Watching Pornography Increases Support for Adultery and Same-Sex Marriage

The Story: New scholarly analysis suggests that the more exposure heterosexual men have to pornography, the more likely they are to support adultery, pre-marital sex, and same-sex marriage.

The Background: "Our study suggests that the more heterosexual men, especially less educated heterosexual men, watch pornography, the more supportive they become of same-sex marriage," Indiana University assistant professor and study co-author Paul Wright told the Washington Examiner.

"If people think individuals should be able to decide for themselves whether to have same-sex sex, they will also think that individuals should be able to decide for themselves whether to get married to a partner of the same-sex," Wright added. "Since a portion of individuals' sexual attitudes come from the media they consume, it makes sense that pornography viewers would have more positive attitudes towards same-sex marriage." 

In a related study published in the American Journal of Media Psychology, Wright found that males who have recently consumed Internet pornography are more likely to approve of premarital and extramarital sex. 

This was the case even after for controlling for the contribution of age, ethnicity, and religiosity.  Continue at Joe Carter

The Psychology of Social Networking (infographic)

Neal Postman warned that we were Amusing Ourselves to Death. Maybe today the fear is that we publicize ourselves to death. That’s the concern represented on this infographic.

Just consider some of these statistics:

• 9 out of 10 internet users are on a social network
• Every minute we produce 694,980 status updates
• 80% of social media posts are about the poster

But the best stat of all: “9 out of 10 Americans think people share too much.” Stop and think about that for a minute. 9 out of 10 of us are doing it. And we’re doing it a lot. But we think everyone else should be doing it less. That makes sense.

And why do we do it? To serve the greater good, advance public discourse, or develop larger networks of meaningful relationships? The infographic suggests a different reason: “Talking about ourselves activates the regions of the brain associated with the sense of satisfaction from food, money, or sex.”

Um.

Here’s the infographic. Check it out for yourself HERE.

4 Disturbing Trends in the Contemporary Church

According to several studies, American evangelicals generally do not know what they believe and why they believe it. Consequently, most share with the wider culture a confidence in human goodness and a weak view of the need for God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ. According to these reports, most evangelicals believe that we are saved by being good and that there are many ways of salvation apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ.

Here are a few of the disturbing trends that need to be checked and reformed in contemporary church life:

1. We are all too confident in our own words

We are all too confident in our own words, so that churches become echo chambers for the latest trends in pop psychology, marketing, politics, entertainment, and entrepreneurial leadership. We need to recover our confidence in the triune God and His speech, as He addresses us authoritatively in His Word.

2. We are all too confident in our own methods

We are all too confident in our own methods for success in personal, ecclesial, and social transformation. We need to be turned again to God’s judgment and grace, His action through His ordained means of grace.  Continue at Michael Horton

If I Were the Devil: Paul Harvey (Warning for a Nation)

           

This speech was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on  April 3, 1965:

If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. 

I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. 

I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.”   

To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. 

I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”.  In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. 

I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. 

I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. 

I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. 

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. 

If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. 

I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.” With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and  thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. 

If  I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. 

And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. 

Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. 

In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.

HT: Fox Nation

Psychotropic Medications: In Search of a Biblical Context

We generally do not engage others who are blogging as there is no end to the controversies in which we could involve ourselves. We also rarely post guest bloggers. Today we make an exception to both general policies to bring you an important article from our friend “Ab” Abercrombie.

In recent weeks, an article appearing on the Internet has caused great stir in the biblical counseling community, and in the Body of Christ at large. There has been much debate through the years regarding psychology, psychiatry, and medication, as they relate to and interface with biblical truth. This latest addition is no different except it advances opinion and position without biblical consideration.

The article “Listening to Prozac…and to the Scriptures: A Primer on Psychoactive Medications” is written by Dr. Michael Emlet (M.Div., M.D.), a faculty member of the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF). As a medical doctor and theologian, Dr. Emlet should be considered an expert in this matter. However, a thorough review of the article reveals a position, which is unbiblical in its foundation.

The article begins with reference to two different case studies; one benefiting from medication; another showing no gain and feeling a conviction to live medication free. The author speaks to the conundrum of these diverse situations and suggests, rightfully, that medication has become commonplace in the Christian community and counselors must increase our knowledge of pharmacology. But Dr. Emlet also states “we need a biblically-based philosophy to guide the use or non-use of medications” (Emlet, p 1).

Amen…I thought. Then I read the rest of the article.   Continue at Abercrombie

The Post-Christian Condition — Anders Breivik and the Limitations of Justice

The trial of Anders Behring Breivik represents one of the greatest tests of human justice in decades. Breivik stood in an Oslo courtroom this week and declared: “I admit to the actions, but not to the guilt.” The “actions,” of course, were the killing of 77 people on July 22, 2011. Eight were killed in a car bomb in Oslo. Breivik then shot 69 people to death on Utoya Island — most of them teenagers and young people involved in a summer camp sponsored by one of Norway’s major political parties.

Breivik has celebrated his murderous actions in court, calling his massacre the most “spectacular” event in recent European history. Having admitted to the killings, Breivik told the court, “I would do it again.”

He may have an opportunity to do so. Norwegian law allows Breivik to be imprisoned for only 21 years, even if found guilty of all 77 killings. Officials in Norway have attempted to assure their fellow citizens that Breivik is unlikely to be released, but the law allows criminals to be held in captivity after their sentence only on psychological grounds that represent a threat, and Breivik has been found sufficiently sane to stand trial.

How can this be? What sane nation would allow for a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison for premeditated murder — much less the calculated killing of 77 people?  Continue at Al Mohler

Nebuchadnezzar Loses His Mind

It is difficult to go through Daniel chapter 4 without realizing that, in our day and time, Nebuchadnezzar would have been diagnosed with some type of mental disorder, medicated to the point of absurdity, and put in an institution with little or no hope of returning to a normal life. 

Comments for this sermon: 

JC (4/13/2012) from California “ Great Sermon! ” This is a must-hear sermon for anyone (especially Christian) that has been or is under psychological/psychiatric care. I was on anti-depressants as an unbeliever but weened myself off (dangerous to do as Voddie says) soon after being saved. All psychotropic drugs just mask symptoms and can rob you of your God-given humanity. There is even something in this sermon for coffee addicts :)

KJ (4/12/2012)

from Oregon

“ Great Sermon! ” The Truth in this is so right on! We need to go to the root of the problems and to have a a God-centered view on psychology and that whole realm. God is still the answer! Thank you, Mr. Baucham.   Listen to this sermon by clicking on the link below - don't be shocked:   Nebuchadnezzar Loses His Mind

The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams

The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams by Heath Lambert (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011)

It may surprise some that the brief history of biblical counseling is a complex one considering its fairly straightforward premise that the Bible is the sufficient foundation and guiding authority of counseling. But biblical counseling is itself, in fact, a complex practice shaped by diverse influences - hermeneutics, psychology, ecclesiology, apologetics, and even epistemology. The interplay of these various disciplines naturally leads to different emphases and practices by biblical counselors.

 

Heath Lambert has performed a great service in providing a succinct well organized summary of the biblical counseling movement as it has developed after Jay Adams. It is a book I recommend for those who want an overview of the biblical counseling movement but aren't ready to tackle David Powlison's hefty 352 page, The Biblical Counseling Movement, a book I recommend for those who want to dig deeper. One of the prominent characteristics of Lambert's book is that it is not simply a history of the movement, but an invitation to participate in it; to know not only what the movement is, but where it has been; and to play a part in where it is going. In fact, the foreword itself, written by David Powlison, outlines six stages of development to help the reader know his or her role in the movement and Lambert himself makes his own suggestions about where the movement needs development in Chapter 6, "An Area Still in Need of Advancement."  Continue at Winston Smith

Is Psychology the 67th Book of the Bible?

All truth is God’s truth, or so the saying goes. The problem with this seemingly axiomatic assertion is not simply its ambiguity, but the way it serves as a means to justify using extra-biblical sources (such as psychology) to deal with spiritual issues. This is especially common among integrationists in the field of Christian counseling. The view of integrationism is that only when Scripture and psychology are integrated—brought together into a unified whole—is one able to engage in a truly effective counseling ministry. This view is really an assault on the idea that Scripture alone is sufficient for spiritual growth.

Psychology as General Revelation

But how exactly does this relate to the idea that all truth is God’s truth? The integrationist argument goes something like this: Because God has made Himself known through two channels—special revelation (the propositional truth recorded in scripture) and general revelation (the non-propositional truth deposited by God in the created order of things)—man has a mandate from his Creator to investigate and discover truths through means such as psychological research, the findings of which should be accepted as having their origin in God. Scripture alone, then, is not sufficient, but rather, as John H. Coe asserts, “Only when all forms of revelation are taken together can we speak of the sufficiency of revelation.” Put simply, all truth is God’s truth and should be embraced as such whether it be found in Scripture (special revelation) or in psychological research (general revelation).

This argument has been articulated in various ways by different integrationists. Notice the language of divine revelation in the following examples:

• Larry Crabb: “All truth is certainly God’s truth. The doctrine of general revelation provides warrant for going beyond the propositional revelation of Scripture into the secular world of scientific study expecting to find true and useable concepts.”

• Bruce Narramore: “The evangelical church has a great opportunity to combine the special revelation of God’s Word with the general revelation studied by the psychological sciences and professions. The end result of this integration can be a broader (and deeper) view of human life.”  Continue at Matt Waymeyer

A Depressing Report about Depression

Most Americans do not feel comfortable speaking to their doctor about symptoms of depression.

Why?

That’s the question a team of psychologists at the University of California recently tried to answer via a phone survey of 1054 adults. Time reports the results:

1. 23% were afraid that their doctor would try to prescribe them antidepressant drugs.
2. 13% said they were worried they would be referred to a psychiatrist
3. 12% said they didn’t want to be considered a psychiatric patient.
4. 16% didn’t think psychological issues fell under the purview of a primary care doctor
5. 15% were concerned about medical record confidentiality.

The first three certainly coincide with my own experience of counseling people with depression; and there is usually even greater resistance to seeking medical help among Christians. The majority of emails, letters, phone calls, cries for help, that I regularly receive contain extremely painful personal stories describing the impact of depression on people’s lives, and the lives of their loved ones. But they almost always conclude with some variation of, “But, I know that anti-depressants are not for me,” or “But, I want to beat this on my own.”

Why should this be?     Keep Reading...

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American Churches: The Evangelical Answer to Home Depot

You’ve got to get this book: This Little Church Went to Market by Gary Gilley (Darlington: EP Books, 2010 [reprint]).  The subtitle is telling: “Is the Modern Church Reaching Out or Selling out?”  In this book, Gilley takes on the American church growth industry.  From Saddleback to Willow Creek to Lee Strobel to Bill Hybels, churches and church leaders are straight up adopting a business model of marketing a product and applying that model to the church.  Of course, Mike Horton, David Wells, Os Guinness, and many others have also written well on this subject, but Gilley’s book is a great addition to those other voices.

In This Little Church, Gilley discusses how our culture is entertainment driven, self-focused, consumer based, and swimming in self-help psychology.  He then documents how many American churches have adopted the business model of getting people in the doors by entertaining them, meeting their felt needs, and using Christianity as a resource to give lives a boost.  Preachers talk about fulfillment and say Jesus is a way to find fulfillment and that Christianity brings excitement and spontaneity into dull lives.  While some of these churches are might mean well, ultimately what happens is the whole message of salvation gets watered down to nothing, since neither repentance nor self-denial is demanded of people in the ‘audience.’  Here are a few of my favorite quotes. Continue Reading>>>

A Vision for the Entire Church

Be Acquainted With Thine Own Heart

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

See Also Achieving Mental Health: The Role of Psychotherapy, Drugs, and Religion
or The Bible vs. DSM-IV

Integrating Psychology…

The only place for Psychology is in Atheism and every religion that denies the true and living God. Atheism does not have God’s divine revelation nor Gods healing power. We can seek to heal and counsel those with mental problems, starting from Psychology or God’s Revelation, but not both. Psychology does not bring glory to God but brings glory to mankind’s wisdom. Scripture or Special Revelation is what God’s General Revelation leads us to and when used for counseling it brings God glory and keeps man dependent upon Him. Furthermore, mental healing and well being should be dependent upon the one who created the mind found in mankind. Can the creation know more about itself then its creator does? Psychology in our culture is not asking, how could we bring glory to God through Psychology; rather our Atheistic culture has turned from God and used Psychology as a way to suppress God and elevate mankind. The Church must therefore reject Psychology and stake it’s confidence on this, God has granted all that is necessary for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

HT: Truth Crossing