Jason Thacker's Blog, page 4

Resetting Our Relationship with Technology

Let’s be honest. The last few years have not been an ideal time for any of our families. High anxiety, cultural tensions, economic downturns, health issues, technology habits/addictions, and so much more have made this quite an overwhelming season for most of us. As we start a new school year and gear up for the fall season, most of us are thinking about developing new patterns and habits across the board but especially with our use of technology. Given our over dependence on social media and th...

How Christians can think about the epidemic of online gambling and sports betting

In recent years, there has been an explosion of online gambling especially related to sports. Whether professional sports like football, soccer, and basketball or collegiate sports including the current NCAA basketball tournaments, many of us are inundated with countless advertisements about making a quick buck or even betting on our team to win it all. Most of these ads are tailored to our favorite teams, often using images from high-profile games with the allure of “instant bonuses,” free cred...

Right Actions, Not Just Right Beliefs

In recent years, evangelicals have unapologetically stood upon the inerrant Word of God and sought to rightly order our lives around the rich theological truths found in the pages of this sacred revelation. Our focus on orthodoxy and the propositional truths of our faith is laudable and needed amid massive theological drifts inside the church as well as the shifting sands of culture that influence everything about our lives.

But an unfortunate by-product of this rootedness is a failure to con...

Is Facebook discipling your church members?

Last year, there were a number of concerning reports about how social media — Facebook, in particular — is having extremely negative effects on our society, especially among teenagers. It is even shaping the content that Christians are exposed to on the platform as well. According to a Wall Street Journal investigation, the issues range from certain high-profile accounts being shielded from standard content guidelines to how the company has known that Instagram is toxic for many teenage girls. T...

Ethics in the Age of AI

Often when we hear or talk about artificial intelligence (AI), we see one of two reactions: either a fear of the unknown often accompanied by a dystopian vision of the future, or sheer excitement about the possibilities accompanied by a utopian vision of the future. On the one hand, a fear of the future makes sense as we look out over the rise of AI and see how these tools are being used to automate different aspects of our lives: from our homes and social media to our workplaces and the public ...

Why do Christians address sexuality and gender issues all the time?

A common refrain among many outside the church is that Christians seem obsessed with talking about sexuality and gender issues. Often, this is mocked or simply dismissed as Christians just seeking to enforce their personal views on other people or to impose our beliefs through government action. Many argue that society would be better off if Christians just kept to themselves and let people have their personal, private fun since it doesn’t hurt anyone. It is thought that the Christian sexual eth...

Why theology and ethics should be central in the Christian life

A few years ago, I was introduced to the Dutch Reformed theologian and ethicist, Herman Bavinck. His works began to revolutionize the way that I thought about the rich relationship of theology and ethics. Throughout my life, I have always (and rightfully) heard how the church must see the study of theology as central to our pursuit of God because that’s how we learn the fundamental elements of the Christian faith. God reveals himself to us through Scripture. The structure of church theological t...

The disastrous moral harm of California’s transgender ‘refuge’ bill

On Sept. 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a controversial new bill designed to promote California as a place of “refuge” and sanctuary for those seeking gender-affirming care. This is in response to how many states have sought to ban these types of medical treatments for youth and to punish medical providers and/or parents who allow it. After signing the bill into law, Newsom touted the openness and inclusivity of Calfornia as he decried the 22 Republican-led states who are currently seeking to bloc...

Expanding Our View Of Technology

My wife and I love our video doorbell, especially when we are traveling or someone comes to our door unexpectedly. Not only can we see who is there or when packages arrive (especially when I order more books to my wife’s disdain), but we can also turn off the ringer when our kids are napping and even check in our house when we are out of town. But stepping back and viewing this common technology through a broad understanding of technology, we can see that this innovation is much more than a simp...

Yelp jumps into abortion politics – and hurts women searching for help with pregnancies

Yelp has chosen abortion activism over accuracy in its latest move. The technology company announced last month that it would recategorize pregnancy resource centers and other faith-based medical clinics on their platforms to distinguish them from abortion clinics.

However, the problematic language Yelp has applied mislabels many clinics, introducing doubt and creating confusion in the minds of those seeking help for an unplanned pregnancy.

The company’s decision-making is clearly partisan...