Culture

In my last blog post , I shared some of the most important books regarding cultural issues that I read in the year since the COVID lockdowns began in March 2020. While those books dealt with the culture at large, my next two reads focused on cultural and theological issues impacting the church: by Thaddeus Williams, and the book I am reviewing here, by Alisa Childers. Content follows the story of former ZOEgirl, Alisa Childers, as her orthodox Christian faith was challenge

Today I had the opportunity to speak directly to the Nebraska State Board of Education (NSBE) along with the Protect Nebraska Children Coalition . Dangerous curriculum is being considered which proposes radical Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) along with Critical Race Theory (CRT). I felt an objective obligation to inform the NSBE as to why their first proposed draft was out of touch with ultimate reality, because, as Adrian Boykin recently said to me: "Critical Race Theo

I’ve always enjoyed reading. And when the COVID lockdowns began in March 2020, there wasn’t much else to do for a long time. I took full advantage of this, though, and over the next year, I read a lot of books over a wide range of topics. For instance, I read the entire series by C.S. Lewis with my son (in the order ), which was wonderful. But not all of my reading was for fun. I focused mostly on current cultural issues, given all that went down in 2020. I wanted to bett

Complete this biblically-modeled prayer: “Dear God, help me to ______” a) seek Your face and strength. b) praise You even in time of suffering. c) love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. d) hate White people. According to Chanequa Walker-Barnes, PhD ( https://www.drchanequa.com/ ) the answer does not exclude (d). Yes, even with the caveat that this prayer is modeled after Bible doctrine and scripture, Dr. Chanequa claims that asking God to help one to hate White

It’s common for atheists to be a “Grinch” over the Holidays and exclaim that Jesus is just a “Santa Claus for adults!” When I hear that claim, I immediately respond with a question: “What do you mean by that?” If one means that children often believe in fictional fairy tales and adults believe in fact-based evidence, then I agree – Jesus is for adults (and actually people of all ages)! But I don’t think that’s the intent behind this claim. I believe the intent of the atheist

The Marvel movies are so good because they all have a common theme, family. The movies raise questions about family and answers those same questions, not merely with words, but with demonstrations and examples. Movies visually capture what we feel. Their power resides in the way that they bypass our thoughts and lay bare the hidden things in our hearts. The images evoke passion, they expose painful experiences too powerful for words, they cheer us, and at times catch us unawa

Don't merely pray about voting -- read your Bible! I've talked to a few Christians who are still undecided as to how they will vote in the 2020 election. They have expressed to me that they need to spend "more time in prayer." While I encourage "praying without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17), if one merely reads their Bible one will find the answer as to how one OUGHT to vote in this year's election. Always start with the words of Christ! Consider the fact that Jesus constantly inte

“One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.” — Lord Of The Rings For the first time in my life, I’m concerned that our freedom to share The Good News with the lost is being significantly damaged by people calling themselves “Christians.”  Our economy has been cratered due to Covid-19 and the  massive over-reaction  to it. Strangely, as more data comes in showing it was an over-reaction, some still seem to be r

I have serious concerns about Andy Crouch's article in Christianity Today from several  years ago entitled excoriating Trump as though he was the anti-christ, not the least of which is the fallacy that all government officials must by their very nature be guilty of idolatry. Since Crouch is bringing this point up in the context of Christians voting for Trump (which doesn't mean they're endorsing his sin, by the way), the only way to be consistent with what he is saying here

In the wake of the George Floyd murder at the hands of the police in Minneapolis, the nation saw many peaceful protesters unite to demand accountability of the officers responsible. However, since that moment of unity, riots have broken out in many of the major cities across the United States. There have been conflicting reports as to the instigators of these riots, but regardless of the origin we’ve seen state politicians, including the Attorney General and President, come o

Never in our lifetime have we witnessed, first-hand, how easy it has been to manipulate and control the minds and thoughts of a populace. The Coronavirus pandemic enabled media and political entities to create and perpetuate a metanarrative leading to entire countries' mind-control. Allen Ginsberg stated, " Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture,"   and Jim Morrison quoted something similar when he said, "Whoever controls the media, controls the mind ."

Many conservatives are bewildered and befuddled by the apparent intellectual incoherence of the left. But if we really understand Marxism beyond the superficial levels we often see in the blogosphere and social media, all the bewilderment disappears. We think on the basis of the linear classical method of logical development. In other words, we follow the fundamental laws of logic. For us, truth is therefore an objective metaphysical reality independent of the material world,

2015, Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court and the " Love is Love" movement. What do all these things have in common? This was the year that the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across all 50 states. A watershed moment in the “love is love” movement to be sure. Many conservative Christians would likely point at this decision as the moment the culture in America turned on a dime. In the next five years we would experience a rampant normalization of homosexuality and of

Question: I don't believe there is such thing as cultural Marxism. It's merely a made up myth. If you disagree, please describe exactly what is meant by "cultural Marxism" and explain it to me like I was a five-year-old. While you're at it, I'd love to hear your understanding of Marxist thought because I suspect it is extremely shallow, partisan, and sophomoric. - Ben Answer: Thanks for your question, Ben. You hit the nail on the head: very few people actually understand Marx

Historians will look back on the this past year in disbelief. Indeed, it seems that 2020 is on the "wrong side of history." First the wildfires in Australia, then Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash, then the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, then humanity is sentenced to house arrest (aka, "quarantine"), then Tim Stratton graduates with a Ph.D., then mobs of violent rioters flood the streets, and then nearly everything became "racist." Speaking of the term “racist,”

In December of 2019, I graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy from a secular university.  At this secular university, I was immersed in ideas such as critical theory and Marxism , since these views dominated the Philosophy Department.  Having become fascinated in philosophy through a crisis of faith that led me to Christian apologetics in high school, I found these views confusing and troubling at first.  Seemingly everyone around me (who was not a Christian) bought into these

Likely the first things a reader might think of from the above title is the suddenness of church closings, the innovative decisions of many to have virtual, on-line services or even worship outdoors, and possibly what some church leaders are saying back to governors or local officials who have banned either all services or have limited the size to fifty or more: “Do we obey God or man?” But that is not the focus of this essay. Rather, it is to ask the question: “Is there anyt

The COVID-19 "quarantine" wasn't all bad. Sure, no one likes being sentenced to "house arrest," but I enjoyed spending some extra time with my wife and 17-year-old son (I did not take those moments for granted). The dreaded coronavirus, however, shut down Hollywood, movie theaters, restaurants, and sporting events. Being sequestered at home, my family and I considered other entertainment options.  A friend told me about The Walking Dead -- a series featuring survivors of a z

The Great Commission -- what is it? Any Christian worth their salt can quickly tell you about the Great Commission and can share the corresponding chapter and verses at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. Indeed, this single passage is often referenced when defining an " evangelical Christian."  There are a couple reasons why so much emphasis is placed on this short passage of Scripture. Not only is the Great Commission the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to

The Batman franchise directed by Christopher Nolan is not about a war of brute force against brute force. It’s about a war of ideas. That’s what makes it so intriguing, and it’s also what makes it so poignantly relevant. The physical battles in these films, and especially in the last installment, “The Dark Knight Rises” are intense to say the least. But they are galvanized by the battle for the ideas in the minds of the combatants, not just their bravado. Nolan and his writer