Update: I don't believe earnings prospects should be the major factor in how a teen goes about choosing a college major. They should look to the intersection of their God-given talents and interests, as I've explained here and here. That said, studies show that many teens don't have a realistic sense of their earning prospects when they choose a college major. As a result, they might take on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt, and spend years struggling to pay it off. I'm not suggesting Christians should avoid low-paying careers. But we should decide how to pay for college in … [Read more...] about Highest and Lowest Paying Majors
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Why U.S. News’ College Rankings Hurt Students
U.S. News & World Report released its college rankings at midnight last night -- and once again, the results are meaningless. CBS News has a good short piece explaining why. 1. College rankings hurt low and middle-income students. 2. The rankings ignore job prospects. 3. The rankings don't care about learning outcomes. 4. U.S. News runs a beauty pageant. 5. College rankings fuel ever greater college costs. Read the whole thing. … [Read more...] about Why U.S. News’ College Rankings Hurt Students
Why Do People Reject Christianity?
A provocative post by Don Johnson explaining six reasons that many people reject Christianity. Each alleged reason is well defended. A few memorable snippets below. 1. Christians Behaving Badly As Gaudium et Spes points out, “believers themselves often share some responsibility for [atheism]…To the extent that they…fail in their religious, moral, or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than to reveal the true nature of God and of religion.” (19) 2. Heartbreak A recent study led by psychologist Julie Exline of Case Western Reserve University supports this notion. In … [Read more...] about Why Do People Reject Christianity?
Should the U.S. initiate a military strike in Syria?
The American public is starting to tune in to the debate in Washington about the possibility of the U.S. engaging in air strikes against the Assad regime in Syria (due to the Obama administration's determination that Assad used chemical weapons on his own people). AEI has a good round-up of recent polling on the issue. Here are a few things that stood out: Nearly three-quarters (74%) of those surveyed by Pew believe that US action there is likely to create a backlash against the US and its allies. Six in ten believe that action could lead to long-term military involvement. A majority think … [Read more...] about Should the U.S. initiate a military strike in Syria?
Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue
This may be the first book I've heard of that deals entirely with the subject of gossip. Perhaps that's because gossip is a slippery subject--hard to define, easy to justify, and uncomfortable to discuss. Pastor Matt Mitchell has done us all a valuable service through his new book, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue (which releases today, and is currently available for 54% off at WTS Books - $6.50/copy until 9/11). Pastors and ministry leaders will particularly want to check this one out. The Foreword is by Ed Welch and endorsers include Ken Sande, Sam Crabtree … [Read more...] about Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue
The Dumbest Generation: The Digital Age and Young Americans
Mark Bauerlein, a professor of English at Emory University, is the author of what sounds like an irresistibly fascinating 2009 book: The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30). The aim of the book is to describe the intellectual condition of the young American (using empirical evidence). Peter Lawler (former member of President Bush's Council on Bioethics, and professor of government at Berry College) says this book: "shows that young people are getting smarter in some ways, but dumber in others. … [Read more...] about The Dumbest Generation: The Digital Age and Young Americans