Suicide remains a serious problem in our world today. And some researchers say suicide rates have increased during the pandemic.1 In fact, during the month of October 2020 there were more deaths in Japan from suicide than from COVID-19.2 Suicide is but one aspect of the broader problem of evil, pain, and suffering. Thus, Christians are not immune from this tragic reality.…
What do you think about when you hear the word war? You probably think of armed conflict, bloodshed, and death—and lots of it. That is the nature of warfare. It’s also why war presents one of the most challenging issues to address from an ethical standpoint. Given this difficulty, most Christians have adopted just war theory, which requires engaging only in just wars and…
Sheltering in during the pandemic has left me with more downtime than I’m used to. And watching too much news tends to increase my anxiety level. So, along with writing books and blog articles, I have tried to focus my attention on prudent activities. This includes pursuing my spiritual devotions, spending time with my wife, and reading classic books. But I…
The historical conflict goes by a number of names: the Great War, the War to End All Wars, and later, World War I (1914–1918). Though World War II (1939–1945) caused far more destruction and higher death tolls, some Europeans who lived through both catastrophic wars—such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis—thought the First World War was more jarring…
Today I offer an article by guest author AJ Roberts. **** I have two older sisters, and I love them both, but I am often stumped by how very different the three of us are from each other. Although our ages are several years apart, I still find it astonishing that I am genetically more similar to them than to…
Coauthored with Michael Samples, presently a student at Riverside City College. In a world full of hatred, death, destruction, deception, and double dealing, the United States at the end of World War II was almost universally regarded as the disinterested champion of justice, freedom, and democracy.1 This quote from distinguished World War II historian Stephen E. Ambrose conveys a powerful…
How do the choices we make in pursuit of an end goal impact the outcome of our endeavors? If our cause is worthy enough, are we excused from ethical considerations in our efforts to achieve it? In other words, do the ends justify the means? These were the questions on RTB editor Maureen Moser’s mind after reading Mockingjay, the…
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse…” — John Stuart Mill, “The Contest in America,” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, April 1862, 683–84. Today as those in the United States remember the men and women who have died to preserve…
I was somewhat reticent to see the newest superhero movie Captain America: The First Avenger (released July 22, 2011). Why? Because Captain America was my favorite superhero as a kid and it seems that few contemporary remakes do justice to one’s childhood memories.
In elementary school I was known in class as Kenny Samples, a quiet and mild-mannered child. But during recess I transformed into my alter ego: Marvel comics superhero Captain America. On the playground of Carver Elementary School I battled daily my archnemesis The Red Skull (believed to be Adolf Hitler’s alter ego). With my “mighty shield” (Captain America’s most powerful…
Reflections 