Politics

How should we live? How should we think?  How should we vote?  Are these questions with objectively right or wrong answers? That is to say, is it true -- apart from human opinion -- that humanity ought to live, think, and even vote in a certain manner?  If it is not objectively right or wrong to live, think, or vote in a certain manner, then does anything really matter? Moreover, if it is objectively wrong to live, think, and vote in a certain manner -- how would we know? A

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

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

I have always found it amazing how many notable Christian mouthpieces have vociferously denied giving any credence to Marxist ideology while at the same time giving wholesale credence to Marxist ideology. What is obvious to the most thoughtful observer schooled in Marxist philosophy is obscured in the minds of those who are saturated with it. The best way to make a disciple of Marxism is to convince the student they are not a disciple of Marxism. This does not mean that every

Dear fellow white person, I am writing this letter because we seem to have suddenly and abruptly awakened to a world in which we find ourselves being shamed because of the color of our skin. Oddly enough, no matter how much you may have fought against racism in the past, in 2020 you are now labeled a "racist" simply for being born with supposed "white privilege." No matter what you say to the contrary, those wielding the sword of  (the new definition of ) "racism" will cance

As we watch the events of turmoil in our nation, we have seen the destruction of various statues and monuments across the country. Mobs of people are seen on TV vandalizing and tearing down statues of everyone from Confederate soldiers to Union generals to Christopher Columbus. There is even talk of removing monuments to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In Louisville, KY, the John Breckinridge Castleman monument near Cherokee Park has been the source of conflict for sev

Is it morally permissible for faithful Christians to carry firearms? Yes. But don’t take my word for it: Jesus himself instructed his disciples to arm themselves with swords for self-defense. Sell Your Cloak and Buy a Sword In Luke 22, Jesus addresses his disciples shortly before his arrest, trial, and eventual crucifixion. He reminds them of how their earthly needs were providentially met when he sent them out to do ministry work ( Luke 9:1-6 ). However, Jesus warns that he

The United States incurred an unprovoked attack, and the enemy (COVID-19) has inflicted casualties. The President declared war and already invoked the Defense Production Act, essentially forcing private companies into production of what the government demands. Since war has been declared, the expectation is there will be casualties, both of those on the front lines and the innocent. No realistic individual can believe wars come without lives lost. Yet the war strategy is marr

The aim of this article is to demonstrate that accusations of inconsistency between Christian theology and a political philosophy of anarchism are not well-founded based on Scripture. If a Christian is to refrain from considering anarchism as a means of organizing society, he or she cannot do so on Christian grounds. The term anarchist tends to connote visions of chaos, burning buildings, mass murder in the streets, and a sense of “every man for himself.” An anarchist society

Many have asked the question, “Why are churches considered ‘non-essential’ during the Coronovirus shutdown and places like restaurants considered ‘essential’? Why are churches closed while grocery stores and restaurants remain open (at least for carry-out orders)?” The insinuation is NOT that food isn’t necessary; but the focus of the inquiry is on why churches are not considered ‘essential.’ After all, if social distancing is practiced in the church building and if surfaces

Another assertion has become commonplace in discussions of abortion. Pro-lifers who own firearms, or support military actions abroad are misled at best, and at worst, hypocrites. The critic assumes that any inconsistently held pro-life beliefs are evidence pro-lifers aren’t actually motivated by a desire to protect human life, but rather a desire to control women’s liberty. This line of criticism lacks substance and misunderstands both the essential pro-life position as well

First and foremost, I am a Christian. I am someone who believes ( based on evidence ) that God exists and that He raised Jesus from the dead. I also contend that if one claims to be a Christian, then they strive to follow the teachings, commands, and example Jesus Christ provided. Simply put: I love Jesus and try to live according to His teachings (John 8:31; 14: 21-24). I am also a proud patriot. In fact, I consider myself to be a "nationalist" (depending upon how one defin

Appropriate love for country must sail between the Scylla and Charybdis of our times: cynicism and jingoism. In Greek mythology, “Scylla and Charybdis were thought to inhabit the Straits of Messina, the narrow sea between Sicily and the Italian mainland. Preying on passing mariners, Scylla was a terrible creature with six heads and twelve feet, while Charybdis, living on the opposite side of the straits, was another monster who, over time, was transformed in the imagination o

FreeThinking Ministries is an organization focused on thinking logically. From attaining a proper understanding of the meaning and purpose of life, to how we ought to live and treat one another, we are committed to understanding reality. More importantly, we are committed to communicating the truth about reality to all people. Interestingly, although the individuals who comprise FreeThinking Ministries agree on most things, there are occasions in which we disagree -- but st

The New York Times recently published an article entitled “How Abortion Rights Will Die a Death by 1,000 Cuts: Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court would mean the demise of not just abortion rights but also a century of progressive reforms.” Author Mayeri’s strongly worded article argues that the Conservative Political Party is pushing for restrictive laws, limiting the individual liberties of our country’s citizens. And as Americans, protected by the boundarie

In Isaiah 2, we are told of a vision in which the Messiah returns to reign on the earth. All the nations of the world beat their swords into plowshares. All war and conflict comes to an end. We should long for the day that this vision is made reality. But until that happens, what shall we do when faced with evil? Obviously it would be ideal to live in a world in which we did not need weapons because violence is non-existent. But that is not the world we currently live in, an

Capital Punishment is a very controversial topic and navigating this tricky subject can be difficult. Because of this difficulty we must be humble when speaking on this subject. As I am studying ethics I have quickly come to find that there are very few simple and straightforward answers to many of the ethical problems we face and capital punishment (Hereafter CP ) is no exception. This means that we must have grace when speaking about these things and acknowledge where we ma

Note: This Facebook Comment/Blog article represents a significant shift in my journey toward being a more consistent Christian. Recently, I was asked to speak at Reconcile Church in Bloomington, Illinois on the topic, “The Image of God and the Black Experience.” In preparing for this presentation I encountered a number of quotations from great abolitionists and Civil Rights Movement leaders like Frederick Douglass, Henry Highland Garnett, JW Loquen, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

A recent  article  by Presbyterian Pastor Tim Keller calling for an openness to both American political parties by American Christians has gained a lot of attention. Writing in the  New York Times,  Pastor Keller argues that the legacy of the Christian Church’s position on social issues does not fit into our contemporary political situation today. Keller  writes : “What should the role of Christians in politics be? More people than ever are asking that question. Christians c

Is "separation of church and state" in any U.S. founding documents? This is a popular claim among many in the U.S., but the answer is an emphatic "no!" The phrase "wall of separation between church and state " is not in any U.S. founding documents, but is found in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists in 1802 -- well after the founding documents were written. Jefferson was addressing concerns that the Baptists had due to a rumor that the U.S. was going to f