The Happiness Taunt

Michael Spencer September 1st, 2009

About twice a year I’ll write something that will get publicized on the “atheist” side of the internet. Usually- not always- they like what I write and will head over to InternetMonk.com in large numbers to talk with Christians. (Right now, there’s a comment thread with well over 250 comments going over a piece I wrote about evangelical young people “de-converting” to atheism.)

These conversations do have a certain “re-runnish” quality to them. Same questions. Same arguments. Sam … (Read More)

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The Mission of Oprah

John H. Armstrong May 20th, 2009

The gospel of health and happiness is widely preached in America, especially on television. Indeed, it often appears to be the central message of some of the best known evangelical ministers in the land. But no one comes remotely close to perfecting the power of this message quite like television and media star Oprah Winfrey. She has made this message into a type of "salvific talk" that is widely popular in mainstream culture, especially among women. O, the magazine that Oprah publishe … (Read More)

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Into the Wild

The Merry Monkey April 7th, 2008

I’ve spent my entire life in a cage. I’m a Rhesus Monkey. I know some of my relatives live in the jungle or in zoos. I’ve seen them on TV. But I work in a lab to help the humans study the effects of blogging on the central nervous system of primates.

You may feel sorry for me, but you shouldn’t. I’m happy. My work is meaningful. Millions of people will benefit from the research in which I’m involved. Plus, I get to spend a lot of time just kicking around on the Internet, wa … (Read More)

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