Two years ago, the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) clarified its stance against homosexuality. Last week, the denomination clarified its expectations for churches whose LGBTQ-affirming teachings contradict that stance. (Shellnutt, Christianity Today)
Read MorePresident Biden on Wednesday pardoned American veterans who were convicted of engaging in gay sex under a military code that outlawed the behavior for more than 60 years. Mr. Biden’s proclamation grants clemency to some 2,000 people who were charged between 1951 and 2013, addressing a “historic wrong,” the president said in a statement. (Rogers, The New York Times)
Read MoreAnxiety plays a complicated role in our lives—paralyzing on the one hand and prudential on the other. Oriented toward the future, it helps us identify negative outcomes and work to make them less likely. Anxiety keeps us off ledges; anxiety prevents us from taking selfies with bears. (Jordan, Christianity Today)
Read MoreThe Supreme Court on Wednesday said the White House and federal agencies such as the FBI may continue to urge social media platforms to take down content the government views as misinformation, handing the Biden administration a technical if important election-year victory. Of immediate significance, the decision means that the Department of Homeland Security may continue to flag posts to social media companies. (Fritze & Fung, CNN)
Read MoreIt's called a Chaotic Singles Party. Started on a whim by Cassidy Davis in her Los Angeles apartment in February 2022, the parties, which have gone viral on TikTok, are now hosted by Davis across the country and have attracted a loyal fanbase of repeat attendees. Activities vary from party-to-party, but all involve forcing people out of their shells and into flirting. (Trepany, USA Today)
Read MoreFinancial "sextortion" schemes have surged in recent years with offenders appearing to primarily target teenage boys through Instagram and other social media platforms, threatening victims with compromising imagery in exchange for cash, a new report found. The report, released jointly by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and technology nonprofit Thorn on Monday, analyzed more than 15 million reports made to the NCMEC's hotline from 2020 to 2023. (Nguyen, USA Today)
Read More