In June the Supreme Court handed down its major 2020 decision on LGBTQ rights in the workplace. Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia involved a man named Gerald Bostock—by all accounts an exemplary worker with a decade on the job—who was fired for conduct “unbecoming” a government employee shortly after he had started participating in a gay softball league.
Most of us born in America think about truth and the Bible through the grid of Western rationalism and linear thinking. That reality informs how we interpret and apply the Bible, especially its teachings about Jesus and the ethical dimensions of genuine, biblical Christianity. I have been challenged by a recently released book, entitled Seeing Jesus from the East: A Fresh Look at History’s Most influential Figure by [the late] Ravi Zacharias and Abdu Murray.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many religious figures in all major world religions to think of end-of-the-world scenarios or what is also known as the apocalypse, from the Greek word, apocalypsis—also the title of the last book of the Bible, Revelation. There are crazy websites that see a worldwide conspiracy in the COVID-19 crisis; speculate that Bill Gates is the antichrist; and maintain that the government is trying to suppress religious freedom using the COVID-19 hoax. Our enemies are all around us, they exclaim, and we must be ready. Such teachings feed irrational fears in the midst of this crisis and are not really based on the authority of Scripture.
The brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a city policeman comes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, massive unemployment and fear stoked by uncertainty and tragedy. In addition, the nation lacks the calming moral leadership that can foster unity and oneness of purpose. Instead, there is division and bullying. The demonstrations that
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The COVID-19 virus has disrupted our lives and devastated the American and indeed the world economy. No one can authoritatively declare when we will return to any semblance of “normal.” But, as with all things in life, are there lessons we can learn? Among many other things, it once again demonstrates how fragile life really is. It also demonstrates that if we trust in material things (e.g., our job, our wealth, our health) for our security, it can vanish almost instantly. I believe it is important and thoroughly biblical for us to learn from historical events.
In 2020, American civilization is witnessing a thorough-going accommodation to the LGBTQIA agenda. [LGBTQIA=Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer (i.e., questioning their sexual identity), Intersex (i.e., those born gender-ambiguous), Asexual (i.e., sexuality is ill-defined)]. There is no longer significant discussion about the ethical values, virtues or standards associated with human sexuality.
The United States is embarking upon an experiment in borrowing without precedent, as the government and corporations take on trillions of dollars of debt to offset the economic damage from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Year 2020 so far has been chaotic and, some would say, cataclysmic. The COVID-19 virus, the economic and financial collapse of the world economy, and the poisonous politics of our nation have caused disruption to our lives. But there have also been remarkable demonstrations of compassion, creative ways to maintain communication during the isolation (e.g., Zoom) and astonishing acts of generosity across America and the world. The events of this year have also caused me to think deeply about the church of Jesus Christ.
Vladimir Putin has been president of Russia since 2000, with a short stint as Prime Minister so that he could stay in power. He has solidified his grasp on power since then and, in many ways, already has dictatorial power. He now seeks to enhance that power with a distinct power grab in Russia. On 10 March, the Duma, Russia’s parliament, voted to approve constitutional changes proposed by Putin, and added one that resets the number of terms he can serve. Under the current constitution, he would need to stand down in 2024; under the new arrangement, he could rule until 2036, perhaps longer.
Baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are retiring in record numbers and are living longer. Because high-income workers have experienced faster wage growth than the rest of the population, a greater share of US wages is now exempt from the payroll tax, which stops at $132,900. Result? A smaller tax base to fund Social Security benefits. Thus, Social Security costs are projected to exceed income next year for the first time since 1982, forcing the program to dip into its nearly $3 trillion trust fund, built up when payroll taxes exceeded benefits.
