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Why we love robotic dogs, puppets and dolls
Why are we drawn to tech toys?Ars Electronica, CC BY-NC-NDThere’s a lot of hype around the release of Sony’s latest robotic dog. It’s called “aibo,” and is promoted as using artificial intelligence to...
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As Cuba backs gay marriage, churches oppose the government's plan
As gay Cubans gain more rights, opposition is also growing.AP Photo/Desmond BoylanLeer en español.Cubans are debating a constitutional reform that, among other legal changes, would open the door to gay...
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Yom Kippur: A time for feasting as well as fasting
Yom Kippur break fast.danbruell, CC BY-NC-SAIt was the bag of Fritos that gave me away. As a secular Jewish kid whose family did not belong to a synagogue, I did not think twice about riding my bike to...
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How an ancient Islamic holiday became uniquely Caribbean
Hosay procession in St. James.Nicholas Laughlin, CC BY-NC-SAA throng of Trinidadians line up along the streets of St. James and Cedros to admire the vibrant floats with beautifully bedecked models of...
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One big problem with how Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos are spending a small share...
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos are becoming bigger donors.Invision and AP/Evan AgostiniAmazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, recently announced a plan to spend US$2 billion of their $164...
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Thirty years on, why 'The Satanic Verses' remains so controversial
One of the most controversial books in recent literary history, Salman Rushdie’s“The Satanic Verses,” was published three decades ago this month and almost immediately set off angry demonstrations all...
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Is it immoral to watch football?
What ethical issues should you consider when watching football?Chris Brooks/flickr.com, CC BY-NDFor a large swath of Americans, fall means football. But, as in previous years, this season’s football...
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The Catholic Church resists change – but Vatican II shows it's possible
Pope Francis has asked the heads of every bishops’ conference around the world to gather for a summit in February to discuss the issue of sexual abuse in the church.Even as the pope takes these steps,...
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How should we judge people for their past moral failings?
The #MeToo movement and more recent allegations against Brett Kavanaugh have posed questions about past conduct.AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, FileThe recent allegations of sexual assault against Supreme...
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How the loss of Native American languages affects our understanding of the...
Dance is a unique way of passing on cultural stories to a younger generation.Aaron Hawkins/Flickr.com, CC BY-NDAlaska has a “linguistic emergency,” according to the Alaskan Gov. Bill Walker. A report...
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The Catholic Church's grim history of ignoring priestly pedophilia – and...
Widespread public shock followed the recent release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report that identified more than 1,000 child victims of clergy sexual abuse. In fact, as I know through my research,...
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Why a large church group had little impact when it opposed Kavanaugh's...
Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.AP Photo/Susan WalshNumerous organizations demanded Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court be put on hold or...
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Americans spend $70 billion on pets, and that money could do more good
Pet spending in the U.S. is estimated to have exceeded US$72 billion.star5112, CC BY-SASylar, the border collie, has his own mansion along with a trampoline and indoor pool. The dog’s adorable...
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The mosques that survived Palu's tsunami and what that means
The Floating Mosque of Palu that survived after the earthquake. AP Photo/Tatan SyuflanaIn the devastation that followed the earthquake and resulting tsunami in the Indonesian city of Palu in Central...
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Why the Christian idea of hell no longer persuades people to care for the poor
What was behind early depictions of hell?Erica Zabowski/Flickr.com, CC BY-NDIt’s that time of the year when hell is used as a common theme for entertainment and hell-themed haunted houses and horror...
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Why believing in ghosts can make you a better person
A Halloween ghost.Werner Reischel/Flickr.com, CC BYHalloween is a time when ghosts and spooky decorations are on public display, reminding us of the realm of the dead. But could they also be...
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What history reveals about surges in anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant sentiments
People place flowers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.AP Photo/Matt RourkeLeer en español.The shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh is believed to be the deadliest attack...
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The Dead Sea Scrolls are a priceless link to the Bible's past
A conservator works with a portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls containing Psalm 145 at The Franklin Institute, in Philadelphia.AP Photo/Matt RourkeThe Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., has removed...
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Religion and refugees are deeply entwined in the US
Rally organized by HIAS, a Jewish group that supports refugees, outside the White House.Ted Eytan/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SALeer en español.Robert Bowers lashed out at what he believed to be a Jewish plot to...
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Evangelical Christians are racially diverse – and hold diverse views on...
Evangelicals of color are among the fastest growing segments of the American population.AP Photo/Tina FinebergThe influence of white evangelicals on American politics is well known. More than 80...
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