Pastor Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church recently interviewed Rod Dreher about his latest book, Live Not By Lies. The heart of this excellent interview is a phenomenon we are seeing but don't always want to acknowledge: we are living in a time of soft totalitarianism. Those who have been blessed to live in the USA all their lives are often not as quick to recognize this as those who have come from communist nations.

When the Equitable Restrooms bill was introduced in Springfield, a familiar pattern started to emerge. As IFI readers know, HB1286 legalizes “all-gender, multiple-occupancy restrooms” in sporting complexes, stadiums, entertainment centers, conference centers, and other big venues in Illinois. Yes, “all-gender” is just what it sounds like – males and females using the same multiple-occupancy restroom at the same time, anytime. There are urinals and stalls and partitions.

With the vast number of books, movies, and songs written commiserating the consequences of bad choices (which would include most every Country and Western song written), one would think that young Americans would not need to be told to think carefully about their choices in life.  A popular British band sang, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” not that long ago, but America’s youth apparently never got the memo! 

It is simple: good people don't commit murder. Murderers do!  Multiple mass shootings over the last few years, and especially recently, have caused a great sense of frustration among citizens, yet the only message coming from some politicians is about reducing the number of guns in society. They never address the fundamental issue which is that guns in the hands of good people never cause a problem, and in fact often save lives. Yet law abiding citizens are always the target of Leftists’ gun control laws. 

The Associated Press Stylebook, a preeminent reference guide for English grammar and journalistic principles and style—used by both educators and journalists—has chosen some eyebrow-raising guidelines for how reporters ought to address the topic of abortion in their reports. These guidelines show us, on a much more subtle level, how fiddling with words is fiddling with minds. Let's look at one specific example in detail: the difference between "unborn baby" and "fetus."

The high incarceration rate in America has raised many questions over the years and is one reason used by the Left for demanding radical changes to or even a dismantling of the Nation. They sometimes try to blame America’s Judeo/Christian...

It’s as if Satan is coming out in full force, red tights and all – if not literally, then metaphorically. What else can be said of the performance of “Unholy” at the Grammy Awards this past Sunday night?

In the wake of SCOTUS decision to strike down Roe v. Wade and the so-called "right" to abortion, we praise God for how dozens of states in the nation have moved to ban or greatly restrict this heinous practice. In blue states like Illinois however, those who love death are busy establishing new death chambers, expanding to strategic new locations and inviting people over the state line to destroy innocent human life. As we once again recognize Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (January 22, 2023), Christ followers must respond intentionally, bringing both salt and light to this desperate situation.

Lawyers for Mark Houck, a pro-life father of seven being prosecuted by the Biden administration, dropped bombshell evidence in defense of the pro-life advocate at a January 17, 2023, pretrial hearing in Philadelphia. Thomas More Society attorneys produced new evidence – never before considered by a federal court – that when the United States Congress passed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, it expressly intended to exclude so-called “escorts” operating outside of abortion facilities from being encompassed by the FACE Act.

The famous quote often misattributed to Albert Einstein defines insanity as “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Living as Christians in the rebellious state of Illinois often feels like we are surrounded by insanity.

I am hearing that December was Chicago’s coldest month in about forty years. It was bitter! But it is not just this winter I feel is cold, it is winter in general. Having spent several years in Alaska as a boy, cold did not affect me much until recently, as my age caught up with me. Lately, I have been looking at winter a little differently, and realized that it is like an annual message from God.

IFI was honored to secure an interview with theologian, pastor, and author Dr. Carl Trueman earlier this year. In this interview with moderator Pastor Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church, Dr. Trueman is asked a pressing question– “How did we get here?” Dr. Trueman tracks the intellectual genealogy of how the culture has come to the current position that it finds itself in. 

Christians who care about America’s future will seek to increase our individual devotion to God, as well as our collective obedience to Bible teachings. But now an alarm is raised, claiming that Christians who believe this, and who act on it, are actually dire threats to society.

Next to Jesus Christ and “love,” Christmas is probably the most popular theme for music.  For most Americans, Christmas has been, as the song says, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”  But why is this so?

If you are a follower of Jesus today, what kind of person were you before you knew the Lord? Perhaps you were raised in the faith and, as far back as you can remember, you always loved the Lord. 

But others, like me, can sing, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me” – with an emphasis on that word wretch.