The date was October 29, 1974. My brother and I were in Houston’s Astrodome along with 50,000 others, there to watch a closed circuit telecast of Muhammad Ali’s fight with George Foreman. Even though Houston was Foreman’s hometown, ninety percent of the crowd chanted “Ali! Ali! Ali!” through the entire fight.

Such was the global celebrity of Muhammad Ali. As the world knows, Ali died last Friday at the age of 74. Testimonials about his life and significance made global headlines across the weekend. Born Cassius Clay, he converted to the Nation of Islam in the early 1960s and to Sunni Islam in 1975. He was perhaps the most famous American convert to Islam in our nation’s history. (For more on Ali, see Nick Pitts’s The Fight and Faith of Muhammad Ali.)

As many as 20,000 Americans convert to Islam every year. However, it is estimated that seventy-five percent of new Muslim converts in the U.S. leave Islam within five years. Meanwhile, more Muslims are coming to Christ than ever before, many after seeing visions and dreams of Jesus. (For more, see my friend Tom Doyle’s excellent book, Dreams and Visions.)

Muslim authorities in Indonesia are warning that two million Muslims in their country convert to Christianity every year. At this rate, the world’s largest Muslim nation will be mostly Christian by 2035. Over six million Muslims in Africa convert to Christianity every year. More Muslims around the world have become Christians in the last fifteen years than in the previous fifteen centuries.

Here’s how you can help.

Continue reading Denison Forum – MUHAMMAD ALI AND GOOD NEWS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD   →

The Baylor University Board of Regents reportedly fired school president and chancellor Ken Starr today. The university is refusing to comment on these reports, though a variety of sources have confirmed the president’s dismissal.

Baylor has been accused during Starr’s tenure of failing to respond to rapes or sexual assaults reported by at least six female students. At least eight former Baylor football players have been accused of violence against women. Two of the players were convicted of raping Baylor co-eds. Critics allege that President Starr’s response to the victims has been muted and legalistic.

Baylor is the world’s largest Baptist university and the oldest continuously operating university in Texas. The school has committed $5 million to efforts to change how it responds to reports of sexual assault. Baylor also hired the Pepper Hamilton law firm to investigate the scandal; regents received the firm’s report on May 13.

Sources indicate that head coach Art Briles and athletic director Ian McCaw will continue at the university barring evidence that they were engaged in a cover-up. Apparently the regents concluded that the president should be held responsible for the scandal.

Continue reading Denison Forum – BAYLOR UNIVERSITY REPORTEDLY FIRES PRESIDENT →

Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is writing a book on how to handle success and disappointment. Titled Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms, the book will be published this October.

We can use his advice.

Researchers are warning today that antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as “superbugs” could kill ten million people by 2050. Scientists say this issue is “as big a risk as terrorism” and could cost world economies nearly $100 trillion. According to one expert, “If we don’t solve the problem we are heading to the dark ages.”

If you’re like me, however, you’re less than alarmed by this news. The reason: 2050 is a long time off. Over the next thirty-four years, surely scientists will find solutions to this problem, we assume. We have more pressing problems, it seems.

For instance, authorities are still searching for the cause of the EgyptAir Flight 840 tragedy, but many remain convinced that a terrorist bomb destroyed the airplane. Meanwhile, ISIS is calling on followers to attack the West during the month of Ramadan, which begins in two weeks. According to CNN, the group has conducted or inspired at least ninety terrorist attacks in twenty-one countries other than Iraq and Syria.

Continue reading Denison Forum – TIM TEBOW WRITING BOOK ON ‘LIFE’S STORMS’     →

Passengers on a recent JetBlue flight from New York to California cheered whenever a baby cried. In my experience, this is not typical airline passenger behavior.

Their motivation, however, was simple: the company offered a twenty-five percent discount each time a baby started crying. It wanted to make the point that passengers should be more understanding of parents traveling with young children. Unfortunately, JetBlue is unlikely to make the promotion a regular feature of its flights.

The only passengers who needed no such motivation were the babies’ mothers. The closest humans get to unconditional love is a mother’s love for her child. In fact, I can’t think of a closer analogy to our Father’s love for us.

So, how should we express our gratitude on Mother’s Day?

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHY AIRLINE PASSENGERS CHEERED CRYING BABIES →

Today is Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 defeat of France at the Battle of Puebla. This victory, where a rag-tag force of 2,000 overcame 6,000 well-trained French troops, bolstered the Mexican people in their resistance against the French. Six years later, French forces withdrew. Cinco de Mayo remains a symbol of the Mexican people’s struggle against imperialistic forces.

Celebrations will be held in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and other cities with large Mexican-American populations. Today’s festivities will include parades, mariachi music performances, and street festivals.

Contrast today in Mexico and the U.S. with May 5 in Israel. Holocaust Memorial Day, known as Yom HaShoah, begins each year with sundown on May 4 and concludes at sundown on May 5. I have been in Israel on this day several times over the years. It is always one of the most solemn experiences of my year (For more on Tom HaShoah, see Nick Pitt’s article Why it’s so important to take time out to remember the Holocaust).

Continue reading Denison Forum – A TALE OF TWO HOLIDAYS →

Ted Cruz ended his campaign last night. He noted that Indiana voters “chose another path,” effectively ending his chances of winning the nomination. His withdrawal leaves John Kasich to contest Donald Trump for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. Seventeen candidates began the process; who would have predicted that Mr. Trump would win the nomination and that Mr. Kasich would be his lone opponent at the campaign’s end?

I am writing today to voice three responses: one positive, one negative, and one hopeful.

Let’s begin with the positive: our process still works.

The Constitution requires that a candidate for president be a natural-born citizen who has been a resident of our country for at least fourteen years and is thirty-five years of age or older. It does not require previous political experience.

Mr. Trump is the first major party presidential candidate not to have served in political office since Dwight Eisenhower, a five-star general who led the Allies to victory in World War II. While many view him as unqualified to be president, clearly many Republican primary voters see him as the best candidate to lead our nation. With virtually no party support, he is on his way to achieving a historic victory.

Continue reading Denison Forum – TED CRUZ: ‘THE VOTERS CHOSE ANOTHER PATH’ →

A massive teacher sickout shut down ninety-four Detroit public schools yesterday. The teachers have been told that unless the state Legislature approves more money for their district, there are not enough funds to pay the teachers their salaries past June 30.

The teachers’ union clearly believes their action will motivate legislators to approve an education reform package being debated in the Michigan House of Representatives. The state’s governor disagrees: “That’s not a constructive act with respect to getting legislation through.”

If you were a teacher in Detroit, what would you do?

This is not an isolated situation. According to New York Times columnist David Brooks, the popularity of the Trump and Sanders campaigns “has reminded us how much pain there is in this country.” He notes that the suicide rate has surged to a thirty-year high. A record number of Americans believe the American dream is out of reach, while social trust for millennials is at historic lows.

Continue reading Denison Forum – TEACHER SICKOUT SHUTS DOWN DETROIT SCHOOLS →

The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s most powerful particle smasher and the largest machine on earth. Last Friday, a weasel wandered into a 66,000-volt transformer, causing a “severe electrical perturbation.” The collider will be shut down for several days. The weasel did not survive.

The previous Sunday, a man shot and killed a fellow worshiper after fighting over a seat in the church sanctuary. Last Friday, two teenage girls were launched off a carnival ride at a Texas fair; one of them was killed, while the other suffered minor injuries. The next day, a woman in Boston was struck and killed by an amphibious sightseeing vehicle known as a duck boat.

What has most surprised you lately? Was it something in the news? Something in your personal life? Unpredicted events are a symptom of the fact that we live on an unpredictable planet. From severe weather to previously-unknown diseases to fallen people who act like fallen people, we live in a world that requires courage.

Continue reading Denison Forum – WEASEL SHUTS DOWN THE WORLD’S LARGEST MACHINE →

The first round of the NFL Draft is over. Jared Goff was drafted first by the Rams, followed by Carson Wentz, drafted by the Eagles. (For more on the latter, see Nick Pitts’s The Life and Faith of Carson Wentz.) Both teams gave up a great deal to be in position to choose them. Will they become Pro Bowl quarterbacks, or will they soon be forgotten?

NFL teams do their best to draft the best players for their teams, but no one knows if their best will be good enough. Of the eighty-one players chosen number one, only fourteen have made it to the Hall of Fame so far. No team has drafted number one and won the Super Bowl the same year. Only eight have even made the playoffs that year.

Now consider this miracle in God’s word: When the priests of Israel stepped into the flooded Jordan river, “the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan” (Joshua 3:16). The town of Adam was twenty miles upstream. It took several hours after God stopped the river there for the rest of the water to reach the place where the priests stood.

But the moment they set their foot in the flood, the last of the river reached them. God began this miracle hours before his people knew it or could participate in it. They did their work while trusting God to do his.

Continue reading Denison Forum – IS THERE A SPIRITUAL LESSON IN THE NFL DRAFT? →

“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57.” So reported his publicist yesterday, news that made instant headlines around the world.

Prince was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was signed to Warner Brothers Records as a teenager; his debut album in 1978 put him on the road to superstardom.

He was a singer, songwriter, multiple instrumentalist, producer, and actor. Prince was often compared to Michael Jackson and was considered a musical genius by many. He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

No stranger to controversy, many of his lyrics were sexually explicit, a fact that prompted a movement encouraging records to place advisory labels on albums with such lyrics. When his death was announced yesterday, CNN reports that fans rushed to buy his albums amid an outpouring of grief on social media.

Continue reading Denison Forum – PRINCE’S DEATH IS PERSONAL TO ME →

Now is the time when many of us are deciding where to go on summer vacation. Ads are playing on television and the Internet espousing attractions around the world. Here’s one destination you may not have considered: St. Joseph, Missouri.

Famous as the starting point of the Pony Express and the dying place of Jesse James, the town now has a new claim to fame: a McDonalds restaurant will open there this summer. Why is that news? Because it will offer all-you-can-eat fries.

They’re not the only culinary option in today’s news. The co-founders of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream were arrested this week at the U.S. Capitol. Not for making a product with too many calories, but for taking part in a protest intended to make sure “power in this country is returned to the people.”

There’s even more gastronomic news: Time magazine has notified us that “Hillary Clinton carries Ninja Squirrel hot sauce everywhere.” The presidential candidate says she has been eating chilies regularly since 1992. They do have significant health benefits: the Time article tells us that chilies “are absolutely crammed with nutrients,” including folic acid and vitamins A, E, and C. A 2015 study showed that adults in China who ate spicy food regularly had a fourteen percent decrease in mortality.

Continue reading Denison Forum – THE VACATION SPOT FOR FRENCH FRIES LOVERS →

God is doing amazing things today. Genuine spiritual awakening is sweeping many nations in the world. More people are coming to Christ than ever before. Our Father is the King of the universe, and he is still on his throne.

Please remember these facts as you read what follows.

Quartz is generating attention with this headline: “For many of us, monogamy is not an emotionally healthy pursuit.” The writer calls for us to leave behind the “fairy tale” that monogamy is vital to an “emotionally fulfilled life.”

The article assumes that there are no objective moral reasons for marital fidelity apart from concern for the children. So a “suitable alternative” is for couples to remain faithful until children leave the home, then embrace an “open relationship.”

Quartz has also published a fascinating article protesting the “commodification” of women’s bodies on social media as girls use selfies and other pictures to get attention. The author complains that this trend is “at odds with the goals of feminism.” She’s right, but she doesn’t go nearly far enough.

Continue reading Denison Forum – THREE SHOCKING STORIES AND THE HOPE OF SCRIPTURE →

Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors. Clearly I’m not alone—the Academy-Award winning actor has made at least forty-five movies. However, his faith is not the reason I admire his work. When asked if he would consider himself an atheist or agnostic, he replied, “I think we invented God. So if I believe in God, and I do, it’s because I think I’m God.”

Now Freeman is making headlines with “The Story of God,” one of the highest-rated programs in the history of National Geographic Channel. His goal is to unite people of different religions, showing that “we’re all seeking the same thing . . . and basically coming up with the same ideas about who we are, what we are, and where we are going.”

Welcome to the age of relativism, where “all roads lead up the same mountain” and truth is whatever we say it is. Except when our “truth” is biblical. Then we’re intolerant if not dangerous.

Consider the furor that erupted recently when Hillary Clinton told a television interviewer that “the unborn person doesn’t have constitutional rights.” Pro-life supporters obviously disagreed. But the surprise was that pro-abortion forces criticized her statement as well. That’s because Planned Parenthood refers to the “unborn person” as a “fetus” or even “uterine contents.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHY IS MORGAN FREEMAN’S ‘THE STORY OF GOD’ SO POPULAR? →

The American Library Association has released its list of the ten “most challenged” books. A challenge is “a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that a book or other material be restricted or removed because of its content or appropriateness.” A book that is challenged may or may not be censored by the school.

50 Shades of Grey made the list for obvious reasons: “Sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.” Eight other books were challenged for similar reasons: homosexuality, violence, and/or offensive language. But included on the list is “The Holy Bible.” The reason cited: “Religious viewpoint.”

In related news, a student at England’s Sheffield University has been expelled because he quoted the book of Leviticus in support of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis’s position on same-sex marriage. Social work major Felix Ngole’s Facebook post was private and could be seen only by his friends. Nonetheless, university administrators ruled that his post “may have caused offense to some individuals.” They determined that his Christian views regarding marriage would render him unable to serve as a social worker.

Continue reading Denison Forum – WHAT DO THE BIBLE AND ’50 SHADES OF GREY’ HAVE IN COMMON? →

When James Ross Clemens fell seriously ill in London, some newspaper accounts confused him with his cousin Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. The writer reportedly responded, “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

God can say the same in America today.

In 1965, a Harris poll announced that ninety-seven percent of Americans believed in God. In a 2014 Gallup poll, the number had fallen to eighty-six percent. Twelve percent of Americans claimed they had no belief, while two percent had no opinion. Such surveys fuel the persistent claim that faith is in serious decline in the U.S.

However, these numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Frank Newport, Gallup’s editor-in-chief, tells Time magazine that responses to faith surveys reflect changes in our culture. There was a time when “Americans felt obliged to say they were religious, but nowadays a lot of those same people feel more comfortable telling the interviewer, ‘No, I don’t believe in God’, or ‘I have no religious affiliation.'” In other words, the data may not reflect a decline in faith but rather a culture in which it is easier to be honest about doubt.

Continue reading Denison Forum – IS FAITH IN GOD DYING IN AMERICA? NOT YET →