Jonathan McNair

How can anyone explain the popularity of the recent bestseller book series, Fifty Shades of Grey, and the subsequent movie? Though the books and movie portray a value system that would seem alien to any sincerely practicing Christian, polls show that the book has been read by as many as nine percent of American women who call themselves Christian. What is the appeal? Could it be, at least in part, that the very premise of the title—"shades of grey"—captures the worldly human desire to see right and wrong not as absolute, but as situational and relative?

For most young people today, church and religion has little importance in daily life. Compared to school, social media, popular entertainment, sports and other diversions, church is neither attractive nor relevant.

From the beginning of mankind’s history, we have not liked rules. And we often deceive ourselves, not by saying a rule is bad, but by convincing ourselves that we are an exception to the rule.

Most young people are interested in new: new styles, new trends, new music, new technology. In those realms, “old” is rarely if ever “cool.”  But what about people? Are any “old people” an important part of your life? If not, why not? And how can the “old” benefit the young?