In June 2020, Elizabeth Chang's comments were printed in The Washington Post. Sadly, her words still ring true over 4 years later. She wrote: âAmericans are angry. The country erupted into the worst civil unrest in decades after the death of George Floyd, and anger about police violence and the countryâs legacy of racism is still running high. At the same time, weâre dealing with anger provoked by the coronavirus pandemic: anger at public officials because theyâve shut down parts of society, or … [Read more...] about Anger Incubator
Obstacles
Peace, Peace but There is No Peace
Peace is something that we all desire, seek and want. During the Christmas season, one of the tag lines of the holiday is âlet there be peace on earth.â But regardless of how hard the governments of man and individuals work for peace -- it is elusive. Why is that? One of the reasons peace is so elusive is the way power is used and where it is focused. In general, there are two approaches to the use of power. One use of power leads to strife, conflict, and war while the other leads to peace. … [Read more...] about Peace, Peace but There is No Peace
Unequitable Trading
Coronavirus fears caused global panic. The financial institutions, speculative markets, manufacturing, retail outlets, travel, supply chains â pretty much anything that is the basis of our modern economy and trading infrastructure were affected. It canât help but remind us of the volatility and complexities of this worldâs forms of trade. Trade is such a foundational part of how any society operates and, by extension, how each of us operates. Whether we like it or not, nearly … [Read more...] about Unequitable Trading
Three Choices: Good, Evil, or Life
Man has an ability that separates him from all other physical creatures. If he chooses, he can stand outside of his feelings, emotions and even his own thoughts and examine them. However, instead of examining them, he often reacts to life and allows instinct or past conditioning to override the moment of opportunity he has between an experience and a response. Deference is the key to conquering this moment. Author Steven Covey states what distinguishes us as humans is the ability to examine … [Read more...] about Three Choices: Good, Evil, or Life
Rationalism Today
One important concept regarding the economic principles applied globally today was that it sprang from âhedonistic relativismâ which is defined as âdo what feels good now, for there is no God but ourselves, and tomorrow we die.â As ludicrous as this may sound, this is the prevailing attitude of the world today. Hedonistic relativism is a mixture of hedonism and relativism. They both end in the suffix âismâ. That suffix is derived from both Ancient Greek and Latin meaning âtaking side withâ or … [Read more...] about Rationalism Today
Handling Conflict
We all deal with conflict daily, in many forms. Even the church has conflict, internal and external, from time to time. With the Bible as our guide, which biblical examples can teach us about a specific quality that foils conflict? Where does this quality come from? What does it lead to? Letâs consider Gideonâs example to identify this quality. Chosen by God as a judge of Israel he was assigned to defeat a threat from neighboring Midian (Judges 6:1-8:21). He assembled an army of 32,000, but … [Read more...] about Handling Conflict
Navigating Church Dichotomy Without Cynicism
The Church today presents a fairly complex panorama. Many different organizations each claim in their own way to be the true Church. But there are various flavors of culture and to some degree flavors of doctrine. Consequently, it is important to help young people figure out how to navigate the Church landscape today. There is a chasm between what the Church is and what itâs supposed to look like. Itâs difficult for all of us. But it is especially problematic for young people who are … [Read more...] about Navigating Church Dichotomy Without Cynicism