Josh Benner

Tag: politics

  • Russia and Ukraine- Where is it goiing?

    Russia and Ukraine- Where is it goiing?

    It’s crazy how fast the world can change. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week was not a surprise, I still find it surreal that there was relative peace over there a few days ago. 

    Like so many, I’m struck by the senselessness of it all. Russia has invaded another sovereign nation in an unjustified and unprovoked attack, and the exact reasons why still aren’t entirely clear. Was it purely for conquest and to take back former Soviet territories? Was it to make a power play against NATO? There’s no obvious reason (that I’ve heard) as far as natural resources or great strategic advantage that makes this move make obvious sense. 

    The opening days of this war have been a debacle for Russia. Even if they overtake Kiev, it already seems apparent that they will never be able to occupy Ukraine among fierce resistance efforts and a global community who is increasingly coming to the support of Ukraine. It seems that Putin underestimated Ukraine and overestimated his military. The Russians were ill-prepared and ill-equipped for this invasion and to weather a strong resistance. 

    Putin’s miscalculation has done incredible damage to Russia. Looked upon as one of the world’s super powers, this botched invasion has made Russia’s military look incompetent. 

    But what happens next? Putin has talked of a nuclear alert in his military, though many see this as little more than saber rattling. It’s still a scary prospect. 

    All the while, the people of Russia will suffer for this. I feel bad for both Ukraine and Russia. I feel sorry for Russian soldiers who were thrown into a pointless war. It’s estimated that the Russians have lost more soldiers in less than a week in Ukraine than America lost in nearly nine years in Iraq. The world has ratcheted up economic sanctions against Russia. Russian citizens are going to suffer consequences for a war that I have no doubt that the average Russian never wanted to fight. 

    And certainly, I feel bad for the people of Ukraine who have had their lives and country turned upside down. 

    In America, for the first time in a long time, I feel like we all agree on an issue that matters. Russia had no right to do what they did. It cannot get much more clear cut of a country being in the wrong. 

    I’m not an expert. I’m just sharing my thoughts and observations today. On this day, I’m hopeful that it won’t escalate into a massive global war, but sadly, I could be wrong. But the concern that I have is still that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. What happens with Russia when this is over. Do we just absolve Putin of war crimes? 

    Will the western world cut Russia out of the club? I mean, after we figure out how to get away from Russian oil and gas. Or will we continue to condemn and sanction Russia and still be a customer? 

    Wisdom of the Crowd

    There’s this idea called Wisdom of the Crowd which is about how a greater number of inputs from people is closer to the right answer than what the average individual person would be. The classic example is if you have a jar of jellybeans and are asked to guess how many beans are int he jar, you might end up being way off. But if you have 50 guesses, 100 guesses, and if you average those guesses, it’s often pretty close to accurate. 

    I feel like the average person knows that we need to get off of Russian oil. Sadly, politicians often do not have the wisdom of the masses. 

    Thanks for reading. 

  • NYT suggests evangelicalism needs to be more liberal to save itself

    NYT suggests evangelicalism needs to be more liberal to save itself

    David Brooks had a piece in the New York Times under the headline: “The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself.”

    Brooks talks of the divide within evangelicalism. Early in the article, Brooks suggests: “There have been three big issues that have profoundly divided them: the white evangelical embrace of Donald Trump, sex abuse scandals in evangelical churches and parachurch organizations, and attitudes about race relations, especially after the killing of George Floyd.”

    I’ve read this same basic piece several times in the last couple years in trying to diagnose the problems with evangelicalism in America. 

    Brooks interviews a familiar cast of characters. Russell Moore and Beth Moore (no relation to each other) who were recently popular figures in evangelical circles but have become critics of the movement. He interviews Kristin Kobes Du Mez, the author of “Jesus and John Wayne,” which is a one-sided rant against evangelicalism which only looks at the bad and overlooks any redeeming qualities in the movement. He mentions Tim Dalrymple, the president of Christianity Today who said Trump should have been removed from office.

    There’s a lot fo discourse on the problems of evangelicalism but I feel like I never see similar critiques of liberal and progressive Christianity. These articles get preoccupied with evangelical support of Trump, and that always gets framed as if it’s some obvious scourge on the gospel. 

    My question is: what in the world is so good about liberalism? What are they doing right now to benefit our country? These articles want to criticize churches for being too conservative. As if there are not thousands of churches in America that are liberal, that support values that are not Biblical values such as the LGBT movement and abortion. Liberal churches who undermine the Bible. Those churches get a pass. 

    It’s the churches who support Trump and who are not woke social justice warriors who are the problem. Basically the problem with evangelicals is that they’re not liberals. And if they embrace liberal ideologies, then they’ll be doing the Lord’s work.

    Conservative evangelicalism is an easy target because our culture institutions are increasingly liberal. The mainstream media, Hollywood, big business, big tech, pro sports, the federal government, higher education, public education, healthcare, and on and on. It’s ok to be liberal. It’s not ok to be conservative. 

    And the focus needs to be that evangelicals don’t have a big enough tent. Brooks has the audacity to frame it as if evangelicals are not welcoming enough to other points of view. Is a conservative welcome in a progressive church? Is a belief in traditional marriage, traditional gender roles, the inherency of the Bible welcome in a progressive church? 

    There are problems with evangelicalism. There are far too many powerful people in influential ministries who are corrupt and who have no accountability. That’s an issue. Brooks mentions the scandal involving Ravi Zacharias and a scandal involving Willow Creek Church. I’ve written about both. They were terrible. I’ve written about Jerry Falwell, Jr, and James MacDonald, and the Southern Baptist Convention sexual assualt scandal.

    I think too many evangelical churches have done a poor job about teaching the Bible and focus on easy to listen to messages and appealing to cultural trends and having watered down youth ministries that are not teaching kids the Bible. Again, there are problems in evangelicalism.

    There are churches and pastors who might call themselves “evangelical” with whom I would greatly disagree. But evangelicalism is a broad movement. I think we should call out people when they’re in the wrong. But I don’t think that American evangelicalism has the inherent problems that progressivism poses to the church. Progressive churches fall right in line with that ideology. I see that as the bigger threat on our culture and on the gospel.

    Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please share and subscribe.

  • Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

    Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

    Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away Friday night at the age of 87. A few thoughts have come to mind as I’ve reflected on her passing and the responses in media and social media.

    -There’s a major push to wait until next year to nominate a new justice, given the response of the GOP controlled senate in 2016 when Antonin Scalia passed away. At the time, part of the talking point was that the American people should have a say in the next justice (and that a lame duck president should not nominate a new justice in an election year). Even in 2016, I thought that was the wrong angle for the GOP to pursue. I thought the better argument was “it’s not the senate’s job to confirm whoever the president nominates; it’s the president’s job to nominate someone the senate is willing to confirm.

    -The hypocrisy cuts both ways though. It’s about the one billionth example of political parties talking out both sides of their mouths because democrats (including current nominee Joe Biden) wanted a nominee in 2016 to be confirmed. Now they want to wait. Both parties are hypocritical on this issue.

    -None of this changes the fact that regardless of what happened in 2016, Donald Trump is the president and it’s his prerogative to nominate someone for the court. (Obama nominated Merrick Garland).

    -With concerns over a constitutional crisis, there are reasonable arguments that the court needs another justice before the election so that we have an odd number of justices. Given that the current justices are not perfectly objective bastions of truth and justice, I have the sneaking suspicion that wild card justices like Roberts and Gorsuch would not allow a tie on something of such monumental importance (but that’s just my theory).

    -I think it’s unfortunate when anyone passes away, and I think that it’s unfortunate that RBG has died. I also think all of this could have been avoided had an aging Bader Ginsburg done the sensible thing and retired when Obama was president. Instead, the media wanted to give us propaganda about how intensely RBG was working out.

    -Yes, the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment, but most justices do not serve the rest of their lives. Of 51 former justices since the beginning of the 20th century, 37 retired or resigned. Of the 14 former justices confirmed since 1960, 11 retired from the court.

    -As I’ve seen some frenzy of despair and hopelessness in the wake of RBG’s passing, I think it should be a reminder for us all that politics, presidents, and judges are not our hope. So many of us get so invested that we think society itself hinges on one person and that all is lost if a person dies. People are not our hope. We too often make idols of finite people.

    -I’ve joked that Trump should nominate Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court, just to watch the democrats vote against the person Obama nominated 4 years ago.

    Thanks for reading!

  • Jon Stewart rips into congress. Shows some issues still transcend party lines

    800px-Stewart_-_USO-Metro_Merit_Awards_2.jpg
    In a testimony that has gone viral this week, comedian Jon Stewart blasted the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for the absence of many members regarding a hearing for the continuation of a fund for 9/11 first responders.

    In the testimony, Stewart points out that many 9/11 first responders (who are not ailing from 9/11 related illnesses) made the trip from New York to Washington. Stewart blades the committee for this show of disrespect for these 9/11 heroes. (more…)

  • Popular pastor prays with President Trump during unannounced visit


    On Sunday, President Trump made an unannounced visit to McLean Bible Church where David Platt, one of the most well known and respected pastors in American evangelicalism prayed for the president.

    Politics aside, for Christians, we are called to pray for our leaders.

    President Trump did not make any public remarks at the church service.

    Franklin Graham had called on American pastors to make today a special day of prayer for the president. (more…)