Category: Democracy

ARTICLE: Brightening the Beacon of Light

Oppression is great in all corners of the world. At the core of such evil festers a deepening and deadly intolerance of religious freedom.

(This article originally appeared in the Washington Times)

It is Christmas week, and mankind is reminded of the promise of the gospel: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This year, however, the darkness seems to have closed in. In Aleppo, the battered streets run with blood. Genocide has left Iraq’s ancient Christian community all but extinct. Nigeria is fractured along religious lines. Christians and other minorities in China are targeted for the gruesome practice of forced organ harvesting. Oppression is great in all corners of the world.

At the core of such evil festers a deepening and deadly intolerance of religious freedom. A staggering 75 percent of the world’s population lives in areas of severe religious persecution. To claim the promise of the gospel then, to pierce the darkness in these mean times, we must start by turning on the lights.

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ARTICLE: A Light in the Darkness

Passage of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act brings promise of hope to a darkening world

(This article originally appeared in The Philos Project)

It is difficult to see past the evil.

In the waning days of 2016, we are reminded of it on a daily basis, particularly (though not exclusively) the evil that is making headlines in the Middle East. Aleppo is drenched in blood. A Christian mother of five languishes in a dank Pakistani prison cell, charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death for drinking a glass of water. Lives have been shattered with the bombing of Egypt’s main Coptic Christian Cathedral during a packed worship service. Iraq’s ancient Christian community is all but extinct, ravaged by genocide and unspeakable atrocities.

Trace the roots of this evil and you will find at its core religious persecution–the attempt by a powerful few to crush the most sacred of human rights: the freedom of conscience. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, a staggering 75 percent of the world’s 7.2 billion humans live in areas of severe religious persecution. While the study revealed that the highest levels of social hostilities involving religion are found in the Middle East–where Christianity, Judaism and Islam originated–evidence of oppression in other corners of the world is all too prevalent.

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ARTICLE: In Search of Greener Pastures: A Comparison of Two-Party and Multiparty Political Systems

Election 2016 begs the question: Is a two-party system really the best option for American voters.

(This article originally appeared at The Philos Project)

After a grueling primary season, two nominating conventions, three debates and months of campaigning, the 2016 election season will conclude in less than two weeks. The process has been particularly divisive this cycle, leaving many voters weary and puzzled. While every election tends to ignite fresh probing into the whys and hows of the American electoral process, this year has invited much historic reflection.

Chief among the questions voters are pondering: How did we end up with two such flawed candidates? Has America’s two-party system failed the voters? Would the nation be better served by a multiparty system – such as that enjoyed by Israel – which affords greater selection and diversity of thought?

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ARTICLE: On Foreign Policy: The Candidates in Their Own Words

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. What distinguishes these presidential candidates on foreign policy and what should voters be looking for?

(This article originally appeared at The Philos Project)

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. What distinguishes these presidential candidates on foreign policy and what should voters be looking for?

More than a few Americans are struggling to make sense of this year’s presidential election and the choice that awaits them at the ballot box in November. After a grueling primary season, voters are left with two of the most unpopular candidates in modern history. Hillary Clinton, who has long had her eye on the country’s top job, enters the final weeks of the campaign with a 55.4 percent unfavorable rating, according to a recent Real Clear Politics poll. Her opponent, businessman Donald Trump, fairs even worse, with a rating of nearly 60 percent.

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