What's Happening...And Why?

Here's a few important dispatches from the culture wars.

* “Today’s Left Now Openly Aims To Make Christians Second-Class Citizens” (Nathanael Blake, Federalist)

* “Newt Gingrich: Democrats and Never Trumpers will put Trump back in the White House in 2020” (Newt Gingrich, Fox News)

* “Why Are We Trying to Gain the (Moral) Approval of the Left?” (Michael Brown, The Stream)

* “‘Don’t Be Evil’ Axis: Google Blacklisting Conservative Search Results” (Jeremy Carl, Federalist)

* “A Federal Appeals Court Just Took a Big Swing at Planned Parenthood” (Kevin Daley, Daily Signal)

* “Abortion: the original sin of the UN human rights project” (Stefano Gennarini, Mercator)

* “Wheaton College Under Scrutiny Over Race, Abortion, and ‘Offensive Rhetoric’ Talks” (Chelsea Vicari, Juicy Ecumenism)

* “Urbana 18 Speaker Dismisses God’s Holiness in Sermon to Students on ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’” (Joshua Arnold, Juicy Ecumenism)

New York's Brazen Celebration of Death

Ellie Bufkin over at Bright writes about a symbol of freedom turned into a “celebration of Death” —

“On Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo directed that One World Trade Center light its high-reaching spire in pink as a celebration of the passing of the Reproductive Health Act which made the ability to kill unborn children simpler and more accessible in New York than ever before.

Since its erection, the One World Trade Center has served as a symbol of freedom and a monument to the lives lost on 9/11. It often lights up in different colors to celebrate holidays, to recognize victims of abuse, and to remind us of nearly 3,000 people killed by terrorism. On Friday it was used as a sickening tool to promote the demented ideology of those that believe unborn babies do not have the right to their own life.”

And, on the same sad matter, here’s Marlo Safi at National Review —

“It’s not only perverse to ‘celebrate’ this inhumane legislation on the site where thousands of innocent lives were lost, including the lives of the eleven unborn children who were killed that day and whose names are engraved in the memorial. It’s a testament to the culture of death and the insidious attempts of those who flaunt abortion as anything other than the forsaking of human dignity to deceive us into believing that some humans are just not enough. It’s evidence that the most pressing social-justice issue of not only our time but possibly the next generation’s will be the mass slaughter of unborn infants and the exploitation of poor and minority women, who deserve a feminism that is nonviolent and just.”

Fake News Has a Purpose: Reviewing the Covington Students Story

* “A Fast Forward Look at the 2019 March for Life” (Students for Life)

* “Rush Limbaugh: NRO Pushed Covington Hoax to Win ‘Approval of the Mainstream Media’” (Robert Kraychik, Breitbart)

* “Call-Out Conservatives Join the Left’s Lynch Mob” (Julie Kelly, American Greatness)

* “President Trump: Covington Catholic Students ‘Treated Unfairly,’ ‘Smeared by Media’” (Kyle Morris, Breitbart)

* “Lawyer for Covington Catholic HS Families Threatens Lawsuits Against Media Unless They Retract False Stories” (Debra Heine Jane, PJ Media)

* “Sue the B*****ds: Updated” (John Hinderaker, Power Line)

* “What the right should learn from Covington Catholic flap” (Jack Cashill, American Thinker)

* “Covington Catholic diocese sticks to its calumny against its kids” (Monica Showalter, American Thinker)

Keeping Posted (Part Three)

* “Planned Parenthood Admits Its Focus Is Abortion” (Tony Perkins, Daily Signal)

* “The Racist Speech a Christian College Doesn’t Want the Public to Hear” (Ryan Bomberger, Town Hall)

* “The Frustrating Flip-Flopping of Politicians Over the Border Wall” (Cal Thomas, Daily Signal)

* “Vatican (Briefly) Commemorates Cuba's Stalinist Revolution” (Humberto Fontova, Town Hall)

* “Opposing Honors for Angela Davis Isn’t Racist” (Jonathan S. Tobin, National Review)

* “The Problem Isn’t the Poor. It’s Young Men on Welfare Who Could Be Working” (Star Parker, Daily Signal)

* “Is The Bike-Lane Fever Breaking?” (Jeff Jacoby, Town Hall)

* “As Religious Separation Increases, Religious Bigotry Will Abound” (David French, National Review)

Keeping Posted (Part Two)

* “As employees speak out, Planned Parenthood’s mask begins to crack” (Carole Novielli, Live Action)

* “Millennial Socialism 101” (Rich Lowry, National Review)

* “Millennial Christians Are Often Wrong about Patriotism” (Ben Palka, Providence)

* “Imagine Nations Were Selfless — It’s No Paradise” (Brad Littlejohn, Providence)

* “The Trump ‘Resistance’: Right-Wing Racists Bad, Left-Wing Racists Not So Much” (Larry Elder, Town Hall)

* “Heathens hold religious services rooted in Norse paganism aboard aircraft carrier” (J.D. Simkins, Navy Times)

* “You Can’t Make This Up: A Speech Code that Investigates Students for Discussing the Freedom of Speech” (Ilya Shapiro & Patrick Moran, Cato Institute)

* “Anniversary of a Fake News Classic by The New York Times” (Humberto Fontova, Town Hall)

Keeping Posted (Part One)

Well, the government may be (kinda') shut down but that doesn't mean that culture, politics, and the world of current affairs are not still dizzily spinning around. So here’s a rundown of some of the most important  articles you may have missed.

* “Faith’s Top 10 International Religious Liberty Stories of 2018” (Faith McDonnell, Juicy Ecumenism)

* “60 Million Christians Gear Up for Big Tech Censorship Battle After Facebook Franklin Graham Block” (Tyler O’Neil, PJ Media)

* “Abortion: It’s for the Children!” (John Stonestreet, BreakPoint)

* “The Most Successful Coverup” (Jed Babbin, American Spectator)

* “An Epidemic of Erasures, Redactions, Omissions, and Perjuries” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

* “Planned Parenthood is 41 Times More Likely to Abort a Baby Than Provide Prenatal Care” (Paul Stark, LifeNews.com)

* “There’s A National Emergency On The Border, But It’s Not What You Think” (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

* “Man Awakens After 12 Years in a ‘Vegetative State,’ Says ‘I Was Aware of Everything’” (Sarah Zagorski, LifeNews.com)

Just One of the Reasons We Support the Tim Tebow Foundation

7 Stories for the 7th Day of Christmas

* “Abortion Activist Claims Infant Baptisms Violate a Baby’s Human Rights” (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* “Colorado Is Still Trying to Destroy Jack Phillips” (David Harsanyi, Daily Signal)

* “Women’s March, Sponsors Silent on Anti-Semitism Allegations” (Alexandra DeSanctis, National Review)

* “Follow the (Climate Change) Money” (Stephen Moore, Town Hall)

* “Mueller Investigation Stirring Up More Trouble Than It’s Finding” (Victor Davis Hanson, Daily Signal)

* “Fallout Continues from Azusa Pacific Sexuality Compromise” (Joshua Arnold, Juicy Ecumenism)

* “Institutional Exemptions and the Sacrifice of Principle” (Rick Plasterer, Juicy Ecumenism)

Your 3rd Day of Christmas Compilation

Okay, while you've been making merry, here's a few articles from the culture wars that you may have missed.

* “President Trump’s Decision to Defund International Planned Parenthood Cost It $100 Million” (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* “Planned Parenthood facing claims of bias and discrimination against mothers and women planning parenthood” (AUL)

* “Christians ‘Standing in the Way’ of China's Xi Jinping's Totalitarian Rule” (George Thomas, CBN News)

* “William Barr Knows What the Pro-Choice People Are Really Up To. That’s Why They’re Panicking” (Rob Schwarzwalder, The Stream)

* “What the Oppression of Women Actually Looks Like” (Marlo Safi, National Review)

* “California Burning: How the Greens Turned the Golden State Brown” (Edward Ring, American Greatness)

* “Is Kavanaugh Keeping a Promise to Pro-Choice Susan Collins?” (John Zmirak, The Stream)

* “Why Economic Freedom Is a Proven Antidote to the Scourge of Human Trafficking” (Anthony B. Kim, Daily Signal)

Your Pre-Christmas Compilation

Okay, while you've been out Christmas caroling through the countryside, here's a few key articles about what's been happening in the culture wars that you may have missed.

* “IRD’s Top 10 Evangelical News Stories of 2018” (Chelsea Vicari, Juicy Ecumenism)

* “No Surprise Boy Scouts Headed for the Ash Heap” (Cal Thomas, Daily Signal)

* “Former Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic Manager: ‘It’s a Demonic Organization’” (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* “Will We Abandon Syria's Christians?” ( Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin & Travis Weber, FRC’s Washington Update)

* “Don’t Expect New, Unbiased Social Media Anytime Soon” (Saurabh Sharma, National Review)

* “Democrats Vs. Ordinary Catholic Guys” (Rod Dreher, American Conservative)

* “The U.N. Gives Palestinian Terrorists a Free Pass” (David May, National Review)

* “Masterpiece Cakeshop Baker Jack Phillips Now Facing Lawsuit for Refusing to Make ‘Gender Transition’ Cake” (Brianna Heldt, Town Hall)

* “Texas City Featured in Al Gore’s ‘Inconvenient Sequel’ Lost Millions in Its Green Energy Gamble” (Michael Bastasch, Daily Signal)

Let My People Go: Advocacy Letters to Persecuting Nations

As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the Vital Signs Ministries’ Christmas card party produced (among the 140 letters and cards we wrote) colorful cards to 14 Christians being unjustly persecuted and imprisoned in places like China and Eritrea merely because of their faith in Jesus.  We sent each prisoner 3 different Christmas cards with different greetings and Scripture verses in their own language. Thank you to Voice of the Martyrs website for that service.

Well, related directly to the cause of these brothers and sisters in Christ, we also wrote letters to the ambassadors and other diplomats representing the offending nations: China, Eritrea, Indonesia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Iran.

I print an example below as an encouragement for your prayers and perhaps, your letters also.

Dear Ambassador,

We, the undersigned, urge you to please demonstrate fresh justice and compassion in regards to the sad plight of prisoners in your country who are experiencing unfair and harsh imprisonment because of their Christian faith. We specifically intercede today for ————————————.

Please recognize that sincere Christians represent a blessing to your nation as they are morally upright, diligent workers, respectful, kindhearted, and generous. They do not seek to undermine the State but rather to enhance its strength and culture through prayers, devotion to family life, and peaceful service.

To mistreat persons merely because of religious differences (or other acts of conscience) is a tragic mistake, one that frustrates, angers, and saddens people of tolerance and goodwill throughout the world. Please act quickly to open the jail cells of those enduring undeserved punishment for their religious faith. 

“Religious freedom, an essential requirement of the dignity of every person, is a cornerstone of the structure of human rights, and for this reason, an irreplaceable factor in the good of individuals and of the whole of society as well as of the personal fulfillment of each individual.” (John Paul II)

Thank you for your consideration of this crucial human rights matter.

Respectfully,

Okay, Now Christmas Is Underway!

Well, let's see now. We have had our first Christmas party and we have had a very successful Christmas card party with 11 of us writing nearly 140 Christmas cards to political leaders, businesses, Christian heroes, and persecuted Christians in other nations. And Claire and I have attended “Christmas at the Cathedral” at St. Cecilia’s and Mendelssohn’s Elijah at the Holland. We have watched Miracle on 34th Street, read a few Christmas-themed books, and started listening to Christmas music. We have even started to pass out CDs of Patrick Osborne’s latest music creation, Winter Night.

But it isn’t really Christmas until we’ve started in to the presentations of the Christmas “When Swing Was King” shows at area senior care centers! And that began (the first of 12) yesterday afternoon.

We are cordially inviting you to come along and enjoy the marvelous sights, sounds, memories, and holiday visits of these beautiful and festive events. The schedule is on the Vital Signs Ministries website and here is the songlist to help get you in the mood.

1) Benny Goodman Orchestra — “Jingle Bells”
2) Jerry Vale — “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
3) Frank Sinatra — “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
4) Mills Brothers — “O Come All Ye Faithful”
5) Gene Autry — “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
6) The Lennon Sisters — “Hark the Herald”
7) Perry Como — “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”
8) Nat King Cole — “O Holy Night”
9) Woody Herman Orchestra — “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”
10) Judy Garland — “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
11) Glenn Miller Orchestra — “Silent Night”
12) Bing Crosby — “White Christmas”

Among That Christmas Card Pile

Among the 140 cards written at Saturday morning’s Christmas card party were those sent to President Trump and many other national political leaders; Governor Ricketts and many other state political leaders; businesses including a few who have stopped supporting the violence and injustice perpetrated by Planned Parenthood (and some who still do); Christian heroes involved in gospel, relief, and pro-life ministries; and Christians languishing in prisons in persecuting countries like Eritrea and Communist China.

Here are a few of the messages contained in our cards. Perhaps they’ll encourage you to write a few of your own.

Dear Google,

In this Christmas season, why not make a New Year’s Resolution to start actually practicing what you claim to champion; namely, tolerance and open-mindness.  You can move forward in this by stopping the unfair censorship of conservative and Christian speech.  Thank you. Merry Christmas.

Dear Secretary Pompeo,

Why the delay in offering asylum to Asia Bibi?  Please, as a Christmas present to her and her family (as well as to the global cause of religious freedom), offer protected asylum to this dear woman immediately. Thank you.

Dear Justice Brett Kavanaugh,

We are gathered together with eleven pro-life friends writing Christmas cards.  We are proud to tell you that we consider you a genuine hero as you stood strongly against purveyors of hate and darkness.  Be advised, I can say that we lifted you up in prayer often, as you stood strongly against wickedness. We continue to pray for you in your Supreme Court position.  The Lord bless you and keep you (Numbers 6:24).  Blessings in this Christmas season.

Dear President Araujo,

Congratulations on your election to the presidency of Brazil.  We are going to be praying for you, your family, and your efforts to move Brazil forward.  We especially pray for your effort to defend the sanctity of human life even in its earliest stages and to extend religious freedom in your nation.

Dear Congressman Bacon,

May the Lord bless you and your family in this holy season and may He move in your efforts to protect and improve the United States as you serve in the Congress.  Thank you for your work, especially for your support of the pro-life cause and the defense of religious freedoms.  Oh yes; one more thing. In your next election campaign, please give us a bit more specifics about your record and positions…and a bit more gravitas instead of the overuse of “Bacon.”  Thanks.

Dear Netflix,

As we send along our genuine Christmas greetings, we also send a request that your company stop the over-sexed, violent, and profane programming like “Baby” and “13 Reasons Why.” Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request.

Making the Most of Christmas

Ah, Christmas!  Bing Crosby crooning carols; the Christmas tree lighting up the cold winter nights; the eggnog and cookies at holly wreaths…There is a myriad of special delights rolled into one splendid season. However, the secular traditions themselves cannot adequately create an authentic Christmas spirit. Not that those traditions are wicked as some might argue. No, not at all. They are simply inadequate. For, of course, the foundation of the holiday and its most profound purpose is to celebrate the Advent of Jesus Christ, He Who was expressly given to the world for the salvation of sinners.

Nevertheless, Christians can not only enjoy the colors, sounds, tastes, and other cultural adornments of the holiday but they should be creative and diligent to utilize every opportunity which even secular Christmas traditions provide to share the higher meaning of the holiday with others. One need not criticize the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, gift giving, and other seasonal traditions; instead use them to winsomely enlighten ones friends and neighbors to the most important truths (truths that are both historical and supernatural) of the holiday.

For more on how to accomplish this task, why not contact Vital Signs Ministries today and ask for our “Making the Most of Christmas” packet. We will be thrilled to send it out to you.

Staying in the Game: A Weekend Compilation (Part 2)

* “Asia Bibi and the First Freedom” (Matthew Cotinetti, National Review)

* “Report: Half a Billion Christians Facing Global Persecution” (Edwin Mora, Breitbart)

* “Allen West on Abortion: ‘We Will Not Truly be Blessed as a Nation Until We Right This Wrong’” (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* “Michigan Judge Strikes Down Federal Female-Genital-Mutilation Ban” (Jack Crowe, National Review)

* “School Board Says Boys and Girls Have Different Brains — Except in the Bathroom” (Cathy Ruse, The Stream)

* “Europe’s Dangerous Blasphemy Laws Are Ripe for Exploitation” (Dominic Green, Weekly Standard)

Staying in the Game: A Weekend Compilation (Part 1)

* “The Fruits of College Indoctrination” (Walter E. Williams, Daily Signal)

* “How Public Schools Indoctrinate Kids Without Almost Anyone Noticing” (Auguste Meyrat, The Federalist)

* “Evangelicals Earn ‘F’ on Beliefs about the Trinity” (Joshua Arnold, Juicy Ecumenism)

* “Rapper Nick Cannon: Abortion and Planned Parenthood Inflict ‘Genocide’ on Black Americans” (Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com)

* “Ending Election Fraud” (Daniel John Sobieski, American Thinker)

* “Transgenderism at the Evangelical Theological Society” (Colin Smothers, Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood)

* “Environmentalist Policies Are Exacerbating Wildfires. It’s Time to Rethink Forest Management” (Jarrett Stepman, Daily Signal)

Quick Answers About Vital Signs Ministries

Dear C...

Here are brief answers to the questions you sent over.  Let us know if you need anything else.  And happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

1a) Vital Signs Ministries is a Christ-centered, activist-oriented ministry that seeks to proclaim God’s truths about the sanctity of life in the public square.  We do this through public pro-life witness, speaking engagements, blogs and social media, personal discipleship, and writing projects like the novel The Christmas Room.  In addition, we created the unique “When Swing Was King” outreach which is presented in 12 senior care facilities every month.

1b) The science of embryology makes it indisputably clear that human beings are created at the moment of fertilization.  Indeed, in that very moment, the DNA construction of the boy and girl is miraculously present in full.  All that is required for growth is nutrition and a safe environment.

1c) But added to these scientific certainties is the value of that human life and that is established by Holy Scripture.  From the many individual texts (like those listed on our website) to such stunning examples of the sanctity of preborn and newborn life in Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah, and Jesus Himself, the proofs are clear and profound as to the grave evil that is abortion.  With this overwhelming case for the sanctity of life, the testimony of the Church Fathers and the reformers also stands solidly against abortion — whether it is committed by surgical means or poisonous chemicals.

2) As is well established, many women who have experienced abortion mournfully regret their decision and must deal with issues of not only guilt and sorrow but oftentimes with physical difficulties too.  Christian pregnancy centers (including Assure Women’s Center which we helped start in the mid-8os) regularly feature post-abortion counseling, medical referrals, and support groups along with a whole host of services for women who decide against abortion and who opt instead to parent their child or to relinquish the baby to a whole and loving home.  A paramount point in this discussion, however, is the liberating truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty of all sin for those who trust in His loving sacrifice.  That means that persons who have chosen abortion (or are guilty of any other sin) can receive full forgiveness, healing, and peace when they repent and trust to Christ’s atonement.

I hope this helps, Chris.

Blessings,

Denny Hartford

Read It Again -- Lincoln's Thanksgiving Address of 1863

By the President of the United States of America. (1863)

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

November Swings!

We are already well underway with the November "When Swing Was King" shows -- 5 so far and 7 more to go. And, because we try and create a little margin around Thanksgiving Day, that means all 7 are in the first 3 days of next week!

Busy? Sure, but we love bringing these seniors a grand entertainment program -- with the abundance of memories. emotions, and sparkling conversations it stimulates. Care to join us? The schedule is always available on the Vital Signs Ministries website.

And the song list for this month's show is superb!

1) Glenn Miller Orchestra (Vocals by the Modernaires) — “Perfidia”
2) Harry James Orchestra (Vocals by Kitty Kallen) — “I’ll Buy That Dream”
3) Andy Williams — “Autumn Leaves”
4) Benny Goodman Orchestra — “Somebody Loves Me”
5) Dean Martin — “I’ll Always Love You”
6) Artie Shaw Orchestra — “Begin the Beguine”
7) Chick Webb Orchestra (Vocals by Ella Fitzgerald) — “Love and Kisses”
8) Les Brown — “Shine On Harvest Moon”
9) Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (Vocals by Helen O'Connell) — “All of Me”
10) Ted Weems Orchestra (Vocals by Perry Como) — “Fools Rush In”
11) Lawrence Welk Orchestra — “Champagne Time”
12) Nat King Cole — “Smile”

Religion Dies. Halloween Lives.

Way back on October 21, 2011 I posted on Vital Signs Blog this excerpt from Amity Shlaes’ article Halloween’s Pagan Themes Fill West’s Faith Vacuum published by Bloomberg. It remains relevant and enlightening and so I post it again.

(And yes, the whole article is still online right here.)

...But as much as we’d like it to be, Halloween isn’t secular. It is pagan. There’s nothing else to call a set of ceremonies in which people utter magical phrases, flirt with the night and evoke the dead. One of my family’s favorite Halloween props was a hand that moved, as though from the netherworld, when you reached to collect a few pieces of candy corn. Necromancy is a regular part of Halloween games. Zombie masks are one of this year’s top- sellers. As grouchy theologians used to point out, the origin of Halloween was most likely Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday on which the dead, in some accounts, supposedly returned to visit.

There’s a reason for the pull of the pagan. In the U.S., we’ve been vigorously scrubbing our schools and other public spaces of traces of monotheistic religion for many decades now. Such scrubbing leaves a vacuum. The great self-deception of modern life is that nothing will be pulled into that vacuum. Half a century ago, the psychologist Carl Jung noted the heightened interest in UFOs, and concluded that the paranormal was “modern myth,” a replacement for religion.

Children or adults who today relish every detail of zombie culture or know every bit of wizarding minutiae are seeking something to believe in. That church, mosque and synagogue are so controversial that everyone prefers the paranormal as neutral ground is disconcerting. There’s something unsettling about the education of a child who comfortably enumerates the rules for surviving zombie apocalypse but finds it uncomfortable to enumerate the rules of his grandparents’ faith, if he knows them...