Good morning – and welcome to the weekend reading!  I hope you enjoyed the short week, and are able to catch your breath a little this weekend. I didn’t read a ton of articles this week, but here’s what I found more interesting in a nutshell:

CULTURAL ALERT: Jared Diamond, history author and liberal prof, discussed religion throughout the ages, and thinks that a revival of religious sentiment could be in the offing in the near future. I link to the article because it’s a classic example of the kind of thought you find on university campuses, and its good to read and think about what these folks are saying because it keeps me sharp. Notice the title of his talk, ‘a dispassionate look at religion over the course of history’.  No one is dispassionate about religion – least of all atheists. Everyone has assumptions and baggage that they take into the great topics of life – especially religion. But professors like Diamond will claim a sort of high ground that they have no right to hold, because: 1. They likely have personal history that shaped their views and 2. They aren’t always experts on religious thought. Find their assumptions, and you’ll find their conclusions – they’re all tired and well-trodden, believe me.

I found this article from Sinclair Ferguson on the Ligonier blog pretty interesting: Satisfaction and Contentment

CHINA, CHINA, CHINA: I didn’t get a chance to link to article last week, but its amazing stuff that’s going on over in China: Decapitated Churches in China’s Christian Heartland:

On a four-day journey through this lush swath of China’s Zhejiang Province, I spoke with residents who described in new detail the breathtaking scale of an effort to remove Christianity’s most potent symbol from public view. Over the past two years, officials and residents said, the authorities have torn down crosses from 1,200 to 1,700 churches, sometimes after violent clashes with worshipers trying to stop them.

TECH: And this stuff is so fascinating (to me at least): Tech Firms Plan the Highest Capacity Atlantic Data Link.  ALSO: Jeff Bezos thinks we need to build industrial zones in space in order to save Earth

COMPETITION! Wal-Mart to test grocery delivery with Uber, Lyft — key excerpt:

The world’s largest retailer said it would begin test deliveries within the next two weeks in Denver and Phoenix. Wal-Mart’s warehouse unit Sams Club began a pilot in March with startup Deliv to dispatch groceries to business customers in Miami.

HOT WATER: Golfer Phil Mickelson’s Gambling Entanglements Put Legacy on Line

Super Cool Stuff Here: Why You Should Try That Crazy Virtual Reality Headset – try it from your phone…

HILARIOUS: Man Mistakes Indigestion For Pastoral Call

The NBA Finals are going on, and Look! Cleveland is competing! (sort of)

This is heartbreaking: Hundreds feared missing from capsized boat in Mediterranean

Some powerful stuff here: The Day I Dug My Daughter’s Grave

Two Items I didn’t finish:

1. VIDEO: How Budget Airlines Work
2. CHALLIES: The Transgender Conversation You Need to Have With Your Family

That’s all I have for you!  Have a great weekend!

PJW