Smart people saying smart things

Last updated on: February 12, 2013 at 8:40 am by Fred Clark

Smart people saying smart things 2013-02-12T01:19:55-05:00 Fred Clark

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Scot McKnight: “Zealotry’s Environment”

Zealots judge and sometimes condemn others who do not live by their rules, who explore things they are uncomfortable with — not because they’ve thought through it but because they don’t trust others to make good decisions. The freed, however, can live with the ambiguity that freedom in the Spirit creates: they can trust God to work with others, they can trust others to be responsible, and they can trust another group to discern its way in this world. The freed can render judgment as discernment, the zealots only judgment as condemnation. The freed can say “that’s not good, that’s not wise,” the zealot will say “you are bad.”

Beverly Mann: “Hobby Lobby’s Religion Lobby”

The two stated grounds for the corporations-are-people-too-my-friend right to First Amendment free-speech rights in Citizens United were (1) that the members of a corporation or union are united by a common political, ideological or monetary goal that is central to the existence of the nonprofit or for-profit corporation or union, and which the money — er, speech — addresses; and (2) that the general public has an interest in hearing more political speech, not less. …

Unless Justice Kennedy & Co. think more religion on the part of for-profit corporations that sell housewares and crafts is in the public interest, because lamps, picture frames and art supplies are people too, my friend, and because more religion by lamps, picture frames and art supplies is in the public [interest], then Hobby Lobby probably will end up having to comply with the parts of the ACA that violate the lamps’, picture frames’, and art supplies’ religious beliefs. But, who knows?

Andrew Sullivan: “Will the Cardinals Fight On?”

They are not [giving their employees access to contraceptive coverage]. They’re giving their employees work. Because of that work, the government will ensure that they also get a contraception option. If the Bishops think this issue is more important, than, say, releasing all the documents from the Los Angeles Archdiocese on the rape and abuse of children, they are even more out of touch with their parishioners and Christianity than we previously feared.

Duncan Black: “401Ks are a disaster”

The 401(k) experiment has been a disaster, a disaster which threatens to doom millions to economic misery during the later years of their lives. Proposals to improve our system of private retirement savings — even good ones — will offer little to no help for the baby boomers who are currently nearing retirement, and are also unlikely to be of sufficient help for current younger workers. We need to increase Social Security benefits, now and in the future. It’s the only realistic way to provide people with guaranteed economic security and comfort post-retirement.

Rebecca Schoenkopf: “Rand Paul Outraged That Low-Flow Toilets Can’t Handle His Monster Dumps”

Rand Paul makes an excellent point, as always, of course: Why does the gummint remove my choice to live in a house with exposed wiring? If I choose to take that risk to save money, I should be able to! And why does it remove my choice to eat e. Coli and Carl’s Jr.’s choice to serve it to me? And why does it remove BP’s choice to dump the entire contents of the earth’s innards into the Gulf of Mexico? And why does it remove black people’s choice to not get served by white restaurateurs? THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IS GENOCIDE!

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