Culture

Articles

Four Faces of Islam, Part 2: Militant Islam
The last decade saw deadly Jihad in Islamic lands from the Sudan to Indonesia. Since the villains "who harm Islam" now include all who represent American capitalism, culture and crudity, militant Muslims see U.S. cities as valid targets. Commentary by Andy and Berit Kjos

Four Faces of Islam
First of a four-part series on the Islamic religion and the meaning of 'jihad'. Commentary by Andy and Berit Kjos

Harry Potter and the Power of Suggestion
Our minds are more receptive than we think. Popular fantasy, with its boundless thrills and stirring images, can manipulate feelings and perceptions far more effectively than ordinary reality. Commentary by Berit Kjos

It's Nothing Personal
Let's assume for the sake of argument that, as of July 16, 2001, Condit is telling the truth. Telling the truth now, I mean, not earlier. Commentary by Russ Lipton

Re-inventing the World, Part 2
The tangled web of global control. Part two of a three part series. Commentary by Berit Kjos

Re-inventing the World, Part 1
While America celebrates her freedom, a worldwide network of organizations is tearing away the very foundations of her hard-won independence. Commentary by Berit Kjos

Welcome Changes
What will American culture and society be like in the year 2045? Read this humorous, yet poignant satire written by AFA Journal Editor Ed Vitagliano which poses one very likely scenario.

Modesty Revisited
Many of the problems we hear about today – sexual harassment, date rape, young women who suffer from eating disorders and report feeling a lack of control over their bodies – are all connected to our culture’s attack on modesty. AFA Journal, June 2001 Issue

Human Dignity and Moral Identity
The sanctity of our humanity is best realized when we acknowledge that we are not, nor were our parents, or theirs before, self caused. Commentary by Richard D. Ackerman

Redefining "Literacy" for a New World Order
Words, like symbols, send different messages to different people in a changing culture. Contributed by Berit Kjos

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them
A young public school student chose to celebrate the Creator of the earth on Earth Day Contributed by Berit Kjos

Prepare for More School Killings
The echoes of gunfire are still ringing in our ears. Another teen killing spree at a public high school. I wonder how long before these shootings become so commonplace that they no longer rate national news. Commentary by Scott Lively

Teen Rage and Deadly Delights, Pt. 1
First in a two-part series on teen violence. Social changes that drive teens to irrational rage. Contributed by Berit Kjos

Teen Rage and Deadly Delights, Pt. 2
Second in a two-part series on teen violence.Using teen violence to justify intrusive government control. Contributed by Berit Kjos

Teens Reveal Attitudes About Media Influence
A majority of teens think society is more violent due to the influence of media and entertainment, but very few teens admit they have been personally impacted. AFA Journal, March 2001 Edition

God Blesses Purity Pledges with Happiness
When high school student Daniel Doss signed a pledge to abstain from sex until he married, little did he know his future wife, Emily, had already signed an identical pledge when she had been in seventh grade. Since they lived in different Tennessee towns, neither knew the other existed. Today, they're happily married and grateful to God for allowing them to meet, fall in love and stay true to their pledge. AFA Journal, March 2001 Edition

New Book Helps Christians Understand Postmodernism
Postmodernism, the default worldview of our culture, is regularly played for laughs in the popular response, "Whatever!" But beneath the silly quip lies a belief system largely defined by what it disregards, rather than what it affirms. AFA Journal, February 2001 Edition

Madonna: Icon of Postmodernity
With a personal fortune of well over $70 million and sales of over 85 million albums worldwide, Madonna has become one of the most successful and notorious female singers the world has ever seen. In insightful ways she is a cultural icon of postmodernism. AFA Journal, February 2001 Edition

Prof Says Don't Use "Emotionally Laden" Terms Like Pedophilia
Our school systems seem to be increasingly populated by teachers and professors who are more and more liberal in their views regarding everything from homosexuality to pedophilia. It seems it's no longer "in" to call a spade a spade.   AFA Journal, January 2001 Issue

AFA Attorneys Defend College Student
Officials at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, allegedly had student Michael A. Marcavage involuntarily committed to a state mental hospital after he initiated a Christian response to a blasphemous play performed on campus. Marcavage is being represented by the AFA Center for Law & Policy (CLP) in a lawsuit.  AFA Journal, January 2001 Issue

Have a Merry -----mas?
You may have noticed the news item a couple of weeks back. The city council of Little Rock, Arkansas, voted to change the name of their traditional December parade–always known as the Christmas parade--to the now politically correct title "Holiday parade."  Commentary by AFA Vice-President, Tim Wildmon

Brainwashing in America
Brainwashing is not, as some educators and students contend, Christian child-raising. American freedom includes the promise that parents have the right to train their children to follow God's ways. The word "brainwashing" refers to a planned, step-by-step attempt to "wash" family-taught beliefs from the minds of those who oppose government ideology. Commentary by Berit Kjos

Clinton's Democratic Legacy
Boy, do I long for the day when a pregnant chad was merely a biological impossibility. Like the rest of the country, I have watched the Sunshine State with great interest as they grapple over who will be the next President. For those who delight in what amounts to the political process on steroids, this is the epitome of existence. Commentary by Jeff Syrios, Attorney-at-Law