The Most Important Question

Essay: Have Mercy

Listen Later
This week:

I’m not religious. But I did (barely) successfully major in religious studies.

For better and often for worse, the history of faith and organized religion has been the backbone of human history, political science, culture, wars, sexual ethics, and more.

Subtle or not, religion and faith are most often the answer to why people do what they do, and to how we got here, even now as the west barrels towards majority secularism.

Here's What You Can Do:

  • Donate to the Climate Justice Alliance to amplify grassroots leadership working towards a Just Transition.

  • 🌏️ Volunteer with the Green Faith Alliance and get your faith group involved in climate action.

  • 🌏️ Learn about how colonialism is a historical and ongoing driver of climate change and its impacts.

  • Be heard about science-based health care and tell your Senator to vote “No” on RFK Jr’s nomination.

  • Invest in a more equitable world by investing in the Black Farmer Fund to increase the representation and success of Black agricultural and food businesses.

    • Get more:

    • Get more news, analysis, and Action Steps at importantnotimportant.com

    • Support our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgrade

    • Get our merch

    • Got feedback? Email us at [email protected]

    • Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp

    • Follow us on Threads: www.threads.net/@importantnotimportant

    • Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    • Follow Quinn: on Twitter - twitter.com/quinnemmett; Bluesky - bsky.app/profile/quinnemmett.bsky.social; Threads - www.threads.net/@quinnemmett

    • Produced by Willow Beck

    • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com

    • Take a nap you deserve it

      • Advertise with us: importantnotimportant.com/c/sponsors

      Mentioned in this episode:

      What Can I Do?

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      The Most Important QuestionBy Important, Not Important
      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7

      4.7

      118 ratings

      More shows like The Most Important Question

      View all
      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

      The New Yorker Radio Hour

      6,823 Listeners

      On the Media by WNYC Studios

      On the Media

      9,205 Listeners

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      10,742 Listeners

      Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

      Reveal

      8,471 Listeners

      Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

      Living on Earth

      462 Listeners

      Pivot by New York Magazine

      Pivot

      9,646 Listeners

      This Week in Virology by Vincent Racaniello

      This Week in Virology

      2,057 Listeners

      Pod Save America by Pod Save America

      Pod Save America

      87,554 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      112,330 Listeners

      Lovett or Leave It by Lovett or Leave It

      Lovett or Leave It

      25,139 Listeners

      Today, Explained by Vox

      Today, Explained

      10,282 Listeners

      Consider This from NPR by NPR

      Consider This from NPR

      6,401 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      16,328 Listeners

      On with Kara Swisher by Vox Media

      On with Kara Swisher

      3,522 Listeners

      Better Offline by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

      Better Offline

      604 Listeners

      Not Right Now by Important, Not Important

      Not Right Now

      51 Listeners