Recent Viewpoints

Kerby Anderson Over the last two decades, Christian Smith has helped us understand what is in the heads and hearts of young people. He is the co-author of such books at Soul Searching, Souls in Transition, and Lost in Transition. In his books, he coined the now famous term “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.” The term came up in a discussion on my radio program with Kara Powell about her book, Growing Young. She and her co-authors have identified a number of strategies…

Penna Dexter Last month Maine became the eighth state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The Daily Signal called this an “ominous trend” stating: “Once physician-assisted suicide is on the table, doctors, families, and insurers encounter perverse incentives to end the lives of the most vulnerable — the sick, the disabled, the very young, or very old.” One perverse incentive that’s cropping up is organ donation. In Canada, where assisted suicide has been legal for three years, the Canadian Medical Association has…

Kerby Anderson With all this talk about fake news, you might think this is a recent phenomenon. Jarrett Stepman provides a history of fake news in the US and the attempts government and other entities have used to try to stop it. He reminds us that the Founding Fathers were well aware of the power of the press. Many of them (such as Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine) were newspapermen and pamphleteers. That is why they were all…

Kerby Anderson The World Health Organization has just added an unusual disorder to its list of mental health conditions. People who play an excessive amount of video games could be diagnosed with a “gaming disorder.” Of course, they aren’t saying that anyone who lives to play video games has this mental disorder. But they do set out some criteria to identify people with a gaming disorder. First, they show impaired control over gaming. This includes such things as frequency, intensity,…

Kerby Anderson Columnist Derek Hunter observes that, “Separately, arrogance and ignorance are some of humanity’s worst traits. Together, when coupled with power, they achieve weapon-grade stupid status.” Harsh words, but they are most likely true. He applies this observation to the “Gang of Four” in Congress, also called “The Squad” that seems to be led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But before we talk about the latest conflicts in Congress with these women, consider how true this is becoming in every area…

Kerby Anderson During the Democratic presidential debates and out on the campaign trail, the various candidates have been blaming corporations for the problems the average American faces. Bernie Sanders rants about corporate greed. Elizabeth Warren says that corporations have only one loyalty: to profits. Beto O’Rourke says the system is rigged for corporations and the wealthy. Their message is intended, no doubt, to connect with voters already upset with the actions of corporations they feel are evil and greedy. But…

Kerby Anderson On more than one occasion, I have suggested that gay activists might be overplaying their hand and bringing about a backlash. Madeleine Kearns seems to agree with that assessment as she writes about “The Overreach of LGBTQ Activism.” She begins by quoting from French philosopher Michel Foucault who wrote in his book about the History of Sexuality that homosexuals were beginning to define themselves by their desires. He wrote about when, “homosexual became a personage” and “a type…

Penna Dexter The post-World War II baby boom is in its twilight years. It began at the war’s end and extended until 1994. Currently, we’re in what Washington Post economic writer Robert Samuelson calls “the great bust.” And what are the causes? According to demographer Nicholas Eberstadt, one underlying cause is a decline in religious belief.  Americans are going to church less often and we’re also having fewer babies. In a recent Wall Street Journal/ABC News poll only 29 percent…

Kerby Anderson Sadly, it has become trendy in some circles to say that the world would be a better place without religion in general and Christianity in particular. I really do wonder if professors, commentators, and people on social media really believe this or are just saying it without any serious reflection. As I like to sometimes say to my atheist acquaintances, I see lots of Catholic hospitals, Presbyterian hospitals, and Baptist hospitals. I have never seen a humanist hospital….

Kerby Anderson How can we resolve the apparent tension between the scientific presentation of evolution and the Bible? Christians attempt to reconcile the two views by saying that evolution is true, and that’s the mechanism God used. Prominent organizations such as Biologos insist that theistic evolution (sometimes called evolutionary creation) is a superior view because of the evidence for evolutionary theory. Authors of a new book challenge that assumption based on their scientific understanding and their theological concerns. The book,…

Kerby Anderson Many members of the millennial generation think they are special. At least that is the conclusion of a recent study of college students. Onenewspaper report on the study put it this way: “If you asked a college freshman today who the Greatest Generation is, they might respond by pointing in a mirror.” The study of college students documented young people’s unprecedented level of self-infatuation. Psychologist Jean Twenge found that over the last four decades of research on college…