Today's Students

Are Today's Students to Self-Centered? Not only is this a valid question, but it is also the title to an article written by the AP's Lloyd de Vries.

In this article, de Vries begins the article with the following statement:

"Today's college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than their predecessors, according to a comprehensive new study by five psychologists who worry that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society."

This trend is something many of us in the K-12 world have been discussing for the last several years. We see, in our students, a desire to finish rather than a desire to do their best which I believe has its roots in this narcissistic and self-centered nature. Students do not think about the world beyond their own world. Their thoughts are short term and me-centered and do not consider the world outside of who they are.

The article highlights Professor Jean Twenge and her team from San Diego State University.

"Twenge and her colleagues, in findings to be presented at a workshop Tuesday in San Diego on the generation gap, examined the responses of 16,475 college students nationwide who completed an evaluation called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1982 and 2006.
The standardized inventory, known as the NPI, asks for responses to such statements as "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place," "I think I am a special person" and "I can live my life any way I want to. The researchers describe their study as the largest ever of its type and say students' NPI scores have risen steadily since the current test was introduced in 1982. By 2006, they said, two-thirds of the students had above-average scores, 30 percent more than in 1982."

The article brings to light the issues with narcissism in an honest and sincere way.

"Narcissism can have benefits, said study co-author W. Keith Campbell of the University of Georgia, suggesting it could be useful in meeting new people "or auditioning on 'American Idol."

"Unfortunately, narcissism can also have very negative consequences for society, including the breakdown of close relationships with others," he said. The study asserts that narcissists "are more likely to have romantic relationships that are short-lived, at risk for infidelity, lack emotional warmth, and to exhibit game-playing, dishonesty, and over-controlling and violent behaviors."

And, her is the really interesting part of their study, which I am sure will bring lots of flack from the secular establishment...

"The researchers traced the phenomenon back to what they called the "self-esteem movement" that emerged in the 1980s, asserting that the effort to build self-confidence had gone too far."

This is around the time when the secular humanist mindset became dominant pushing out all other mindsets. Again, honest research points to a truth only found in scripture... the only Truth there is... Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to read the article carefully. It is yet another example of a redemptive God who is in complete control providing us what we need. As a father, I read it with great interest and conviction. I pray you will do the same. Blessings!

Today's Quote...

Another quote that hits the mark. Enjoy!


It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.
–- Harry Truman

How Are We Doing?

The unemployment rate is one of the many indicators used to determine current economic conditions. Click on this map, and you will get a quick assessment on how we are doing economically. Let me be the first to warn you, the picture is not pretty.

2010 Olympic Games and the Economy

I have yet to watch one second of the 2010 Olympics, but before you get too impressed, let me confess... my family does not have cable. I was feeling a little blue about not having any Olympic spirit the other day, but a conversation with another, actually made me reasonably happy that I had not watched any of the festivities.

Allow me to ask a simple question first: why, in light of the global economic conditions, are countries spending bundles of money that they do not have to be part of a two week event with not lasting value or benefit? In our own country, we are told that the economy is in such a vulnerable state that corporate bonuses must be monitored and major corporations must be bailed out, yet some things appear to be not affected.

Hollywood keeps churning out useless films and spending major money to do so. Sporting events continue to take place and pay record contracts and politicians continue using corporate jets and SUVs despite the potential escalation in fuel prices and the enormous carbon footprint. The list goes on and on until we hit the Olympics.

Recent history has told us that the games bring a boost to the economy of the host country, but there is a underside to that, seemingly, rosy picture. Apparently, that boost is off set by the amount of money spent to prepare for the coming Olympics. Most host cities go into debt to complete the tasks needed to support the games. The picture continues to get cloudier when we learn that many of the structures built for the Olympics become vacant and useless mere months after the festivities are completed.

The Olympics serve as yet one more example of the hypocrisy of those alarmists running around crying the sky is falling. Apparently, it is only falling where it falls best. It is not falling in Vancouver during these two weeks, nor is it falling in Washington D.C. where the answer to every problem seems to be money and more of it. The economy must be doing fine in Hollywood where there has been no calls for a cease in any production due to current economic conditions. Actors and athletes still get paid obscene amounts of money, and yet, no one is calling for a curb in those salaries.

As I was feeling a pang of guilt for not watching any of the Olympics, a simple conversation again reminded me of what is really important... my God and my family. And, the Olympics, well, to be truthful... the two week event is not even on my list any more. Fill your ears and your heart with the words of God and not the words of men... you will be a lot better off. Blessings!

Another Great Poem

Here is another of my favorite poems. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Christian Scholarship

George Marsden wrote a book back in 1997 and titled it, The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship. In that book, he took on this idea of Christian scholarship, and why it would be considered outrageous. His little book contains some important points that should be discussed more openly.

At one point in his book, Marsden writes,

"It is the puzzling phenomenon that among so many academics who are professing Christians, all but a tiny minority keep quiet about the intellectual implications of their faith." Marsden goes on to ask the question, "what is it about the dominant academic culture that teaches people they must suppress reflection on the intellectual implications of their faith."

I personally do not think the academic culture, as dominant as it may be, should be able to suppress anything Christ-centered if it is truly Christ-centered. I believe the problem is not the dominant culture but the splintered western faith. Marsden writes that "even in church-related schools, however, the pervasive reach of the dominant academic culture is evident among the many professors who insist that it is inappropriate to relate their Christianity to their scholarship." Why?

Is it not appropriate to root one's scholarship in one's own worldview? This, in my opinion, is the first sure sign of a segmented faith that is not equipped to withstand the storms on the horizon. Every other faith is allowed into academia except Christianity. Why? Maybe, it is because, in the name of tolerance and grace, we, now, are afraid to stand for Christianity because, deep down, we believe it is kind of lacking those two things. I mean... it does say in Acts 4:12 that there is only one way to salvation... the cornerstone which is Jesus Christ. Wrong thoughts! What we don't understand is that everyone else believes they have the way too, only they are not afraid to stand for it.

Christianity is presented as anti-tolerant and elitist, and as a worldview that rejects the university mantra of acceptance and tolerance. The academy, as it is called at the university level, wants you to believe that they teach, mold and shape students to accept all faiths universally. That is not true.

Marsden makes this important point for us here as he writes, the "American university culture is still shaped by a powerful impulse toward homogeneity and uniformity." They would like you to believe that all thoughts and ideas are welcome, but the simple truth is they are not.

Marsden does point out that part of our current problem is the past dominant rule of Christianity at the academy, and the many mistakes made by those in Christ. But, instead of improvement and a system of checks and balances, we have the dominant role being taken over by the secular side of things. This, in turn, has done nothing but make a bad problem much worse.

The secular humanist worldview has pretty much had its way for the last 50 years or so. One of the reasons for this is that many people ascribing to this worldview made the claim that the Christian worldview was old and archaic and in need of repair. The case was made, and then the attack was launched, and slowly, the Christian worldview was replaced. So, my question is this: how are we doing? Look at the changes over the last 50 years and answer the question yourself. You might not like the answer you get. Blessings!

Retirement Signals Trouble

Evan Bayh is a Democrat and a good guy, from where I sit. He says the right things, votes the same way and is honest and straightforward. I am a conservative and have come to appreciated those who speak consistently from their heart of belief. Evan Bayh is that type of man.

When Bayh announced that he was not running for re-election, I was interested in what he would have to say. Interestingly, Bayh stated in his press conference,

"There is too much partisanship and not enough progress -- too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving, he said."

He went on to say,

"Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples' business is not being done."

When a man like this, who is currently part of the majority, decides to call it quits because he can't get the "peoples' business" done, something is wrong. Bayh suggests the system needs a shock in order to get it back on track. What is this "shock"he recommends? Bayh believes a mass turnover of incumbent politicians would be the shock the system needs.

I think his idea should be the beginning of things to come if we are to clean the system. We, the American people, still hold the right to vote, and I would encourage all of us to use that right to change the landscape and shock the system, as Senator Bayh suggests. It will only be a start, but at least it will be in the right direction, even if it is only the first step. Blessings!

Tens...

Here is another list of ten. Here we go... the ten things I remember from my time growing up in Monroe Bridge, Massachusetts, population... 250.

10. Walking to school in a snow storm.
9. Leaving my bedroom window open all night.
8. Sleeping in my tent in the woods.
7. Sliding, by street light at night, down a steep road closed every winter. The Town Crew always put a nice big pile of snow at the bottom of that road so we would never have to worry about sliding into the main road.
6. Playing hide-and-go seek in the whole town. I remember the flag pole of the school serving as base.
5. Making a 98 on the hardest 7th grade history test known to man. My first remembered dose of real hard work resulting in success.
4. Biking to the "Cement Bridge" a full 5 miles away and swimming until dark.
3. Playing on my little league team on the 4th of July with my Dad announcing the game.
2. Seeing a live moose walk right in front of the car I was riding in early one morning.
1. Playing kickball for recess forever if we, boys, just stayed ahead of the girls. As soon as the girls went ahead, our teacher, who always played on the girls team, would say, "let's go." And, recess was suddenly over.

Great memories from a great childhood!

Poems

A friend of mine has recently persuaded me to consider the value of poetry. I have always valued poetry, but I have read dreadfully little of it as of late. After spending sometime reading some very good poetry, I think it only fair to begin to share some from time to time. I will start with one of my all time favorites. Enjoy!

The Tyger by William Blake

Tyger Tyger. burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile His work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Another Great Quote...

Here is another great quote. Enjoy!

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” ~Winston Churchill

Apologetics

As I was listening to a sermon Sunday evening, a few thoughts started to dance around in my head. These thoughts were apologetic in nature, and I am sure were triggered by something in the sermon, maybe the reference to Romans 1:20, which has always been on of my favorite verses.

I am not one who dwells in apologetics on a regular basis as I am just not that bright. I do read in the subject, but as far as the actual work, I leave that to the theologians. I have recently begun to read both Cornelius Van til and Gordan Clark and their views on presuppositional apologetics with great interest. I was thinking of their words as Romans 1:20 settled on my heart when it hit me... the idea of circularity.

This idea of circularity is itself part of an apologetic that states that the argument for Christianity is circular in reason. Most presuppositional apologetic supporters will reject this as a fallacy, but John Frame encourages us to slow a bit in our judgment. He writes,

"That presupposed allegiance rules our thinking, as it rules all other aspects of life. And since Christian presuppositions underlie all of the Christian’s reasoning, then our argument for the truth of Christianity itself must be, in a certain sense, circular. We should try to understand what that “certain sense” is. It is not that we are reduced to saying “Christianity is true because it is true,” or any such nonsense. Rather, the argument is circular in that it appeals to criteria of truth and rationality which are themselves Christian in that they accord with Christian presuppositions. But if that is true, then we are presenting an argument that assumes from the outset that Christianity is true; it assumes, in other words, the conclusion it attempts to prove."

Presuppositional apologetics holds that without a theistic worldview there will be no consistent basis upon which to assume any possibility of autonomous reason. When other worldviews attempt to refute Christianity by an appeal to deductive reason (inductive reasoning is of no help here), they are in fact borrowing from the Christian worldview, hence being inconsistent with their stated presuppositions. The presuppositional apologist can take a given value which is held by the unbeliever and demonstrate to him or her that if his own worldview were true, that belief would be meaningless without the Christian worldview. The assumption is this: unless the Christian worldview is presupposed—whether at a conscious or subconscious level—there is no possibility for proving anything with out it.

The argument for evolution attempts the same jump in science as it must presuppose some things before reaching a conclusion. Generally, all theories begin first with a hypothesis based on some suspected truth that is supposed. Once the supposed truth is proven through diligent honest research then, in that field, all future thought begins, first, with this presupposed proven truth in order to build and discovery more truth to add to the existing truth. Evolution has not been held to the same standards. It has taken a suspected truth and pushed that truth to the presupposed truth status before research has proven anything substantial. There are those who will cry fowl in support of evolution, but watch and listen closely. Their cries in defense of evolution will be loud, boisterous and all fallacies.

But, science was not content to keep this false presupposed truth in a single field, instead, pushing this false presupposed truth, first, into every scientific field and, then, into every other field and subject. Today, we are confused; most of us will not admit it, but we are really not quite sure why this truth that is suppose to be presupposed and a priori feels so wrong and leads to such hopelessness.

Let me apologize at this time for subjecting you to the strange way my mind works... pray for my poor wife as she has to deal with me daily. Anyway, I was thinking these things in this order when it hit me... man will never prove that evolution is true or false in the same way that man will never prove that God exists or does not. And, here is why. When those working in a lab or on a theory discover something... they do so under conditions. In a lab or in theory, there will always be a test tube or theory, variables and a controlled environment. Even if science is able to clone or create something, it will always be in a lab with a test tube or a theory, variables and a controlled environment or in other words... with some sort of intelligent design and a creator!

For me, every scientist is now proof of a Holy God because no matter what they prove, whether it be in a lab or in theory, they are still involved in the process creating theories, variables and controlling the environment.

Regarding evolution and its standard definition, "in biology evolution is change in the genetic material of a population of organisms through successive generations. Although the changes produced in a single generation are normally small, the accumulation of these differences over time can cause substantial changes in a population, a process that can result in the emergence of new species. Similarities among species suggest that all known specie descended from a common ancestor (or ancestral gene pool) through this process of gradual divergence."

From where did the genetic material come? Creator. From where did the common ancestor come? Creator. Every where that I look I find that it is necessary for a Creator to be part of the process as evidenced by scientists and their theories, variables and controlled environments. May God be Glorified!

Tens...

Ten favorite cities that I have visited and recommend...

10. Atlanta
9. Chicago
8. Kiev, Ukraine
7. Richmond, VA
6. Boston
5. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
4. Vienna, Austria
3. Haifa, Israel
2. Amman, Jordan
1. Jerusalem, Israel

Time...

I believe the single most consistent excuse I hear, bar none, is time. Students run out of time, teachers don't have time, and all of us wish we had more time. The reality is that time should not drive us in the way that it does. Dr. Peter Kreeft has a great article on time that all should read.

Dr. Kreeft believes that the single largest obstacle to our relationship with God is having no time, and I believe he is right. We live in a time of great invention. Many tasks from the past that robbed us of valuable time are now taken care of by machines. Yet, we still have less time than we used to have. Why?

Dr. Kreeft believe we are out of alignment regarding time. He writes,

"We have time and prayer backwards. We think time determines prayer, but prayer determines time. We think our lack of time is the cause of our lack of prayer, but our lack of prayer is the cause of our lack of time."

I know this, but still, I resist and allow time to determine prayer. Dr. Kreeft believes we should think about time differently. He goes on to write,

"Time is like the setting of a play. The setting is really part of the play, contained by the play, determined by the play. But we often think the opposite: we think the play is contained by the setting. We think that the theme, the meaning, the spirit of the play is in its material setting instead of the other way around. That's like thinking the soul is in the body. In fact, the body is in the soul. So says St. Thomas Aquinas. And since time measures the movements of material bodies, while prayer measures the movements of the soul, time is really in prayer rather than prayer in time. Prayer determines and changes and miraculously multiplies time. But prayer multiplies time only if and when we sacrifice our time, offer it up. There's the rub. We fear sacrifice. It's a kind of death."

Do we fear sacrifice? I believe we do. We do not like the word sacrifice in the west. We think, in our minds, that there is something wrong with it. That it is a dirty part of faith reserved for those poor souls struggling with their faith. Maybe, I am the only one who thought that way. Dr. Kreeft makes the case for sacrifice when he writes,

"All the real religions of the world are based on sacrifice, on willing death. Only the fake religion of pop psychology (which has infiltrated even the modern church) ignores this fact. Even pagans and polytheists know it. The most popular god in India is Shiva, the Destroyer, and the most popular goddess is Kali, his female equivalent. Even Hindus know the importance of spiritual surgery, death, sacrifice. After Calvary, how can Christians know this any less? Our Lord repeatedly taught us that unless we took up our cross and followed him, we could not be his disciples. This probably means some terrible and difficult things; but one of the simple and easy things it means is to sacrifice our time to God. For time is life—"life-time."

I believe he is accurate in his analysis. If you read his article you will notice that Dr. Kreeft challenges his readers to get rid of the TV. Our family is a testimony to this radical idea... we have not had cable for over a year, and it has changed our lives. Dr. Kreeft uses TV as just one of the many examples of the things we do instead of spending time in prayer. Dr. Kreeft leaves us with a challenge...

"The first rule for prayer, the most important first step, is not about how to do it, but to just do it; not to perfect and complete it but to begin it." Think of the things preventing you from spending more time in prayer... and rid yourselves of them. I am making my list right now. Blessings!

Tens...

Ten things I miss in Virginia...

10. Hollywood Cemetery
9. The James River
8. The College of William and Mary
7. Trees
6. Shockoe Bottom
5. Saturday trips to Williamsburg
4. Maymont
3. Sycamore Presbyterian Church
2. Veritas Classical Christian School
1. Friends

Another Great Quote...

Here is another great quote; this one is worth dwelling on for a few moments.

"Merciful service gives itself rich, but selfish isolation hoards itself poor."

Teddy Roosevelt

Culture and the Christian

When we write or speak of culture we do so out of an assumed knowledge that we actually know what culture is, but... do we? I would say that many of us talk about culture without even fully understanding what culture is.

In1960 Webster's definition of culture looked something like this: 1. The cultivation of soil. 2. The raising, improvement, or development of some plant, animal or product" (Friend and Guralnik 1958).

This use of the word has its roots in the ancient Latin word cultura, "cultivation" or "tending." But as one site stated, "By the time the Webster's definition above was written, another definition had begun to take precedence over the old Latin denotation; culture was coming to mean "the training, development, and refinement of mind, tastes, and manners" (Oxford English Dictionary). However, if you try a more modern source, you'll find a primary definition of culture which is substantially different than either of the two given above: "The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought."

Over time, these new uses for culture quickly eclipsed the older ones. When we open our dictionary to find the word "culture" today, we find the following:

1. 1. The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.
   2. These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty.
   3. These patterns, traits, and products considered with respect to a particular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression: religious culture in the Middle Ages; musical culture; oral culture.
   4. The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.
2. Intellectual and artistic activity and the works produced by it.
3. 1. Development of the intellect through training or education.
   2. Enlightenment resulting from such training or education.
4. A high degree of taste and refinement formed by aesthetic and intellectual training.
5. Special training and development: voice culture for singers and actors.
6. The cultivation of soil; tillage.
7. The breeding of animals or growing of plants, especially to produce improved stock.
8. Biology.

Notice the older definitions of the past have been pushed down to the bottom of priority regarding usable recommended definitions. This is itself an example of culture, and why it is so very important that Christians understand culture. There are many aspects of culture on which to think. There are layers, traits and definitions, but I am not concerned about those at the moment. What I am concerned about currently is the very real fact that learned behavior is a component of culture.

When writing about behavior one can write about many aspects of that behavior. Innate behavior is that behavior that is hard wired into the systems of the human... crying when in pain and yawning when tired are but two examples of many. Then there is learned behavior which is believed to be altered by experience. Language accusation is a learned behavior as are manners and eating habits. As a matter of fact, culture is composed of many more learned behaviors than innate, and culture will change in response to a different experience producing a different learned behavior which is the current issue.

Culture is reflective of what is transforming in people. Tad Beckman suggests in his article regarding culture in California "that society is a common human possession, but societies also differ. Specific human attributes lead to common cultural components that cause certain elements to occur in virtually all societies, of course. At birth, humans are vulnerable and they remain vulnerable for a long period of time. All human societies, then, provide for child support and development. Perhaps the parents remain together and provide support; perhaps a lone mother lives with an extended family in which the older generation accepts child-rearing responsibilities; but perhaps there is even a systematic arrangement for adopting children out to other members of a society. Whatever culture dictates, it is followed in a particular society more often than not."

I believe Beckman is right concerning culture. He describes it as "the fabric of learning that stands in back of and sustains a human society."

If Beckman is right, specific human attributes lead to cultural components. If there are no "Christian" attributes demanding time in the "fabric of learning" that is culture, it is a logical conclusion that it will not be long before that "fabric" ceases to have any strands that are Christian in nature. We believe in a sovereign God, but that does not negate our responsibility to engage culture with the energy and vigor necessary to dictate learned behavior that is rooted in truth(Christ) that society should and will follow.

I believe that if one does not engage one will be engaged. Christians must engage in a loving but offensive mode in order to avoid getting swept away in the wave of current culture and becoming nominal. Blessings!