Morning Report, August 6th: Psychological Barriers, Prisoner Rape, Homecoming, Homeowning, Astroturf and Swastikas

Last updated on: August 6, 2009 at 10:50 am by Timothy Dalrymple

Morning Report, August 6th: Psychological Barriers, Prisoner Rape, Homecoming, Homeowning, Astroturf and Swastikas 2009-08-06T10:50:50-04:00 Timothy Dalrymple

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

1. A task force of the American Psychological Association spent a substantial amount of money and effort in order to conclude–are you ready for it?–that “psychological barriers” such as uncertainty, mistrust and denial prevent Americans from taking action to combat climate change. Did they ask whether some (note that I say “some”) of that uncertainty and mistrust might be justified? Apparently not. This is another example of what happens when one becomes so immersed in one’s own point of view that one cannot enter into the rationality of the opposing side. If they don’t see things your way–they must be psychologically impaired.

One question I’ve often asked myself: do some Christians (note again that I say “some”) feel less urgency to act against climate change because of their trust in Providence? I think the answer is yes. Bad theology? Perhaps. But the sense that God would not allow environmental catastrophe, or that God would not create a world without adequate self-correcting mechanisms, may play a subtle role in inoculating Christians against the most alarmist of environmental activists.

2. A panel of judges issues a stinging condemnation of California’s prisons and orders the state to reduce the rolls of the imprisoned by nearly a quarter. Even law-and-order Christians should insist that conditions in the prisons be humane. “I was in prison, and you visited me,” Jesus said. Note he did not say that he was innocently in prison; even those who are justly condemned for their crimes, and even those who failed to treat others humanely, should be treated humanely by godly men and women. Nothing on television disturbs me more than the jokes about prisoner rape. If the California prisons are so overcrowded that they cannot treat their prisoners humanely, that needs to change.

3. Obama’s job approval is at 50%. Obama partisans have to be frustrated, as Bush partisans were before, at the way in which polls have become news in themselves, and tend to drive public perception. A high percent have concluded that the Obama administration thus far is a “failure.” But surely the long-term consequences are what matters? Since Obama and the Democrats have control of the executive and the legislature, we have a sort of political laboratory right in front of us. This is not the sort of split government where one side can blame the other for limiting what they could do. In other words, the Democrats will have to show results for all their efforts. If they can convincingly show results, then they will reap the benefits. If they cannot, liberalism could be harmed for a generation, in much the same way that it was after Carter.

Conservative analyses of the Obama administration have already begun to appear. And it’s not too early to call the Obama administration to account for broken promises and hypocrisy (as the Anchoress, one of the most respected bloggers on the internet, does here) I’m willing to wait longer and judge the administration on its longer-term effects.

4. Again, thank God that Euna Lee and Laura Ling are home safely. Both of the Clintons are being lauded for their roles. Steve Bing, who bankrolled the flight to North Korea, and a Hollywood PR firm, coordinated the “homecoming show” where the amateur reporters were reunited with their families inside one of Bing’s environmentally friendly aircraft hangers. If I understand correctly, Lee and Ling meant to sneak into North Korea with their cameras in order to escape later with an inside look at life in North Korea. If this is true–if–then who will be held accountable? Lee and Ling have already suffered enough, presumably. But the superiors (they worked for Al Gore’s television company) who approved their mission should be held accountable for a foolish and reckless venture that created a very costly international incident.

5. Grim figures: “The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday.”

6. Many liberals are claiming that the opposition Congressmen are facing at their town halls during the August recess are “astroturf,” or a coordinated effort from special-interest groups to create the impression of widespread opposition. This is too simplistic. There are certainly many, many moderates and conservatives who are upset at recent government actions, and upset about the impending health-care transformation. If political actions groups (the equivalent on the right of a MoveOn.org or etc) are coordinating opposition, and if blogs are sharing specific questions that should be asked, that does not mean they are creating the opposition. Was MoveOn.org “astroturfing” when they coordinated protests to the Iraq war? One conservative explains. And, of course, the Obama administration has its own organizations that rally ‘grass roots’ action with emails from the President and etc. However, what’s especially surprising is the number of neo-Nazis coming to these town halls. Don’t believe it? Nancy Pelosi has the scoop.

Previous Post

August 5, 2009

Morning Report, August 5th: Gunmen, Abortions, the Dear Leader, the "elected leader," Cash for Clunkers, and More on Health Care

Next Post

August 6, 2009 How Would Jesus Fire an Employee?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abortion adoption Africa Aging AIDS America Worship American history Americolatry An Open Letter to a College Freshman animals Apologetics art Atheism Authors Barack Obama Bible Biblical Scholarship Billy Graham Blogging Bono Book Review Books That Change Lives Breakfast Links Bulletin Board Business Children Christian Approach to Politics Christian Media Christian Right Derangement Syndrome Christianity and Homosexuality Christians in Government Christmas Chuck Colson CLS v Martinez Comic Creation Creativity and the Arts Cross Examinations Cross Investigations Daily Fragment Daily Trinity Death debt Deep Thoughts on Fatherhood depression economy education Election 2012 entertainment Environment Epistemology Erik Campano Euthanasia Evangelicalism Evangelicals and Gays Everyday Transcendence evil evolution Facebook Jesus faith Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics faith and reason family Feminism foreign affairs Franklin Graham Future of Evangelicalism Galen D. gay marriage George W. Bush Guest Posts Guns Gymnastics Harold Camping Heaven Hell Holidays Hollywood Homosexuality iam2.org Illegal Immigration immigration Immigration Reform Injustice Inspiration Interviews Islam Jeremy Lin Jesus jesus christ John Mark Reynolds Johnnie Moore Judgment Day Just War Theory Killing Osama Link of the Day Lists of the Week Mark Goldblatt Marriage Military Missions Mitt Romney Modern Western Thought Monastic wisdom Mormonism Morning Hash Morning Report Motherhood Movies Obamacare Old Testament Orphan Care Palin Parenting Pastoral Resources Patheos Peace Between Religions PEPFAR Persecution Peter Wehner Peter Wehner Philosophy Political Quotes of the Day politics Politics and Economics Pornography Prejudice Prisoner Rape Question of the Week Race Radical Faith Rapture Ravi Zacharias Rick Santorum Russia Salvation Sarah Palin Scandals Science Science and Faith Separation of Church and State Series sex sex slavery social justice Social Justice Ministry Spiritual Disciplines sports Steven Tyler Suffering Suicide Sunday Funnies T. Dalrymple Tea Party Technology terrorism The Christian Media Files The Daily Trinity The Electorate The Ethics of Rhetoric The Future of Seminary Education The Middle East The Obama Presidency theological Theological Renewal Theology Uncategorized Understanding Evangelicalism Vocation war War and Peace With Distinction Word to the Wise Writers

Select a Month October 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 December 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz