As reported yesterday in the L.A. Times, abstinence-only classes apparently work: A new study shows for the first time that a sex education class emphasizing abstinence only — ignoring moral implications of sexual activity — can reduce sexual activity by nearly a third in 12- and 13-year-olds compared with students who received no sex education. [...]
While the emerging church continues morphing, some things appear unchanging. One is the tendency among post-evangelical, postmodern Christians to embrace, if not esteem, doubt. I have to tell you, I am growing extremely suspicious of this movement. Anyway, I follow several emerging / postmodern authors’ blogs — not to cause problems, but to watch the [...]
As much as I wish the Bible were cut and dried on this subject, it’s not. Scripture’s full of thorny verses, statements that force us into a corner or invoke paradox. Recently, I’ve been contemplating one such verse: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 [...]
While the publishing industry, in most quarters, continues to slump, one genre has maintained remarkable popularity — Young Adult (YA). Why is this? One reason has to be that YA appeals to multiple demographics, like 12 to 112 year-olds. Yes, adults read YA. In his article, Why Adults Are Reading Young Adults Fiction, Hunter Baker [...]
Unearthed some of my old artwork. It’s all ink and pencil, and rendered B.C. (which is over 30 years ago!).
If you’re an author aiming for the Christian market, it is far easier to write about one character shooting another than cussing them out. Rather a quart of blood than a cup of expletives. Just peruse the Christian fiction section of B&N and you will find your share of serial killers, hit men, assassins, abusers, [...]
With the California courts now re-considering the constitutionality of Prop. 8, the rhetoric is, once again, heating up. However, the push for “equal rights for all” is, apparently, alienating a whole new class of people. From Salvo’s Disney and the Tolerance Two-Step: There’s an interesting situation developing at the Walt Disney Company. Disney, one of [...]
It is commonly asserted that religion should never come up in public discourse. Tell that to Martin Luther King Jr. Not only was the civil rights leader a Protestant minister, his theology of civil rights was openly driven by Judeo-Christian principles. Take for instance King’s Letter from a Birmingham jail. This fascinating letter contains 15 [...]
I’ve posted some pictures from Chris and Krystal’s wedding over at the Duran Clan website. It was quite the extravaganza! Between the pouring rain, the Christmas traffic, the Mission Inn Festival of Lights, and all the high rollers in attendance, we had ourselves a rip-roaring time. And with 600-plus photos to choose from, there’s lots [...]
Why is it that politicians, celebrities and televangelists are always blaming natural disasters on “higher” causes? Several years ago, actress Sharon Stone suggested that the devastating Chinese earthquake was “karma” for their government’s treatment of Tibet. And Katrina was cited either as a sign of global warming or the judgment of God. So, after the [...]
