{"id":7679,"date":"2025-05-16T17:59:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T00:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/?p=7679"},"modified":"2025-05-16T17:59:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T00:59:55","slug":"things-glen-found-interesting-volume-504-ai-caution-christian-racial-dynamics-and-usa-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2025\/05\/16\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-504-ai-caution-christian-racial-dynamics-and-usa-europe","title":{"rendered":"Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 504: AI Caution, Christian Racial Dynamics, and USA &gt; Europe."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4396\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/issachar-update-logo-wordswag.png?w=1680&amp;ssl=1 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\"><\/a>\n\n    On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions. If you read something fascinating please pass it my&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things Glen Found Interesting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/croissanthology.com\/earring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Whispering Earring<\/a> (Scott Alexander): \u201cThe earring is a little topaz tetrahedron dangling from a thin gold wire. When worn, it whispers in the wearer\u2019s ear: \u2018Better for you if you take me off.\u2019 If the wearer ignores the advice, it never again repeats that particular suggestion.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A brief story.  10\/10 recommend. You should all read this. It is a few years old yet you will find it timely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/10\/opinion\/pornhub-children-documents.html?unlocked_article_code=1.H08.gr3n.--nQRO4VzcFY&amp;smid=url-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">These Internal Documents Show Why We Shouldn\u2019t Trust Porn Companies<\/a> (Nicholas Kristof, New York Times): \u201cWhat goes through the minds of people working at porn companies profiting from videos of children being raped? Thanks to a filing error in a Federal District Court in Alabama, releasing thousands of pages of internal documents from Pornhub that were meant to be sealed, we now know.\u2026 Internal memos seem to show executives obsessed with making money by attracting the biggest audiences they could, pedophiles included. In one memo, Pornhub managers proposed words to be banned from video descriptions \u2014 such as \u2018infant\u2019 and \u2018kiddy\u2019 \u2014 while recommending that the site continue to allow \u2018brutal,\u2019 \u2018childhood,\u2019 \u2018force,\u2019 \u2018snuffs,\u2019 \u2018unwilling,\u2019 \u2018minor\u2019 and \u2018wasted.\u2019 One internal note says that a person who posted a sexual video of a child shouldn\u2019t be banned from the site because \u2018the user made&nbsp;money.\u2019\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is a distressing read. Kristof has been persistent on this issue and it is much to his credit. Unlocked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mereorthodoxy.com\/real-origins-christian-right\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Were the Real Origins of the Christian Right?<\/a> (Daniel K. Williams, Mere Orthodoxy): \u201cThere\u2019s a better way to tell the story of the Christian Right\u2019s origins that makes sense of all the data \u2013 the timing of the Christian Right\u2019s formation, the commitment of evangelicals to the Republican Party, and even the enthusiasm of evangelical voters for Donald Trump.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The author is a history professor at Ashland University.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/2025\/05\/early-black-evangelicals-great-awakening\/?utm_medium=widgetsocial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Battle That Shaped Black Evangelicals<\/a> (Jessica Janvier, Christianity Today): \u201cIn universities, the history of the early Black church found a home in Africana studies, which focused more on the growth of Christianity among Black people and less on the type of Christianity they practiced. In contrast, the written history of early evangelicalism predominantly followed the lives of its white leaders and subscribers. But even though we\u2019ve inherited segregated stories, history paints a picture of an integrated story in which Black evangelicals always existed.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/thedispatch.com\/article\/united-states-wealth-europe-gdp-prosperity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Continental Divide<\/a> (Yascha Mounk, The Dispatch): \u201cToday, to an extent that few people on either continent have fully internalized, a significant economic gulf separates America and Europe. On average, Americans are now nearly twice as rich as Europeans.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A thoughtful article that anticipates and effectively responds to the most common objections to its thesis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/14\/technology\/chatgpt-college-professors.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Professors Are Using ChatGPT, and Some Students Aren\u2019t Happy About It<\/a> (Kashmir Hill, New York Times): \u201cThe Times contacted dozens of professors whose students had mentioned their A.I. use in online reviews.\u2026 There was no consensus among them as to what was acceptable. Some acknowledged using ChatGPT to help grade students\u2019 work; others decried the practice. Some emphasized the importance of transparency with students when deploying generative A.I., while others said they didn\u2019t disclose its use because of students\u2019 skepticism about the technology. Most, however, felt that Ms. Stapleton\u2019s experience at Northeastern \u2014 in which her professor appeared to use A.I. to generate class notes and slides \u2014 was perfectly fine.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/15\/opinion\/rejection-college-youth.html?unlocked_article_code=1.H08.yBwg.FgvqR18_e-Qr&amp;smid=url-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018We Are the Most Rejected Generation\u2019<\/a> (David Brooks, New York Times): \u201c\u2026I had phone conversations with current college students and recent graduates, focusing on elite schools where I assumed the ethos of exclusion might be strongest. I asked the students if the \u2018most rejected generation\u2019 thesis resonated with them. Every single one said it did. Several of them told me that they had thought that once they got into a superselective college, the rat race would be over. On the contrary, the Hunger Games had just&nbsp;begun.\u201d&nbsp;<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unlocked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Less Serious Things Which Also Interested\/Amused Glen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list simple-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/babylonbee.com\/news\/new-pope-now-second-most-influential-christian-named-bob\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Pope Now Second-Most Influential Christian Named \u2018Bob\u2019<\/a> (Babylon Bee)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smbc-comics.com\/comic\/conversion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Novel Direction for Trolley Problems<\/a> (SMBC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/xkcd.com\/3089\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Modern<\/a> (xkcd)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/05\/10\/pope-salary-income-tax-us\/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=facebook,twitter&amp;utm_medium=social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Even as pope, Leo XIV might have to deal with U.S. tax returns<\/a> (Victoria Craw &amp; Julie Zauzmer Weil, Washington Post): \u201cThe United States generally requires all citizens to file an annual tax return, even those who live out of the country. But assuming he doesn\u2019t renounce his U.S. citizenship, Leo \u2014 born in the Chicago area and known until this week as Robert Prevost \u2014 has special tax considerations, both as a clergyman and now as the head of a foreign government.\u2026 it\u2019s possible the IRS will issue a private letter specifically addressing his situation. Or Congress might even pass a law spelling out the tax situation of the first American pope, Walczak speculated.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Why Do You Send This&nbsp;Email?<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the time of King David, the tribe of Issachar produced shrewd warriors \u201cwho understood the times and knew what Israel should do\u201d (1 Chron 12:32). In a similar way, we need to become wise people whose faith interacts with the world. I pray this email gives you greater insight, so that you may continue the tradition of Issachar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Disclaimer<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chi Alpha is not a partisan organization. To paraphrase another minister: we are not about the donkey\u2019s agenda and we are not about the elephant\u2019s agenda \u2014 we are about the Lamb\u2019s agenda. Having said that, I read widely (in part because I believe we should aspire to pass <a href=\"http:\/\/econlog.econlib.org\/archives\/2011\/06\/the_ideological.html\">the ideological Turing test<\/a> and in part because I do not believe I can fairly say \u201cI agree\u201d or \u201cI disagree\u201d until I can say \u201cI understand\u201d) and may at times share articles that have a strong partisan bias simply because I find the article stimulating. The upshot: you should not assume I agree with everything an author says in an article I mention, much less things the author has said in other articles (although if I strongly disagree with something in the article I\u2019ll usually mention it). And to the extent you can discern my opinions, please understand that they are my own and not necessarily those of Chi Alpha or any other organization I may be perceived to represent.\n\nAlso, remember that I\u2019m not reporting news \u2014 I\u2019m giving you a selection of things I found interesting. There\u2019s a lot happening in the world that\u2019s not making an appearance here because I haven\u2019t found stimulating articles written about it.\n\nIf this was forwarded to you and you want to receive future emails, sign up <a href=\"https:\/\/theglendavis.substack.com\/\">here<\/a>. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/category\/links\">view the archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Fridays I share articles\/resources about broad cultural, societal and theological issues. Be sure to see the explanation and disclaimers at the bottom. I welcome your suggestions. If you read something fascinating please pass it my&nbsp;way. Things Glen Found Interesting Less Serious Things Which Also Interested\/Amused Glen Why Do You Send This&nbsp;Email? In the time \u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/archives\/2025\/05\/16\/things-glen-found-interesting-volume-504-ai-caution-christian-racial-dynamics-and-usa-europe\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> \u201cThings Glen Found Interesting, Volume 504: AI Caution, Christian Racial Dynamics, and USA &gt; Europe.\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[16],"tags":[219,240,226,160,136,116,247],"class_list":["post-7679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-links","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-elite-colleges","tag-europe","tag-how-the-church-is-perceived","tag-pornography","tag-race","tag-wisdom"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6Ded-1ZR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7679"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7679\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7680,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7679\/revisions\/7680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glenandpaula.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}