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  • Israel’s War on Gaza
    • War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
      War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
    • Flagship Biblical Studies Group Faces Bitter Divide Over Statements on Israel/Palestine
      Flagship Biblical Studies Group Faces Bitter Divide Over Statements on Israel/Palestine
    • Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
      Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
  • Racial Justice
    • War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
      War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
    • Flagship Biblical Studies Group Faces Bitter Divide Over Statements on Israel/Palestine
      Flagship Biblical Studies Group Faces Bitter Divide Over Statements on Israel/Palestine
    • Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
      Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
  • Politics/Law
    • The American Right Hasn’t Adopted Children’s Rights — They’ve Redefined and Weaponized Them
      The American Right Hasn’t Adopted Children’s Rights — They’ve Redefined and Weaponized Them
    • Hail Santa! War-on-Christmas Outrage Over Satanic Tree Reveals the Self-Serving Ambiguity of ‘Religion’
      Hail Santa! War-on-Christmas Outrage Over Satanic Tree Reveals the Self-Serving Ambiguity of ‘Religion’
    • War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
      War Criminal Henry Kissinger, First Jewish Secretary of State, Had a Lengthy History of Antisemitism
  • Sex/Gender/Justice
    • The American Right Hasn’t Adopted Children’s Rights — They’ve Redefined and Weaponized Them
      The American Right Hasn’t Adopted Children’s Rights — They’ve Redefined and Weaponized Them
    • Documenting the Struggle and Suicide of a Young Woman, ‘Dear Alana’ Podcast Raises Questions About Queer Identity and the Catholic Church
      Documenting the Struggle and Suicide of a Young Woman, ‘Dear Alana’ Podcast Raises Questions About Queer Identity and the Catholic Church
    • Mike Johnson’s Porn-Monitoring isn’t Just ‘Creepy’ — it’s a Window to the Fascist Desire Driving the White Evangelical Will to Power
      Mike Johnson’s Porn-Monitoring isn’t Just ‘Creepy’ — it’s a Window to the Fascist Desire Driving the White Evangelical Will to Power
  • Christian Nationalism
    • Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
      Netanyahu’s Genocidal Religious Rhetoric isn’t Just an Appeal to the Israeli Right — He Has Another Constituency in Mind
    • With ‘Vermin’ Remark Trump Crosses Fully into Nazi Territory
      With ‘Vermin’ Remark Trump Crosses Fully into Nazi Territory
    • Mike Johnson’s Porn-Monitoring isn’t Just ‘Creepy’ — it’s a Window to the Fascist Desire Driving the White Evangelical Will to Power
      Mike Johnson’s Porn-Monitoring isn’t Just ‘Creepy’ — it’s a Window to the Fascist Desire Driving the White Evangelical Will to Power

Pitman B. Potter

Pitman B. Potter is a Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of British Columbia and holds the HSBC Chair in Asian Research at UBC’s Institute of Asian Research. He received a law degree (JD) and a PhD (political science) from the University of Washington. In his academic field of Chinese law and policy studies, he has published more than 15 books and more than a 100 articles and essays and has provided policy and legal assistance to a wide range of public and private entities engaged with China. Pitman began listening to the Grateful Dead in 1969 and spent much of the next 40 years traveling to Dead shows and playing their music with similarly minded friends. When time permits, he fronts the Grateful Dead cover band Dustcover in Vancouver, BC. Pitman completed a Master of Divinity degree at Vancouver School of Theology and is ordained as a vocational deacon in the Anglican Church of Canada.

Culture, The Sacred and the DeadJuly 1, 2015

The Sacred and the Dead: ‘Friend of the Devil’ is a Love Song

By Pitman B. Potter

Despite its provocative title, the Grateful Dead’s song “Friend of the Devil” actually can be heard…

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Religion Dispatches

Religion Dispatches

Religion Dispatches is your independent, non-profit, award-winning source for the best writing on critical and timely issues at the intersection of religion, politics, and culture.

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