For a century the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has molded boys into men with character and a vow to remain “morally straight.” Over 50 percent of American men have participated in the Scouts, and they are more likely to be successful in life than those who did not (Values of Scouting, May 2005). In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling supporting the BSA’s prohibition of homosexual volunteers and scouts.

How often do people feel tempted to compromise in order to live in peace? Sometimes, when disagreements arise, everyone involved agrees to give a little in order to reach the ultimate goal—or sometimes just to break even. Regrettably, when we compromise moral principles to this end, the result is often frustration and failure in the long term. Do we see this happening in our lives today? Are there principles worth preserving as though they were carved into a solid stone slab?

The Vatican has long desired to gain control of Jerusalem and is patiently working towards this end.  Now, “Israel has granted the pope an official seat in the room where the Last Supper is believed to have taken place, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem” (Israel Hayom, January 30, 2013). Israeli officials see this as an opportunity to bring more tourism to Jerusalem (ibid.).

One warm, humid summer evening I was watching my town’s minor league baseball team play under the lights. The stands were full of folks enjoying America’s favorite pastime in the vintage 1920s Baseball Park. Various vendors worked the stands hawking popcorn, peanuts, hotdogs, soda pop, and cold beer. One of the beer vendors, a colorful character, was carrying a full tray through the stands crying out, “Cold beer, I got cold beer!” but was not getting much attention.

Pope Benedict XVI surprised the world by announcing his resignation, effective later this month. The first papal resignation since 1415 leaves many questioning, “What’s next?”