Don’t Give Up Your Education to a Puppy Monkey Baby School

Last updated on: February 25, 2016 at 9:33 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

The worst commercial ever may have been the Super Bowl commercial where Mountain Dew decided we wanted to see a “puppy monkey baby.” I like puppies . . .everybody likes puppies. I don’t like monkeys particularly, but there are plenty of people who think everything is funnier with chimps. I love babies and with the exception of Planned Parenthood and their hatred of brown babies, most people do. I certainly agree with my Church that all babies are beautiful. Sadly, Mountain Dew proved that mashing... Read more

Six Sure Signs You Picked the Wrong Church

Last updated on: February 23, 2016 at 2:15 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

I learned about bad churches by talking to students. I had to do so, because I had wonderful pastors.* My dad is a great pastor and he was in charge of my church life all of my growing up. Pastor George Osborne, the other notable man of God from my childhood, is a man of wit, brilliance, and holiness. When I moved to California, I had a pastor who ended up going through so much persecution for the Faith that I... Read more

Under the Plane Tree: Where Desire Meets Power

Last updated on: February 21, 2016 at 11:11 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Love cannot abide the abuse of power. Or so it seems to me after a weekend watching politics and reading Phaedrus with friends. We were led by Professor Al Geier and the contrast between the two activities was remarkable. Politics is, probably rightly, about winning. If you have to get it done in South Carolina and it works, then the result justifies the action. In dialog, the goal is community and loving wisdom, virtue, and experiencing joy with integrity. I... Read more

After South Carolina: The Undiscovered Country with a Brief History Lesson

Last updated on: February 21, 2016 at 1:56 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Donald Trump won the South Carolina primary building on his New Hampshire win. He is the frontrunner, but South Carolina will also trim the field of the first frontrunner: Jeb Bush. Last night proved a new era of Republican Party politics has begun. This race for the Republican nomination has no perfect historic parallel, but it is most like the elections of 1860, 1904, 1932, 1952, 1980. My family has participated (as voters) in GOP politics since Lincoln made our home... Read more

Don’t Kill A Mocking Bird

Last updated on: February 20, 2016 at 3:25 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” – To Kill A Mocking Bird If you go to school in the United States, To Kill A Mockingbird was part of school. My mom’s generation saw Gregory Peck as the heroic lawyer, Atticus Finch, who was more concerned about justice than popularity. For a student my age the book came with a shock: “nice” people used to be openly racist. For my children, it was... Read more

Why does Bernie Sanders say he is a socialist?

Last updated on: February 19, 2016 at 12:57 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

As a full grown adult, Senator Sanders was a socialist. He still calls himself a socialist. What does he mean by it? One form of socialism killed more people than any form of government in human history. Fortunately, communism isn’t the only form of socialism and Sanders was never a communist. Still, my friends on the left rightly worry about any nationalist who gets close to fascist rhetoric. Sometimes the comparisons become unhinged. If you don’t believe me, take any... Read more

Education: What Has Changed What Has Not

Last updated on: February 20, 2016 at 10:57 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

If Jesus had online educational capacity, He would not have had 612 apostles. Online education is a tool, but it is a tool that impacts geography and access to information. We can now dialog on a great book, even if we are hundreds of miles apart. This weekend students, staff, and faculty of The Saint Constantine School will do just that in Houston. We will discuss the Phaedrus with our beloved mentor Al Geier. He will be in Rochester, New... Read more

For the Love of the Poor Reject Socialism

Last updated on: February 16, 2016 at 8:59 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

I oppose socialism for the sake of my brothers and sisters who are poor. Charity and free markets are imperfect, but the best way to get the job done. If the choice were between a Scrooge like determination to let Tiny Tim die and a kind socialistic willingness to help, I would side with socialism. When I discuss socialism with Christians, they often give me this choice knowing what I will say. “By all that’s holy, let’s save Tiny Tim.”... Read more

An Open Letter to James Garfield On President’s Day

Last updated on: February 15, 2016 at 9:55 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Dear Mr. Garfield, You were shot for refusing to be a partisan hack by a madman who thought we needed more partisanship and hackery. We never had a chance to see how you would have governed. Let me suggest that you return and we give you another chance. The Grand Old Party that you helped found needs you. We know the horrific medical science of your time killed you. Doctors poked around inside of you without any sanitation. Since you... Read more

“OK, Next:” Be of Good Cheer

Last updated on: February 15, 2016 at 11:34 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever. Christians do not always win in this life. What should we do when we lose? Losing doesn’t mean we are... Read more