China has always been rather hostile to anything that could constitute radical change or cause civil unrest. It surprises me to hear that China has not interfered with the church growth in recent years but it does not surprise me that people are drawn to it. The message of Jesus is powerful and can resonate with people in a troubled society like mainland China. The western church would do well to support these churches both financially and spiritually.
What if the student is from a culture that views eye contact as being rude or threatening? I feel like this idea that not making eye contact is somehow a microaggression is absolutely absurd. Does the university have no other methods for aiding student/staff interactions than to deliberate which actions are acceptable in their eyes? I pity the students in the UK who are going to obtain a sanitized education devoid of anything slightly uncomfortable or challenging. When they seek employment in the real world they will be handicapped because of this. In their attempts to be inclusive they turn out racist and in their attempts to be accommodating they are infantilizing. A sad state of affairs.
Pretty interesting study for the most part. There are a multitude of factors that are coming into play but the idea that basic survival knowledge and being able to handle basic tasks are declining is disappointing. I find it incredible that only 37% feel confident when dealing with a flat tire. While I agree with the conclusion that modern living can often leave no time for dealing with these sorts of tasks, a basic knowledge can prove to be invaluable. Not only can it give you confidence and a sense of accomplishment but it can also save valuable time and money. I guess I can count my blessings that the upbringing by my parents allowed for opportunities to learn these sorts of DIY skills.
https://www.studyfinds.org/change-lightbulb-household-chores-study/
I think the election went as most political analysts expected things to turn out. Macron and Le Pen move on to the next run off round of the presidential election which takes place May 7th. I will be curious where the support for the other candidates decide to realign for the next round. I would not be surprised if the majority of the center right candidates support eventually finds its way to Macron ensuring his victory over Le Pen. I fear though this will be a hollow victory in the long term as Macron has not laid out any policies of real change. Macron does not appear to have a hard line stance on EU reform nor does he feel that domestic terror attacks are a major priority with the people. I fear these will be his eventual downfall. If Macron attempts to keep the status quo and salvage the sinking ship that is the EU then he will be dragging France down with him. My hope is that Le Pen will pull through simply because the demise of the EU will be accelerated. I don’t necessarily agree with her views on overall French society but the current trajectory of the country is not feasible. But I predict Macron to win.
I agree with the premise of the article that a human society based on reason and objectivity simply isn’t feasible. Historical precedence such as the French Revolution leads me to believe this to be true. Science is a wonderful process which has accounted for the extraordinary progress by which humans have changed over thousands of years. It is not without its flaws which include human error in weighing results, inability to duplicate results, and external variables such as financial motivation. How does Tyson propose to account for the outside interests at work affecting scientific research in his governmental plan? Furthermore the scientific process does have its limitations such as not being able to objectively proclaim which human values are most important and therefore which action governments should take. In order to do so Tyson’s “rationalia” would need to be a totalitarian state. I’ll pass on the science worshiping totalitarian police state thanks.
http://www.popsci.com/neil-degrasse-tyson-just-proposed-government-that-doesnt-work
Its rather disappointing to see the faith being weaponized by politicians who clearly wouldn’t care otherwise given France’s stance on open displays of religious fervor. Personally I am not sure who I would pick of the three front runners but their personal faiths and stances on religion are likely not going to sway me. I would venture to guess that any meaningful discussion of Christianity and the Catholic faith are not going to be had. I do think the ever growing reach of Islam though is in a sense revitalizing Catholic identities even if its simply national identity and not religious practice.
Religion emerges in secular French politics as presidential campaign heats up
This sounds like an interesting opportunity. Glad to see that the Catholic church is committed to keeping Latin alive. I had the pleasure of attending a service in Rome which followed the Traditional Latin Mass. While glad that the Bible was translated to the masses, there is still a beauty in keeping with the traditions of old.
Acerbity [əˈsɜːbɪtɪ] 