August 29, 2010
God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck
Russell Moore provides an excellent corrective to the disturbing trend of Christians undiscerningly jumping on the bandwagon of Beck's recent God-and-country "revival." An excerpt:
Beck isn’t the problem. He’s an entrepreneur, he’s brilliant, and, hats off to him, he knows his market. Latter-day Saints have every right to speak, with full religious liberty, in the public square. I’m quite willing to work with Mormons on various issues, as citizens working for the common good. What concerns me here is not what this says about Beck or the “Tea Party” or any other entertainment or political figure. What concerns me is about what this says about the Christian churches in the United States.Do read the whole thing.It’s taken us a long time to get here, in this plummet from Francis Schaeffer to Glenn Beck. In order to be this gullible, American Christians have had to endure years of vacuous talk about undefined “revival” and “turning America back to God” that was less about anything uniquely Christian than about, at best, a generically theistic civil religion and, at worst, some partisan political movement.........Too often, and for too long, American “Christianity” has been a political agenda in search of a gospel useful enough to accommodate it. There is a liberation theology of the Left, and there is also a liberation theology of the Right, and both are at heart mammon worship. The liberation theology of the Left often wants a Barabbas, to fight off the oppressors as though our ultimate problem were the reign of Rome and not the reign of death. The liberation theology of the Right wants a golden calf, to represent religion and to remind us of all the economic security we had in Egypt. Both want a Caesar or a Pharaoh, not a Messiah.
Photo credit: The Atlantic
August 28, 2010
The Value of Brevity
Adriel Ifland, Executive Assistant to the President of Acts 29 (Scott Thomas), lists 6 common reasons for lack of brevity in communication (or correspondence), and one caveat. His point is well made.
August 20, 2010
Wallis Admits That Sojourners Has Received Soros Funding
Sarah Pulliam Bailey of Christianity Today has a good run-down on the Olasky-Wallis exchange over whether Sojourners has received funding from liberal billionaire George Soros' Open Society Institute. Here's a quick summary:
1. Last month, Marvin Olasky openly invited Jim Wallis to admit that his organization, Sojouners, had received financial support from the Open Society Institute (an organization that has financed groups promoting abortion, atheism, and same-sex marriage). Olasky attributed a more than tripling of Sojourners' revenues over the last decade to secular leftists learning "to use the religious left to elect Obama and others."
2. Wallis denied receiving funds from Soros and accused Olasky of lying.
3. Olasky responded, providing more evidence that Sojourners had received funding from Soros.
4. Wallis admitted that Sojourners has received Soros funding, but says that the "three grants received over 10 years from the Open Society Institute...made up the tiniest fraction of Sojourners' funding during that decade -- so small that I hadn't remembered them."
August 18, 2010
Ideological Indoctrination On College Campuses
With the next academic year about to kick-off, Dr. Mohler has a timely word on a pair of disturbing articles which make plain the ideological indoctrination that happens on many secular college and university campuses, particularly, as Dr. Mohler notes, "in elite institutions and within the liberal arts faculties."
Mohler writes:
Even as most professors see themselves as stewards of the teaching profession and fellow learners with their students, others see their role in very different terms — as agents of ideological indoctrination. All teaching involves ideology and intellectual commitments. There is no position of authentic objectivity. Every teacher, as well as every student, comes into the classroom with certain intellectual commitments. Some professors set as their aim the indoctrination of students into their own worldview, and many of these worldviews are both noxious and deeply troubling. A professor who acts as such an agent of indoctrination abuses the stewardship of teaching and the professorial calling, but this abuse is more widespread and dangerous than many students and their parents understand.Read the whole thing.For Christian parents and students, this should be a matter of deep concern and active awareness. The secularization of most educational institutions is an accomplished fact. Indeed, many college and university campuses are deeply antagonistic to Christian truth claims and the beliefs held by millions of students and their families. Furthermore, the leftist bent of most faculty is well-documented, especially in elite institutions and within the liberal arts faculties. On many campuses, a significant number of faculty members are representatives of what has been called the “adversary culture.” They see their role as political and ideological, and they define their teaching role in these terms. Their agenda is nothing less than to separate students from their Christian beliefs and their intellectual and moral commitments.
August 06, 2010
State Debt and the 2008 Presidential Vote
CNN, together with Moody’s Investor Services, published a map of the U.S. showing per capita state debt. There's an interesting correlation: The 28 states that went for Obama in 2008 have more than twice the per capita state debt ($1,728) as the 22 states that voted for McCain ($749). The Obama states seem to possess not only a political preference for big government, but an inherent incentive for it. Or perhaps the two go hand-in-hand?
HT: Chuck DeVore, who has more details.
Declining Study Time Signals Falling Standards
I previously wrote a pair of posts about grade inflation and student performance. Yesterday, The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote:
The amount of time spent studying has fallen drastically among full-time students in all demographic groups, whether they work or not, at all types of four-year colleges, according to a report released on Thursday by the American Enterprise Institute. The report, "Leisure College, USA," cites data from various national surveys to show that the average student studied 24 hours a week in 1961 and 14 hours a week in 2003. Colleges' "standards for effort have plummeted" as they cater to students' preferences for leisure, the report says, a shift that may slow economic growth. But there's good news: "College is cheaper than most people think." Modern college students' time savings, the report says, more than compensate for increased tuition.The last couple of lines here are a bit misleading, in my view. I'm not sure it is "good news" that students today pay more in college tuition, but gain degrees that are essentially worth less (since academic standards are now lower). Should there be any comfort in the fact that it takes them less (overall) time to earn such degrees?
August 05, 2010
Why the Proposition 8 Decision Matters
Yesterday, Judge Vaughn R Walker struck down Proposition 8, which the CA voters had passed in 2008. In an article carried by Christianity Today, Dr. Albert Mohler gives some perspective as to why it's a big deal, even if this decision is later overturned, and even if this ruling was anticipated (which it was):
The importance of the decision handed down yesterday by U. S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker in California's Proposition 8 trial will be difficult to exaggerate. Proponents of same-sex marriage immediately declared a major victory—and for good reason. The editorial board of The New York Times declared the verdict "an instant landmark in American legal history," and so it is, even if later reversed upon appeal.Read the whole thing.Judge Walker's decision is sweeping and comprehensive, basically affirming every argument and claim put forth by those demanding that California's Proposition 8 be declared unconstitutional. That proposition, affirmed by a clear majority of California voters, amended the state's constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. In one brazen act of judicial energy, California's voters were told that they had no right to define marriage, and thousands of years of human wisdom were discarded as irrational.
July 30, 2010
Anne Rice leaves "Christianity"
It is somewhat fashionable these days to claim to follow Jesus but not want to be associated with Christianity (in any organized sense). It's basically a "me and Jesus" thing. That seems to be the route that famous vampire novelist Anne Rice may be taking. This Wednesday she posted on Facebook:
Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.....I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of ...Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.But perhaps in an attempt to avoid misunderstanding, the next day she added:
My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been, or might become.Her current status is far better than pessimistic atheism, but I'm not sure how "following Christ does not mean following His followers." Would that include not following the Apostles? While no Christian would claim the perfection of Christ, the New Testament records Paul's instruction that we should imitate him as he (imperfectly) imitates Christ (I Cor. 11:1), and that we should submit to elders in a local church, who themselves also have accountability (cf. Heb. 13:7). In salvation we are not only united to Christ but are adopted into His imperfect family of saints being refashioned into the image of God (cf. Eph. 4:1-16). I don't know much about her, but I hope that Ms. Rice is receiving biblical instruction and is part of some Christian faith community. Perhaps she could press through this phase into full-orbed, biblical Christianity, which embraces both Christ and His imperfect, but progressively sanctified bride.
July 29, 2010
Overpaid Professors?
Particularly for those in or considering a career in academia, here's a good article on the challenges and compensation associated with faculty positions.
July 27, 2010
Andrew Peterson - Counting Stars
Dancing in the Minefields is a beautiful song from Andrew Peterson's new album (which releases today) called Counting Stars
And here's a short video about his most recent album:
HT: JT
Orlando Sentinel Story on Sproul's Influence on "New Calvinists"
Pretty good story by the Orlando Sentinel on R.C. Sproul's ministry and recent activities (new church facility, founding a Bible College) as they relate to the rising popularity of Calvinism among young evangelicals.
HT: Chris Larson
July 26, 2010
Interview - Jim Newheiser - You Never Stop Being a Parent
Last week I reviewed the latest book from Jim Newheiser & Elyse Fitzpatrick, You Never Stop Being a Parent: Thriving in Relationship With Your Adult Children. These two also co-authored When Good Kids Make Bad Choices.
I'm grateful that Pastor Jim was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about their most recent book.
Pastor Jim, thank you very much for being available. There's a lot of discussion in the secular media about "helicopter parents". Among Christians, is there a real trend to "over-parenting" in our day?
I want to preface my responses by stating our conviction that the Word of God is our sole authority which we believe to be fully sufficient to teach us how to live in a way that pleases God in all areas of life - including how to relate to our adult kids. These answers are brief. These topics are much more fully developed, with Scriptural exposition, in the book.
One of the most significant problems I have seen among Christian parents is the unwillingness to let go of their kids as they become adults. There is no more sure way to provoke a young adult to anger than to treat him as a child. In the book we seek to establish that the Bible teaches that a young person comes of age at which time he or she is primarily responsible for his or her own life decisions (even if the parents don't like the decisions being made). On the other hand, if the child is still living under the parents' roof or dependent upon parental finances, then the parents have the right to have reasonable expectations as a condition for the child continuing to receive support.
Many young adults want full adult privileges and freedoms, while still expecting their parents to provide for their material needs. Once a child is an adult the relationship is by mutual agreement. The child living at home can always choose to leave if he doesn't like his parents' rules. The parents likewise are free to force the child to move out if he or she refuses to live according to expectations. On the other hand, if the child who is living in the home is meeting basic expectations, the parent should offer encouragement and avoid micromanaging the child.
What are "reasonable goals" for a parent to seek for their kids?
Parents seek to prepare their children to live as responsible godly adults. Our greatest desire is to see them converted and serving the Lord. Beyond that we long to see them grow in wisdom in the various areas addressed by the book of Proverbs -- wisdom in friendship, in speech, in acquiring a skill and working hard, in financial matters, in moral purity, etc. When adult children are living at home they should be there with a clearly defined purpose, rather than aimlessly wasting their time (as many young adults are prone to do). Valid reasons for remaining home could include completing one's education, establishing a trade or a business, working and saving money for a future marriage or home, etc.
Parents may be forced to distinguish between their ideals for their kids and the minimum expectations they must meet if they are to remain in the home. Adult children living in the home should be working hard (as many hours a week as the parents have to work to provide the house) at either a job and/or their education.
When (by what age) should a parent aim to "launch" their kids into adulthood (to use the metaphor of arrows, Ps. 127:4)? 18? 22? Does it depend?
In Numbers 32:11 the Lord stated that none of the men twenty and above, who followed the unbelieving ten spies rather than Joshua and Caleb, would enter the promised land. This implies that by the age of twenty they were considered adults who were responsible for their own choices and that they should have chosen differently than their parents. So twenty seems like a good starting place. The legal age of adulthood in our culture is eighteen which is probably close enough. There may be cases in which a child is living as an independent adult at a younger age while others are not ready until later. Once a child is "of age" (a legal adult in our culture) the continuation of parental oversight is by mutual consent. The child can choose to leave, even if he is not ready. The parent also is free to send the child out of the home if he is not willing to live according to family rules and expectations.
Is a college student a child or an adult (assuming the typical age, 18-22)? Should a Christian student honor his parents' wishes in the selection of a major? And what if his parents are non-Christians with ungodly motivations?
I have seen parents who have been over-controlling in their childrens' education. Sometimes these parents are seeking to live out their frustrated ambitions through their kids. Some parents may place too much pressure on their children to choose a major which leads to worldly wealth, while the child may believe a different field of study would better equip him to serve the Lord. Because the child is going to live with the consequences of his educational decisions for the rest of his life, I think the decision should be primarily his. On the other hand, a wise child will seek and seriously consider the counsel of his parents. Also, the parents aren't obligated to finance a choice with which they strongly disagree. My advice to them, however, would be to respect their child's budding adulthood.
How should parents and children handle disagreements in the selection of spouse?
While I believe that the ideal courtship situation will include much wise input from parents on both sides, I am convinced that the final choice of whether to marry and whom to marry rests with the child. I Cor. 7:39 says that a widow may marry whom she will -- not whom her father or brother wills. A father may give his daughter a promise ring when she is twelve and have her commit to not ever date or court a young man without her father's permission, but when she is twenty one she may not believe that she is bound by that commitment. If parents have a wonderful and loving relationship with their young adult they will have a lot of influence on his or her choice of a spouse. If the relationship is bad, they will have little or no influence, no matter what amount of control they believe they should have. We have written an entire chapter on this subject in the book.
What's your view of parents leaving an inheritance for their kids? What are the dangers? The benefits? What kind of circumstantial factors should be considered? Should inheritance (if any) always be (on principle) equally divided among the children?
Proverbs commends giving an inheritance to our kids (Prov. 13:22), but also warns that inheritances can be squandered (Prov. 20:21). Often the best way we can help our adult kids is to give them some of their inheritance while we are still alive (and when they most need our help). For example, helping them with their education which will lead to a well paying job could be a great inheritance. Some parents help their kids buy their first home. I do not believe that money needs to be doled out with absolute equality. One child may be very well off financially, while another may be suffering from severe health problems or disabilities, and another may be working as a foreign missionary. Or one child may be a substance abusing gambler who would quickly squander any inheritance. We also warn that financial matters are dangerous. If you do choose to treat your children differently, it is important to explain what you are doing and why to the children who receive less.
Thanks again, Pastor Jim.
July 22, 2010
Obama's Approval Numbers & Strategy: 2010 and 2012
Karl Rove explains the disconnect between Democrats in Congress and the Obama White House, suggesting the current malaise may well extend to 2012. Charles Krauthammer, in an apparent contrast, warns Republicans not to underestimate Obama, who has achieved a string of historic legislative victories (Stimulus, Health Care, Financial Reform). The consequence of these new initiatives is "the creation of ruinous deficits as far as the eye can see." But there's a larger strategy underway.
I think Krauthammer nails it: Obama may look weak now, but his reelection campaign will be fierce and tough to defeat.
July 21, 2010
John Piper's Advice For Those Starting College
As part of my research for the book I'm writing, I re-listened to a 30-minute message that John Piper gave to those who completed a one-year gap program (post-high school, pre-college). These students were (for the most part) on their way to traditional, four-year colleges and universities. The principles Piper laid out are helpful, I think, for any college or college-bound student. The main thing that jumps out in a day in which students increasingly want to acquire "practical" skills ("When am I going to use this stuff in the real world?") is the advice that it's OK if you don't yet know what you want to do with your life. Seek mainly to become a certain kind of person.
July 20, 2010
You Never Stop Being A Parent - Jim Newheiser & Elyse Fitzpatrick
There are numerous good books on Christian parenting, aimed primarily at young children or even the teen years in particular. But Jim Newheiser and Elyse Fitzpatrick have done the church a great service by writing a book on parenting adult children. This theme is particularly important in our day with the twixter and adultolescence phenomena in full swing.
Newheiser and Fitzpatrick give wise, biblical, nuanced counsel on how parents can and should carefully and lovingly release their children, like arrows, as they enter the adult years (Ps. 127:4). While many parents seek an unhealthy degree of control over their adult children, other parents neglect restraining their ungodly children and ultimately aid and abet their descent into sin, as we see with Eli, who honored his sons above God (I Sam. 2:29-30).
In contrast, Christian parents should ground their training in the gospel, seeking to impart and model biblical principles, and asking the Holy Spirit to make them "stick". We simply cannot control our adult children; we must trust God when we're scared about the course of their lives, and as we see them, in some cases, suffer the consequences for their poor choices. Often parents unhelpfully prevent their children from reaping the consequences of their actions and "hitting bottom" as it were). Yet the prodigal son did not come to his senses until he was eating the pig slop. This book doesn't shy away from the hard cases; no, many gut-wrenching examples are delineated in detail, and the book's principles are applied to these cases in a wonderfully practical way.
Parents should:
1. Teach their children the love of God in Christ Jesus
2. Teach their children to fear God and live for His glory
3. Show their children how to put others ahead of themselves
4. Help their children learn how to communicate with wisdom and humility
5. Teach your children God's design for sex and marriage
6. Teach your children to choose their friends carefully
7. Let their children practice making choices of adulthood
8. Teach their children the true value of hard work and money
If children wish to move back into the home of their parents, or remain in that home as adults, they must agree to abide by the rules of that home, whether they are Christians or not. In some cases, the authors suggest a contract with the adult child that requires some form of productivity on her part (furthering her education, working a job, volunteering). Its one thing for a responsible, productive 20 year old to be living with his parents, but it is something very different for a 30 year old to move back home because of problems with debt or drugs. The latter should be granted less trust and more structured accountability (he needs to re-earn trust). In the last few chapters, the authors tackle the thorny topics of money and marriage. Should a parent give his children an inheritance? If so, should it be equal for all children? What if Mom and Dad disapprove of a son or daughter's choice for a spouse? Again, the authors offer carefully balanced wisdom, avoiding either extreme.
I'll hopefully have an interview with Pastor Newheiser to post soon. In the meantime, I highly recommend this excellent book for all parents of adult children, and for pastors who counsel both parents and/or adult children.
A couple endorsements:
Perfect timing. Just as the questions from parents with adult children start streaming in, we have solid, biblical material to put in their hands. And the book is packed. No sooner did I think, “But what about . . .” before the next illustration set me off on a wise course. Thank you.
- Ed Welch, Director of Counseling, Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation
"I never speak on the topic of raising children without facing the inevitable questions about how to respond to adult children who are struggling with the transition between childhood and adulthood. You Never Stop Being a Parent answers the most frequently asked questions with biblical clarity, wisdom, and insight. This book will help parents to think with clarity about the many issues raised by interacting with adult children. The answers it gives are not only clear and practical, but richly gospel-centered and filled with hope. This is a book I will buy in bulk and recommend to many.
- Tedd Tripp, Pastor, Conference Speaker, Author of Shepherding a Child’s Heart
July 19, 2010
Sarah Palin Needs To Call Doug Wilson
If she wishes to run for President, Doug Wilson's advice to Sarah Palin is spot-on:
1. Learning to brush aside tawdry and otherwise inappropriate media-driven topics with classy or witty one-liners.
2. Ditch the reinvention of feminism thing. It's an overreach.
3. Learn to not sound ignorant in instances where she is ignorant. Better to be silent than sound vapid.
That said, I do not think Palin should run. She would get clobbered in the primaries. She would be far more effective in the role of king (and queen) maker, tapping candidates from her Facebook account, boosting their campaigns without ever getting on a plane. By never running, the hype will continue to swell, prolonging her influence for years to come. She can appear -- and truly be -- above it all, so to speak. If she becomes far more knowledgeable on the issues, she might someday have the potential. But as far as 2012 is concerned, I have not seen her doing her homework nearly as much as would be needed. Romney, Gingrich, and several others are sure to run, and they would make quick work of her.
HT: Denny Burk
July 16, 2010
Don't Waste Your Life Sentence
The Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, LA is home to about 5000 inmates. Not only is it our nation's largest prison, it has historically been one of the most brutal and violent. With 90% of its men slated to die within its confines, and without the possibility of parole, hopelessness ran high, as did murder and suicide.
But that was before Warden Burl Cain was installed. Cain has brought the gospel of Jesus Christ and its hope to the inmates, and violence has sharply decreased. As John Piper describes:
There is a local extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in the prison and about 140 prisoners are enrolled. There are six churches in the prison and they train their own pastors. They send trained “missionaries” to other prisons to plant churches. They do this without using any tax money. But O the money—and lives—it saves!Piper goes on to share how he was able to minister to a man on death row (a man who has since received the death penalty) and to preach to the prisoners last November.
The Desiring God team has made a film about the inmates, their experience, John's visit, and the hope of Christ that permeates their prison. It is available now for pre-order for only $10. Here's the trailer:
July 15, 2010
Karl Rove's Biggest Mistake in the White House
In today's WSJ, Karl Rove describes what he views as his biggest mistake: Failing to refute charges that President Bush lied about WMD to lead the country into the Iraq War. Rove writes:
At the time, we in the Bush White House discussed responding [to the charge that Bush lied] but decided not to relitigate the past. That was wrong and my mistake: I should have insisted to the president that this was a dagger aimed at his administration's heart. What Democrats started seven years ago left us less united as a nation to confront foreign challenges and overcome America's enemies.I completely agree. The rising popularity of the mantra, "Bush lied, people died" was (as Rove writes) like a dagger aimed at the heart of the President's administration. It surely led to the GOP being walloped in the 2006 elections, though it had not yet gained enough steam to topple Bush's reelection in 2004.We know President Bush did not intentionally mislead the nation. Saddam Hussein was deposed and eventually hanged for his crimes. Iraq is a democracy and an ally instead of an enemy of America. Al Qaeda suffered tremendous blows in the "land between the two rivers." But Democrats lost more than the election in 2004. In telling lie after lie, week after week, many lost their honor and blackened their reputations.
But more than that, Rove correctly argues, the political success of "Bush lied, people died" left an indelible stain on public discourse, as "it opened the way for politicians in both parties to move the debate from differences over issues into ad hominem attacks." If they wish to become a majority party again, the GOP needs to rise above this sort of vitriol with careful, persuasive reasoning, both in the advancement of their ideas and in their refutation of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi's agendas.
Well intentioned people can disagree on whether the Iraq War should have been waged. But we should not forget that many people on both sides of the aisle thought Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of WMD. Surely Rove has more to say on this topic in his memoir, Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight
So what did happen to the WMD? Hussein had it at one time. Did he destroy it, like he said? Did he give it away? The best take I've heard on this is from Saddam Hussein himself on 60 minutes. The interview was taken shortly before his execution. Hussein explained that he did not actually have any WMD in 2003, but that he needed his enemies to think he had them. Having risen to power with brutality and thuggery, he had to rely on fear to remain in command. [If the video's don't work, the transcript is here.]
July 14, 2010
Manute Bol, 1962-2010
Mindy Belz of World Magazine has a good summary of how Manute Bol, a Christian from South Sudan, lived and died for his country. An excerpt:
...Bol himself had 250 members of his own extended family killed at the hands of Khartoum's Islamic government during the war. (His father named him Manute, meaning "special blessing."). Remarkable also for a 7-foot-7 NBA star drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1985 and later traded to the Golden State Warriors, 76ers, and Miami Heat. He played 10 seasons as the tallest center in the NBA, earning an estimated $6 million that most who know him say was spent on helping Sudanese. "God guided me to America and gave me a good job," he notably said, "but he also gave me a heart so I would look back."Read the whole thing.
(Photo: Sudan Sunrise)
July 10, 2010
Wired for Intimacy
The pervasiveness of pornography in our culture is obvious and widely discussed. Pornography is primarily marketed to and consumed by men. But why? How does it work? And how can men find freedom? Dr. William Struthers, Associate Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College, has written a very interesting and informative book on how pornography hijacks the male brain and (more importantly) how the very impulses (the drive for intimacy) which propel men toward pornography can lead them out of depravity and into holiness.
The book is divided into two sections: How Pornography Works and Healthy Masculinity and Sexuality. Each section has four chapters. Chapter 1 addresses our culture's saturation with porn. Pornography is hard to define, and therefore hard to legally restrict. Those who produce it claim to be exercising their first amendment rights. Their materials are not harmful, they argue, since all participants are consenting adults. Moreover, they say, you can't prove that porn causes men a host of social, psychological, emotional, and spiritual problems (to say nothing of the problems for women). With the Internet comes access, affordability, and anonymity. In addition, the Internet provides opportunities for communication (chat rooms) and connecting with others (hook up sites). Chapter 2 discusses porn's corruption of intimacy. Rather than sexual intimacy between a husband and wife in a maturing healthy relationship, a man learns to focus on the physiology of sexual sensations detached from any significant relationship. This brings shame, increasing loneliness, and less libido for their wives (or girlfriends). Chapter 3 expands on these consequences. Chapter 4 goes into how a man's brain is wired and how porn use creates neural pathways in a man's brain that train his process of arousal.
The next section begins with a chapter on what it means to be made male in God's image. It interacts with the previous chapter in terms of the brain's healthy or unhealthy sexual development, but in less technical detail than chapter 4. Chapter 6 is on masculinity. Men learn masculinity from an older male figure. Dr. Struthers says the masculine voice affirms, grows as it is challenged, and defends and protects loved ones from evil. Chapter 7 discusses the male need for intimacy, and how many men, by not enjoying appropriate non-sexual intimacy with other male friends, are more susceptible to the allure of porn. Lots of great insight in this chapter on how a man can grow in tenderness and intimacy with his wife and others. Chapter 8 is on rewiring and sanctification. Here is where Dr. Struthers gives specific insight on how "neural pathways can be rewired" so that men's natural drive for intimacy can lead us toward holiness rather than depravity.
With a background and interest in science, the whole idea of the book was interesting. But even if you never were interested in science or the brain, the second half of the book would be very helpful to any man seeking greater sexual holiness. Here's an excerpt from the last chapter:
Imagine that you could be neurologically "enslaved" to purity rather than porn. Enslaved to seeing the dignity of each individual rather than their utility to you. This is the distinction between the journey toward sanctification and the journey toward depravity. As you travel farther along either road, you pick up momentum and it becomes harder to turn around. The farther down the road you travel, the less opportunity you have to deviate from the road as it narrows. The road to depravity leads into the heart of hell and yields isolation. The road toward sanctification, however, leads into the heart of God and yields freedom from temptation.What's unique about this book is the emphasis on the physical (brain chemistry) aspects of the addition to porn. But don't assume that Dr. Struthers leaves any room for men to "blame it on their brains." No, he writes, "We are still responsible for our actions...The knowledge that we get from Scripture and science should not be used to deny, justify, rationalize, minimize, normalize or celebrate the exercising of brokenness."
July 09, 2010
LeBron James vs. David Robinson
Hearing a bit about the LeBron James extravaganza last night reminded me of David Robinson's classy NBA Hall of Fame acceptance speech:
As for LeBron, Will Leitch wrote in New York Magazine:
Fans of teams in the LeBron Derby were disappointed — though no one as much as Cavs fans — but mostly they were flabbergasted by the tone deafness of the whole enterprise. LeBron James was a man breaking hearts across the country, and there he was, with an old bald white man peddling for-profit online education, and a short smug onetime sportscaster now just happy to be on TV. There they all were, trying to sell us something. After that. It was hawking souvenirs before the wake was over. And no one onscreen seemed to find this wrong.Read the whole thing.
Fish don't know they're in the water because water is all they know. Likewise, many of us can't recognize narcissism anymore because it is the air we breathe. A new, provocative title on this trend is The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement
July 08, 2010
Global Warming: Good Questions To Ask
Dr. Jay W. Richards gave a helpful presentation on various questions surrounding global warming back in 2007 on the campus of the University of California (Davis). He first gives a theistic foundation (Genesis 1-3) for man's role in a world made by God. Then he raises (and seeks to answer) a logical sequence of important questions:
1. Is the Earth warming?
2. Are humans causing the Earth to warm?
3. Is it a bad thing if the Earth is warming?
4. Would the advised policies make any difference?
I appreciate Dr. Richards' being willing to go where the data leads without any rigid ideological commitment. Check it out:
A Christian Perspective on the Environment Part 1 of 2 from The Veritas Forum on Vimeo.
HT: JT
July 07, 2010
With God On Our Side
Kevin Miller, co-writer of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
In my view, much of what is published on this topic is both heavily biased (for one side or the other) and/or overly vitriolic. I once asked a Christian friend whom I trust and who has traveled extensively in the Muslim world if there was any "fair and balanced" news source/blog on this topic. He was not aware of one. Part of the problem is that each side tends to question the other side's "indisputable facts", which makes the subject even more daunting for those of us who have never lived there and don't have a Ph.D. on the history of the dispute(s).
Nevertheless, as Christians, it seems we should exemplify honest and charitable dialogue, even when we disagree. With God On Our Side is a remarkably informative and redemptive documentary which, while critical of modern day Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and even more critical of a strand of Christian Zionism which offers unflinching support for the Jewish state regardless of its actions, doesn't stop there. It seeks to promote mutual understanding and reconciliation between the two quarreling peoples and also raise awareness among American Christians of the plight of Palestinian Christians. This latter aspect is what I found most encouraging. Because regardless of one's view of the nation of Israel, its history and/or its actions, we should agree that Palestinian Christians are squeezed by Muslim groups in their own country, by Israeli strictures designed (at least ostensibly) to ward off acts of terrorism, but which disadvantageously impact all Palestinians, and by a lack of support from the United States. In fact, the documentary helpfully quotes Christian Zionist leader John Hagee making that very point.
Secondly, I think even careful dispensationalists should agree that one's view of Israel's role in end-times prophecy should not make the Jewish state immune to criticism. Even in the hay day of the Davidic kingdom, Israel was not beyond receiving severe discipline from God (e.g., 2 Sam. 24). And most would agree that the first Advent of Christ signified a new era in redemptive history in which the kingdom of God is now advancing invisibly through the gospel gaining adherents from every tribe, language, people, and nation. God's kingdom is thus not within the bounds of any geopolitical nation-state. I would hope that even dispensationalists would be careful in speaking of the Jews as "God's chosen people". No Christian I know disputes the uniqueness of the Israeli race (Jacob and his posterity) in biblical history, but apart from individual faith in Christ, every Jew will face the eternal wrath of God (Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12; I Tim. 2:5). The same applies to members of every other race. Surely, as Christians, we should agree on that.
Lastly, we should remember that social justice, while a good thing, should never be elevated above the gospel -- the one gospel which both Jews and Palestinians need (and which unites with an irrevocable bond those from both ethnicities who have embraced it) -- and the one gospel whose implications would lead to peace and reconciliation.
Perhaps my favorite character in the documentary was Palestinian Christian Salim Munayer. Though I don't know him besides what's in the documentary, I was encourage by his winsome humility, grace, balance, and desire to see reconciliation and peace between the two peoples. I wish the film had included an interview with an ethnically Jewish Christian living in Israel to go alongside the commentary from Munayer. It would have likewise been good (and in line with the redemptive, peace-seeking spirit of the film) to hear the Israeli perspective (from local Jews) on some of the subject matter discussed (like the ongoing settlements and the wall of separation). But I suppose there is only so much that can fit in an 82 minute documentary.
Here's a short presentation of Munayer explaining the importance of embracing an approach that is pro-Jew and pro-Palestinian as well as the theological problems that invariably arise when we only embrace one at the expense of the other:
Theology of Reconciliation from Porter Speakman Jr on Vimeo.
And here's the official trailer:
I've heard that the July 2010 issue of Christianity Today includes a review of With God On Our Side, giving it four out of five stars. When the review becomes available, I'll link to it.
Update: In this 2004 sermon on Rom. 11:25-32, pastor John Piper (a proponent of the historic premillennial view) makes extended remarks on Israel, Palestine and the Middle East. Whether you agree with that eschatology or not, his observations and logic are well worth considering.
Hawaii Governor Vetoes Civil Unions Bill
The Governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle (R), vetoed a bill that would have permitted same-sex civil unions, noting that "House Bill 444 is essentially marriage by another name." At this point, the issue could be put to a referendum (Lingle actually suggested this), or the Legislature (presumably) could muster the votes to override the veto.
Many were surprised that Prop 8 (a ban of same-sex "marriage") passed in California. To date, gay "marriage" has lost in every single state -- 31 in all -- in which it has been put to a popular vote. It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out with the voters in Hawaii.
July 06, 2010
Elena Kagan Should Be Opposed
I recommend the GOP filibuster Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination. Though elections have consequences, and presidents understandably nominate judges who share their ideology, Kagan went beyond the proper bounds of jurisprudence in her politically-motivated intervention with the partial-birth abortion report by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Senator Orrin Hatch is right to oppose her on these grounds, and others should follow his lead. [GOP leader Mitch McConnell is also a no vote.]
For background on this issue, see these two posts and this essay in Slate by William Saletan (who, though himself pro-choice, castigates Kagan).
Though a bit dated already, here's a breakdown on some of the key deciders that could reject Kagan.
HT: JT
Does the Internet Make You Dumber or Smarter?
These two WSJ articles are a good introduction to the ongoing debate as to whether the Internet makes us dumber or smarter. Nicholas Carr argues that we're turning into shallow thinkers. And Clay Shirky gives the opposite perspective, noting that Carr's concerns of intellectual collapse have been raised at the onset of past technological breakthroughs (e.g., Gutenberg's press), and were proved false.
July 05, 2010
More on Grade Inflation and Student Academic Performance
A few weeks ago I wrote about Student Evaluations, Grade Inflation, and Declining Student Academic Effort. In short, the data unambiguously reveals:
1. Average GPAs are higher than in past times: The average college GPA has rised from the 2.5 or 2.6 range in about 1960 to well over 3.0 today.
At some prestigious private universities, like Harvard, 50% of students receive As in courses. On the one hand, Harvard is only drawing from the most promising, most academically gifted students in the nation. On the other hand, such a practice still degrades the meaning of an "A" at Harvard, as Harvey Mansfield discusses.
2. Students are spending less time studying at college. A National Bureau of Economic Research report (unavailable on the Internet, but which I've perused) reveals: "In 1961, the average student spent 40 hours a week engaged in their studies—attending class and studying. By 2003, this had declined by nearly one-third to 27 hours weekly."
In response to these findings, one naturally wonders: Are students perhaps getting both smarter (hence higher grades) and more efficient in their study methods (hence less study time, and more time for a part-time off-campus job, etc.), perhaps due to the advance of interactive technology, which facilitates and streamlines the learning process? I don't deny that such technology can be very helpful; I employ it in my own classes and am pleased with the results. But having reviewed some research, I don't think students are on average stronger than their predecessors. They may in fact be weaker. First, mean SAT scores of college-bound high school seniors have decreased in the last 40 years by about 6-8%. In addition, reports indicate that students are increasingly disengaged from their studies (Saenz et al., 2007) and that the literacy of graduates has declined (Kutner et al., 2006). [These papers are cited in this publication.]
Last but not least, an important and widely cited new book
July 01, 2010
Abortion as "The Lesser Evil"
An amazingly brazen article by Antonia Senior in the London Times argues that life begins at conception, but the destruction of that life is a lesser evil than the denial of a woman's full control over her fertility. The article's conclusion:
The mystery pondered on many a girls’ night out is how on earth men, bless them, managed to hang on to political and cultural hegemony for so long. The only answer is that they are not in hock to their biology as much as we are. Look at a map of the world and the right to abortion on request correlates pretty exactly with the expectation of a life unburdened by misogyny.I think Ms. Senior says bluntly what many others believe more quietly: Regardless of the fetus' status, the right to abort is primary.As ever, when an issue we thought was black and white becomes more nuanced, the answer lies in choosing the lesser evil. The nearly 200,000 aborted babies in the UK each year are the lesser evil, no matter how you define life, or death, for that matter. If you are willing to die for a cause, you must be prepared to kill for it, too.
Quite a frightening perspective.
HT: Denny Burk
June 30, 2010
Christopher Hitchens Has Cancer
Pray for Christopher Hitchens, that the God whose truth he suppresses would save him. Hitchens released this statement through his publisher, noting the suspension of his Hitch-22: A Memoir
I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me. I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice.The LA Times writes that this chemotherapy treatment is due to a diagnosis of esophageal cancer.
HT: @Hunterbaker
John Wooden - A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court
I read Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court
Wooden was strongly influenced by his father, from whom he gained these maxims: Never lie, never cheat, never steal. Don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses. John was born in 1910 in the town of Hall, Indiana and at the age of 8 moved with his family to a small farm in Centerton in 1918. After graduating in 1928, he attended Purdue University, where he helped lead the Boilermakers to the 1932 National Championship, as determined by a panel vote rather than the NCAA tournament, which did not begin until 1939. Graduating with a degree in English, John was named All-Big Ten and All-Midwestern (1930–32) while at Purdue, and he was the first player ever to be named a three-time All-American.
After college, Mr. Wooden balanced professional basketball while teaching high school English. He also began to coach at the high school level. In 1942, he joined the Navy in the midst of World War II, leaving three years later as a lieutenant. In 1961, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
After WWII, Wooden coached at Indiana Teacher's College (now named Indiana State University) for a few years, during which time they also made him the baseball coach and the athletic director. He did this while teaching and earning a masters degree in education. This from Wikipedia is fascinating:
In 1947, Wooden's basketball team won the Indiana Collegiate Conference title and received an invitation to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) National Tournament in Kansas City. Wooden refused the invitation, citing the NAIB's policy banning African American players. One of Wooden's players was Clarence Walker, an African-American from East Chicago, Indiana.After the 1947–48 season, Wooden became the head coach at UCLA, a position he held for 27 years, winning 10 national championships during his last 12 years and becoming (arguably) the most successful coach in the history of college basketball. After retiring from UCLA, he fulfilled a variety of public speaking engagements but lived a relatively modest life until passing away earlier this summer just four months shy of his 100th birthday.
Here are some of my favorite Wooden quotes, which I culled from Jamison's book. Most of them deal with success:
1. Don’t try to be better than someone else. But never stop trying to the best you can be. The latter is under your control. The former is not.
2. The outcome is the by-product of the level of preparation. Don’t make the by-product the main product. Focus on being excellent in the process and the outcome will take care of itself. To do anything else is to work below your level of competency.
3. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
4. When you blame others you are trying to excuse yourself. When you make excuses you can’t properly evaluate yourself. Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable.
5. Think positively, but don’t think “anything is possible.”
6. It is best not to drink too deeply from a cup full of fame.
7. The best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother.
8. Don’t measure yourself by what you’ve accomplished, but rather by what you should have accomplished with your abilities.
9. Failure waits for all who stay with some success made yesterday.
10. Leadership is the ability to get individuals to work together for the common good and the best possible results while at the same time letting them know they did it themselves.
11. Fairness is giving all people the treatment they earn and deserve. It doesn’t mean treating everyone alike. That’s unfair, because everyone doesn’t earn the same treatment.
12. Leaders are interested in finding the best way rather than having their own way.
13. If you get caught up in things over which you have no control, it will adversely affect those things over which you have control.
14. Talent is God-given: be humble. Fame is man-given: be thankful. Conceit is self-given: be careful.
15. You are just as important as anyone else, but you are no more important than anyone else.
John Wooden strikes me as having been a great man in every sense of the word. It is said by those who met him that he was enormously humble, making them feel important regardless of who they were. His strength and competitiveness was tempered with tenderness and love, and his optimism was balanced by realism.
My only disappointment with the book is I would have liked to know more about his personal practice of the Christian faith. He is said to have read the Bible daily, regularly attended church, and been a friend of Billy Graham. I recommend this book as an entertaining and easy read, but would caution against the "moralistic therapeutic deism" with which it might leave the reader.
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