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GingerAntics

GingerAntics

Joined February 2018

Neurodivergent Hot Mess 🖖🏻 Literati. Historian. Scholar. Semi-Autodidact. Shakespeare addict. Whovian. Ravenclaw. Spockian. Former Christian.
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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To be honest, I‘m not sure this is actually possible for anyone who has been taught that their way is the only way, and to question their way, is to choose evil.
Just think about it.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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GingerAntics
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I‘ve known so many parents - catholic, protestant, conservative, liberal - who hold this belief. I just don‘t get it. I didn‘t get it as a kid. I sure as hell don‘t get it now.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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GingerAntics
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I‘ve always had a hard time with the complete truth of the Bible, honestly. I enjoyed the stories as a child, but I never thought they were actually real. I think that was the biggest culture shock when we moved to Texas. Almost everyone there believes the Bible is 100% true, cover to cover, and 100% right. 🤢
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

Hooked_on_books I really hate it when people try to push the bible on others. I know someone who calls herself a “bible person” and believes I would suddenly change my beliefs if I read it. I grew up Catholic and took theology classes at my Catholic university. Knowledge of what‘s in there isn‘t the issue! 8h
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books same! It‘s not about not knowing the Bible or knowing god, it‘s that I know too much of what‘s in there, I know all to well the “god” people have created out of these stories. I‘ve seen the great harm done by and because of that book, and I don‘t want any part of it. You do you, but stay out of my spiritual life. 7h
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GingerAntics
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Also this! If it‘s SO AWESOME being American, if it‘s SO AWESOME being christian, if it‘s SO AWESOME being whatever your religion is, what‘s will all the crap behaviour?
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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GingerAntics
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I know this is actually about the American obsession with circumcision (just think of the phrase “clean cut”), but it certainly applies to other things in this day and age - I‘m sure that wasn‘t lost on the author.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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GingerAntics
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I‘ve always thought this. I was raised in a catholic family, much like the author, and anytime I brought up a disparity in what I was being taught, my parents usually told me to just shut up… or worse.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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For my experience, the “free will” most christians taut is simply freedom to choose to be christian and ends at that point exactly.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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This book may be the author‘s personal story of circumcision and restoration, but it applies to SO much of American life right now.
#CircumcisionScar #JayJJackson #JayJacksonFeldman #audiobook #busbook #religion #indoctrination #religiousfreedom #righttonotbechristian

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GingerAntics
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Hooked_on_books 🙌🏼 8h
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books and the religion that we all know we‘re talking about, will think we are talking about someone else. 🙄 That‘s the truly sad part. 7h
9 likes2 comments
review
GingerAntics
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Mehso-so

This was dead in the middle of the road for me. 2.5 stars.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was really short and didn‘t go into as much detail as I would have liked, in places. The first half was strong and what I expected from the title. The first half supported his thesis. The second half did not; in fact, it sort of disproved it (at least for me). 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics About 1/2 to 2/3 through the book, Nguyen suddenly started referring to god A LOT and talked about “divine downloads.” This was very distracting to me. I get where he was going with the divine download thing, but it just came off weird. The god thing just unsettled me. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics There was also this random moment of diet advice that did not have any backing other than common practice as opposed to supportable science. It was out of place and just not needed. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics He used “nonthinking” instead of mindfulness or being present. It got really weird when he talking about nonthinking being the the same thing as a flow mental state. It was kind of weird and not exactly accurate, especially for someone who tends to go into mental flow when studying, doing research, and writing academic papers. 2w
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Texreader As always thanks for an honest review! 2w
GingerAntics @Texreader I was just so hoping for something… different I guess. The first part was in line with what I was expecting, then all of a sudden it took this turn and it was very jarring. I mean, I have to give him credit for referring to god as her. Maybe it was me. 2w
19 likes6 comments
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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

This was a fun, quick read, that was almost a book of solo thought experiments. Some of these games/exercises could make excellent group discussions after being completed by everyone in the group. I don‘t know if it created joy, but it sure was fun!
#AwarenessGames #BrianTomOConnor #busbooks #mentalgames #thoughtexperiment

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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

Almost a so-so, but just on the pick side of the dividing line. Maybe it‘s just me.

I liked the discussion of the main religions in the world and how they are different. I agree with him that to reduce all religions to different expressions of the same deity or divine is reductionist and ignores the different traditions and aims of different world religions. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics I disagree with Prothero about Mr. Rogers being outdated, religion having no place in a romantic relationship, and that accepting the difference of the worlds religions means accepting, and not interfering in or passing judgement on their practices or shows of devotion because to desire to change them is futile and colonialist. These are “the way things are” in the “real world.” 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics Um, sure, suicide bombings, bombing abortion clinics, bombing military bases or offices, harming your own children (and/or others‘ children) for your god or traditions, claiming land for your god, etc is “the way things are” in the “real world;” however, to shrug and say we just need to understand the positions of these religious extremes… 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics instead of trying to make safe environments and societies for people of all beliefs is at best nihilistic in the extreme (in a way Prothero is not even open to the presence of), and at worst being complicit in the harming of innocent people. I can respect someone‘s faith and/or beliefs without condoning harm to others in the name of that faith or those beliefs. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
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GingerAntics For someone so focused on nurturing respect for all belief systems no matter how different they are from one‘s own, he does not extend this same respect to atheists (or agnostics to a slightly lesser degree). According to him, not all atheists are angry men, but he certainly considers atheism to be the hatred of god turned into religion. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics At one point he questions why all atheists can‘t just stop at agnosticism, but then he discusses agnosticism as sell outs and full of crap as much as atheists. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics Are we respecting all beliefs, or not? Are we giving up trying to convert everyone or change people‘s beliefs, or not? Are all forms of spiritual practice, faith, and religion unique and thus incomparable and acceptable the way they are, or not? 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics I felt like there was a huge double standard here once he got to the final chapter where he basically turned atheism, agnosticism, and belief in science into his whipping boy and the real problem in the world. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics He certainly mentioned Christopher Hitchens more than he mentioned some of the leaders and/or founders of some of the religions he claimed were the 8 biggest religions in the world. I would be interested in knowing what his personal vendetta against Hitchens and Sam Harris especially within the atheist movement. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics He takes the time to mention female atheists and how they too (conveniently) hate Hitchens and Harris, but then he insults them too for their atheism. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2w
GingerAntics Great discussion starter, but Prothero really needs to do some soul searching and start being honest about his anti-atheist and anti-agnostic biases. Still on the fence about reading Prothero‘s ‘Religious Literacy‘ seeing that he does not extend the same respect to everyone, just those he deems worthy by his own undefined logic. 2w
Texreader Very thoughtful. Thanks! 2w
GingerAntics @Texreader I would still do this one as a group read, tbh. It does give some really good info and he presented this ancient pan-African religion that is like the 3rd or 4th largest religion practiced in the world, and I was thinking I‘ve never heard of this. How have I never heard of this? It‘s where voodoo and other traditional religions we are more familiar with came from. So that chapter was really cool. 2w
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This is the first book I‘ve heard this word that didn‘t have Luc and Oliver. It made me smile like an idiot on the bus! The more I think about it, this is probably a book Oliver has read somewhere along the way. 😂
#GodIsNotOne #StephenProthero #busbook #LondonCalling #BoyfriendMaterial #HusbandMaterial #Oliver #Lucien #OliverAndLuc

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GingerAntics
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I haven‘t really listened to any books since last Tuesday. My mom had her knee replaced and I just haven‘t felt up to it. Maybe after my PT and chiro appt this afternoon.

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Starting this new audiobook this morning.
#GodIsNotOne #StephenProthero #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

I really loved this book. I don‘t agree with everything in here, but I did get a lot out of it. I started meditating again and it really helped me to decide to choose a different response to other people‘s drama and anger.
#JayShetty #ThinkLikeAMonk #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

This is certainly a much different version of events, a much different story than what was presented in Catholic school and by my devoutly Irish Catholic grandmother. Honestly, if my grandmother had actually known about some of these things, she would have explained them away or seen it as Catholic persecution. Sadly, this is how most people will take this entire book.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics The same actions by anyone else would be swiftly condemned by these same people, which should tell you everything you need to know.

The evidence here is sometimes sparse because of the short nature of this book. I would have loved a longer book with the proper evidence Hitchens is known for digging up.
2mo
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GingerAntics
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Bailedbailed

I just can‘t with this book anymore. If you are into martial arts for the sport, the exercise, the community - if you‘re more into forms than sparring - this book is absolutely NOT written for you. If you‘re into martial arts to win fist fights (street fights is Christensen‘s preferred term), to beat people up, to find new, unique, inventive, and technical ways to hurt people…
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GingerAntics then this is just the book you need to do all those things better than ever before! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics He repeatedly and at length waxes poetic about all the fist fights he got into as a police officer, even advocating dealing with a person who is upset by elbowing them repeatedly in the face (complete with pictures). 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics This is like a manual on everything that is wrong with police officers and everything that makes good and decent cops look like monsters. It‘s also a manual on all the negative stereotypes about martial arts and martial artists and how to make them seem like a reality. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
See All 20 Comments
GingerAntics Some of the drills assume you have martial arts equipment in your home that smaller martial arts schools don‘t even always have. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics Some of the exercises and/or techniques make no sense as they are described (how do you do a front kick starting with your knee facing the ground, your foot “as close to your rear as you can get it,” pointing at your target but still a FRONT kick - this isn‘t even physically possible unless you‘ve dislocated your hips and can somehow kick through your body?) 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics and they have no photos (but we get photos of him elbowing a person who is upset - good choice). To make this entire thing even more nonsensical, no videos are available of these techniques even in the vast world of YouTube, so are they really that great? YouTube has dozens (hundreds, thousands, innumerable) tutorials on every move ever used in an MMA fight, but it doesn‘t have a single video of an “upside down front kick” or a “cobra kick.” 👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 2mo
GingerAntics This book is a total waste of time and money for any real martial artist. Ask for home drills from your instructors or from martial artists online. This book is a nightmare for any real martial artist. 2mo
Dilara Oh dear! That sounds awful. 2mo
Bookwomble Oh! 😱 Sounds like everything that's wrong with martial arts. Thank goodness the author's no longer a police officer. 2mo
GingerAntics @Bookwomble that‘s the thing, that‘s NOT martial arts. Every teacher I‘ve ever had has been very clear that they will not tolerate people with this mentality in their schools. They would kick out an adult like this, and they would never allow a kid becoming this to belt test until they stopped doing this. This is all of the stereotypes that aren‘t even true. This doesn‘t match the tenants of any martial art. 2mo
GingerAntics @Dilara this guy is a piece of work 2mo
quietlycuriouskate Ugh, that sounds beyond terrible! Re your comment, MAKE IT MAKE SENSE: seconded, as an all-purpose principle. 2mo
Bookwomble I get it: he's Cobra Kai! 🐍 2mo
GingerAntics @Bookwomble I haven‘t seen that show. I don‘t get it. Is that just people beating up other people for the sake of beating them up? He‘s supposedly this greatly respected martial arts instructor, if YouTube and articles about him can be believed. I‘m just glad he‘s not a cop anymore. Police brutality much? 2mo
GingerAntics @quietlycuriouskate right? None of it makes sense. This is not how martial arts is taught, nor should it be. 1mo
GingerAntics @Bookwomble he claims it‘s from kajukenbo… of which I can find nothing of this kick anywhere. It‘s a combination of karate, judo, kendo, and boxing, none of which have this kick. Karate has a cobra kick, but it‘s a type of side kick, not a front kick. I swear, he‘s just making this 💩 up as he goes. 🙄 1mo
Bookwomble Less "Mr Miyagi", more "Mr My Arse"! ? 1mo
GingerAntics @Bookwomble that is a perfect description… I think that would be my one sentence review of this book. 2w
9 likes20 comments
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GingerAntics
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Again, this is in stark contrast to the childhood inflicted upon millions of children by religions and their negative view of human beings, especially children.
#UnconditionalParenting #AlfieKohn #children #childhood #haven #refuge #religion #GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens

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GingerAntics
The Testaments: A Novel | Margaret Atwood
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It‘s amazing how many quotes popped up on Readwise today that fit with the book I finished this evening.
#TheTestaments #MargaretAtwood #GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens #sexism #antiwoman #rebellion #religion

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Martyr or evangelical revival circuit faith healer. Just saying. My last read (God is Not Great) has me wanting to watch the documentary “Marjoe” now.
#TheDarkeningAge #CatherineNixey

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review
GingerAntics
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Pickpick

I greatly enjoyed this book. Some of this information was absolutely revolutionary to me. Some of it I already knew, but he took those a step or more - further than I dared take them previously - to their logical end. There is nothing shocking about this book, honestly.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics If one has thought critically about all the stories one has been told as a child and compared them with the actions of the story tellers, this falls right in line with what you already know, but adds more to broaden that understanding. I can definitely see this as a conversation starter for the open minded, and would gladly read it again with a good group. 2mo
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And yet, those with the greatest faith never realise they are NOT part of any group reasonably and logically referred to as “men and women of real conscience.”
#GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens #conscience #faith #religion #philosophy #humanism

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TheBookHippie Yes!!!! 2mo
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie this was such a great read. History, philosophy, religion, no holds barred. We could have so much fun with this book! 2mo
TheBookHippie Must read. 2mo
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GingerAntics @TheBookHippie would LOVE to do this as a buddy read. Maybe this is how we should kick off 2024 in the dead philosophers society! 2mo
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics yes. I‘m in 2mo
kspenmoll Sounds good! I think my hubby has it. 2mo
GingerAntics @kspenmoll I had a feeling you might be on board! I‘ll put a post up today see who else wants to read this one. There is another book that just came out late last year about free will that might be right up our alley, too. 2mo
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This is, of course, assuming organized religion HAS a conscience, which we all know they do not.
#GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens #religion #conscience #women #children #criticalthinking #freeinquiry #tribalism #racism #bigotry #ignorance #contempt #coercive

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Anyone else see a problem here? This guy goes on and on about how he was a cop and all the fist fights he got into. A motorist is angry, so your response is to elbow him in the face repeatedly? This guy is straight up obsessed with beating people up. He doesn‘t give a crap about sport, his in it to beat people up. I don‘t feel like this is what martial arts are supposed to be about these days.
#SoloTraining #LorenWChristensen

kspenmoll 🤬🤬 2mo
GingerAntics @kspenmoll yeah, I haven‘t read any more of this one. I think it‘s going to be my first DNF of 2024! 2mo
11 likes3 comments
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Is there ANY religion that protects children?!
#ChristopherHitchens #GodIsNotGreat #religion #children #logic #ethics

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It‘s has been a crazy few days/week here, but this is really bringing my mind down from all that overstimulation and helping me find a sense of calm.
#JayShetty #ThinkLikeAMonk #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
2023: World War III | Carl Berryman
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Over all, I read 61 books for the year (not great, but not terrible). Here‘s to more great reads in 2024!
#2023 #booklog #endofyear #audiobook #ebook #paperback #hardcover

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GingerAntics
2023: World War III | Carl Berryman
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I‘m a bit late to the party on this. I spent the entire weekend fighting the flu. I finished 52 books in Apple Books last year. #2023 #endofyear #applebooks #ebooks #audiobooks #abookaweek

kspenmoll I hope you are feeling better now! 3mo
GingerAntics @kspenmoll Monday will be my first day back at work. I finally went to the walk in clinic on Friday and they put me on basically a Z pack. It‘s just going to be working on increasing my stamina again. I still can‘t stand up for more than a few minutes without sitting down. Officially not COVID or the flu, but whatever it is has really knocked me on my butt. 2mo
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SO EXCITED FOR THIS… it is officially preordered! I‘m not sure what I‘m going to do with myself until next September, though.
#tjklune #somewherebeyondthesea #houseintheceruleansea #preorder

ju.ca.no Saaaaame😍😍😍 3mo
GingerAntics @ju.ca.no apparently I‘m just going to be waiting until late 2024 for EVERY next instalment. I don‘t know if I can make it. 3mo
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GingerAntics
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Love this quote. This speaks to me on a spiritual, soul deep level.
#AlixEHarrow #TheOnceAndFutureWitches #equinox #solstice #moonlight #wildwomen #wildheartedwomen #outdoors

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GingerAntics
Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover
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Loved this book. The last sentence here seems to get more important every year since I first read this in 2020.
#TaraWestover #Educated #yourvoicematters #youarestrongerthanyouknow

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The fact people are okay with, even happy with, a time widely and opening known as “post truth” is troubling… and shows that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
#allanbloom #theclosingoftheamericanmind #inalienablerights #americansociety #truth #relativetruth #posttruth #whatistruth #ourrightsarenomore

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Somehow music expression is humanising… so long as it‘s not Mick Jagger. Someone make that make sense? How closed minded of him. This dude needs to read Alfie Kohn and redo the assignment.
#allanbloom #theclosingoftheamericanmind #music #selfexpression #humanity

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GingerAntics
Good Omens | Gaiman, Neal
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This is one of my favourite quotes from Good Omens. You have no idea how happy I was to see it included in the show.
#TerryPratchett #NeilGaiman #sirterrypratchett #goodomens #god #dice #odds #davidtennant #michaelsheen #amazon #amazonprime #amazonprimevideo

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I think there are American lawmakers that would recreate this law, and a surprising number of citizens that would support it, if they were smart enough to word it in a way that kept it constitutional. Religious freedom has NEVER been a Christian idea.
#catherinenixey #thedarkeningage #christianity #religiousfreedom #freedomofspeech #freedomofthought #angryandreligious #christiansarewhatswronghere #christiandestructionoftheclassicalworld

GingerAntics Notice, you can find a christian school in every flavour, you can find a classical school, but you can never find a christian classical school. Gee, I wonder why? 3mo
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LoverOfLearning One of my top 5 books!! Ioved the characters so much. 1mo
GingerAntics @LoverOfLearning same! I am so excited for the sequel! 2w
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This book was a real eye opener. I mean, I already thought that the folks who can‘t complain about millennials or gen z enough were full of hot air, but here is the scientific proof.
If you work with young people (or old people), this book is a must read. The author in general is a must read, too.
#alfiekohn #themythofthespoiledchild #dontcomplainread #readthis

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This connects amazingly well to the book Laziness does not exist. It also explains why intellectuals are not valued in American society.
#susanwisebauer #thewelleducatedmind #devinprice #lazinessdoesnotexist

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#susanwisebauer #thewelleducatedmind #readwise
I‘ve started using an app called Readwise, that shows you the things you have highlighted in books you have read. It helps you remember what you‘ve read and review them. It‘s actually kind of cool.

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GingerAntics
Iron Flame | Rebecca Yarros
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I died when I read this. I straight up, literally laughed out loud when Maren pops this out with ZERO hesitation. Talk about some comic relief!
#rebeccayarros #ironflame #theempyreanseries