The Foundations of Charity
The earthquake in Haiti earlier this year and subsequent devastation there resulted in what has now become a familiar response—the giving of large sums of money to provide humanitarian relief.
Is God Green?
Environmentalism is the subject of ongoing heated debate all over the globe. But let’s set aside the political and commercial aspects of the discussion in order to ask, Where does God stand on the issue?
Depression
Health professionals around the world are increasingly concerned about the growing incidence of depression. While new approaches to treatment appear promising, can this debilitating condition be prevented in the first place?
AIDS: Global Response on World AIDS Day 2008
December 1 marked World AIDS Day, a day in which people around the world reflect on this global scourge and on the progress that has been made to date in the fight against the deadly HIV virus. According to the World Health Organization, more than 3 million people are living with HIV and AIDS today.
Special Report: Enslaved
The United Nations has designated December 2 as The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, and according to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, this means slavery in all its forms. Unfortunately, despite all efforts to the contrary, human exploitation shows no sign of abating.
The Good Reader
According to writer and philosopher A. C. Grayling, reading can be better appreciated by taking a historical look at the subject. He suggests that societal concerns about its future just add to society’s many excuses to worry and are based upon an assumption that reading has been a pillar of society throughout human history.
Child Soldiers
The majority of wars today are intrastate conflicts fought with small arms. And the disturbing news is that wherever such conflicts take place, many of those fighting are children.
Media Exposed
Book Review: Flat Earth News. Nick Davies. 2008. Chatto & Windus, London. 408 pages. An award-winning reporter exposes falsehood, distortion and propaganda in the global media.
Disaster Capitalism
Book Review: Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Klein’s left-leaning political ideals are well known, and her book has received its fair share of criticism, mostly from those who object to her aggressive tone. The Shock Doctrine does suffer from overstatement, and at times it seems her probing enthusiasm stretches too far to fit examples to her thesis.
The Value of Western Values
In the post-colonial backlash and in the face of increasing Muslim and other non-Western influence in Europe, a clash of cultures has emerged.
Rights vs. Responsibilities
Rights have never been so extensively defined as today. But what happens when the perceived rights of two individuals or groups clash? Is there any basis for resolution?
Nuclear Terrorism: A Very Real Threat
Although terrorism isn’t the only reason to fear nuclear weapons, most experts agree that the possibility these weapons may fall into the hands of terrorists poses the greatest world threat.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
One hundred and forty years ago January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln presented the American people with the proclamation of emancipation that freed the slaves in the Confederate states.
Customers as Commodities
Book Review: Consuming Life by Zygmunt Bauman. 2007. Polity Press, Cambridge, U.K. 168 pages. The notion of customer, according to Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, has changed dramatically. Today the customer has become the commodity; it is now the customer, the person, that is being bought and sold.
A Quest to Free the World of Slavery
Book Review: Ending Slavery: How We Free Today’s Slaves. Kevin Bales. 2007. University of California Press Berkley and Los Angeles, California. 261 pages.
What Are the 21st Century's Social Evils?
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has launched an 18-month investigation of the 21st century’s social issues.
The Influence of Affluence
As a veritable cascade of material wealth floods much of the globe, many wonder why they do not feel any happier or more content with life.
Islamist Extremism—Bred Not Inherited?
Book Review: Breeding Bin Ladens: America, Islam, and the Future of Europe. Zachary Shore. John Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. 240 pages.
Video Gaming: Harmless Hobby or Health Hazard?
It may come as a shock to realize that video gaming is almost 50 years old! Since then video games have proliferated in number, type and media. The increasingly graphic and gratuitous violence of some games has led to various attempts, most notably in the U.S., to proscribe certain types of violence: such as torture, mutilation, cannibalism and sexual violence.
Repercussions of Revenge
Book Review: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Ishmael Beah. 2007. Sarah Crichton Books, New York.
The Challenge of Affluence
Those of us in the developed world are increasingly prosperous and enjoy a level of affluence unknown to previous generations. But do abundant choices and material goods make us any happier?
A Painful Secret
Elder abuse is a growing problem everywhere, according to the World Health Organization and other agencies. Why is it so prevalent, and what can be done about it?
Down to Slavery
The year 2007 marks the 200th anniversary of British and American legislation outlawing human trafficking. Yet, in those nations and throughout the world, slavery and the slave trade are flourishing realities.
Special Report: Human Trafficking
Worldwide Slavery and human trafficking are increasing dramatically. Vision takes an in-depth look at this growing plague and interviews some victims and experts on what can be done to end it.
A Legacy of Luck
Studies in the U.S. show that gambling is increasingly a problem both for individuals and for communities. Why, then, is legalized gambling on the rise?
The Prince and the Poker Player
Fascination with poker is growing everywhere, and with it, some rather Machiavellian ideas.
Final Solutions, Part 2
Vision publisher David Hulme continues his discussion with three historians and a filmmaker about the Holocaust. How could it have occurred, and could it ever happen again? Roundtable discussion with Christopher Browning, Sir Ian Kershaw, Steven Ozmont and Arnold Schwartzman.
Final Solutions, Part 1
Vision publisher David Hulme talks with three historians and a filmmaker about the Holocaust. How could it have occurred, and could it ever happen again?
The Moral of the Story
Fairy tales have clearly evolved over the centuries. And the changing tales say a lot about the changing times.
Are Men Anti-Church?
The absence of men in churches is not a new phenomenon. Several scholars and church leaders have noticed and addressed the trend.
Lest We Forget
As the world recalls the end of World War II, Vision examines Adolf Hitler's rise to power, the unprecedented cruelty he unleashed, and the lessons to be remembered.
Daily Devotion: The Legacy of the Protestant Work Ethic
The Western world's obsession with work has a long history. But on what is it founded?
Off to Work
Book Review: Blood, Sweat and Tears: The Evolution of Work by Richard Donkin; The Working Life: The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work by Joanne B. Ciulla; Beyond the Bottom Line: The Search for Dignity at Work by Paula M. Rayman.
Time to Eat
An Italian food critic's joke has spawned a serious worldwide movement opposing fast food.
Refashioning Propriety
Is the current trend toward more modest clothing a sign of changing values?
Europe's State of Mind
Will the European Dream supplant the American Dream as the dominant social force shaping the world? Vision puts the question to noted author and social critic Jeremy Rifkin.
In the Bully's-Eye
Bullying is not limited to physical violence. Victims are usually reluctant to tell school officials or even their own parents.
Enough Is Enough
Book Review: An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America by Gary Cross; Dematerializing: Taming the Power of Possessions by Jane Hammerslough; The High Price of Materialism by Tim Kasser.
Changing the “Self” in “Self-Esteem”
You may have to lose yourself to find true self-worth.
Whatever Happened to Childhood?
What can parents do to shield children from the pressure to grow up too fast?
Feminism: The Complementary Angle
Does equality have to mean sameness, or can men and women capitalize on their differences to create synergy between the sexes?
A Turn for the Better
Are mental and emotional health better served by ignoring a guilty conscience or by yielding to it?
What's Good About Greed?
Greed is as old as human history. Enough, it seems, is seldom enough.
Our Appetite for Aggression
“You are what you eat.” The proverb is not just about our diets; it's also true of what we put into our minds. A quick look at the latest movie guide, television listing or video-game store offers ample evidence that children are at serious risk of being malnourished or even poisoned in this regard.
Turning Points
September 11, 2001: A date for most that was a kind of turning point, a hinge of history. “Nothing will ever be the same again.”
Reality Bites
A new genre of television programming is reminiscent of an ancient manifestation of human nature's dark side.
The Cult of “St. Elvis”
Twenty-five years after his death, the king of rock and roll is still the object of reverence and adulation. Why?
The Splice of Life: Sex in the 21st Century
Will biotechnology change our views on sex and procreation?
Rights vs Responsibilities
In a world that clamors for ever more extensive rights, it seems we have forgotten our responsibilities.
Taming the Monster Inside Us
Vision publisher David Hulme interviews author Jonathan Glover about his book Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century. Glover is director of the Center of Medical Law and Ethics at King's College, London.
The Violent Heart
Despite our best efforts toward peace, the story of humanity is in large part the story of animosity and violence. What is it about people that leads them to treat one another as adversaries?
Can Civilization Collapse?
The Bible says it can. But if it does, then what?
Legislating Morality
What's at the heart of moral regeneration?
Thinking Between the Lines
Deceptions, hoaxes and urban legends abound. Here's how you can avoid being taken in by them.
Ethical Jazz or Moral Cacophony?
Recently an Anglican bishop advanced the idea of "godless morality". Is such a concept realistic?
George Washington Carver
Can the life of a humble teacher of botany who lived at a much simpler time offer insight for a world caught up in the fast-paced information age?
Rediscovering Leadership: Service Versus Self-Interest
At some point every one of us has the opportunity to lead. What are the principles that enable us to lead with the interests of others foremost in mind?
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