John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics.
Kasey Leander is a Fellow with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA). Prior to his time at OCCA, Kasey earned an undergraduate degree in history and PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) from Taylor University. While at Taylor, Kasey served in various ministry roles on campus and was active in student government. He has also worked briefly in politics, serving as an intern in the US Senate in Washington, DC.
On one level, of course, Christians can agree that mocking the religious beliefs of others is deplorable. In fact, we face that kind of mockery ourselves. So we can identify with the outrage that many Muslims feel when their religion is mocked. Yet, while people of good will may disagree about the degree to which freedom of speech should allow blaspheming the sacred, this incident provides a stark contrast between the worldviews of Christianity, secularism, and radical Islam.
I am convinced, especially after the chaos of Ferguson and the response to the CIA Torture Report, that Christians need to be more careful than ever to avoid what Chuck Colson so often called the political illusion. Our cultural divisions are falling today along almost completely political lines, and Christians very often find themselves using their faith to justify their political divisions rather than seeing each and every issue through the lens, first and foremost, of Scripture and historical
Brittany Maynard was the perfect story for the so-called "death with dignity" movement: Young, intelligent and facing a debilitating and extraordinarily painful death from brain cancer. And on November 1st, with the support of loved ones, she chose to end her life, as she said it, "on her own terms."
This latest story from our brave new world may blow your mind, so I'll read straight from the Chicago Tribune: "A white Ohio woman is suing a Downers Grove-based sperm bank, alleging that the company mistakenly gave her vials from an African-American donor, a fact that she said has made it difficult for her and her same-sex partner to raise their now 2-year-old daughter in an all-white community." I find it troubling which challenges the couple was willing and isn't willing to tolerate.
Jesus warned that we would face times when people would seek to silence us, believing that they were doing their god a service. In much of the world, that god is called "Allah." Here, in the U.S., that god is called "tolerance." And folks, we are witnessing more and more every day the god of tolerance is a very jealous god indeed.
To judge by media coverage, the legalization of same-sex marriage is an unalloyed good. Pictures of happy couples kissing and otherwise celebrating leave the impression that the only people who are unhappy about all of this are bigots and grumps. Well, Janna Darnelle would beg to differ.
The Bible warns us to expect trials and tribulations this side of Heaven. And no trial tests faith more for parents than a child in a life-threatening condition. During this week's broadcast, John Stonestreet welcomes Fox News anchor, Bret Baier, whose new book, "Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love," looks at growing faith in the most challenging of situations.
