Newfangled Dad

First of all today, RIP to a Chicago blues legend...Magic Slim. So poor picking cotton in the South that he had to make his own guitar when he was younger, he went on to become THE symbol of the 1950's classic Chicago blues style. He was 75. Take a listen. * * * Well, we've reached the quarter mark in this experiment and it hasn't been all bad. 10 days without social media like Facebook and Twitter. My free time is way up. I've kept to my resolution other than a few unfortunate "gimmies" where meeting details or news only lives online these days. So to find out some info you're forced to visit--the Chicago marathon updates are a good example. It feels like 10,000 readers just arrived not that long ago, but another 1,000 people have flown by and I'm up to 11,000 already. Congrats to me! * * * I couldn't not  comment on the Chicago Marathon fiasco. I'm not involved this year...but at the same time I don't want to see it turn into a ...

I was addicted to the radio alarm today as NPR started a new series on Morning Edition called  Losing Our Religion . Today's story begins with the rise of the category "None." That is, people in America who answer that to the question of what their religion is. This religion geek is fascinated...it's too much to include on Facebook or Twitter. So here you go. Some 46 million Americans, 1/5 of the nation, identifies this way. It's one of the largest growing categories of faith. Including 33% of Americans under the age of 30. And, contrary to the number of atheists and agnostics rising, the Nones are actually full of spiritual practice. They tend to be socially liberal, not looking to find an organized religion, and possibly fed up with politics and inclined to call themselves independent of party. 75% favor gay marriage and legal abortion. Contrast this with the fact that Americans for the first time are less than majority Protestant--48%. And that a fairly sub...

Not a topic I cover frequently here on the blog despite my background of holding a college minor in Religion.  But, as some of you may know, recently the world marked the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council--a landmark moment in modern religious history you should look up if you don't know about it--and today I stumbled across  this column by Chicago's Francis Cardinal George about secularism.  Recently, I've read several blogs and articles from especially parents who are struggling with religious drama in their family. And I have friends on both sides of the aisle on this issue...I know many dedicated atheists and many dedicated churchgoers. So I wanted to weigh in on a few things the Cardinal has to say...not because I frequently have responses to specific things a Catholic leader has to say...because the subject and the current political/cultural climate we live in is important enough to bring it up. At the risk of alienating a few readers, I'll say upfr...