Samhain (Sao-win) is one of the two most important Wiccan Sabbats, for as Beltane (May Day) celebrates the triumph of life, so Samhain (Halloween), six months later, honors the reality of death. I discuss its importance for American culture today … Read more
Category: Blog
Pantheism, Paganism, and Tocqueville on the Soul of Democracy
I have a new post up on Witches and Pagans that explores how the themes of modern Pagan spirituality appear inherent in a democratic culture… or at least so Alexis Tocqueville believed. Though as a good Catholic he was not … Read more
Confusions about contract and freedom in libertarian and free market thinking
The Kochs’ role in the conspiracy against American democracy
A response to Nathan Goodman on democracy
Nathan Goodman provided an interesting criticism of my post on democracies not being states. His argument requires a lengthy discussion to address properly. Further, the discussion format on this site seems to hate paragraphs, so such a response would … Read more
Liberalism, Conservatism and spirituality, Part III: the crisis of nihilism and the decline of liberty
Witches and Pagans now has Part III of my essay on liberalism, conservatism, their intellectual and moral collapse and what spiritualities of immanence might be able to do to revitalize them. If you wonder why liberals are so weak and … Read more
Understanding Liberalism and Conservativism: the value of Pagan insights for both
Part II of my essay on Liberalism and Conservatism is now up at Witches and Pagans. In Part II I argue that both liberalism and conservatism have difficulties in creating a coherent outlook that Pagan insights help to heal.… Read more
Understanding Conservatism and Liberalism
Abortion- Not just a matter of theory
I am winding down my discussion of why no good arguments exist for denying women the right to decide for themselves whether to bring a fetus to term, or to abort it, with a account of how the issue of … Read more