Recent Viewpoints

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…

No doubt you have heard the phrase, “the barbarians are at the gate.” It described what happened when the barbarian hordes descended on Rome. Mark Steyn employs a powerful turn of phrase with the title of his recent column: The Barbarians Are Inside, And There Are No Gates. He was writing about the jihadist attack on Paris, but he could just as easily have been writing about any country in Europe or even in North America. It is easy to…

Media bias comes in many forms. Bias shows up when we see how a story is covered selectively. Certain voices and perspectives are given prominence. Others are not. But a more common form of media bias occurs when media outlets simply ignore a story that does not fit their narrative. Robert Knight has seen this in operation when he worked at the Los Angeles Times and when he has worked with various conservative organizations. He writes about how the media…

During the televised debates and during the campaign stops, we are hearing candidates talk about the problem that various groups are “not paying their fair share.” Democratic candidates lament that: “the wealthy pay too little” in taxes. Other candidates point to loopholes in the tax code that allow individuals and even corporations to pay little or nothing in taxes. When you hear a candidate say that, you should ask for him or her to be more specific. It is a…

Is the traditional family dead in America? No. Supreme Court justices and other federal judges can try to redefine marriage, but that can’t change the reality of the natural family. That was certainly the conclusion from the World Congress of Families held recently in Salt Lake City. Robert Knight was on my program recently to talk about his Washington Times column on the family conference. First, it is important to remind everyone that God is not dead. In fact, the…

Two daycare workers at the Children’s Lighthouse Learning Center in Katy, Texas were fired recently for refusing to treat a six-year-old girl as a boy. One of the fired workers said that sometimes the little girl refers to herself as a boy and other times she tells classmates not to call her a boy and not to use her masculine name. But her parents, two males, have given her a boy’s haircut and insist she be treated accordingly. Breitbart Texas…

Over the last few months, Christians are beginning to wonder if they can work as florists, bakers,or photographers. Sooner or later a homosexual couple will ask them to perform their services for a gay wedding. We know what happens next. Now even Christians who print t-shirts may wonder if they will be confronted. Blaine Adamson is the owner of a screen-printing company. He and his company (Hands On Originals) faced discrimination charges because he turned down a homosexual who wanted…