R. Albert Mohler Jr.'s Blog, page 426

The Briefing, Monday, October 29, 2012

TODAY: Lessons from the weather and the “adultification” of Halloween. Two huge issues frame our thoughts this Monday — Hurricane Sandy and the celebration of Halloween. Both issues will reverberate throughout the week. I discuss both on today’s edition of The Briefing: A Daily Analysis of News and Events from a Christian Worldview. Keep Reading

The Briefing 10-29-12

Evacuations, Market Shutdowns As U.S. Braces For Storm… Scary! Halloween’s Been Hijacked By Adults… Halloween And The Sexualization Of Girls… Christianity And The Dark Side — What About Halloween? Keep Reading

Christianity and the Dark Side — What About Halloween?

Over a hundred years ago, the great Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck predicted that the 20th century would “witness a gigantic conflict of spirits.” His prediction turned out to be an understatement, and this great conflict continues into the 21st century.

The issue of Halloween presses itself annually upon the Christian conscience. Acutely aware of dangers new and old, many Christian parents choose to withdraw their children from the holiday altogether. Others choose to follow a strategic battle plan for engagement with the holiday. Still others have gone further, seeking to convert Halloween into an evangelistic opportunity. Is Halloween really that significant?

Well, Halloween is a big deal in the marketplace. Halloween is surpassed only by Christmas in terms of economic activity. Reporting in 2007, David J. Skal estimated: “Precise figures are difficult to determine, but the annual economic impact of Halloween is now somewhere between 4 billion and 6 billion dollars depending on the number and kinds of industries one includes in the calculations.” As of 2012, that total exceeded $8 billion.

Furthermore, historian Nicholas Rogers claims that “Halloween is currently the second most important party night in North America. In terms of its retail potential, it is second only to Christmas. This commercialism fortifies its significance as a time of public license, a custom-designed opportunity to have a blast. Regardless of its spiritual complications, Halloween is big business.”

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James 1:22-25

The Briefing, Friday, October 26, 2012

TODAY: Hurricane Sandy, a deadly shark attack, and controversy over a U.S. Senate candidate’s comments on rape and abortion. I discuss all these in today’s edition of The Briefing: A Daily Analysis of News and Events from a Christian Worldview. Keep Reading

The Briefing 10-26-12

Experts Sound Alarm On Hurricane Sandy, Likely To Be Worse Than 1991 “Perfect Storm”… Hurricane Sandy Makes Landfall In Bahamas… California Surfer Killed In Shark Attack… Indiana Senate Candidate Draws Fire For Rape Comments… Why Liberals Are Misreading Mourdock… Richard Mourdock Gets In Trouble For His Extremely Conventional Religious Beliefs Keep Reading

The Mourdock Moment: Life, Death, and Lies on the Campaign Trail

The controversy over comments made by U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock reveals the undeniable ugliness of American politics. At the same time, the media firestorm underscores the importance of getting the pro-life position right — and expressing it well.

Mourdock, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Indiana, was debating his opponent, Rep. Joe Donnelly, this past Tuesday night, when the issue of abortion emerged. Both candidates claimed to affirm that life begins at conception, but Mourdock called for the end of abortion on demand. He then extended his remarks with these words:

“This is that issue that every candidate for federal, or even state, office faces, and I too stand for life. I know there are some who disagree and I respect their point of view and I believe that life begins at conception. The only exception I have [for abortion] is in that case [where] the life of the mother [is threatened]. I struggled with it for a long time, but I came to realize that life is a gift from God. And I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape that it is something that God intended to happen.” Keep Reading

The Briefing, Thursday, October 25, 2012

TODAY: Also on the ballot in November, the legalization of marijuana (Oregon, Washington, Colorado) and the expansion of gambling (Maryland). The precedent is set for a radical expansion of presidential power after the election. The new face of infidelity — women are committing adultery at rates formerly known only to men. I discuss all these on today’s edition of The Briefing: A Daily Analysis of News and Events from a Christian Worldview. Keep Reading

The Briefing 10-25-12

Cities Balk As Federal Law On Marijuana Is Enforced… The New Pot Barons: Businessmen Bank On Marijuana… Medical Marijuana: Will Colorado’s “Green Rush” Last?… Prince George’s Residents, We Can’t Gamble With Our Future… Dramatically Remaking The Size And Character Of American Government … Keep Reading

The Briefing, Wednesday October 24, 2012

In today’s edition of The Briefing I talk about the issue of abortion in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign, with a particular reference to a controversy surrounding comments made by Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan. Rep. Ryan affirmed the personhood of every human being from conception until natural death. In response, MSNBC host Chris Matthews argued that Ryan’s view — held by millions of pro-life Americans — is “almost like Sharia,” a reference to Islamic law. Keep Reading