So given that the Bush Administration was repeatedly advised that torture was not only illegal but an unreliable way to gather intelligence… why did they pursue it anyway? I’m not usually much of a “plotting men in smoke- filled rooms” conspiracy theorist. In fact, I’ve written against the reflexive tendency to assume conspiracy. I’ve argued …
Monthly Archive: April 2009
Apr 29 2009
Not Religious, But Spiritual
Please note: I get a little harsh in this piece. Be forewarned. You’ve almost certainly heard this trope: “I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual.” It doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is woo (although it often does). People use it who hold more or less traditional theistic beliefs, but have left their organized religion or …
Apr 27 2009
“An Actual Lesbian Girlfriend,” Or, Why You Should Never Listen to Dan Savage About Bisexuality
This piece was originally published on the Blowfish Blog. Usually, when I write about a Dan Savage “Savage Love” sex advice column, it’s with respect and admiration. It’s usually with a strong desire to share his ideas more widely, and to expand on those ideas with my own. Not this time. This time, I am …
Apr 25 2009
Anti-SM Hysteria? In San Francisco? (Moooo!)
(If you’re not a Bay Area resident, ask someone who is to explain the “Moooo!” joke.) You know, there are some assumptions I make because I live in San Francisco. And one of those assumptions is that, when I pick up one of the local alternative free newspapers, I won’t find grossly bigoted misinformation being …
Apr 24 2009
Sex, Spontaneity, and the “Swept Away” Myth
I have a new piece up on the Blowfish Blog. It’s about the myth that sex has to be spontaneous, that you have to be swept away by impulsive passion, in order for it to be any good — and why, apart from the obvious reasons, the myth does damage to sex lives. It’s called …
Apr 23 2009
Greta’s Sporadic Blog Carnival #6
And today, we have yet another round of Cool Stuff I Found On the Blogosphere and Elsewhere on the Internet. I haven’t done one of these in a while, and it’s past time. By Hemant Mehta on Friendly Atheist: You Say Weâre Redefining Marriage? Youâre Redefining Love. The anti- gay Christian Right loves to fear- …
Apr 23 2009
Perverts Put Out, Sat. April 25
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, or if you’re going to be in the Bay Area this Saturday, I heartily encourage you to come to Perverts Put Out, the long- running pansexual reading and performance series. I’m not reading this time, but PPO is always a good time, and is often a transcendently …
Apr 21 2009
Religion and the Difference Between Possible and Plausible, or, Why You Shouldn’t Jump Out of Windows
Does it make sense to live your life on an unsupported premise, simply because you can’t disprove that premise with absolute certainty? And is it reasonable and right to try to talk people out of their unsupported beliefs, even if you can’t disprove those beliefs with absolute certainty? For some reason, I’ve been running into …
Apr 20 2009
Against Nostalgia, or, I’m In Love with the Modern World: On Not Being a Crank, Part 2
I keep thinking about this question of how to get older without turning into a crank. And today, I want to talk about one of the methods I’ve long used in my attempts to avoid crankery. It’s a fairly simple one, at least in theory: Listen to music that’s being made now. My rule is …
Apr 19 2009
What Does It Mean to Want Sex?
I have a new piece up on the Blowfish Blog. I think this is one of my better pieces — not that any of them suck, but I’m especially proud of this one — and I especially encourage you all to check it out. It’s about the common “bed death” problem in long- term relationships… …
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Why Are You Atheists So Angry?
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I Support Atheism Plus!
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