The Dalai Lama trumpets the advantages of celibacy over conjugal life.

“Expelled” was shown at the College Station SDA church for the AY program. Some graduate students at A&M then said, “Uh, can we discuss this?” An account. I had posted on “Expelled” here and here.

At the beginning of the Advent season, the four weeks before Christmas, some reflections. Advent Hope (a sermon last year). From Commonweal: Whatever Happened to Advent? Alternatives for Simple Living Advent Conspiracy O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice!…

Today is indeed a black Friday for the family of a 34-year-old Wal-Mart employee in Valley Stream, Long Island, NY–he was trampled by an unruly mob rushing the store to get in for the sales. Update: A fuller report here, with news that police will try to find those responsible. I think they need to…

Not a sale — but a one time day to honor the contributions of American Indians. Today, the first and only Native American Heritage Day. Then (apparently) we can go on forgetting them.

Javits comments on the role of the international and Indian media in covering the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

From R. Adlerstein at Cross Currents: Should Jews actively promote Jewish values to the rest of the world? For two millennia, there was not much of a question. No one would listen. Today in the West we have the ability to speak our minds, and often a large audience of those who believe that Jews…