Do Libertarians Have Any Moral Sense Whatsoever?

Mary Ruwart, a leading contender for the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party, addressed child pornography in her book Short Answers to Tough Questions. The particular “tough question” she addressed: “How can a libertarian be against child pornography?” She writes,

“Children who willingly participate in sexual acts have the right to make that decision as well, even if it’s distasteful to us personally. Some children will make poor choices just as some adults do in smoking and drinking to excess. When we outlaw child pornography, the prices paid for child performers rise, increasing the incentives for parents to use children against their will.”

Perhaps Ruwart’s amazing answer prompted this response from the LP: Libertarains Call For Increased Communication to Combat Child Pornography. If Libertarians nominate Ruwart for President, they will brand themselves the party of moral idiocy.

HT: Ron Gunzberger, Politics 1.

Southern Baptists: A Denomination in Decline

EthicsDaily.com reports on statistics released by LifeWay Christian Resources that show a drop in SBC membership of 40,000 over the last year. Baptisms are at their lowest level since 1970.

Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, writes on the LifeWay blog:

“For now, Southern Baptists are a denomination in decline.”

“Some might want to point to the good news (attendance up slightly, more churches, etc.),” Stetzer said. “However, you cannot miss the fact that a dubious historical milestone has been reached–and it needs to be noted in denominational and church offices across the country.”

“Some might say it’s ‘only one year,’ and they would be technically right,” Stetzer continued. But based on long-term membership trends, Stetzer said, “Reality is we have peaked.”

The Green Bible

EthicsDaily.com has launched The Green Bible, “a warehouse of information on the biblical mandate to care for the environment–and what people of faith can and should do.”

The Bible in English, Part 1: Recovering the Original Text

This is the first of a four-part series I’m teaching at Farmville Baptist Church.

The Bible was originally written in three languages: Hebrew (most of the Old Testament), Aramaic (parts of Daniel and Ezra), and Greek (all of the New Testament, and parts of the Old Testament accepted in the Catholic and Orthodox churches). To translate the Bible into English, we need the original text. But we don’t possess the original documents, the autographs. They’re probably lost forever. For the New Testament, the focal point of this series, we possess approximately 5,500 hand-written copies in Greek, and approximately 10,000 hand-written translations into Latin. We also have ancient manuscripts in other languages such as Syriac and Coptic, and quotations of the New Testament written by early Christian scholars. All of these sources provide an opportunity to recover the original text of the New Testament.

Pope Benedict’s Positive Message

At InsideHigher.com, Elizabeth Redden writes about Pope Benedict’s address to Catholic educational leaders at Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.

“The Church’s primary mission of evangelization, in which educational institutions play a crucial role, is consonant with a nation’s fundamental aspiration to develop a society truly worthy of the human person’s dignity,” the pope said from a chair made of maple wood and against the backdrop of a wall sheathed in yellow gold.

“At times, however, the value of the Church’s contribution to the public forum is questioned. It is important therefore to recall that the truths of faith and of reason never contradict one another. The Church’s mission, in fact, involves her in humanity’s struggle to arrive at truth. In articulating revealed truth she serves all members of society by purifying reason, ensuring that it remains open to the consideration of ultimate truths. Drawing upon divine wisdom, she sheds light on the foundation of human morality and ethics, and reminds all groups in society that it is not praxis that creates truth but truth that should serve as the basis of praxis.”

“Truth,” he continued a little later in his speech, “means more than knowledge: knowing the truth leads us to discover the good. Truth speaks to the individual in his or her the entirety, inviting us to respond with our whole being.”

Amen.

The Bible in English, Introduction

This is the introduction of a four-part series, based on an Adult Bible-study series that I’m teaching at my church.

This series is about the Bible in English. The Bible holds a central place in our worship and our daily lives. We use it for doctrine and ethics. Baptists have always believed that each individual has the right and responsibility to read and understand the Bible to best of his or her ability. It’s my goal that this series will encourage you to read the Bible more often, and more intelligently.

Putting Beliefs Ahead of Your Children

Howard M. Friedman at Religion Clause reports on a Kentucky court case in which a divorced atheist attempted to prevent his son from attending a Catholic high school. Oldham County family court judge Tim Feeley avoiding ordering the parents to either send or not send the boy to the school by amending the joint custody agreement to give the mother complete control over the child’s education. Both child and mother prefer the Catholic school, and Oldham found the boy’s best interests were served by allowing him to attend that school. Follow this link for the story.

The fact the father is an atheist is somewhat beside the point. Whatever the specific belief systems involved, it’s amazing that a parent would enter family court to prevent a child old enough to make up his own mind from doing so. Nothing good ever comes from forcing your beliefs down the throats of other people, especially your own teenage children.

A Programming Note

I will be at an undergraduate research conference for several days, and will resume blogging next week.

Funniest Clip on YouTube

I’m still laughing at this after watching it 500 times.

Mainstream Baptist Interviews Barbara Forrest on Creationism’s Trojan Horse

Bruce Prescott at the Mainstream Baptist blog has posted a podcast of his interview with Dr. Barbara Forrest, author of Creationism’s Trojan Horse. Forrest is Professor of Philosophy at Southeast Louisiana College. The title of her book refers to Intelligent Design.

From Prescott:

We talk about her book “Creationism’s Trojan Horse,” her testimony in the Intelligent Design trial at Dover, Pa. We pay special attention to the relation of Southern Baptists to the wedge strategy.

I hope my friends on both the conservative and moderate sides of the Baptist spectrum will take the time to listen to the interview. My position is that Intelligent Design should not be taught in our Sunday Schools, much less our public schools. It’s bad theology and worse science. God created and sustains the universe, but not in the manner imagined by Intelligent Design (or Creationism).