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The Algorithm Is the New Pastor
The Algorithm Is the New Pastor Social media as the new preacher — shaping beliefs one post at a time Every generation has its moral guides — the storytellers who tell us what’s right, what’s wrong, and who we should be.Once, it was the village elder or the Sunday sermon. Now, it’s the feed. Each…
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When Violence Feels Like Righteousness
When Violence Feels Like Righteousness How myth-based thinking turns ordinary people into moral warriors — sometimes fatally No one wakes up believing they’re the villain. Even those who commit horrific acts often think they’re defending something sacred — their people, their faith, their freedom, their truth. That is the terrible power of myth: it can…
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Memes, Movies, and Megachurches How Culture Manufactures Belief
Memes, Movies, and Megachurches: How Culture Manufactures Belief The role of storytelling, aesthetics, and pop culture in keeping myths alive Belief doesn’t disappear when people stop going to church. It just changes form. Today, our new temples are the screens we stare into, the songs that define our generation, the franchises we quote, and the…
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The Aestheticization of Ethics: When Goodness Becomes a Vibe
The Aestheticization of Ethics: When Goodness Becomes a Vibe How the story of being “good” became performance instead of practice Every age has its favorite illusions. Ours might be the belief that looking moral is the same as being moral.We live in a time when “justice,” “truth,” and “freedom” have become props in a cultural…
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Church, State, and the Chosen People Myth
Church, State, and the Chosen People Myth Christian Nationalism as a Fiction of Divine Appointment and Holy War There’s a story some political movements tell about a nation: that it was chosen, set apart, and therefore entitled to special status in the world. When that story borrows religious language and channels it into politics, it…
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The Male-as-Protector Myth A Gentle Lie That Becomes Violent
The Male-as-Protector Myth: A Gentle Lie That Becomes Violent How “noble” patriarchal roles can quietly undermine equality It sounds noble: “Men protect women.”A phrase that evokes chivalry, bravery, sacrifice — and a sense of moral purpose. It’s a story older than civilization itself, repeated in every epic, fairy tale, and family expectation. But beneath its…
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Guns as Religion The Sacred Myth of Self-Defense
Guns as Religion: The Sacred Myth of Self-Defense How American Gun Culture Turned a Tool into a Spiritual Symbol In many parts of the United States, the gun is more than a weapon — it’s a worldview. It holds the weight of identity, tradition, and even salvation. For millions of Americans, owning a firearm isn’t…