Joe Carter

The New York Times discovers that some parents are looking for child-rearing tips from an unusual source: Cesar Millan, otherwise known as the Dog Whisperer. [S]ome parents — particularly those weary of never-say-no techniques and child-rearing books suggesting that children should call the . . . . Continue Reading »

Literary magazine The Believer asked forensic artist Barbara Anderson to sketch eight literary criminals, working from descriptive details offered by their creators. From the hints left by the novelists, Anderson drew sketches of such characters as Dickens’ Fagin,  Nabokov’s . . . . Continue Reading »

The history of medicine is replete with treatments, diagnoses, and procedures that, while well-intended at the time, we now regard with horror as being barbaric and inhumane. When future generations judge our era, one of the areas where they’ll likely be aghast is our treatment of those who . . . . Continue Reading »

There are a number of my friends—hard-working, hard-drinking, adventure-loving men—who would be envious of the New Zealanders who have what they’d consider the greatest job on earth: Whiskey Driller . A team of New Zealanders is preparing to drill in Antarctica in the New Year, and . . . . Continue Reading »

I have a confession to make: Often when I read Christian blogs (including this one) I have absolutely no idea what in the world the people are talking about. No clue. At all.Maybe it’s that despite being an evangelical for over thirty years I still don’t quite comprehend evangelicalese . . . . Continue Reading »

Australian publication Investigate and the Australian Herald-Sun are reporting that leaked e-mails expose a conspiracy to hide detrimental information from the public that argues against global warming: The internet is on fire this morning with confirmation computers at one of the world’s . . . . Continue Reading »

The Manhattan Declaration is a 4,732-word statement signed by a movement of Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders who are collaborating around moral issues of great concern. Its signers affirm the sanctity of human life, marriage as defined by the union of one man and one woman, and . . . . Continue Reading »

The Manhattan Declaration is a 4,732-word statement signed by a movement of Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders who are collaborating around moral issues of great concern. Its signers affirm the sanctity of human life, marriage as defined by the union of one man and one woman, and . . . . Continue Reading »

In 1980 in the Christian Science Monitor coined the acronym NIMBY—Not In My Back Yard—to describe opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development close to them (Nimbies are people who oppose such developments). In America, Nimbies typically oppose subsidized housing, halfway . . . . Continue Reading »

[Note: Every Friday on First Thoughts we host heated, half-serious, half-cocked arguments about some aspect of pop culture. Today’s theme is spiritually significant films. Have a suggestion for a topic? Send them to me at jcarter@firstthings.com ] I’m a sucker for movies, lists, and . . . . Continue Reading »