December 23, 2011

Velvet Xmas

Holiday Weekend Specials: Philosophy Talk and BackStory

Saturday, 24 December, 12:00 noon (re-broadcast Sunday, 6:00 pm): Philosophy Talk: How Relevant is Jesus? Some people think Jesus was the son of God, though many who are skeptical about that still think he was a great moral teacher. But if we really knew what Jesus would think about moral issues that he didn't confront while he lived – abortion, terrorism, euthanasia, gay marriage or the destruction of old-growth redwoods – would it be that helpful? Would his moral vision have any implications for these issues? Ken and John discuss the moral philosophy of Jesus and its contemporary relevance with Andrew Fiala, Director of the Ethics Center at Fresno State University and author of What Would Jesus Really Do? The Power and Limits of Jesus' Moral Teachings.

Saturday, 24 December, 6:00 pm (re-broadcast Sunday, 12:00 noon): BackStory: Naughty and Nice, A History of the Holiday Season. Christmas may be the big kahuna of American holy days, but it wasn’t always so. It used to be a time of drunken rowdiness, when the poor would demand food and money from the rich. The Puritans banned Christmas altogether. It wasn’t until the 1820s that the holiday was re-invented as the peaceful, family-oriented, and consumeristic ritual we celebrate today. In this episode, the History Guys examine the history of the “holiday season” in America. Has Christmas grown more or less religious? How has the holiday evolved and changed here? To what extent was Hanukkah a reaction to Christmas, and how have American Jews shaped and reshaped their own wintertime rituals?

December 17, 2011

Winter Break

Finals week at W&J is over and students have headed home for the holidays. WNJR specialty shows resume partly during the January term ("Intersession") and fully once the Spring term commences in February. In the meantime, the WNJR automation robot keeps you company 24/7. Syndicated news and entertainment programs from Pacifica and Public Radio Exchange continue as usual.

December 11, 2011

Philosophy Talk

Philosophy Talk has been added to the WNJR broadcast schedule, every Saturday at 12:00 noon and re-played Sunday at 6:00 pm. Join hosts John Perry and Ken Taylor for topics ranging from popular culture to deeply held beliefs about science, morality, and the human condition. Philosophy Talk challenges listeners to identify and question their assumptions and to think about things in new ways.


Philosophy Talk is recorded and produced at KALW in San Francisco and distributed by Public Radio Exchange.