A short piece in today’s Washington Post examines President Obama’s religious faith. The occasion of the article is the President’s remarks today to the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event held at this time of year in the capital. Interestingly, the article does not attempt to distinguish among the usages of prayer in the life of the Commander in Chief — whether he prays for strength or fortitude or policy guidance or just a peaceful day. In fact, the Post reports, President Obama consults religious tradition and teaching for insights into …
Generation Y is widely defined as the 77 million Americans born between 1977 and 1997 — and as any good demographic sample would, it’s being analyzed. A Denver Post blogger opines on why Gen Y’ers are moving back in with their parents. JD Power and Associates dissects Gen Y’s buying patterns and suggests that the recession is making them grapple with a “Quarter-Life Crisis.” Today’s “emerging adults” enjoy more options for work, marriage and location than perhaps any previous generation. But with that freedom come anxiety and confusion. And sociologists …
You should talk about money before jumping into it, a story in The New York Times says. You can spice it up by doing more housework, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. And this just in: Your strong commitment to it is a sign you’re trying to practice what you regularly hear preached. “It,” of course, is marriage. Marriage and its connection to religious involvement will be one of the themes highlighted Thursday during “Religious Practice and the Family,” a conference sponsored by The Heritage Foundation at the Ronald Reagan Building and …
Research and policy proposals to make sense of the teenage years tend to address concerns such as educational achievement, sexuality, drug abuse and suicide. Noted sociologist and University of Notre Dame professor Christian Smith has spent much of his career delving into a curiously overlooked aspect of teenage life — religion. His research offers insights into teenage beliefs while addressing common questions from parents and youth pastors: Do today’s teens remain loyal to their parents’ faith? Are they abandoning traditional religious institutions to search for a newer, more “authentic” spirituality?
Amid all the news out of Chicago and Detroit, don’t forget the ongoing scandal simmering at the U.S. Capitol. We stand by our criticism of historical outrages and leftward re-imagining of the Constitution at the $621 million Capitol Visitor Center, here and elsewhere. From talk radio hosts to regular taxpayers, the common question is: Where do we send our grievances? Those inclined may register their thoughts with Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers (pictured), AIA, who also is deputy architect and chief operating officer. E-mail Ayers’ ”communications officer,” Eva Malecki, at emalecki@aoc.gov, call …
Was the Real Target Indo-Pak Peace? – Peter Brookes The Indians claim al Qaeda doesn’t exist in their country, and the lack of suicide bombers lends credence to the idea it wasn’t Osama’s cronies. Yet his direction or inspiration for an attack can’t be ruled out – many of the suspect groups have al Qaeda ties[...] Unleash the Investment Risk Watchdogs – Stuart Butler They certainly failed to spot the subprime market fiasco and resulting meltdown. But it turns out that they have a history of failing to give investors …
Here’s an encouraging note as Thanksgiving gatherings give way to Christmas shopping during the current economic meltdown: When older adults feel grateful for what they have in tough financial times, they’re less likely to be depressed than fellow seniors or middle-aged Americans who don’t feel grateful. And when older adults frequently go to church or otherwise are more deeply involved in their faith, they’re more likely to be grateful during tough times than peers who aren’t. So, clinging to your faith is good for your mental health? That’s what the evidence …
The Olympic Games got off to a solemn start last Saturday after a member of the U.S. men’s volleyball team lost a relative who was fatally stabbed while touring Beijing. Compounding the tragedy, the U.S. team had to scramble to obtain official Chinese permission to bring an English-fluent chaplain to Olympic Village to console athletes in their grief. In Athens in 2004, more than 100 religious leaders speaking several dozen languages were stationed in Olympic Village. But China’s authoritarian government sees any cause that could compete with its authority, including organized …
In his speech today on faith-based programs, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) proposed that religious groups cannot compete for government contracts unless they give up their freedom to consider religion in their hiring decisions, a radical proposal that effectively repeals Charitable Choice: In order to receive federal funds to provide social services, faith-based organizations … must comply with federal anti-discrimination laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Religious organizations that receive federal dollars cannot discriminate with respect to hiring for government-funded social service programs. This is a …
Details are emerging today about Sen. Barack Obama’s proposal for a new “Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.” While information is still being released, there are two immediate concerns with the proposal: The announcement emphasizes government funding — not changing the character of government to allow more space for civil society solutions. But even worse, Obama’s plan says that when a faith-based organization takes federal dollars, it would lose its ability to preserve its faith-based character through maintaining hiring standards consistent with its mission. It could be forced to hire …
