“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.”
Belief has been declining with each new generation in America. A 2012 Pew Research study found that nearly 80 percent of Americans report that they practice a religion, but around 20 percent say that they do not. The number of unaffiliated people rose from eight percent in 1900 and from fifteen percent in 2008. Younger people and liberal people are statistically less religious than older, more conservative people; there exist negative correlations between liberal attitudes and church attendance, and the largest religious group among registered Democrats as of 2014 is “none” or “other.” Comparatively, the single largest group comprising the GOP is that of Evangelical Christians. Many people who do not choose to identify with a religion cite feelings of alienation or exclusivity within organized religions as the primary source for their distance. Yet the number of religious people in America still outweighs that of nonreligious people, and issues of adherence are ones that most, if not all, of us grapple with. Why is religious belief something that we consider at least once in our lives? Is it because we are conditioned to think one way or another by our social environment? Or is it due to a deeply-ingrained biological predisposition to seek security and solace in the hands of a god or cosmic justice? According to recent research, both are players in determining one’s belief or lack thereof. A pleasantly unifying thought is that all of us, from the most devout to the most adamantly atheist, derive our choices from the same set of factors.
Kathy Griffin, comedian and TV host on CNN’s annual New Year’s Eve show with Anderson Cooper, apologized this week for participating in a video and photoshoot by Tyler Shields depicting her holding a bloody, severed Donald Trump head.
In 2010, Bashar al-Assad of Syria replaced his original progressive political reforms with neoliberal economic policies that widened the gap between the rich and the poor in the already financially unstable country he led. He employed a secret police force, encouraged torture tactics, and exacerbated the effects of the anti-government ideology spreading throughout the Middle East. Eventually, his dictatorship and lack of regard for his citizens sparked a revolt. The rebellion and the demands that he resign prompted him to respond with military action in major Syrian cities, leading to the civil war that has since claimed over 465,000 lives and displaced more than 12 million people total. Half of these are children under 18.
Father-daughter duo Jeffrey and Meika Hollander founded Sustain Natural with a mission: to advocate for sexual and reproductive health while reducing the environmental footprint typical of health and beauty companies to promote a better, safer world for anyone with a vagina. The company started by creating condoms, lubricant, “post-play wipes,” lip and body balms, massage oil, and body washes, adding a line of period products on May 22, 2017.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Singer Ariana Grande posted a letter on social media on May 26, 2017 promising a return to what she calls the “incredibly brave city of Manchester.” She plans to perform a benefit show to help the victims and their families in the wake of the terrorist attack at her Monday concert.
