Tag: time for a little talk

You Can’t Make This Up Quote of the Week

On By Jennifer Mugrage2 Comments

Charles Fillmore, the cofounder of Unity, wrote an entire book called Prosperity in 1945 about lessons and laws of abundance. He even changes Psalm 23 to say, “The Lord is my banker. My credit is good … Though I walk in the very shadow of debt, I shall fear no evil … Thou fillest my wallet with plenty.” Can you believe it?

Happy Lies, by Melissa Dougherty, p. 158

Mic Drop of the Week

On By Jennifer Mugrage4 Comments

The Law of Attraction isn’t biblical. It’s anti-biblical. It’s occultic, not Christian. It makes Jesus your life coach and God your loyal servant. But “believing in Jesus” is not a magic formula. And God isn’t your golden retriever.

Happy Lies, by Melissa Dougherty, p. 141

Words That Mean Things, Part I

On By Jennifer Mugrage5 Comments
  • kill — This means to cause to die.
  • murder — Murder has to have the following components: direct killing, of a human being, intentional, and unlawful. Therefore, the following things are not murder: Executing someone who has committed a capital crime (lawful). Killing an enemy soldier in war (lawful). Accidentally killing civilians in war (unintentional). Shooting in self-defense (unintentional, and in the case of a firefight, indirect). Killing an animal, even a highly sentient animal (not human). Being unable to provide prompt medical care for someone who is OD’ing while in your custody (not direct or intentional, and also not actually killing).
  • genocide — direct, intentional, systematic killing of an entire ethnic group, with the express purpose of wiping them out. Not genocide: a war that has a devastating impact upon a particular ethnic group, unless all the abovementioned components of genocide are present. Invasion and conquest. Intermarriage. Taking captives. Poverty. Death of a culture because of any of these causes or because of urbanization. All of these are tragic things that have happened to many, many ethnic groups throughout history, but they are not genocide. Definitely not genocide: natural cultural change that happens because of the spread of an innovation like the written word, or a new religion.