DHD: 3 Mohler topics, Journalists & abortion, God Who asks, God & weather

by Chris Doyle | Aug 9, 2019

Greetings!

Al Mohler’s “The Briefing” podcast is back, after taking the month of July off. The president of Southern Seminary has tackled some serious cultural issues in these early days of August. For this week’s DHD I’ll highlight some of Mohler’s commentary from The Briefing but also from a fascinating article he wrote, mentioning one of my favorite political commentators.

1. Mohler on Religious Liberty

I start with Mohler’s article “Is Religious Liberty Truly In Peril?” He addresses a published debate recently provided by the Wall Street Journal. The debate features law professor Marci Hamilton and David French, whom I greatly appreciate.

Both French and Hamilton discuss the status of religious iberty in our country. As Mohler describes, Hamilton depleting religious liberty as merely “your individual, private thoughts,” which cease to be protected “once those thoughts enter the public square.”

French points out that religious liberty has been in peril for years, and Christian leaders have known about legal activists at all levels of government who have been expanding “their regulatory and ideological attacks on religious liberty.”

The most fascinating take on the exchange between French and Hamilton involves the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993, which was greatly supported by President Bill Clinton as well as other Democrat leaders in Congress. Now, Hamilton states RFRA is legislating an “extreme” new understanding of religious freedom.

Mohler’s commentary on this is excellent and should not be missed:

“What changed in the last 25 years? The culture changed. The culture that once honored religious liberty and respected it as a bedrock freedom for civil society—that culture is no more. Religious liberty now attracts the glare of the cultural left who see religious liberty as an obstacle in the path of their social transformation. They view this freedom as a socially-constructed institution of bigotry from which we must liberate ourselves. Moreover, the rise of the LGBTQ movement now pits religious liberty against the newly constructed sexual liberty—these are two, incompatible freedoms that necessarily collide. The sexual revolution believes it’s time for religious freedom to give way to its higher, newer, morally coercive ‘rights.’”

Mohler concluded his article giving warning about the current Democratic presidential candidates who if any of them would get elected will undoubtedly “dismantle religious liberty, with even greater hostility and ferocity.”

2. Mohler on California school curriculum

The next two topics baffle my mind. Check out Tuesday, Aug. 6 edition of The Briefing and hear Mohler report on the State of California’s new Ethnic Studies for high schools.

I’m actually impressed that Mohler was willing to read the entire curriculum. His conclusion was this new Ethnic Studies that will be taught in the highest populated state in America is “an absolute agenda for transforming the United States of America into a very different country, a very different culture.”

I’m also impressed on how well Mohler pronounced a few of the original terms with rather unique spellings found in this curriculum.

Here’s my favorite takeaway from Mohler’s assessment of California’s Ethnic Studies:

“We’re living in a post-modern world in which people can come up with their own truth and demand that that truth be respected in almost any circumstance, now even including spelling. The State Board there in California is coming up with its new spellings requiring its new glossary. Why would students not be able to do the very same thing?”

By the way, even the Los Angeles Times found this new study to be ridiculous.

3. Mohler on personal pronouns

Last Friday, Aug. 2, Mohler addressed other recent unconventional approaches to the English language. I’m not going to mention all that he covers because the grammar enthusiast in me gets too aggravated when even thinking about it.

Mohler reports that a New York Times columnist wants to do away with gendered singular personal pronouns and only use “They” to modify both singular and plural nouns. I did enjoy reading the explanation, even though I found it totally ridiculous.

“Our responsibility, according to the Christian worldview, is to order our language so as most faithfully to correspond to the reality that God has created,” Mohler said. “This is a moral responsibility. It’s a theological responsibility. It’s also just a natural impulse because human beings, made in the image of God, given the gift of consciousness, given the gift of language, we desperately do want our language to make sense and to be communicable, one to the other, understandable to those to whom we speak or write or communicate. If our language, if our vocabulary becomes detached from reality, it becomes not only less linguistically useful, it becomes subversive of the very idea of communication.”

I will say this Briefing is one of Mohler’s all-time best.

4. Journalists and abortion

Peggy Wehmeyer gives an excellent commentary in the Dallas Morning News on journalists covering abortion issues with impartiality.

I enjoyed reading the whole article, but here’s my favorite part:

“If evangelicals heard their moral angst over abortion clearly articulated in the media, I’m convinced they’d be far less likely to consider journalists their enemies.”

Thanks Peggy! I hope your message doesn’t fall entirely on deaf ears.

5. Importance of asking questions

Another good, thought-provoking article I read this week is by Helena Sorenson, “The God Who Asks.”

I’m still mulling through some of the contents of Sorenson’s article, but for the most part, I like how she presents God wanting to be relational and His method of asking questions.

“Isn’t it fascinating that an omniscient God, the God who knows us inside and out, should be so determined to ask questions? Turn to any passage of Scripture, Old Testament or New, and there’s a good chance you’ll catch Him in the act. In the Gospels, for example, Jesus is always walking up to someone with an obvious malady, an obvious need, and asking, “What do you want?” He makes no assumptions. Whatever information He’s gained through observation or revelation, He never misses an opportunity to ask a good question. Jesus honors the suffering people He encounters by allowing them to voice their feelings and desires. In person. Face to face. He is relentless in His pursuit of genuine relationship.”

6. God and weather

As I was trying to come up with my final topic, I turned to what was a rather unexpected rain shower this morning, which came right in the middle of a stretch of hot 100-degree days.

It made me think of Jerry Bridges’ book “Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts” and his chapter “God’s Power Over Nature.”

Here’s a challenging quote from Bridges:

“Complaining about the weather seems to be a favorite American pastime. Sadly, we Christians often get caught up in this ungodly habit of our society. But when we complain about the weather, we are actually complaining against God who sent us our weather. We are, in fact, sinning against God (See Numbers 11:1). Not only do we sin against God when we complain about the weather, we also deprive ourselves of the peace that comes from recognizing our heavenly Father is in control of it.”

REVIEW: ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’ delivers great messages—and a solid role model

by Michael Foust | Aug 9, 2019

The live-action Nickelodeon movie ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’ opens this weekend, telling the story of the popular fictional character from the animated educational series ‘Dora the Explorer.’

Dora is an optimistic and outgoing teenager girl who has spent her entire life in the South American jungle.

She’s played with snakes. She’s talked to monkeys. She’s swung from branch to branch, exploring everything there is to see. She loves it there.

But things are about to change. Her mother gets a new job. And then Dora moves to an environment—California—she doesn’t recognize or understand. And then she enters high school, a cynical place where teenagers definitely don’t share her bubbly outlook on life.

Will Dora be able to influence her high school classmates for the better? Or will her classmates change her?

The live-action Nickelodeon movie Dora and the Lost City of Gold (PG) opens this weekend, telling the story of the popular fictional character who is best-known from the animated educational series Dora the Explorer. It stars Isabela Moner (Instant Family) as Dora, Eva Longoria (Dog Days) as her mother and Michael Peña (Ant-Man series) as her father.

The movie follows Dora as she navigates high school—going to class (she loves literature), eating in the cafeteria (mac & cheese is her favorite) and dancing awkwardly at the school dance—before she and three classmates are kidnapped and taken back to South America. It seems Dora’s parents knew the location of a lost city of gold, and the bad guys want Dora to lead them to her mom and dad.  

Dora and the Lost City of Gold includes elements from several great films: the hilarious naivety from Elf, the contagious optimism in Paddington, and the history-based exploration from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s a clean version of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (which I didn’t like).

It also provides girls a great role model who has multiple qualities I’d want my daughter to emulate.    

Yes, the film is quirky and even goofy at times, but it’s a funny and mostly family-friendly film that my two oldest children (ages 11 and 7) enjoyed.

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Minimal. Teenagers are kidnapped in a crate and taken to South America on a plane. Dora and her classmates are chased and shot at with darts. They get stuck in quicksand. They nearly drown, and they think they’re going to die. They’re nearly killed again in a temple when the walls close in on them and a ceiling with sharp points collapses. But nothing is graphic, and comedy is just beneath the surface of every scene. It would disturb only the most sensitive children. Most older kids and tweens would consider it tame.

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

Minimal. Two teenagers kiss (Dora’s not one of them). We hear discussion of animals mating.

Coarse Language

Minimal. Two barely heard OMGs. Two instances of “gosh” and two unfinished “what the.” Four instances of “shut up.” The rest of the language involves name-calling: “disco Dorka” and “Dorka,” for example.

Other Positive Elements

Dora loves her parents, and they love her, too. 

Dora is the type of female role model few films offer. She optimistic. She’s encouraging to others. She sees the best in people. She’s humble. She’s a leader who learns. Eventually, she wins over her friends. It’s also worth noting that the film doesn’t sexualize Dora, as happens too often in Hollywood movies.

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

Dora dances, but not inappropriately (It’s so goofy it embarrasses her cousin, Diego).

She and her friends get stuck in quicksand, resulting in sounds that emulate the sound of flatulation.

Her female classmate, Sammy, uses the restroom in the jungle. Dora helps by digging a hole and inventing a song about making a “poo hole” in the ground.

Life Lessons

Optimism is infectious: Dora was ridiculed in school for her cheery personality, but it influenced everyone for the better. The contrast between her and her snobby classmates is striking. Who would you rather hang out with? The answer is obvious.

Bullying is ugly: We briefly see a student shoved up against the lockers. We hear Dora called several ugly names for her intellect and background. The bullies were trying to be cool. Ironically, through, they were the ones who looked foolish. Proverbs 18:2 says: “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”

Everyone needs encouraged. Dora grows discourages a couple of times. Her friends, especially Diego, cheer her up.

Worldview

The plot involves Incan traditions and myths that turn out to be true. We watch an elderly woman transformed into a young queen. We hear discussion of Incan gods. When things go bad, the queen tells everyone that the gods were “angered.” We watch Dora appease these gods by restoring a statuette to its original location.

What Works

Isabela Moner as Dora. She’s marvelous. The humor stays in the family-friendly realm, even if it does include discussions of “poo.”

What Doesn’t

Some of the humor is awkward.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you enjoy being around people like Dora? Why or why not?

2. Name five positive characteristics of Dora. Which characteristic do you need to emulate?

3. What is the key to stopping bullying?

4. Why are cliques so popular? Are cliques biblical or unbiblical?

5. Dora says if “you believe in yourself, anything is possible.” Is that true?

Entertainment rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG for action and some impolite humor.

Why I Don’t (Often) Tweet

by Brian Hobbs | Aug 8, 2019

There’s a story shared about the famous Roman historian Edward Gibbon who, though he was a Member of Parliament in Britain for a number of years, he never once gave an address or speech. When asked why, he said the examples of the good speeches and bad speeches deterred him from doing so.

As I see social media posts and discussion these days, I do see a number of really good posts. Meanwhile, I see a much greater number of terrible posts, ranging from rancorous political discussions to vicious back-and-forth personal attacks. Like Gibbon, the examples of the good and bad comments and posts have deterred me from saying much.

About 10 years ago, popular author and pastor John Piper wrote a piece called “Why and How I am Tweeting,” which has both informed and haunted me ever since I first read it. Piper said this:

“I see two kinds of response to social Internet media like blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and others. One says: These media tend to shorten attention spans, weaken discursive reasoning, lure people away from Scripture and prayer, disembody relationships, feed the fires of narcissism, cater to the craving for attention, fill the world with drivel, shrink the soul’s capacity for greatness, and make us second-handers who comment on life when we ought to be living it. So boycott them and write books (not blogs) about the problem.”

Piper continues, “The other response says: Yes, there is truth in all of that, but instead of boycotting, try to fill these media with as much provocative, reasonable, Bible-saturated, prayerful, relational, Christ-exalting, truth-driven, serious, creative pointers to true greatness as you can.”

I agree with Piper’s diagnoses. In fact, all of the negative consequences he predicted 10 years ago have come true—and even worse consequences than Piper or any of us could have imagined today. Meanwhile, I tried to operate by his prescription to try to redeem social media, but it is getting increasingly difficult to do so.

That is why I know many people who once were enthusiastic participants on social media but now have walked away altogether. I applaud them for taking this bold step, and part of me envies the more peaceful life they must enjoy as a result.

While I don’t (often) tweet or post nowadays, I do give the issues at hand much thought. And while I long for a day in which social media becomes a more civilized and uplifting platform for discussion, I am afraid that I don’t see that happening any time soon. If we ever do turn a corner, though, and social media becomes a more grace-filled place, maybe I can tweet about that.

DHD: Border wall & PP, Keith Swezey, French on Harris, Water & Spirit, Wilken’s dating advice, Finding a ‘black friend’

by Chris Doyle | Aug 2, 2019

Greetings!

Another week, another DHD! Thanks for reading!

1. Comparing border wall to Planned Parenthood

I read a peculiar article on the Christianity Today website. Titled “Are We Morally Distressed By What Is Taking Place at the Border?” the article’s author Sam Kim gives a rather intriguing comparison when writing his view about those coming across the southern U.S. border.

Kim wrote, “(Evangelicals supporting) …funding for a wall is the moral equivalent of those on the left who are advocating Planned Parenthood. Both policies are catalysts for the loss of life that Scripture commands us to protect. The unborn and those seeking asylum have an equal right to life. What is the moral difference between killing and letting die, when the ultimate outcome is the same?”

Speaking frankly, this comparison is too drastic and flawed. There is enough support demonstrated at the border to disqualify his conclusion of letting someone die who is near the border. It is possible to favor a border wall AND offer care to those seeking asylum. There is no care of the unborn when it comes to the abortion practices of Planned Parenthood.

I offer my own PP comparison involving Kim’s article. Just like PP, the world’s largest abortion provider, never acknowledges the life of the unborn baby, Kim never acknowledges the practices of exploitation of children and families of the Cartels at the border.

I welcome Kim and others who share a similar view to read my DHD from last week, regarding the border crisis. Yes, the church should provide care and support for those in need, especially those seeking asylum, under the purpose of advancing the Gospel and furthering God’s Kingdom, but the government should provide protection for citizens and maintain order. These purposes of the church and the government can be practiced with no discord.

2. Swezey’s stand

A well-known broadcast leader in the Oklahoma City community died earlier this week. Keith Swezey passed away on July 29 at the age of 67.

He is remembered by many in the broadcast journalism business. I read many fond comments about Keith on Facebook. He also was honored by news anchor Kerry Ogle on CBS affiliate KWTV News 9 in Ogle’s news commentary “My 2 Cents.”

“A lot of broadcast journalists have lost a mentor, but more than that Oklahoma lost a good man,” Ogle said in his introduction.

Ogle also mentioned that Keith stood “firm in his faith when given an ultimatum, knowing that it would cost him his job as news director.”

To elaborate on what happened, in 1988, Keith was working at WKY Radio when pari-mutuel gambling was on the rise with the addition of the Remington Park horse track on the east side of Oklahoma City. WKY was given the broadcast rights to cover the races and to promote the gambling wages at Remington Park. As the news director, Keith was told by the station’s management that he would be in charge of these reports. Keith refused to do these duties, and WKY let him go.

The Baptist Messenger reported Keith’s departure at WKY in the June 30, 1988 edition.

Keith went on to teach at University of Central Oklahoma, training broadcasting students. God bless Keith with the opportunity to influence others.

I have known the Swezey family for years, as we are members of the same church. I lift up Keith’s wife Dixie and his family during this time of loss.

3. French on Harris

I got to be quick for the remainder of my topics.

Check out David French’s article, responding to the Josh Harris’ fallout with Christianity. I was impressed to see French share a powerful Gospel message on the National Review website.

“The indescribably good news is that from the moment of the confession of faith, believers are not defined by their sin. They’re not defined even by their own meager virtues. They’re defined by Christ,” French wrote.

Please read the entire article and be blessed!

4. Born of water and spirit

One of my favorite Bible passages in John 3, when Nicodemus and Jesus meet. Don Carson wrote a great commentary on one of the most challenging verses in the passage.

Check out Carson’s article “What Does ‘Born of Water and the Spirit’ mean in John 3:5?”

5. Wilken on daughters and suitors

Jen Wilken is a popular Bible teacher. Her article “On Daughters and Dating: How to Intimidate Suitors” is a great read. Check it out!

6. Finding a ‘black friend’

The last article I share tells an encouraging story about Mack Bronson and Sammy Little, two Texas pastors who are a great example of racial reconciliation

 Check out “Checklist sparks friendship, opens ministry doors” and see how Little’s pursuit to find a black friend in 1995 led to him befriending Bronson and making an impact in southeast Texas.