“They stole $77,000. And that was all of my savings.” Her voice was so soft I (Doug) had to lean in to hear her. “I’ve talked with the local police, the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission. The money is…
6 ways the Reflecting Pool boondoggle mirrors Trump and MAGA
It was supposed to be a simple restoration project. A $1.5 million maintenance project on a prominent national landmark that would take about two weeks to complete. A proverbial drop in the bucket of the Department of the Interior’s budget….
Who is the domestic terrorist?
In the wake of the violence of January 6, 2021, some observers wondered why the insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol weren’t charged with domestic terrorism. The reason is simple: There is no standalone federal crime on the books for domestic…
Why Gen Z is losing faith in America
As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, our latest report, “Competing Visions of America at 250: Politics, Religion, and Identity,” surfaces a troubling signal for the future of our democracy — and it centers on the nation’s youngest citizens. Generation…
The Enhanced Games were another MAGA grift
Recently, 42 athletes from 24 countries gathered in a temporary, ad hoc stadium built in a casino overflow parking lot to compete in what Donald Trump Jr. called an example of “excellence, innovation and American dominance on the world stage.”…
Al Mohler cozies up to Doug Wilson
Social media was abuzz this week with reaction to Southern Baptist Convention leader Al Mohler appearing on a podcast with Christian nationalist Doug Wilson. The mere fact of them being in conversation is the most notable thing, because what they…
Eric Metaxas is wrong about American history — again
Eric Metaxas has a new book, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. He is not a historian, and while there have been any number of good books written by non-historians, Revolution is not…
Why it is immoral for one man to be a trillionaire
Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire, attaining a net worth of $1,100,000,000,000, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list. The tipping point was the release of SpaceX’s initial public offering at $135 per share, giving the company a total…
Beauty, ashes and the Southern Baptist Convention
Attending the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention is, in a word, exhausting. Why any Baptist — pastor or layman — would take several days of vacation time, travel at significant expense, read all the printed reports, participate in…
Come on, ring those bells
It may be true that no man is an island, but the Southern Baptist Convention is working hard to isolate itself from the world. After a decade of holding back the most strident far-right forces in the convention, this year…
Behind SBC’s missions agenda: Eternal conscious torment
The headlines each year going into the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting seem to focus on Southern Baptists’ latest attempts to put women in their place and keep them there. Whether they were voting to remove Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church…
Conservative reformers win SBC presidency
For the first time in 35 years, a reform candidate has been elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, defeating an institutional candidate. Florida pastor Willy Rice — who withdrew from the presidential race in 2022 — won the presidency…