UPDATE: This article has sparked tremendous outrage from readers. PLEASE NOTE. Save for a few editorial comments which are mine, this article is a re-posting of a blog by UND’s Dr. Darcia Narvaez, 2015 winner of the APA’s William James Award for research in the psychology of religion, morals and values. Her work represents the state-of-the-art of developmental moral psychology and this award puts in on the same level as Lawrence Kohlberg. She isn’t saying that moms who can’t nurse... Read more
Are you confused, frustrated by, or for that matter, gloating about Pope Francis’ recent comments on contraceptive use and the Zika virus–especially in light of the Vatican Press Office’s confirmation that Pope Francis was not only speaking about using Natural Family Planning but also, potentially, hormonal contraceptives and condoms, to prevent the possibility of children born with Zika-related miroencephaly? Be at peace. Let’s all please take a collective breath and consider the following in which Dr. Janet Smith, world-renowned... Read more
A while back, I shared a study arguing that porn was not an addiction. I also explained why this matters for treatment. In the months since then, I’ve gotten several emails from people asking questions about that post. Many of these messages cited a response by Matt Fradd that took issue (very respectfully, thank you Matt) with my position. Most recently, I received an email from a pastor who was interested in the debate about the issue. My conversation with this pastor–who,... Read more
Check out how these 3 Do’s and 3 Don’ts can set YOU free from stress, worry, and anxiety! Problems are part of life, but stress, worry, and anxiety don’t have to be. As I note in my book, God Help Me, This Stress is Driving Me Crazy! Finding Balance Through God’s Grace, as early as the mid 300’s AD St. Augustine observed that the press of troubles, the ups and downs of daily life, was different than oppression, which is... Read more
New clinical practice guidelines advise physicians that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and second-generation antidepressants (SGAs), are equally effective treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. The American College of Physicians (ACP) recommendation appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “Patients are frequently treated for depression by primary care physicians, who often initially prescribe SGAs,” said ACP President Wayne J. Riley, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., M.A.C.P. “However, CBT is a reasonable approach for initial treatment and should be strongly considered as an... Read more
Check out this great post by Jacob Popcak of JHP Ministry What pictures come to mind when you hear the word, “fasting”? What about, “penance”? Perhaps you envision the grumpy monk, self-flagellating in some medieval chamber. Or perhaps you see the pious holier-than-thou, starving herself out of some sense of personal loathing. As citizens of the 21st Century, it’s very likely that you envision something at least similar to what I’m describing. Because of these associations, I always had a... Read more
Celebrate National Marriage Week with FaithontheCouch as we explore what it takes to live a more loving, joyful, grace-filled marriage! Do You Have What it Takes to Get to “Happily Ever After?” Almost every newly married couple has two things in common. First, they are deeply in love with each other and rightly excited about the lives they are building together. They are passionate about each other, and hopeful about a bright future filled with blessings. But second, underneath that... Read more
Genetic changes stemming from the trauma suffered by Holocaust survivors are capable of being passed on to their children, the clearest sign yet that one person’s life experience can affect subsequent generations. The conclusion from a research team at New York’s Mount Sinai hospital led by Rachel Yehuda stems from the genetic study of 32 Jewish men and women who had either been interned in a Nazi concentration camp, witnessed or experienced torture or who had had to hide during the second... Read more
In preparation for our oldest child’s First Communion, we were reviewing the various Works of Mercy. When he heard that they included things like feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty and clothing the naked, he looked up at us and said, “You guys do those things all the time. They should call them the Corporal Works of Mommy–and Daddy too!” Our son stumbled upon a great spiritual truth. Family life can be an incredible engine of spiritual growth. ... Read more
New report in the British Medical Journal The Lancet. H/T HuffPo New research highlights the economic advantages of exclusive and continued breastfeeding in rich and poor countries alike, and the enormous cost of failing to support it writes Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General. As a young doctor working with refugees in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq, I saw how breastfed babies can prosper even under such challenging circumstances, and even when they are sick or small. So I am... Read more
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