Breakpoint

A year after a middle school in Minnesota banned phones, the principal is reporting students are "happy." Phone-related problems before the ban included "interactions of bullying, of setting up fights, (and) the gambit of a lot of the negative things ..." but that's all changed. One parent says that because of banning phones, her son "is thriving and really focused and doing really well." He even "[p]articipates in class discussions." As social psychologist Jonathan Haidt said on X, "What parent would expose their child to so many documented risks from any other consumer product?" So, why do we allow it with phones? Haidt recommends "giving only flip phones before high school and delaying the opening of social media accounts until 16." Another expert on the impact of social media is Jean Twenge. She has yet to grant social media to her 16-year-old daughter. Look—the data has never been clearer. Regulate your kids' phones and keep them off social media as long as possible. They'll thank you for it someday. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org

Islamic militants in Nigeria carried out targeted attacks on Christians on Christmas Eve, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. The three groups responsible for the ongoing religious cleansing campaign against Christians are Boko Haram, the Islamic State in West Africa, and the Fulani herdsmen. The podcast discusses the religious dimension of the attacks, skepticism towards the Nigerian president's condemnation, and the need for support and action for Nigerian Christians.

Katy Faust, advocate for Christian faithfulness, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing home and family in the midst of cultural chaos. She encourages listeners to focus on simple acts like buying a house, planting a garden, and having lots of babies. According to her, the most powerful and countercultural work happens within the home.

Exploring Apostle Paul's powerful statements on work, responsibility, and stewardship, and their implications for abandonment, abortion, IVF, and physician-assisted suicide. Also discusses the principles of stewardship and subsidiarity in family, finances, government, and leadership.

Scholars discuss a breakthrough discovery relating to King David, examining a 3,000-year-old artifact with faded letters that conclusively support the existence of the "House of David". The podcast explores the ongoing debate among historians and highlights how archaeology continues to confirm the historical accuracy of the Bible.

From a routine chapel service at Asbury University sprouted a remarkable revival, spreading to other Christian colleges like previous revivals in American history. Explore the impact and criticisms of revivalism, with a focus on the history and perspective of Jonathan Edwards.

In this year-end review, John and Maria discuss the attack on Israel and its cultural implications, top stories of 2023 including AI chatbots and UFOs, notable deaths of influential figures like Tim Keller and Henry Kissinger, challenges and opportunities for the American church, and the need for a non-political approach to culture with a focus on biblical critical theory.

In response to Critical Race Theory, Tennessee lawmakers have introduced a list of "divisive concepts," which, under a law passed last year, are prohibited from being taught on college campuses. The banned concepts include ideas that cause an individual to feel discomfort, guilt, or another form of psychological distress because of their race or sex, or the idea that the state of Tennessee or the United States of America is inherently racist or sexist. Students can report professors for corrective action. Princeton University's Robert P. George tweeted in response that the best way to counter bad ideas at the university level is to expose them, not ban them: "The right strategy is creating vibrant, intellectually serious new departments & programs." Especially at the college level, we need more discussion and serious debate of ideas, not less. Young adults should be taught how to recognize, confront, and critique bad thinking, especially influential bad thinking. As C.S. Lewis said, "Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy must be answered." For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org This Point was originally published on April 21, 2023.

Examining the mental health crisis among young people, the influence of smartphones and social media, and the correlation between regular religious attendance and better mental health among young Americans.

When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday, several sports analysts called it the scariest scene they'd ever seen on a football field. Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after a routine tackle and remains in critical condition. As ESPN analyst and former player Ryan Clark described in an emotional segment, no one had prepared for this, not Hamlin, not the other players, and not media personnel. But ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky knew what to do when he didn't know what else to do. Appearing on NFL Live Tuesday morning, he said, "Maybe this is not the right thing to do but it's just on my heart that I wanna pray for Damar Hamlin right now. I'm gonna do it out loud, I'm gonna close my eyes, I'm gonna bow my head and I'm just gonna pray for him." And that's what he did. The other hosts on set joined, as did who knows how many viewers. Maybe some were comforted. Maybe others learned what it means to talk with God. It was a powerful and courageous thing to do. After praying for healing and comfort for Damar Hamlin, Orlovsky closed with: "If we didn't believe that prayer didn't work we wouldn't ask this of you God. I believe in prayer. We believe in prayer. We lift up Damar Hamlin's name in your name." And to that we can all say, "Amen." For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org This Point was originally published on January 5, 2023.