By Stan Friedman
CHICAGO, IL (August 15, 2014) — Many Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos with one another that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those submissions—their inclusion does not represent an endorsement of any views expressed.
Parents Put Down Your Smartphones
Sure, parents complain about how their children are always texting, but perhaps the parents aren’t much better. These are some wise words from a pediatrician: Social media has a place and a purpose, but too many parents are creating unnecessary stress by trying to be in two places at once, while modeling to their children that online relationships take precedence over real ones. In an era of constant distraction, we must decide what’s more important: heeding the constant ping of our devices or telling our children, in word and deed, “I am listening. I am here. And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
10 Reasons Fair-Trade Coffee Doesn’t Work
Could this be another case in which helping hurts? There may be legitimate counter-claims, but it is important for us always to re-examine our assumptions.
A Running Primer on Riots and Response in Ferguson
Whether you have read and seen a lot about this story or want to go back and catch up, this is a great place to start. It is a rational look at events with links embedded throughout to relevant information. You can get a cursory summary or go into more detail. This is the sort of thing Vox was meant to do well. On a personal note, the unfolding events have been hard to watch because I grew up just five miles away from the site of the shooting and attended schools in the Ferguson-Florissant District.
How to Attract Young Adults to Church
I love articles that seek to break through stereotypes. This interview with journalist Naomi Schaefer Riley does that. She studied seven religious institutions that are creating new models for attracting young adults to church.
6 Simple Mindfulness Practices to Reframe Your Perspective
According to this article, more than 100 million people have read the Holstee Manifesto. I had never heard of it until someone linked to this Fast Company magazine article from 2013. The creators of the manifesto share how it can be used corporately as well as individually.
