Category: US

By micoots
04/08/2016 0

Where Christianity is growing the fastest

The world’s fastest growing church is that of IRAN.
Despite–or maybe because of–horrific persecution, the number of Christians in Iran has shot up from around 500 in 1979 to hundreds of thousands, maybe over a million, today. More people have become Christians in the last 20 years than have done so in the 13 centuries of Islamic domination combined.
In second place: AFGHANISTAN.
So reports Mark Howard and his sources, excerpted and linked after the jump.
All of which is instructive for us depres..

By micoots
02/08/2016 0

Patriotism vs. Nationalism

The words “patriotism” and “nationalism” have different meanings. So explains Jonah Goldberg, channeling William F. Buckley. This is in the context of an essay criticizing both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. But, for now, consider these two different ways of loving one’s country.
From Jonah Goldberg, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Democratic Convention Speech: Reintroductions Won’t Work | National Review:
Donald Trump rejects the traditional and legitimate understanding of patriotism in favor of nati..

By micoots
02/08/2016 0

Makers of Planned Parenthood videos cleared of all charges

You will recall how a Texas grand jury investigating whether or not Planned Parenthood was trafficking in fetal tissue, as revealed in some undercover videos, instead indicted the video makers, for trafficking in fetal tissue, since they posed as buyers to the abortionists eager to sell their products. The filmmakers were also charged for using fake IDs, which is punishable by 20 years in prison.
Pro-abortionists rejoiced at the prospect of imprisoning the journalists who exposed them. But a Hou..

By micoots
01/08/2016 0

He is the priest, He is the Samaritan, He is the robber

A few weeks ago, our pastor (and son-in-law) was preaching about the parable of the Good Samaritan. He developed the idea that this parable gives us a picture of love, which is what the Law looks like in practice. And because Jesus fulfills the law, all acts of righteousness–that is, all acts of love–look like Him.
He then applied this back to the parable in a startling way.
From Rev. Ned Moerbe, Luke 10:25-37, Proper 10C, 2016 – Trinity Lutheran Church:
Where is Jesus in this parable? He is eve..

By micoots
01/08/2016 0

The Libertarian candidate on religious liberty

Is Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson someone social conservatives could vote for as an alternative to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? Well, check out what he says about religious liberty, which he describes as a “black hole,” a liberty outside the bounds of his kind of libertarianism.
From David French, Donald Trump — Religious Right Shouldn’t Support Him | National Review:
The hits kept coming as the Libertarian party’s Gary Johnson foreclosed the possibility of a meaningful protest vote by ..

By micoots
30/07/2016 0

Hillary’s speech

In her acceptance speech, Hillary Clinton sounded a theme of bringing people together–even Republicans–in contrast to the divisiveness of Donald Trump. She contrasted Ronald Reagan’s “morning in America” optimism with Trump’s “midnight in America” gloom.
Here is an annotated transcript of her speech. Here is a fact-check. Read a news story about what she said excerpted and linked after the jump.
So what did you think of her speech? Are any of you disaffected Republicans (several of whom spoke at..

By micoots
29/07/2016 0

The plight of religious traditionalists

Rachel Lu has written an important essay for National Review on the plight of religious traditionalists. Donald Trump, she observes, has no interest in religious liberty issues or “fake culture war” causes that traditionalists care about. And Republicans planning a post-Trump party are going the way of “fiscally conservative but socially liberal.” And progressives, of course, can’t stand conservative religion. So both political parties want to disassociate themselves from religious traditionalis..

By micoots
29/07/2016 0

The rest of the religious liberty story

The Christian Science Monitor is running a seven-part series on religious liberty. According to Julia Duin, it is remarkably fair and balanced, including fuller accounts of the florists and bakers who are losing everything they own because they will not participate in gay weddings.
For example, we learn that the florist in Washington state had done lots of business with the man who would later file a discrimination claim against her. She sold him $4,500 worth of floral arrangements over nine yea..

By micoots
29/07/2016 0

The party of the rich

Democrats are now the party of the rich, and Republicans are the party of the blue collar worker. So concludes Reihan Salam, writing in the liberal Slate, drawing on research by think tanker Lee Drutman, who shows that the wealthiest Americans now tend to vote for Democrats.
Why? Because the wealthy tend to be “socially liberal”; that is, they support abortion, gay rights, gun control, etc., etc. Contrary to how they usually describe themselves, they are not necessarily “fiscally conservative.” ..