Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  9/11 and Religious Fundamentalism Thoughts on the Legacy of 9/11   As is our custom in the United States, national tragedies become the focus of a wide ranging study. Such was the case with the attacks 20 years ago on 11 September 2001 known now as 9/11.   In this post I look at the powerful role of religion in framing the transnational narrative for select Muslims in their war to rid their world of American culture. In the United States, where there is a shifting and porous wall between Christianity and governance, we see a visible rise in the influence of fundamentalist Christian values controlling the narrative of judges and lawmakers. Under threat, people become conservative and many turn to their faith. This phenomenon is well-documented in studies of Terror Management Theory . The attacks of 9/11 and subsequent war on terror triggered an intensity in faith for many who were not already highly devoted. As long as people have been spiritual or religious, a...

ONE QUESTION ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE I noticed conservative friends posting 40 Questions challenging Christians about their support for same-sex marriage. It did not take long for a counter response. So there are at least 80 questions available for you. It's no surprise that the authors advance a point of view by asking a question, which assumes a premise that has not been established. I come at the questions from the perspective of a psychological scientist and former university professor--so I love to encourage people to think. And if I were teaching a relevant course, I'd probably ask students to think about the 80-questions. I'll include the links so you can see what the two authors are asking. Christians come at the same-sex issue from many perspectives as I wrote about last week . I think for those Christians who have a spiritual struggle, the key question is about sin. There is only one question for fundamentalist Christians to ...

MARRIAGE EQUALITY AT WORK & SCHOOL Policies, Procedures, and Prejudice As a new week begins , workers in the largest economy on earth will have the right to be married to one person regardless of where they live. More than 1,000 benefits are tied to marriage so more people may have the potential to increase their well-being. Problem policies, procedures, and prejudices are likely to persist for many. 1. Changing forms is no big deal when it comes to the basics unless you use software based forms permitting only restrictive entry parameters. Of course, those problems will soon be overcome.  Businesses and schools that operate in multiple states can simplify their employment forms and all the benefits accorded married employees. 2. Policies that protect employment status can take longer to revise. In the U.S. people will be married or single when it comes to many benefits but there are those in transition. Converting from civil unions to marriage may take...

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE  and   CHRISTIAN DIVERSITY U.S. Supreme Court finds same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry Friday 26 June 2015 ( Wall Street Journal ). Most people in the U.S. identify as Christian. Most people in the U.S. support same-sex marriage. Christians have been outspoken about same-sex marriage in recent years. Although most Christian churches officially support only marriages between one man and one woman, some churches have come out in support of same-sex marriage. A few Christian leaders  recently made news when they announced support of same-sex marriage. The arguments provided by Christians include explanations of Bible passages and moral arguments. I take a look at the arguments opposing and supporting same-sex marriage in two posts. If you want details, see the links provided in the posts. Click the links below to see several of the main arguments. Arguments SUPPORTING same sex marriage Argument...

GAY MARRIAGE: 9 REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS VOICE SUPPORT? Why? The why question is problematic because Christians give different answers. I’ll not wax too philosophical here. But I think it important to keep in mind that Christians have different beliefs about a lot of things. Here’s a few common answers to the why question. Bible Answers 1. Godly love supports diverse marriage arrangements . The foundation for Christian morality can be found in Jesus’ summary of the law requiring followers to love God and love one’s neighbor. Since the Bible does not condemn loving relationships between same-sex persons, there is no reason to assume any of the small set of oft quoted Bible verses prohibits same-sex marriage. The Genesis verses describe a God blessed union but do not address marriage. Polygamy has a long and accepted position for the people of God. The Hebrew households included many wives and concubines who bore children for the tribal...