National Geographic Cannabis Report

National Geographic Cannabis Report

National Geographic published a detailed report on how recreational marijuana (cannabis) is being produced and strengthened, causing health problems for users. Those who believe cannabis is not addictive or has no negative side effects must read this National Geographic cannabis report.

We live in an area with a large number of cannabis shops. These are not pharmacies offering help with chronic pain; they are businesses promoting recreational cannabis use. As a result, many new health problems are emerging. A key concern is that teenagers now have access to cannabis, experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and impacts on memory, cognitive functions, and motivation.

Adolescents who use cannabis face a higher risk of developing substance abuse issues because their brains are still developing. They risk lifelong damage. A 2024 National Institutes of Health report found that experimentation begins early, with nearly 6% of 8th graders vaping cannabis within a year. That number increases to 12% among 10th graders and 18% among 12th graders. The same organization reported that nearly one-fifth of 12 to 17-year-olds who used cannabis last year had dabbed concentrates.

The National Geographic cannabis report shares alarming information about the dangers involved. The Bible clearly states that the body is the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16). It is crucial that young people understand the risks and harm of cannabis and resist peer pressure or advertising from cannabis shops that might push them toward destructive behaviors.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Reference: National Geographic September 2025 or online HERE, HERE, and HERE

Reproductive Technologies: Proceed with Caution

Reproductive Technologies: Proceed with Caution

As medical science becomes more advanced, it offers women new reproductive technologies. Older women can now have children even after menopause. Using a sperm donor, a single woman can become a mother. A woman with no eggs in her uterus can have an embryo transfer along with progesterone injections.

In vitro fertilization, which was introduced in England in 1978, has resulted in the birth of over 12 million children worldwide. The first successful egg-donor birth was also reported around that time. Efforts are underway to improve a process called in vitro gametogenesis, which involves creating gametes from stem cells and deriving an egg from another type of cell. This technique could enable same-sex couples to have children with genes from both partners. Another possibility is to develop a synthetic womb where a baby could be grown outside a woman.

The number of women choosing to have children through technological methods is increasing rapidly. What started as a way to help women who couldn’t conceive has now become an option for women of any age or situation in life to have a child. If a woman has the resources and the desire, she can pursue parenthood. One of my feminist friends has even said that males might eventually be eliminated from the planet.

There are many unknowns in this debate that make it difficult for Christians to determine where to begin. The human genome is incredibly complex, and we cannot fully understand what is in the past of a sperm or egg donor. Who is responsible if it turns out the baby has a genetic disease or a physical or mental handicap? What psychological issues arise if a child has no father figure, or if the single mother becomes sick, passes away, or changes her mind about having the child? Will older women be able to raise children to adulthood?

Humans are essentially playing “God” with something we are not equipped to control. As an adoptive parent of three children and someone who has witnessed the collateral damage of abortion, I believe we must proceed with caution in developing reproductive technologies.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Reference: January 2024 issue of National Geographic (pages 68 -93)

The Church of Satan

The Church of Satan crushed by Jesus
Genesis 3:15

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.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

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.

The Story of Clementine Breen and Gender Transition

The Story of Clementine Breen and Gender Transition

The issue of gender transition for children is one of the great tragedies in today’s world. Not only is this a biblical issue with Genesis 2:15-24 making it clear that God’s design was a product of His wisdom and purpose, but it is a scientific issue with transgender children having a shortened life full of drugs and medical procedures. The story of Clementine Breen is an example.

A young lady named Clementine Breen is suing the medical establishment for inflicting irreversible damage upon her. She was just 12 years old when counselors and doctors told her she was really a boy. Clementine was sexually abused as a child, leaving her terrified of growing into womanhood. This led to “weird behavioral issues.”

Instead of receiving help with the damage of her past, Clementine was rushed into “transition” drugs and the removal of her healthy breasts. Medical providers scared Clementine’s parents into believing she was “high risk” for suicide. They asked her parents a cliché question we have heard many times, “Would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son?”

Doctors gave Clementine puberty blockers when she was 12 years old, testosterone at 13, and a double mastectomy at 14. During this time, her mental health worsened, and she struggled with bouts of psychosis and even attempted suicide. At age 17, Clementine was encouraged by her providers to have a hysterectomy, but she refused. In 2024, Clementine stopped taking testosterone and found a counselor who helped her understand how her past had led her to become a trans person. She is now a college student and says, “I am a woman.”

Some children have found a temporary peace with their gender change, but ultimately, the negative results of the drugs and surgeries become obvious. There is a massive need for the story of Clementine Breen to be known by families, counselors, and doctors, who must understand that gender change procedures are not a positive way to meet the needs of troubled children. Humans should not be playing God with children’s lives when the results are catastrophic. 

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Reference: Alliance Defending Freedom newsletter for August 2025. 

Fraud in Scientific Research Data

Fraud in Scientific Research Data

Fraud is something we encounter in every area of life, including religion, business, and science. Some scientists are becoming very concerned about fraud in scientific research data. They face pressure to publish research papers to secure grants, advance their careers, or gain prestige. When financial gain is involved, scientists may be tempted to falsify the statistics they report. A recent study suggests that the number of fraudulent scientific publications is growing “at a rate far outpacing that of legitimate science.”

Scientists rely on the work of others and depend on the accuracy of published research. When data is falsified for financial gain, it can be deadly, especially in medical research. Faking scientific data for personal gain damages scientific knowledge. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important across many fields, including medicine. If AI is trained on false data, it creates even bigger problems.

Reputable scientific journals are supposed to publish “peer-reviewed” research, but sometimes they must retract articles once errors are found. Other predatory journals publish without verifying the accuracy of the research. One British journal stopped publishing, and a criminal organization took over its domain, posting fraudulent research. Even legitimate science journals can be hacked by bribing employees. Often, fraudulent science comes from developing countries or nations with weak moral standards.

The point is that, like all human endeavors, there are instances of fraud in scientific research data. We often say that science and faith in God are friends, not enemies. True science about God’s creation and genuine faith in God and His word must align, as they both come from the same trustworthy source. However, humans are not always trustworthy, and that truth applies to both science and religion.

— Roland Earnst © 2025

References: space.com and pnas.com

Toad Churches Are Not the Answer

Toad Churches Are Not the Answer - Sonoran Desert Toad
Sonoran Desert Toad

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.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

References: vice.com and wikipedia.org

Free Will: Is It an Illusion?

Free Will: Is It an Illusion? - Clarence Darrow thought so
Clarence Darrow in 1925

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.

— Roland Earnst © 2025

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

Marijuana Use by Older Adults

Marijuana Use by Older Adults

Researchers at the University of Michigan found that in 2024, 21% of adults aged 50 and older used cannabis in some form, from smoking to consuming edibles. Here in southwestern Michigan, the number of stores where you can walk in and buy edibles is the same as picking up a candy treat at the supermarket. Within 15 miles of my house, there are 10 dispensary outlets selling various forms of over-the-counter cannabis. There’s a common misconception that if something can be bought in a store, it must not be harmful, but the facts on marijuana use by older adults dispute that.

A study of emergency room visits in California from 2005 to 2019 found a 1,804% increase in cannabis-related ER visits among people aged 65 and over. In Canada, cannabis was legalized in 2020, and ER visits by older adults have skyrocketed since then. Marijuana use by older adults may suggest they are unaware of the significant increase in potency of pot products compared to their younger days.

The use of marijuana dates back as far as 2,700 B.C. Marijuana is a drug, and any drug can have side effects that vary from person to person. Recreational drugs often cause problems with medications a person may be taking. The fact is that using marijuana in any form is risky, and there is still much we don’t understand about the long-term effects of this popular drug.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Reference: AARP Bulletin for July/August 2025, page 32.

The Power to Change

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.

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Sextortion Scam and Teenagers

Sextortion Scam and Teenagers

If you have a teenage son or grandson, you should be aware of a sextortion scam that has caused 30 suicide deaths of young men and countless struggles for many more. In this scam, a teen boy receives a message from someone who appears to be a teenage girl suggesting that someone they both know has told her to contact him. When they strike up a conversation, the scammer suggests that they exchange nude pictures, usually on a second app such as Snapchat or WhatsApp or in a private text message.

Once the boy does that, blackmail starts. The scammer tells him that he must send money or his nude photos will be sent to mutual contacts or friends on social media. The blackmailer accuses the male teen of being a criminal for exposing himself, and he will be put on a sex offender list.

This situation is tempting for a teen male who has hormones flowing. A nude picture of an attractive teenage girl is the bait. Teens who have grown up in a single-parent home are especially vulnerable to this scam, and those who work with teens need to be aware of it.

Churches must provide guidance on moral issues affecting teenagers. Years ago, I tried such a class with a woman teaching the girls and me teaching the boys. It was challenging and drew both praise and flak from parents. With social media today, such classes have become increasingly essential and more difficult.

There are resources providing help concerning this sextortion scam. Parents wanting to know what is available can contact this ministry at 269-687-9426 or 800-843-5678. Also, for many tips and resources, click THIS LINK to see a USA Today article by Rachel Hale and Veronica Bravo titled “What to do if you’re a victim.”

— John N. Clayton © 2025