Breakpoint

Trans rights are becoming the latest state-by-state issue dividing America. The Vatican releases a very pointed condemnation of surrogacy. And the Biden White House declares abortion is the number one issue in the upcoming presidential campaign.    Recommendations Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot Being Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn A Quiet Mind to Suffer With by John Andrew Bryant   Segment 1: States vs. the Feds on Trans Policy How Democrats Set the Stage in 2023 for an LGBT Onslaught In 2024 Ohio House Overrides Governor Missouri’s Ban on “Gender-Affirming Health Care” for minors can take effect next week, judge rules Segment 2: The Pope Condemns Surrogacy Francis Urges Ban on Surrogacy, calling it “Despicable” Segment 3: Biden Campaign Says Abortion #1 Issue Biden’s Top Priority for a second term: abortion rights For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org  

After securing his team’s place in the NFL playoffs, Texans’ rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was asked by a reporter to respond to the moment. In a brief statement that has now made rounds on social media, he expressed gratitude for the city of Houston, honor for his fellow players, and, most of all, praise to Christ for saving him and choosing him to be in this role.   More than a typical generic thanks to God for a win, Stroud spoke with grace and humility, noting the Scriptures written on his wristbands after being asked.  For all the stories of scandals and salary fights, there’s still a strong remnant of faith in this corner of our too-often Christless society. For more stories like this, from a lifelong sports fan and strong believer, check out the new book In the Big Inning by John Strege, where he shares stories of people whose faith influenced their performance and their relationship with coaches, teammates, and fans. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org  

Seven years ago this month, National Geographic published an issue that they now refer to as “historic.” With a cover featuring a young boy with long pink hair and pink leggings, they announced a “Gender Revolution.” The newsstand edition featured a different cover, a child and a collection of hip young people with identifying labels, such as “transgender female,” “androgynous,” and “bi-gender.” Our perceptions of those who are transgender, these covers suggested, should not be simply men with a fetish. Rather, embracing new understandings of gender was about the kids.  In addition to the articles explaining the emerging “scientific consensus” around these things, and why “gender” is “fluid” and should be thought of as distinct from one’s biology, one article focused on the challenge of “toxic masculinity.” Five others promised that rethinking gender would elevate women. The journalists accurately predicted that a revolution was occurring, even though some who read the issue (me included) thought their announcement premature. However, seven years later, it’s clear that the gender revolution has done everything but elevate women.  As child psychiatrist Miriam Grossman, author of Lost in Trans Nation, explains, the number of teen girls “with recent-onset discomfort with their sex is up 4,000 percent [emphasis added].” Especially vulnerable are girls with comorbidities, like autism, an association that even one of the National Geographic articles acknowledged. People who are autistic are three to six times more likely to not identify with their birth sex. Child psychiatrist Dr. Steven Grcevich, the founder and president of a ministry for families with hidden disabilities, called this “[t]he scandal that nobody is talking about … the vulnerability of kids with pre-existing medical conditions and autism and other developmental disabilities to this gender ideology.”  According to Dr. Grossman, this social contagion has been especially driven by social media, which has become a virtual “assembly line” for challenging girls to question their sense of self. Medical professionals jumped in, resulting in a trail of mutilated bodies, sterilization, bone-density loss, and other irreversible damage done.   Women have been hurt in other ways too. According to the Telegraph, a male student recently attacked female students in a gender-neutral bathroom. In sports such as in jiujitsu and volleyball, girls have been overpowered and injured, not to mention the other issues of fairness of competition, scholarship opportunities, and privacy concerns.   Seven years ago, the first article in the “historic” National Geographic issue promised that “science is helping us understand gender.” In what became a frequently used “bait and switch” tactic, the article focused on the incredibly rare conditions called “intersex” or “disorders of sex development.” Not mentioned in the article is something that Abigail Favale clarified in her book, that “[i]n 99.98% of these cases, sex is readily recognizable as unambiguously male or female.” Instead, the author lumps physical disorders of sex development with the mental conditions of gender confusion, via a mishmash of edgy psychology and personal narratives, with one neuroscientist stirred in for good measure. The takeaway is clear: All that matters is what an individual feels on the inside.   And yet, there are clear signs that this revolution is slowing. Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Norway have all drawn back from providing so-called “gender-affirming care” to young people because the science is not settled. Though the Biden Administration seems committed to advancing the revolution by force, in states such as Missouri and Ohio, lawmakers are taking definitive steps to protect children.  The credit for slowing down what seemed to be an unstoppable train headed off the cliff goes to a coalition of unlikely allies: from the so-called “TERFs” (or “trans-exclusionary radical feminists”) like Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, to brave young people like Chloe Cole who have “de-transitioned,” filed lawsuits, and testified before state legislatures, to Matt Walsh. Twenty-two states have now stopped or limited so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors.   National Geographic may have thought that the “gender revolution” was inevitable, but it’s time for an update on the cultural state-of-play. Next Tuesday, January 16, at 7 p.m. ET, the next free online Breakpoint Forum will provide “The Real Facts About Gender Ideology.” Featured presenters are child psychiatrists, Dr. Miriam Grossman and Dr. Steven Grcevich.   Sign up to join in live and ask questions, or to receive a link to access the recording. Go to breakpoint.org/forum.  This Breakpoint was co-authored by Dr. Heather Peterson. If you’re a fan of Breakpoint, leave a review on your favorite podcast app.  For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org  

Anxious or depressed? Now you can download a digital therapist to your phone. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Chatbots that hold therapist-like conversations and wellness apps that deliver depression and other diagnoses or identify people at risk of self-harm are snowballing across employers’ healthcare benefits.”  On one hand, given the erroneous beliefs of many human therapists, how bad could it be? It’s kind of like driving in Colorado since the legalization of pot. Maybe self-driving Teslas are a safer bet.   On the other hand, if in Canada, will the therapist AI bot on my phone help me or ask if I’d rather die?  The underlying challenge of all AI is that it is programmed by fallible, biased humans. Whether it’s the errors that creep into an automatic car or the assumptions driving the therapy bot, our human frailties will always be a part of even our best technologies. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org  

Many Christian parents worry about passing faith to their children. 2% of millennials have a biblical worldview. Two-thirds of church-going teenagers drop out as adults. Helping students think correctly about life is challenging due to cultural headwinds. William McGuire's experiments show that exposure to controlled bad ideas boosts immunity. The podcast discusses strategies for immunizing students against bad ideas and equipping them to defend their faith.

A recent study highlighted by King’s College London suggests that, wait for it, sex is a greater predictor of athletic performance than gender identity. The study found that in the “nonbinary” category of races, men outperformed women.   The researchers were careful to note that not much research has been done in this area ... unless I’d add, you consider the history of sport.   That we need this study reveals much more about our cultural moment than it does about runners. To say that men and women are different is to say something that was universally obvious until just yesterday.   The created differences between men and women aren’t a bug of our humanity but a feature, beautifully leading to differences in many areas of life. Women’s sports should be protected because, if they aren’t, men will continue to steal the place of women, not only on the winner’s podium but in other areas of life too.  Chromosomes, like ideas, have consequences. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org  

The podcast discusses the biased narrative against homeschooling presented by the Washington Post. It explores the reasons why parents choose homeschooling, including concerns about indoctrination and low test scores. The podcast also emphasizes the biblical expectation of parental responsibility for education.

The podcast discusses the defense of plagiarism by the media and academia in the case of Harvard president Claudine Gay. It explores how Critical Theory has influenced culture and academia, challenging the idea of truth and merit. The controversy highlights the willingness to ignore or defend plagiarism based on progressive views and the concept of 'oppressed class'.

This podcast discusses the impact of Constantine's conversion to Christianity and debunks misconceptions about his actions, highlighting the positive aspects of his role in the church.

Chicago Mayo Brandon Johnson's proposal to end selective enrollment process for public schools, in the name of equity, is discussed. C.S. Lewis's essay on 'Democratic Education' is referenced, highlighting the failure of equity in education. The potential consequences of implementing a purely democratic education system are explored.