Penna Dexter
There’s a growing concern in the U.S. and many other countries that people are not having enough babies.
The fertility rate in the U.S. is now approximately 1.62 births per female. This is well below replacement level fertility which is 2.1 births per female.
Why should we care about this?
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat worries a lot about the declining birthrate. In his book, THE DECADENT SOCIETY, he laments that “amid all of our society’s material plenty, one resource is conspicuously scarce. That resource is babies.” He writes frequently about “the grim consequences of an aging, childless future.”
The concern is frequently highlighted in other major news sources including Bloomberg, CNN Business, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, and The Economist, with headlines like, “Global fertility has collapsed with profound economic consequences.” 
Propelled by falling birthrates, the U.S. population is rapidly aging. As the number of productive workers shrinks and the population of elderly rises, we’ll face a shortage of workers to support the older generations. This accelerates the economic pressures on childbearing-aged couples.
There are several reasons for the declining birthrate. Couples are marrying past the peak age for human biological fertility, which is 22-24. And, increasingly, people are not marrying at all. One in four 40-year-old American adults have never been married.
To many Millennials and Gen Z-ers, having kids is one of many lifestyle choices. John Stonestreet, host of Breakpoint, says that in our current culture, “we make the choice to have children or not based on convenience, enjoyment, and personal fulfillment.” For many young women, “motherhood often lands on the losing side of that evaluation.”
Elon Musk has touted the work of Kevin Dolan, organizer of The Natal Conference who describes to his audiences “a problem that will define the next century…predicated on one question. Will your children have children of their own?”
All too often, the answer is ‘no.’

Kerby Anderson
School shootings have been in the news for two reasons. Earlier this month, we were able to see the full text of the shooter at Covenant School. The next day, the news was about a shooter at a high school in Georgia.
The Covenant School shooter’s diary is a reminder of the sad and disturbed thoughts running through those who take out their anger on other students. This trans-identifying 28-year-old who killed six people had been in psychological counseling for many years. She manifested all kinds of self-hatred and had eating disorders.
Let me quote from one expert in the article, “The Rise in School Shootings Reflects Both ‘Mental Health and Spiritual Crisis’.” Dr. Jennifer Bauwens observes, “We’re both having a mental health and a spiritual crisis, and there’s just not one factor that contributes to this problem.” After looking at the diary, she concluded that, “this young woman was very oppressed and had a lot of spiritual ideas.” She also added “You do see sort of a typical profile of someone who is identifying as transgender, where there’s all this other host of mental health issues.”
She believes that young people, who are dealing with emotional issues and feel alienated from society, are attracted to some of these radical ideologies. This becomes an excuse since “all my problems are this issue.” That doesn’t mean ”that everyone who identifies as transgender is going to carry out something horrific like this (a school shooting).”
In previous commentaries, I have documented the mental health crisis affecting the younger generations. Social, psychological, and spiritual issues are in play and must be addressed. This is the challenge for schools and the church to make a difference in the lives of these troubled young people.

Kerby Anderson
As I have mentioned in previous commentaries, there has been a significant difference of opinion between the media and average Americans about the economy. The media (and members of the Biden administration) point to certain positive economic indicators and believe Americans should be excited about our current economy.
Earlier this month, the Census Bureau produced its report on household income, poverty, and health coverage. They discovered that real median household income remains lower than in 2019 and has barely grown since 2020. The Wall Street Journal editorial explains “Why Americans Are Sour on the Economy.” The editors even provided a chart that shows contrast between the first three years of the Trump and Biden presidencies.
During the Trump years, incomes climbed for Asians by $14,600, for whites by $8,910, for Hispanics by $6,960, and for blacks by $4,540. By contrast, income gains during the Biden years were modest. Incomes for Asians rose only $1,500, for whites only $850, for Hispanics only $700, and for blacks $2,650. The editors add that because COVID reduced incomes in 2020, this comparison, if anything, flatters the Biden record.
If you look at the last year, you see an even more dismal record. Real median earnings for full-time workers last year declined 1.6 percent. The decline was even worse for high-school grads (3.3%). What that means is that inflation outpaced wages for most low-wage workers.
I think you can see why so many Americans are sour on our current economy.