by David Richardson | Jul 3, 2017 | Equality/Inequality, Type 2 Assumptions, Type 3 Assumptions
On July 4th we celebrate the signing of a document containing some of the most stirring words in the history of the world. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable...
by David Richardson | Oct 27, 2016 | Morals/Ethics, Politics, Type 2 Assumptions, Type 3 Assumptions
Recent allegations of sexual misconduct by Donald Trump have produced a flurry of moral outrage. Yet, things actually are not as they seem, and certainly not as the media portrays them. I am not writing in support of any candidate. Rather it is crucial that you...
by David Richardson | Aug 30, 2016 | Basic Assumptions, Morals/Ethics, Type 3 Assumptions
People like atheists, secularists, as well as more spiritually minded people find Christians and orthodox Jews to be mysteriously, even disturbingly, different, but usually cannot pinpoint why. If you understand how assumptions work, especially our most basic...
by David Richardson | Aug 16, 2016 | Basic Assumptions, Type 2 Assumptions
If there was ever an example of the power of a faulty assumption, it will be in this post. Everyone assumes. We can’t help it. It is not a matter of if you assume, but how you assume and whether your assumptions are true. Previously I described Type 1...
by David Richardson | Aug 9, 2016 | Basic Assumptions, Type 2 Assumptions
When radical Muslims shout “Allahu Akbar,” they are declaring a certain assumption. Do you know what it is? Assumptions are the most powerful and dangerous of ideas, so it is important to get them right. Everyone on the planet starts with one of three basic core...
by David Richardson | Aug 5, 2016 | Basic Assumptions, Type 1 Assumptions
There are no gods, no purposes, no goal-directed forces of any kind. There is no life after death. When I die, I am absolutely certain that I am going to be dead. That’s the end for me. There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning to life, and no...
by David Richardson | Aug 2, 2016 | Basic Assumptions
I have shown you a little about what assumptions are in general and how they work. Let’s look at the specific assumptions that all of us make. I have spent years researching and categorizing assumptions. These assumptions are very powerful, and yet they are...
by David Richardson | Jul 27, 2016 | Basic Assumptions
An assumption is “a willingness to accept something as true without question or proof” (Cambridge English Dictionary). It is something we consider to be self-evidently true—something that anyone who knows anything knows to be true. Since it is self-evidently true,...
by David Richardson | Sep 28, 2015 | Basic Assumptions, Education, Politics
America is in the midst of cultural convulsions both economically and socially. For many the economic turmoil would be endurable were it not for the larger social issues that are ripping the fabric of our society. For many it seems like progress, and for others it...
by David Richardson | Jan 15, 2015 | Islam, Politics
My jaw dropped in horror last week as we all watched the sickening scenes of Islamic terrorists attacking the Charlie Hebdo satire magazine in Paris. These Muslims barbarically murdered twelve people and left many others wounded. The terrorists’ motive for murder...
by David Richardson | Aug 28, 2014 | Morals/Ethics, Politics
The silence is deafening from a recent court ruling. No mainstream news agency reported this significant decision from the European Court of Human Rights. Just weeks ago this high European court reaffirmed its 2012 verdict stating there is no right to gay marriage. ...
by David Richardson | Apr 25, 2014 | Marxism, Morals/Ethics, What is a Human Being?
Living near the busiest airport in the world has its benefits. It is easy to explore the world whether for work or pleasure. I have visited nearly every state in our country and forty others around the world. Occasionally when I am traveling for work I take my...
by David Richardson | Mar 14, 2014 | Environment/Environmentalism, Politics
Perhaps people are either tired of discussing or too embarrassed to discuss the problems of Obamacare, so the cultural conversation is returning to debate climate change. Advocates intone that 97% of peer-reviewed research demonstrates that man-made climate change is...
by David Richardson | Jan 24, 2014 | Basic Assumptions, Morals/Ethics
Recently, my middle school daughter’s English teacher assigned his students to write an essay on the Fayette County NAACP’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day theme. This year the topic is “Why Inclusion and Diversity is Important for the Future Health of Our...
by David Richardson | Oct 2, 2013 | Politics
We are several days now into a partial shutdown of the federal government. While many people may loathe the budget impasse in Washington, I am celebrating. However, I am not celebrating for reasons you may think. True, I tend to have more conservative political...
by David Richardson | Jun 10, 2013 | Basic Assumptions
My family has lived in Fayette County, Georgia for 23 years. It is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We have a great neighborhood with lots of variety from little kids to retired people. Some of our neighbors are native Georgians and some, like my...
by David Richardson | Dec 6, 2012 | Basic Assumptions, Education, Politics
Video Version of this Article: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AzLOekrWW4 Warning: I am about to say something very offensive. You should either stop reading now or get ready to be outraged. But I am going to do it anyway, so here it comes…Merry Christmas!! I do not wish you...
by David Richardson | Nov 12, 2012 | Marxism, Politics
Adults generally know that it is a good idea for children to eat their vegetables. Children would probably eat Pop Tarts, candy, and pizza for every meal if you would let them. They love how these foods taste, but don’t really understand that a steady diet of these...
by David Richardson | Jul 4, 2012 | Marxism, Politics
Unless you were deep sea diving, in the jungles of the Amazon, or lost in space, you heard the Supreme Court has upheld the controversial Affordable Care Act. I don’t want to get into whether it is good law or bad law (it’s bad). Nor do I want to talk about...
by David Richardson | May 6, 2012 | Morals/Ethics
Last week a Peachtree City, Georgia woman was arrested and charged with two felonies for bigamy. She married a second man under an assumed name so as to avoid the law. But why do we care? Why is it even a crime for this woman to marry someone she loves? Why...
by David Richardson | Apr 20, 2012 | Environment/Environmentalism, Marxism, Politics
It’s April 22, and more than 500 million people around the world celebrate every year. There will be ceremonies, proclamations, and news stories. There will be donations and gifts. There will be acts of service. Our schools will devote whole portions of the...
by David Richardson | Mar 5, 2012 | Basic Assumptions, Education, Politics
Recent national events have raised the ardor of the discussion regarding religion in public life. Whether it is the political debates surrounding the Presidential candidates or the religious beliefs of sports stars like Tim Tebow, the appropriateness of religion in...
by David Richardson | Jun 20, 2011 | Basic Assumptions, Creation/Creationism
A hallmark of Type 1 assumptions (see May 11 post for assumption types) is the conclusion that since God exists, he is responsible for creating everything. Creation is a word widely misconstrued word, especially among Christians. There are many senses in which people...
by David Richardson | May 11, 2011 | Basic Assumptions
As I began thinking about the assumptions that move us all, I tried to think of the most basic, fundamental, and important questions that form the way we all think. These questions help me figure out what assumptions are lurking in the background of a person’s...
by David Richardson | Mar 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
While my blog is primarily for exploring ideas, I want to make a slight departure today. Today is Mardi Gras, and while this may not be a day of great consequence to most (other than an opportunity to have a big party), today is very important to me. It is not...
