Recently I had the experience of “hearing” someone diatribe against another who believes as I do.
Some of the points made by my fellow Marriage proponent were that marriage is an act of faith, it ought to be reserved for people of the faith and so on…
I found myself in total agreement with the lady in question. Then someone responded. I have clipped some of the response and I present it here with MY rebuttal.
“Why should my rights be determined by your beliefs? You talk, you act as if gay people wish to replace opposite sex marriage with same sex marriage. As if they were in battle. We merely wish to be included. We are asking for peaceful coexistence.”
Really? All you want is peaceful coexistence? You really think there is no “war” here? Then why is it that in many places including California AND Florida, when the issue was being voted on, Homosexual activists were in the streets LITERALLY attacking people who were voting against the idea of same sex marriage? Trying to bully them into submission with your “innocent” desire for equality.
People were put in the hospital, they were spat upon, their property was damaged and they were terrorized at home at work and everywhere else. And they weren’t just young strong men who might have been considered threatening, or members of some Aryan group or what have you… they were little old ladies, the disabled and mothers.
No, you ask that I voluntarily give up my rights so that you can continue to be selfish. Gay people want to share the institution of marriage, you want it all to yourself.
Now wait a minute. By insisting I give up MY right to celebrate MY faith and MY ideals MY way while being forced to accept YOUR ideals, YOUR beliefs and YOUR way’s, AGAINST MY WILL! Aren’t you being just as selfish? Sounds like shades of “the pot calling the kettle” there and all that…
After all if you want me to respect YOUR rights shouldn’t you respect mine?
Seems a little hypocritical to me that you expect me to compromise MY standards so you can enjoy yours.
June 24, 2011
June 01, 2011
blessings
I have been thinking. I read on a friend’s Facebook status that he thought that for us to ask God to bless America was a little… self centered, selfish and or egotistical.
He thought that maybe we ought to be asking God to bless the WORLD instead and be nice.
Well that is all well and good, and I felt myself agreeing that that would be more appropriate in the grand scheme of things. Then I thought “but wait! This weekend, which is what prompted the issue, we are celebrating OUR Memorial Day! the day when we remember OUR soldiers! OUR troops who died for US the people here in AMERICA a country founded on CHRISTIAN principles. The world however is NOT doing this, so why, when I am celebrating an AMERICAN HOLIDAY should I stop to think of the REST of the world?” Why, in short, are we going out of our way to deny the country where we were born? Why should we want to dishonor the sacrifices that were made by deciding that instead we should embrace the entire world as if the entire world shares in the burden of protecting our freedoms and the freedoms of everyone else in the world? Freedoms like we see in the Bible.
The French aren’t out there protecting my freedom/s neither are the Russians, the Germans, the Italians, the Pakistanis, the Saudis, etc… so why should I ask for them to be blessed by God?
Don’t get me wrong I think that it is appropriate to pray for other countries. I think we SHOULD be asking God to bless England and Japan and France and Germany and Russia and Pakistan and Canada And Australia and Italy and… well you get the picture. But why is it that we cannot feel a little pride in our country and ask for God’s blessing specifically here?
Why do you want to make ME feel guilty for being happy to live in a country where I am free to worship how where and when I see fit.
Why do you want me to be down on myself for the wonderful opportunity God has given me in allowing this country to exist so that I can say what I want, do what I want, be who I want, go where I want and so on?
Is it really so dreadfully wrong for me to ask God’s blessing here?
When I pray for my meal my prayers are for God to bless the food I am about to eat. I do not ask God to bless the food that Australian aborigines may or may not be eating right now. I ask him to bless my food right here right now. Or when I am praying my “bedtime prayers” or devotional prayers I specify the people close to me or the people particularly on my mind to pray for. (Our troops, my family, my friends etc…)
In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus teaches us to pray…
“OUR father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy work be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give US this day OUR daily bread and forgive US our sins/ debts/ trespasses, as WE forgive those who sin/debt/trespass against US and lead US not into temptation but deliver US from evil for thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever Amen.”
Well wait who IS the “us, our, and we” referred to in the prayer?
CHRISTIANS not Buddhists not Hindus not Wiccans not druids… the ones who have accepted Jesus, that is who we are praying for, more specifically our own selves right here ME.
Why didn’t Jesus tell us to pray, “This world’s father who art in Heaven Give everyone living on this planet’s surface their daily bread…”
Now AGAIN I am not saying we ought to be selfish or self centered. Far from it we should pray for everyone in this world but maybe instead of saying God bless Afghanistan we should instead be saying God work in the hearts of the _______________ people and bring them to you that they might be blessed. (you can fill in the blank yourself with any country or people you want.)
When I hear people saying we need to be all-inclusive I get worried sometimes. After all even Jesus says there are those we need to distance ourselves from.
It seems like people today are saying “forget national identity. Let’s just throw open the borders and create a one-world government and give up the freedoms that so many CHRISTIANS fought for.
Think about it, do you really think that if we became part of a one-world government the teeming masses would be eager for us to retain the freedoms we have now?
I think not, in fact that is why the Taliban/Al quaeda attacked the world trade center in the first place. Because “[we] are a corrupt and soft nation. [We] allow women to vote (GASP) [we] don’t hang Homosexuals (HORRORS) and worse of all [we] are leading all the rest of the world after [us].
Time after time, throughout history, I see examples all over the place of people who are champing at the bit to take away any freedoms anyone else has. Look at Saddam Hussein, Manuel Noriega, Adolf Hitler, Hamas, NERO for crying out loud.
Every single one of these people or groups have staunchly advocated the destruction or genocide of ANYONE they don’t like (liberals, homosexuals, Jews...). They kill them, they imprison them, they starve them and they torture them. All because these unscrupulous people want to, and they have managed to get the power to do it.
Do you want slavery? Ok then I can see your point about letting these thugs take over. Do you want to be beaten for speaking your mind? Well then this is the path to follow.
Should we pray for the world? YES. Should we deny ourselves God’s continued blessing? NO. we should ask for our country to be blessed. In part at least because God HAS blessed us so richly in the past and we can be an example THROUGH his blessings of what comes to those who follow him.
Just like he did in the Old Testament with Israel. People in the old times were interested in Israel and following her ways BECAUSE of God blessing them. Did Moses pray for God to bless Egypt? Did Gideon ask God to bless their enemies? Did Elijah ask God to help the priests working against him to win? No.
But I am starting to ramble so I will be off. And I will say. GOD PLEASE BLESS AMERICA, she is my home and I want you to give me a good home. Meantime God, I ask that you will help all the rest of the world to know you, and in that knowing may they too receive your infinite blessing.
AMEN.
He thought that maybe we ought to be asking God to bless the WORLD instead and be nice.
Well that is all well and good, and I felt myself agreeing that that would be more appropriate in the grand scheme of things. Then I thought “but wait! This weekend, which is what prompted the issue, we are celebrating OUR Memorial Day! the day when we remember OUR soldiers! OUR troops who died for US the people here in AMERICA a country founded on CHRISTIAN principles. The world however is NOT doing this, so why, when I am celebrating an AMERICAN HOLIDAY should I stop to think of the REST of the world?” Why, in short, are we going out of our way to deny the country where we were born? Why should we want to dishonor the sacrifices that were made by deciding that instead we should embrace the entire world as if the entire world shares in the burden of protecting our freedoms and the freedoms of everyone else in the world? Freedoms like we see in the Bible.
The French aren’t out there protecting my freedom/s neither are the Russians, the Germans, the Italians, the Pakistanis, the Saudis, etc… so why should I ask for them to be blessed by God?
Don’t get me wrong I think that it is appropriate to pray for other countries. I think we SHOULD be asking God to bless England and Japan and France and Germany and Russia and Pakistan and Canada And Australia and Italy and… well you get the picture. But why is it that we cannot feel a little pride in our country and ask for God’s blessing specifically here?
Why do you want to make ME feel guilty for being happy to live in a country where I am free to worship how where and when I see fit.
Why do you want me to be down on myself for the wonderful opportunity God has given me in allowing this country to exist so that I can say what I want, do what I want, be who I want, go where I want and so on?
Is it really so dreadfully wrong for me to ask God’s blessing here?
When I pray for my meal my prayers are for God to bless the food I am about to eat. I do not ask God to bless the food that Australian aborigines may or may not be eating right now. I ask him to bless my food right here right now. Or when I am praying my “bedtime prayers” or devotional prayers I specify the people close to me or the people particularly on my mind to pray for. (Our troops, my family, my friends etc…)
In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus teaches us to pray…
“OUR father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy work be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give US this day OUR daily bread and forgive US our sins/ debts/ trespasses, as WE forgive those who sin/debt/trespass against US and lead US not into temptation but deliver US from evil for thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever Amen.”
Well wait who IS the “us, our, and we” referred to in the prayer?
CHRISTIANS not Buddhists not Hindus not Wiccans not druids… the ones who have accepted Jesus, that is who we are praying for, more specifically our own selves right here ME.
Why didn’t Jesus tell us to pray, “This world’s father who art in Heaven Give everyone living on this planet’s surface their daily bread…”
Now AGAIN I am not saying we ought to be selfish or self centered. Far from it we should pray for everyone in this world but maybe instead of saying God bless Afghanistan we should instead be saying God work in the hearts of the _______________ people and bring them to you that they might be blessed. (you can fill in the blank yourself with any country or people you want.)
When I hear people saying we need to be all-inclusive I get worried sometimes. After all even Jesus says there are those we need to distance ourselves from.
It seems like people today are saying “forget national identity. Let’s just throw open the borders and create a one-world government and give up the freedoms that so many CHRISTIANS fought for.
Think about it, do you really think that if we became part of a one-world government the teeming masses would be eager for us to retain the freedoms we have now?
I think not, in fact that is why the Taliban/Al quaeda attacked the world trade center in the first place. Because “[we] are a corrupt and soft nation. [We] allow women to vote (GASP) [we] don’t hang Homosexuals (HORRORS) and worse of all [we] are leading all the rest of the world after [us].
Time after time, throughout history, I see examples all over the place of people who are champing at the bit to take away any freedoms anyone else has. Look at Saddam Hussein, Manuel Noriega, Adolf Hitler, Hamas, NERO for crying out loud.
Every single one of these people or groups have staunchly advocated the destruction or genocide of ANYONE they don’t like (liberals, homosexuals, Jews...). They kill them, they imprison them, they starve them and they torture them. All because these unscrupulous people want to, and they have managed to get the power to do it.
Do you want slavery? Ok then I can see your point about letting these thugs take over. Do you want to be beaten for speaking your mind? Well then this is the path to follow.
Should we pray for the world? YES. Should we deny ourselves God’s continued blessing? NO. we should ask for our country to be blessed. In part at least because God HAS blessed us so richly in the past and we can be an example THROUGH his blessings of what comes to those who follow him.
Just like he did in the Old Testament with Israel. People in the old times were interested in Israel and following her ways BECAUSE of God blessing them. Did Moses pray for God to bless Egypt? Did Gideon ask God to bless their enemies? Did Elijah ask God to help the priests working against him to win? No.
But I am starting to ramble so I will be off. And I will say. GOD PLEASE BLESS AMERICA, she is my home and I want you to give me a good home. Meantime God, I ask that you will help all the rest of the world to know you, and in that knowing may they too receive your infinite blessing.
AMEN.
May 28, 2011
Gay Marriage and family
So here is the thing.
Homosexuals cannot get married!
Why do I say that?
Is it because I am a homophobe?
Maybe it is because I am a hate monger??
No the reason is a little simpler. The act of marriage, as we understand it, falls under a religious ceremony and that is that.
I can hear it now… “HUH?????????”
Marriage is a rite performed in the confines of religion. That is why there are VOWS even in a civil ceremony there are vows.
There is no religion I know of that allows for the possibility of two men to marry one another; and while some cultures have practiced this it is often also often linked with "legalized pedophilia" in history. (As far as I am aware… Show me otherwise if you can!)
Therefore there can be no such thing as a “gay marriage” without completely throwing away all the moral codes or values that we hold as a society.
We can look back and see a lot of people who were famous, and who were Homosexual. (Or pedophiles even) But we cannot find an instance of any reasonable God or gods or religion/s, which jumped up saying, “hey let’s let gays get hitched." (the Ancient Greeks did believe that Zeus would practice homosexual/pedophile love but Zeus was also "known" for cannibalism and incest.)
Interesting to note that these pedophile relationships were allowed by the child's/ren's family to bring prestige to the family. the pedophiles were usually wealthy or powerful and could bring good favor to the family/ies.
Even so most promiscuous societies in history still stopped short of the idea of marriage between two men (or two women.)
Think about India…
A very, VERY famous book came out of India, titled “the Kama Sutra.” This book is an instruction book on how to pleasure your partner. It even gives advice for how a eunuch could “pleasure” his master. But even that manual of “sexual delights” NEVER suggests that the men involved in these acts should marry one another.
Greece, we know, was O.K. with the concept of Homosexuality, it was permitted in Rome and to an extent it was even once encouraged (STRONGLY) by the authorities in China. But in all those cases it was also joined with the practice of sexual contact with minors. (In Greece the age allowed for sex was as low as seven.)
Let’s look at it another way
What do we get out of a marriage? Well what IS a marriage?
Marriage is when two people, a man and a woman, come together “in the sight of God” and vow to be true to each other “For better or for worse, in sickness and in health until death do [they] part.”
This is a promise made from one to another IN THE EYES OF GOD. Thus the phrase common to marriage, “what GOD has brought together let no man take apart.”
It isn’t just a vow, a promise between the two people, it is also a promise from, AND TO, God!
God promises to watch over the married couple, the couple promises to honor God in their marriage.
So Homosexuals cannot follow that pattern, God declares homosexuality to be sinful (Leviticus 18:22, 1Cor 5:9-12). The very act of living in a relationship like that is DIShonoring God. So there can be no covenant between God and the couple so there can be no marriage.*
There are those who want to claim that they are both Christian and gay. But that is unworkable. Paul tells us it is even bad for Christians to associate with people who claim to be Christians but practice sexual immorality, let alone anything MORE than that.
So how can someone FLAUNTING a God-disapproved lifestyle be bringing honor and glory to God?
Does this mean that everyone who is married is glorifying God?
NO.
God also Hates Divorce, Infidelity, premarital sex, EXTRA-marital sex, and so on…
Fortunately we all have a choice and if we choose to do so we can receive God’s forgiveness.
By repenting, following Jesus and trying to do what God has told us to do.
There is nothing hateful in that.
There is nothing wrong in that.
Marriage is where the family starts. With God’s blessing that marriage will result in children and that, hopefully, stable marriage will result in children who are capable and know they are loved.
It is a cornerstone of the family, the family is the cornerstone of society. Without strong role models from BOTH sexes in the relationship the child growing up will miss out on the possibilities they might need to succeed.
I am not trying to disparage anyone or their lifestyle choice per se. But these points I have made are incontrovertible facts.
These points have been proven time after time in study after study.
The child who grows up missing a role model of EITHER gender is facing a hardship that does not exist in the two-parent home. (Those parents’ being opposite genders).
A girl needs a dad to teach her that she deserves respect from men and that men can be chivalrous and decent, she needs her dad to show her men should show appropriate love.
She needs a mom to teach her how a woman can be strong and loving at the same time, respecting, and loving her husband.
A boy needs a mom to teach him that a woman is not an object to be walked on or scorned, but rather to be cherished and loved.
He needs a dad to teach him that the way a man shows his wife (woman) that love and respect is through his actions and care.
Both parents can teach a child about love and care, how to give it and how to receive it graciously.
But because men and women are so different, BOTH of the views and the way they differ, as well as the way they are alike, are needed.
I would never use a flat-head screwdriver to scrape paint, I would use a paint scraper.
And I would never use a paint scraper to turn a flat head screw.
But both those tools CAN be used in those ways.
Ultimately if used that way the tools or the, wall/ screw, they are used on can be damaged.
Same with a child.
And that is why I am against "Homosexual marriage".
Well that is my thoughts on this. Have a nice day.
*There are some misunderstandings about what parts of the Bible are necessary for us to read and what parts we should follow.
Here’s the thing. ALL of the Bible is good for our education therefore we ought to read ALL of it. We do not have to fear the punishments from the Old Testament though because Jesus came to “fulfil the law and the prophets”. But we are still to strive to live as “sinlessly” as we can. (See1 Cor 6:9-20, 1 Cor 9:20, Gal 3:10-13 and Gal 3:23-25 )
So to clarify, We ought to try to follow God’s word all the way through, but we don’t worry about being punished so much as long as we are trying to follow God.
Homosexuals cannot get married!
Why do I say that?
Is it because I am a homophobe?
Maybe it is because I am a hate monger??
No the reason is a little simpler. The act of marriage, as we understand it, falls under a religious ceremony and that is that.
I can hear it now… “HUH?????????”
Marriage is a rite performed in the confines of religion. That is why there are VOWS even in a civil ceremony there are vows.
There is no religion I know of that allows for the possibility of two men to marry one another; and while some cultures have practiced this it is often also often linked with "legalized pedophilia" in history. (As far as I am aware… Show me otherwise if you can!)
Therefore there can be no such thing as a “gay marriage” without completely throwing away all the moral codes or values that we hold as a society.
We can look back and see a lot of people who were famous, and who were Homosexual. (Or pedophiles even) But we cannot find an instance of any reasonable God or gods or religion/s, which jumped up saying, “hey let’s let gays get hitched." (the Ancient Greeks did believe that Zeus would practice homosexual/pedophile love but Zeus was also "known" for cannibalism and incest.)
Interesting to note that these pedophile relationships were allowed by the child's/ren's family to bring prestige to the family. the pedophiles were usually wealthy or powerful and could bring good favor to the family/ies.
Even so most promiscuous societies in history still stopped short of the idea of marriage between two men (or two women.)
Think about India…
A very, VERY famous book came out of India, titled “the Kama Sutra.” This book is an instruction book on how to pleasure your partner. It even gives advice for how a eunuch could “pleasure” his master. But even that manual of “sexual delights” NEVER suggests that the men involved in these acts should marry one another.
Greece, we know, was O.K. with the concept of Homosexuality, it was permitted in Rome and to an extent it was even once encouraged (STRONGLY) by the authorities in China. But in all those cases it was also joined with the practice of sexual contact with minors. (In Greece the age allowed for sex was as low as seven.)
Let’s look at it another way
What do we get out of a marriage? Well what IS a marriage?
Marriage is when two people, a man and a woman, come together “in the sight of God” and vow to be true to each other “For better or for worse, in sickness and in health until death do [they] part.”
This is a promise made from one to another IN THE EYES OF GOD. Thus the phrase common to marriage, “what GOD has brought together let no man take apart.”
It isn’t just a vow, a promise between the two people, it is also a promise from, AND TO, God!
God promises to watch over the married couple, the couple promises to honor God in their marriage.
So Homosexuals cannot follow that pattern, God declares homosexuality to be sinful (Leviticus 18:22, 1Cor 5:9-12). The very act of living in a relationship like that is DIShonoring God. So there can be no covenant between God and the couple so there can be no marriage.*
There are those who want to claim that they are both Christian and gay. But that is unworkable. Paul tells us it is even bad for Christians to associate with people who claim to be Christians but practice sexual immorality, let alone anything MORE than that.
So how can someone FLAUNTING a God-disapproved lifestyle be bringing honor and glory to God?
Does this mean that everyone who is married is glorifying God?
NO.
God also Hates Divorce, Infidelity, premarital sex, EXTRA-marital sex, and so on…
Fortunately we all have a choice and if we choose to do so we can receive God’s forgiveness.
By repenting, following Jesus and trying to do what God has told us to do.
There is nothing hateful in that.
There is nothing wrong in that.
Marriage is where the family starts. With God’s blessing that marriage will result in children and that, hopefully, stable marriage will result in children who are capable and know they are loved.
It is a cornerstone of the family, the family is the cornerstone of society. Without strong role models from BOTH sexes in the relationship the child growing up will miss out on the possibilities they might need to succeed.
I am not trying to disparage anyone or their lifestyle choice per se. But these points I have made are incontrovertible facts.
These points have been proven time after time in study after study.
The child who grows up missing a role model of EITHER gender is facing a hardship that does not exist in the two-parent home. (Those parents’ being opposite genders).
A girl needs a dad to teach her that she deserves respect from men and that men can be chivalrous and decent, she needs her dad to show her men should show appropriate love.
She needs a mom to teach her how a woman can be strong and loving at the same time, respecting, and loving her husband.
A boy needs a mom to teach him that a woman is not an object to be walked on or scorned, but rather to be cherished and loved.
He needs a dad to teach him that the way a man shows his wife (woman) that love and respect is through his actions and care.
Both parents can teach a child about love and care, how to give it and how to receive it graciously.
But because men and women are so different, BOTH of the views and the way they differ, as well as the way they are alike, are needed.
I would never use a flat-head screwdriver to scrape paint, I would use a paint scraper.
And I would never use a paint scraper to turn a flat head screw.
But both those tools CAN be used in those ways.
Ultimately if used that way the tools or the, wall/ screw, they are used on can be damaged.
Same with a child.
And that is why I am against "Homosexual marriage".
Well that is my thoughts on this. Have a nice day.
*There are some misunderstandings about what parts of the Bible are necessary for us to read and what parts we should follow.
Here’s the thing. ALL of the Bible is good for our education therefore we ought to read ALL of it. We do not have to fear the punishments from the Old Testament though because Jesus came to “fulfil the law and the prophets”. But we are still to strive to live as “sinlessly” as we can. (See1 Cor 6:9-20, 1 Cor 9:20, Gal 3:10-13 and Gal 3:23-25 )
So to clarify, We ought to try to follow God’s word all the way through, but we don’t worry about being punished so much as long as we are trying to follow God.
May 17, 2011
Ooopssie
I realize that there has been a hiatus from my blog/s of late.
I would like to apologize for that hiatus.
Really there were a number of contributing factors including the break down of all the computers in our house, and a lack of motivation on my part.
The good news is I am back; and while I may not be to strenuous about posting to my blogs for a while at least you know I am still here and I will be trying to get my words out there again.
I would like to apologize for that hiatus.
Really there were a number of contributing factors including the break down of all the computers in our house, and a lack of motivation on my part.
The good news is I am back; and while I may not be to strenuous about posting to my blogs for a while at least you know I am still here and I will be trying to get my words out there again.
November 18, 2010
POLITICS OF HATE:
Currently our country is in turmoil, the parties are sniping at each other and many people are refusing to talk to one another, refusing to hear the other side.
At times like this I worry that we have not learned the lessons of history, and we are doomed to repeat them.
We just had an election year go past and I was shocked at the anger so many showed, people were arguing about things that really ought not to have been argued about.
We are seeing some amazing, and frightening, upheavals lately, both at home and abroad. Rioting, and violence are reaching unprecedented levels, people are more worried about our environment and society than ever before.
Between the gang violence the drug issues, (several states had legalizing marijuana on their ballots this year) and we all know what we have seen going on in the news regarding the illegal aliens issues; (all our family in Arizona are on the front lines in this) we don’t know what to do.
People are angry WITH REASON. Some are frightened some are scornful but there is no one listening to anyone else.
Now that I am raising a family of my own I know what these mean to me in a different way than I ever did before. I worry (some say too much) about what my children will have in their future/s.
I want to give them the chance to have, well, a chance! A chance to prosper! A chance to love, a chance to live and a chance, like the one Martin Luther King Jr. was looking for in his “I have a dream speech”, to be free and equal, TRULY equal; Not just a reversal of the status quo.
We need to start from a common point! I think that common point is found in our declaration of independence, All men are created equal and we all have certain inalienable rights and among these rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I feel I need to point out that these are the guarantees given to AMERICAN’S by AMERICAN documents. They say so themselves. We are a people group that is very diverse but we are ALL American’s first and foremost. Not “Irish Americans”, or “Hispanic Americans” or “African Americans”. we are all A M E R I C A N S! period no hyphenations no descriptive words necessary. We are all Americans. We have an obligation as Americans to maintain our nation’s sovereignty and to participate in our political system.
Beyond that, I think in order to have true equality we need to seek for all people, everyone to have the same chance/s not for any one people group to get something another group doesn’t have; and not an attempt to get even with a group that you think has oppressed yours.
And I think everyone needs to be ready to sit down and listen, REALLY listen to what the other group has to say.
Weigh the facts, study the truth/s and listen to the opinion/s.
I often have heard people tell me how “open minded” they are, but when push came to shove they had their beliefs and opinions well set and they would not hear the opposing viewpoint. That is not open-mindedness!
To listen only to a viewpoint you believe and not hear the other side is Close - minded. And to not even accept defeat when the opposing side presents an infallible argument, instead clinging irrationally to beliefs that have been drummed into you… well that is obstinate.
I find it alarming, in this day and age to see these things coming to pass again, yes I said again.
I believe that before each of the few major wars fought on our land/s (here in America that is) we saw either a refusal to have a true two way conversation, or the needs/ desires/ frustrations of one side were ignored.
The American colonies had grievances which weren’t being heard and the revolutionary war happened, people in both the south and the north didn’t listen and the Civil war happened.
So where will this current road lead us? I fear to find out.
I hope that this year will find you peace, joy and prosperity. I hope that things start getting better and that people wake up before it is too late, and I hope that we all may live out our lives (the children too) in happiness and contentment seeing nothing but improvement throughout this year and all the future years.
Anyway, I hope that my fears don’t materialize and so I say a prayer for all of you now And I wish you the best of Christmases and the greatest of New Years.
At times like this I worry that we have not learned the lessons of history, and we are doomed to repeat them.
We just had an election year go past and I was shocked at the anger so many showed, people were arguing about things that really ought not to have been argued about.
We are seeing some amazing, and frightening, upheavals lately, both at home and abroad. Rioting, and violence are reaching unprecedented levels, people are more worried about our environment and society than ever before.
Between the gang violence the drug issues, (several states had legalizing marijuana on their ballots this year) and we all know what we have seen going on in the news regarding the illegal aliens issues; (all our family in Arizona are on the front lines in this) we don’t know what to do.
People are angry WITH REASON. Some are frightened some are scornful but there is no one listening to anyone else.
Now that I am raising a family of my own I know what these mean to me in a different way than I ever did before. I worry (some say too much) about what my children will have in their future/s.
I want to give them the chance to have, well, a chance! A chance to prosper! A chance to love, a chance to live and a chance, like the one Martin Luther King Jr. was looking for in his “I have a dream speech”, to be free and equal, TRULY equal; Not just a reversal of the status quo.
We need to start from a common point! I think that common point is found in our declaration of independence, All men are created equal and we all have certain inalienable rights and among these rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I feel I need to point out that these are the guarantees given to AMERICAN’S by AMERICAN documents. They say so themselves. We are a people group that is very diverse but we are ALL American’s first and foremost. Not “Irish Americans”, or “Hispanic Americans” or “African Americans”. we are all A M E R I C A N S! period no hyphenations no descriptive words necessary. We are all Americans. We have an obligation as Americans to maintain our nation’s sovereignty and to participate in our political system.
Beyond that, I think in order to have true equality we need to seek for all people, everyone to have the same chance/s not for any one people group to get something another group doesn’t have; and not an attempt to get even with a group that you think has oppressed yours.
And I think everyone needs to be ready to sit down and listen, REALLY listen to what the other group has to say.
Weigh the facts, study the truth/s and listen to the opinion/s.
I often have heard people tell me how “open minded” they are, but when push came to shove they had their beliefs and opinions well set and they would not hear the opposing viewpoint. That is not open-mindedness!
To listen only to a viewpoint you believe and not hear the other side is Close - minded. And to not even accept defeat when the opposing side presents an infallible argument, instead clinging irrationally to beliefs that have been drummed into you… well that is obstinate.
I find it alarming, in this day and age to see these things coming to pass again, yes I said again.
I believe that before each of the few major wars fought on our land/s (here in America that is) we saw either a refusal to have a true two way conversation, or the needs/ desires/ frustrations of one side were ignored.
The American colonies had grievances which weren’t being heard and the revolutionary war happened, people in both the south and the north didn’t listen and the Civil war happened.
So where will this current road lead us? I fear to find out.
I hope that this year will find you peace, joy and prosperity. I hope that things start getting better and that people wake up before it is too late, and I hope that we all may live out our lives (the children too) in happiness and contentment seeing nothing but improvement throughout this year and all the future years.
Anyway, I hope that my fears don’t materialize and so I say a prayer for all of you now And I wish you the best of Christmases and the greatest of New Years.
November 01, 2010
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
In a recent debate a couple of candidates got into an argument over the issue of the 1st Amendment. Most people cite the amendment as the “separation of church and state” amendment. The problem is that the amendment in question NEVER says separation of church and state and there is a good reason for that.
First let’s look at what the amendment does say and why.
“congress shall make no laws regarding the establishment of a religion.” that is the PRECISE wording, and the reason they put that in place was because they had seen the problem/s associated with a government sponsored religion. Now most people try to say that what this means is that we all ought to make sure that our elected officials do not do anything that could cause someone to choose one religion over another.
But if you REALLY look at all the facts you see otherwise.
The founding fathers would have been very aware of the horrors and travesties placed on people when Government tells them who what or where to worship. Even the bible warns about the folly of Government interfering with worship. (just look at the biblical stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.) But they were also all devout followers of God. The wording in the constitution makes it clear that What they intended was that the government, namely the part of government that makes the laws, would not FORCE people to join any religion, and neither could the government DENY anyone of following their religious beliefs.
And that ruling applies to ALL Americans, not just the noisy ones.
Even the Police Officer, the President, the teachers, the senators we all see and deal with every day have the right to worship HOWEVER THEIR RELIGION TELLS THEM!!!
It does not matter if they are Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist or even Wiccan.
The ONLY possible exception to the right for anyone to worship as they see fit is when that worship deprives someone of their basic right/s. so if you practice human sacrifice then you cannot do it here because the “sacrifice” has the inalienable right to life, and so on.
The founding fathers CERTAINLY never meant for people to use this amendment to bully people away from their faith like it is used today. We are as bad now of the heinous crime of denying people their right to worship as they see fit as the church of England was in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
People back then were condemned to prison because they disagreed with the church of England and worshipped how they wanted, today they are facing THE EXACT SAME PUNISHMENT, FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON.
So I say it is time to wake up people! Face the facts, Know your history And READ the constitution.
First let’s look at what the amendment does say and why.
“congress shall make no laws regarding the establishment of a religion.” that is the PRECISE wording, and the reason they put that in place was because they had seen the problem/s associated with a government sponsored religion. Now most people try to say that what this means is that we all ought to make sure that our elected officials do not do anything that could cause someone to choose one religion over another.
But if you REALLY look at all the facts you see otherwise.
The founding fathers would have been very aware of the horrors and travesties placed on people when Government tells them who what or where to worship. Even the bible warns about the folly of Government interfering with worship. (just look at the biblical stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.) But they were also all devout followers of God. The wording in the constitution makes it clear that What they intended was that the government, namely the part of government that makes the laws, would not FORCE people to join any religion, and neither could the government DENY anyone of following their religious beliefs.
And that ruling applies to ALL Americans, not just the noisy ones.
Even the Police Officer, the President, the teachers, the senators we all see and deal with every day have the right to worship HOWEVER THEIR RELIGION TELLS THEM!!!
It does not matter if they are Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist or even Wiccan.
The ONLY possible exception to the right for anyone to worship as they see fit is when that worship deprives someone of their basic right/s. so if you practice human sacrifice then you cannot do it here because the “sacrifice” has the inalienable right to life, and so on.
The founding fathers CERTAINLY never meant for people to use this amendment to bully people away from their faith like it is used today. We are as bad now of the heinous crime of denying people their right to worship as they see fit as the church of England was in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
People back then were condemned to prison because they disagreed with the church of England and worshipped how they wanted, today they are facing THE EXACT SAME PUNISHMENT, FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON.
So I say it is time to wake up people! Face the facts, Know your history And READ the constitution.
October 17, 2010
TO VOTE OR NOT TO VOTE:
I Want to tell you a story, I will call this the one vote story.
I will start at the end. Texas’ statehood. Now I am assuming that my readers are all the truly intelligent people out there. So I do not need to repeat that Texas was voted in as the 28th state in 1845.
But what you may not know is that Texas was admitted… well let me put it this way, Texas needed at least 36 votes to gain statehood. The votes gave Texas Statehood by one vote.
They got admitted as a state because of ONE (1) vote. The surprise was that a senator who voted for them, one of those truly NEEDED votes was Harrigan a senator from Indiana, in fact there was surprise that he voted for Texas’ statehood because he seemed opposed. But I digress…
(“yeah but he was a congressman, my vote doesn’t count like that.”)
Well then, let’s see how Harrigan came to be a congressman.
6 years earlier, in 1839, State Legislator Madison Marsh Voted for Senator Harrigan, there was a toss up over who would be voted into congressional office as the junior senator, it was up to the state legislators, to pick the position for which Harrigan ran. There were three people running for the position and there ended up a three way tie in the legislation. Madison Marsh was THE deciding vote on Harrigan’s election. In fact the Amazing thing is that Harrigan won by ONE vote
Well, well, well… very nice but still he was a state legislator, I am just a “common man” what difference can I make?
Hmm O.K….
In 1837 Madison Marsh was running as a candidate for state legislator. And what do you know… he was elected into office based on ONE VOTE.
But for that one vote that election would have ended in a tie. AND that vote was cast by an average everyday guy. In Indiana he was probably a farmer who worked with his hands everyday, just like most of us today.
See even though we might want to say this election doesn’t matter it does. We have issues coming up to deal with and we need to make sure we are properly represented.
A long time ago One man one vote made the difference to whether Texas would be a state or not. Do you think that was the thought he had when he voted? No He was voting for the guy HE thought would best represent him, who voted for a guy who he thought would do the right thing nationally who voted for Texas.
The guy casting that vote for state legislator could never have known that that would lead to anew state being added to the union.
But that one vote that he cast helped to change a nation’s history in a way that has been recognized worldwide though he is not well remembered today. Your vote can do the same now.
I will start at the end. Texas’ statehood. Now I am assuming that my readers are all the truly intelligent people out there. So I do not need to repeat that Texas was voted in as the 28th state in 1845.
But what you may not know is that Texas was admitted… well let me put it this way, Texas needed at least 36 votes to gain statehood. The votes gave Texas Statehood by one vote.
They got admitted as a state because of ONE (1) vote. The surprise was that a senator who voted for them, one of those truly NEEDED votes was Harrigan a senator from Indiana, in fact there was surprise that he voted for Texas’ statehood because he seemed opposed. But I digress…
(“yeah but he was a congressman, my vote doesn’t count like that.”)
Well then, let’s see how Harrigan came to be a congressman.
6 years earlier, in 1839, State Legislator Madison Marsh Voted for Senator Harrigan, there was a toss up over who would be voted into congressional office as the junior senator, it was up to the state legislators, to pick the position for which Harrigan ran. There were three people running for the position and there ended up a three way tie in the legislation. Madison Marsh was THE deciding vote on Harrigan’s election. In fact the Amazing thing is that Harrigan won by ONE vote
Well, well, well… very nice but still he was a state legislator, I am just a “common man” what difference can I make?
Hmm O.K….
In 1837 Madison Marsh was running as a candidate for state legislator. And what do you know… he was elected into office based on ONE VOTE.
But for that one vote that election would have ended in a tie. AND that vote was cast by an average everyday guy. In Indiana he was probably a farmer who worked with his hands everyday, just like most of us today.
See even though we might want to say this election doesn’t matter it does. We have issues coming up to deal with and we need to make sure we are properly represented.
A long time ago One man one vote made the difference to whether Texas would be a state or not. Do you think that was the thought he had when he voted? No He was voting for the guy HE thought would best represent him, who voted for a guy who he thought would do the right thing nationally who voted for Texas.
The guy casting that vote for state legislator could never have known that that would lead to anew state being added to the union.
But that one vote that he cast helped to change a nation’s history in a way that has been recognized worldwide though he is not well remembered today. Your vote can do the same now.
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