Bible offers guidance for topics in the news

Here are my Christian perspectives on recent topics in the news.

Number one cause of death among teens:

What would you guess: drinking, drugs, gang violence, crime? No, it is motor vehicle crashes. Teens are notoriously unsafe drivers. Why? Experts say it starts with the parents. They are the number one influence on teen drivers, not just because they often instruct their teens how to drive, but more so by their modeling. The director of the highway safety association says, “Parents have to be a good role model and actually be the driver that they want their teen to be.” Why? “Because teens are very apt at spotting hypocrisy and will recognize when their mom or dad says one thing and does another.”

Teens must also accept their share of responsibility because 20 percent of their peers are killed through drinking and driving; 31 percent died by being distracted and 42 percent by speeding. Statistics show that teens are 2.5 times more likely to engage in risky behavior when another teen is riding along and 3 times more risky with multiple teen passengers. The bad news/good news scenario is that more than half of the fatalities could be prevented if they would buckle up.

Parents need to talk to their teens and practice what they preach behind the wheel. The Bible says parents are responsible for their children and children are to obey their parents. It is a matter of life and death.

Good for You

Studies show that drinking sodas is linked to cavities, weight gain, diabetes, and heart attacks. A group called “Eat this, not that” have information on the worst sodas in America. Among them, #1 Fanta Grape contains in a 12-ounce can 180 calories, 46 grams of carbs, and 48 grams of sugar. The group illustrates: “liquefy a bag of skittles and you still have to add 6 grams of sugar to equal the sweetness of this can of corn syrup, citric acid, and artificial colors.”

Another they listed, #4 is A & W Cream Soda. They call it a car crash of HFCS and artificial flavors. They say this is not your grandpa’s soda. However, what is listed as #5, A & W Root beer, is their soda. #6 is Mountain Dew. They state, “It won’t keep your insides fireproof, but it does contain Brominated vegetable oil, a patent flame retardant for plastics that has been banned in foods throughout Europe and Japan.” The best of sodas is Sierra Mist, one 12-ounce can has 120 calories, 30 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of sugar. “In a contest of sugar water filled with additives, there is no winner, but Sierra Mist is the best of the worst for you.”

The Bible says our body is the temple of God, and through baptism, hissSpirit dwells in us. We are to use it for his glory and not abuse it in any way. This group claims its research and advertisements have caused young people to cut down on these foods. Good for you!

It is a Deterrent to Crime

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia addressed capital punishment during a University of Minnesota Law School appearance. He gave his judicious view that the Constitution is an “enduring” document that shouldn’t be open to broad interpretation, while sharing frustration that his colleagues too readily find flexibility in it. Scalia added, “Death penalty decisions from the court have made it “practically impossible to impose it, but have not formally held it to be unconstitutional.” Earlier in his remarks, Judge Scalia stated, “It wouldn’t surprise me if it did fall.”

The Bible is God’s word and equally not open to broad interpretation. It is the God-inspired document on which our country was founded and in which the death penalty is upheld by God for the protection of the innocent (Romans 13). In this text, judges and peace officers are called ministers of God in applying the death penalty. It is a deterrent to crime and the nation needs to speak up and let our Supreme Court justices know how we feel. All it takes for evil to exist is for good people to say nothing.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 9:19 AM with the headline "Bible offers guidance for topics in the news."