Articles written by Lezley Mcdouall

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About me - Lezley Mcdouall

I live in Durham NC, with my husband and step-son. I love my garden and being an Episcopalian. If you think you know me now, you're wrong. Read what I've written and see if I fit your stereotype of a Southern churchly wifey.

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Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Are the limits placed on individual contributions to political candidates appropriate?: 1 of 9

Let's rephrase that question to read, "Is it appropriate to place any limit upon campaign contributions?" That's the question most people seem to be answering here. As the question stands, the real answer is be, "No, the limits are not appropriate - the limits are set far too high to accomplish the desired goal." If what we ...
Food & Drink > Candy & Desserts Guide to traditional Southern desserts: 4 of 13

Honey child, you ain't had a Southern Sunday dinner if you skipped the dessert! And all you Yankees, envious of Dixie's reputation for hospitality, don't you worry - it ain't no secret. I should know. I'm a Wisconsin-grown girl living in North Carolina and loving it here. It only took me a month down south to figure out that...
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Holidays & Celebrations Should Christians celebrate Christmas?: 20 of 45

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, What this has to do with the Son of God Is all a corporate retail pose.... Given the corporate retail hijacking of the Christian high feast days in the US, with glitzy, guilt-inducing displays popping up even before Halloween, it's sometimes tempting to thr...
Religion & Spirituality > Religious Concepts (Other) What is demonic possession: 6 of 11

Some say demons possess anyone who doesn't agree with them. Some say demonic possession is just an archaic way to refer to mental illness. Both these views are unnecessarily reductionistic, and unhelpful to someone who is struggling to understand spiritual truths. Christian Scriptures record narratives in which demons are sa...
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Should pharmaceutical companies be required to give up patents necessary to developing a vaccine against pandemic flu?: 3 of 4

Abstract arguments made regarding intellectual property rights or the necessity of profit to commerce cannot be allowed to trump the lives of actual human beings in the event of a pandemic. Who in their right mind would argue that any corporation's 'right' to make the most profit possible must be protected, although huge por...
Arts & Humanities > Ethics Why your conscience is your own personal judge: 27 of 35

I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway. It wasn't like anyone got hurt - what's a bottle of nail polish in the grand scheme of things? And it was so easy to just slip it in my purse and walk out the door. But now I can't sleep. I feel like there's this big 'THIEF' sign hanging over my head as I walk to class. Can anyone el...
Health & Fitness > Cancer Diagnosing skin cancer and what you should do about it: 4 of 5

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with one in five Americans developing skin cancer during their lifetime. Over a million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually. Despite these alarming statistics, few skin cancers result in death. This is because most skin cancers are easily self-diagno...
Religion & Spirituality > Churches & Organizations Media framing distorts Anglican - Episcopal church dispute: 4 of 4

There's delicious irony in the historically hide-bound, elite Episcopalians suddenly becoming known for taking a radical stance on any issue whatsoever. How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb? The answer is, and always has been, a blank look and a wary question, "Change?" And yet, every time I see Episcop...
Entertainment > Hollywood & Movie Industry When movie violence becomes a form of pornography: 4 of 4

Violence is a part of life. Cinema exists to reflect and comment upon life. The question is not, 'Is there too much violence in movies?' or 'Should there be violent films?' It makes sense that there would be violence in the cinema. Violence, like sexuality, is a part of life, and so will be depicted in films. The question is...