February 26, 2009
A School Choice Argument From 1933
J. Gresham Machen:
"The only way in which a state-controlled school can be kept even relatively healthy is through the absolutely free possibility of competition by private schools and church schools; if it once becomes monopolistic, it is the most effective engine of tyranny and intellectual stagnation that has yet been devised." -- J. Gresham Machen: Selected Shorter Writings
HT: John Piper
Making Men Moral Conference
Owen Strachan is live-blogging the Making Men Moral conference currently being held at Union University.
HT: JT
Obama Wants a European Transformation
Charles Krauthammer makes the case, calling Tuesday's speech "the boldest social democratic manifesto ever issued by a U.S. president." Excerpt:
Reagan came to office to do something: shrink government, lower taxes, rebuild American defenses. Obama made clear Tuesday night that he intends to be equally transformative. His three goals: universal health care, universal education, and a new green energy economy highly funded and regulated by government.
February 24, 2009
Susan Hunt Conference: March 7 in Corona, CA
Susan Hunt, author of By Design, Spiritual Mothering and Women's Ministry in the Local Church (with Ligon Duncan), and (recently), Sammy and His Shepherd, is doing a one-day conference in Corona, CA on By Design: God's Distinctive Calling for Women. The conference runs from 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM on Saturday, March 7 at Northpoint Evangelical Free Church. Registration runs about ~$30.
8:30 am Registration
9:00 am Session 1: Our Creation Design
10:45 am Session 2: Our Redemptive Calling
Noon Lunch (boxed meal is included in registration price)
1:00 pm Session 3: Generation to Generation
2:00 pm Question & Answer
HT: CBMW
February 23, 2009
Too Wise To Be Mistaken, Too Good To Be Unkind
God shall alone the refuge be,
And comfort of my mind;
Too wise to be mistaken, He,
Too good to be unkind.
In all his holy, sovereign will,
He is, I daily find,
Too wise to be mistaken, still
Too good to be unkind.
When I the tempter's rage endure,
'Tis God supports my mind;
Too wise to be mistaken, sure,
Too good to be unkind.
When sore afflictions on me lie,
He is (though I am blind)
Too wise to mistaken, yea,
Too good to be unkind.
What though I can't his goings see,
Nor all his footsteps find?
Too wise to be mistaken, He
Too good to be unkind.
Hereafter he will make me know,
And I shall surely find,
He was too wise to err, and O,
Too good to be unkind.
(By Samuel Medley, from A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship
February 21, 2009
Biblical Discipline and Children on the Autism Spectrum
The dramatic rise in the rate of autism diagnoses represents a deep sadness for some twelve million parents and a growing challenge for society at large. Experts tell us that an astonishing 1% of the population is autistic. Is the disturbing autism trend real, or is it just the latest secular excuse for bad behavior in children? For Christians committed to building their lives and their families on the word of God, a diagnosis of autism in a child represents a particularly acute conundrum: To what extent should the world's methods (particularly behavior modification techniques) be employed, since they are essentially rooted in the work of atheistic psychologist B.F. Skinner?
Dr. Laura Hendrickson is a biblical counselor, former psychiatrist, and the mother of an adult son who (at the age of two) was diagnosed as both autistic and mentally retarded. Years later he would become an honor student at University of California-San Diego. Currently serving at the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship in San Diego County, Dr. Hendrickson is the author of Finding Your Child's Way on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Unique Strengths, Mastering Behavior Challenges
It seems that nearly everyone knows a family with an autism spectrum child. Most recent figures suggest that the prevalence of all autism spectrum disorders in the United States is an astonishing 1% of the population in the United States, translating to twelve million parents and grandparents that are seeking answers.This recent article by Dr. Hendrickson gives a flavor of where she's coming from on autism spectrum disorders, early intervention, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), medication, vaccines, and the role of pastoral support.There are many books available on how to “cure” an autistic preschooler, but none on how to raise one to adulthood. These promised cures raise parents’ hopes, but most parents will find that they are dealing with a lifelong challenge no matter what they do. Dr. Laura Hendrickson is a trained psychiatrist, biblical counselor¬—and the mother of an autistic child. She understands the struggles parents face as they try to communicate with their autism spectrum child and manage behavior challenges.
Building on Dr. Hendrickson’s medical background as well as her practical experience, Finding Your Child's Way on the Autism Spectrum
February 19, 2009
California Passes Budget With Tax Increase
Figure out how much your taxes went up if you are a California resident. Be warned: It is over $700 if your household earns as little as $40,000/year. Ouch!
[HT: Marni Chediak]
February 18, 2009
Interview with Susan Hunt
Ligonier Ministries posts an interview with Susan Hunt, author of the outstanding children's book Sammy and His Shepherd.
Obama: Sometimes 'Bipartisanship' Means Steamrolling the Minority
The President, writing in his best-selling book The Audacity of Hope
"Genuine bipartisanship assumes an honest process of give-and-take, and that the quality of the compromise is measured by how well it serves some agreed-upon goal, whether better schools or lower deficits. This in turn assumes that the majority will be constrained — by an exacting press corps and ultimately an informed electorate — to negotiate in good faith."If these conditions do not hold — if nobody outside Washington is really paying attention to the substance of the bill, if the true costs . . . are buried in phony accounting and understated by a trillion dollars or so — the majority party can begin every negotiation by asking for 100% of what it wants, go on to concede 10%, and then accuse any member of the minority party who fails to support this 'compromise' of being 'obstructionist.'"
"For the minority party in such circumstances, 'bipartisanship' comes to mean getting chronically steamrolled, although individual senators may enjoy certain political rewards by consistently going along with the majority and hence gaining a reputation for being 'moderate' or 'centrist.'"
February 17, 2009
Roland Burris Should Immediately Resign
Perhaps no one cares -- Illinois Governor Blagojevich is out of office and perhaps on his way to jail. But the quick-seating of Rolland Burris struck me as odd, and the recent admission by Burris that he sought to raise campaign funds for Blagojevich at the request of the governor’s brother while he was seeking the appointment to the vacated Senate seat totally unsurprising. On January 7 he testified under oath that he had contact with only one Blagojevich associate; now he admits that he in fact spoke with six different associates. But of course we are to believe that this new testimony is "completely consistent" with his previous testimony under oath. It's over. The man should have the decency to resign. Illinois deserves better representation.
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Recent Posts
- A School Choice Argument From 1933
- Making Men Moral Conference
- Obama Wants a European Transformation
- Susan Hunt Conference: March 7 in Corona, CA
- Too Wise To Be Mistaken, Too Good To Be Unkind
- Biblical Discipline and Children on the Autism Spectrum
- California Passes Budget With Tax Increase
- Interview with Susan Hunt
- Obama: Sometimes 'Bipartisanship' Means Steamrolling the Minority
- Roland Burris Should Immediately Resign