The West, and specifically the United States, are in decline, jettisoning the values that made Western Civilization possible and allowed it to flourish, and seemingly bent upon committing cultural suicide. This can be seen in the increasingly violent rhetoric and public profanity of political leaders and in the increasing violence among militant protesters in the streets--indeed performance outrage. The more historic traditional values are jettisoned, belief in God, truth, moral virtue, law, liberty, the less likely the United States can maintain its e pluribus unum. American society is polarized perhaps the point of no return. But there is still hope because God exists and there is still opportunity to renew society with a return to those values that made Western Civilization, for all its faults, the most free, the most prosperous, the most blessed on earth. For more Christian commentary, see my website at www.rexmrogers.com or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #WesternCivilization #MoralConsensus #ePluribusUnum

Tattoos and possibly piercings have been part of the human story a lot longer than you might think, at least back to 3100 BC and probably earlier. It's just that in the 1940s-1950s tattoos were acquired by military and some others, then by the 1970s the Punk Rock movement promoted tattoos, followed by tattoos and piercings going mainstream in the 1990s, as featured on MTV. In the 2000s, body modifications of all kinds have become largely accepted. Question remains, though, should you get a tattoo or piercing and why? Interesting question that involves spiritual, religious, political, and cultural motivations and evaluations. In some sense, tattoos and piercings are generational in that Gen X and younger are more likely to sport tattoos and piercings than Boomers, but there is no hard line. As it is, tattoos and piercings tend to invoke an emotional response and this is what makes them powerful. That wonderful biblical doctrine called Christian liberty comes into play. For more Christian commentary see my webstie at www.rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #tattoos #piercings #ChristianLiberty #BodyModification

and piercings have become a fashion fad once again in the U.S.

An old maxim from sociology borrowed from the ancient Greeks says, "Things are not always what they seem." This is certainly the case now with what's happening in American culture wherein given issues, incidents, demonstrations, and controversies, at least from the point of view of the political Left, are simply a means to an end. This issue and the chaos it generally generates are the means but the end is "power" for "the revolution." The Left makes no bones about wanting to tear down the American system and replace it with what the Left or so-called Progressives considers a fair, equitable, and just socialist or communist system in which - you guessed it - the Left's elites are in power. This may sound like a conspiracy theory, but extensive evidence can be marshaled to demonstrate the point reaching back to the 1960s. Key for conservatives, and Christians: wake up. Not "woke" but awaken to the reality of what's happening around them and stand firm for traditional values and principles that amplify truth, morality, justice, and tranquility. For more Christian commentary, see my website at www.rexmrogers.com or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #Left #Socialist #CulturalMarxist #Progressives

War means destruction and death, so it is never preferable. But in a fallen world in which evil exists, war is sometimes inevitable and necessary. The motive for war can be debated. How war is conducted can be debated, but there will never be a world without war until the Prince of Peace returns. Peace is also an interesting concept. Some say, "Peace at any cost." Really, at any cost? No, life and liberty and the future of our children sometimes means we must go to war. Today we live in a time when certain radical religious ideologies impose a kind of death cult upon adherents, ones who are willing and as often ones who are not. Fanatic extremists do not simply want to eliminate their declared enemies. In their false religion, they do not care and in fact welcome death for themselves. This calculus along with nuclear weapons makes the world even more dangerous than it used to be. War may be required to protect freedom on earth. For more Christian commentary see my website at www.rexmrogers.com or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #War #Freedom #Peace #Extremism

It's probably a dead giveaway that someone is getting older when you hear them say, "Things just aren't what they used to be." But in many profound ways, serious social change has taken place and things are very different now than just a half generation or generation ago. The list is long, beginning with a culture wide embrace of the idea there is no absolute truth. This idea, ironically accepted as a new absolute truth, undermines virtually everything in civilization's foundation--law and order, education, religion, marriage and family, ad infinitum. Then come a host of other changes wildly promoted, though historically suspect: gambling, recreational marijuana, debt, and more. For more Christian commentary see my website at www.rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #socialchange #truth #moralrelativism #ideashaveconsequences

June is Pride Month because activists were successful in encouraging three US Presidents to issue proclamations declaring June a special month for LGBTQ+ individuals. But is the celebration of sexuality, sexual choice, proclivities, and perversion, and immorality something we all must celebrate. Pride is a direct challenge to the biblically Christian worldview, the divine act of male and female created he them. Not accepting, not affirming, not promoting Pride is not a matter of hate but a matter of truth, and actually love, for not sharing truth is the ultimate form of disrespect. For more Christian commentary, check my website at www.rexmrogers.com, or see my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and video. #Pride #LGBTQ #Morality #Truth

Capital punishment is a perennial debate. Is it essential for law and order, or is it a cruel hangover from barbaric times? Religions and denominations, and certainly religious leaders, differ widely in their views. The Bible, however, affirms this form of ultimate retribution as a legitimate form of justice for certain heinous crimes and assuming the process by which the decision is made is impartial and based upon moral values. While many if not now most countries of the world have rejected capital punishment, the United States still practices this form of legal, state response to the worst crimes. For more Christian commentary, see my website at www.rexmrogers.com or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #deathpenalty #capitalpunishment #justice #mercy

Robots, humanoid robots, are not just coming; they are here. Question is, are we the smart humans ready for this coming change in our economy and its myriad ways it will affect our way of life? It's one thing to be served by robots at a candy kiosk or work alongside massive industrial robots usually separated by woven wire for safety sake. It is another thing to think of humanoid robots, those that can act like, look like, sound like human beings walking around in our homes. Will such robots act as data collection machines funneling our private lives to the world? Will human beings be able to handle robots psychologically and emotionally? Should we ban certain kinds of robots, particularly child-like robots made for human companionship and will these kinds of robots make it more likely human beings will abuse children or other weaker individuals? One thing is clear, we need to think about these things and figure out what our ethics will be, for tomorrow is now today in robotics. Technological innovation outruns legal, moral, cultural consideration, so we're already behind, and it's not that Skynet or the Entity are going to take over; it's what is best regarding that small robot in our house. For more Christian commentary check my website at www.rexmrogers.com, or see my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and video. #robots #robotics #humanoid #surveillance