Rationale: Monthly digest for February

Published: Sun, 02/27/22

Welcome to the monthly digest for February

Hi ,

Welcome to the monthly digest, bringing you highlights from Rationale for February.

If you’re not a member yet and want to gain access to all articles, you can sign up as a member of the Rationalist Society of Australia here.

If you’d like to make a contribution to Rationale, you can write a Letter to the Editor or submit an article for consideration via editor@rationalist.com.au.

Si Gladman
Editor

Highlights from Rationale

When faith and reality collide in pandemics

By Jack Dikian

The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346-53. As people struggled to understand the causes of the plague, renewed religious fervour and fanaticism bloomed in its wake, leading to the widespread persecution of minorities such as Jews, foreigners, beggars and lepers.

Read the full article here

Why does Stan Grant’s opinion about religion pass as ‘analysis’ on the ABC?

By Hugh Harris

We recall the controversy surrounding Emma Alberici’s 2018 article about corporate tax cuts. Subsequently, the ABC judged it to have crossed the line from analysis into opinion. With that in mind, consider Stan Grant’s analysis of the religious discrimination debate, ‘Does Australia have a God Problem’ , and his previous article ‘With Christianity receding and many abandoning hope, today’s Christmases are not like those of my childhood.’ Both overtly favour Christianity while bemoaning the rise of secularity and secularism.

Read the full article here

MBJ's view on current affairs

See all of MBJ's recent work here.

Building political knowledge is in our nation’s interest

By Zareh Ghazarian

While the prospect of foreign interference remained a key area of focus for ASIO, it was the rising number of radicalised young people that Burgess described as “deeply concerning”.The revelation that young Australians, some as young as 13, were increasingly becoming attracted to groups that promoted violence suggests they’re feeling detached, disillusioned, and disempowered by the political system. This has implications for national security in the short term, and social cohesion moving forward.

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Four reasons why you should never say ‘do your research’ to win the argument

By Luke Zaphir

It’s fairly common to see many claims or arguments end with a curt “do your research”. In some ways, it’s a bold call to action. “Come on people! Wake up! You’ll see the truth of the matter if only you see it with your own eyes!” This type of statement is highly evocative and persuasive – in an emotionally manipulative way. Here are four reasons why we should avoid telling others to do research when discussing a topic.

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How the school chaplaincy program crosses a line

By Si Gladman

Last month, as Queensland stepped up its efforts to vaccinate children before the start of the school year as the Omicron COVID-19 variant spread rapidly throughout the state, a chaplain at a public school ventured onto a Facebook page for the school’s parents to offer some advice. The chaplain, whose position at the school is funded by taxpayers under the federal government’s National School Chaplaincy Program, shared with parents a link to an open letter which raises concerns about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines and urges the federal government to stop the roll-out to children.

Read the full article here