"The Sopranos" is the story of an Italian-American family inside the criminal society of a New Jersey mafia in which revenge is the standard response to disrespect and disobedience. Why is immoral behavior worthy of anybody's attention?

The Golden Rule is commonly understood to mean treat others the way you want to be treated. It is an ethical code that has informed much of human...

Christmas is indeed special -- for Christians, a celebration of the earthly birth of the Son of their God, the Christ child.

Saintliness becomes realistic by seeing it as a state of higher consciousness. "Higher consciousness" isn't a religious term, even if Christ does point to the kingdom of heaven being within.

Modern mobility and increasing individualism inevitably make us strangers. Nevertheless, social trust is essential to a cohesive society.

How are we supposed to love our enemies sincerely? Are we really supposed to pray for people who hate us? It seems almost masochistic -- a surefire recipe for psychological disaster.

Religion is different than politics, economics, science, history or other disciplines. These disciplines focus on the "how" or "what" of existence. Religion attempts to answer the "why."

Civility begins with breaking old patterns, even the simplest ones. What if those that represent us could take one night off from confirming what we already know -- that they do not agree?

It and whatever you want to call "it": a higher power, the universe, God, my moral center, Spirit, conscience, compass, heart, the better part of me, -- is inside of me.

According to Gunnar Stålsett, if one looks at the texts where the Nobel Committee states the reasons for selecting each person for the Prize, there is hardly any reference to religion or spirituality as the motivating source.

Who wants to hang out with a person who they know believes them to be wrong about some of the most personal and important topics anyone can be wrong about?