January 31, 2012
In his commentary on Christopher Hitchens’ death, John Ransom makes the interesting point that the problem with people like Hitchens is that they make skepticism an end in itself rather than as the means to something. “I believe that the things you do in life to bolster faithfulness; the things you do in life to support belief in anything or…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 28, 2012
Christopher Hitchens, one of the “four horsemen” of atheism (the others being Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett), succumbed to cancer just before Christmas. Of the four, Hitchens seems to have been the one Christian philosophers liked the best—he could be mean but he was also quick-witted, and funny. He was honest, too. Before his death he told Mark…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 25, 2012
Whatever else you think about Tim Tebow, he has certainly raised the bar for what it takes to be admired as an NFL player, and as a person. This sort of raising-of-the-bar happens a lot in sports, and in life. Before Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile, everyone who was fast enough to approach that record was a hero. Once…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 22, 2012
Each year the Grammys offer Americans a peek into the bizarre lives of America’s celebrities. For sheer bizarreness it’s hard to beat Lady Gaga’s arrival at last year’s Grammys in a large egg. During the program she "hatched" and performed a dance number called Born This Way, a celebration of homosexuality.
Read More...
- Posted at 09:00 am by Jeff Myers
January 19, 2012
Just finished reading James Madison by Richard Brookhiser. Brookhiser confirmed something I've believed and shared with audiences for many years: Madison is viewed as the Father of the Constitution for one very simple reason that is very close to my professor's heart. He was the only guy taking really good notes.
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 17, 2012
Oprah used to be a Baptist until she heard a pastor describe God as "jealous." Merriam-Webster defines "jealous" as "intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness." It’s not a bad characteristic, but it’s also not something people brag about: "What an amazing person—she’s so jealous!" Oprah’s theology doesn’t allow for negative vibes created by words like jealousy, so she walked away from…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 15, 2012
For now, though, the OWS movement seems to be winding down. Maybe it’s just because it’s cold outside. But many commentators suspect that it is because the protesters don’t have enough horsepower to create a movement. Kevin D. Williamson in the National Review (Oct. 31, 2011, p. 18) says, "The protesters do not know what they want, they do not…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 13, 2012
I’ve always found inspiration in agnostic scientist Robert Jastrow’s statement about the limits of science: "For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountain of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 11, 2012
Nothing illustrates the collapse of Secular Humanist visions of utopia quite like the painful way educational experiments reveal their bankruptcy to the world. Heather MacDonald in The Weekly Standard (Oct. 31, 2011, p. 17) details the latest in educational malpractice:
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 09, 2012
Prof. Oskar Gruenwald in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies (2011, pp. 16-17) notes that "truth, freedom, and virtue are the quintessential aspects of the human striving for excellence and self-understanding as prerequisites for a more felicitous social life. These are also the irreplaceable ideals for a higher education which can empower individuals to discern what is true, good, and beautiful."
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 07, 2012
Pitirim Sorokin once commented that when a particular worldview is in its death throes, it redoubles its viciousness. I’m no prophet, but I don’t have to be one to see that many secular humanists, faced with the crumbling foundation of their worldview, will redouble their efforts in 2012 to trying to legislate Christianity (and Christian ethics) out of existence.
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 05, 2012
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to share these results with Dr. Del Tackett’s (host of the Truth Project) Sunday school class. One lady asked, "Do you have this kind of training for adults?" I’m pleased to say that we do indeed.
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
January 03, 2012
In my column for the January Journal I had the pleasure of revealing some of the research about the success of Summit Ministries with young people over the years. All glory to God for this. I can’t imagine any parent looking at this and saying, "Nah, that’s not for our family." Together let’s make 2012 a year of invigorating efforts…
Read More...
- Posted at 12:00 pm by Jeff Myers
