Word: seculare
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...brands don’t sell lifestyles only; they sell values as well. A bag from Whole Foods suggests one cares for the environment, a Mac shows that one prizes creativity and self-expression. These accessories are the secular equivalents of a crucifix or yarmulke...
...sounds country, none is conspicuous for traditional piety ... [but] each is a strong conservative on many key issues, while having a dissident streak on a few. Each has a way of presenting conservative views that centrists don't find threatening, and projecting fairly traditional values in a language that secular voters don't fear." Each has shown an ability to get independent and even Democratic votes. Democrats won the national vote in 2006 by about 8 points. Republican front runner Giuliani now beats Democratic front runner Clinton in polls by about that margin...
...many Jews, it is difficult to respond to the likes of Finkelstein and Weiss, because of the core Jewish belief in pluralism and freedom of expression; among a sampling of Jews, you are likely to find the very religious, the completely secular, Zionists, anti-Zionists, Democrats, and Republicans—all of whom cite something distinctly "Jewish" about their point of view. Finkelstein and Weiss take advantage of this pluralism in order to further their political goals...
Hollywood is aggressively secular and materialistic, and it does stereotype Christians (and Muslims, single women, gay men, fat kids and, for that matter, Hollywood celebrities). But it also needs Christianity, maybe more than Christianity needs it. No one thanks Carl Sagan at an Oscar podium. The rich imagery and mystery of Catholicism made The Da Vinci Code (and its burgeoning knockoffs) possible. And while Christmas movies and TV shows may not involve many mangers, they quietly--and profitably--ratify Christianity as the default U.S. religion, as any Jew or Hindu can attest in December...
Damascus may not have that card for long. Internally, the refugee issue poses long-term dilemmas for the Baathist regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The presence of so many needy Iraqis has exposed the government's failure to make economic reforms. The Syrian government--dominated by a secular core of Alawite Muslims who rule a country that is 74% Sunni Muslim--may have to stop the influx as a measure of self-preservation. Assad is particularly concerned about extremists re-entering the country from Iraq, according to Syrian security analysts. "We used to call them the Afghan Arabs...