The Daily Briefing highlights the news of the day and research that reveals the spirit of the day.
The Daily Briefing is a newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning that provides biblical insight on today's news. This five-minute read gives an overview of the news driving the day and provides Nick Notes. These Notes offer biblical insight of the highlighted article.
Dr. Nick Pitts writes the Daily Briefing each morning. Nick earned his PhD from Dallas Baptist University, where he also serves as the Executive Director of the Institute of Global Engagement. Nick also co-hosts the Point of View radio talk show each Wednesday and frequently appears on Glenn Beck's Think Tank. His op-eds have been published by Huffington Post, Religion News Service, Townhall.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Today’s Edition
Top News
6. 'It's our future that's at stake': US students plan to skip school Friday to fight climate 'emergency' (USA Today)
“Tens of thousands of high school students in cities nationwide plan to skip classes Friday to attend Global Climate Strike marches calling for immediate action to end climate change. They will be part of a global joint protest aimed directly at the adults who they say are ignoring the destruction of the planet.
“We have to treat climate change as what it is — an emergency,” said Audrey Maurine Xin Lin, an 18-year-old who’s been one of the coordinators of the Boston school strike and march.
“Organizers include student groups and teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, but it's not just young people. Labor and humanitarian groups, environmental organizations and company employees are also participating. Students in more than 800 locations around the United States plan to go on strike from school for the day to attend protests.”
Nick Note: Apparently Friday calls for scattered students and lots of sun. Thanks, global warming. Researchers at Johns Hopkins found that students who miss more than 10 days per academic year are 20 percent less likely to graduate from high school than their peers. So is this worth it? Some think it is because the planet could be ending soon. The BBC suggested that we must act within 18 months if we want to avert the catastrophic effects of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put that number at 12 years.The other side says no. They question the significance of the problem and the unintended consequences of overreacting in the present. After all, predictions have been wrong in the past. In 1939, the Interior Department said the world’s petroleum reserves would last 13 years. Then in 1951, the Interior said the world had 13 years of proven reserves. By 1970, proven reserves were estimated at 612 billion barrels. By 2006, there were 1.2 trillion. One side wants to skip, the other side wants to stay, but every side has a part to play. In the biblical narrative, we read how God has created us in his likeness and admonished us to tend to and care for his creation (Genesis 2:15). We should care for all of his creation but we cannot limit what our Creator can do(Leviticus 23:22, Psalm 8:3-6).
5. Third incident of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in racist makeup emerges (WaPo)
“A third incident of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appearing in racist makeup emerged Thursday morning, hours after he apologized for wearing brownface at an Arabian Nights-themed party in 2001 and blackface at a high school performance.
“A Liberal Party spokesman confirmed that the young man in blackface in the video published Thursday morning by Global News was Trudeau, and said it was “from the early 1990s." Trudeau turned 20 in 1991.”
Nick Note: Oops He Did It Again – Britney sings it and Trudeau embodies it. But what made Trudeau, the son of a former Canadian prime minister, do this? Jennifer Richeson, a Yale University social psychologist, said that unless parents teach kids not be racists, they will be racists. Research indicates that racial bias may be present in babies between 6 and 9 months. Studies suggest that one’s peer group also has a strong influence over someone during their teenage years. Teens whose friends smoke, drink, or do drugs are more likely to partake in those activities themselves. Prime Minister Trudeau can’t change the past but he should repent of it. He may not have known it was wrong but he does now. Augustine was right: “God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.” (Lk. 17:3, 1 Jn. 1:9)
4. Trump call involving Ukraine at center of inspector general complaint, sources say (ABC News)
“President Donald Trump's phone call with a foreign leader that has become the focus of a complaint to the director of national intelligence's inspector general involved Ukraine, multiple sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
“The complaint involved communications with a foreign leader and a “promise” that Trump made, which was so alarming that a U.S. intelligence official who had worked at the White House went to the inspector general of the intelligence community, two former U.S. officials said.
“A more extensive readout from the Ukrainian president's office, however, noted that the two also spoke about "investigations into corruption cases that have hampered interaction between Ukraine and the U.S.A.”
Nick Note: There are 3 billion fewer birds in North America but one birdie sang about Pres. Trump to officials. The former has caused concern but the latter resulted in a whistleblower complaint. Another day, another byproduct of our distrust. In 1964, 77 percent of Americans said they trust the government to do what is right. Today, that number has dropped to 17 percent. As to be expected, opinions vary on this complaint. Rep. Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said someone is “trying to manipulate the system.” Sen. Angus King noted that officials have “a ministerial responsibility to share that [the complaint] with Congress — it is not discretionary.” But others disagree. Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said this was “completely overblown.” He concluded that this will be a “big nothing burger.”As Christians, we follow after a God who does not rush to judgement. We don’t rush to judgment because we believe in a righteous judge. Nothing gets past him and everyone will one day have to give an account to him (Lk. 8:17, 2 Cor. 5:10).
Cultural News
3. For 1 in 16 US women, their first experience with sexual intercourse was rape, study says (CNN)
“More than 3.3 million American women ages 18 to 44 were raped the first time they had sexual intercourse, according to a new study, and "all demographic groups reported substantial roles of forced sexual initiation."
“The study says that 6.5% of women surveyed had an unwanted first sexual intercourse that was forced or coerced and it "appears to be common."Researchers estimated that to be 1 in 16 US women… The average age of women who experienced forced sexual initiation was 15.6. The average age of the partner or assailant at the time was 6 years older. Among women whose first sexual intercourse was voluntary, the average age was 17.4.”
Nick Note: “Forgetting is difficult. Remembering is worse.” So said one survivor. When boys fail to become men, lines are crossed because self-control was absent. Boys lack self-control, allowing their passions to dictate their actions. 50 percent of women surveyed said the perpetrator was larger or older. 46 percent said they were held down. Their actions have spawned a variety of reactions throughout our culture. Ariana Grande, in her song Fake Smile, sings:“I can’t fake another smile. I can’t fake like I’m alright.” In her hit Praying, Kesha sings: “You brought the flames and you put me through hell. I had to learn how to fight for myself.” These women aren’t alone. More than 40 percent of women have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.Tragically, the biblical narrative is replete with this type of tragedy. David wronged Bathsheba and Amnon raped Tamar. But for every David there is a Boaz. For every Amnon there is a Hosea. Boys cross the line but men lay their lives down on the line. (2 Sam. 11, 13, Ruth 2-3, Hos. 3)
News You Can Use
2. Goofy Family Greets Daughter In Hilarious Way After 1st Day Of School. (InspireMore)
Nick Note: Watch it here. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Lk. 15:20)”
1. Flight attendant's note to passenger goes viral (CNN)
Nick Note: Watch it here. “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works… (Titus 2:7)”
