Labor Day 2011. Is this really something I want to celebrate? Let me begin Biblically with a passage that speaks to the concept of work and wealth creation. It’s from Deuteronomy 8:16-18: In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, “My power and the strength of my hand made… Read more »
When should we believe polls? Are they true indicators of trends? They do need to be studied carefully to ensure there is no slant that skews the results, but it’s not always easy to know when that’s the case. There’s a new poll out that I would prefer not to believe, yet I sense, from my own experience, that, sadly, it may be accurate. An organization called the Public Religion Research Institute has found that 44% of young evangelicals—those between… Read more »
I just read through the results of a recent survey of Christian school graduates [pre-college] that sought to determine whether graduates from those Christian schools were achieving the goals of the schools—academic excellence, spiritual formation, and the engagement of the larger culture. Some of those results are heartening, while one in particular is discouraging, to me at least. The positives for Protestant Christian schools, the ones with which I am most familiar and am closer to in spirit, can be… Read more »
This past week a new academic year began. I always enjoy the beginning of a new year. It can be that way when you believe you have a calling from God to do what you’re doing. I’ve used this blog on a number of occasions to express my gratitude for the opportunity I have to teach at Southeastern University, where I can provide a Biblical basis for every course and analyze American history through that Biblical lens. For me, there… Read more »
Earlier this month, I spoke at the Winter Haven, Florida, 9-12 Project. Last night I was closer to home at the Lakeland 9-12 Project meeting. As with the Winter Haven group, these are sincere citizens who want to see substantive change, as opposed to a vague, dreamy “hope-and-change” mantra without meaning. They are committed to restoring the original intent of the Constitution and in helping educate the public on basic principles. My topic was the effect of third parties on… Read more »
I have no problem with presidents taking vacations. With modern communications technology, no president is out of touch with world events or incapable of fulfilling the mandates of the office, no matter where he may be. Therefore, I don’t criticize President Obama for taking a vacation at this time, particularly in the last part of August when Congress is in recess. But if he is not out of touch with the world at large, his choice of vacation spots reveals… Read more »
I’m seeing a lot of comments comparing Barack Obama with Jimmy Carter, but you probably have to be over 40 to really remember the Carter years. Consequently, a large part of our population may not realize the aptness of the comparison. What are the similarities? First, Carter was an outsider who promised a new way of doing things in DC. Sound familiar? He said he would get the economy out of the doldrums, yet by the time his reelection effort… Read more »