thestream--2020-08-30--30 Good Things President Trump Has Done for America

President Trump receives non-stop criticism in the press .
I agree that criticism is necessary when a president makes mistakes , but where are the voices expressing appreciation for the good things Trump has done ?
It ’ s unfair always to criticize and never to recognize any of the good things a president has done .
It might be a refreshing change to recall some of the remarkable , nation-changing good things that Trump has accomplished for America .
Here is my personal list .
At the end of this list , I address the question , “ Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or divine blessing on the United States of America ?
” Because of space limitations , I have not given extensive arguments explaining why I think these actions are good for the United States .
But more extensive arguments can be found in my books Christian Ethics , Politics According to the Bible , and The Poverty of Nations .
1 .
Judges : Trump has appointed two Supreme Court justices , 53 federal appellate judges , and 146 District Court judges ( as well as two judges for the Court of International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate so far .
In addition , 64 more have been appointed and are awaiting Senate confirmation .
All of them are committed to interpreting the Constitution and laws according to the original meaning of the words , rather than according to what a modern liberal judge thinks the law should have said .
As an evangelical Christian , I am glad to see that Trump ’ s two Supreme Court appointments have already been responsible for highly significant cases that increase religious freedom , such as the decisions ( 1 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to non-religious schools to be given also to religious schools ( Montana decision ) , ( 2 ) to protect the right of religious schools to hire and fire employees based on the school ’ s religious convictions , and ( 3 ) to allow religious groups to be exempt from government regulations that would otherwise cause them to violate their consciences in matters of birth control ( and , by implication , probably in matters of abortion and same-sex marriage , but that has not yet been tested ) .
2 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight years of high unemployment and meager growth under President Obama ’ s administration , the Trump tax cuts of 2017 and Trump ’ s extensive canceling of excessive government regulations on businesses have given a tremendous boost to the American economy .
An estimated 25,000 pages of regulations have been canceled , resulting in a savings of $ 3,100 per household per year .
Another result of tax cuts combined with deregulation has been the addition of thousands of new jobs , so that unemployment ( before the coronavirus crisis ) fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and unemployment among African-American and Hispanic workers was the lowest it has ever been in history .
On election day , 2016 ( 11-8-16 ) , the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 18,332.74 .
This afternoon ( 8-28-20 at 2:44 PM ) it stands at 28,618.39 which is an increase of 56 % in 3 ½ years , even including several months of the coronavirus epidemic .
This is remarkable .
These economic changes affect ordinary people ’ s everyday lives , not just wealthy people .
Tens of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignity of steady employment ( including getting paid during the coronavirus crisis ) .
Millions of ordinary Americans whose retirement savings are partially invested in the stock market ( including my wife and me ) are finally receiving some protection and even growth in their savings .
3 .
Building a stronger US military : Reversing the massive budget cuts that had seriously weakened our military under the Obama administration , President Trump has increased military spending by nearly $ 150 billion per year from $ 605 billion in 2016 to $ 750 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
4 .
Protecting unborn babies : Numerous executive orders have increasingly restricted government funding for abortions ( such as the reinstatement of the Mexico City policy ) .
On February 22 , 2019 , the Trump administration announced that it would not allow organizations that provide referrals for abortions to receive federal family-planning money , which implies a cut in funding for Planned Parenthood ( the nation ’ s largest abortion provider ) unless they perform abortions in a separate facility and not refer patients to it .
And on May 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Department Of Health And Human Services issued a new rule protecting healthcare workers who decline on the basis of conscience or religious conviction to participate in procedures such as abortion or assisted suicide .
Trump was the first president ever to personally attend the pro-life March for Life in Washington , DC on January 24 , 2020 .
5 .
Expanding educational freedom : President Trump appointed Betsy DeVos , one of America ’ s leading advocates for greater school choice , to be Secretary of Education , resulting in rising support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tax credits for private-school vouchers , programs aimed at expanding options for parents looking beyond traditional public schools as she brings attention to them .
6 .
Standing with Israel : Reversing President Obama ’ s repeated marginalization and shunning of Israel , President Trump has reaffirmed our commitment to support and defend Israel .
He decisively moved the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem .
He recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel .
He has welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House several times and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I recently read in the Jerusalem Post a statement that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than Donald Trump .
7 .
Negotiating a historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates : On August 13 , 2020 , President Trump announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) had come to a historic agreement to establish full diplomatic relations between the two countries , including the establishment of permanent embassies and the beginning of direct airline flights between the two countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest city in the UAE , is the leading financial center in the Middle East and plays a leading role in world air travel and tourism .
The agreement will “ strengthen regional checks on Iranian power.
” It also has the potential to set a pattern for future agreements establishing peaceful relations between Israel and other Arab countries in the Middle East .
8 .
Actually building a border wall : President Trump has relentlessly battled against Democratic stonewalling and liberal federal judges to build an effective , secure border wall along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border , and it could possibly reach as much as 450 miles by the end of 2020 .
Critics object that most of this construction is simply replacing old barriers that were already in place , but they fail to recognize that the government ’ s first priority has been to secure the highest traffic areas , and in many of those areas the old fence was not up to the job .
An effective border wall is absolutely necessary to keep our nation secure and to gain some control over an immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It won ’ t stop all illegal immigration , but eventually it will likely stop over 95 % of people who try to enter on foot .
This is important , because once the American people feel that the border is secure , it will be much easier to gain the political consensus necessary for a humane and just solution regarding the undocumented immigrants who are already here , and for widespread support for the legal entry of large numbers of immigrants who will contribute much of value to this great nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : President Trump has proposed and worked for sensible , comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system that would change our policy on legal immigration from a system based on extended family connections and randomness to a system based on merit , so that we prioritize admitting people who will be most likely to contribute positively to American society ( as well as those who are escaping from genuine threats to their lives in their homelands ) .
10 .
Religious freedom and freedom of conscience : President Trump ’ s administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom , and his Justice Department has defended religious freedom in numerous court cases , such as supporting the case of Colorado cake designer Jack Phillips at the Supreme Court ( Phillips faced massive fines for politely declining to design a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding ) , and the right of faith-based organizations not to be forced to provide access to abortifacients through their health care plans , overturning the Obamacare HHS regulation that had forced them to do so .
In addition , in the first year of Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strongly-worded , 25-page memorandum detailing exceptionally strong protections for religious liberty .
11 .
Withdrawing from Paris climate accord : President Trump wisely and decisively removed United States from the Paris climate accord , a radical environmentalist program which , according to a Heritage Foundation study , would have brought massive increases to US energy prices with no statistically significant benefit to the environment .
Doubling or tripling of US energy costs ( as under the Paris climate accord , according to the Heritage Foundation ) would have harmed the poor most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of their budgets on energy .
In addition , it would have cost America more than 206,000 jobs by 2040 .
12 .
Energy production and energy independence : President Trump gave approval to the Keystone pipeline , the Dakota access pipeline , and oil production from the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge , a vast uninhabited region which could produce up to 20 percent of our petroleum needs .
His administration has also granted more permits for mining of oil , gas , and coal from federal lands .
The result has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone ) and also US energy independence so that we are now becoming the leading exporter rather than a net importer of energy .
13 .
Waterways of the US : The Trump administration ’ s decision to abandon the “ waterways of the US ” policy rightfully returned control of water on private lands to the owners of those lands , rather than the federal government seizing control over nearly all waterways in the United States .
These rules have hindered farmers , ranchers , and developers .
American Farm Bureau Chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Farmers and ranchers care about clean water and preserving the land , which are essential to producing healthy food and fiber and ensuring future generations can do the same .
That ’ s why we support the new clean water rule .
It provides clarity and certainty , allowing farmers to understand water regulations without having to hire teams of consultants and lawyers .
We appreciate the commitment of the agencies involved and this administration to crafting a new regulation that achieves important regulatory oversight while allowing farmers to farm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Halting the increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy ( CAFE ) standards : The Trump administration decision halted the Obama-imposed harsh annual increases in projected average miles per gallon required in new cars every year .
This decision will lead to more consumer choice and less expensive and safer cars , which is much better than the Democratic policy of ever-higher mileage goals , requiring ever-lighter and smaller cars , which means more dangerous cars and less consumer choice .
15 .
Defeating ISIS : President Trump gave our military forces the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of large sections of Iraq and Syria , which they did .
This is far superior to the Democratic policy of inaction and appeasement , which had allowed ISIS to take over large areas of the Middle East .
Under President Trump ’ s leadership , US military forces located and killed ISIS founder and terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Oct. 26-27 , 2019 .
President Trump also directed the killing of Iranian terrorist mastermind Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 2 , 2020 .
16 .
Persuading European nations to pay more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that NATO countries start to pay their fair share of defense costs , and some NATO countries have responded by increasing their defense budgets .
In 2017 , five countries met the goal of spending 2 % of their GDP on defense and that has now increased to nine according to the alliance ’ s latest budgetary data .
The U.S. is set to spend over $ 750 billion ( 3.7 % of GDP ) on its military this year and leads the “ above 2 % ” group , which now includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 2.28 percent ) , the United Kingdom ( 2.14 percent ) , Estonia ( 2.14 percent ) , Romania ( 2.04 percent ) , Lithuania ( 2.03 percent ) , Latvia ( 2.01 percent ) and Poland ( 2 percent ) 17 .
Protections against false accusation on college campuses : President Trump ’ s administration has restored many due process guidelines that universities must follow in processing title IX accusations of sexual assault on university campuses .
18 .
Protecting freedom of speech on college campuses : President Trump issued an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom of speech on college campuses by threatening the loss of federal research dollars if they do not allow for free speech for all students and faculty members .
On many campuses , conservative and religious students and faculty members have had their views censored or have faced retribution for expressing conservative or faith-based views 19 .
Protecting boys ’ and girls ’ bathrooms , locker rooms , and sports teams : On February 22 , 2017 , President Trump directed the Department of Education to revoke the Obama-administration ’ s guidance letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who claim to be “ transgender ” to use the bathrooms , locker rooms , and showers of their choice , and to join sports teams of their choice , even when their choices differed from their biological sex .
In a related decision President Trump issued an executive order banning transgender persons from entering our military forces , which would have allowed biological males free access to women ’ s bathrooms , locker rooms and showers , and similarly allowed biological females to enter men ’ s facilities .
Present Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court which lifted the block on the order by a 5-4 vote .
While litigation will continue , the order stands for now .
20 .
Negotiating new trade agreements that are more favorable to the United States : President Trump has negotiated new trade agreements with Mexico , Canada , and China , and all of them give more favorable treatment to the United States than the previous treaties did .
21 .
Streamlining environmental reviews for major construction projects : In order to build a new section of highway , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas pipeline , the necessary environmental impact statements have recently taken an average of 4.5 years , and many ran for six years or longer .
These delays massively increased construction costs and delayed relief for over-congested highways for many years .
But on July 15 , 2020 , President Trump ’ s White House released new guidelines limiting environmental impact studies to two years and limiting less-extensive environmental assessments to one year .
The Wall Street Journal says these new rules “ could literally cut thousands of years of cumulative delay ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge help in renewing America ’ s aging infrastructure .
22 .
Sending weapons to Ukraine : Whereas President Obama sent only humanitarian aid , President Trump authorized the selling of actual military equipment to Ukraine , including Javelin missiles which were necessary to defend against Russian aggression .
23 .
Standing up to China and Russia : Trump has been the first president to decisively denounce China ’ s blatant practice of industrial espionage and bullying , stealing of intellectual property , and violating international copyright protections .
He has followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an increased US naval presence in the South China Sea , and the closing of the Chinese consulate in Houston , which was a center of Chinese espionage .
The Trump administration has closed several Russian consulates in the US and expelled over 60 Russian “ diplomats ” ( espionage agents ) , issued sanctions against several Russian officials , and persuaded several European nations to increase their defenses against potential Russian invasion .
24 .
Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal : President Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Action , which would have allowed Iran to build a nuclear bomb within the next few years .
25 .
A wise COVID-19 response : President Trump imposed strict restrictions on travel from China on January 31 , 2020 , long before other leaders recognized the danger of this coronavirus .
Then , when the COVID-19 virus began to spread rapidly within the United States , the dominant media narrative was a fear that we would run out of hospital beds to care for the sick .
President Trump immediately mobilized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York City and elsewhere , and soon there were enough beds .
The next fear was that we would run out of ventilators .
President Trump persuaded leaders of American industry to fast-track the manufacture of ventilators , and soon there were enough ventilators .
Then the question was how soon to reopen buildings and meeting places , and President Trump wisely left the decision to local governors and other local officials who best know the different situations in their individual locations .
inally , the FDA has fast-tracked the trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the federal government has made commitments to purchase millions of vaccines from various companies as soon as they are approved for widespread use .
Several promising vaccines are now in the advanced stages of testing on human subjects .
The previous record for rapid FDA approval of a new vaccine was four years from initial research to final approval , but under President Trump ’ s leadership experts are now optimistically predicting that an FDA-approved coronavirus vaccine will be available as early as October 2020 , which would be nine months from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wuhan , China became known .
In addition , President Trump , working with Congress , quickly passed three coronavirus relief packages , with the result that millions of Americans continued to receive pay in spite of their workplaces being temporarily closed .
Unfortunately , many Democrats have decided to make the coronavirus tragedy a political issue , repeatedly criticizing President Trump ’ s response .
With the benefit of hindsight , Monday morning quarterbacks can always claim they would have made better decisions in Sunday afternoon ’ s game , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instant decisions in the midst of the contest .
We need to recognize that President Trump , in dealing with the coronavirus crisis , has repeatedly had to make hard decisions in a situation where he had incomplete information and conflicting advice from different scientific , medical , economic , and educational experts .
Others may disagree , but it seems to me that in a very difficult situation he has done a commendable job of balancing the need to protect Americans ’ health , the need to avoid destroying our economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the need to get children back to school so that they will not be deprived of many crucial months in their education .
26 .
Reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs : On June 23 , 2017 , President Trump signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act , which gave the Secretary of Veterans Affairs streamlined authority to fire unproductive employees and to appoint new medical directors at VA hospitals .
But even before that law , the Trump administration had begun to clean house , and over 500 employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first six months of Trump ’ s presidency .
27 .
Criminal justice reform : President Trump signed the First Step Act on December 21 , 2018.This law gives judges more flexibility in reducing mandatory sentencing guidelines in individual cases , eliminates the “ three strikes ” requirement of life imprisonment for some offenses , improves opportunities for academic and vocational education within prisons , provides more support for the successful reentry of released prisoners into society , and requires prisoners to be placed in prisons near their place of primary residence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices : on July 24 , 2020 , President Trump signed four executive orders aimed at reducing prescription drug prices .
These included requiring federal health centers to make insulin and epinephrine available at massive discounts to low income persons , prohibiting secret deals between drug manufacturers and pharmacy “ benefit manager ” middlemen , ensuring patients directly benefit from available discounts at the pharmacy counter .
Allowing more importation of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are lower , and reducing prices for Medicare Part B drugs if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economically advanced countries .
I personally doubt the wisdom of using price controls instead of fostering greater competition to reduce drug prices , but I ’ m still listing this as a good action because it may be a useful first step in providing a signal that Republicans are serious about solving the real problem of expensive drugs that many people can not afford .
29 .
Protecting federal property from rioters : The movement that began as peaceful and well-justified protests against the murder of George Floyd was soon co-opted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destruction of property by looting and arson that began in Minneapolis and soon spread to Seattle , Portland , Chicago , New York , and other cities .
In contrast to the weak Democratic mayors and governors who adopted a policy of appeasement that only encouraged more violence and even resulted in the burning of a police station in Minneapolis , President Trump announced in Washington , DC that any destruction of federal statues and monuments would result in fines up to $ 10,000 , and suddenly the attacks on these statues came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened to destroy the US courthouse in Portland , and the governor and the mayor were not protecting this federal property , President Trump sent in federal officers learn to protect it , which they did .
The courthouse was not destroyed and the slightly over 100 US marshals and DHS officers inside the building were protected until eventually the mayor of Portland sent local and state police to protect the building .
According to the 1807 Insurrection Act , the president has the legal authority to take any measures ( including deploying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) necessary to suppress any insurrection , domestic violence , unlawful combination or conspiracy , even without an invitation or permission from the governor of the state in which that federal property is located .
An example of this happened in 1957 when President Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops into Arkansas , over the objections of Governor Orval Faubus , to enforce federal school desegregation orders and protect African-American schoolchildren from a mob that had gathered to stop them outside Central High School in Little Rock .
In a further response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump ’ s Department of Justice has now launched Operation Legend , in which over 1000 additional federal agents have been dispatched to work alongside local law enforcement officers in nine cities to apprehend the most violent instigators of these riots .
They have now located and arrested 1485 suspects for violent crimes , including 90 homicides .
30 .
Welcoming evangelical Christians into positions of influence : This may not be important to others , but , speaking as an evangelical Christian , I see it as a positive factor that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as was the practice of the Obama administration ) , President Trump has appointed a remarkably large number of evangelicals to high government offices .
These include Vice President Mike Pence , Ben Carson ( Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ) , Betsy DeVos ( Secretary of Education ) , Rick Perry ( former secretary of energy ) , Scott Pruitt ( former administrator of Environmental Protection Agency ) , Dan Coats ( former director of national intelligence ) , Mike Pompeo ( Secretary of State ) , Russ Vought ( Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Kayleigh McEnany ( White House Press Secretary ) , and others .
In addition , he has frequently welcomed evangelical pastors and other leaders to the White House , for both public and private conversations .
President Trump has refused to waiver in the face of the most biased reporting in American history : These 30 good actions have all been accomplished in spite of a remarkably hostile national media .
The Media Research Center analyzed all the evaluative statements made by reporters , anchors , and nonpartisan sources ( such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified as Democrats or Republicans ) during June and July of 2020 on “ World News Tonight “ ( ABC ) , “ Evening News ” ( CBS ) , and “ NBC Nightly News ” ( NBC ) .
They counted 34 positive evaluative statements made about President Trump and 634 negative statements during those two months .
By contrast , there were eight positive statements and four negative evaluative statements about Biden during the same time period .
( Biden had become the presumptive Democratic nominee on April 8 when Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers indicate that , for every time that viewers heard a negative evaluation of Biden , they heard 158 negative evaluations of Trump .
For every positive statement they heard about Trump , they heard 18 negative statements .
This is not balanced reporting , nor is it responsible journalism .
Someone may object that the Media Research Center is a politically conservative content analysis organization , but that does not invalidate their tabulations , which I suspect would be consistent with the perceptions of any viewers who watch these newscasts for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bias could also be seen on CNN or MSNBC .
Research director Rich Noyes at the Media Research Center was quoted as saying , “ I have been studying the news media and elections for more than 35 years .
Trust me – there has never been anything like it.
” He called this “ the most biased presidential campaign coverage in modern media history.
” I point out this media bias in order to observe that President Trump ’ s unwavering commitment to common-sense conservative political policies is remarkable .
Few human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of character to persist in the face of such overwhelmingly hostile mainstream news coverage .
And he has not done this while avoiding the press but has held 17 solo press conferences and 44 joint press conferences in 3 ½ years ( as of July 20th ) plus numerous less formal interchanges with the press when he leaves or returns to the White House by helicopter .
In addition , he has done all this while enduring 3 ½ years of “ resistance ” by a massive special counsel investigation ( that came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House ( that came to nothing ) , and numerous nationwide injunctions against his executive orders issued by individual US District Court judges .
In this context , Trump ’ s resolute pursuit of the policies on which he campaigned seems to me to be commendable .
Speaking as an evangelical Christian , I believe that God exercises providential control over the history of nations .
The Old Testament says , “ The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Similarly , the New Testament says , “ Let every person be subject to the governing authorities .
For there is no authority except from God , and those that exist have been instituted by God ” ( Romans 13:1 ) .
But that doesn ’ t mean that all rulers are good .
Sometimes God gives a nation oppressive rulers as a means of divine judgment , as when he led Nebuchadnezzar , King of Babylon , to carry off the Jewish people into exile ( 2 Kings 24:10- 25:21 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will bring blessing to a nation , as when God led Cyrus , king of Persia , to decree that the Jewish people could return to their homeland ( Ezra 1:1-4 ) .
So here is a question for my fellow Christians : If you believe ( as I do ) that God is sovereign over the affairs of nations , do you think that Donald Trump ’ s presidency has been an evidence of divine blessing or divine judgment ?
I admit that perceiving divine purposes in human events is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainty one way or another , but when I look over this list of 30 actions , it appears to me to be far more characteristic of divine blessing than of divine judgment .
If others disagree , I respect your right to have a different opinion , but that is my view .
If President Trump is reelected ( as I hope he will be ) , we can expect four more years of the same type of White House activity : more originalist judges , ongoing lower taxes and deregulation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further restrictions on abortion , more school choice , continued support for Israel , hundreds of additional miles of border wall , a humane and just solution to immigration , continuing protection of religious freedom and freedom of conscience , abundant safe energy production , continued protection against Islamic terrorism , a stronger NATO alliance , more free speech protections on college campuses , continued protection of separate boys and girls sports teams and locker rooms , more trade agreements that are fair to the US , accelerated renewal of our aging infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressiveness , continued isolation of Iran and multilateral containment of their hostile expansionist ambitions , normalization of relations between Israel and other Arab nations , and further solutions to the problem of high drug prices .
No doubt more beneficial actions could be added to this list , but these should be enough to justify another four good years with Donald Trump as president .
Wayne Grudem is Distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Arizona .
The views expressed in this article represent the views of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent the position of Phoenix Seminary .

President Trump receives non-stop criticism in the press. I agree that criticism is necessary when a president makes mistakes, but where are the voices expressing appreciation for the good things Trump has done? It’s unfair always to criticize and never to recognize any of the good things a president has done.
It might be a refreshing change to recall some of the remarkable, nation-changing good things that Trump has accomplished for America. Here is my personal list. At the end of this list, I address the question, “Are these actions an indication of divine judgment or divine blessing on the United States of America?”
Because of space limitations, I have not given extensive arguments explaining why I think these actions are good for the United States. But more extensive arguments can be found in my books Christian Ethics, Politics According to the Bible, and The Poverty of Nations.
1. Judges: Trump has appointed two Supreme Court justices, 53 federal appellate judges, and 146 District Court judges (as well as two judges for the Court of International Trade) who have been confirmed by the Senate so far. In addition, 64 more have been appointed and are awaiting Senate confirmation. All of them are committed to interpreting the Constitution and laws according to the original meaning of the words, rather than according to what a modern liberal judge thinks the law should have said.
As an evangelical Christian, I am glad to see that Trump’s two Supreme Court appointments have already been responsible for highly significant cases that increase religious freedom, such as the decisions (1) to allow state aid that is given to non-religious schools to be given also to religious schools (Montana decision), (2) to protect the right of religious schools to hire and fire employees based on the school’s religious convictions, and (3) to allow religious groups to be exempt from government regulations that would otherwise cause them to violate their consciences in matters of birth control (and, by implication, probably in matters of abortion and same-sex marriage, but that has not yet been tested).
2. Historic tax cuts and deregulation: After eight years of high unemployment and meager growth under President Obama’s administration, the Trump tax cuts of 2017 and Trump’s extensive canceling of excessive government regulations on businesses have given a tremendous boost to the American economy. An estimated 25,000 pages of regulations have been canceled, resulting in a savings of $3,100 per household per year. Another result of tax cuts combined with deregulation has been the addition of thousands of new jobs, so that unemployment (before the coronavirus crisis) fell to the lowest point in 50 years, and unemployment among African-American and Hispanic workers was the lowest it has ever been in history.
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On election day, 2016 (11-8-16), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 18,332.74. This afternoon (8-28-20 at 2:44 PM) it stands at 28,618.39 which is an increase of 56% in 3 ½ years, even including several months of the coronavirus epidemic. This is remarkable.
These economic changes affect ordinary people’s everyday lives, not just wealthy people. Tens of thousands of people who were unemployed have recovered the dignity of steady employment (including getting paid during the coronavirus crisis). Millions of ordinary Americans whose retirement savings are partially invested in the stock market (including my wife and me) are finally receiving some protection and even growth in their savings.
3. Building a stronger U.S. military: Reversing the massive budget cuts that had seriously weakened our military under the Obama administration, President Trump has increased military spending by nearly $150 billion per year from $605 billion in 2016 to $750 billion, steadily rebuilding U.S. military readiness.
4. Protecting unborn babies: Numerous executive orders have increasingly restricted government funding for abortions (such as the reinstatement of the Mexico City policy). On February 22, 2019, the Trump administration announced that it would not allow organizations that provide referrals for abortions to receive federal family-planning money, which implies a cut in funding for Planned Parenthood (the nation’s largest abortion provider) unless they perform abortions in a separate facility and not refer patients to it. And on May 2, 2019, the Trump administration’s Department Of Health And Human Services issued a new rule protecting healthcare workers who decline on the basis of conscience or religious conviction to participate in procedures such as abortion or assisted suicide. Trump was the first president ever to personally attend the pro-life March for Life in Washington, DC on January 24, 2020.
5. Expanding educational freedom: President Trump appointed Betsy DeVos, one of America’s leading advocates for greater school choice, to be Secretary of Education, resulting in rising support for charter schools, taxpayer-funded vouchers, and tax credits for private-school vouchers, programs aimed at expanding options for parents looking beyond traditional public schools as she brings attention to them.
6. Standing with Israel: Reversing President Obama’s repeated marginalization and shunning of Israel, President Trump has reaffirmed our commitment to support and defend Israel. He decisively moved the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel. He has welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House several times and has repeatedly reaffirmed our support for Israel. I recently read in the Jerusalem Post a statement that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than Donald Trump.
7. Negotiating a historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates: On August 13, 2020, President Trump announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had come to a historic agreement to establish full diplomatic relations between the two countries, including the establishment of permanent embassies and the beginning of direct airline flights between the two countries. This is important because Dubai, the largest city in the UAE, is the leading financial center in the Middle East and plays a leading role in world air travel and tourism. The agreement will “strengthen regional checks on Iranian power.” It also has the potential to set a pattern for future agreements establishing peaceful relations between Israel and other Arab countries in the Middle East.
8. Actually building a border wall: President Trump has relentlessly battled against Democratic stonewalling and liberal federal judges to build an effective, secure border wall along more than 200 miles of our southern border, and it could possibly reach as much as 450 miles by the end of 2020. Critics object that most of this construction is simply replacing old barriers that were already in place, but they fail to recognize that the government’s first priority has been to secure the highest traffic areas, and in many of those areas the old fence was not up to the job. An effective border wall is absolutely necessary to keep our nation secure and to gain some control over an immigration crisis that has spiraled out of control. It won’t stop all illegal immigration, but eventually it will likely stop over 95% of people who try to enter on foot.
This is important, because once the American people feel that the border is secure, it will be much easier to gain the political consensus necessary for a humane and just solution regarding the undocumented immigrants who are already here, and for widespread support for the legal entry of large numbers of immigrants who will contribute much of value to this great nation.
9. Comprehensive immigration reform proposals: President Trump has proposed and worked for sensible, comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system that would change our policy on legal immigration from a system based on extended family connections and randomness to a system based on merit, so that we prioritize admitting people who will be most likely to contribute positively to American society (as well as those who are escaping from genuine threats to their lives in their homelands).
10. Religious freedom and freedom of conscience: President Trump’s administration has repeatedly and continually worked to defend religious freedom, and his Justice Department has defended religious freedom in numerous court cases, such as supporting the case of Colorado cake designer Jack Phillips at the Supreme Court (Phillips faced massive fines for politely declining to design a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding), and the right of faith-based organizations not to be forced to provide access to abortifacients through their health care plans, overturning the Obamacare HHS regulation that had forced them to do so.
In addition, in the first year of Trump’s presidency, the Department of Justice issued a strongly-worded, 25-page memorandum detailing exceptionally strong protections for religious liberty.
11. Withdrawing from Paris climate accord: President Trump wisely and decisively removed United States from the Paris climate accord, a radical environmentalist program which, according to a Heritage Foundation study, would have brought massive increases to U.S. energy prices with no statistically significant benefit to the environment. Doubling or tripling of U.S. energy costs (as under the Paris climate accord, according to the Heritage Foundation) would have harmed the poor most of all as they spend the highest portion of their budgets on energy. In addition, it would have cost America more than 206,000 jobs by 2040.
12. Energy production and energy independence: President Trump gave approval to the Keystone pipeline, the Dakota access pipeline, and oil production from the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, a vast uninhabited region which could produce up to 20 percent of our petroleum needs. His administration has also granted more permits for mining of oil, gas, and coal from federal lands. The result has been lower energy prices (which benefits everyone) and also U.S. energy independence so that we are now becoming the leading exporter rather than a net importer of energy.
13. Waterways of the U.S.: The Trump administration’s decision to abandon the “waterways of the U.S.” policy rightfully returned control of water on private lands to the owners of those lands, rather than the federal government seizing control over nearly all waterways in the United States. These rules have hindered farmers, ranchers, and developers. American Farm Bureau Chairman Zippy Duvall praised the action, saying: “Farmers and ranchers care about clean water and preserving the land, which are essential to producing healthy food and fiber and ensuring future generations can do the same. That’s why we support the new clean water rule. It provides clarity and certainty, allowing farmers to understand water regulations without having to hire teams of consultants and lawyers. We appreciate the commitment of the agencies involved and this administration to crafting a new regulation that achieves important regulatory oversight while allowing farmers to farm. Clean water, clear rules.”
14. Halting the increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards: The Trump administration decision halted the Obama-imposed harsh annual increases in projected average miles per gallon required in new cars every year. This decision will lead to more consumer choice and less expensive and safer cars, which is much better than the Democratic policy of ever-higher mileage goals, requiring ever-lighter and smaller cars, which means more dangerous cars and less consumer choice.
15. Defeating ISIS: President Trump gave our military forces the freedom to defeat ISIS and drive them out of large sections of Iraq and Syria, which they did. This is far superior to the Democratic policy of inaction and appeasement, which had allowed ISIS to take over large areas of the Middle East. Under President Trump’s leadership, U.S. military forces located and killed ISIS founder and terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Oct. 26-27, 2019. President Trump also directed the killing of Iranian terrorist mastermind Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 2, 2020.
16. Persuading European nations to pay more for NATO: President Trump has insisted that NATO countries start to pay their fair share of defense costs, and some NATO countries have responded by increasing their defense budgets. In 2017, five countries met the goal of spending 2% of their GDP on defense and that has now increased to nine according to the alliance’s latest budgetary data. The U.S. is set to spend over $750 billion (3.7% of GDP) on its military this year and leads the “above 2%” group, which now includes Bulgaria (3.25 percent), Greece (2.28 percent), the United Kingdom (2.14 percent), Estonia (2.14 percent), Romania (2.04 percent), Lithuania (2.03 percent), Latvia (2.01 percent) and Poland (2 percent)
17. Protections against false accusation on college campuses: President Trump’s administration has restored many due process guidelines that universities must follow in processing title IX accusations of sexual assault on university campuses.
18. Protecting freedom of speech on college campuses: President Trump issued an executive order giving more specific protections to freedom of speech on college campuses by threatening the loss of federal research dollars if they do not allow for free speech for all students and faculty members. On many campuses, conservative and religious students and faculty members have had their views censored or have faced retribution for expressing conservative or faith-based views
19. Protecting boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams: On February 22, 2017, President Trump directed the Department of Education to revoke the Obama-administration’s guidance letter that had directed schools to allow children who claim to be “transgender” to use the bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers of their choice, and to join sports teams of their choice, even when their choices differed from their biological sex.
In a related decision President Trump issued an executive order banning transgender persons from entering our military forces, which would have allowed biological males free access to women’s bathrooms, locker rooms and showers, and similarly allowed biological females to enter men’s facilities. Present Trump’s order was upheld by the Supreme Court which lifted the block on the order by a 5-4 vote. While litigation will continue, the order stands for now.
20. Negotiating new trade agreements that are more favorable to the United States: President Trump has negotiated new trade agreements with Mexico, Canada, and China, and all of them give more favorable treatment to the United States than the previous treaties did.
21. Streamlining environmental reviews for major construction projects: In order to build a new section of highway, a new subway line, or a new gas pipeline, the necessary environmental impact statements have recently taken an average of 4.5 years, and many ran for six years or longer. These delays massively increased construction costs and delayed relief for over-congested highways for many years. But on July 15, 2020, President Trump’s White House released new guidelines limiting environmental impact studies to two years and limiting less-extensive environmental assessments to one year. The Wall Street Journal says these new rules “could literally cut thousands of years of cumulative delay” for construction projects. This will be a huge help in renewing America’s aging infrastructure.
22. Sending weapons to Ukraine: Whereas President Obama sent only humanitarian aid, President Trump authorized the selling of actual military equipment to Ukraine, including Javelin missiles which were necessary to defend against Russian aggression.
23. Standing up to China and Russia: Trump has been the first president to decisively denounce China’s blatant practice of industrial espionage and bullying, stealing of intellectual property, and violating international copyright protections. He has followed up with strong trade sanctions against China, an increased U.S. naval presence in the South China Sea, and the closing of the Chinese consulate in Houston, which was a center of Chinese espionage. The Trump administration has closed several Russian consulates in the U.S. and expelled over 60 Russian “diplomats” (espionage agents), issued sanctions against several Russian officials, and persuaded several European nations to increase their defenses against potential Russian invasion.
24. Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal: President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan for Action, which would have allowed Iran to build a nuclear bomb within the next few years.
25. A wise COVID-19 response: President Trump imposed strict restrictions on travel from China on January 31, 2020, long before other leaders recognized the danger of this coronavirus. Then, when the COVID-19 virus began to spread rapidly within the United States, the dominant media narrative was a fear that we would run out of hospital beds to care for the sick. President Trump immediately mobilized the military to construct huge new hospital facilities in New York City and elsewhere, and soon there were enough beds. The next fear was that we would run out of ventilators. President Trump persuaded leaders of American industry to fast-track the manufacture of ventilators, and soon there were enough ventilators. Then the question was how soon to reopen buildings and meeting places, and President Trump wisely left the decision to local governors and other local officials who best know the different situations in their individual locations.
President Trump wisely left the decision to local governors and other local officials who best know the different situations in their individual locations.
Finally, the FDA has fast-tracked the trial and approval process for a vaccine, and the federal government has made commitments to purchase millions of vaccines from various companies as soon as they are approved for widespread use. Several promising vaccines are now in the advanced stages of testing on human subjects. The previous record for rapid FDA approval of a new vaccine was four years from initial research to final approval, but under President Trump’s leadership experts are now optimistically predicting that an FDA-approved coronavirus vaccine will be available as early as October 2020, which would be nine months from the time the outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China became known.
In addition, President Trump, working with Congress, quickly passed three coronavirus relief packages, with the result that millions of Americans continued to receive pay in spite of their workplaces being temporarily closed.
Unfortunately, many Democrats have decided to make the coronavirus tragedy a political issue, repeatedly criticizing President Trump’s response. With the benefit of hindsight, Monday morning quarterbacks can always claim they would have made better decisions in Sunday afternoon’s game, but they didn’t have to make instant decisions in the midst of the contest.
We need to recognize that President Trump, in dealing with the coronavirus crisis, has repeatedly had to make hard decisions in a situation where he had incomplete information and conflicting advice from different scientific, medical, economic, and educational experts. Others may disagree, but it seems to me that in a very difficult situation he has done a commendable job of balancing the need to protect Americans’ health, the need to avoid destroying our economy, the need to protect businesses from bankruptcy, and the need to get children back to school so that they will not be deprived of many crucial months in their education.
26. Reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs: On June 23, 2017, President Trump signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which gave the Secretary of Veterans Affairs streamlined authority to fire unproductive employees and to appoint new medical directors at VA hospitals. But even before that law, the Trump administration had begun to clean house, and over 500 employees were fired from the Veterans Administration in the first six months of Trump’s presidency.
27. Criminal justice reform: President Trump signed the First Step Act on December 21, 2018.This law gives judges more flexibility in reducing mandatory sentencing guidelines in individual cases, eliminates the “three strikes” requirement of life imprisonment for some offenses, improves opportunities for academic and vocational education within prisons, provides more support for the successful reentry of released prisoners into society, and requires prisoners to be placed in prisons near their place of primary residence where possible
28. Reducing prescription drug prices: on July 24, 2020, President Trump signed four executive orders aimed at reducing prescription drug prices. These included requiring federal health centers to make insulin and epinephrine available at massive discounts to low income persons, prohibiting secret deals between drug manufacturers and pharmacy “benefit manager” middlemen, ensuring patients directly benefit from available discounts at the pharmacy counter. Allowing more importation of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are lower, and reducing prices for Medicare Part B drugs if they are available for lower prices in other economically advanced countries.
I personally doubt the wisdom of using price controls instead of fostering greater competition to reduce drug prices, but I’m still listing this as a good action because it may be a useful first step in providing a signal that Republicans are serious about solving the real problem of expensive drugs that many people cannot afford.
29. Protecting federal property from rioters: The movement that began as peaceful and well-justified protests against the murder of George Floyd was soon co-opted by the presence of lawless rioters whose goal was destruction of property by looting and arson that began in Minneapolis and soon spread to Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York, and other cities. In contrast to the weak Democratic mayors and governors who adopted a policy of appeasement that only encouraged more violence and even resulted in the burning of a police station in Minneapolis, President Trump announced in Washington, DC that any destruction of federal statues and monuments would result in fines up to $10,000, and suddenly the attacks on these statues came to an abrupt halt. When rioters threatened to destroy the U.S. courthouse in Portland, and the governor and the mayor were not protecting this federal property, President Trump sent in federal officers learn to protect it, which they did. The courthouse was not destroyed and the slightly over 100 U.S. marshals and DHS officers inside the building were protected until eventually the mayor of Portland sent local and state police to protect the building.
According to the 1807 Insurrection Act, the president has the legal authority to take any measures (including deploying federal troops or other law enforcement officials) necessary to suppress any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy, even without an invitation or permission from the governor of the state in which that federal property is located. An example of this happened in 1957 when President Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops into Arkansas, over the objections of Governor Orval Faubus, to enforce federal school desegregation orders and protect African-American schoolchildren from a mob that had gathered to stop them outside Central High School in Little Rock.
In a further response to the violence threatening many of our cities, President Trump’s Department of Justice has now launched Operation Legend, in which over 1000 additional federal agents have been dispatched to work alongside local law enforcement officers in nine cities to apprehend the most violent instigators of these riots. They have now located and arrested 1485 suspects for violent crimes, including 90 homicides.
30. Welcoming evangelical Christians into positions of influence: This may not be important to others, but, speaking as an evangelical Christian, I see it as a positive factor that, rather than marginalizing evangelical Christians (as was the practice of the Obama administration), President Trump has appointed a remarkably large number of evangelicals to high government offices. These include Vice President Mike Pence, Ben Carson (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development), Betsy DeVos (Secretary of Education), Rick Perry (former secretary of energy), Scott Pruitt (former administrator of Environmental Protection Agency), Dan Coats (former director of national intelligence), Mike Pompeo (Secretary of State), Russ Vought (Director of Office of Management and Budget), and Kayleigh McEnany (White House Press Secretary), and others.
In addition, he has frequently welcomed evangelical pastors and other leaders to the White House, for both public and private conversations.
In Context
President Trump has refused to waiver in the face of the most biased reporting in American history: These 30 good actions have all been accomplished in spite of a remarkably hostile national media. The Media Research Center analyzed all the evaluative statements made by reporters, anchors, and nonpartisan sources (such as experts or voters but not people identified as Democrats or Republicans) during June and July of 2020 on “World News Tonight “ ( ABC), “Evening News” (CBS), and “NBC Nightly News” (NBC). They counted 34 positive evaluative statements made about President Trump and 634 negative statements during those two months. By contrast, there were eight positive statements and four negative evaluative statements about Biden during the same time period. (Biden had become the presumptive Democratic nominee on April 8 when Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign.)
These numbers indicate that, for every time that viewers heard a negative evaluation of Biden, they heard 158 negative evaluations of Trump. For every positive statement they heard about Trump, they heard 18 negative statements. This is not balanced reporting, nor is it responsible journalism. Someone may object that the Media Research Center is a politically conservative content analysis organization, but that does not invalidate their tabulations, which I suspect would be consistent with the perceptions of any viewers who watch these newscasts for a few days. A similar kind of bias could also be seen on CNN or MSNBC.
Research director Rich Noyes at the Media Research Center was quoted as saying, “I have been studying the news media and elections for more than 35 years. Trust me – there has never been anything like it.” He called this “the most biased presidential campaign coverage in modern media history.”
I point out this media bias in order to observe that President Trump’s unwavering commitment to common-sense conservative political policies is remarkable. Few human beings would have the courage and strength of character to persist in the face of such overwhelmingly hostile mainstream news coverage. And he has not done this while avoiding the press but has held 17 solo press conferences and 44 joint press conferences in 3 ½ years (as of July 20th) plus numerous less formal interchanges with the press when he leaves or returns to the White House by helicopter.
In addition, he has done all this while enduring 3 ½ years of “resistance” by a massive special counsel investigation (that came to nothing), impeachment by the House (that came to nothing), and numerous nationwide injunctions against his executive orders issued by individual U.S. District Court judges. In this context, Trump’s resolute pursuit of the policies on which he campaigned seems to me to be commendable.
Divine blessing or divine judgment?
Speaking as an evangelical Christian, I believe that God exercises providential control over the history of nations. The Old Testament says, “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17). Similarly, the New Testament says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).
But that doesn’t mean that all rulers are good. Sometimes God gives a nation oppressive rulers as a means of divine judgment, as when he led Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, to carry off the Jewish people into exile (2 Kings 24:10- 25:21). At other times he gives leaders who will bring blessing to a nation, as when God led Cyrus, king of Persia, to decree that the Jewish people could return to their homeland (Ezra 1:1-4).
So here is a question for my fellow Christians: If you believe (as I do) that God is sovereign over the affairs of nations, do you think that Donald Trump’s presidency has been an evidence of divine blessing or divine judgment? I admit that perceiving divine purposes in human events is a task that cannot be proved with certainty one way or another, but when I look over this list of 30 actions, it appears to me to be far more characteristic of divine blessing than of divine judgment. If others disagree, I respect your right to have a different opinion, but that is my view.
Conclusion
If President Trump is reelected (as I hope he will be), we can expect four more years of the same type of White House activity: more originalist judges, ongoing lower taxes and deregulation, continuing funding for a stronger military, further restrictions on abortion, more school choice, continued support for Israel, hundreds of additional miles of border wall, a humane and just solution to immigration, continuing protection of religious freedom and freedom of conscience, abundant safe energy production, continued protection against Islamic terrorism, a stronger NATO alliance, more free speech protections on college campuses, continued protection of separate boys and girls sports teams and locker rooms, more trade agreements that are fair to the U.S., accelerated renewal of our aging infrastructure, unflinching resistance to Russian and Chinese aggressiveness, continued isolation of Iran and multilateral containment of their hostile expansionist ambitions, normalization of relations between Israel and other Arab nations, and further solutions to the problem of high drug prices.
No doubt more beneficial actions could be added to this list, but these should be enough to justify another four good years with Donald Trump as president.
Wayne Grudem is Distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Arizona. The views expressed in this article represent the views of the author and should not be understood to represent the position of Phoenix Seminary.


thestream--2020-08-30--What Christian Conservatives Can Learn from the Iranian Revolution

In 1979 , Ayatollah Khomeini became the Supreme Leader of Iran , riding in on a tremendous groundswell of public support .
The Shah had been forced to flee for his life , Khomeini was welcomed back from exile in France as a national hero , and the Islamic Republic of Iran was born .
Today , however , a new poll finds that “ only 32 % of the population consider themselves Shia Muslims.
” The poll was conducted by the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran ( GAMAAN ) , described as “ a non-profit institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ‘ attitude toward religion.
” The poll involved 50,000 Iranians .
According to the results , “ 78 % of Iranians believe in God , but only 26 % of them believe in ‘ the coming of the Messiah ( Imam Mahdi ) ’ , ” which is a major doctrine in Shia Islam .
Remarkably , “ Half of the population used to believe but does not anymore and 6 % have converted to a new religion .
“ Out of 61 % of the people born into religious families , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayers .
68 % of the participants believe that religion must not be the basis of legislation , 71 % believe that religious institutions must be self-funded , and 42 % believe that promoting any kind of religion must be banned from the public sphere.
” In short , the people are rejecting a strict Islamic theocracy , which has driven people away from the faith rather than consolidated them in their faith .
What makes this polling data so interesting is that the Iranian Revolution came from the bottom up , meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Muslim clergy , which toppled the iron-handed , very-secular Shah .
While Khomeini was still in exile in France , his weekly teachings were recorded , duplicated on cassette tapes , and smuggled into Iran , where the clergy preached these same messages in the mosques on Fridays .
And the people , revolting against the growing worldliness and anti-religious sentiments in their nation , toppled the regime , welcoming back the austere Khomeini .
As for Khomeini himself , Hamid Algar wrote in 1981 that , “ Given the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader who has achieved a rare degree of success in the purely political sphere , it may appear surprising that he first gained fame as a writer and teacher concerned with devotional and even mystical matters.
” So , Khomeini began his career as a popular , spiritual teacher .
But in his mind , the spiritual intersected with the secular and the political .
As Algar explained , “ For Imam Khomeini , however , spirituality and mysticism have never implied social withdrawal or political quietism , but rather the building up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its natural expression on the socio-political plane .
The life of Imam Khomeini is a clear indication that the Revolution wrought by Islam necessarily begins in the moral and spiritual realm.
” What , then , can Christian conservatives in America learn from the state of affairs in Iran ?
First , changing government leaders and changing laws is important , but changing hearts is much more important .
Otherwise , if change is primarily enforced from the outside rather than produced on the inside , there will be a massive backlash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning .
That ’ s why I have emphasized repeatedly that we must put spiritual activity before political activity .
As I tweeted on May 12 , “ If only we were as passionate about prayer as we are about politics !
The nation would be rocked almost overnight and our own lives would be transformed.
” This is not a matter of either-or .
It is matter of emphasis , of putting first things first .
By all means , we should work to change the laws where those laws are unjust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much harder to change hearts .
Second , every generation of believers must have a fresh encounter with God .
We learn this from the history of Israel , where the book of Joshua tells us that , “ Israel served the LORD during the lifetime of Joshua and the lifetime of the elders who lived on after Joshua , and who had experienced all the deeds that the LORD had wrought for Israel ” ( Joshua 24:31 ) .
The next generation , which did not experience the Lord ’ s power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
It is the same with the Church .
Grandpa ’ s stories and Mother ’ s testimonies will only have relevance for the younger generation when those young people experience the reality of their parents ’ and grandparents ’ God .
Traditions can be passed down .
Living faith must be experienced .
Here too , if we do not get this right , there will be a revolt against God and the Christian faith .
After all , how many people want strict morals and high standards of living without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Third , contrary to the theocratic worldview of Islam , in which the Muslim faith takes over and rules , enforcing and even coercing adherence , the New Testament method is very different .
We are to preach the gospel , declaring God ’ s love in the power of the Spirit , and as people are born-anew and transformed , they begin to lead different lives .
Their values change .
Their perspectives change .
Their goals change .
Their standards change .
As a result , the world around them changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start living like Christians , taking seriously the call of Jesus , they begin to shine their light more brightly .
And that , in turn , touches the surrounding world in a positive way , drawing more non-believers to the faith while also confronting the social ills of the day .
This is how we fight our battles .
And this is what I refer to as gospel-based , moral and cultural revolution , a Jesus revolution .
So , while we should stay involved politically , especially during this critical election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the right place .
Otherwise , while making temporary political gains , we will further alienate the next generation .
For some years now , dating back well before the rise of Donald Trump , young people have been turning away from God .
And yet these same young people are hurting deeply today .
Let us bring to them the message of life , the message of hope , and the message of transformation — all of it found in Jesus .
Politics can not do this , nor can other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gospel truth that sets people free .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitteror YouTube .

In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini became the Supreme Leader of Iran, riding in on a tremendous groundswell of public support. The Shah had been forced to flee for his life, Khomeini was welcomed back from exile in France as a national hero, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was born. Today, however, a new poll finds that “only 32% of the population consider themselves Shia Muslims.”
The poll was conducted by the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran (GAMAAN), described as “a non-profit institute in the Netherlands, asked Iranians about their ‘attitude toward religion.” The poll involved 50,000 Iranians.
According to the results, “78% of Iranians believe in God, but only 26% of them believe in ‘the coming of the Messiah (Imam Mahdi)’,” which is a major doctrine in Shia Islam.
Remarkably, “Half of the population used to believe but does not anymore and 6% have converted to a new religion.
“Out of 61% of the people born into religious families, 60% do not say their daily prayers. 68% of the participants believe that religion must not be the basis of legislation, 71% believe that religious institutions must be self-funded, and 42% believe that promoting any kind of religion must be banned from the public sphere.”
In short, the people are rejecting a strict Islamic theocracy, which has driven people away from the faith rather than consolidated them in their faith.
Bottom-Up Revolution Turns Upside Down
What makes this polling data so interesting is that the Iranian Revolution came from the bottom up, meaning, it was the people, led by the Muslim clergy, which toppled the iron-handed, very-secular Shah.
While Khomeini was still in exile in France, his weekly teachings were recorded, duplicated on cassette tapes, and smuggled into Iran, where the clergy preached these same messages in the mosques on Fridays. And the people, revolting against the growing worldliness and anti-religious sentiments in their nation, toppled the regime, welcoming back the austere Khomeini.
As for Khomeini himself, Hamid Algar wrote in 1981 that, “Given the current fame of Imam Khomeini as a revolutionary leader who has achieved a rare degree of success in the purely political sphere, it may appear surprising that he first gained fame as a writer and teacher concerned with devotional and even mystical matters.”
So, Khomeini began his career as a popular, spiritual teacher. But in his mind, the spiritual intersected with the secular and the political.
As Algar explained, “For Imam Khomeini, however, spirituality and mysticism have never implied social withdrawal or political quietism, but rather the building up of a fund of energy that finds its natural expression on the socio-political plane. The life of Imam Khomeini is a clear indication that the Revolution wrought by Islam necessarily begins in the moral and spiritual realm.”
What’s the Lesson for Christian Conservatives?
What, then, can Christian conservatives in America learn from the state of affairs in Iran?
First, changing government leaders and changing laws is important, but changing hearts is much more important. Otherwise, if change is primarily enforced from the outside rather than produced on the inside, there will be a massive backlash. The end will be worse than the beginning.
That’s why I have emphasized repeatedly that we must put spiritual activity before political activity. As I tweeted on May 12, “If only we were as passionate about prayer as we are about politics! The nation would be rocked almost overnight and our own lives would be transformed.”
This is not a matter of either-or. It is matter of emphasis, of putting first things first. By all means, we should work to change the laws where those laws are unjust or destructive. But we should work much harder to change hearts.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Second, every generation of believers must have a fresh encounter with God. We learn this from the history of Israel, where the book of Joshua tells us that, “Israel served the LORD during the lifetime of Joshua and the lifetime of the elders who lived on after Joshua, and who had experienced all the deeds that the LORD had wrought for Israel” (Joshua 24:31). The next generation, which did not experience the Lord’s power and grace for itself, quickly fell away.
It is the same with the Church. Grandpa’s stories and Mother’s testimonies will only have relevance for the younger generation when those young people experience the reality of their parents’ and grandparents’ God. Traditions can be passed down. Living faith must be experienced.
Here too, if we do not get this right, there will be a revolt against God and the Christian faith. After all, how many people want strict morals and high standards of living without a personal encounter with the Lord?
Third, contrary to the theocratic worldview of Islam, in which the Muslim faith takes over and rules, enforcing and even coercing adherence, the New Testament method is very different. We are to preach the gospel, declaring God’s love in the power of the Spirit, and as people are born-anew and transformed, they begin to lead different lives.
Their values change. Their perspectives change. Their goals change. Their standards change. As a result, the world around them changes.
The Jesus Revolution
Within the Church, as Christians start living like Christians, taking seriously the call of Jesus, they begin to shine their light more brightly. And that, in turn, touches the surrounding world in a positive way, drawing more non-believers to the faith while also confronting the social ills of the day.
This is how we fight our battles. And this is what I refer to as gospel-based, moral and cultural revolution, a Jesus revolution.
So, while we should stay involved politically, especially during this critical election season, we must put our priorities in the right place. Otherwise, while making temporary political gains, we will further alienate the next generation.
For some years now, dating back well before the rise of Donald Trump, young people have been turning away from God. And yet these same young people are hurting deeply today.
Let us bring to them the message of life, the message of hope, and the message of transformation — all of it found in Jesus. Politics cannot do this, nor can other religions, like Islam.
It is the gospel truth that sets people free.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitteror YouTube.


thestream--2020-08-30--‘Lewis and Linguini’ in Lander

‘Lewis and Linguini’ in Lander

“ Lewis and Linguini ” is the brainchild of my friend , Joe Loconte .
Joe was a professor at King ’ s College in the Empire State Building and is now back at the Heritage Foundation serving as Director of The B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies .
For the past twenty years , Joe has invited college and graduate students to his home for a pasta dinner , good Italian wine , and conversation centering on a selection by Christian scholar C. S. Lewis .
When I moved from Washington , DC to Lander , Wyoming , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I copy “ Lewis and Linguini ” — name , format , and topic .
Go right ahead , he told me .
A Discussion on ‘ Modern Man and His Categories of Thought ’ Last week we hosted the inaugural Wyoming “ Lewis and Linguini ” dinner .
While , in a break from tradition , we served burgers rather than pasta , ten Wyoming Catholic College undergraduates joined in a lively , insightful conversation about Lewis ’ essay “ Modern Man and His Categories of Thought.
” In that essay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accurately , the obstacles to evangelism he saw at the time : 1946 .
When the apostles went off to be Christ ’ s witnesses , Lewis noted , they could count on categories of thought that were hospitable to the Gospel .
People at the time — and for centuries afterwards — “ believed in the supernatural , ” “ were conscious of sin and feared divine judgment , ” and “ believed that the world had once been better than it was.
” That is to say most people believed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offend god , that god judged the earth and everyone on it , and that we had been devolving from some golden era complete with “ heroes , ancestors , and ancient lawgivers ” whose greatness we can not match .
“ The world which we must try to convert , ” he wrote , “ shares none of these predispositions.
” In fact , we have just the opposite .
Our reading and education discount the past , focusing on whatever is newest and most likely to affirm what we already believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education has been to isolate the mind in its own age ; to give it , in relation to time , that disease which , in relation to space , we call Provincialism.
” Since our conversations and friendships rarely to never approach metaphysical ideas about God and life , “ We are being further isolated ; forced down to the immediate and quotidian.
” Even in our churches , people “ are simply not interested in the question of truth of falsehood .
They only want to know if it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or socially useful.
” Contrary to the doctrine of the Fall , we believe that the Golden Age is ahead of us .
We assume that progress and human evolution are inevitable .
As to God , Lewis wrote , “ when the existence of God is discussed , they by no means think of Him as their judge .
On the contrary , they are His judges .
… They think , from the very outset , of God ’ s duties to them , not their duties to Him.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s research showing that the great American religion is what he called , “ moralistic , therapeutic deism.
” Don ’ t be evil .
God is there to help you though who God is remains rather sketchy .
Finally Lewis noted the skepticism about reason that marks so much of higher education and the higher educated today .
We live with “ a general , and quite unalarmed , belief that reasoning proves nothing and that all thought is conditioned by irrational processes.
” Written in 1946 , that could have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , struck a chord with our gathering of Wyoming Catholic College students .
After all , they study Homer , Plato , Aristotle , Dante , et al .
in order to gain the wisdom of the past and avoid the Provincialism of time .
“ The faith once delivered ” ( Jude 3 ) is not only part of their curriculum , it ’ s at the heart of the college , reinforced in chapel and in theology classes .
We value and celebrate dogma as liberating and life-affirming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the vital link between the human person and reality , including the reality of God Who revels Himself as the divine Logos ( John 1:1 ) .
Given the vast differences in categories of thought , is evangelization hopeless ?
Lewis didn ’ t think so and our students agree with him .
Intellectual arguments can still point out the flaws in the deeply flawed categories of modern thought .
After that “ the foolishness of preaching ” ( 1 Corinthians 1:21 ) can supply an emotional appeal that breaks open the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sobered by the essay .
In the providence of God , this is their era and soil is about as rocky as it has ever been .
They — and we — need to meet the challenge God has set before us .
How shall we then live ?
Lewis and Linguini will continue to augment their education here in Lander as we seek the wisdom of the past to guide us in the future .
And why try some “ Lewis and Linguini ” at your house ?
Dr. James Tonkowich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a freelance writer , speaker and commentator on spirituality , religion and public life .
He is the author of The Liberty Threat : The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears , Grapes , and Dates : A Good Life After Mid-Life .
Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college ’ s weekly podcast , “ The After Dinner Scholar .
”

“Lewis and Linguini” is the brainchild of my friend, Joe Loconte. Joe was a professor at King’s College in the Empire State Building and is now back at the Heritage Foundation serving as Director of The B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies.
For the past twenty years, Joe has invited college and graduate students to his home for a pasta dinner, good Italian wine, and conversation centering on a selection by Christian scholar C. S. Lewis.
When I moved from Washington, DC to Lander, Wyoming, I asked Joe if he minded if I copy “Lewis and Linguini” — name, format, and topic. Go right ahead, he told me.
A Discussion on ‘Modern Man and His Categories of Thought’
Last week we hosted the inaugural Wyoming “Lewis and Linguini” dinner. While, in a break from tradition, we served burgers rather than pasta, ten Wyoming Catholic College undergraduates joined in a lively, insightful conversation about Lewis’ essay “Modern Man and His Categories of Thought.”
In that essay, Lewis reflected on evangelism or, more accurately, the obstacles to evangelism he saw at the time: 1946.
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When the apostles went off to be Christ’s witnesses, Lewis noted, they could count on categories of thought that were hospitable to the Gospel. People at the time — and for centuries afterwards — “believed in the supernatural,” “were conscious of sin and feared divine judgment,” and “believed that the world had once been better than it was.”
That is to say most people believed in god or gods, that we could offend god, that god judged the earth and everyone on it, and that we had been devolving from some golden era complete with “heroes, ancestors, and ancient lawgivers” whose greatness we cannot match.
“The world which we must try to convert,” he wrote, “shares none of these predispositions.” In fact, we have just the opposite.
No Predisposition Toward Christianity
Our reading and education discount the past, focusing on whatever is newest and most likely to affirm what we already believe. “The effect of removing this education has been to isolate the mind in its own age; to give it, in relation to time, that disease which, in relation to space, we call Provincialism.”
Since our conversations and friendships rarely to never approach metaphysical ideas about God and life, “We are being further isolated; forced down to the immediate and quotidian.” Even in our churches, people “are simply not interested in the question of truth of falsehood. They only want to know if it will be comforting, or ‘inspiring’, or socially useful.”
Contrary to the doctrine of the Fall, we believe that the Golden Age is ahead of us. We assume that progress and human evolution are inevitable.
As to God, Lewis wrote, “when the existence of God is discussed, they by no means think of Him as their judge. On the contrary, they are His judges. … They think, from the very outset, of God’s duties to them, not their duties to Him.” And thus Lewis anticipated sociologist Christian Smith’s research showing that the great American religion is what he called, “moralistic, therapeutic deism.” Don’t be evil. God is there to help you though who God is remains rather sketchy.
Relevant for Today
Finally Lewis noted the skepticism about reason that marks so much of higher education and the higher educated today. We live with “a general, and quite unalarmed, belief that reasoning proves nothing and that all thought is conditioned by irrational processes.” Written in 1946, that could have been written yesterday.
The essay, needless to say, struck a chord with our gathering of Wyoming Catholic College students. After all, they study Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Dante, et al. in order to gain the wisdom of the past and avoid the Provincialism of time. “The faith once delivered” (Jude 3) is not only part of their curriculum, it’s at the heart of the college, reinforced in chapel and in theology classes. We value and celebrate dogma as liberating and life-affirming. And reason, they are taught, is the vital link between the human person and reality, including the reality of God Who revels Himself as the divine Logos (John 1:1).
Is Evangelization Hopeless?
Given the vast differences in categories of thought, is evangelization hopeless? Lewis didn’t think so and our students agree with him. Intellectual arguments can still point out the flaws in the deeply flawed categories of modern thought. After that “the foolishness of preaching” (1 Corinthians 1:21) can supply an emotional appeal that breaks open the heart.
Our students were, however, sobered by the essay. In the providence of God, this is their era and soil is about as rocky as it has ever been. They — and we — need to meet the challenge God has set before us.
How shall we then live? Lewis and Linguini will continue to augment their education here in Lander as we seek the wisdom of the past to guide us in the future.
And why not try some “Lewis and Linguini” at your house?
Dr. James Tonkowich, a senior contributor to The Stream, is a freelance writer, speaker and commentator on spirituality, religion and public life. He is the author of The Liberty Threat: The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears, Grapes, and Dates: A Good Life After Mid-Life. Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college’s weekly podcast, “The After Dinner Scholar.”


thestream--2020-08-30--For a Pro-Life Society, Moms Need Villages

My toddler was throwing a fit .
I ’ d confiscated the items he ’ d excavated from the trashcan , and the puppy was eating his beloved “ vroom vrooms.
” I was on the phone , trying to sound calm as I wrested Hot Wheels from dog teeth .
I needed coffee .
We desperately needed breakfast .
As sanity wriggled from my mental grasp , I noticed it was only 7:45 a.m. Not every day is like this .
But days like this go a long way in explaining the conflict women often feel about becoming a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cosslett noted this month , millennial women “ have more freedom to articulate why we might choose to remain child-free.
” And yet , there ’ s a “ biological , hormonal , emotional desire to reproduce.
” This is “ unfashionable ” to admit among today ’ s feminists .
We need a village .
It takes a village to raise children .
But not Hillary Clinton ’ s village .
A biblical one .
Be Anything You Want — Or Be a Mom If acknowledging women ’ s biological , hormonal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unfashionable among progressive types , admitting that you want to do things besides mothering is often unfashionable in more traditional circles .
Each side doubts that mother can be anything but an exclusive job .
That ’ s why we hear unabashed advocacy for abortion on demand .
( Very few people in the U.S. actually want such “ reproductive justice.
” ) It ’ s also why many conservatives , hard as they rightly fight against abortion , may fail to address the root problems and concerns that cause women to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motherhood — in the first place .
Not Without Help The night before the eventful morning mentioned above ( which ended in chubby hands pulling my face in for a kiss after breakfast ) , my husband and I discussed our future .
Was it the right time to add another baby to the mix ?
He noted my juggling act of working part-time from home while mothering .
I admit I ’ m frazzled more often than I like to be .
But for me , like many women , not working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Work is a huge part of who I am .
It always has been .
Now , “ Mama ” is also an inseparable part of my being .
Could I add another kid and do everything I want to do — believe I ’ m called to do ?
Not without more help , I said .
To some , the idea of a village raising a child carries connotations of stolen parental rights and government control .
These are horrors to guard against .
But the notion of a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church family — sharing burdens through all life ’ s seasons including parenthood , is biblical and historical .
Moreover , this kind of community is necessary for human flourishing .
Consider the increase in depression and anxiety amid pandemic-induced stress and social isolation .
Prior to that , researchers were already pointing to alarming levels of mental illness .
Lack of meaningful community in the modern world has been repeatedly identified as a primary culprit .
If this is true for people at large , why don ’ t we think it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do we act — from the churches that preach rigid , extra-biblical household roles and discourage career ambition in women to the boardrooms that deny parental leave and other family-friendly policies — as if mothers have to do it all alone ?
I have a good marriage with a supportive husband .
We have stable income .
And we have a local community of good friends and family .
I can easily ask for more help .
That ’ s a privilege , not the norm .
As a Christian , I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life and God ’ s divine provision .
But we can ’ t expect to create a thriving , pro-life society if practical help is hard to come by for the average woman .
The Possibility of a Culture That Values Motherhood Women weren ’ t created exclusively to become mothers , or to become mothers exclusively once we have our first child .
But as even fourth-wave feminists sometimes admit , motherhood is intrinsic to womanhood .
It ’ s a pull most of us can ’ t ignore .
Sadly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readily celebrates or accommodates , despite its necessity to the health and very existence of society .
In her column , Cosslett says she looks forward to seeing how a new generation wrestles with motherhood .
So do I. I hope that wrestling includes recognizing the beauty and possibility of motherhood — that adding mom to one ’ s list of titles doesn ’ t mean erasing the others .
That , in fact , adding mom enriches one ’ s life .
For that to be completely true , we must pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , and motherhood .
Practically , our society must reflect those values .

My toddler was throwing a fit. I’d confiscated the items he’d excavated from the trashcan, and the puppy was eating his beloved “vroom vrooms.” I was on the phone, trying to sound calm as I wrested Hot Wheels from dog teeth. I needed coffee. We desperately needed breakfast. As sanity wriggled from my mental grasp, I noticed it was only 7:45 a.m.
Not every day is like this. But days like this go a long way in explaining the conflict women often feel about becoming a mom. As Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett noted this month, millennial women “have more freedom to articulate why we might choose to remain child-free.” And yet, there’s a “biological, hormonal, emotional desire to reproduce.” This is “unfashionable” to admit among today’s feminists.
We need a village. It takes a village to raise children. But not Hillary Clinton’s village. A biblical one.
Be Anything You Want — Or Be a Mom
If acknowledging women’s biological, hormonal, and emotional desire to have children is unfashionable among progressive types, admitting that you want to do things besides mothering is often unfashionable in more traditional circles. Each side doubts that mother can be anything but an exclusive job.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
That’s why we hear unabashed advocacy for abortion on demand. (Very few people in the U.S. actually want such “reproductive justice.”) It’s also why many conservatives, hard as they rightly fight against abortion, may fail to address the root problems and concerns that cause women to consider abortion — or never seriously consider motherhood — in the first place.
Not Without Help
The night before the eventful morning mentioned above (which ended in chubby hands pulling my face in for a kiss after breakfast), my husband and I discussed our future. Was it the right time to add another baby to the mix? He noted my juggling act of working part-time from home while mothering. I admit I’m frazzled more often than I like to be.
But for me, like many women, not working at all isn’t an option. Work is a huge part of who I am. It always has been. Now, “Mama” is also an inseparable part of my being. Could I add another kid and do everything I want to do — believe I’m called to do? Not without more help, I said.
To some, the idea of a village raising a child carries connotations of stolen parental rights and government control. These are horrors to guard against. But the notion of a “village” — relatives, friends, church family — sharing burdens through all life’s seasons including parenthood, is biblical and historical. Moreover, this kind of community is necessary for human flourishing.
We can’t expect to create a thriving, pro-life society if practical help is hard to come by for the average woman.
Consider the increase in depression and anxiety amid pandemic-induced stress and social isolation. Prior to that, researchers were already pointing to alarming levels of mental illness. Lack of meaningful community in the modern world has been repeatedly identified as a primary culprit. If this is true for people at large, why don’t we think it’s true for parents? Why do we act — from the churches that preach rigid, extra-biblical household roles and discourage career ambition in women to the boardrooms that deny parental leave and other family-friendly policies — as if mothers have to do it all alone?
I have a good marriage with a supportive husband. We have stable income. And we have a local community of good friends and family. I can easily ask for more help. That’s a privilege, not the norm.
As a Christian, I also believe in the inherent value of human life and God’s divine provision. But we can’t expect to create a thriving, pro-life society if practical help is hard to come by for the average woman.
The Possibility of a Culture That Values Motherhood
Women weren’t created exclusively to become mothers, or to become mothers exclusively once we have our first child. But as even fourth-wave feminists sometimes admit, motherhood is intrinsic to womanhood. It’s a pull most of us can’t ignore. Sadly, it’s not one our culture readily celebrates or accommodates, despite its necessity to the health and very existence of society.
In her column, Cosslett says she looks forward to seeing how a new generation wrestles with motherhood. So do I. I hope that wrestling includes recognizing the beauty and possibility of motherhood — that adding mom to one’s list of titles doesn’t mean erasing the others. That, in fact, adding mom enriches one’s life.
For that to be completely true, we must pursue a culture that genuinely values women and family, and motherhood. Practically, our society must reflect those values.
Liberty McArtor, former staff writer for The Stream, is a freelance writer in the great state of Texas, where she lives north of Dallas with her husband and son. Follow Liberty on Twitter @LibertyMcArtor, or learn more about her at LibertyMcArtor.com.