Recent Viewpoints

As the fall semester is beginning to wind down, let’s catalog some of the student demands and the university campus commotions. Leading the list was the University of Missouri. Racial tensions reached such a peak that University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe abruptly resigned. Apparently he didn’t act swiftly enough about two allegations of racial name-calling (which took place on a campus with over 35,000 students). Students at Princeton ended their 32-hour sit-in when the president of Princeton University signed…

This is the tale of two university presidents. First – at Yale – Peter Salovey responded to student mob demonstrations with efforts to make students feel more “valued” rather than “disrespected” and in “pain.” These students either have parents rich enough to pay the school’s $65,000-per-year tuition or are bright enough to benefit from the university’s massive endowment. But they’re offended, stating Yale is not an inclusive space for people of color and other minorities. This fall, a committee of…

Although America is among the most religious of the world’s developed nations, it turns out that Americans in general don’t know very much about the world’s religions. Those are some of the conclusions of a survey done by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. An earlier study found that nearly six-in-ten U.S. adults say that religion is “very important” in their lives. But the more recent Pew survey found that they could only answer about half of the…

The New Atheists contend that religion is not just false, but it’s dangerous. Sam Harris believes it should be treated like slavery and eradicated. Richard Dawkins is even more specific: “I am attacking God, all gods, anything and everything supernatural, wherever and whenever they have been invented.” Much of the criticism against religion revolves around violence. We do live in a violent world, and religion has often been the reason (or at least the justification) for violent acts. But the…

Many of us have warned that the health insurance industry may soon head into an insurance death spiral. The announcement the other day that the biggest health insurer may pull out of Obamacare is an indication of what may be ahead. A death spiral occurs when the pool of insured people fills up with more and more people who are very sick. This drives the premiums higher. Younger and healthier people begin dropping out of the pool. The pool is…

During the current climate change conference, we will hear how the nations of the world have to act now to prevent a global disaster. What we won’t hear much about is the cost of implementing these draconian policies. Fortunately, people like Bjorn Lomborg have run the numbers. He reminds us that the solution put forward by a very vocal minority is that the only “lasting solution” for climate change is: “We must destroy capitalism.” He also reminds us of the…

I know that many Americans suffer from addictions, but I never ran the numbers and so was shocked by what I read in David Kupelian’s new book, The Snapping of the American Mind. In the midst of his discussion of social problems in America are some sobering chapters about our addictions. Nearly 25 million Americans are current illicit drug users. Marijuana is the most commonly used drug. Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other drugs also are part of that statistic. Add…

Let’s pause before the busy Christmas season to reflect on Thanksgiving. We think of the Pilgrims, who founded the Plymouth Colony, the first permanent settlement in New England. Of 103 Pilgrims who arrived there from England in 1620, 51 died the first winter. After the first harvest, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and prayer. This is an account of a people who followed God and of God’s faithfulness to them. It’s also the story of how God…

A generation ago, the middle class in America had a significant influence on the political and cultural direction of the country. Now we are seeing greater polarization of incomes and a large cultural disconnect. At the top end are wealthy people who are making policy and driving culture. They live in upscale locations on the West Coast and East Coast. They include the political elite and the media elite. Those in government pass laws or implement policies that don’t really…

Christians depend on their pastors for spiritual guidance. But if they are looking for guidance in how to think about cultural and political issues, most of them will be disappointed. That is what George Barna has found in his latest surveys. Through the American Culture and Faith Institute, he has focused on what pastors believe and what they have been teaching. When it comes to cultural, social, and political issues there is often a significant disconnect. He found that an…

Political polls are becoming less and less reliable. The closely-watched recent gubernatorial election in Kentucky provides the latest example. Incumbent Governor Jack Conway was leading Republican Matt Bevin 44% to 41% on October 30 in the average of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics. But 4 days later, on November 3rd, Bevin won 53% to 44%. Michael Barone is senior Political Analyst for the Washington Examiner. He says that lately, pre-election polls are vastly understating support for right-of-center candidates. And…