R. Albert Mohler Jr.'s Blog, page 297

The Briefing 09-21-15

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1) Impending papal visit evokes efforts to utilize Pope for political gain and agendas

Pope Francis will face a fractured U.S. Catholic Church, USA Today (Rick Hampson)

Vatican Disputes White House Guest List for Papal Visit, Wall Street Journal (Francis X Rocca)

The White House is more afraid of offending China’s president than the pope, Washington Post (Editorial Board)

2) House Bill to defund Planned Parenthood passes but faces trouble in Senate, opposition in White House

House Approves Bill To Cease Funding Planned Parenthood, NPR (Bill Chappell)

House passes bill banning abortions after 20 weeks, CNN (Deirdre Walsh)

3) Desire for authenticity in presidential candidates reflects priority of sincerity

‘Authenticity’ in the 2016 Campaign, Wall Street Journal (Ben Zimmer)

The Briefing 09-18-15

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1) Appeals court ruling sets up Obamacare religious freedom clash in Supreme Court

Ruling sets up new review of religious objections to contraceptive mandate, Washington Post (Robert Barnes)

2) Obama defends Planned Parenthood, furthers culture of personal autonomy idolatry

Obama Threatens To Veto Planned Parenthood Defunding Bill, Huffington Post (Laura Bassett)

3) NFL teams profit from gambling in guise of fantasy football even as it denounces gambling

An Ad Blitz for Fantasy Sports Games, but Some See Plain Old Gambling, New York Times (Joe Drape and Ken Belsen)

N.F.L.’s Unsteady Stance on a Tricky Gambling Landscape, New York Times (Ken Belsen)

4) Self-inflicted wound of marijuana on Colorado not a laughing matter

Day Without Marijuana Tax Draws Mixed Reactions in Colorado, New York Times (Julie Terkewitz)

Colorado unleashes tax-free pot, Colorado Spring Gazette (Editorial Board)

The Briefing 09-17-15

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1) Archbishop of Canterbury to formalize rift in Anglican Communion to preserve some unity

Archbishop of Canterbury plans to loosen ties of divided Anglican communion, The Guardian (Andrew Brown)

Justin Welby launches ‘last throw of the dice’ to avert worldwide Anglican split, The Telegraph (John Bingham)

2) Shocking racial disparity evident in abortion unaddressed by abortionists must not be avoided

Let’s Talk About the Racial Disparity in Abortions, Wall Street Journal (Jason L. Riley)

3) Workaholic culture in Japan pressures women to abort child for sake of career

We’re busy. Get an abortion, The Economist

4) Non-Christians rebuke Christian understanding of doctrine over FBC Greenville

Letter: Reader saddened by condemnation of church, Greenville News (Jennifer Horton)

The Briefing 09-16-15

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1) Bernie Sanders addressing Liberty University encounter collision between two worldviews

Bernie Sanders Makes Rare Appeal to Evangelicals at Liberty University, New York Times (Nick Corasaniti)

5 faith facts about Bernie Sanders: unabashedly irreligious, Religion News Service (Lauren Markoe)

Price Tag of Bernie Sanders’s Proposals: $18 Trillion, Wall Street Journal (Laura Meckler)

No, Bernie Sanders is not going to bankrupt America to the tune of $18 trillion, Washington Post (Paul Waldman)

2) New leader of British Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn presents a radical shift to the left

Election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour Leader Sets Up British Politics for Bigger Divisions, Wall Street Journal (Simon Nixon)

Britain’s Unsettling Omen, Wall Street Journal (Brett Stephens)

3) Queen Elizabeth's long reign represents global era of radical secularization, decline of Britain

Queen Elizabeth II Becomes Britain’s Longest-Reigning Monarch, New York Times (Steven Erlanger and Stephen Castle)

A queen's riches aren't what they used to be, Chicago Tribune (Tom Metcalf)

Queen Elizabeth II Isn’t as Rich as You Think, Bloomberg Businessweek (Tom Metcalf)

The Briefing 09-15-15

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1) Study links homophobia to mental illness, using therapeutic worldview to further moral shift

Homophobic people 'more likely to display other undesirable psychological traits', The Telegraph (Jonathan Wells)

Psychoticism, Immature Defense Mechanisms and a Fearful Attachment Style are Associated with a Higher Homophobic Attitude, Journal of Sexual Medicine (Giacoma Ciocca, et. al.)

2) Justice Breyer presents European courts as moral standard for US decisions

Justice Breyer Sees Value in a Global View of Law, New York Times (Adam Liptak)

3) First legal crop of pot in DC sows moral confusion as cannot be legally sold

First legal harvest of marijuana fueling gray market for pot in U.S. capital, Washington Post (Aaron C Davis)

4) Power of images to shape our feelings important factor in how we view world as Christians

Aylan Kurdi and the Photos That Change History, Wall Street Journal (Karen Miller Pensiero)

There’s Always More to the Story: A Conversation With Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times

The Briefing 09-14-15

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1) Young woman's hope in cryonics for life after death shows futility of materialistic worldview

A Dying Young Woman’s Hope in Cryonics and a Future, New York Times (Amy Harmon)

Larry King Is Preparing for the Final Cancellation, New York Times (Mark Leibovich)

2) Medical associations help California assisted suicide law pass and UK bill fail

California Legislature Approves Assisted Suicide, New York Times (Ian Lovett)

British Parliament rejects controversial right-to-die bill, Religion News Service (Trevor Grundy)

Why I believe assisting people to die would dehumanise our society for ever, The Guardian (Justin Welby)

Assisted suicide has no place in our healthcare system, The Telegraph (Lord Ribeiro)

3) Time Magazine raises the question of the expiration of mongamy

Question Everything, TIME

4) Republican candidates narrow before a single vote cast

Rick Perry Ends His Run for President, New York Times (Jonathan Martin)

Genesis 40:1-41:57

The Briefing 09-11-15

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1) Gay marriage celebrant's rebuke of Christians shows moral judgment inescapable

On rites and rights — I performed my first gay wedding, USA Today (Terry Byrne)

2) Obama invites gay Catholic to meet with Pope at White House in order to embarrass Pope

Gay Marquette grad invited to White House for Pope Francis' visit, Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel (Annysa Johnson)

3) Claim of new human ancestor discovery example of constant shifting of evolutionary theory

Homo Naledi, New Species in Human Lineage, Is Found in South African Cave, New York Times (John Noble Wilford)

4) Parents using texting to communicate with teens sacrifice conversation for convenience

Have U Made Ur Bed?, Wall Street Journal (Sue Shellenbarger)

The Briefing 09-10-15

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1) Provision for 'autonomous birth control rights' of 11-year-olds exposes loss of morality

Schools, Birth Control, and Parental Consent, The Atlantic (Jacoba Urist)

2) Discrimination against Christians lauded as sound business practice clear double standard

Being Picky About Customers Early On Can Bolster Long-Term Success, New York Times (Caitlin Kelly)

3) Vatican streamlining of annulment raises question of whether Rome will join sexual revolution

U.S. Catholics Open to Non-Traditional Families, Pew Research Center

Poll Finds U.S. Catholics Tolerant of Same-Sex Families, Wall Street Journal (Tamara Audi)

Pope Francis Announces Changes for Easier Marriage Annulments, New York Times (Jim Yardley and Elisabetta Povoledo)

Conservative dissent is brewing inside the Vatican, Washington Post (Anthony Faiola)