Author Archives: jackpelham

To Critics of Home Schooling

With suspicion you question people’s motives for and methods of home schooling. You are fairly certain that something must be wrong with it. It only seems right to you, since what we do is so different from what you do. … Continue reading

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Facebook! Facebook!

Facebook! Facebook! Every day! ‘Tis here we while our lives away. Posting, liking, sharing—we Our vanishing humanity. Posting memes, and sharing, too, There’s always something more to do. It’s oh such fun! And wait, there’s more; Now potty time is … Continue reading

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This Week in Baltimore: A Showcase of Cognitive Biases

This past week has provided an excellent opportunity to observe people’s cognitive biases. The situation in Baltimore has prompted many to show those corrupted mini-programs of thinking that run automatically through their minds. We have seen many various biases at … Continue reading

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Pelham’s Rule of Screaming

Screaming is for emergencies. It is for situations such as those in which the dad needs to bring the gun, or for which the fire department needs to be called. It is not for play any more than dialing 9-1-1 … Continue reading

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Assigning Blame in Baltimore

The Baltimore riots provide the cognitive/moral miser with an excellent opportunity to exercise his bias. He will condemn the evil actions of one party while excusing—at least in a relativistic way—the evil actions of another. And worse, he’ll probably be … Continue reading

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At The Mid-Life Crossroads of Crotchetiness vs. Usefulness

I just turned 50, and as I get older, I realize that more and more things about the culture and economy I live in are inauthentic, twisted, harmful, deceitful, erroneous, ignorant, ineffective, inefficient, or just plain stupid. So I reject … Continue reading

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How Would You Like To Be Executed Over NOT Being Upset About Something?

Once upon a time, in the day of the prophet Ezekiel, the city of Jerusalem was in great sin, with many abominations being committed in it.  God called for a man and said to him: Ezekiel 9:4  “Pass through the city, … Continue reading

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Is Error a Serious Problem For Christians?

“Everybody makes mistakes!,” someone will say. “Nobody’s perfect!,” chimes in another. At this, most Christians nod along and satisfy themselves that that’s all there is to it.  That is, that making mistakes is simply not a serious problem for the … Continue reading

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Love and Truth Go Together

We make many errors in life, so it’s no particular surprise when we make errors in the way we understand the teachings of the Bible.  If you ask some random believers what is the most important aspect of the Christian … Continue reading

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On The Need For Language

The more use one has for communicating ideas and comparisons and contrasts, the more use one has for language.  Those who do not learn their own languages to a high degree are those who have no use for it at … Continue reading

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