More Americans now say they’re spiritual but not religious

In addition to those who say they are spiritual but not religious, 48% say they are both religious and spiritual, while 6% say they are religious but not spiritual. Another 18% answer both questions negatively, saying they are neither religious nor spiritual. Looked at another way, only 54% of U.S. adults think of themselves as religious – down 11 points since 2012 – while far more (75%) say they are spiritual, a figure that has remained relatively steady in recent years.

DACA Done Right: A Moment We All Can Stand with DREAMers

If you supported DACA, then that support is needed now more than ever in this legislative window of opportunity. If you opposed DACA simply because you did not feel it should happen via Executive Order, then now is your chance to get behind compassionate action. And if you opposed DACA because you truly do not support DREAMers, then I and many others (including President Trump now) encourage you to reconsider.

3 quick ways to improve a “Short Term Missions” trip

1. Stop calling it a “Short Term Mission Trip”
2. Put away your wallet.
3. Think beyond the short term hit and run

Does the Bible Condone Slavery?

Though the reasons a person might be a slave were many and the laws about slavery were somewhat complicated, here are a few things to keep in mind about ancient Israelite slavery:

1. In the absence of prisons, enslaving captives of war was an alternative to killing them.
2. Many people became slaves when they found themselves financially bankrupt. Instead of going hungry, people were allowed to sell themselves into slavery (indentured servitude).
3. The Law of Moses was not recommending, or even condoning slavery, but was ensuring the protection and fair treatment of all people—including slaves.

God did not invent slavery, but He did establish a legal system to help ensure that the poor, the foreigners, the prisoners of war, and the servants would be treated with fairness and mercy.

Are Smart, Educated Women Still Called to the Church Nursery?

First, we need to honor caretaking generally. In a fallen world, even well-intentioned attempts to empower women can lead to the devaluation of caregiving. “Fifty years ago, [some] middle class women stayed home, cared for their families, and were manifestly unequal to their breadwinning husbands,” writes Anne-Marie Slaughter in her book Unfinished Business. “To make them equal, we liberated women to be breadwinners too and fought for equality in the workplace. But along the way, we left caregiving behind, valuing it less and less as a meaningful and important human endeavor.” Today, if a woman shows preference for a traditional caretaking role, her choice is sometimes interpreted as the product of patriarchy, regardless of her personal fulfillment or calling.

Woman catches mechanic taking an apparent joy ride in her limited edition car

“I took my car to the dealership so you could change the oil and change the air conditioner. Why are you driving my car to get food?” Mari Agredano-Quirino can be heard saying to the driver in the video after she stopped him at a fast food drive-through in her car, which she had taken to a dealership earlier in the day for maintenance.