Some Things for Saturday

 I don't write in here every day like I used to, but I usually don't skip posting for more than a day.  Hell, this time is something of a record, though.

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Some things to note:

Nepo baby evangelist Franklin Graham tries to stay relevant in an increasingly secular country.

Such over-the-top antics by him and his ilk are efforts to try and stem the tide of increasing numbers of people who are not going to church.  Contrary to some vocal atheists, it isn't because people are embracing agnosticism or atheism but rather have decided not to go to a brick-and-mortar church. Some  stopped going after the COVID shutdown of the country, some have decided they can't stand the right-wing politics of too many pastors, ministers, and preachers, but perhaps the biggest overall reason for the drop in attendance has to do with the increased presence of social media.  It is a tough hill to climb for ALL outside clubs and other organized groups, not just churches.  Gen Z especially is wired to the phone 24/7, and they have alternatives.

Religious attendance has held steady according to Pew Research.  There has been no move to a return to churches or religion.

I think, though, as life experience goes on, many of them will find that science really has none of the answers as to the meaning of life because it is a separate discipline from religion.  It always was and always will be.  As the years go on and people experience hardship and especially the death of loved ones, that is when religious belief really comes in and becomes more common especially as one reaches the senior years.  It will be the same here.  People will not turn to atheism as much as the New Atheists want to believe.  Religious belief isn't going anywhere even if churches close down more and more.  They aren't synonymous, after all.

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From years ago this piece I came across about so-called "maintenence sex," which is nothing more than relationship/marital rape.

There is no "right" to sex.  Period.

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In a stunning reversal, Mr. 47 Percent says the rich should be paying more taxes.  Of course, Mitt Romney is no longer in the Senate.

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Speaking of which, Wyoming's junior senator Cynthia Lummis, 71, has decided to call it a day from the august body.  She said she was "exhausted."

Interesting background to note:  Her late husband was a Democratic Wyoming legislator, and the two of them served at the same time then, being one of the few married couples to do so.  She was a Republican then.

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