RSA Daily

For atheists, rationalists and secular humanists in Australia

Monday, January 15, 2024

Good morning ,

I hope you will forgive the later delivery of RSAD today. 

Sometimes the pattern of life changes - as when you start a new job that requires a different period of commuting, or you leave a "9 to 5" job to take up solo consulting. Periodic changes happen. 

In this case, I've decided to do RSAD later in the day so I can indulge in a daily early morning ritual of walking down to my local village strip shopping centre and enjoying a coffee with my North American correspondent at our favourite coffee shop, run by two gorgeous Persian women. Life is good.

Lead stories

Former Navy Director-General of Chaplaincy, Collin Acton, cites the RSA's efforts to raise awareness of institutionalised religion's domination of the ADF. Challenges to reform include:

1. The age and conservative nature of senior military leaders - who "have their heads in the sand".
2. The taxpayer-funded RACS (Religious Advisory Committee to the Services) - "predominately led by five Christian members ... strategically elevated to influential roles within their churches", some of whom have said their chaplaincy roles are "missionary" in nature.

Acton concludes, "Defence’s almost exclusive reliance on ordained ministers of religion is increasingly out of touch and out of date. It is also posing an inexcusable risk to the health and wellbeing of our serving personnel."

Like many, I was intrigued when I first read about the Myers-Briggs type indictator MBTI). "Ah ha! That's why I just don't get some people's choices and actions - they're ESFPs!" [This, from an INTJ]. But later, I came to realise that the MBTI is as useful as horoscopes - good as a conversation-starter but not to be used as a selection tool.

Other stories of interest

Talking together in the 'big tent' of free speech - Rationale Magazine

Valley of lost cities found hidden in the Amazon

'God & Country' film spotlights Christian nationalism's threat to democracy

Why has Christian nationalism exploded in the US? "Here’s the thing: If I have decided that America is irreplaceable in God’s story … and democracy gets in the way, well democracy has to go." Watch the trailer here.

New app can reduce debilitating impact of tinnitus, say researchers

As a sufferer of tinnitus, this caught my attention! Anyone want to try the app and report back?

Got a comment on any of these stories? 

Write to me at president@rationalist.com.au

PS: Please let others know about the RSA and RSA Daily. 

Send them this issue and suggest they subscribe ...

View this email as a webpage