Philosophy Archives - NowTHINK!AboutIt

14 Thoughts On Gay And Trans Issues

December 12, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

No One Fits The Pattern
Of God’s Original Design

When people argue over gay and transgender issues, the arguments are often taken from two different sources: The Bible and science.

Between the two, Bible arguments are the ones that vary the most and those differences come from the way people view it.

Some don’t believe the Bible at all and dismiss it entirely.
Some accept the Bible as significant and take a vigorous approach to interpretation.
Others take the Bible so fanatically, every word is taken literally, no interpretive effort required. This third type is usually referred to as Fundamentalist.

Those who don’t believe the Bible usually avoid any conversations involving the Bible. But there is a very important idea that non-believers need to consider.

The Bible is an ancient document, and we study ancient documents to understand how cultures of the past handled social, cultural issues.

And since the Bible factors largely in discussions about moral and even political issues today, it is imperative that everyone join the discussion, not so much to bash the Bible but to understand the what and why of Bible content.

So even if you don’t believe the Bible, it’s important to be mindful of what it says.

That’s reason for any person, even non-believers, to engage the discussion.

But whatever the case, there’s no question that the biggest problem is interpretation. The Bible is a book. It conveys a message, but what the Bible literally states is not always what the Bible intends to teach and everyone believes that even when they say they don’t.

The answer to this dilemma is for everyone to consider relevant cultural and historical issues for the time period in which laws were given before trying to apply those laws. That is the interpretive process and it should be exercised every time we approach any passage in the Bible. [Read more…] about 14 Thoughts On Gay And Trans Issues

When Demagoguery Replaces Democracy

August 10, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Beliefs Are Unproven Ideas
That Can Only Be Accepted
By Faith

A New York Times article reports that the Trump administration is planning to burn $9.7 million dollars worth of contraceptives.

The contraceptives, stored in Belgium and part of the USAID program, “were destined for clinics in the poorest countries in Africa.” That is, until the USAID was dismantled leaving these stored drugs in limbo.

But what do you do with $9.7 million worth of contraceptives once the program under which they were commissioned is dismantled?

The answer depends on who you ask or better yet whose in control because, as far as I can tell, there was no discussion over the matter. [Read more…] about When Demagoguery Replaces Democracy

Fundmentalism’s Biggest Flaw – Negativity

June 4, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

It’s Only An Insecure Person
That Requires Everyone
To Believe The Same Things

Gallop Poll does a survey at the end of each year (End of Year Survey) to measure optimism about the coming year. They ask respondents if they think things will be better, worse or the same.

Compared to the past ten years expectations are low at the moment. According to Gallop, 29% believe 2025 will be more prosperous, 35% believe it will be economically difficult and 31% say it will be the same as the last 12 months.

That last category, the Same, is revealing because at present, confidence levels are at some of the lowest degrees of all time. Not the GOAT but the WOAT.

Expecting things to be the same is the equivalent of expecting things to be as dismal in the future as they’ve been in the recent past. What that means is a total of 66% of those responding had a bleak outlook. Things aren’t looking too good. Hope is generally not up.

And, of course, the question is why is that so? What’s contributing to the negative perception?

One answer would be the government (aka the President).

Nine years ago Obama was finishing his final term as President and things looked very good. There were naysayers and antagonists for sure, but public perception in general was at an all time high.

That period of positivity was followed by Trump and that’s when public perceptions (along with the economic realities we live with at the moment) began to slide. The slide continued until we are hovering at close to all time lows and according to Trump’s own words it will get even worse before it gets better.

In other words, the thing Biden worked really hard to avoid and did a fair job at curbing, Trump is not just embracing but provoking.

But Presidents aside, religion is to some degree guilty too. If you go to church regularly, you’re getting a consistent diet of philosophical negativity. Since fundamentalism is very much in league with the Trump movement, it is fair for us to look a little deeper. We need to understand the what and why of fundamentalism’s negative effects.

I know about this negativity because I played that roll for many years, decades even. [Read more…] about Fundmentalism’s Biggest Flaw – Negativity

One-Worldism From A Different Perspective

May 25, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

The Outcome Of Loving Your Neighbors
Especially The Ones Who Are Enemies
Is One World

The topic of One-Worldism among evangelical Christians is considered anathema. Rather than an interesting topic for discussion, it’s an evil to be avoided at all cost.

On the odd occasion when the topic is broached, it’s spoken of from one side only and is associated with behind-the-scenes manipulation by Satan and endless conspiracy theories. Anyone tagged as a one-worlder loses all standing among Christian folks.

Pat Robertson’s book, The New World Order (which abounds with conspiracies and gives far more credit to Satan than he deserves), is a good example of how this concept is treated among evangelicals. Robertson’s approach is common and is the reason Christians are loathe to approach this topic in any other way than arms-length.

But is there a way to see a positive side to the issue?

I would suggest that social/political ideas are neither good nor bad and should be discussed openly and often if we’re to gain a useful perspective. The Devil is no more involved with one idea than another, is very willing to distort issues at the cost of humanity and he will gladly use evangelicals to advance his goals whenever he can.

If anything, the Devil loves to breed insecurity and provokes us to think emotionally, which is really just non-thinking. Pat Robertson’s book fuels that outcome. [Read more…] about One-Worldism From A Different Perspective

The Difference Between Clever and Smart

May 19, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Clever Becomes Smart
When It Develops Character

We’ve all come across people who impress us with their cleverness.

These people never lack for words and often sound quite sophisticated.

They read quickly and have instant recall.

They can be a whiz when it comes to math.

They always have an answer. Not just a response, but an intelligent sounding answer to open questions and they say what they think with confidence.

They are so good at this that they walk into every room mouth first. This may well be the motivation behind so many podcasts.

These are the people who easily made high grades in school and this apparent brilliance gave them a confidence, and occasional charm, that others find appealing.

This person is both easy not to like and difficult to resist at the same time. [Read more…] about The Difference Between Clever and Smart