Tag Archives: politics

Secular Health in US Probably on the Rise, Despite Evangelical Revival

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Rayan Zehn

When we examine the US’s sociopolitical climate it is very tempting to believe reactionary evangelicalism is a growing trend. Once thought critically endangered, evangelical politics appears to be gaining support. More importantly, it appears to be a driving force. When … Continue reading →

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Donald Trump and the Terrorism Loop

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Rayan Zehn

In my most recent post I discussed several explanations of religious terrorism in international relations scholarship. The list is by no means exhaustive, but it is thorough. Bottom line: Terrorism is more common in the Muslim world for a host of … Continue reading →

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Shocking Consciences: Things Aren’t as Bad as They Appear

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Rayan Zehn

For the last couple days—well, since Friday, anyway—my social circle, which is comprised mostly of college students, military members, and academics, has been shocked by the direction this country is going. When I say shocked, I mean their consciences have … Continue reading →

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What the Hell Happened to Our Fake News?

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Rayan Zehn

Being a skeptic is not trite, but it’s also not difficult. Simply put, don’t believe anything until you have a good reason to believe it. This is true for almost all claims. While it’s unreasonable to expect evidence for claims … Continue reading →

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Simple Logic for Religion and Politics

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Rayan Zehn

Syllogisms are not what many people think they are, and the American political landscape is a testament to this fact. Too often I hear people construct logical arguments with sound sounding propositions but, taken together, are deeply flawed. Take this … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A New Religion That’ll Bring You to Your Knees: My Father’s God Has Orange Hair

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Rayan Zehn

Being a political scientist is not what many think. We are not politicians drafting legislation. We are not activists trying to make the world a better place, according to our own preferences. And we certainly aren’t trying to get people … Continue reading →

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Time’s Arrow Rounded a Bend: Trump, Putin, and the Reduction of Certainty

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Rayan Zehn

Reducing uncertainty is the only thing politics strives to achieve. While legislation might be written to address precise economic, political, or social grievances, the process is an exercise in uncertainty reduction, making sense of highly complex phenomena. The more certain … Continue reading →

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Security and Religiosity: The Jacksonian Values that Wed American Society to Faith

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Rayan Zehn

There is a set of academic literature that suggests there is a negative relationship between existential security and religiosity. As security increases, we become less religious as a society. This is demonstrated across societies. More secure societies in Europe are distinctly less religious … Continue reading →

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The Alt-Right and Atheism: Overlap and Divide

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Rayan Zehn

A small but growing conservative movement is popping up in the US, fueled in part by well-known atheist Youtubers and bloggers. The movement is referred to as the Alt-Right—or alternative right—movement by some. And some atheist are quick to endorse Alt-Right … Continue reading →

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The GOP and Pornography: And Why Should We Protect Children from Sex?

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Rayan Zehn

According to this article in Fortune released today, GOP delegates meeting in Cleveland have been contemplating their party’s platform language. Among their points of contention include pornography, which is no surprise considering the amendment being contemplated was offered by the sex-obsessed Family … Continue reading →

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