I have been reliably informed by friends who attended a recent series of debates between believers and atheists that the atheists won, hands down. In one way this upsets me, as a believer. But in another way I am delighted that false or inadequate arguments are shown up for what they are. In pursuit of truth, even arguments that appear…
The Cowards of Denver
The much vaunted freedom to be Jewish in the USA is not quite all it’s cracked up to be. It’s true that on a recent “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, fully 75% of the audience knew that a long-winded explanation was “a megillah”, which shows to what extent Jewish concepts have been absorbed by American society. And in New…
“On Chesil Beach”
Ian McEwan is one of Britain’s most successful novelists. I have to say that he is not one of my favorites. Rather like Jane Austen, he is preoccupied with the prissy, boring English middle classes, a species I do not find either particularly attractive or instructive. That’s why I find Russian novels much more interesting. When it comes to reading…
Jewish Food
Food plays a very important role in Jewish life. I am not talking about the laws of what one may or may not eat. I am not talking about the kosher certification wars–mine is better and holier than yours and if you have to pay more for it, it must be good for your soul. This week I am talking…
Sharia Law in Britain
According to BBC News, “The Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK ‘seems unavoidable’. Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4’s World at One that the UK has to ‘face up to the fact’ that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system. Dr Williams argues that adopting parts…
Cooking or Gemara?
The Government at Westminster (U.K.) has announced that it intends to make cooking a compulsory subject in schools. It is worried about rising obesity and thinks that if you teach kids to cook they will eat more healthily. Gosh, aren’t politicians a dumb lot! If they do learn to cook they’ll more likely deep-fry chips and meat patties or heat…