Christian Living Archives

November 6, 2025November 4, 2025

Hardwired for Moral Behavior

A question that evolutionists and naturalists cannot answer is why even atheists follow a moral code. I have seen this personally in my family. My father was an atheist, a philosophy professor, and a disciple of the philosopher John Dewey. He wrestled with the question of morality throughout his career. The truth is that my father was a very moral man. He never cheated anyone, taught his kids to be honest, never plagiarized or misrepresented a colleague’s or student’s work, never cheated on his taxes, and, as far as I know, was completely faithful to my mother. When I became a Christian, I asked him why he was so moral and honest, and he simply said, “I don’t know.” Is it possible that humans are hardwired for moral behavior?

An article in Scientific American by Elizabeth Svoboda titled “The Neuroscience of Morality” provides substantial evidence that morality is not learned or a product of evolution. Svoboda noted that physical disgust and moral disgust are “uniquely connected.” A key statement in the article is, “When we first become aware of an ethical violation, we’re hardwired to react much as we might to a steaming cow pie” (A cow pie is a pile of manure left by a cow). However, the article suggests there is a slippery slope: once you start acting immorally, such as by lying or cheating, it becomes easier to continue. Conversely, when people act morally in tempting situations, it becomes easier to have moral courage next time.

Titus 1:2 states that God cannot lie. Since we are created in the image of God, we are hardwired for moral behavior, including telling the truth. A child can learn to lie, but as a parent, I could look into my young child’s eyes and tell whether they were being honest. By the time kids become teenagers, they have learned to lie so convincingly that only a polygraph can reveal the truth. When adults are conditioned to lie, they often become unstable and may need psychological help.

The scientific evidence is clear. Humans are unique in many ways, but one key feature is that we are hardwired for moral behavior, which stems from being created in the image of God. Animals, however, do not have a moral code because they are not created in God’s image.

Reference: “The Neuroscience of Morality” by Elizabeth Svoboda in the November issue of Scientific American (pages 32-39

October 17, 2025October 16, 2025

Liberal, Missouri: A Strange Town

One of the strongest arguments for Christianity and the existence of God is that atheists lack a purpose for their existence. This may seem like a topic for philosophical debate, but in practice, atheism often leads to disaster. Skeptics might say it’s just my opinion, but there is historical evidence supporting this view. The story of Liberal, Missouri, is a clear example.

On October 26, 1880, George H. Walser, an Illinois lawyer and self-described “freethinker,” filed a plan for a town in Missouri. The town would be divided into eight blocks, with 25 commercial lots, 57 residential lots, and a city park. Anyone wishing to join the “freethinker” town had to agree that no church, Christian, or believer in God could live there.

The story of Liberal, Missouri, along with the supporters and opponents of Walser’s town, was documented in a book by James Proctor Moore titled This Strange Town–Liberal, Missouri, with the subtitle “A History of the Early Years 1880 to 1910.” Sadly, the book is now out of print, but it describes what happened in Liberal. It clearly shows that without belief in God, there is no reason for anyone to be moral, and without morality, everything falls apart.

Today, Liberal, Missouri, still exists, with a population of 629 residents according to the 2020 census. However, it is no longer an atheist or “freethinker” town. As reported on churchfinder.com, it now has six churches.

Looking at what is happening in America today, we see a repeat of the events in Liberal. Over 40% of Americans, when asked about their religious beliefs, say “none.” As a result, America is turning into a nation without moral values. Will we learn from history, or will we repeat it?

References: Wikipedia.org, churchfinder.com

September 26, 2025September 24, 2025

How Would You Want to Be Remembered?

Only two weeks ago, people around the world were shaken by the assassination of Charlie Kirk. At only 31 years of age, he had made a dramatic impact on the lives of many people. Less than three months before he was fatally shot, Kirk was interviewed on a podcast, and the host asked him, “If you could be associated with one thing, how would you want to be remembered?” Of course, he did not know that his life would end soon, but he answered that question boldly and clearly.

The answer Kirk gave is one I wish more Christians could give, including myself. He replied, “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing; most important thing is my faith.” Over the past two weeks, I’ve seen many negative comments about Charlie Kirk, most of which are wildly false. However, one thing I’ve noticed among some Christians since Kirk’s death is that they have gained new courage to speak up for their faith. Some have openly admitted that they’ve been quiet about their Christian faith but now feel more courageous because of Charlie Kirk’s boldness.

Someone very dear to me is currently facing a terminal illness with only a short time to live. Her Christian faith assures her that when she leaves this life, something much better awaits her. That was the faith Charlie Kirk had, but he expected to have many more years to live. The woman I love, knowing her time is limited, wants to be remembered for sharing her faith with everyone she meets, including nurses, neighbors, friends, and family. She knows where she’s headed, and she wants others to share that hope as well. If you knew you had only a short time to live, would you be more courageous in sharing your faith?

The question everyone should consider is, “How would you want to be remembered?” If you’re a Christian, are you boldly sharing your faith with those you encounter? If you love them, you’ll want them to have the same hope you have. You will want to do everything you can to see that they will be with you in heaven.

Reference: foxnews.com

September 11, 2025September 11, 2025

AI Stuffed Animals

People often choose to hear what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. We don’t want to be challenged by tough questions or told what we should or shouldn’t do. Think of that in terms of a child under six years old. They are not different, except that their concepts are just being formed. Now consider the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on children through AI stuffed animals that tell kids what they want to hear, are always agreeable and charming, and never say “no.”

Small children love stuffed animals and often treat them as if they are real “friends.” What happens when you add AI to the toy? It can now respond to a child’s questions and even their moods. A new trend in stuffed toys is to incorporate interactive AI. This has positive potential. The toy can now tell stories and answer the child’s questions. Children can learn new words faster than by merely watching passive media. It can also help them reduce excess screen time and encourage them to be more active.

Are the effects of AI stuffed animals all positive? The short answer is “no.” If they become the primary companions for young children, it can harm the child’s social awareness and communication with real people. Interaction with other humans, whether children or adults, can teach a child empathy, conflict resolution, and the importance of sharing. The AI toy will always be accommodating to the child’s wishes and moods, but will never say “no.”

Another important factor to consider with AI stuffed animals is privacy. These toys are internet-connected, so they monitor and record children’s conversations to interact with them. They can store, analyze, and possibly misuse conversations of nearby adults as well. Some AI toys work locally without sending conversations to servers, which is worth considering.

The bottom line is that limiting time with AI stuffed animals is just as important as limiting screen time for young children. The problem may be that it’s harder to pry a child’s attention away from their stuffed “friend” than from the television or a game screen. “CyberGuy” Kurt Knutsson correctly says, “Technology will always tempt us with convenience, but children learn best through love, attention, and genuine relationships.” These days, being a good Christian parent is more challenging than ever.

Reference: Kurt Knutsson’s CyberGuy Report on foxnews.com

August 22, 2025August 21, 2025

The Church of Satan

The Satanic Temple is an active philosophical religious organization founded in 2013. It does not recognize any concept of the supernatural but instead promotes a negative response to fundamental religious beliefs. The Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America foundation states that the Satanic Temple has opened a new abortion facility and is sending abortion drugs through the mail, avoiding legal issues by claiming that abortion is one of their “religious rites.” The existence of organized satanic churches like the Satanic Temple is not new, but the unorganized church of Satan has always been around, making these claims about Christian beliefs:

PRAYER – “Prayer is useless and distracts people from useful activity. No god ever answered any prayer at any time, nor ever will.” (From a poster distributed by Madalyn O’Hair.)

DEALING WITH OTHERS – Satanists claim that “survival of the fittest” offers a more fulfilling and practical answer to everyone’s needs.

MORAL CONDUCT – “Practice with joy the ‘seven deadly Christian sins.’ Engage in sex freely in accordance with your needs, be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or with one or more consenting adults.” (Frank Zindler in a lecture at Ohio State in 1995 and in the American Atheist Magazine, which he edited from 1995 to 2009.)

The Christian Response to the church of Satan:

PRAYER – God’s answer to prayer is usually spiritual, not physical. 12 Step programs work, and prayer molds personality and attitude. James 5:16 explains this, and James 4:1-3 tells us why prayers for the physical are not answered. Isaiah 55:8 and John 9:3 give a practical purpose for prayers.

DEALING WITH OTHERS – What happens when you are no longer “the fittest”? Do any of us want to be discounted when we get old?

MORAL CONDUCT – What are the results of practicing the “seven deadly Christian sins”? What effect does immorality have on our kids, mates, parents, and society as a whole? How does an immoral lifestyle give a purpose to our existence?

We live at a time when over 40% of the population answers “none” when asked about their religious affiliation. You can’t be a “none.” You have only two choices – either be a Christian or be a member of the church of Satan. Read Matthew 12:30 (or Luke 11:23) and think about what you really want to use as a guide to your life.

Reference: Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America

Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) was an anti-slavery campaigner and a suffragist who was instrumental in obtaining women’s right to vote. She was honored by having her image on the U.S. silver dollar and half dollar minted from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999.

August 1, 2025July 31, 2025

Toad Churches Are Not the Answer

Americans have come up with some strange ways to replace Christian faith. About 10 years ago, a news story reported that smoking dried secretions from the skin of “trippy toads” (better known as Sonoran Desert toads or Colorado River toads) could produce an intense psychedelic high. To avoid legal issues, people claimed that smoking these dried secretions was an Indigenous religious practice. The truth is that no tribe ever did this, but a market for toad slime grew, putting Sonoran Desert toads on the brink of extinction. Toad churches continue to emerge.

In 2021, a new toad church appeared in Texas, calling itself the Church of Psilomethoxin. They reach out to veterans suffering from PTSD. Like all alternatives for those who reject Christianity, this movement offers no real purpose, only temporary pleasure, and it can cause great harm to both people and toads.

The long-term effects of all drugs are significant. In the 1960s, Timothy Leary promoted LSD and started the Harvard Psilocybin project to support his claims. Forty years later, the disastrous consequences of LSD use are well known. We’re beginning to see the long-term impacts of marijuana, and alcohol remains the most destructive drug mankind has developed.

Rejecting the teachings of Jesus Christ and turning to temporary highs always leads to negative outcomes. Toad churches are just one example among many attempts by skeptics of Christianity to find an alternative.

References: vice.com and wikipedia.org

July 30, 2025July 29, 2025

Free Will: Is It an Illusion?

Did you decide to read this article, or do you just think you made that decision? Do you have the ability to choose or reject any action? When we hear about someone murdering another person or a group of people, did that person choose to do it? Those who deny that we have free will argue that we cannot make our own decisions because the molecules in our brain neurons, our environment, and circumstances control us. This is the view held by atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Stephen Hawking.

Those who deny the existence of free will are materialists, believing that matter is all that exists. What we call our mind is merely the accidental activity of atoms and molecules in our nerve cells. Since these accidents direct our actions, free will is just an illusion. The atheist attorney Clarence Darrow, of Scopes trial fame, wrote, “It has been generally assumed that man was created different from all the rest of animal life; that man alone was endowed with a soul and with the power to tell good from evil; … that man not only knew good from evil, but was endowed with “free will,” and had the power to choose between good and evil…As a matter of fact, every scientific man knows that the origin of life is quite different from this; that the whole current conception of the individual and his responsibility is a gross error…”

Darrow’s views stem from his belief in materialistic evolution. We must ask, “If we have no free will to choose our actions, why do we think we do?” Of course, the atheist would say that blind and undirected evolution has planted within us the illusion that we can make free will choices. If we are nothing but accidental collections of atoms, the mind is an illusion, and free will cannot be possible. If what we perceive as design in the natural world is only an illusion, then free will is also an illusion. If there is an ultimate MIND that created this universe, life, and our minds, that would explain why we see design in the universe, our solar system, planet Earth, life, and our bodies. If God does not exist, there is no design, no purpose, and no free will.

As I consider this scenario, I wonder how anyone can truly live life believing there is no design, purpose, or free will. Most casual atheists probably have not considered the implications of their worldview, or they choose not to dwell on them. They simply say, “There is no God, so just enjoy life.” But how can you choose to enjoy life if you have no real choice? It seems to me that this whole atheist mindset, worldview, philosophy—whatever you want to call it—denies reality. Design in the universe and in nature is real, and so is our ability to choose. Therefore, choose wisely.

Reference: “Crime: Its Cause and Treatment” by Clarence Darrow

July 8, 2025July 7, 2025

The Power to Change

One of the greatest barriers to improving things in our world today is resistance to change. Without needed change, situations deteriorate and human misery increases. This is true on every level, from moral to political. Racism of the past must be abandoned, as does anti-Christian and anti-Jewish hatred. What society needs is the power to change.

The Bible’s key concept on this subject is “repentance.” Repentance is not confessing everything you did that was wrong. Repentance means changing the way you think. In Acts 2:38, Peter gave the key to having God’s Spirit work in our lives. Many preachers emphasized the baptism part of what Peter said, and the result is that people got wet with no change in their lives. They totally missed the power to change.

Peter’s message was, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is God living in us and giving us the power to change. The first step to achieving a meaningful life change is to change the way you think. If you don’t change how you think, baptism is meaningless.

The Bible is full of stories about men who changed their way of thinking. Moses changed from a weak Egyptian prince to a leader of Israel. Jonah changed from a man running from God to a spokesman to Nineveh. Peter changed from a denier to a proclaimer, and Paul changed from a persecutor to a preacher. Change is not easy, and it can take time to change old habits.

The journey to change begins with thinking differently, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, and then acting on what God has called you to do. Those Biblical examples are beyond most of us, but God has a purpose for everyone. God doesn’t create any junk, but He also doesn’t force us to accept the ministry He calls us to. Your calling may be in agriculture or industry. It may be helping someone with physical, mental, or emotional needs. It may be raising or teaching children.

God gives us the power to change, but it doesn’t happen until we change our thinking.

June 19, 2025June 18, 2025

Collateral Damage of Cohabitation

If you listen to today’s music, whether country, heavy metal, folk, or pop, you will hear that “hooking up” is the thing to do. Television shows and movies add to the commercialization of sex, so we see the collateral damage of cohabitation in the entire entertainment industry.

Roughly 20.1 million couples in the United States live with an unmarried partner. That is approximately 8% of U.S. couples, most of whom are in the 25- to 34-year-old age group. According to Pew Research, by double digits, married adults are more likely to trust their spouse or partner to be faithful to them, to act in their best interest, to always tell them the truth, and to handle money responsibly. That means those who are cohabiting may never experience the complete joy and commitment that God intended for the marriage relationship.

Not only do the participants in cohabitation not know the security or commitment that comes from God’s design for marriage, but they also lose the structure of the nuclear family as God intended. Children grow up living with constant change in their home situation. Those of us who have been foster parents or have adopted children know how hard that is for the kids.

The collateral damage of cohabitation is a worldwide tragedy, with drugs, including alcohol and marijuana, catalyzing the instability of these relationships. Every culture in which marriage and family disintegrate is doomed to collapse. Will America learn from history or repeat it?

Reference: pewresearch.org