I witnessed one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen last week. It was a report on NBC’s “Dateline” about an 11-year old child named Josie Romero. Josie looks like a normal little prepubescent girl. Only it turns out, that Josie was not born as Josie but as Joey. Josie was born biologically as a boy. Yet somewhere along the way, he decided that he liked behaving and dressing like a girl.
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Ross Douthat on Liberalism and the Episcopalian Malaise
In the wake of the Episcopal Church’s approval of same-sex relationships, Ross Douthat says that theological liberalism is a dead-end for the church: The Episcopal Church…is flexible to the point of indifference on dogma, friendly to sexual liberation in almost every form, willing to blend Christianity with other faiths, and eager to downplay theology entirely in favor of secular political causes.
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Bizarre Clown Ministry
The video above is some kind of training video for a clown “ministry.” I have no doubt that these folks mean well, but this looks really awful to me. If I am ever in a nursing home, please don’t send a clown to visit me or any other kind of actor. Please send a real person with real words and real love and a real Bible. That will do. (HT: @drmoore)
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The Witch-Hunt for Mark Regnerus
Last month I noted Mark Regnerus’ recent study on children who are raised by gay parents. Regnerus’ work has since proven to be very controversial because it does not paint a positive picture of children of gay parents. Even though it’s based on scientific methodology, it suggests conclusions that cut against the prevailing gay rights narrative. As a result, folks on the left have been calling for Regnerus’ head on a platter. Yesterday, The Austin American-Statestman reported that the witch hunt is officially on. A gay blogger lodged a complaint with the President of the University of Texas, alleging that Regnerus had engaged in “scientific misconduct.” Other faculty from UT…
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John Piper Talks about Sanctification and Aging
This video is released in connection with Desiring God’s upcoming National conference this September. John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, Jarvis Williams, Russell Moore, and Ed Welch will be the plenary speakers. Visit the event page to learn more and register.
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U. S. Senate Resolution on the Election of Fred Luter
On June 29, Senator Mary Landrieu submitted a resolution in the United States Senate that congratulates the Southern Baptist Convention for electing Rev. Fred Luter as its first African American president. The resolution has been referred to the judiciary committee and awaits disposition. You can download a PDF of the resolution here, or you can read it below. Senate Resolution 518 Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention formed in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, in opposition to the abolition of slavery;
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Presbyterians Denounce Corporal Punishment
When the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) met last week, it passed a recommendation calling on its members to adopt discipline methods that do not include corporal punishment. It not only calls on schools and orphanages to abandon spanking, but it also calls on parents to abandon it as well. The PCUSA issued a series of rationales for this decision. Here is Rationale #1:
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Alan Chambers Talks Reparative Therapy on Hardball
Alan Chambers is the President of Exodus International, an evangelical ministry to homosexuals. A couple of weeks ago, I noted that Chambers has changed his views on the usefulness reparative therapy. In the video above, Chambers appears on MSNBC’s “Hardball” to elaborate how his views have changed. What’s striking to me on these talking head shows is how little these hosts seem to know about evangelical beliefs about homosexuality. It appears that hosts have a caricature in their mind as if evangelicals all agree that homosexuality is all nurture and no nature. That’s the paradigm that the interviewer is working with in the video above, and it’s why he really…
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A Trenchant and Hilarious Parody of Hipster Christianity
This video is hilarious. It’s an ad for an upcoming conference hosted by Doug Wilson. It’s a parody of hipster Christianity, and it really hits the nail on the head. (HT: Patrick Schreiner)
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Black Pastors Withhold Support from President Obama over Same-Sex Marriage
The Coalition of African-American Pastors represents about 1,300 congregations, and they are tired of their support being taken for granted by the Obama administration. In May, they came out strongly against President Obama’s announcement in support of gay marriage (see video above). In a recent letter, they call on black voters to withhold support from President Obama over the issue. They are also demanding a meeting with the president to express their concerns to him personally.