Tech’s Frightful Five: They’ve Got Us
These are all worthy topics for discussion, but they are also fairly cold and abstract. So a better way to appreciate the power of these five might be to take the very small view instead of the very large — to examine the role each of them plays in your own day-to-day activities, and the particular grip each holds on your psyche.
So, last week I came up with a fun game: If an evil, tech-phobic monarch forced you to abandon each of the Frightful Five, in which order would you do so, and how much would your life deteriorate as a result?
The ‘Frightful Five’ Aren’t So Scary, as Long as They’re Competing
Plainly there is no cause to be Pollyannaish. It’s sensible to be wary of acquisitions and potential overreach. And there may be specific cases that cross the line and should be reined in. Over all though, the kind of competition we see among Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook and Microsoft tends to sort things out naturally and brutally.
On Refusing to Live a Hurried Life
Perhaps it would do them good — perhaps it would do all of us good to take a look at our “anxious driven frantic hearts.” Perhaps what we need is to build the discipline of stillness into our habits each day so that our hearts can rest in the Lord instead of desperately trying to move faster and faster.
Why You Should Learn to Say ‘No’ More Often
One technique is the refusal strategy. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research by Professor Patrick and Henrik Hagtvedt found that saying “I don’t” as opposed to “I can’t” allowed participants to extract themselves from unwanted commitments.
While “I can’t” sounds like an excuse that’s up for debate, “I don’t” implies you’ve established certain rules for yourself, suggesting conviction and stability. And since it’s personal, it also maintains the social connection humans crave.
Why Liberals Aren’t as Tolerant as They Think
But more recent psychological research, some of it presented in January at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), shows that it’s not so simple. These findings confirm that conservatives, liberals, the religious and the nonreligious are each prejudiced against those with opposing views. But surprisingly, each group is about equally prejudiced. While liberals might like to think of themselves as more open-minded, they are no more tolerant of people unlike them than their conservative counterparts are.
Though still conservative, young evangelicals are more liberal than their elders on some issues
Millennials are more likely than older adults to take liberal positions on social and political issues. This generation gap exists even among evangelical Protestants – who constitute one of the country’s most conservative religious groups – in areas including same-sex marriage, immigration and environmentalism.
Americans Worry About Moral Decline, Can’t Agree on Right and Wrong
Most older Americans say right and wrong never change. Younger Americans—not so much.
A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found a significant generation gap in how Americans view morality.
More than 6 in 10 of those older than 45 say right and wrong do not change. For those 35 and younger, fewer than 4 in 10 make that claim.
Eight Major Changes in Churches the Past Ten Years
- Today: Smaller worship gatherings.
Ten years ago: Larger worship gatherings.- Today: Smaller church facilities
Ten years ago: Larger church facilities- Today: First priority staff person hired: children’s minister
Ten years ago: First priority staff person hired: worship leader- Today: Ministry degree optional for church staff members
Ten years ago: Ministry degree strongly preferred for church staff- Today: Emphasis on congregational singing
Ten years ago: Emphasis on performance singing- Today: Community focus
Ten years ago: Community myopia- Today: Vital importance of groups
Ten years ago: Marginal importance of groups- Today: Church leaders are continuous learners
Ten years ago: Church leaders were “degree and done”
Key findings about U.S. immigrants
Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 82% think immigrants strengthen the country with their hard work and talents, and just 13% say they are a burden. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, roughly as many (44%) say immigrants are a burden as say immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents (39%).
The Cross-Resurrection Contradiction
The cross of Jesus reveals that the experience of suffering is contained within God’s own nature. It reveals a God who is intimately involved in the world, who is moved and affected by all that we experience, and who willingly becomes vulnerable to suffering.
This post caught my attention for several reasons – not the least for shaking my perspectives about this world we live in, for contradicting that, “What is the world coming to?” voice. I really think that sometimes we have grown very fixated on negative things to the detriment of our spiritual lives. Hopeless and pessimistic attitudes can impair our spiritual walking in a way this child’s disability fails to impede him.
How to Reach a Child’s Heart for Christ
Moralism and manipulation harden a child’s heart. But the gospel is God’s message of love and grace that transforms the heart of a child.