According to a recent report on the online source FiveThirtyEight , the Dobbs decision has made a big difference. "There were almost 94,000 fewer abortions in states that implemented bans post-Dobbs, just between July and March," author Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux summarized in a Twitter thread . "Almost 100k affected and that's not even the full year." And, in states without bans, "Abortions rose by ~70,000." In other words, the Dobbs decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade ...
Jun 19, 2023•1 min
In the Epic of Gilgamesh , written over 4,000 years ago, Enkidu, the great friend of the demigod Gilgamesh, dies. Afraid of death, Gilgamesh asks the sage Utnapishtim, the only survivor of the Great Flood, about the secret to immortality. Utnapishtim gives Gilgamesh a number of tasks, all of which he fails. But that was the point. Gilgamesh learned that immortality is beyond his grasp and returns to Uruk to live out the rest of his life as king. The first emperor of China was Shi Huang Di. Burie...
Jun 19, 2023•5 min
John and Maria discuss the new documentary on the Duggar family, Oklahoma approves a Catholic charter school, and a Jeopardy! panel shows its ignorance of the Bible. — Recommendations — Dad, How Do I? YouTube channel The River by Peter Heller For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org...
Jun 17, 2023•55 min
Several years ago, a New York Times headline read, "Is Your Child Lying to You? That's Good." Parents, the author said, shouldn't be upset about their young fibbers because studies show that kids who lie are more intelligent and "socially adept" than those who don't. And for children who aren't quite so good at lying, parents can "speed up the process" through training exercises. If, as the author claims, lying is good for your brain, then the sooner kids start lying, the better. I wish I were m...
Jun 16, 2023•1 min
On December 6, 1907, a massive explosion decimated a coal mine in Monongah, West Virginia. Three hundred and sixty-two miners were killed, making this the worst mining disaster in U.S. history. The tragedy devastated the small town and led eventually to the establishment of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The Monongah mine disaster also marked another beginning. Several months after the explosion, a local church held a special service in honor of the 362 miners, most of whom had left behind wives and ...
Jun 16, 2023•5 min
Statistical data from the General Social Survey shows that, contrary to what many think, the overwhelming majority of Americans—a whopping 86%—believe in God at some level. For every American that doesn't believe in God, there are seven who do. Of course, just because 4 out of 5 Americans think God exists doesn't mean they believe in the same God or, for that matter, in the God that actually exists. What we believe about God is a defining aspect of our lives. As A.W. Tozer wrote, "What comes int...
Jun 15, 2023•1 min
An argument commonly used to justify radical ideologies about gender and sexuality is the existence of so-called "third" genders in various cultures throughout history. For example, gender "workbooks" that are often promoted in schools, counseling offices, and online, aimed at children and their parents, suggest that "third" genders prove that transgender identities have historical precedent and are therefore not just products of a modern fad. Among the most cited examples are the Native America...
Jun 15, 2023•6 min
Apparently, Josh Timonen, once a right-hand man of New Atheist author Richard Dawkins, has converted to Christianity. Timonen began working with Dawkins back in 2006, just before the publication of Dawkins' bestseller, The God Delusion, helping with Dawkins' website, some documentaries, as well as his foundation and merchandise. The two parted ways due to a legal dispute. Later, Timonen relocated his family during the pandemic, and they started attending a church so that his young daughter could...
Jun 14, 2023•1 min
In sports news, the Denver Nuggets have won their first NBA Championship, in their 47th year in the league. That was this week. Last week, it was the Oklahoma Sooners women's softball team that dominated headlines, winning their third straight and seventh overall NCAA championship. For those of us who don't typically follow this particular sport, the OU team was as well known for their celebrations and press conferences as for their dominant play. The word that comes to mind, partly because it w...
Jun 14, 2023•5 min
According to the BBC , for the first time in the U.K., a baby has been born with DNA from not only mom and dad, but also another woman. About 0.1% of the baby's DNA came from the third party, through a mitochondrial donation. The idea of the procedure is to produce a baby without any of the diseases that result from unhealthy mitochondria inherited from the parents. Though hailed as "the only option for (parents with defective mitochondria) to have a healthy child of their own," it's not certain...
Jun 13, 2023•1 min
Eleven years ago, Colorado and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Passed by ballot initiatives put to voters, the legalization of recreational marijuana was due in large part to promise of financial windfalls for schools. But, a shift in public opinion regarding the drug's health risks was required. So, advocates proposed that, when compared to other legal substances like alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana use was less destructive, less addictiv...
Jun 13, 2023•4 min
Setting aside it's "a waste of time," as Twenge's daughter puts it, and the predatory pornography and terrible ideas that permeate social media, social media cannot carry the weight of real human connection. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Jun 12, 2023•1 min
Could all of this mean Americans aren't as thoroughly converted on these matters as activists assumed? For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org
Jun 12, 2023•6 min
Three members of the National Champion Oklahoma University softball team gave a God-honoring definition of joy. John and Maria discuss a new law in Uganda that criminalizes specific expressions of homosexuality. — Recommendations — OU Softball Press Conference Segment 1 - OU Softball Team and the Culture of Joy 2023-06-06 WCWS Oklahoma Pregame Press Conference Segment 2 - The Uganda Homosexuality Law The Briefing with Albert Mohler For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural mom...
Jun 10, 2023•55 min
Last month, a local Memphis news station caught a drive-by shooting live on camera. During an interview about crime with Whitehaven community leader Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, a series of shots rang out across the street. Thankfully, no one was injured. And just as surprising as the shooting was Cooper-Sutton's calm and faith-filled response. Immediately, she advised everyone to get down and stay down. "It's okay," you can hear her saying in order to comfort the shocked crew, and the clip ends with ...
Jun 09, 2023•1 min
In less than a decade, the number of American companies with either an official department, an HR initiative, or a job title that includes the words "diversity, equity, and inclusion" has ballooned. In fact, by the end of 2020, U.S. companies were spending an estimated $3.4 billion on so-called "DEI" initiatives. Proponents say DEI initiatives are necessary to fight workplace discrimination. Despite how quickly the trend has grown in recent years, however, it's not working. In 2019, after spendi...
Jun 09, 2023•5 min
Despite advocates' claims that marijuana use is harmless, another study indicates otherwise. Apparently, the number of hospital visits for pregnant women has almost doubled in Ontario since Canada legalized recreational marijuana in 2018. Of those visits that were marijuana related, the majority were emergency room visits. According to lead researcher Dr. Daniel Myran, although marijuana-related incidents were only a fraction of overall visits, almost all of them were serious. And according to o...
Jun 08, 2023•1 min
Recently , three families—one Muslim, one Roman Catholic, and one Ukrainian Orthodox—filed a lawsuit against the Montgomery, Maryland, school district. Back in March, the district had shifted its policy, announcing that parents would no longer be notified of LGBT content and parents could not opt-out their students. This is just one example of how deeply worldviews can collide, in just one of many cultural arenas. Who is fundamentally responsible for cultivating the health, well-being, and belie...
Jun 08, 2023•6 min
Last month, a professor at Hunter College in New York City was fired and later arrested for an outburst directed at pro-life students . Shellyne Rodriguez was caught on video shouting profanity at the students and claiming their pro-life display was "violent." She then shoved pamphlets off the table before storming off. When a reporter from the New York Post showed up at her home asking for a comment, she charged him with a machete. Abortion is an example of what sociologist Philip Rieff called ...
Jun 07, 2023•1 min
According to recent numbers released from the CDC, about 1 in 4 of today's high school students identify as LGBTQ. This means it's never been more important for Christian parents, teachers, pastors, and mentors to love, support, and guide teens who are wrestling through these issues. They need to know what biblical truth is about sex, identity, and relationships, and why it is loving, reasonable, and best. I am so grateful for a brand-new resource from my friend Greg Stier, whose writing and wor...
Jun 07, 2023•5 min
With a one-minute look at culture from a Christian worldview, I'm John Stonestreet with The Point. Recently, Christian writer Samuel Sey tweeted, "The question isn't: 'does God exist?' The question is: 'how could anything exist without God?'" Or, as Fraulein Maria sang in The Sound of Music, "Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could." Not only is there something (lots of them) in this world, but there is also consciousness, creativity, beauty, love, and order. These things say an awful lot...
Jun 06, 2023•1 min
Welcome to Breakpoint , a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stonestreet. It's been almost two years since the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, leaving a void of power quickly filled by the Taliban. In that time, Taliban rulers have outlawed women's education, religious freedom, and even music . That's why a concert violinist named Ali left his instrument behind when he fled Afghanistan in 2021. He knew the Taliban...
Jun 06, 2023•5 min
TikTok is feeding teens a "diet of darkness." Recently, a group of researchers created fictitious accounts of 13-year-olds and quickly found their feeds full with content about eating disorders, body image, self-harm, and even suicide. This is despite the fact that TikTok currently employs 40,000 content moderators and has default screen-time limits for teens. TikTok's problems have long plagued all social media platforms. Most have made efforts to prohibit the promotion of socially contagious s...
Jun 05, 2023•1 min
On June 5, 1865, Anglican priest and polymath Sabine Baring-Gould wrote the processional hymn, "Onward, Christian Soldiers." The hymn was originally written for children walking to Horbury St. Peter's Church near Wakefield in Yorkshire, England. Far from the cultural stereotype that the hymn earned Baring-Gould—that of a militant, narrow-minded clergyman fearful of and fighting against new knowledge—he actually led an impressive life, remaining keenly inquisitive about the world God has made. Th...
Jun 05, 2023•6 min
John and Maria look at some alternatives to Pride month. Christian schools in Minnesota are taking the state to court. — Recommendations — Saving Private Ryan Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero Segment 1 - Minnesota Dual Enrollment Law Segment 2 - Pride Month "Second Dodgers pitcher speaks out against Pride Night festivities: 'God cannot be mocked'" The Washington Examiner Fidelity Month webinar Segment 3 - Marijuana and Mental Health For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural mom...
Jun 02, 2023•56 min
Today is Donut Day. Believe it or not, the day wasn't founded by Krispy Kreme or Dunkin but by The Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938 to commemorate their " Donut Lassies " who served during World War I. Methodist minister William Booth founded The Salvation Army in the 1860s to care for the poor in London. It was originally called the East London Revival Society . During World War I, the organization provided ambulances, clothing for soldiers, and refreshment huts. Booth's daughter, Evangeline, ...
Jun 02, 2023•1 min
Therapy is about as much of the American experience these days as baseball, pickup trucks, and apple pie. Professional counseling is now seen as more than just a last resort for psychological distress, but as a healthy, essential path for resolving personal issues. In 2019, nearly 20% of Americans received some form of mental health treatment ranging from medication to therapy. Over 40% of Americans have seen a counselor at some point in their lives. Recently in the New York Times, journalist Su...
Jun 02, 2023•5 min
Recently, The Washington Post published an oddly titled piece celebrating the miraculous survival of Denver Coleman. Thirty weeks into pregnancy, Kenyatta Coleman learned her unborn child had a pre-birth condition which gave the baby only a 1% chance of survival. With Coleman's permission, doctors performed a first-of-a-kind surgery. Days later, Coleman gave birth to Denver, a miraculously healthy little girl. Despite the piece's clear joy over the miracle of Denver's life, even calling her an "...
Jun 01, 2023•1 min
In his recent and remarkable book, Biblical Critical Theory, theologian Christopher Watkin points out how often our thinking falls into false dichotomies. Humans are either animals or gods; the planet is either progressing toward utopia or doomed to catastrophe; sex is either no big deal or our whole identity. Back and forth the cultural pendulum swings, never considering that there may be another option: a story that transcends these dichotomies and makes better sense of the way the world is. S...
Jun 01, 2023•5 min
After a bit of back and forth, the Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to feature the drag group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during their pride month celebrations and even award them a Community Hero Award. The "sisters" are a mockery of a Catholic religious order and perform blasphemous parodies of Christianity and the sacraments. Their tagline is "Go forth and sin some more," a perversion of the words of Jesus. Other examples of their acts are too evil to mention. As Robert George of Princeto...
May 31, 2023•1 min
