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News

Is it job creation if government is doing most of the hiring?

COVID brought with it huge government expenditures, and the end of the crisis didn’t end the growth of government. Over the four years of 2019-2023, there was a steep increase in new government jobs, contrasted with relatively little growth in the private sector. Data compiled by the Fraser Institute reveals that new jobs created by the country’s federal and provincial governments increased by 13 percent, more than three times greater than the 3.6 percent increase in private sector jobs.

But it is the contrast between the provinces that is the most striking. Alberta and Nova Scotia, run by conservative governments, both had a greater percentage of growth in the private sector. Compare this with BC, where under the NDP, government jobs grew by 22% compared to just 0.5% for the private sector.

In their report “Economic Recovery in Canada before and after COVID,” the Fraser Institute compared the data with five previous recessions and slowdowns and found that “none of those recoveries were nearly as reliant on job creation in the government sector.”

Governments have always been interested in growing – 3,000 years ago the Lord warned Israel that the king they were demanding would want all sorts of servants (1 Sam. 8:11-18) – and times of hardship are often used to justify larger government reach. Checks and balances, including elections, are a crucial part of restraining a government. Unfortunately, in recent elections, the public has been rewarding parties who pledge to increase government debt rather than rein it in.

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News

Saturday Selections – Oct. 26, 2024

The key to happiness Jewish commentator Dennis Prager makes the case that gratitude is the key to happiness. He makes a good case, but as Christians, why would we think that would be? Prager goes a little stoic - expect nothing, and you will never be disappointed. But I suspect it is more a matter of seeing the world as it actually is. Everything good we get is truly undeserved, and a matter of God's grace. So when we respond in gratitude, we are responding as we have been designed to do. That is, in fact, getting very close to our purpose, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. See no Creator? Evolution blinds scientists from searching for function in supposed “vestigial” organs "Vestigial organs" are presented as evidence of our evolutionary past – these are organs we don't use now, but which are said to have served a function back in one of our earlier evolved states. The human "yolk sac" is one of these. But like other supposed vestigial organs (and our supposed "junk DNA"), that scientists didn't know its function doesn't mean it didn't have a function. Turns out this yolk sac is very important to fetal development. This is another example of how evolution hampers science. It's because they don't understand Man as "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14), that evolutionists weren't motivated to go look for the purpose of this organ. In their ignorance, they presumed it was only an evolutionary dead-end. The remarkable Katharina von Bora, wife of Luther God used a couple to spark His Reformation... How not to be a grumpy old woman "My ninety-eight-year-old mother recently passed away after living with me for three years. When I spoke at her memorial service, I said, “You could not do what I did for an easier person. She was grateful, cheerful, and never complained.” Watching her made me wonder what sort of old person I will be. Churches hold parenting retreats, marriage conferences, and seminars on managing finances, but have you ever heard of a church that offered a seminar on how to grow old?" Lessons from the USSR on sexual morality The communists blew up the family, and they paid a price. Should Christians celebrate Halloween? 3 points to consider... (5 min) "You’re in a conversation and someone says, 'Christians shouldn’t celebrate Halloween. It’s a pagan holiday that glorifies evil.' What would you say?" ...

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Indigenous peoples, News

112 Canadian churches vandalized and burned

Since the allegations of “mass graves” on Canadian residential school grounds began in 2021, more than a hundred of the country’s churches have been burned or vandalized. A list of these churches is being compiled by True North News, and the number has now grown to 112. True North’s list includes a Google map that identifies the location of the churches. The CBC has examined 33 of the fires that resulted in churches being burned to the ground, noting that most of these were on reserves or in small towns, and to this point only two have been ruled to be accidental. The same article noted that over a 24-month period from 2019 to 2021, the RCMP in Alberta recorded 8 confirmed arson or attempted arson cases against Alberta churches, compared to more than triple that – 29 cases – in the 27-month period from June 2021 to September 2023, after the mass grave announcement in May of 2021. The CBC report quoted University of Alberta professor Paulina Johnson, who explained what she thinks is the motivation for some of the arsonists. "It gives them a voice. Because for the longest time, Canada hasn't really actually acknowledged us." In recent years Indigenous people in Canada have gotten notable acknowledgement, especially in the provinces’ education systems that are replete with mandated materials on Canada’s “first peoples.” But Johnson’s comment does point to a deeper truth: our country’s approach towards Indigenous people – segregating them to reserves, and throwing money and empty words in the face of disturbingly high rates of suicide, crime and incarceration rates, poverty, and unemployment – does little to fix the real hurt. The first real step to meaningful change is a recognition of sin. Sin has been committed against Indigenous peoples in the past. However past sin never justifies more sin in the present. Canada needs leaders (in universities, police forces, law firms, government, and churches) that are willing to acknowledge truth, repent of sin that they have committed, and embrace the peace that comes from forgiveness and grace. But is our secular government capable of real repentance? The critical theory they’ve embraced only exacerbates the problem, focussing on one narrative – overthrowing the “oppressor.” Facts about whether mass graves actually exist don’t matter a whole lot when the goal is to empower the “oppressed.” And what’s more empowering for the “oppressed” than to become the “oppressors”? Burning down churches has its own twisted logic then. But what is the end of this path? God warns us that vengeance will merely continue the cycle of brokenness and despair (Gal. 6:8, Prov. 24:29)....

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News

This time the liberals are leaving – congregations depart CRC over orthodox turn

As many as 24 congregations will disaffiliate from the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) after its Synod 2024 made clear that disagreement with the federation’s official positions on homosexuality will not be permitted. At its federational meeting in 2022, the CRC had accepted The Human Sexuality Report, which affirmed the traditional Biblical teaching that homosexual sex is sinful and clearly forbidden by Scripture, and that that Confessions already condemn such actions as sin against the seventh commandment. The question that Synod 2024 ruled on was how the churches would deal with congregations that did not agree with this adopted teaching and allowed practicing homosexuals to remain office bearers and members in good standing. Synod 2024 ruled that: “churches which have declared themselves to be… in protest… regarding synod’s decisions shall be entered into a one-year process of discipline requiring repentance and a move toward restoration with CRCNA positions, or towards disaffiliation.” By requiring repentance of these churches, Synod 2024 essentially called it sinful to affirm that homosexual behavior is permissible for Christians, and affirmed the clear delineation that Synod 2022 had adopted. Remaining “in protest” is likely not an option for churches that disagree with these decisions: they are being asked to repent, or disaffiliate, within a one-year period. In October, The Banner reported that at least seven churches have officially indicated a desire to disaffiliate from the denomination, while Religion News Services suggested that “at least two dozen” would do so. The CRC consists of just over 1,000 churches, and around 290,000 members, so these numbers represent a very small percentage that may increase in the coming months. Interestingly, one congregation, Mountain View CRC in Lynden, WA is leaving despite The Human Sexuality Report, and not because of it. According to The Banner, they said that the same “hermeneutic that allowed for women in office has helped pave the way to other wrongful interpretations, namely the roughly 30% of Synod that promote full inclusion of practicing LGBT people.” Readers of Reformed Perspective are likely familiar with decisions by the CRC that tended towards a more liberal view of Scripture, especially in allowing women to become elders and pastors. It is refreshing and encouraging to see the denomination take a firm stand against our culture’s celebration of sexual sin with this clear, Biblical stance....

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News

Saturday Selection – Oct 19, 2024

4 minutes of penguins being brave and cool In this clip, penguin chicks jump off a 50-foot cliff for their very first swimming experience. And while, admittedly, some are only doing so because of those jerks in the back pushing, most are up for taking that very brave first step. One of the most remarkable features of early Christian manuscripts The earliest documents show Christian scribes were already showing reverence, in their copying, to the name of Jesus Christ. Is in vitro fertilization (IVF) pro-life? Do you really believe that what you believe is really real? Say that out loud and it is quite the mouthful to consider, but it is an important question for Christians to ask when it comes to the unborn. And that's especially true now, in light of the recent political popularity of IVF, with both Donald Trump, and BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad pledging to make it affordable. The Christian pro-life position is that the unborn's worth – and everyone else's worth too – comes from being made in God's Image (Gen. 1:26-27). This isn't something we grow into, or increase in, but is simply an attribute given by God. That we are all made in God's Image is why the just-conceived embryo is as valuable as the fetus, newborn, toddler, teen, and adult. It is also the only basis for equality. This Christian pro-life position stands in sharp contrast to the world's evaluation of human worth, which bases it on what we can do. They might differ on what exactly we need to be able to do to be worthy of life – some insisting it is consciousness, others saying it is viability, brainwaves, a heartbeat, or being able to feel pain – but in some form or fashion the world says human worth is based on being able to do something and if you can't do it, then you aren't deemed fully human yet. The linked article is an op-ed from a conservative but not Christian publication. What's worth noting is how this "pro-life" piece leaves it as an open question of if we believe that an embryo is a person. I'm not trying to throw this writer under the bus – they are raising an issue that few are willing to even discuss – but read through this asking yourself if, at the end of it, you are left thinking the "discarding" of 1.7 million embryos from 1991-2012 is anywhere near as horrible as the murder of 1.7 million newborn, or elementary-aged, children would be. If you don't – and I'll admit to that feeling too – it is only because you and I don't really believe that what we say we believe about the unborn's worth is really real. But it is real. So we need to stop being doubleminded (1 Kings 18:21, James 4:7-9). There is a pressing need for the Church to speak with clarity against the horrors caused by IVF – especially because conservative leaders might actually listen to us – but God's people will only be able to do so if we're willing to submit our own feelings and thinking to the Lordship of Christ. How the Internet made vibes more important than arguments (10-min read) For Christians, truth must matter. But in our culture, it's all about impressions now: "The vibe world is Memes over messages. Aesthetics over arguments. Relatability over rightness. Feelings over facts. Mood over meaning...If I care about issue X and can find evidence a certain candidate somewhere, at some point, said he shared my view on issue X, I can permit myself to support that candidate (even if elsewhere he said he doesn’t support issue X, or said he supports issue Y that contradicts issue X). Incoherence is an electoral asset in the internet age. What matters more than coherent views is a compelling vibe. Politicians know this...." The seat of scoffers There is a lot of scoffing online because it is easier to tear down than it is to build up. So in your intake of social media, what is your diet of scoffing compared to wisdom? Your sense of hearing is a masterpiece of engineering (6 min) There's nothing to indicate this was made by a Christian, but if evidence alone could change a man's heart, then this video (and the accompanying article – click the title above) most certainly would! This looks at our hearing, and any time we dig down into the workings of our body, God's genius becomes all the more evident the further we explore. Some technical terminology means the video requires a little effort to stick with, but it rewards the investment! ...

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News

Saturday Selections – Sept 28, 2024

Click on the titles for the linked articles... Glen Campbell: I'm not going to miss you Before his death in 2017, Glen Campbell had become about as big a musical star as can be. But then dementia hit, and even as performing was one of the last things he forgot, most everything was taken away from him bit by bit. In this song, he shares how the worst wasn't his to bear – that was going to be on his wife and family – because "I'm not going to miss you." A kick in the pants reminder that to dust we will all return (Gen. 3:19). But God's people can endure even this, knowing that something better waits (John 14:2-3). Defying the trend: mothers of large families Catherine Pakaluk is a Catholic who wrote a book about the 5 percent of US women who chose to have five or more kids. She interviewed 55 women from different religions and races and here's some of what she found. Is it biblical to want to influence our culture? Christians sometimes act as if we think God's Word is only relevant to believers. But if God is sovereign over the whole world, and if His ways are the best ways, and if His love is evident in His commandments, then of course we're going to want to point others in a Godward direction. Loving our neighbors as ourselves means sharing how we've been blessed so they can be too. Rules of success for motivated 13-year-olds There's a pretty clear biblical backing to many of the 50+ tips this 73-year-old Christian economist offers up. I might pick nits with a few (like his pre-nuptial suggestion - I'm not marrying anyone if I thought I'd need a pre-nup with them) but overall these could make for some great conversation starters with your kids just before they hit their teens. 5 things Science can't explain, but Theism can Christian philosopher J.P. Moreland once described himself as a creationist 3 days of the week, and a theistic evolutionist the other 4. In this article he's leaning more into the latter than the former, but shares points that creationists can largely agree with too. You're woke, why aren't your jeans? Was it only 5 years ago that woke was a joke? (If you haven't seen Real Talk's episode on woke-ism, check it out here.) ...

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News, Politics

Alberta planning to enshrine right to refuse vaccinations

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced in late September that her government is planning to amend and strengthen the Alberta Bill of Rights when the Alberta legislature sits again later this fall. As she explained via a video message: “As our society evolves, so too must our laws, to ensure our rights and freedoms are properly protected in an ever-changing world.” Smith’s first proposed change is to ensure that: “…every individual in our province who has the mental capacity to do so, will have the right to decide whether or not to receive a vaccination or other medical procedure.” But the revisions aren’t limited to vaccinations. The changes will also strengthen property rights to ensure that Albertans can’t be deprived of their property without due process and just compensation. And they also include a plan to further affirm the rights of legal and responsible firearm owners. As the premier declared: “In my view, these amendments to the Bill of Rights are not just legal changes. They are a reaffirmation of the values that make Alberta one of the freest jurisdictions on earth.” However, some are questioning the motives and the real impact of such changes. Mount Royal University professor Lori Williams argued that “she’s clearly playing to in the hopes that they will not call her leadership into question in the leadership review at the beginning of November.” The Alberta Bill of Rights was passed in 1972 and updated in 1980 and 2000. Unlike the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it isn’t a constitutional document, so it is easily alterable. That means that even while other bills and policies in the province are supposed to align with the Alberta Bill of Rights, the legislature can as easily override the Bill of Rights as they can amend it. This highlights the differences between the rights God gives vs. rights from the State. As well motivated as the premier’s efforts might be, if the New Democrats win the next election, they could quickly take these new “rights” away. In contrast, God grants irrevocable rights via the prohibitions in His 10 Commandments – for example, by banning murder and theft He gives a right to life and property. These rights may still be violated by sinful man, but they can never be erased. Both the Alberta Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter pay lip service to this truth by recognizing in their preambles that the rights they seek to recognize are founded on the supremacy of God. Picture credit: Screenshot from a Sept. 24 post to x.com/ABDanielleSmith...

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News

Saturday Selections – Sept 21, 2024

Actions speak louder than words During the COVID lockdowns political leaders were caught, with some regularity, violating their own rules, so this just-released clip might not even seem all that newsworthy. It is particularly scandalous – in this undercover video, Dr. Jay Varma, senior advisor to the New York City mayor, and, in his words, the architect of the city's COVID rules, admits to holding a sex party that violated those rules. What makes this notable is what Steven Crowder highlights: "This is a story about those in charge not fearing what it is that they demanded you fear..." The lesson here is that when something is outside our expertise and we have to trust someone else's evaluation, their actions – not their words – tell us what they really believe. What we have here is a COVID expert telling us that this virus was dangerous enough to shut down our church services but not his sex parties. And that's a bit of hindsight worth filing away. How women survive breastfeeding There is so much more going on in our bodies than anyone has ever imagined. Scientists just discovered a hormone produced when a mother is lactating that prevents her from going into a calcium dive – otherwise the baby getting calcium from mom would come at a cost to the calcium in mom's own skeletal system leading to osteoporosis. This is a longer article, and a bit technical, but the gist is amazing. Helping others trust God in the face of infertility and miscarriage (20 min) Jeremy Pray, the author of Infertility and Miscarriage: Helping Others Trust God in Every Season, discusses how to counsel couples facing infertility. How should they understand what God is doing? This podcast is intended for biblical counselors but would be a good listen for friends and family of anyone facing this struggle. Listen to this as a 20-minute podcast or, for those who prefer to read, there is also a transcript. When therapy harms instead of helps The Bible speaks to the value of wise counsel. But it shouldn't surprise us that some secular counseling makes things worse. How green energy endangers us in an emergency How far is your EV car going to get you when a storm knocks out the grid? But a truck with a full gas tank can get you out of the danger zone. And a tank of gas can get ambulances where they need to go. And power the semis bringing in emergency supplies. And etc. and etc. Gavin Newsom signed a deepfake ban so The Babylon Bee responded AI advances now allow the quick, cheap, and easy creation of "deepfake" videos that can depict people saying things they never did or would say. A fake but realistic depiction of Joe Biden could be made to say, "The nomination was stolen from me," or an indecipherable-from the-real "Donald Trump" could be shown talking about how the Russians backed him. These sorts of deepfakes could cause enormous problems. Some sort of regulation would seem a must then. However, when regulations come from unprincipled politicians we have to remember what Obama's former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said about using trouble to push an agenda: "never let a serious crisis go to waste." When California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning deep fake election ads, it would have been naieve to think it won't be weaponized against his enemies. After all, we're seeing more and more "lawfare" – lax enforcement of the rules for friends of the government, and the strictest application of the law against their enemies, So The Bablyon Bee stepped up to be the first target, creating the ad below. There is supposed to be an exception for satire, but Newsom agitated for this bill in response to a clearly sataric ad against Kamala Harris, so we will see. Got to love the very last line. ...

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News

The IVF gendercide

Critics of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) have long warned that the technology could be used to customize children, allowing parents and doctors to effectively play God. According to a recent Slate article, which sounded like a review of the movie Gattaca, those fears were well-founded. According to the article, "You can have a baby when it suits your career, thanks to egg freezing (or at least you can try). You can sequence your embryos’ genomes for $2,500 a pop and attempt to maximize your future child’s health (or intelligence, attractiveness, or height) ... you can even select eye color. There is a vast disparity between who gets to use IVF... and who is using it to create designer families." Another example is sex selection. Numbers vary from clinic to clinic, but one Los Angeles-based IVF clinic estimates that about 85% of its patients engage in sex selection. However, which sex is being selected is surprising. Historically, when parents choose between sons and daughters – think of China under its one-child policy or Romans who practiced infanticide by exposure – boys won out. Today, Americans using IVF are abandoning the sons in favor of daughters. “Abandoning” is the correct term when it comes to IVF. Standard procedure involves the creation of anywhere between five and 10 embryos that are then implanted either one at a time or in multiples. Embryos that are not implanted are frozen, donated to medical research, or worse, destroyed, a tragedy because every embryo is a whole life in its very earliest stage. Today, an estimated 1.5 million embryos are stored in freezers in the U.S. Why are Americans voluntarily abandoning these boys? According to the Slate article, “toxic masculinity” is a main concern for many women (even those who are already boy moms). Boys are, after all, more likely to be mass shooters and less likely to help break glass ceilings. Perhaps some parents think that raising daughters will be easier. While some have rightly noted that sex selection is inescapably sexist, underneath the practice is something far more insidious. Parenthood is widely seen as a consumerist activity. Children are viewed in the same way as pets or plants. They are objects to be acquired rather than persons whose intrinsic dignity must be respected. For many parents, children exist to serve their happiness, whether to be a parent’s “bestie” or to fulfill their parent’s hopes and dreams. It's difficult to imagine that some of the factors behind the dramatic increase of young females experiencing gender dysphoria are not at work here as well. Girls are thought to be more malleable, in terms of personality, appearance, and even identity. It may be consumerist parents prefer girls instead of boys for this reason. Whatever the motives, the practice of IVF is enabling a “gendercide,” a term used by The Economist in 2010 to describe why 100 million girls were missing in China, India, and elsewhere. Despite claims that IVF is all about “fertility” and bringing children into the world, the practice must be evaluated according to how it’s actually practiced – not just by what it promises. Infertility is tragic, but it does not warrant an “anything goes” kind of ethic or policy. It certainly cannot justify a push for designer babies and third-party parenting. Even the wonderful “ends” of a new life cannot justify unethical means. The lack of regulation around IVF is a recipe for disaster, a recipe already serving up more deaths than lives. This Breakpoint was co-authored by Jared Hayden. If you’re a fan of Breakpoint, leave a review on your favorite podcast app. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to breakpoint.org. This is reprinted with permission from the Colson Center. Photo credit: IStockPhoto.com / Wirestock....

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News

Saturday Selections – September 7, 2024

The importance of "social trust" What can we do when people stop trusting? One common approach is to outsource trust to the government. Get the government to inspect, certify, and license folks to prove they are trustworthy. The problem here is that this makes trust an expensive commodity: licenses, inspections, and certifications all cost money and time. And it also presupposes that the one entity we can trust is our government, and their competence to be able to assess everyone else. The video supposes we can turn the tide by being trustworthy ourselves. That's a start, certainly, but while that would benefit your customers, it wouldn't benefit your interactions with the rest of your untrustworthy society. What this video is calling for then (though it doesn't know it) is revival. Only God can change hearts en masse! It's a young world after all On offer here, four evidences of a young solar system. 11 things to know when Jehovah’s Witnesses are at the door They might present themselves as Christian, but they believe in a very different God. How do we give hope and help to women who struggle with postpartum depression? Two biblical counselors offer hope in this 30-minute podcast that's also available as a 15-minute read. Are the "5 Love Languages" real? Gary Chapman's 1992 bestseller The Five Love Languages proposed that there are 5 very different ways that people express love, and that we could all get along better if we understood each other's primary love language. I had a friend who benefitted from the book when she realized that while she appreciated physical affection – she was a hugger – her mom just wasn't. But, she'd often buy her daughter presents. Chapman's book helped my friend realize how often her mom was thinking of her, how much her mom did indeed love her, even though her mom never gave her an encouraging hug. So, for some the book was quite impactful. But further study finds that while we might have different tendencies, our "love languages" aren't as distinct as the book made them seem. Even my friend's dear ol' mom, who wasn't a hugger, might have appreciated a hug. Why Christians need to stop using the term "same-sex attracted" English professor and former homosexual Rosario Butterfield explains that we should not identify with our sins. She is not speaking primarily to Christians who are simply using this term for the sin they are struggling with (though she has thoughts for them too). Rather, this is directed more at Christians who, though they might be remaining chaste, are claiming same-sex attraction as a part of their identity. ...

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News

Saturday Selections – August 31, 2024

Click on the titles to go to the linked articles... Jordan Peterson pressed on whether he is Christian or not (10 min) Jordan Peterson has seemingly been on the cusp of repenting and believing for a long time, speaking glowingly about both Jesus and His Word. But past examinations of Jordan's beliefs have shown him to be Jungian rather than Christian. So has anything changed? Well, in late July he talked with John Rich, best known for being half of the country/pop duo Big & Rich. I only recently learned that Rich professes to be Christian (during his Tucker Carlson appearance) as the duo's best known song, Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy), wouldn't have you thinking so. But in a July 26 interview on Peterson's podcast, Rich pressed Canada's most famous psychologist on whether he is or isn't a Christian. The video below hits the highlights, but if you want to listen to the whole 90-minute original, click here. Was Jesus just a good moral teacher? As John Stonestreet notes and as C.S. Lewis did before him (and as Jordan Peterson should consider – see above), you can't call Jesus a good teacher if you don't acknowledge Him as God. Limiting my phone expanded my view of God "I’ll always remember summer 2024 as the first 'real-world summer' of my adult life—the summer I fundamentally changed how I interact with my smartphone. I left social media behind in 2022, but according to my screen-time reports, I was still spending around two hours a day on my phone. Two hours. I have a full-time job and two kids. Surely I could have been doing something else with all that time..." 11 statistical tips for a healthy marriage Some great points here for couples to ponder, whether these are reminders or entirely new thoughts for you. The great myth of the Sexual Revolution: you will always be young Jonathon Van Maren reports on how egg-freezing for women employees is becoming a common thing, promising that they can first establish their career and then have children later. But it is a false promise. The myth of "Junk DNA" Evolutionists predicted that much of our DNA would be junk – it was just the remnants of our long-ago evolutionary ancestors. Creationists and Intelligent Design proponents made a very different prediction: we'd find functions for this "Junk DNA" since we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Guess which prediction came true? It's important to note, too, that the secular assumptions discouraged inquiry – atheism stymied science, and an acknowledgment of a Creator furthered science. ...

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News

St. Catharines drops censorship bylaw

Just three weeks before having to appear in court to defend their bylaw that censored pictures of pre-born children, the city of St. Catharines blinked and backed down. ARPA Canada took the city to court in response to a bylaw that forbid delivering any image of a fetus to a private residence unless the material was placed in a sealed envelope with a warning label attached to it. ARPA argued that this bylaw infringed the Charter-protected freedoms of conscience, religion, and expression and was crafted to suppress pro-life content. As the court date drew close, the St. Catharines Standard reported that “councillors repealed the bylaw Monday night after an in-camera meeting with the city’s solicitor.” The turn-about is a good example of the importance of legal action, and the judicial branch of government more generally, as a check against the overreach of government agents using their power to suppress justice and truth. Although the federal and provincial legislatures tend to get the most attention, it is the cities and towns (the municipal level) that most commonly violate the fundamental freedoms protected in the Charter. The newspaper quoted extensively from ARPA’s lawyer John Sikkema, who led the challenge. “The real aim of the bylaw was to suppress opposition to abortion,” he explained to the paper. “Suppressing pro-life speech because some people find it offensive is not a pressing or substantial objective, as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms requires. Rather, in a free and democratic society, is an odious objective.” In a separate note to supporters, ARPA explained that a further outcome of this is that “other cities considering similar bylaws will be much less eager to pursue them.”...

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The Olympics as Utopian theater

It’s all a show in the city of man. ***** Even after the controversy of a bizarre opening ceremony, the Olympic Games showed why it is unparalleled in the sports world. Just think of the memes generated from this year’s games. In just a few weeks, we got the “super-chill” Turkish marksman, a Clark Kent of American men’s gymnastics, and the Australian break dancer. Far more than the memes, of course, were stunning athletic performances. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world records, but never failed to give glory to God. Katie Ledecky became the most decorated U.S. female Olympian. As one writer described the swimmer, “She is beautifully human. Vulnerable. Not a machine, despite the power with which she moves through the water.” Simone Biles completed a personal redemption tour while also leading the women’s gymnastics team to gold. Also returning to gold was the young U.S. women’s soccer team, now in a new season after the retirement of the grandstanding Megan Rapinoe. And, of course, NBA rivals Lebron James and Steph Curry led Team USA in a come-from-behind win over Serbia before defeating France for the gold. Curry hit four straight three pointers in the last two and a half minutes to secure the win and his place as the greatest shooter anyone has ever seen. This year’s debacle notwithstanding, the opening ceremonies are, typically, a highlight. The drama, spectacle, and pageantry are, in a sense, a glimmer of Eden, an attempt to portray what humanity can be. Vigor, commitment, health, and determination are on full display as the nations of the world offer their treasures. There may be wars and rumors of wars around the globe but, for a moment, the world pretends that all is right. At least, that’s how Snoop Dogg described his experience. But that’s just it. It’s all pretend. Every four years, at the cost of billions of dollars, the world pretends that China isn’t a tyrannical power, that Iran doesn’t murder dissidents, and that Western nations don’t slaughter the unborn by the millions in the name of freedom. It is, in the end, a utopian façade. Little demonstrates this moral frailty more than the villages and stadiums that are built, filled, and then left to rot after the Olympic flame is extinguished. Venues from the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo now stand in ruins from war and weather. Facilities from the Summer Games in Rio held just eight years ago now resemble the set of a post-apocalyptic movie. After the pride of hosting fades, often communities are left financially broken In this way, the Olympics are an example of what Augustine called the city of man. A city of man is self-serving and, ultimately, doomed to fall away. In our world, progressives claim to promote justice but make common cause with genocide in the name of intersectionality. Many conservatives are quick to take on a religious mantle when helpful but just as quick to drop it when no longer useful. Detached from the reality of the City of God, which aims to serve God and is therefore eternal, our imitations of righteousness are doomed to fail and to fall, often spectacularly. It’s all a show, one that doesn’t take the human condition seriously. Similar parallels are offered in Scripture between other cities. Jerusalem stands, in reality and as a metaphor, as the place of God’s Shalom, presence, and redemption. Babylon, from Genesis to Revelation, is an archetype of human pride, oppression, and sin. At Babel, humans sought a name for themselves. At Jerusalem, God’s name is central. No matter how hard Babylon tries to be Jerusalem, a city of man will always be a frail echo of the city of God. Seen correctly, the creativity, production, and athletic prowess of the Olympic Games points to God, Who created these athletes, planners, artists, and producers in His image. The key, however, is to keep straight who is the Creator and who is created, who is Potter and who is clay. That’s what humans tend to get backwards. If you’re a fan of Breakpoint, leave a review on your favorite podcast app. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to breakpoint.org. This is reprinted with permission from the Colson Center. Photo credit: Shutterstock / Hethers...

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