Good morning, and welcome to the (holiday!!!) weekend! Here’s what I thought were the most important and relevant items to check out. It’s supposed to rain where I am (Dublin Ohio) today, so if your day is like mine, sit back and scan through some good articles!

Let’s start with some news. James Hohmann had a really helpful and interesting column about how young this electorate is.  Meaning this: there are a ton of people who will not really know much about the Clinton era and the 90’s. The youngest voters this year will have been born in 1998…does that not blow your mind?  So, what that means is that a lot of the Clinton era scandal is completely foreign to younger voters (and reporters).  I still remember where I was the morning Vince Foster was reported dead…I guess I’m getting old!  The consequences of this younger electorate having missed out on the Clinton scandals, can be seen on both sides of the aisle – that’s what Hohmann discusses. BUT – if you read that column, be sure to scroll down to see this headline ‘The superbug that doctors have been dreading has reached the U.S.‘ It’s like the fourth story down…interesting and terrifying stuff.

This was really thought-provoking:  Why I Don’t Use an Ad Blocker. 

More on where culture meets politics…Egypt: Muslim mob attacks Christians, parade naked woman…..AND, from a Weekend Reader, ‘The Spiritual Dangers of a Trump Presidency’ – this is pretty harsh stuff.  They key quote might be:

When much of the “evangelical vote” in some Republican primaries goes to a man so palpably misaligned with the character of the man we call “Savior,” it tells the world we’re not serious about holiness, or even minimal standards of civic decency. It sends the message that for us, the end justifies the means. It supports the world’s belief that hatred is a Christian value after all.

What made this an interesting column to me was that if one considers what folks in the Middle East must think of our culture here in America (if you care), then there are some relevant themes here. I think its probably a mistake to overestimate the number of evangelicals – true followers of Christ – here in America, no matter what the perspective of those around the world might be.  I’m off topic a bit from where that guy was headed – but I begin to wonder what the more global consequences of a Trump Presidency would be in terms of how America is seen in the world. Have you pondered that? Do you care? (I’m not saying you should, just asking the question…)

And…because that isn’t enough controversy for one morning, check this one out: Why Your Pastor Should Say “No More to Beth Moore”  I like to keep track of this kind of thing.  This was linked off of Challies’ blog this week, and its worth scanning. What I found interesting was the premise laid out in the second graph:

For many years, Beth Moore’s teaching has raised eyebrows among pastors and leaders in conservative circles.  Although concerns have been raised through the years, Beth Moore continues to be welcomed into the study groups within local churches where women read her books, study guides, and watch her videos with limited, if any, oversight from the pastoral staff

That is the quote that provoked me to say “umm, ya, what is the deal with that anyway?”  NOW……..I am definitely not charismatic, but I didn’t care for how the author lumped in that descriptor in his third bullet point when discussing Moore’s ecumenicalism. To lump Olsteen and Joyce Meyer in with Christians who consider themselves charismatic isn’t fair. In today’s vernacular, one can be a Bible believing evangelical Christian and consider themselves charismatic. Meyer and Olsteen aren’t really preaching the gospel, so to consider them Christians or Christian ministers is a MAJOR stretch.  That being said, the author makes many other relevant points worth considering.

Let’s keep walking down that line of difficult topics in the church: Singing Songs from Questionable Sources.  Very thoughtful blog post by Bob Kauflin about an interesting topic.

One of the big political stories of the week was that in New Mexico Donald Trump held a rally where he lambasted the popular GOP hispanic Governor. Here’s the news story on that one. That story almost overshadowed the stories about him actually clinching the GOP nomination (from a delegate count perspective).

If you haven’t been watching the NBA playoffs, then you need to speed read this one: Draymond Green fined but not suspended for kick to groin.  I was actually on the golf course this week listening to a guy use Draymond Green as an adverb(???), “I just got Draymond Greened by that (golf) hole.”  So ya, that’s when I knew the story might have taken on more than a niche audience.

This was something out of a Sean Connery flick: Best Buy Bandits hit Alabama, tunnel in like movie villains, take $100k worth of electronics.

VIDEO: Interesting perspective and insight into Calvin and Hobbes. 

Also interesting: Obama visits Vietnam, eats with the only available expert on Vietnamese food, Anthony Bourdain

Read this a finally, and thought it was really interesting: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Islamic State

Hilarious: Everything Local Man Feels Led To Do He Coincidentally Really Likes

This one is longer than it should have been, but I found myself commiserating big time with this guy: Apple Destroyed My Will to Collect Music

Some interesting stuff here – with graphics that are the main attraction of the article: The Changing American Diet…(do I really believe Americans eat so much veggies???)

And….if you haven’t seen this yet, you should.  Looks pretty incredible: Life-Size Noah’s Ark

The hits keep on rollin with Target: Target Is Suing Man After Saving A Young Girl From Being Stabbed To Death

Jon Bloom doing what he does best: Child-Like Humility Produces Peace

Thoughtful little piece from Tim Challies: 3 Priorities for Christian Parents

WHOOPS: Fitbit Trackers Are ‘Highly Inaccurate,’ Study Finds

The man who represents all the corruption of the Clinton machine is under federal investigation: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe under federal investigation for campaign contributions

Whether you agree or disagree with the conclusions here, this is a fascinating article (h/t Alex W.): This Is What the Future of American Politics Looks Like

The 2016 race is a sign that American politics is changing in profound and lasting ways; by the 2020s and 2030s, partisan platforms will have changed drastically. You may find yourself voting for a party you could never imagine supporting right now. What will that political future look like?

NEXT UP: Corruption in the NFL??? NO!!  NEVER!!!

Also – be sure to check this out.  I really found it interesting: Is Rush Limbaugh in Trouble?  Of course the mainstream media has been asking this question for a long time, and they’ve been continually, well, wrong.  But its still an interesting look into the world of big time radio – a world that has drastically shrunk!

Finally, you might enjoy: 5 Themes on Providence from the Psalms

That’s it!  Enjoy your EXTRA LONG WEEKEND!!!

PJW