CultureWatch

Bill Muehlenberg's commentary on issues of the day...

Family Structure Does Matter

Jun 24, 2004

Archbishop George Pell’s defence of marriage was met by the usual shouts of “bigotry” and “intolerance”. Hurling abuse is always easier than making a rational argument.

A few detractors of the Archbishop did give the semblance of argument. For example,

If you have seen the front page of this morning’s Sunday Herald Sun, you know of the story of a 14-year-old boy who has won the right to divorce his parents. Most evening TV news broadcasts should carry the

A review of Taking Sex Differences Seriously. By Steven Rhoads.

Jun 16, 2004

Encounter Books, 2004.

It might seem odd to have to pen a book like this, but we live in odd times. Thus a book like this is necessary. Throughout most of human history people have known by instinct, by intuition,

A review of Day Care Deception. By Brian Robertson.

Jun 15, 2004

Encounter Books, 2003.

We are currently witnessing a grand social experiment, the results of which are not fully in as yet. But the data that is coming in is not good. We are allowing an entire generation of babies and

A review of The Media-Wise Family. By Ted Baehr.

May 27, 2004

Chariot Victor 1998.

Although this book is a few years old, and deals with the American scene, it is still quite a helpful resource on how families, and especially religious families, can deal with the media in all its forms.

Where is Marriage Headed?

May 2, 2004

The war against marriage is at a crucial stage right now. Yet too many people think that things will quiet down if we gave in and allow same-sex marriage. Many people believe that if we just give them what they

When Common Sense Deserts Us

Apr 30, 2004

George Orwell once remarked, “There are some ideas so preposterous that only an intellectual could believe them”. The move to redefine the nature of marriage may be a case in point. When the Prime Minister recently suggested that our marriages

A review of Feminist Fantasies. By Phyllis Schlafly.

Feb 18, 2004

Spence Publishing, 2003.

If there is one name in America that strikes terror in the hearts of most feminists, it is Phyllis Schlafly. For over four decades she has championed the cause of faith and family, and has resisted the

A review of Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism. By F. Carolyn Graglia.

Feb 18, 2004

Spence Publishing, 1998.

There have been a number of good books to appear lately offering a critique of feminism. Perhaps one of the best is this volume. Although it has been around for some years now, it still remains one

A review of Divorce Law and the Future of Marriage. By Barry Maley.

Jan 30, 2004

Centre for Independent Studies, 2003.

That marriage is in trouble few would deny. But whether this is something to lose any sleep over is not so unanimous. Barry Maley believes that the crisis in marriage is of importance, and needs

Parents in Crisis

Jan 28, 2004

Mark Latham is partly right: there is a parenting crisis, but not exactly of the sort he envisages. Yes, children do seem to be more unruly and parenting is becoming more difficult and demanding, but a large part of the

A review of Against Love: A Polemic. By Laura Kipnis.

Nov 29, 2003

Pantheon, 2003.

“Hell is other people,” existentialist Jean Paul Sartre once said. That about summarises the philosophy of Laura Kipnis. Her book offers a very jaundiced and bitter look at marriage in particular and relationships in general.

While acknowledging that

Marriage Wars Continue

Nov 20, 2003

On Tuesday November 18 another scene from the culture wars was played out. The top court in the US state of Massachusetts declared that a ban on same-sex marriage was discriminatory. In a 4-3 decision the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Clear Thinking on Equal Rights and Discrimination

Nov 9, 2003

Australian comedian and television personality Julie McCrossin gave an address to the Sydney Institute in July of 1999. Entitled, “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride: Recognising Same Sex Relationships,” she spoke of how she and her lesbian partner were denied

Homosexual Marriage: What is at Stake?

Sep 26, 2003

Perhaps the most disconcerting item on the gay agenda is the desire to equate same-sex relationships with normal marriage and family life. In this the gay lobby has been quite successful. For example, during the International Year of the Family,

Quick Facts on Marriage

Sep 20, 2003

We live in an age where common sense has deserted us and old truths need to be restated. This paper looks at some home truths about marriage.

* Almost every culture throughout human history has had a recognizable form

An Assessment of A Better Future for our Kids

Jun 6, 2003

In late May the Federal Labor spokeswoman on children and youth, Nicola Roxon, introduced a child protection Bill into Parliament. The Bill, entitled A Better Future for our Kids, proposes the establishment of a Children’s Commission and a Children’s

A review of Marriage and Modernization. By Don Browning.

May 23, 2003

Eerdmans, 2003.

How have the forces of modernization and globalization impacted on the institutions of marriage and family? Is the decline of marriage in the Western world inevitable? What role does religion play in the revitalizing of marriage and

About CultureWatch

We live in an age where we see evidence of cultural decline, the erosion of values, the decline of civility, the denial of truth and the elevation of unreason. Many people are asking, “Where is our culture heading?” This website is devoted to exploring the major cultural, social and political issues of the day. It offers reflection and commentary drawing upon the wealth of wisdom found in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It offers reflective and incisive commentary on a wide range of issues, helping to sort through the maze of competing opinions, worldviews, ideologies and value systems. It will discuss critically and soberly where our culture is heading. Happy reading!

Bill Muehlenberg

CultureWatch

Bill Muehlenberg's commentary on issues of the day...

Family Structure Does Matter

Divorce madness

A review of Taking Sex Differences Seriously. By Steven Rhoads.

A review of Day Care Deception. By Brian Robertson.

A review of The Media-Wise Family. By Ted Baehr.

Where is Marriage Headed?

When Common Sense Deserts Us

A review of Feminist Fantasies. By Phyllis Schlafly.

A review of Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism. By F. Carolyn Graglia.

A review of Divorce Law and the Future of Marriage. By Barry Maley.

Parents in Crisis

A review of Against Love: A Polemic. By Laura Kipnis.

Marriage Wars Continue

Clear Thinking on Equal Rights and Discrimination

Homosexual Marriage: What is at Stake?

Quick Facts on Marriage

An Assessment of A Better Future for our Kids

A review of Marriage and Modernization. By Don Browning.

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