New paper alert. We used a large, diverse sample of U.S. adults to look for commonalities among dozens of religion/spirituality items. The goal is to identify domains of R/S measurement and recommend a short-list of R/S items for future studies. psycnet.apa.org/search/displ...

Colleges and universities: If you're not going all in on AI guardrails you are failing the future of America.

So, to be clear, we're doing everything we can to give millions of jobs to soulless machines as rapidly as possible while simultaneously waging war on govt food and health programs?

Hallelujah. My kids' school.

The CSU system is being forced into a partnership with OpenAI. Time to find a liberal arts college dedicated to person-to-person learning. Students who avoid AI will be in demand in the coming years; they will be better prepared to lead than those knee-capped by tech dependency.

If the Supreme Court guts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, they will be giving tacit permission to deny adequate political representation for the descendants of people forcibly brought to this country.

Don't overlook that every time the press secretary uses Obama's middle name, the purpose is to stoke racial resentment.

You have to see it to believe it. 22% favor repeal of the 19th and 21% adoption of a household vote (weighted). Those %s grow rapidly among complementarians - rising to 50% of men comps (30% of women comps) favoring a household vote; 42% of men comps (28% of women comps) favor repeal of the 19th.

From my #sociologyonthe101 videos: Deviance, Labeling & No Kings Rally. www.instagram.com/reel/DQCYw_a...

WHAT TRUMP SHOULD HAVE SAID: "As the leader of all Americans, it's hard to see so many upset people. I'm planning to review concerns and work to address what I can." We should reward politicians who speak like this. His base should expect this. All Americans should expect this.

It's so foolish to argue that just bc protests could occur w/o hindrance that means Trump is not a threat to democracy. It would be like saying just bc the cancer hasn't spread, there is no cancer. We want to heal the disease *before* it becomes untreatable. That's the point.

Some argue the protests are attended by mostly older people. If this were true (not sure it is) it would partly be bc they remember a different time. My college students have grown up with this nonsense. It's normal to them. So yes, older people need to show up and teach them.

A true President, who serves all Americans, would listen to themes of these protests and work to solve problems through compromise. That kind of leadership takes intelligence, wisdom, and courage.

You won't regret listening to this cover by one of my students. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgyA...

If you're interested in connecting on Substack please follow this link! substack.com/@blakevictor...

Hey friends, just a note that I'll be releasing videos on Instagram (also cross-posted) with the title Sociology on the 101. Basically, me having thoughts while I drive to and from work :) If you find these helpful please like and share. Thanks! @blakevictorkent on all platforms

If you're taking cues from the ruling political class on virtue or the Christian life, you're being deceived on a massive scale.

New Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Leo well worth meditation and study. ewtnvatican.com/articles/ful...

TPUSA: Charlie Kirk was not racist. Also TPUSA: We're making an alternative half time show for Americans. BB is American, just not the right kind of American. The rot in this movement is deep.

Visited Dream City Church today where Pastor Luke Barnett said the devil tried to kill him in a hiking accident after he agreed to start hosting Charlie Kirk and TPUSA Freedom Night in America in 2020.

You can either be the person who looks back and says "Oh my gosh how did we get here??" (when it's too late) or the person who looks ahead and says "I know where we need to go" (while there's still a chance).

Stop normalizing AI. Nothing is inevitable. The world is what we choose it to be.

It's delusional to think good, moral people who make decisions that are in the best interest of the common people will always be in charge in this country. Add in the coming power hungry AI-surveillance state and pretty soon almost all of us are going to wake up having lost.

TRUTH is the antidote.

"The way of Jesus hasn't been tried and found wanting, it has been found hard and left untried." -Chesterton

Perhaps the most patriotic thing one could do at this point in time is delete social media and spend time in their community.

No one is worried about an army marching through the land following the teachings of Jesus. That would actually be pretty awesome. Question is: Do they actually *know* and *live* the teachings of Jesus? Like, the *actual* teachings?

Our country desperately needs EQUAL STANDARDS. You fire someone on the progressive side for X, you better also fire the guy on the conservative side for X. If not, it's no longer about truth and we all lose.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think a lot of the "brutally honest," "belligerent," & "opinionated" men out there on the Christian right are undiagnosed autistic dudes who mistake their autistic traits for unimpeachable righteousness. [Stated as someone with ASD.]

In the wake of all *this* it has become all the more clear many Christians in America view themselves in deeply political terms. There are political implications of belief, of course, but political identity as primary is so loud right now.

Much of the current discourse is driven by reactions to changing US demographics. By 2050 whites will not be the majority (the "majority-minorty" shift). This moment is actually a good opportunity for honest self-reflection on how you feel about that shift, and why. 1/2

Prayer Intensifies Political Violence "…rather than de-escalating conflict, prayer functions to intensify political struggle by framing it as a divinely mandated battle, lowering the moral barriers to violence, and embedding political aggression within a sacred framework." 👉 doi.org/10.1080/0954...

Proverbs 11:1 The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him. We desperately need to recall that all are accountable to the same standards, Right or Left. Honesty. Patience. Integrity. Confession of wrong-doing. These virtues must be reclaimed.

There are influential people making comments today that are making political and racial tensions worse, and those that are trying to make them better. Support the latter, and scroll past the former.

It's much easier to fight than make peace. Visionary leadership inspires. Weak leadership spirals.

Love your enemy. Do good to those who persecute you.

Merton's Theory of Unanticipated Consequence of Purposive Action, in a nutshell: Our purposeful actions have unintended consequences. Key culprits are IGNORANCE, ERROR, SHORT-TERM THINKING, and DOGMATISM. 🤔🤔🤔

Later today we're going to find out that TAMU has fired several foreign language professors for violating Trump's order that English is the official language of the United States.

To the folks who say we can arrest our way out of our problems, I paraphrase Mencken: for every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.

This morning's read. Check out that subtitle 👀

American Christians: Abandon this wayward vampire feeding on the integrity of our faith NOW. Pray for him personally, but abandon him politically.

When Sparkle Sooknanan ruled against Trump on the Guatemala issue, they railed that someone foreign-born shouldn't be a federal judge. When Joseph Ladapo, the foreign-born surgeon General of Florida, eliminated vaccine mandates, they cheered.

Mail-in voting is not corrupt. Trump invented voter fraud in 2020. Mail-in voting is not corrupt. Trump invented voter fraud in 2020. Mail-in voting is not corrupt. Trump invented voter fraud in 2020. Mail-in voting is not corrupt. Trump invented voter fraud in 2020.

Remember Trump Air? "Its aircraft were newly painted in white livery and the interiors redecorated with such features as maple wood veneer, chrome seat belt latches, and gold colored lavatory fixtures." This obsession with gold bathrooms and failed businesses is embarrassing.

MAGA Protestants: Catholicism is a lie - how could the Pope be infallible - he can't just declare what is true! Also MAGA Protestants: Trust in Trump! Everything he says is true! The courts can go to h*ll.

The rise of unaccountable "influencers" has got to be one of the most damaging features of contemporary society.

Whatever is true, noble, lovely, admirable, think about these things.

Attended the funeral of my sister-in-law's father today. An incredible man from the Philippines who blessed many people throughout his life, such heartfelt testimonies. He brought generosity, kindness, and dedication to these shores.

If you think MAGA is going to come to their senses, go back and read about the 10 plagues in Exodus 7-12. 9 brutal plagues come and go with no "lightbulb" going on. Finally, the firstborn are killed, so Pharaoh lets the people go. But then immediately changes his mind. That's MAGA. MAGA is Pharaoh.