The aftermath of the most recent school shooting in Florida is playing out very much like the aftermath of many of the previous school shootings. Some urge us to a period of respectful silence, saying that debating gun control issues is not fitting while the grief is still a hot ache. Others say that if …
The Fragility of Civil Order
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:1–2). Whenever men have enjoyed any privilege for any length of …
A Dumpster Full of Grease Fire
I read the released FISA memo last Friday night, and since then have been mulling over how bright-yellow-gaudy-outrageous the whole thing is. And by outrageous, I mean horrific from the outset, and getting worse with each passing day. And by worse, I mean more yellow. Right now it is like a bushel basket full of …
Already Baked In
Introduction: The Wall Street Journal has established that it was likely that Donald Trump had a fling with a porn star a few years back, and that she was paid a tidy sum to keep her mouth shut about it. But as far as I can tell, the story has caused barely a ripple. Even …
A Primer on Theocracies
Introduction: A number of years ago, John Piper was being given some grief for having anything to do with me, and he was handling some hot grounders on the subject. In one Q & A, the topic came up (and I think the issue was something federal-visiony), and so he answered the question. He said …
Peasants, Pitchforks, and Pink Panthers
Introduction: The linked article here is of considerable interest, and I so recommend a careful reading of it to you. The article concerns the decline of the trained gatekeepers, and the rise of an untutored hoi polloi who do things like promote celebrity evangelicaladies like Jen Hatmaker on the one hand, and elect Donald Trump …
He Sees You When You’re Sleeping
One use of the title has reference, of course to the omniscience of God watching over us while we sleep (Ps. 3:5). This is the only sense of the phrase that is not creepy. The phrase comes from the song Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and refers of course to the purported knowledge of …
Hot Take
This is just a very brief comment on the Alabama election. There will no doubt be other things to say, but it would be best to let all the pieces fall out of the sky first. The most important issue for me is not so much whether Jones was elected or Moore, but rather what …
A Brief Excursus Related to Roy Moore
Another round of allegations came out over the last several days. These are allegations that Moore is now contradicting himself—i.e. that he acknowledged more in his Hannity interview than he is acknowledging out on the stump now. Now if he said in one place that he knew some of the girls and in another place …
Possibly a Portent
So yesterday I had a conversation with my daughter-in-law about this, and then later in the day a friend in another state wrote me with the same basic question. Taking this for a sign, or perhaps an omen, or possibly a portent, I decided to take a swing at the topic here. Given the same …