Articles
“Listening to Young Atheists,” Larry in The Atlantic
“Church became all about ceremony, handholding, and kumbaya,” Phil said with a look of disgust. “I missed my old youth pastor. He actually knew the Bible.” I have known a lot of atheists. The late Christopher Hitchens was a friend with whom I debated, road tripped, and even had a
Trump is right, Newsweek. Socialism doesn’t work, Larry in Fox News
On Tuesday, President Trump addressed the United Nations and shocking to no one save Left-of-center news agencies, he expressed his strong belief in his own economic policies; in America—its people, way of life, and the Constitution which governs it; and in business enterprise as a path to freedom and prosperity. Trump’s
Imagining Bill Belichick analyzing film of the Left’s strategy, Larry in Fox News
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was the man I’d been looking for. I needed keen insights, and only he could provide them. Belichick was famous for analyzing the game film of opposing teams, identifying their strategies and beating them. His team, once again, was about to play in
The forgotten Christians of Nigeria — faithful while enduring incredible persecution, Larry in Fox News
“Don’t go. I swore I would never go back there,” came the voice of my friend Jay Smith on a trans-Atlantic Skype call. “I’ve been in over sixty countries. I’ve been all over Africa. I lived there, and I’ve never felt unsafe the way I did in that country. There is something
Happiness Depends on Freedom, and Freedom Depends on Courage, Larry in The American Spectator
The absence of signage made finding it a challenge. It was a steamy-hot summer day on Okinawa. Leaving the comfortable air conditioning of the taxi, my sunglasses immediately fogged-up. As a native of the American South, I am used to heat and humidity, but this was something different. Half an
Don Lemon Was Not the First to Make the Trump-Is-Like-Hitler Comparison, Larry in The American Spectator
Remember when Hank Williams Jr. was fired from his Monday Night Football gig when he compared then President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler? This led Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood to sing “You can’t compare the president to Hitler!” in their opening to the 2011 Country Music Awards. Apparently, Brad
They Didn’t Do It for Medals, Larry in The American Spectator
Only you — only you! — could manage to get shot in the ass!” The year was 1987. A group of middle-aged men sat under the umbrellas at the cheap fiberglass tables of the Holiday Inn in Columbus, Georgia not far from Fort Benning. They deserved a Ritz-Carlton, but this would have
(Don’t) Grab Life by the Ball: How Dodgeball is Destroying Western Civilization, Larry in USA Today
Do you remember PE as a kid? In my day, we were required to learn a spectrum of sports and their rules. Baseball, basketball, wrestling, flag football, volleyball, trampoline, track and, at the end of the year, we competed for the coveted President’s Physical Fitness Award. We even boxed! On days when our coaches were not
Baptist Pastor David Platt Prays for the President – and Apologizes* for it, Larry in The American Spectator
On Sunday, the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, made an unexpected stop at Maclean Baptist Church in Washington D.C. Unlike so many of us, the President wasn’t going for the coffee and donuts. On the contrary, President Trump wanted the people of that church to pray
The abortion debate isn’t about abortion, Larry in USA Today
On a recent trip to Manhattan for a television appearance, my wife and I sat at the Tonic Bar near Times Square. With the day’s work behind us, we nibbled appetizers and had a couple of drinks as we waited for a performance of Jersey Boys. “I don’t know how
Here’s why pro-abortion supporters are so fierce (and bullying). Hint: It’s not why you think, Larry in Fox News
Following the 2016 presidential election, liberal elites wasted no time in demonizing those people populating “Red States.” Writing for The Hill, Duane Townsend was among the first to voice an opinion that has become familiar to the point of cliché: “America is held hostage by flyover states.” Townsend offered this
Did the Greatest Generation ‘fail’ us? Larry in Fox News
Did the Greatest Generation fail us? Some historians seem to think so. When I was a graduate student in history, it was my great privilege to learn from celebrated historian Forrest McDonald, a man who made his reputation trashing leftist nonsense. In guiding my thesis, he cautioned me against a
God’s Grace vs. Man’s Judgment by Lauri Taunton
Last week I wrote about wonderful truths I had learned and experienced as I walked through some hard times. I learned God can be trusted. His plan for redeeming us as broken sinners is as real as the wine and bread we partake of in holy communion. I can testify,
‘Did Islam Have Anything to Do With It?’ Larry in The American Spectator
I visited 13 sites of Islamic terrorist attacks and asked witnesses that one question. On April 7, 2017, in Stockholm, Sweden, Rakhmat Akilov, a Muslim immigrant and asylum-seeker, stole a beer truck in the heart of the city’s shopping district. Did he have a keg party in mind? No. Alcohol
Don’t underestimate millennials — here’s why I’m thinking of asking my son for a job, Larry in Fox News
Don’t underestimate millennials — here’s why I’m thinking of asking my son for a job, Larry in Fox News As my youngest son, Zachary, approached graduation last year, I felt a growing apprehension about his future, professionally speaking. Though possessed of a strong work ethic and soon to have a
How Many of History’s Famous Men Would Survive Modern Standards? Larry in The American Spectator
Social standards of our day are changing with great rapidity and are enforced with a zeal that would impress Senator Joe McCarthy. So, in the spirit of the modern, I thought it would be interesting to judge some of history’s most famous men by the zeitgeist of today. How many of them
My Take: Who would Jesus vote for? Larry in CNN
Jesus isn’t up for re-election this year. He’s an uncontested incumbent of sorts. But that hasn’t stopped presidential candidates from claiming his endorsement and hoping to ride his royal robe into the White House. They invoke his name to summon votes the way his Apostles once used it to make
“Children Aren’t Sh*t”—When the Lines are Blurred Between Animal and Human Life, Larry in The American Spectator
Last week, a woman in Coachella, California was caught on surveillance video tossing a sack full of puppies into a dumpster at a local NAPA Auto Parts store. The footage then shows a homeless man finding the puppies and retrieving them from the trash heap. The video went viral and
The Politics of Notre Dame, Larry in The American Spectator
When you heard Notre Dame was ablaze, did you think Islamic terrorism might be involved? I did. And with the origin of the fire still uncertain that remains a valid avenue of inquiry. Muslim extremists have attacked the landmark before, have threatened to attack it again, and are now gloating
Richard Dawkins: The Atheist Evangelist, Larry in By Faith Magazine
Originally Published on December 1st, 2007 Twelve years ago, Larry got the wild idea of bringing notorious atheist and Oxford evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins, to Birmingham, Alabama for a debate on the central tenets of his bestseller, The God Delusion. To his credit, Dawkins agreed, and what followed was not
With No Smoking Gun, Where Do Democrats Go Now? Larry in USA TODAY
When on May 17, 2017, the Justice Department named former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III as special counsel to oversee the investigation into the Trump campaign and possible collusion with the Russians, The New York Times virtually hailed it as a triumph of democracy. Mueller was described in the
Give them a break: Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman deserve less anger in admission scandal – Larry in USA Today
During the college admissions bribery scandal, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman could scarcely be treated worse if they were serial killers. Anyone who has ever read Dickens’s “A Tale of Two Cities” or seen one of its many film iterations can easily picture the French Revolutionary Tribunal, hissing and snarling
Vietnam: The War America Lost? I Don’t Think So. – Larry in The American Spectator
As I said in my recent article on Vietnam, this is the war we lost. Or is it? Upon arrival in Saigon, I decided to schedule a tour to explore the city. I found an individualized tour with transportation included. Local tours are helpful for a variety of reasons, but I like
Band of Brothers, Part 3
Band of Brothers, Part 3: Into the Void “On the 22nd of April 1951, 350,000 Chinese troops launched their largest offensive of the Korean War. The attack broke the 6th Republic of [South] Korea Division that retreated 21 miles, leaving the right flank of the U.S. 24th Infantry Division exposed.
Walls Make Good Neighbors — Ask South Korea
This Article Appeared On: The American Spectator. February 4, 2019 I sat half asleep in the front passenger seat of a Hyundai SUV only vaguely aware of the countryside through which we were passing. The warmth of the car and the bright sunshine belied a colder and grimmer reality. I was
“Donald Trump and the Great Evangelical Compromise,” Larry in The American Spectator
“If Hillary Clinton is elected,” began a passionate evangelical acquaintance to me over breakfast, “Christianity in America is over. America is over.” This cheery start to my morning served only to make my already burnt coffee that much more bitter. The anxiety such a statement expresses is common among evangelical
“The Religious Right Needs a New Strategy, ” Larry in The American Spectator
Last week I published a column here titled “Donald Trump and the Great Evangelical Compromise.” It created something of a stir. Studies suggest that people only read headlines or a paragraph or two, but seldom do they read whole articles and, well, I believe those studies are on to something
“Jihad in the Cathedral,” Larry in The American Spectator
On January 6th, St. Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, Scotland, hosted a guest reader for this Scottish Episcopal Church’s Feast of the Epiphany worship service. The reader was neither clergy nor Christian layman. Indeed, the reader was not a Christian at all. Moreover, the reading was not from the Bible, the
“Trump’s Promise to Keep Americans Safe,” Larry in The American Spectator
While Charles Schumer weeps and lawyers are deployed; as protesters protest and accusations fly — amidst all of the general hysteria about President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, let’s pause, take a deep breath, and for a moment consider the apparent purpose of the order itself: To keep Americans
“Leftist Anarchy, Not Trumpian Fascism, Is the Real Threat to Democracy,” Larry in The American Spectator
At this moment, I am on assignment in Europe, a continent that, like America, seems more screwed-up with every visit. To escape the insanity that threatens to engulf us all, this morning I decided to work remotely from a small French town. Hammering away on my laptop, I sat down
“The Gathering Storm,” Larry in The American Spectator
In a 1934 speech before the House of Commons, Winston Churchill said this: “Germany is arming fast, and no one is going to stop her. I dread the day when the means of threatening the heart of the British Empire should pass into the hands of the present rulers of
“America on Trial,” Larry in the American Spectator
At home it’s a show trial. What about the rest of the world? “Your graphic of the Flag of this great Nation is unacceptable,” began @ronwilliamswv’s tweet blasting me. “UnAmerican. To be cute, it is depicted as flying upside down? Awful.” “It’s not meant to be ‘cute’ or ‘unAmerican,’” I
“Tim Cook Doesn’t Care About Diversity, Let Alone Religious Freedom,” Larry in The Daily Caller
Recently I was asked to speak to a civic organization on the topic of diversity. Diversity, in the current vernacular anyway, is one of those concepts that defies a simple definition. I was looking over my notes beforehand in Starbucks trying to think of concrete examples when I saw a
“Eu’s Anti-Racism Body Wants a Media Gag Order — Does Clinton, Too?” Larry in The Daily Caller
Islam is not a religion of peace. This seems obvious to any sensible person. I said it in this article for USA Today. I said it again last year in a televised debate with Imam Zaid Shakir on Al-Jazeera America. The data bears this out. A Pew Research survey found
Political March Madness: Who Will Make The Final Four? Larry in The Daily Caller
If you are a sports fan then you know that we are in the midst of “March Madness,” that is, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. A committee picks 64 college teams and over the course of a few weeks those teams play until the field is whittled down to the
Weld Magazine article on “The Grace Effect”
Larry Taunton, founder and executive director of the Fixed Point Foundation, seemed almost breathless as he entered the Sunday school classroom at Highlands United Methodist Church to sign books and speak, passionate about the Christian principle he terms “common grace.” His book The Grace Effect spans two years, beginning and
“Bringing Jesus to the Super Bowl” USA Today
If you think the Super Bowl is just a big football game featuring large, sweaty men repeatedly colliding with one another, consider this: last year’s game drew 111.3 million viewers, making it the most watched event in U.S. television history vi— for the third year in a row. According to
“Amazon’s Faith in America,” Larry in USA Today
During the holiday season, Amazon released a new commercial. It depicts a Catholic priest and a Muslim cleric meeting for a cup of tea in what appears to be the priest’s home. It all looks very friendly with smiles, laughter, and even a close-up of the priest patting the imam’s forearm
“Islam and Christianity Are Not Comparable,” Larry in USA Today
Christians Have Waged Their Own Holy Wars” was yet another annoying headline, this one in the Miami Herald. It seems that every time someone is beheaded, shot (by children, no less), or burned alive by ISIL, there is this inevitable handwringing over the violent history of — Christianity. Confused? So am I. Precisely
“The Anti-Tebow Bias Isn’t About Football,” Larry in USA Today
How often do self-righteous football commentators have occasion to lament the behavior of modern players: Chad Johnson‘s reality show and “Ocho-Cinco” publicity stunt; Adam “Pac-Man” Jones’ nightclub incidents; Michael Vick‘s dog-fighting hobby; and the never-ending soap opera that is Brett Favre. The modern athlete is, they say, selfish, all about the money, and
“Candy-Assed Christians,” Larry in Fox News
In July 2012 I was speaking at a youth retreat in the mountains of Tennessee when I received a call from CNN. It seemed that Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy had publicly commented on the issue of same-sex marriage and now the gay mafia were out to destroy him and his
“An Evangelical Remembers His Friend Christopher Hitchens,” Larry in CNN
(CNN)– I first met Christopher Hitchens at the Edinburgh International Festival. We were both there for the same event, and foremost in my mind was the sort of man I would meet. A journalist and polemicist, his reputation as a critic of religion, politics, Britain’s royal family, and, well, just about
“When Bedford Falls Becomes Pottersville,” Larry in CNN
(CNN) – My favorite Christmas movie is, unquestionably, Frank Capra’s 1946 feel-good flick “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed play George and Mary Bailey, a happy couple living a life of genteel poverty in the small American town of Bedford Falls. George is a kind and generous man.
“The Genuine Conflict Being Ignored in the Duck Dynasty Debate” Larry in The Atlantic
Until recently, I had never seen A&E’s hit series Duck Dynasty. Given all the long beards and the “Sharp Dressed Man” opening theme song, I had mistakenly assumed it to be a reality show about ZZ Top. Judging from the headlines, however, I am in a minority. According to A&E, the series
“Christopher Hitchens and the Hound of Heaven” Brian Mattson’s review of “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” The Gospel Coalition
One difficulty reviewing Larry Alex Taunton’s new book—The Faith of Christopher Hitchens: The Restless Soul of the World’s Most Notorious Atheist—is deciding on a genre. While the back of the book categorizes it as “Biography/Autobiography/Religious,” I’ve decided it primarily belongs to a time-honored American storytelling tradition: the road trip. Christopher
Mere Orthodoxy’s review of “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens”
If Christopher Hitchens didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to invent him.” That blurb of praise from the novelist Ian McEwan may have helped to sell published collections of essays, but it turns out to be more true than its source perhaps intended. The late journalist and New Atheist kingpin
“Ye of Brittle Faith,” Larry in First Things
On December 15, 2011, Christopher Hitchens died of esophageal cancer. Some remember him as a man of the left who, after 9/11, converted to a kind of neoconservatism; others remember him as an atheist provocateur and serial blasphemer. For me, Christopher Hitchens was much more than either of these things.
Christianity Today’s “Faith and Culture” review of “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens” by Douglas Wilson
The title of this book is quite provocative, inviting a potential reader to be unsure what he is going to think about it. Everyone knows that Christopher Hitchens was the champeeeen professional wrestler of atheism—no less aggressive than one of those guys, and quite a bit more articulate. So what could possibly
New York Times review of “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens”
Of all that can transpire in a bedroom, nothing can be as titillating to the religious, or those of us who write about them, as a dying man’s conversion. Oscar Wilde’s deathbed baptism remains a coup for the Roman Catholic Church 116 years later, and an embarrassment for those who cherish his
“Super Bowl Ad Will Leave a Religious Question Unanswered,” Larry in The New York Times
The New York Times: If you watch one football game all year, it will probably be Sunday’s Super Bowl. And if you happen to glance at the signs held up in the end zone, at least one will probably say “John 3:16.” It is a reference to a Bible verse: “For