Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord, I have been challenged by God to write this note for all my friends, and family, and to share with the world the most fundamental message of all: Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and there is no other way but His way. John 14:6 says, “I [Jesus] am the way, the truth, and the life. None come to the father, but by me.” This verse is essential to the Christian doctrine and because of its importance is constantly under attack.
As an apologetic, my passion that God has blessed me with is to use logic and rationale to defend the validity of the Christian faith. In a sense, it is my own way of evangelism. Some of my friends work well with the hurting, the needy, the sick, but I lack the skills and the abilities to reach many of those people. I am a very politically incorrect person, and my foot is constantly in my mouth. But when it comes to reaching out towards the skeptics, I find myself called by God because I used to be one.
Skeptics are tricky to deal with because they are learned in how to combat evangelistic principles. Many a Christian has gone forth and lost debates with skeptics on evolution, validity of the Bible, Biblical inerrancies, etc. Skeptics know how to play and they play rough. Brothers and sisters, I must stress these next words because often times it becomes lost on fellow believers. It is NOT our place to convert people. The Great Commission we follow is to spread God’s word so that ALL may hear it, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Apologetics, even though it deals with a debate-like style, is simply a means so that God’s wonderful word can be heard in all corners of the map.
Knowing basic apologetics is highly recommended even if you are not suited for the bombardment that skeptics are capable of throwing at us (I know because I used to be one). You do not need to know the intricacies of creation sciences (even though I do enjoy debating that subject), nor do you need to know how to respond to supposed “errors” in the Bible. These topics are helpful and I would suggest to any brothers or sisters to be learned in them just in case you are presented with the situation that demands such knowledge. However, there is one core topic that blows the skeptics out of the water and is very useful to know: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Why is this topic so important? As quoted earlier, “I [Jesus] am the way, the truth, and the life. None come to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). If the Resurrection was proven false, then Christians would not have a way, a truth, nor a life and no redeemer to connect them with our Eternal Father. Skeptics realize this, and have constantly created theories and means of “disproving” the Resurrection. In this note, I shall assist my brothers and sisters in answering many questions and challenges skeptics throw at us by 1) Explaining that Jesus was real 2) Explaining the validity of the Gospels, 3) Discussing the basic and key fundamentals to why Jesus’ Resurrection is apparent, and 4) Discussing the main principle theories that skeptics have formulated.
Part I
Was Jesus Christ real? This is a question that many Christians (at least I would hope) would automatically say yes to. But skeptics want proof; not a faithful anecdote of how you felt Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit fill you up inside. Because we as Christians are asserting a positive statement the burden of proof is on us. The answer is yes, Jesus Christ was real because of the historical records that state He existed.
1) The Jewish historian, Josephus, who wrote Antiquities, a recorded history of the Jews, wrote, “Now there was about that time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man.” He also recorded a detailed account of Christ’s life and death.
2) Roman historians like Suetonius and Tacitus have written accounts which discuss Jesus Christ.
So was there a man named Jesus Christ? Yes, both Jewish and Roman historians confirm this fact, but did He rise from the dead? I shall answer this in a bit.
Part II
Many skeptics will attack and debunk the Gospels. The burden is on Christians to defend these books. There are many ways to do this, but for sake of length I shall give one key reason:
Because of the use of very specific names, which to the Hebrew people was very important, it would have been easy for any antagonist to stand forth against the Gospels when they were presented to the people. Next, the apostles when preaching would have looked like fools to the Hebrew people because the “facts” that were stated in the Gospels would not have been facts. However, there is no mention in history that the Gospels were attacked or more specifically disproven, even though all it would have taken was one account that disproved their validity, to debunk the Gospels. History again defends Christian Doctrine.
Part III
Now that I have established that Jesus was real and that the Gospels are reliable to use as historic evidence, I can finally discuss the core issue: Did Jesus Christ really rise from the dead?
The most important evidence is the fact that Jesus Christ’s tomb was empty. Jesus was a very important and well-known figure throughout Israel and would not have been easily forgotten. Not to mention Matthew 27: 5 specifically tells us that Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus, wrapped Him in linen and buried Him in his tomb. So Jesus’ burial place was well known. Again this proves that the Gospels can easily be defended, because at that time one person could have refuted the fact of Jesus’ burial with evidence. But history does not have a record of such an occurrence. Both Jewish and Roman accounts agree that the tomb was empty. This again is essential for the survival of the Gospels, because if the tomb was not empty, the preaching of the apostles would never have begun.
Tom Anderson, former president of the California Trial Lawyer Association speaks about the effects of Jesus’ empty tomb and lack of producible body:
“Let's assume that the written accounts of His appearances to hundreds of people are false. I want to pose a question. With an event so well publicized, don't you think that it's reasonable that one historian, one eye witness, one antagonist would record for all time that he had seen Christ's body? . . . The silence of history is deafening when it comes to the testimony against the resurrection.”
The apostles died for Christ. If they knew that Jesus Christ was not God would they really have died for Him though? I know of dying for a lie you believe in, but dying for a lie you know is false? It is preposterous and out of character for the apostles. During trial and after the crucifixion, the apostles fled and went into hiding. They did not even have the gall to die with their mentor, let alone die for Him after he was dead. But the apostles did in fact change. They no longer were afraid of persecution and began to preach the Gospel. Nothing could have caused this change except the fact that they knew their savior lived.
The final piece of evidence is the location of the apostles preaching. They preached in the city of Jerusalem, the most anti-Christian city of the apostles’ time. If any evidence existed against what the apostles were preaching, it would be very easy for the Pharisees and others who persecuted the apostles to produce. The historical evidence however does not show any evidence brought forth.
These are the key, fundamental reasons that defend the fact that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the grave.
Part IV
The following 5 theories are the most common theories that skeptics throw at Christians. I shall do my best to explain the theory and how the theory does not hold up when thoroughly examined: 1) The “Wrong Tomb” Theory 2) The “Hallucination” Theory 3) The “Swoon” Theory 4) The “Stolen Body” Theory and finally 5) The “Soldiers Fell Asleep” Theory.
1) The “Wrong Tomb” Theory speculates that when both of the Mary’s arrived at the tomb and found it empty, they mistakenly assumed it was Jesus’. This theory does not hold strong for several reasons.
1) I have already explained that Jesus was a prominent figure, having been a Rabbi and a teacher, not to mention a huge public figure and his burial place would not have been easily forgotten.
2) Because of the apostles mannerism they would have attempted to correct the women, which according to the Gospel of John they did. Thus the apostles who knew for sure where the tomb was would have seen whether or not it was empty.
3) Jesus was buried in the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Pharisees. If, when the apostles began preaching about the resurrection, the tomb was not empty, the authorities would only have to go to the right tomb, produce the body and end Christian doctrine in its infancy.
2) The “Hallucination” Theory attempts to explain 1) the change in the apostles and 2) the reaction of the crowd at Pentecost. The problems with this theory are:
1) According to psychiatric research, in order for hallucinations to occur several conditions must be met. These conditions were not met, however, because the situation was not conducive for hallucinations.
2) Hallucinations occur frequently for the imaginative and nervous people. And are personal and subjective. No two hallucinations are exactly the same for different people. But according to the Gospel and other historic accounts, Jesus was seen resurrected by the many. Group hallucinations are very rare, but when the group is seeing the same thing and the group is as large as 500 people (1 Corinthians 15), the odds have dropped to a near impossibility.
3) Hallucinations only occur for those who would believe it is true; however, James and Thomas, both skeptical and vehement against the news of the resurrection saw Jesus alive from the dead.
4) Even if the apostles were hallucinating, which they were not, all the authorities would have had to do was go to the tomb, produce the body and again end Christian doctrine.
3) The Swoon Theory presupposes that 1) Jesus Christ never died on the Cross 2) He was mistaken for dead and buried and 3) Three days later, he woke up and exited his tomb. The problems with this theory are:
1) There are historical records of Jesus’ death.
2) The Roman executioners were experts at their job and knew how to kill someone and make sure they were dead. In Christ’s case, the fact that they pierced His side with a spear and the water and plasma were separated supports the fact that Jesus was dead.
3) There is no way Jesus would have been able to move the 1 ton boulder sealing the tomb by Himself. Especially when He is bleeding, starving, dehydrated, and extremely weak.
4) Even if he was successful in rolling aside the boulder, he would have had to overcome the two guards posted in front of His tomb. Definitely unlikely in his current state.
5) Even if Jesus managed to do all this and reach His apostles, he 1) most likely would have been beyond Luke’s abilities to revive and 2) would have been shunned for lying to the apostles and Christian Doctrine would never have begun.
4) The Stolen Body Theory argues that the Jewish and Roman authorities moved Christ’s body for safekeeping. This theory does not hold firm because
1) When the apostles stared preaching, the body could have been produced by the authorities and
2) Death was honoured during those times. A person’s grave, even if belonging to an important figure, was sanctified and not allowed to be touched. Thus the authorities would not have touched Jesus’ body nor desecrate His grave.
5) The “Soldiers Fell Asleep” Theory argues that the Roman Soldiers fell asleep at their posts and the apostles went in and stole Christ’s body. This is absurd for the following reasons:
1) If the soldiers were in fact sleeping, how do we know who stole Christ’s body?
2) It seems impossible for the apostles to move the giant boulder, up the sharp hill without waking the guards up.
3) The tomb was secured with a Roman Seal and the punishment for breaking such a seal was death. All records show that the apostles were cowards. Why would they face execution for trying to steal a dead man? If they truly loved Christ and Christ truly was dead, they would have honoured His grave, not desecrate it.
4) Roman guards were professionals and had severe consequences for shirking their duties. If the guards indeed fell asleep, then they would have been executed or severely punished. The guards had enough deterrent to stay awake.
5) Finally, the apostles would have preached the resurrection and Gospel knowing that this was a lie. They were tortured, persecuted, and martyred because of their preaching. From what history tells us about them, it is highly unlikely that they would have died for such a lie.
Of course these are not the only theories that skeptics will use. These are the most common and many others theories are a combination or a spin off one of them.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters in Christ, defending the Resurrection is essential to our Doctrine. We must ever be vigilant in the spiritual warfare that wages around us. Culture may accuse us of being “intolerant,” but remember. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way, the ONLY truth, and the ONLY life. None come to the Father but by Him. The skeptics and members of other faiths will attempt to disprove the validity of Jesus’ Resurrection, but we as Christians must stand firm and rely on faith and the knowledge that God has given us to answer any challenges that stand in the way of spreading the Gospel.
May God bless you all,
Your Servant in Christ,
William Forrest Huddleston
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Education: Why BIg Government and Education is a Bad Idea
Education is important for any great society to form. The masses NEED to be educated. So I'm one of the many who believes that education should be a free pursuit and a privalege that a member of a free society earns. Let me say that again. Education is a privalege. Not a right.
First of all, education should not be mandated or forced. That's a good way to lose basic freedoms, soon it becomes forced to watch an "Inconvienant Truth" and God only knows how horrible that would be...oh wait, already happens! I understand the k-12 system. I went through it, graduated from it, glad its over with!
Here's the problem with it. Teachers are trained to teach from the books. What ever are in the books is fact and that is the end of the discussion. If you have a question on the information, you may ask, but (and this is the problem) students are DISCOURAGED from asking a question against the information. The books says the Pilgrims settled in Jamestown? Well the book says it I guess it has too be true. Hold on! Jimmy is raising his hand! "Ms. Teacher, weren't the pilgrims on the Mayflower and land at Plymoth, not Jamestown?" Uh-oh. He asked a question. "Why no Jimmy, the book is never wrong..."
Now I know what you're thinking. That never happens. I went through a K-12 system and I never had that problem. Well I'm glad for you! But it happens and here is why:
Teachers are severely underqualified to do their job.
Now I've gone too far. Blaming teachers? Well yes, I am. If there is one thing I don't like it would be a politician, followed by a cheap lawyer, but the third on that list is a proffesor/teacher. Don't like them. They are overpayed for a job that they hardly do in the first place. Sorry.
Now here is what happened with teachers. You see it all started with the progressive era in which labor unions started taking a stand against employers. Well teaching became a career that was unionized. Well more and more people wanted to become teachers due to the many benefits you can gain by being one. Also the demand for teachers went up roughly in the mid 1900's due to the crisis of the cold war. The government decided that teachers only need to meet point requirements to become a teacher. Well that standard has been lowered and lowered until now it hardly means anything to be a teacher.
So my solution for this teacher crisis: Abolish all things once great called a Union, did I put "once great" in front of unions?....sorry scratch that part out. After the unions are finally rid of, throw a huge celebration, for freedom has finally come back to the market!!! *Thumbs up!* After everyone sobers from the party, re-evaluate the teachers, with higher standards. How high? Well this is a job for the states. "Darn conservative putting his 10th amendment into his blog* Yeah I know, cry me a river. But in this case, its what the founding fathers told us to do. If something is not mandated in that constitution directly, then the responsibility and the power goes to the people and the state. It's called federalism people, and it needs to be revamped.
So let's say my home state of Virginia decides that the proper evaulation for a teacher is a standard knowledge test. Ranging from proper grammar, too basic mathematics, even, dare I say it, basic United States history and civics. Alright, then Virginia decides the requirements to pass this test must be anything higher or equal to a 90%. Fair enough, this is a basic exam. So Virginia then decides to create another test for teachers wishing to become 6-8th grade teachers. Virginia creates another test just for them. This time its a little bit harder. It has Algebra and basic science, mixed with advanced history and civics. The requirements for this test are a bit higher since the job is a bit more demanding. It's a 93% or higher. The same then will happen for those wishing to teach high school and even college. This is a state right! If their is a demand for teachers, its not in the federal governments authority to mandate to another state to lower their standards.
Today, people are putting more and more trust into their government because they believe it will work. Well here is the problem. The bigger government is actually crippling our Constitution. Education, a privalege nowhere mentioned in the Constitution, is being taken away from the States. Or if not taken away it is falling under the control of the Federal gov by pell grants being tossed into the state.
Rabbit Trail Moment: I'd like to applaud South Carolina. They actually refused Federal Money!!! That's is what the states need to do!! Refuse the money and gain back their rights.
The next huge problem comes with the ideology of the majority of our teachers. Look at it logically, liberals tend to side with Unions. Liberals favor more government. Teaching is a Unionized career. Most teachers are liberals meaning they favor more government. It happens every day, especially in college! It's called indoctrination and its poisoning our freedom to think. In college it is rare for a student to question a professor. In high school you can easily get away with it. In college you can get kicked out of the class and even the college. Today more and more teachers teach their own biased views instead of facts. They preach their own agendas instead of furthering the education of America. Progress comes by questioning everything we are told. I expect all my readers to question what I say and do their own research. THINK! It is essential for a society to grow.
Don't believe me, ask Hitler's Third Reich. He took over the education system. Made the people believe in his sadistic lies. He was a very charismatic man. He tricked thousands and thousands of Germans that the problem for their problems was because of the Jews and look what happened.
Over in the Middle East, dogmatic extremists are teaching their children that their was no such thing as the Holocaust.
Tyranny can easily be attained when you get rid of the ability to question and think. History is full of examples.
Will we give up our right to question and think? Will states continue to give the privalege of education to the federal government to control? It's up to us to make a difference.
God Bless America!!
First of all, education should not be mandated or forced. That's a good way to lose basic freedoms, soon it becomes forced to watch an "Inconvienant Truth" and God only knows how horrible that would be...oh wait, already happens! I understand the k-12 system. I went through it, graduated from it, glad its over with!
Here's the problem with it. Teachers are trained to teach from the books. What ever are in the books is fact and that is the end of the discussion. If you have a question on the information, you may ask, but (and this is the problem) students are DISCOURAGED from asking a question against the information. The books says the Pilgrims settled in Jamestown? Well the book says it I guess it has too be true. Hold on! Jimmy is raising his hand! "Ms. Teacher, weren't the pilgrims on the Mayflower and land at Plymoth, not Jamestown?" Uh-oh. He asked a question. "Why no Jimmy, the book is never wrong..."
Now I know what you're thinking. That never happens. I went through a K-12 system and I never had that problem. Well I'm glad for you! But it happens and here is why:
Teachers are severely underqualified to do their job.
Now I've gone too far. Blaming teachers? Well yes, I am. If there is one thing I don't like it would be a politician, followed by a cheap lawyer, but the third on that list is a proffesor/teacher. Don't like them. They are overpayed for a job that they hardly do in the first place. Sorry.
Now here is what happened with teachers. You see it all started with the progressive era in which labor unions started taking a stand against employers. Well teaching became a career that was unionized. Well more and more people wanted to become teachers due to the many benefits you can gain by being one. Also the demand for teachers went up roughly in the mid 1900's due to the crisis of the cold war. The government decided that teachers only need to meet point requirements to become a teacher. Well that standard has been lowered and lowered until now it hardly means anything to be a teacher.
So my solution for this teacher crisis: Abolish all things once great called a Union, did I put "once great" in front of unions?....sorry scratch that part out. After the unions are finally rid of, throw a huge celebration, for freedom has finally come back to the market!!! *Thumbs up!* After everyone sobers from the party, re-evaluate the teachers, with higher standards. How high? Well this is a job for the states. "Darn conservative putting his 10th amendment into his blog* Yeah I know, cry me a river. But in this case, its what the founding fathers told us to do. If something is not mandated in that constitution directly, then the responsibility and the power goes to the people and the state. It's called federalism people, and it needs to be revamped.
So let's say my home state of Virginia decides that the proper evaulation for a teacher is a standard knowledge test. Ranging from proper grammar, too basic mathematics, even, dare I say it, basic United States history and civics. Alright, then Virginia decides the requirements to pass this test must be anything higher or equal to a 90%. Fair enough, this is a basic exam. So Virginia then decides to create another test for teachers wishing to become 6-8th grade teachers. Virginia creates another test just for them. This time its a little bit harder. It has Algebra and basic science, mixed with advanced history and civics. The requirements for this test are a bit higher since the job is a bit more demanding. It's a 93% or higher. The same then will happen for those wishing to teach high school and even college. This is a state right! If their is a demand for teachers, its not in the federal governments authority to mandate to another state to lower their standards.
Today, people are putting more and more trust into their government because they believe it will work. Well here is the problem. The bigger government is actually crippling our Constitution. Education, a privalege nowhere mentioned in the Constitution, is being taken away from the States. Or if not taken away it is falling under the control of the Federal gov by pell grants being tossed into the state.
Rabbit Trail Moment: I'd like to applaud South Carolina. They actually refused Federal Money!!! That's is what the states need to do!! Refuse the money and gain back their rights.
The next huge problem comes with the ideology of the majority of our teachers. Look at it logically, liberals tend to side with Unions. Liberals favor more government. Teaching is a Unionized career. Most teachers are liberals meaning they favor more government. It happens every day, especially in college! It's called indoctrination and its poisoning our freedom to think. In college it is rare for a student to question a professor. In high school you can easily get away with it. In college you can get kicked out of the class and even the college. Today more and more teachers teach their own biased views instead of facts. They preach their own agendas instead of furthering the education of America. Progress comes by questioning everything we are told. I expect all my readers to question what I say and do their own research. THINK! It is essential for a society to grow.
Don't believe me, ask Hitler's Third Reich. He took over the education system. Made the people believe in his sadistic lies. He was a very charismatic man. He tricked thousands and thousands of Germans that the problem for their problems was because of the Jews and look what happened.
Over in the Middle East, dogmatic extremists are teaching their children that their was no such thing as the Holocaust.
Tyranny can easily be attained when you get rid of the ability to question and think. History is full of examples.
Will we give up our right to question and think? Will states continue to give the privalege of education to the federal government to control? It's up to us to make a difference.
God Bless America!!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Freedom of Religion
This next blog is a major controversy, but I know it NEEDS to be said. I am a man, er young man for all freedoms and this one is NO EXCEPTION. If I offend anyone, well I don't care. Read my Political Correctness post =p. So without further comment...
Freedom of religion is a major freedom that America's Founding Father's realized was essential for many reasons. The first was because America was the land of opportunity, to escape the religious dogma that was the Church of England or the varying sects of controlling religion in Europe. The second was because our Founding Father's, if not Christian themselves, realized the importance Judeo-Christian themes could have with the message of Freedom. Many of America's founding principles were based on these themes and thus the first amendment specifically starts off with Congress shall make NO law establishing a state religion and restricting religious beliefs.
Like I said in other posts, once we start hindering the free beliefs and practices of citizens, the closer we step towards tryanny and totalitarianism. This my dear readers, is bad.
In August, 1984, one of the most inspirational and well respected presidents, Ronald Reagan spoke in Dallas, Texas about a country with "no God."
"We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we posion our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.
"I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us....
"Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses percieve. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we are a nation gone under."
As Ronald Reagan says, we are a country free to practice any belief you so believe in. You HAVE that constitutional right. But we are starting to lose that right. It all goes back to being politically correct. Because people are offended at a religion, they demand that it be removed from government entirely, complete seperation of chruch and state. This is what I say to that belief.
This country has great men and women in it. From all different races, to political ideas, to religious beliefs. It's these differences that make this country work. How? It makes things so much harder to get things done? That, my friend, is essential to freedom. Make passing of laws harder. It slows down the speed of the government, thus restricting the government from rapidly obtaining more power.
Rabbit Trail Moment: Wake up America! Our charismatic President Barack Obama is playing with that idea. Does any one wonder why he is pushing for his policies to get down so quickly. It's not because he cares, it is because he realizes that the longer it takes the less likely it'll get done.
Anyway, religious ideals form the background of ethics. Now I'm no philosopher and I don't pretend to be, however, imagine a society where morals were unimportant? Terrible I know. My religious views make me who I am. Just as yours make who you are. However, because of that horrible thing called "PC" religious views are being restricted in the United States. more specifically the Christian view is.
People get offended because a child prayed in front of an athiest at school. That means the Christian child gets punished. For what?! For expressing his beliefs?! That my friend is the start of a dictatorship. But truly that example is an extreme case. Really, is it?
A young girl in a second grade history class in Boston, Ma. was given an assignment as with the rest of the class to choose their role model in history. The child chose Jesus as her historic role model. However the teacher, an athiest, decided to fail the child for "not following" the instructions by choosing someone that did not exist.
Clearly, Christian views are being attacked, but why?
The number one answer is because those who wish to gain control ie more government realize Christian ideals are essential to a free nation. So it starts with harmless laws such as no school prayer or no posting of the Ten Commandments.
Rabbit Trail Moment: Funny thing, in my former high school, the World History I class learns about distinct religions, ironically we spend so much time learning about Islam then any other religion in history. The students then do a project about the Pillars of Islam and they get posted on the school walls, yet, the Ten Commandments are not allowed. Hypocrisy? no of course not!
I don't care what people say, religion has had a benefit on society rather then a negative effect. The freedom to believe and express those beliefs is essential to any free culture. We must not allow dogma and political correctness to supress these beliefs. Remember one of the first groups Hitler targetted were the Christian and Jewish groups.
God Bless America!
Freedom of religion is a major freedom that America's Founding Father's realized was essential for many reasons. The first was because America was the land of opportunity, to escape the religious dogma that was the Church of England or the varying sects of controlling religion in Europe. The second was because our Founding Father's, if not Christian themselves, realized the importance Judeo-Christian themes could have with the message of Freedom. Many of America's founding principles were based on these themes and thus the first amendment specifically starts off with Congress shall make NO law establishing a state religion and restricting religious beliefs.
Like I said in other posts, once we start hindering the free beliefs and practices of citizens, the closer we step towards tryanny and totalitarianism. This my dear readers, is bad.
In August, 1984, one of the most inspirational and well respected presidents, Ronald Reagan spoke in Dallas, Texas about a country with "no God."
"We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we posion our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.
"I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us....
"Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses percieve. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we are a nation gone under."
As Ronald Reagan says, we are a country free to practice any belief you so believe in. You HAVE that constitutional right. But we are starting to lose that right. It all goes back to being politically correct. Because people are offended at a religion, they demand that it be removed from government entirely, complete seperation of chruch and state. This is what I say to that belief.
This country has great men and women in it. From all different races, to political ideas, to religious beliefs. It's these differences that make this country work. How? It makes things so much harder to get things done? That, my friend, is essential to freedom. Make passing of laws harder. It slows down the speed of the government, thus restricting the government from rapidly obtaining more power.
Rabbit Trail Moment: Wake up America! Our charismatic President Barack Obama is playing with that idea. Does any one wonder why he is pushing for his policies to get down so quickly. It's not because he cares, it is because he realizes that the longer it takes the less likely it'll get done.
Anyway, religious ideals form the background of ethics. Now I'm no philosopher and I don't pretend to be, however, imagine a society where morals were unimportant? Terrible I know. My religious views make me who I am. Just as yours make who you are. However, because of that horrible thing called "PC" religious views are being restricted in the United States. more specifically the Christian view is.
People get offended because a child prayed in front of an athiest at school. That means the Christian child gets punished. For what?! For expressing his beliefs?! That my friend is the start of a dictatorship. But truly that example is an extreme case. Really, is it?
A young girl in a second grade history class in Boston, Ma. was given an assignment as with the rest of the class to choose their role model in history. The child chose Jesus as her historic role model. However the teacher, an athiest, decided to fail the child for "not following" the instructions by choosing someone that did not exist.
Clearly, Christian views are being attacked, but why?
The number one answer is because those who wish to gain control ie more government realize Christian ideals are essential to a free nation. So it starts with harmless laws such as no school prayer or no posting of the Ten Commandments.
Rabbit Trail Moment: Funny thing, in my former high school, the World History I class learns about distinct religions, ironically we spend so much time learning about Islam then any other religion in history. The students then do a project about the Pillars of Islam and they get posted on the school walls, yet, the Ten Commandments are not allowed. Hypocrisy? no of course not!
I don't care what people say, religion has had a benefit on society rather then a negative effect. The freedom to believe and express those beliefs is essential to any free culture. We must not allow dogma and political correctness to supress these beliefs. Remember one of the first groups Hitler targetted were the Christian and Jewish groups.
God Bless America!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Minimum Wage and Other "Worker" Incentives
In my last post, I discussed the many problems with government and capitalism. In this post I shall go more into depth with government intervention and employer/employee relationships.
If you remember, I couldn't stress enough that Capitalism works because of competition. Big, centralized government is slowly taking away that competition by bailing out big corporations or forcing employers to increase minimum wage etc. This is bad! Very bad! Here is why.
Employers NEED employees. They need the work that employees can bring. It speeds production, results in a larger yield of product and thus more product being sold at a faster rate. Likewise, employees NEED employers. Employees need the money to buy consumer goods and thus turn to employers to get a job for the money needed. It's a mutual relationship.
The relationship between employer and employee is a necessary relationshop for capitalism to thrive. However, it is slowly being cut-off. With many work forces joining unions and getting the federal government to "back" them up, employees are recieving a lot that supposedly the employer would never give in the first place. We are led to believe that employers are evil, wicked people, who just wish to use your labor to make a quick profit for themselves and could care less about the employee. Well, in truth, that's half correct. Employers are NOT evil, but they do wish to make a profit. Heck don't we all? But they do in fact care about their employees. Remember they have a mutual relationship! However, with more and more government intervention giving workers more privilages, employers are forced to cut back on employees due to the cost of hiring them and giving them the union demanded benefits.
Let us imagine if we had a small centralized government and we actually allowed capitalism to take its natural course. An average worker Joe wishes to get a job. He's fresh out of college with a degree in business and he finds a job at a local firm. So he goes to that firm and its a below "average" job. The only thing he does is run messages from office to office. Now in this setting, minimum wage does not exist, so Joe only makes $5.00 an hour and works a standard 8 hour work day, with a 30 minute lunch break at noon. So he makes $40.00 a day. Taxes not applied.
Well Joe's job sucks, it's enough to pay the bill's in his small apartment, but he desires to better his life.
Rabbit Trail Moment
See America was founded on a dream. Too better one's life. To get up, open your door and make the effort to become great. It's one of the reasons, I'm proud to be an American!
So Joe finds another job. This time its in a city firm and his job this time is important. He actually deals with clients and actual has his own office. If small, it may be. He now earns roughly $11.00 an hour and still works roughly the 8 hour work day with a 20 minute break at 1 PM. As a bonus, the employer realizing his employees needs decides to give his employees a decent healthcare/life insurance benefit. Some of the company's money will be used on the employees behalf if something were to happen to them. Joe has found himself a deal! But he's always looking to improve!
So in fact, Joe quits his job after a year and half of working to find a better one. But this time he has two! Two competing firms are trying to employ more personel and offer Joe many offers. Firm 1 offers him a wage of $16 an hour, plus life insurance and free healthcare. Firm 2 in reply offers Joe $17 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, and dental. Firm 1 then offers Joe $17 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, dental, and a weeks paid vacation. Firm 2 makes it even better for Joe by offering him $18 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, dental, and 2 weeks paid vacation. Joe seals the deal with Firm 2.
You see, Joe's story may seem "too good too be true," but in reality. It's how capitalism works. You think that employers don't realize their employees needs? You don't think employers know what their employees want? Employers will uses these benefits to get more workers, however, when the government FORCES (big word here) private business to give these workers benefits, it causes the strain between employer and employee. Employees take for granted that when they find work, they'll automatically get all these benefits, they don't put forth as much effort, employers are slack in hiring because it's costing more and more money to support for employees and thus are economy goes bad. It stagnates, festers, attracts flies.
The competition goes away because employees can stick with one job and use unions to demand their benefits. They don't have the drive to better themsleves and actively seek better jobs. They rely on the government to "solve" their problems. By giving government more power, they cripple this great country. I'd rather be poor and have the freedom that capitalism and this country bring, then well off and restricted by government regulations.
God Bless America!
If you remember, I couldn't stress enough that Capitalism works because of competition. Big, centralized government is slowly taking away that competition by bailing out big corporations or forcing employers to increase minimum wage etc. This is bad! Very bad! Here is why.
Employers NEED employees. They need the work that employees can bring. It speeds production, results in a larger yield of product and thus more product being sold at a faster rate. Likewise, employees NEED employers. Employees need the money to buy consumer goods and thus turn to employers to get a job for the money needed. It's a mutual relationship.
The relationship between employer and employee is a necessary relationshop for capitalism to thrive. However, it is slowly being cut-off. With many work forces joining unions and getting the federal government to "back" them up, employees are recieving a lot that supposedly the employer would never give in the first place. We are led to believe that employers are evil, wicked people, who just wish to use your labor to make a quick profit for themselves and could care less about the employee. Well, in truth, that's half correct. Employers are NOT evil, but they do wish to make a profit. Heck don't we all? But they do in fact care about their employees. Remember they have a mutual relationship! However, with more and more government intervention giving workers more privilages, employers are forced to cut back on employees due to the cost of hiring them and giving them the union demanded benefits.
Let us imagine if we had a small centralized government and we actually allowed capitalism to take its natural course. An average worker Joe wishes to get a job. He's fresh out of college with a degree in business and he finds a job at a local firm. So he goes to that firm and its a below "average" job. The only thing he does is run messages from office to office. Now in this setting, minimum wage does not exist, so Joe only makes $5.00 an hour and works a standard 8 hour work day, with a 30 minute lunch break at noon. So he makes $40.00 a day. Taxes not applied.
Well Joe's job sucks, it's enough to pay the bill's in his small apartment, but he desires to better his life.
Rabbit Trail Moment
See America was founded on a dream. Too better one's life. To get up, open your door and make the effort to become great. It's one of the reasons, I'm proud to be an American!
So Joe finds another job. This time its in a city firm and his job this time is important. He actually deals with clients and actual has his own office. If small, it may be. He now earns roughly $11.00 an hour and still works roughly the 8 hour work day with a 20 minute break at 1 PM. As a bonus, the employer realizing his employees needs decides to give his employees a decent healthcare/life insurance benefit. Some of the company's money will be used on the employees behalf if something were to happen to them. Joe has found himself a deal! But he's always looking to improve!
So in fact, Joe quits his job after a year and half of working to find a better one. But this time he has two! Two competing firms are trying to employ more personel and offer Joe many offers. Firm 1 offers him a wage of $16 an hour, plus life insurance and free healthcare. Firm 2 in reply offers Joe $17 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, and dental. Firm 1 then offers Joe $17 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, dental, and a weeks paid vacation. Firm 2 makes it even better for Joe by offering him $18 an hour, plus life insurance, free healthcare, dental, and 2 weeks paid vacation. Joe seals the deal with Firm 2.
You see, Joe's story may seem "too good too be true," but in reality. It's how capitalism works. You think that employers don't realize their employees needs? You don't think employers know what their employees want? Employers will uses these benefits to get more workers, however, when the government FORCES (big word here) private business to give these workers benefits, it causes the strain between employer and employee. Employees take for granted that when they find work, they'll automatically get all these benefits, they don't put forth as much effort, employers are slack in hiring because it's costing more and more money to support for employees and thus are economy goes bad. It stagnates, festers, attracts flies.
The competition goes away because employees can stick with one job and use unions to demand their benefits. They don't have the drive to better themsleves and actively seek better jobs. They rely on the government to "solve" their problems. By giving government more power, they cripple this great country. I'd rather be poor and have the freedom that capitalism and this country bring, then well off and restricted by government regulations.
God Bless America!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Capitalism!
This blog, I'm briefly touching the extent of my beliefs about capitalism. My next blog I shall go into more depth about topics such as minimum wage and worker benefits.
The United States is and hopefully will always be a capitalistic nation. Capitalism is, in my opinion, one of the best economic systems created for the sole purpose it allows individuals to express their freedoms more throughly. However, today, the US slowly leaves true capitalism and turns to socio-capitalistic ideals. Programs such a welfare, social security, medicare and medicaid have risen and they strip the essence of capitalism from both the business and the consumers.
Capitalism has ups and downs. It is a human created system and like humans is flawed, however, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
Capitalism suffers from two main problems. The first is greed. People have the tendency to desire to do better then their neighbors. Am I saying that's bad? Nope, in fact I'll touch on this point a bit later. However, a few people like to take that desire further then is wise. Employers desire to make a profit, just as much as an employee, so we always run into that snag where the employee is paid far less then he "should" be. The employer makes off with a larger yield of the total profit and the employee is left with a meager share. Sad and tragic, but an essential part of capitalism.
What what did I say? That the employer cheating their employee(s) is an essential part of capitalism? Well, yes it actually is. You see the answer to the problem is not turn to the government to "force" the business/employer to create a minimum wage, nor is it to form a worker's union to demand worker rights. Nope, the answer lies with the employee to have the desire to better his life, just as the employer desires. This causes the employee to work harder!
Good things come to those who work for it. Truth be told that phrase rings true. If you want more money, work towards that goal. It might not be instant, but thats why we need to be patient and hard working. It has been said that Americans have gone lazy and its sad to say, yes we have. We are so caught up in this day of technology that we demand something in the here and now, but we refuse to actually wait.
The second problem with capitalism is the biggest problem. Government intervention! Since the early 1900's with the progressive movement, the federal government has slowly started to take a hand in the affairs of businesses. Where it seems justified (the Meat Inspection Act seems resonable enough?) it is but the first few rocks of an avalanche. Capitalism DEPENDS on a free market. It seems ok now to put a bit of control in the market to make sure everything goes smoothly, but in fact, it is that very control which threatens to undermine capitalism.
Capitalism thrives off of competition. If four companies are competing to make a profit, each company hires their share of workers. Which causes the others to hire more to meet the demand. They produce, more and more, until one reaches a limit and over produces. The surplus is extrordinarily high and the consumers are not buying in the demand. So prices plummet. The company, in order to keep their desired income have to let go of employees. Sometimes, they recover. Other times they do not. If they don't the company claims bankruptcy and sells their corporation. This allows smaller businesses to take its place, which allows more workers into the work field. Thus allowing more freedom of the individual to choose which business he wishes to be a part of.
Bankruptcy is a tragic, yet necessary part of capitalism. Did I say it was perfect without hardship or strife? Nope, but remember I did say it took hard work. To employees who were let off from their job because it went under, the answer is not in government handouts. The answer lies in getting up, shaking the dirt from your shirt and keep on moving. Look diligently for another job.
As for corporations going under. The answer is NOT in government bail-outs! The government has already shown due to the bailout bill and the stimulus package, how dismal a job that was, let us not repeat the same mistake. If the government starts bailing out these big corporations, the smaller corporations will not have the chance provided by capitalism and a free market to rise. Instead they will be pressured by the government to remain low profile and give more and more of their revenue to their competition. Is that equallity? No its theft, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it.
It's time we allow capitalism to become the power economy it was meant to be. No more government programs, no more bailouts, no more stimulus'. Let's allow the businesses to run their own natural course. I can assure you, it won't be bad.
God Bless America!
The United States is and hopefully will always be a capitalistic nation. Capitalism is, in my opinion, one of the best economic systems created for the sole purpose it allows individuals to express their freedoms more throughly. However, today, the US slowly leaves true capitalism and turns to socio-capitalistic ideals. Programs such a welfare, social security, medicare and medicaid have risen and they strip the essence of capitalism from both the business and the consumers.
Capitalism has ups and downs. It is a human created system and like humans is flawed, however, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
Capitalism suffers from two main problems. The first is greed. People have the tendency to desire to do better then their neighbors. Am I saying that's bad? Nope, in fact I'll touch on this point a bit later. However, a few people like to take that desire further then is wise. Employers desire to make a profit, just as much as an employee, so we always run into that snag where the employee is paid far less then he "should" be. The employer makes off with a larger yield of the total profit and the employee is left with a meager share. Sad and tragic, but an essential part of capitalism.
What what did I say? That the employer cheating their employee(s) is an essential part of capitalism? Well, yes it actually is. You see the answer to the problem is not turn to the government to "force" the business/employer to create a minimum wage, nor is it to form a worker's union to demand worker rights. Nope, the answer lies with the employee to have the desire to better his life, just as the employer desires. This causes the employee to work harder!
Good things come to those who work for it. Truth be told that phrase rings true. If you want more money, work towards that goal. It might not be instant, but thats why we need to be patient and hard working. It has been said that Americans have gone lazy and its sad to say, yes we have. We are so caught up in this day of technology that we demand something in the here and now, but we refuse to actually wait.
The second problem with capitalism is the biggest problem. Government intervention! Since the early 1900's with the progressive movement, the federal government has slowly started to take a hand in the affairs of businesses. Where it seems justified (the Meat Inspection Act seems resonable enough?) it is but the first few rocks of an avalanche. Capitalism DEPENDS on a free market. It seems ok now to put a bit of control in the market to make sure everything goes smoothly, but in fact, it is that very control which threatens to undermine capitalism.
Capitalism thrives off of competition. If four companies are competing to make a profit, each company hires their share of workers. Which causes the others to hire more to meet the demand. They produce, more and more, until one reaches a limit and over produces. The surplus is extrordinarily high and the consumers are not buying in the demand. So prices plummet. The company, in order to keep their desired income have to let go of employees. Sometimes, they recover. Other times they do not. If they don't the company claims bankruptcy and sells their corporation. This allows smaller businesses to take its place, which allows more workers into the work field. Thus allowing more freedom of the individual to choose which business he wishes to be a part of.
Bankruptcy is a tragic, yet necessary part of capitalism. Did I say it was perfect without hardship or strife? Nope, but remember I did say it took hard work. To employees who were let off from their job because it went under, the answer is not in government handouts. The answer lies in getting up, shaking the dirt from your shirt and keep on moving. Look diligently for another job.
As for corporations going under. The answer is NOT in government bail-outs! The government has already shown due to the bailout bill and the stimulus package, how dismal a job that was, let us not repeat the same mistake. If the government starts bailing out these big corporations, the smaller corporations will not have the chance provided by capitalism and a free market to rise. Instead they will be pressured by the government to remain low profile and give more and more of their revenue to their competition. Is that equallity? No its theft, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it.
It's time we allow capitalism to become the power economy it was meant to be. No more government programs, no more bailouts, no more stimulus'. Let's allow the businesses to run their own natural course. I can assure you, it won't be bad.
God Bless America!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Abortion: A Heinous Crime
I’m rather young and inexperienced when it comes to matters such as Life and Death, but I have been told on multiple occasions that I am a member of tomorrow’s world. So if that is the case I plan to make myself heard. I am the voice for the unborn, the developing, and new births. I am the pro-life soul who wishes to ban the abhorred practice of abortion.
Today more and more of my fellow peers fall into the blind trap that many good people fall into. The trap is simple and yet very cunning. Today, leaders of politics and interest groups lure the unsuspecting into a sense of freedom. That we can do whatever we please because it makes “us” feel good. Oh the harsh world we live in. Blind the masses with ignorance and bliss, while the elite make off with money and legislation.
This needs to stop. Step one in banning the said practice starts with opening the masses eyes to what is happening to us. Teach! Teach them to be accountable and responsible for their actions. It starts with holding your neighbor and yourself accountable. If you saw your friend steal something from a store, would you turn a blind eye and think nothing of it, or do you confront your friend and tell him what he did was wrong. Today there is less of this and more of turning the blind eye. We are ignoring the growing darkness swirling right in front of us.
Step two requires work on all our part. We need to keep this awareness. We need to spread it and remember it. If we forget the truth, that doesn’t mean its not there, but it means we become lost until the next time someone brings the truth again. Stop with this ignorance and open our eyes.
Its time we become aware of the truth. Abortion is a vile act and cruel. I am amazed that people can justify abortion by freedom of choice. Abortion is not like killing a virus or a parasite, nor is it like controlling what you eat or drink. Abortion kills another life growing within the host mother. The fetus is a developing human. Not a worm, not a disease, but a human. One of us. The fact that it’s developing is another means that the elite use to blind us. “It isn’t a human until it’s born,” they say. How sad that human worth is treated so low that we aren’t technically human until we come out of the womb. Science says otherwise.
Let us look at the development of an embryo/fetus inside the womb by a month by month evaluation. Month 1: Tiny limb buds appear. These will grow into the child’s future limbs. The heart and lungs begin to form. By the 25th day the heart begins to beat. The neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal chord, begins to form. Month 2: All major body organs and systems are formed but not fully developed. The ears, ankles and wrists form and the eyelids form but are sealed shut. Fingers and toes develop. Month 3: The embryo is no longer an embryo but a fetus. The fingers and toes have fingernails. The mouth grows 20 buds that will become “baby teeth.” Month 4: The fetus is moving, kicking and swallowing. The skin is pink and transparent. Month 5: The fetus is much more active now. The fingertips stretch down to the tips of the fingers. The fetus sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. Month 6: The skin is red and wrinkled and has soft hair growing out of it. The eyelids begin to open. Month 7: The fetus can open and close its eyes, move around and even suck its thumb. The fetus is now about 15 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds. It has a good chance of survival if born now. Month 8: Rapid brain growth continues. The fetus is too big to move around much but still kicks. Month 9: The child is full term. The lungs and brain are fully formed and the child begins to get into position to be born.
Yet there are many “experts” who claim that a fetus is just a blob of flesh, that insist on convincing us that humans develop in their 9th month and are born that same month. Again it is the elite keeping the masses blind for the sake of happiness. I’m not here to bring happiness but to end an injustice. Life begins within the womb. If our society is one in which the right to live is sacred then we must agree that abortion the destruction of life is sinful and wrong.
These experts go further. They claim that a woman should be able to get an abortion anytime during the pregnancy. But as I have just told, the child could be born and survive in the 7th month and with medical help the child may survive if born in the 6th month. The child is growing inside the mother’s womb and will keep growing until its ready for birth, it isn’t a blob, nor is it lifeless. It is a breathing, living child within the womb.
It is but a way that one can escape the consequences of their actions. A woman at a party meets an attractive guy and they have sex. She gets pregnant. Today, she can either have the child, and bear with her the “humiliation” and “suffering” that people will bring her, or get an abortion and act like nothing happened. This is but one example of many. We are becoming less responsible and more comfortable in the fact that we are being offered a way out of our problems. Should we show sympathy for the woman who had no responsibility and decided to get an abortion. I pity that woman. But in all fairness it’s not just the woman. Many men in a relationship when they find that their girlfriend is pregnant insist that she gets an abortion or he’ll end the relationship. Again, it is time we bring back responsibility and accountability. There seems to me to be no regard for the developing child, that its life is meaningless if it’s interfering with the “wants” of the woman or man.
If we are to promote a society where human life is sacred then we must consider all forms of human life sacred. From the unborn to the dying all life is sacred. To include one but exclude the others is hypocritical and leads to animosity. What’s next, the life of a teenager is not sacred and all teens should be killed or how about we do what China does and kill all second children? The point is in these wonderful States I call home, we promote freedom, yes, but we offer everybody the right to life.
I have been bombarded ever since my pro-life stance with accusations of no sympathy towards rape victims and victims of heinous and immoral deeds such as incest. But my response is greatly ignored. I tell these accusers that I agree that rape and incest are wrong and that those that commit such wicked crimes should be punished, but the child whom is developing within the womb is an innocent life. What does this world have to gain by killing the innocent?
Then I get accused of being mean spirited towards teenagers who were raped and are pregnant. I am told they should be given the option. Again, there is a life growing inside this young teen. I am deeply sorry for what happened to her, but there is no exception to the right of life. The moment we start doing that, the faster we fall downhill to giving up our lives completely. There is one song by the band Casting Crowns that sticks out to me: “As we’re sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children.” The words ring true in the back of my mind. We, the ....United States...., are more upset about the planet then our brothers and sisters on this planet.
But, alas, I am not without sympathy. If the child or anybody is a victim of rape, and they immediately go to the hospital or clinic and they get checked out that they have been raped then the doctor can give the woman the morning after pill which denatures the egg before the sperm reach it. But with this being said, rape situations need to be strengthened. No more alcohol rape, no more consensual rape. No, rape should be and only be when the sex is forced, so it isn’t without hope for the rape/incest victim. They do have a way out, but they need to act quickly.
This is the moment we need to wake up. This is the type of change we need to bring forth. This is the plea to be heard, the small unborn life calls out to us, begging for life. This is an invitation to become more aware. This is a time for us to acknowledge the problems and fix them! Open our eyes, spread the truth, and save that child’s life. ....
Today more and more of my fellow peers fall into the blind trap that many good people fall into. The trap is simple and yet very cunning. Today, leaders of politics and interest groups lure the unsuspecting into a sense of freedom. That we can do whatever we please because it makes “us” feel good. Oh the harsh world we live in. Blind the masses with ignorance and bliss, while the elite make off with money and legislation.
This needs to stop. Step one in banning the said practice starts with opening the masses eyes to what is happening to us. Teach! Teach them to be accountable and responsible for their actions. It starts with holding your neighbor and yourself accountable. If you saw your friend steal something from a store, would you turn a blind eye and think nothing of it, or do you confront your friend and tell him what he did was wrong. Today there is less of this and more of turning the blind eye. We are ignoring the growing darkness swirling right in front of us.
Step two requires work on all our part. We need to keep this awareness. We need to spread it and remember it. If we forget the truth, that doesn’t mean its not there, but it means we become lost until the next time someone brings the truth again. Stop with this ignorance and open our eyes.
Its time we become aware of the truth. Abortion is a vile act and cruel. I am amazed that people can justify abortion by freedom of choice. Abortion is not like killing a virus or a parasite, nor is it like controlling what you eat or drink. Abortion kills another life growing within the host mother. The fetus is a developing human. Not a worm, not a disease, but a human. One of us. The fact that it’s developing is another means that the elite use to blind us. “It isn’t a human until it’s born,” they say. How sad that human worth is treated so low that we aren’t technically human until we come out of the womb. Science says otherwise.
Let us look at the development of an embryo/fetus inside the womb by a month by month evaluation. Month 1: Tiny limb buds appear. These will grow into the child’s future limbs. The heart and lungs begin to form. By the 25th day the heart begins to beat. The neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal chord, begins to form. Month 2: All major body organs and systems are formed but not fully developed. The ears, ankles and wrists form and the eyelids form but are sealed shut. Fingers and toes develop. Month 3: The embryo is no longer an embryo but a fetus. The fingers and toes have fingernails. The mouth grows 20 buds that will become “baby teeth.” Month 4: The fetus is moving, kicking and swallowing. The skin is pink and transparent. Month 5: The fetus is much more active now. The fingertips stretch down to the tips of the fingers. The fetus sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. Month 6: The skin is red and wrinkled and has soft hair growing out of it. The eyelids begin to open. Month 7: The fetus can open and close its eyes, move around and even suck its thumb. The fetus is now about 15 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds. It has a good chance of survival if born now. Month 8: Rapid brain growth continues. The fetus is too big to move around much but still kicks. Month 9: The child is full term. The lungs and brain are fully formed and the child begins to get into position to be born.
Yet there are many “experts” who claim that a fetus is just a blob of flesh, that insist on convincing us that humans develop in their 9th month and are born that same month. Again it is the elite keeping the masses blind for the sake of happiness. I’m not here to bring happiness but to end an injustice. Life begins within the womb. If our society is one in which the right to live is sacred then we must agree that abortion the destruction of life is sinful and wrong.
These experts go further. They claim that a woman should be able to get an abortion anytime during the pregnancy. But as I have just told, the child could be born and survive in the 7th month and with medical help the child may survive if born in the 6th month. The child is growing inside the mother’s womb and will keep growing until its ready for birth, it isn’t a blob, nor is it lifeless. It is a breathing, living child within the womb.
It is but a way that one can escape the consequences of their actions. A woman at a party meets an attractive guy and they have sex. She gets pregnant. Today, she can either have the child, and bear with her the “humiliation” and “suffering” that people will bring her, or get an abortion and act like nothing happened. This is but one example of many. We are becoming less responsible and more comfortable in the fact that we are being offered a way out of our problems. Should we show sympathy for the woman who had no responsibility and decided to get an abortion. I pity that woman. But in all fairness it’s not just the woman. Many men in a relationship when they find that their girlfriend is pregnant insist that she gets an abortion or he’ll end the relationship. Again, it is time we bring back responsibility and accountability. There seems to me to be no regard for the developing child, that its life is meaningless if it’s interfering with the “wants” of the woman or man.
If we are to promote a society where human life is sacred then we must consider all forms of human life sacred. From the unborn to the dying all life is sacred. To include one but exclude the others is hypocritical and leads to animosity. What’s next, the life of a teenager is not sacred and all teens should be killed or how about we do what China does and kill all second children? The point is in these wonderful States I call home, we promote freedom, yes, but we offer everybody the right to life.
I have been bombarded ever since my pro-life stance with accusations of no sympathy towards rape victims and victims of heinous and immoral deeds such as incest. But my response is greatly ignored. I tell these accusers that I agree that rape and incest are wrong and that those that commit such wicked crimes should be punished, but the child whom is developing within the womb is an innocent life. What does this world have to gain by killing the innocent?
Then I get accused of being mean spirited towards teenagers who were raped and are pregnant. I am told they should be given the option. Again, there is a life growing inside this young teen. I am deeply sorry for what happened to her, but there is no exception to the right of life. The moment we start doing that, the faster we fall downhill to giving up our lives completely. There is one song by the band Casting Crowns that sticks out to me: “As we’re sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children.” The words ring true in the back of my mind. We, the ....United States...., are more upset about the planet then our brothers and sisters on this planet.
But, alas, I am not without sympathy. If the child or anybody is a victim of rape, and they immediately go to the hospital or clinic and they get checked out that they have been raped then the doctor can give the woman the morning after pill which denatures the egg before the sperm reach it. But with this being said, rape situations need to be strengthened. No more alcohol rape, no more consensual rape. No, rape should be and only be when the sex is forced, so it isn’t without hope for the rape/incest victim. They do have a way out, but they need to act quickly.
This is the moment we need to wake up. This is the type of change we need to bring forth. This is the plea to be heard, the small unborn life calls out to us, begging for life. This is an invitation to become more aware. This is a time for us to acknowledge the problems and fix them! Open our eyes, spread the truth, and save that child’s life. ....
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Gun Control
As a freedom fighter for the United States, this issue is rather important for me.
I believe in a peaceful United States, I love peace, I want peace. But I know many people both foreign and domestic who do not want peace. They will do anything within their power to create chaos within the system and thus create the havoc that plagues our country and world known as crime.
Because of these crimes, many politicians and even citizens believe the best way to get rid of these crimes is too disarm the criminals. Good intentions! However, the laws that are created restrict law abiding individuals as well. This is where the snag comes in. Am I saying gun control is absolutely evil? Not really, in fact there are some laws, such as a background check to purchase a handgun, that I agree with. However, I can say gun control laws lead down one of many slippery slopes to losing our freedom.
Thomas Jefferson writes in his Declaration of Independance, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Americans, especially during these critical times, must know the meaning of this phrase. Governments were created to protect our rights as individuals. These rights being life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. If the government does not carry out its sole purpose which is to protect our rights and instead becomes tyrannical or "destructive" as Jefferson puts it. Then it is the people's sole responsibility to "alter" or "abolish" the government. True, I support peace, so I would first like to try a peaceful solution of reforming our government, however, our Founding Fathers, knew when they signed the Declaration that they would be named traitors to the British Crown and thus a war started. Many men and woman lost their lives to secure their freedom and gain their new government.
So back to the main topic. Small amounts of gun control might seem harmless, but it is but a beginning to what is happening. Liberals and those who lean towards socialism realize that many Americans do not wish to become a socialistic nation. They are very aware of that. So the first thing they attempt to do is disarm the masses. It starts with a law restricting firearms/weapons in public places. Then it turns to a law restricting how many handguns a person may purchase/possess. Finally, it turns into a confiscation of all firearms. Those who favor socialism and having more control over our lives now have successfully disarmed those who could oppose them. Thus our ability to "abolish" the form of government is greatly weakened and we deter from the original intent of our Founding Fathers.
That's but one negative aspect of gun control.
Remember those criminals who wish to disturb the peace? Well here is where they come in. Law abiding citizens, even though they may grudgingly go with it, still will follow the law because it's the right thing to do. But these criminals who don't want order, keep their weapons hidden. Now they have a good knowledge that many houses aren't protected by firearms anymore and guess what? Crime increases.
An interesting anecdote. Admiral Yamamoto during World War II was worried about entering the United States in an invasion. The main reason was because he knew that nearly every other household possessed some sort of firearm. The fact is guns don't kill people, peole utilize them to kill people. Just like a knife, or bow, or fist, a gun is but a tool used to kill.
So I ask you, at what end is gun control acceptable? Or is it at all? Why should law abiding citizens be punished at the same time as criminals. Why should former criminals who served their sentence and repented their crimes be denied a weapon for their security because of their past? Where is the justice and freedom in that? When we give those who wish to make this country socialistic, the opportunity to restrict our ability to own/purchase firearms, we essentially get rid of our own human rights.
Be careful fellow Americans, this is the time to open up our eyes and reform policies. We haven't fallen into the snare yet, but we are the rat sniffing at the cheese. A few more steps and we are finally trapped.
God Bless America!
I believe in a peaceful United States, I love peace, I want peace. But I know many people both foreign and domestic who do not want peace. They will do anything within their power to create chaos within the system and thus create the havoc that plagues our country and world known as crime.
Because of these crimes, many politicians and even citizens believe the best way to get rid of these crimes is too disarm the criminals. Good intentions! However, the laws that are created restrict law abiding individuals as well. This is where the snag comes in. Am I saying gun control is absolutely evil? Not really, in fact there are some laws, such as a background check to purchase a handgun, that I agree with. However, I can say gun control laws lead down one of many slippery slopes to losing our freedom.
Thomas Jefferson writes in his Declaration of Independance, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Americans, especially during these critical times, must know the meaning of this phrase. Governments were created to protect our rights as individuals. These rights being life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. If the government does not carry out its sole purpose which is to protect our rights and instead becomes tyrannical or "destructive" as Jefferson puts it. Then it is the people's sole responsibility to "alter" or "abolish" the government. True, I support peace, so I would first like to try a peaceful solution of reforming our government, however, our Founding Fathers, knew when they signed the Declaration that they would be named traitors to the British Crown and thus a war started. Many men and woman lost their lives to secure their freedom and gain their new government.
So back to the main topic. Small amounts of gun control might seem harmless, but it is but a beginning to what is happening. Liberals and those who lean towards socialism realize that many Americans do not wish to become a socialistic nation. They are very aware of that. So the first thing they attempt to do is disarm the masses. It starts with a law restricting firearms/weapons in public places. Then it turns to a law restricting how many handguns a person may purchase/possess. Finally, it turns into a confiscation of all firearms. Those who favor socialism and having more control over our lives now have successfully disarmed those who could oppose them. Thus our ability to "abolish" the form of government is greatly weakened and we deter from the original intent of our Founding Fathers.
That's but one negative aspect of gun control.
Remember those criminals who wish to disturb the peace? Well here is where they come in. Law abiding citizens, even though they may grudgingly go with it, still will follow the law because it's the right thing to do. But these criminals who don't want order, keep their weapons hidden. Now they have a good knowledge that many houses aren't protected by firearms anymore and guess what? Crime increases.
An interesting anecdote. Admiral Yamamoto during World War II was worried about entering the United States in an invasion. The main reason was because he knew that nearly every other household possessed some sort of firearm. The fact is guns don't kill people, peole utilize them to kill people. Just like a knife, or bow, or fist, a gun is but a tool used to kill.
So I ask you, at what end is gun control acceptable? Or is it at all? Why should law abiding citizens be punished at the same time as criminals. Why should former criminals who served their sentence and repented their crimes be denied a weapon for their security because of their past? Where is the justice and freedom in that? When we give those who wish to make this country socialistic, the opportunity to restrict our ability to own/purchase firearms, we essentially get rid of our own human rights.
Be careful fellow Americans, this is the time to open up our eyes and reform policies. We haven't fallen into the snare yet, but we are the rat sniffing at the cheese. A few more steps and we are finally trapped.
God Bless America!
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