived, it could mean prayer, feasting, drinking, quiet reflection, or complete indifference. Two hundred and fifty years later, Christmas has become a sprawling blend of faith, nostalgia, family, commerce, and cultural tradition. This letter follows the holiday’s remarkable transformation and asks what people are truly gathering around beneath the lights and wrapping paper.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 10 – God 2 (Atheism) – Part 6: What has God done for you lately?

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We keep looking for proof of God, hoping for a sign, a miracle. But miracles always come with alternative explanations—remission, coincidence, intervention, or just plain luck. What we call a miracle often depends more on what we already believe than on what actually happened. If God is acting in the world, why are the miracles so selective, so personal, and so ambiguous? A God who could make things clear, but doesn’t, begins to look indistinguishable from one who isn’t there at all. Atheism, for some, doesn’t come from hostility, but from exhaustion—from waiting, hoping, and hearing nothing back. Why is evidence so hard to find? And if God doesn’t exist, why are humans so good at finding meaning anyway?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 10 – God 2 (Atheism) – Part 2: Does God have dissociative identity disorder?

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If God were a universal, fixed reality, why is there such discord over God’s nature? The contradictions within religious belief—peace and holy war, mercy and vengeance—are normalized. What we believe about God is often determined by where and when we were born, shaped by culture, language, and history. A God who deeply cares about being known correctly would leave less room for confusion. So the real question is: are we projecting different gods based on our geography, or is God truly fragmented across cultures?

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