These thirteen talks were recorded October 21-23, 2004 in Mundelein, Illinois. All
talks have been edited for quality and are available on audio cassette and Compact Discs. The following review is written by
Don Lourie.
TS-44-21
Blessed Presence: Your House As a Holy Place - Thomas Howard
This is a room
by room tour of a house with a description of the activities which can lead to holiness for each room. This fascinating talk
leads one through the living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom and finally the bathroom. This is a very well crafted talk,
typical of any Tom Howard article. It’s dignified, thoughtful and edifying. "Every activity becomes holy when it is offered
as an oblation to God"
TS-44-22 Sex: What We Already Know - J. Budziszewski
Natural
law is being challenged by today’s godless culture. The sex craze is destroying homes, children, colleges, media and our future
as a nation. Natural law says that the proper purpose of sexual powers in men and women is to procreate. It also says that
sexual power requires marriage and family life. Any other way that sexual powers are used is against nature, God and our future.
This talk is about sex in marriage. It’s not explicit but graphic at times. It’s balanced, tough and practical. This has far
more punch than the normal fare heard at church or family life seminars.
TS-44-23 Habits of Character on Being a Good Son or Daughter - Vigen Guroian
Character
is the real measure of success; not fame or fortune. How can we build character into our children? Dr. Guroian believes we
do this with telling our children stories. These stories come from the Scriptures, our own personal history, the literary
classics and from fairy tales. This talk is wonderful for parents and grandparents. This talk and the one called Bedtime Reading
for Parents and Child will encourage you with the various ways to use good children’s literature to develop a child’s moral
imagination.
Dr. Guroian
tells what books can be the most influential and the most entertaining for your children. When our children were young we
read to them each night. I wish I had heard this message when my children were small. I would have done more to read the best
stories.
Books
he discusses. The Princess and the Goblin, The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, Pinocchio,.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
TS-44-24
In Your Face: Media & Christian Family Values - Rod Dreher
"If parents wish
to preserve a childhood for their own children, they must conceive of parenting as an act of rebellion against culture" Media
critic Neal Postman
This is
the thesis of Rod Dreher’s talk. He is a tough newspaper man who keeps his Christian convictions close but also takes a common
sense approach to life. In this talk he discuses media bias against family and Christian values, talks about advertising,
movies books and the sodomite culture. He advocates turning our Christian homes in monasteries as a way to protect the innocence
of our children as long as possible.
He and
his wife moved from New York City to Dallas to facilitate raising their young children in a less adverse culture. This talk
is balanced, tough, practical, inspiring, well reasoned, etc. This is the first talk in the 64 Touchstone talks I have recorded
over the past 9 years that received a standing ovation! This is a great message to listen to then pass on to your local new
editors and TV anchors!
TS-44-25
A Toy and Icon and a Work of Art: The Power of Images
-
Frederica Mathewes-Green
Frederica is
a beautiful speaker. This talk contrasts the art of the Eastern and Western Church in the 17th Century with a look at the
crucifixion of Jesus. Then it contrasts this with a modern teddy bear with a crucifixion scene painted on it that is sold
in some Christian book stores today. The contrasts she brings out reveal how our culture is now failing to honor truth and
beauty to our detriment.
TS-44-26 Bedtime Reading for Parent & Child - J. Budziszewski & Vigen Guroian
"Most current
children's literature is trash or worse." Modern books do not help a child develop character nor develop virtue in a child's
heart.
This is
a most encouraging discussion by two brilliant teachers and fathers. They both encourage reading to your children at least
1 to 2 hours per day, every day! They say, turn off the TV and develop godly children. Good audience discussion of the topic.
Books recommended and discussed are The Frog and Toad picture books for young children, The Owl, The Raven
and the Dove, A Boy and His Frog, The King of the Golden River.
TS-44-27 The Liturgical Home - Thomas Howard &
Frederica Mathewes-Green
Just when you
think you’ve heard all the best talks on the home along comes this one! Wow! Tom Howard opens his heart to share his upbringing
in a home steeped with prayer and family scripture reading. He tells how that daily family time has so affected his life his
marriage and his ministry. Frederica adds so much from her love of Orthodox literature to fill out this inspiring session
on making your home a place of prayer and peace. The comments and questions from the audience are very helpful. This is practical,
inspiring and fun to listen to. Oh, and did I mention that it was also inspiring?
TS-44-28 Choosing & Dating or Courting Disaster - Thomas Howard & Kevin Offner
Our culture does
not honor marriage yet our innocent youth follow the culture into the black hole of bad decisions about love, mates and marriage.
More and more men and women are remaining single. Offner and Howard offer practical ways to return to a Christian way of dating
and finding a mate.
| a. |
Christian singles need to decide early on whether to make marriage or celibacy a priority |
| b. |
Christian singles need to challenge the conventional wisdom on what they should be looking
for in a future spouse.
|
| c. |
Christian singles need to bring third parties into the whole dating process.
|
| d. |
We need to have distinct gender roles in dating.
|
| e. |
We need to encourage intentional dating. That is dating to find a spouse.
|
Tom
Howard adds his insights as a college professor as he has viewed the dating habits of students for the last 30 years. Get
this talk and give it to singles in your family and church. They will thank you for it!
TS-44-29 In Loco Parentis: Christian College Prep - Vigen Guroian & Kevin
Offner
College is not
what it used to be. Coed dorms, risqué’ behavior, lust, greed, drugs, drink and morally liberal professors are not what most
Christian parents want for their little darlings. Most colleges can’t and won’t keep watch over your child like you would.
This talk is scary, sobering and yet helpful. Sadly, most of the degrees taken by students have been purchased by the parents
and the state instead of earned by the student through hard study and proper academic discourse. These men advocate strong
parental guidelines and close contact with students in college. This talk is tough but also gives a way to help.
TS-44-30 Discerning Gold on the Silver Screen - Rod Dreher & David Mills
Rod followed
Michael Medved as the movie reviewer at the New York Post. He tells why you should not trust movie reviews! He and David discuss
several movies and tell how to make better choices in movies if you want to do that sort of thing. They suggest ways to find
reviews that coincide with your beliefs. This is a thoughtful and interesting presentation.
TS-44-31 Human Fertility & Christian Identity - Juli Loesch Wiley & J. Budziszewski
The contraception
practiced since the 1930’s has changed the family and has led to abortion on demand, a lower birthrate , economic decline,
compromised moral values and a deepening threat by Islam against our corrupt culture! That is just the start of this talk.
This discussion was a real ear burner from me. The moderators advocate proper moral, Christian family planning and large families
if you can afford them. They maintain that the future of the human race is at stake here. Their position seems far out. But
I came to realize as I listened that I was the one far out and they are just asking us to return to normal.
TS-44-32 Minding The Media -
Frederica Mathewes-Green & Rod Dreher
Most media is
anti-Christian, anti-family and anti-church. And the media promotes godless behavior, Islam, sodomite behavior and a glorification
of the bizarre. Most who control the media are culturally liberal regardless of their political leanings. The Republican run
Fox network is as guilty of slamming the truth as the Democratic Columbia Broadcast Syndicate.
Rod and
Frederica share how they keep a good attitude toward their acquaintances and colleagues in this war for the dollars and souls
of Americans. They both discuss tolerance of their co-workers and constituents without compromising their personal Christian
virtues. They encourage virtuous young people to take up media as a profession to help turn the tide back to righteous behavior
in media. Get this talk and share it with the religion editor of your local paper.
TS-44-33 The Christian at Home School - Juli Loesch Wiley & Thomas Buchanan
The moderators
both home school and tell the many advantages of home school for developing critical thinking and good work habits. Public
schools rarely teach virtue or critical thinking. Public education wants conforming behavior, not leadership from students.
These are broad statements for most American education. If you are fortunate enough to have good schools with Christian teachers,
this may not apply to you situation. But a recent look at the vote in the 2000 presidential election shows that the votes
that went for Al Gore came from the highest crime areas and the most liberal schools. Home schooling may be some parents only
option in these areas and this session gives good resources to begin your own home school.
More on
Family - 44
