Unemployment Rate At A Record Low: We call it Good News Friday because it’s a chance for David and Tim to share some good news from across the nation and around the world. We don”€™t often hear good news from the media, but here on WallBuilders Live, we are about to share with you just some of the good things happening right now. In this episode, we talk about how a Stanford Study shows that the most religious kids did best in school! Fourteen states hit record-low unemployment! And much more!

Air Date: 05/11/2018

On-air Personalities: David Barton, Rick Green, and Tim Barton

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Transcription note:  As a courtesy for our listeners’ enjoyment, we are providing a transcription of this podcast. Transcription will be released shortly. However, as this is transcribed from a live talk show, words and sentence structure were not altered to fit grammatical, written norms in order to preserve the integrity of the actual dialogue between the speakers. Additionally, names may be misspelled or we might use an asterisk to indicate a missing word because of the difficulty in understanding the speaker at times. We apologize in advance.

Faith And The Culture

Rick:

You”€™ve found your way to the intersection of faith and the culture. This is WallBuilders Live where we talk about today’s hottest topics on policy and faith in the culture. But we always do that from a particular perspective. Here’s what it is – it’s a biblical, historical, and constitutional, perspective. You use those three perspectives you’re going to get the right position on any issue of the day and that’s how we do it here at WallBuilders Live.

We’re here with David Barton, America’s premier historian and the founder of WallBuilders. Tim Barton”€™s with us, he”€™s a national speaker, pastor, and president of WallBuilders. My name is Rick Green, I’m a former Texas legislator.

You can find out more about us and the program at WallBuildersLive.c0m. And that’s also where you can get past programs. So, if this is the first time you’ve tuned into WallBuilders, you like what you hear today. In fact, you’re going to get some good news today and you want more of that, just go to WallBuildersLive.com. click on the archive section, and you can listen to the recent programs over the past few weeks and months.

I mentioned it’s Friday, Good News Friday is what we call it here around WallBuilders and it’s a chance for us to catch up on a lot of the good things that have happened in the culture. Yes, yes, there’s a lot of good things happening in the culture. I know there are bad things too. It’s not that we ignore those things, we tend to do the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – all of it on WallBuilders Live. But we like to emphasize the good on Fridays so that you know and we can remind ourselves that there are victories, that the system does work when we work the system, and God is still moving in America.

Now, part of that movement requires us as individuals to get involved. If you go to WallBuilders.com, that’s our main website. If you go to WallBuilders.com it’ll give you the tools, it will give you what you need, to get your neighbors, and your friends, and your family, educated on these issues to be good citizens, to understand what it means to preserve liberty. Not just to enjoy liberty, but to actually be part of preserving it. So, check those tools out at WallBuilders.com.

Alright, guys, I’m looking forward to some good news today. Let’s get started, David Barton first, with some good news here on Good News Friday.

How Does Religion Affect Academic Learning

David:

We’re going to California. And in California we’re going to Stanford University. By the way Stanford, is that a private school or is that a state school? Anybody know?

Rick:

Wow, I think it’s private.

David:

Is it a private school, private university? Nonetheless Stanford University and out of their graduate school of education a recent study came from Stanford. I know they are considered a very academically elite kind of university, very intellectually strong. So, they have that reputation. Whether that’s accurate or not I have no clue, but I know that they’re in that academic elite.

So, out of the School of Education they did a study that deals with academic achievement, how well students do. And they looked to see how does religion affect academic learning. They had five groups that they studied. This is how they divided the kids up. I thought these titles were interesting. Concerning religious, how you want to say practice maybe, they have what are called the abiders, the adapters, the assenters, the avoiders, and the atheists – atheists self-defining.

So, those – no God, no religion. On the opposite end of that are the abiders. And that means you abide by your faith, you practice your faith, you are active in your faith, you really believe it and you live it out. Then below that is the adaptors. Okay, they adapt some things in their life to their faith, but they’re not as strong as the abiders. Those that are in the middle are the assenters. “€œYeah, we acknowledge faith, we’re not hostile to faith.”€ Those that are just above atheist are the avoiders. “€œWe avoid faith. We’re not saying there is no God, we think there’s a God, we just don’t do anything with that belief.”€ So, those are the five groups.

It Really Breaks Down Into Four Groups

David:

Now, they kind of threw atheist out because they said the percentage of atheists is so small that they can’t get a good reading statistically for what all the other groups are. So avoiders is really that kind of the bottom group, so really breaks down into four groups. And I found that’s interesting that certainly the avoiders are growing in America. That’s about 21 percent of the population now. But we still see that those who are literally atheists, who are absolutely hostile to faith and don’t believe there’s a God, that’s still a very very small group in America. So, it’s not a big group for the atheist, but the avoiders is what’s growing.

So, when you go from abiders, to adaptors, to assenters, to avoiders, and atheists, they found, hands down, the best academic achievement across the nation– and this is regardless of group, when they adjusted for all the other factors, hands down the best academic performance is from abiders. The worst academic performance is from the avoiders.

Tim:

Now, define abiders again. So, abiders are the ones who are abiding by their faith.

David:

They’re really religious, they abide by its teachings, they’re the ones who really follow the practice and the precepts of faith.

Tim:

Because under the terms they put with it, see–

David:

Those are new terms to me.

Tim:

Yeah, it seems like an academic label for them to understand, “€œNow, wait a second, no, this is pretty simple.”€ People that have a religious conviction and want to follow that religious conviction, it motivates who they are and what they do. As opposed to people who say, “€œNo, I do whatever I want to do, whatever I feel like. My own subjective thoughts govern me.”€ It seems like the opposite end those spectrums are what they”€™re talking about. But the people that have a conviction from their religious underpinnings whatever they might be, motivated in their life based on some aspect of faith.

You’re saying, statistically, those are the people who are doing the best academically.

The People That Are Doing the Best Academically

David:

Across the board. Regardless of state, regardless of region–

Tim:

Wow.

David:

–regardless of anything else. And this study, the one who talked about it was Dr. Ilana Horowitz at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Here’s how she defined the abiders. She said, “€œThe abiders are those who display high levels across all measured dimensions of religiosity and they abide by religion in a classic institutional sense. They can form their life to the teachings of religion in the classic sense, values, etc..”€

Tim:

Well, it’s interesting, one of the things that we’ve heard philosophers over time– And I say “€œheard”€ when really we’ve read it. It’s not a new thing that modern philosophers come up with, but philosophers over time have said this. Even founding fathers, you can see this thought in some of their writings, but there was a fundamental belief–

And actually, even I think it’s in some states there have been muslims on record saying, “€œWe’d rather our kids be in a Christian school than in a secular school. Because if you grow up with a belief that there is a God, then even if you’re learning it’s a different god than the one of our family, of our faith, it’s easier to shift your perspective to the correct god than it is if you are raised secular and think that, “€˜I can do whatever I want. There is no God.”€™ It’s harder to bring them to the understanding that there is a God.”€

But beyond that this is where you look at multiple religions. If you believe there’s a God, one of the things it does in your life is it gives you a vision for something beyond yourself, right, you don’t just live for yourself. And actually, it can help your life have more purpose ,you are here for a reason, there’s something happening in your life. And when you live your life with vision and a purpose you generally are going to accomplish and do more because your life has meaning. There’s a reason for your existence. And so you are motivated to do more and be more. So for me, this is not surprising or shocking at all.

David:

Well, here’s another aspect of the study that is kind of fun because if you think of the secular community, when they talk about Neanderthals in the educational community, who are they’re generally talking about?

Abiders

Tim:

Christians.

David:

Christians. And not just Christians, but practicing abider Christians are the kind that they”€™re calling abiders. And what she says was that what they found of the highest performing academic folks those who were in that group are those that she called conservative Protestants. Which is what we would call evangelicals, that”€™s the current term for evangelicals.

So, she said that runs counter to the hypothesis that these conservative Protestants, evangelicals, fare worse in terms of academic achievement. She said those folks, what we call the evangelicals, what she called the conservative Protestants, actually fared the best in academic achievement. And she says this is when you control for a host of backgrounds, factors, and behaviors.

So, they went in and made all the statistical adjustments to take all the demographics into effect. And again, by far, those who are committed to religious instruction– and Tim you made the point that even muslims say, “€œWe”€™d rather have our kids educated in Christian schools than secular schools.”€

You go back to Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration, here’s the guy we call the father of public schools under the Constitution. He said he would rather have children raised in any religion than no religion. He said, “€œAlbeit, the religion I recommend is that of New Testament Christianity.”€ And so all the way back to the founding fathers they recognized that secular education was really bad for academic learning. And that Christianity was best, but they’d rather have any religion than no religion.

That’s really what Stanford has now affirmed in this brand new study that’s out. Pretty interesting study, but it does prove the point that history has made, and that the Bible makes, and that we know intuitively. But now we’ve got all this academic study to go with it as well.

Rick:

Stay with us, folks. More good news when we return on WallBuilders Live.

Moment From American History.

This is Tim Barton from WallBuilders with another moment from American history. American Patriot Paul Revere road to alert Americans of the impending arrival of the British. But he also sought patriot leader Samuel Adams and John Hancock to warn them that the British were seeking their execution.

Adams and Hancock were staying with the Reverend Jonas Clark in Lexington. When they asked Pastor Clark if his church was ready for the approaching British he replied, “€œI’ve trained them for this very hour. They will fight and, if need be, die under the shadow of the house of God.”€

Later that morning 70 men from his church, and several hundred British in the first battle of the War for Independence. As Pastor Clark affirmed, “€œThe militia that morning were the same who filled the pews of the church meeting house on the Sunday morning before.”€

The American church was regularly at the forefront of the fight for liberty. For more information on this pastor and other Colonial Patriots go to WallBuilders.com.

Rick:

Welcome back. Thanks for staying with us on this Good News Friday here on WallBuilders Live. Before we jump to the next piece of good news with Tim, David, I”€™ve got to ask you about that study in the first segment.

This sounds like people, that group that actually is what they called a abiders, they’re not just showing up at church on Sunday morning. If we’re talking about the evangelicals here, the Protestants. They’re actually abiding by what you guys were describing. Literally saying, “€œOkay, the Bible. I’m not just a Christian, I’m a biblical Christian, I’m going to follow the teaching of the Bible. I’m not just going to get my fire insurance or walk the aisle and hope I”€™m saved, but I’m actually going to live by these teachings.”€

And that probably produces a far more disciplined life which would make you a better student. I bet Rabbi Lapin would have a lot to say about if you”€™re actually following your religion it’s gonna make you better in all these other areas. Especially when you’re following the instruction manual that God gave us in the Bible.

A Character Trait of the Group

David:

Well, it’s interesting she pointed out that one of the character traits that shows up in this group is conscientiousness, that they’re very conscientious. And so that will be in their studies or anything else. They’re conscientious and practicing their faith which makes them conscientious in other aspects of life. And she said that was one of the things that made a difference.

So, it is significant that when they take their faith seriously, as opposed to those, Rick, you mentioned that get their fire insurance and don”€™t really do anything, they’re the adapters or even the assenters. They kind of change some lives or maybe say, “€œSo, yeah, I’m a Christian. I walked the aisle, I got my fire insurance, I said the prayer.”€ Those folks have step downs in academic achievement all the way down to those who are the avoiders – they avoid religion.

So, it starts highest with those who are the abiders and works down to assenters or lower. And then the adapters are even lower, and then the avoiders are the lowest in academic achievement. Which, it’s just counterintuitive because we insist that all education be secular today and you keep religion out of it. And we can’t figure out why academic scores are so low and schools are not doing well despite all the money we put into them. We’re not getting the results.

Well, it’s because we’re messing with the wrong paradigm. Go back to what worked for centuries, and go back to what this study is now showing us again, and it’s pretty clear what we need to be doing to fix education.

Rick:

Alright, Tim, you have our next piece of good news.

Economics in the Nation

Tim:

Alright, guys this is related to economics in the nation. We’ve actually talked about this on a couple of programs in the last couple of weeks with the change in what we are seeing in the workforce in our nation. We’ve seen people come out from the other side of the aisle, specifically, meaning much more of your liberal, your secular, or Democrat leaders. And you’ve had black leaders come out and acknowledge, “€œHey, what’s happening under President Trump has been really great for the black community.”€

Well, this article I have in front of me, it says, “€œ14 States Hit Record Low Unemployment”€.

In March, eight states saw new record lows including Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Oregon, and Wisconsin. California also set a new record last month. Colorado’s unemployment rate is just 2.6 percent among the lowest in the nation. It continues to go down this list of other states involved. But it’s just an indication, again, that we are seeing some great economic changes in our nation.

Now, certainly we could point to a lot of things that are not great, we want to see change. It doesn’t matter how low the unemployment is if we’re still increasing debt, if we’re still doing things that ultimately will be economically destructive for our nation. So, there’s no doubt there are things we want to see changed. But the good news is we are seeing more and more opportunities for people to enter the labor force to be able to find jobs. And the unemployment rate is dropping which is really good news.

Rick:

Alright, quick break, guys. We got to do this one short since we had a long segment early on, but a lot more good news in the program. So, stay with us, folks. You’re listening to WallBuilders Live.

Constitution Alive

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the United States Constitution but just felt like, man, the classes are boring or it’s just that old language from 200 years ago or I don’t know where to start? People want to know. But it gets frustrating because you don’t know where to look for truth about the Constitution either.

Well, we’ve got a special program for you available now called Constitution Alive with David Barton and Rick Green. It’s actually a teaching done on the Constitution at Independence Hall in the very room where the Constitution was framed. We take you both to Philadelphia, the Cradle of Liberty and Independence Hall and to the WallBuilders”€™ library where David Barton brings the history to life to teach the original intent of our Founding Fathers.

We call it the QuickStart guide to the Constitution because in just a few hours through these videos you will learn the Citizen’s Guide to America’s Constitution.  You’ll learn what you need to do to help save our Constitutional Republic. It’s fun! It’s entertaining! And it’s going to inspire you to do your part to preserve freedom for future generations. It’s called Constitution Alive with David Barton and Rick Green. You can find out more information on our website now at WallBuilders.com.

National Bible Bee

“€œJohn 3:25-31, “€˜Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “€œRabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness”€”look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”€ John answered, “€œA person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “€˜I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.”€™

‘The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”€ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.”€™ John 3:25-31″€

Rick:

Welcome back to WallBuilders Live on this Good News Friday. That young lady you just listened to, 12 years old Ashrita. She is reciting directly from the Bible, she’s memorized over 900 verses to compete in the Bible Bee. It’s a phenomenal experience just to watch these young kids compete in the Bible Bee. But imagine actually participating in it. Get your kids involved in the Bible Bee. It”€™s at BibleBee.org. There”€™s only a little bit of time left to register for this year’s program. Be sure and check it out – BibleBee.org. You will be glad, your kids will be glad, and it will be great to get the word of God into their hearts.

Alright, guys, more good news for us today. And I think David you’re up next. Go ahead.

California Banning Bibles?

Tim:

And, Rick, let me jump in before my dad goes with good news. So, as you mentioned it’s so important that we help our young people to get into the Word of God. One of the things that’s actually interesting – California has come under some scrutiny in some conservative circles recently for some legislation they’re looking at which it would seem to indicate that it would ban Bibles because it wants to ban books with offensive language and content. And that would include anything against homosexuality is offensive language and content.

Obviously, the Bible is very clear on the position God delivered to the Israelites. God’s standard to humanity of human sexuality and what that looks like and what it shouldn’t look like. And so California is looking at banning Bibles in their state. But it got me thinking, if the Bible was banned in California how different would that look for most Christians in California? Because we can go, “€œWait a second, don’t take the Bible away from me.”€ But if you weren”€™t really reading it in the first place would you really miss it if it was gone?

Rick:

Ouch.

Tim:

And, to me, that was a challenge, “€œOkay, if I care about this book I ought to spend some time reading that book, I ought to spend some time in God’s word.”€ And so if the Bible was taken away from you would you actually miss it? And hopefully we are living a life that, yeah, that would change my morning, that would change every evening, because every evening before I go to bed or read the Bible, that would change my routine. If the removal of the Bible doesn’t change your routine maybe you need to change your routine–

Rick:

No doubt.

What the Bible Bee is Doing

Tim:

–to make sure you are including the Bible. But supercool that the Bible Bee is doing something to promote the Bible, encouraging kids to memorize it. And, Rick, what was it– did you say her name was Ashrita? What was the girl who just quoted that verse?

David:

What was her last name?

Rick:

Oh boy, you guys are putting me on the spot. I’m not sure I– okay, you all ready? Here goes – Ashrita *. That’s exactly how I would have pronounced it, Rick.

Rick:

Yes, yes.

Tim:

Exactly.

Rick:

I bet it is.

Tim:

Ashrita, we apologize right now.

Rick:

We’re still super proud of you, Ashrita.

Tim:

Oh my goodness, yes.

Rick:

And we apologize to your parents for not pronouncing–

Tim:

Bravo, way to go, our bad for not being able to pronounce words.

Rick:

So, I’ve got to be honest I was amening you there, Tim, as you were explaining all that. Out of conviction– this year God has really convicted me to spend more time in His word. And I said a couple times earlier in the year that I’ve been getting my family digging into the Founders Bible because, grant it, folks, grab any Bible you can and start reading it. But the Founders Bible has been fun for us and really in many ways it’s brought a lot of different things that we’re studying.

Using the Founders Bible

Rick:

As the kids are studying high school government this year and that sort of thing because you put those articles throughout the Founders Bible at a place where it’s applying that particular scripture to something that’s happening in the culture. Either it happened in history, but it’s still happening today or whatever the particular application is. It’s just been so real, it’s brought all of it to life and made it so much easier to take that area of the Bible that we’re reading and say, “€œOh okay, here’s how it applies to my life today.”€

So I just, man, I want to thank you guys again for doing the Founders Bible and encourage people out there to study. They can get the app or get one of the actual Founders Bibles even though it weighs about 472 pounds – at least that’s what it feels like in the morning when I get it. But it is the most powerful reading through the Bible in a year that I’ve ever had. And I just thank you for it.

David:

Rick, I can’t tell you how popular it has been in the sense that people they get into and say, “€œMan, this is unlike anything I’ve ever read like this. It really helps me understand the Bible.”€ Literally, the publisher has gone through a reprint, after reprint, after reprint, because the demand is so high for this thing. So, it really has found a good niche with people that they respond to the way that it”€™s laid out, and what’s there, and the content is such that it really inspires them to keep going in this.

I talked to a legislator recently, even a legislator who had just read through the whole thing from cover to cover. So, it’s just a fun way to study the Bible with a lot of specific application. And the fact that we keep having to go back to the publisher for reprint, after reprint, after reprint, is really good stuff.

Rick:

And for all our listeners that have already purchased a Founder’s Bible, but the artwork was so awesome you just set it on the coffee table and you just have it looking pretty, you”€™ve got to pick that thing up and open it. I know the artwork is incredible. And all through the Founders Bible the artwork, and the illustrations, and the color, it’s really cool. But as nice as that is that’s not enough. You”€™ve got to actually read through it and I’m telling you you’ll be inspired.

Even some of those– can I just be real for a second here– even some of those Old Testament books that in the past when I was doing my read through in the year I kind of a sped-read through. Even though those get exciting because of the illustrations and the articles that are in there.

So, check it out. Founders Bible, you can get it at WallBuilders.com today. Man, I ran us into our break, guys. We’ll be right back. We’ve got some good news to close out the program. Stay with us on WallBuilders Live.

Leadership Training Program

Rick:

Hey, friends! We’ve got a great program to share with you today. It”€™s the WallBuilders Leadership Training Program and it’s an opportunity for 18 to 25 year olds to come spend two weeks diving into the original documents we’re always talking about here on WallBuilders Live.

Tim, you’ve already been doing this a couple of summers and seen the results of young people coming to this program. We’re going to see more of them coming this year.

Tim:

Yeah, Rick, it”€™s something that”€™s been cool to see the transformation with young people coming in. The emphasis, for us, largely is a pursuit of truth. We have a culture that doesn’t know what truth is. We don’t know what biblical truth is, or constitutional truth, or the American heritage that we have. And so we really dive into original documents and say, “€œWell, what did they actually write? What did they actually do? Not just what did somebody say, what is actually true, and the truth is what’s transformational.

David:

Yeah, guys. This really is a remarkable opportunity. And for those who want to spend time with us and spend time in the original documents, this is a great program. So, if you’re from 18 to 25, or you know someone who’s 18 to 25, send them to sign up for one of our three sessions this summer at WallBuilders.com/leadershiptraining.

Rick:

Welcome back to our final segment of the day here on WallBuilders Live. Our last piece of good news is going to come from Tim. Go ahead, bro.

Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation

Tim:

Alright, guys, so Leah Kairouan is the leader of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation. Really neat work they do. In fact, Leah”€™s been on the program before and I’m sure we will have her on.

Rick:

In fact, we’re got her scheduled for next week.

Tim:

There you go. I knew we’d ever on again in the future. And so actually she might even cover some of this, but she sent an e-mail to us just letting us know some of the progress of things that are going on. She has been a promoter of the In God We Trust legislation. And, really, their network, they have tens of thousands of legislators they work with on the state level. They work with all kinds of congressmen in D.C., so a lot they do.

But she was pointing out when it comes to religious liberty and some of the progress and traction we’ve made. If you back up to 2017, when you look at the success of 2017 when it comes to religious liberty legislation that was passed. It was a 750 percent increase from 2016. So, just ginormous leap forward in 2017, which, it was an intentional dedicated effort to say, “€œLook, we’ve got to protect religious liberty it’s under attack. All kinds of levels in all these different states.”€

Over 300 Bills

Tim:

2018 she pointed out there’s over 300 bills which are working their way through legislatures in 32 states and through US Congress. Currently, in 2018, there’s already been 20 religious freedom measures that have passed legislatures in 12 states.

So, just all kinds of good news coming forth when it comes to religious liberty, when it comes to even faith organizations encouraging the display of the Ten Commandments, doing things to promote religion.

We are seeing positive things happen in our nation. And so even though we are seeing more hostility than we’ve ever seen in the history of our nation, we are seeing a lot of positive pushback. And of course, this flies under the radar which is why we’re talking about it on Good News Friday because we want to highlight some of those things that people don’t see. But there’s a lot of good things happening in legislation when it comes to religious liberty.

Good News Friday!

Rick:

Well, folks, that”€™s a lot of good news for today, but there is more on our website at WallBuildersLive.com. Check out the archives section there and then join us in spreading this good news around the country. You can do that by going to WallBuilders.com and contributing to the program to help us add stations and get it out there to more people.

You can also do that by just simply going to Facebook or Twitter and sharing the links to today’s program or any of our other WallBuilders Live programs. So, come alongside us and help us spread the word. It will equip and inspire other Americans to do their part in preserving liberty for the next generation. Thanks so much for listening today to WallBuilders Live.