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A new study compiled by the Josephson Institute -- a California-based ethics organization -- highlights the problem of dishonesty among America's school-age children.
More than 29,000 students were randomly surveyed for the study -- and Dr. Bill Maier, clinical psychologist at Focus on the Family, says the results are troubling. The study reveals that 64 percent of those surveyed said they had cheated on a test, 36 percent claimed to have used the Internet to plagiarize their school work, 42 percent lied to save money, and overall 93 percent claimed they were satisfied with their personal ethics. On top of that, 30 percent admitted to shoplifting.
"I think this is very troubling, and it's just one more indication of how relativism has infected our society and negatively influenced the behavior of young people," Maier notes. "[W]e've seen over the last generation or so a move to question absolute truth and certainly to question biblical truth -- and it really doesn't surprise me that now we are starting to see the result in the behavior of our young people."
Another upsetting aspect Maier points to is that these students are the future of America. "These are our future leaders, our future business people, our future parents and spouses," he laments. "If they are willing to lie and to cheat and to steal, it doesn't bode well for the future of our society."
Maier also notes that the Christian realm is not impervious to this moral relativism-type of mindset. "Unfortunately we do see these problems in the Christian community, and I think a big reason for that is many Christian families are not living out their faith and don't really understand their own Christian worldview," he contends. "George Barna's research indicates very clearly that, unfortunately, [only] a very small percentage of born-again Christians...believe that there is a concept of absolute truth. That should be shocking to us." Barna is founder of The Barna Group, which monitors trends in the Christian community nationwide.
The fight against the mindset of moral relativism begins at home, according to Maier. He believes parents should start teaching their children at a very young age that money, power, and success are not the most important aspects of life, and that what really matters is a person's character. Maier points to the book of Galatians where the Apostle Paul talks about the fruits of the spirit that the true Christian should exhibit. The psychologist says parents should be teaching and showing, by example, things like love, joy, patience, gentleness, kindness, and self-control. He adds that they should also exhibit characteristics such as integrity, honesty, and service to others.
Another area that Maier says parents need to be diligent in is exposure to media. He contends the moral relativism mindset permeates music, television, Internet, and other such mediums, and that the only way to combat that attack is by becoming grounded in the scriptures and returning to a true biblical ethic.
Focus on the Family has launched an effort called The Truth Project, which is designed to equip individuals with an understanding of who God is and why humans exist. It also seeks to expose the truth behind many of society's vices such as sexual promiscuity and homosexuality. The Truth Project is set up for adult small-group study.
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Newsweek magazine has published a lengthy article stating that the Bible supports homosexual marriage. The article was written Lisa Miller, Newsweek religion editor. Miller's article is one of the most biased and distorted pieces concerning homosexual marriage ever published by any major news organization. The article is much too long for this e-mail. Dr. Albert Mohler has offered a response to the Newsweek article. I suggest you read Mohler’s article and then read Miller's Newsweek article. Mohler made a significant point in his response: "The national news media are collectively embarrassed by the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Gay rights activists are publicly calling on the mainstream media to offer support for gay marriage, arguing that the media let them down in November. It appears that Newsweek intends to do its part to press for same-sex marriage. Many observers believe that the main obstacle to this agenda is a resolute opposition grounded in Christian conviction. Newsweek clearly intends to reduce that opposition."
An organization that conducts research on publicly traded companies has released a list of the most violent and sexually explicit video games.
Art Ally, president of The Timothy Plan, says this is the first time the group has taken an activist role. "So much is at stake here on the next generation of our nation that are [sic] being programmed by these video games -- and I don't believe parents have a clue what's going on," he contends. "They're so busy chasing the American dream of unlimited prosperity [that] they're not paying attention."
Even if parents do not allow their children to play the controversial games, Ally points out they could still be supporting the manufacturers through mutual fund plans. "There's [sic] about 35 companies that are producing these games. I will name the worst of the worst: Take-2 Interactive -- these are publicly traded companies -- I mean, Microsoft, CBS; publicly traded companies are putting this trash out there because it sells."
Among the worst video games Ally mentions are Grand Theft Auto IV, Crackdown, Saints Row 2, BioShock, Fallout 3, and Crackdown. The report can be downloaded [PDF] at The Timothy Plan's website.
The vote at the diocesan convention rejected the Episcopal Church's de facto moratorium on electing homosexual bishops since its 2003 consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who lives with his same-sex partner. The resolution will be considered at the Episcopal Church's national convention next July.
The Los Angeles diocese also expressed support for homosexual "marriage" with the creation of the "Sacramental Blessing for a Life-long Covenant."