The Thought Provoker:

Matt is up first. Sam has been saying for a long time that Trump would be the Republican nominee. I have been saying that we should wait and see what the voters do, and not just trust polls. Well, now the voters in Iowa have spoken and it is nearly certain that Trump will be the Republican nominee. I have no reason to believe that Nikki Hailey can win the nomination, especially since Ron DeSantis has not dropped out. Whether people like it or not, the choice is Biden or Trump. So, my question is simple. Do members of our church have a moral obligation to do everything they can to make sure that Biden wins in 2024.

Next up Sam. What do you make of the backlash against Aaron Sherinian?

Finally, Shawn. Technology has enabled anyone to become an “expert” and publisher of content. Millions of political, religious and lifestyle posts get consumed daily by church members. It’s like a nonstop digital testimony meeting. Examples include: A discussion exploring if Lehi and Jeremiah were best friends? Are we sinning if we don’t vote Biden? What physical evidence exists that proves the Book of Mormon? Counter attacks at popular evangelical podcasters.  Is religious content published by average church members a net good or bad for the members of the church? Do average members who now have a voice publish content that is effective and positive for members? can it hurt more than help?

The Big Question: According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal, Americans are living longer, but spending less time in good health. The estimated average proportion of life spent in good health declined to 83.6% in 2021, down from 85.8% in 1990. The decrease of time spent in good health is partly because medical advances are catching and treating diseases that once would have killed us. But it is also because of the rising prevalence, often among younger people, of conditions such as obesity, diabetes and substance-use disorders. Most of these risk factors are preventable and treatable, and tackling them would bring huge social and economic benefits. We are failing to change unhealthy behaviors, particularly those related to diet quality, caloric intake, and physical activity, in part due to inadequate policy attention and funding for public health and behavioral research. As a result, life expectancy from birth increased from 75.6 years in 1990 to 77.1 years in 2021, but healthy life expectancy, a measure of how many years we can expect to enjoy good health, fell from 64.8 to 64.4 in the same period. Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Israel, & France all have healthy life expectancy 10 years higher than in the United States. Free market solutions do not seem to be helping Americans live healthier lives. What role should the government play in helping Americans live healthier lives?