faith

6/20/2017 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

At the Intersection of Faith and Education

Where do faith and education intersect? It’s been a topic of heated debate in the United States for, oh, the last 200 years or so, since public education got its start in the US. Faith is integral to how many people experience personal growth and development, but as the U.S. becomes more religiously diverse — with Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and others — the issues of religion and educational institutions have begun to spur a deeper level of confusion than ever before. Even though conversations about policy can be brutal, at the end of the day, access to college is something we should all be thankful for. As players in this drama, it’s important to understand the history. Let’s start at the beginning of the North … [Read more...]

6/6/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

D-Day Plus 65 Years

Last night I watched again the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. It's hard to put such moving sacrifice into perspective, on this the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion to begin the liberation of Europe. But I leave you with portions of two relevant addresses -- one contemporaneous and one retrospective. First, from General Dwight D. Eisenhower on the eve of invasion:You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi … [Read more...]

3/16/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Undeterred by Plain Reading of Constitution, State Supremes Stick It to Colorado Taxpayers

Update, 3/17: Law student Constructively Reasonable says the decision is a cause for "outrage". A watcher says Colorado may not as well even have a constitution. The Colorado Supreme Court has done it again, showing its disdain for taxpayer protections in the state constitution. From the majority opinion:When it issued its declaratory judgment order, the district court did not have the benefit of our recent decision in Barber v. Ritter, 196 P.3d 238 (Colo. 2008), in which we held that a statute challenged under article X, section 20 must be proven to be unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial court erroneously held that the relevant test of SB 07-199s constitutionality came from the interpretive guideline included in the … [Read more...]

11/26/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is Upon Us: Let’s Forego the Ridiculous Political Correctness

Thanksgiving Day is here tomorrow: A time to count our blessings and reflect on the faith of our forefathers OR a time to engage in ridiculous, politically-correct posturing at the expense of schoolchildren (H/T Michelle Malkin)? I'll take the former, thank you very much. … [Read more...]

11/26/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

What I’m Thankful for #19: Baseball and the Legendary Ernie Harwell

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. America's pastime. Come November, the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd seem distant memories. But hope springs eternal in the heart of the baseball fan. For the 19th and penultimate edition of this thankfulness series, I want to express my gratitude for a game - yes, but not just any game. And … [Read more...]

11/23/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

What I’m Thankful for #16: Faith of the Martyrs and Divine Peace

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. We have no guarantee of domestic peace and harmony for all time. I am thankful for the freedom of worship, but recognize that it may not be a permanent condition for my own lifetime. American Christians have been remarkably blessed. The level of persecution faced by the most faithful here is small … [Read more...]

11/19/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

What I’m Thankful For #12: Daily Bread

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. During the most famous prayer He taught His disciples, the Savior urged us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." As we look ahead to more challenging economic times, this admonition may become more meaningful for many Americans. God promises His children that He will provide for their needs on a … [Read more...]

7/12/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Rest in Peace, Tony Snow

Sad news today about a man with integrity, decency, and affability uncommon to contemporary public life, who finally succumbed in his long bout with colon cancer. Via American Thinker, here is quotable wisdom Tony Snow shared in a May 2007 commencement speech, advice to "live boldly, to live a whole life": 1. Think; use your brains. 2. Take risks; don't be content with what you know. 3. Commit to God. Faith is as natural as the air we breathe. Religion is the introduction to the ultimate extreme sport. 4. Get out and experience life. Get your fingernails dirty... and laugh, a lot, at yourselves. ..the pain, the poignancy, the aches are essential; they bring us together. 5. Love. It is everything...to love is to … [Read more...]