My Take On It

Who’ll get my vote?

2007-09-11T21:06:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I'm not sure. I like Barak Obama (can't say I like his middle name for a president or Vice president). However, I want to be sure I'd vote for him because he may be the best candidate and not because he's black (or half black if you will). Hillary has some great qualities, but Obama is the most charismatic of the two front runners. Hopefully, there will be a an Obama/Clinton or a Clinton/Obama ticket. It would make the decision a whole lot easier.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY????

2007-06-17T17:37:00.000-05:00

It's been about 2 years since my father died. During the week, I left a room in tears when everyone started talking about their father's day plans. So here is a hug and a treat for others like myself whose fathers are no longer with us. Enjoy...

PRINCE HARRY WON'T BE GOING TO IRAQ

2007-05-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

Is anyone surprised? I'd call it a catch-22. On one hand, he would certainly be a specific target of the enemy. On another hand, all coalition troops are targets. Why should the prince be forced to avoid serving when others are still placed in harms way? It is a war isn't it? Well, I can imagine that this is a major blow to his ego. Read about it here.

I'd have to add though...if it were up to me, no coalition soldier would be in Iraq. This has nothing to do with fear. It simply means that the cause isn't worth the blood.

YA BETTA RESPECT ME DUDE!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-29T19:21:00.000-05:00

I might get into trouble for this, but I like the lyrics to this song by Pink. I tried to find the radio version (which is a bit, just a bit nicer than this but could not find). I like it because some scrub type guy is getting told off after betting with his friends that he could score with a young lady. I think I may use some of these lines next time, LOL.

Yeah yeah I know I should probably find a more christian way to tell a questionable guy to get lost, .

YouTube - Pink you and your hand

You And Your Hand

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Check it out
Going out
On the late night
Looking tight
Feeling nice
It's a **** fight
I can tell
I just know
That it's going down
Tonight
At the door we don't wait cause we know them
At the bar six shots just beginning
That's when d***head put his hands on me
But you see

I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh

Midnight
I'm drunk
I don't give a ***k
Wanna dance
By myself
Guess you're outta luck
Don't touch
Back up
I'm not the one
Buh-Bye
Listen up it's just not happening
You can say what you want to your boyfriends
Just let me have my fun tonight
Aiight

I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Break break breck breck
Break it down

In the corner with your boys you bet up five bucks
To get at the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck
We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see
So quit spilling your drinks on me yeah

You know who you are
High five and talkin ****, but you're going home alone arentcha?

Cause I'm not here for your entertainment
No
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight
It's just you and your hand

I'm not here for your entertainment
No no no
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
Just take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

THANKS ALEC.

2007-04-23T15:35:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, you've set the case for father's rights (for good fathers that is) back about 25 years.

http://www.tmz.com/2007/04/19/alec-baldwins-threatening-message-to-daughter/

THE RAPE DETERRENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR?

2007-04-15T19:56:00.000-05:00

All I can say is, this type of condom is a great idea. We need something like this in the U.S. Read all about it in the link below:

SOUTH AFRICAN ANTI-RAPE CONDOM - Black Voices Blogs

LOL, that'll get'em!

What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You.

2007-04-12T11:58:00.000-05:00

Ok folks. Reading a book called Destined To Witness (see link in previous post), sparked an interest in me. I wanted to explore what it must have been like for blacks under the third reich (I know, no caps). The problem is, I read some things that I wish I hadn't. Info is scarce and at times, outright ridiculous. This has nothing to do with Massaquoi's book which I highly recommend. I am simply amazed at what lengths some may go to write or perhaps rewrite history. I think I'll leave "well enough" alone.

What do you mean there were no blacks in Germany during WW II?

2007-04-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

Since the start of my exploration of a memoir called Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany I cannot put it down. There are very few books that highlight the experiences of black people during Hitler's evil reign. When inquiring about this in high school, I was often told, "Don't think that blacks weren't killed because the Nazi's accepted them...they weren't killed because there were no blacks in Germany at the time." Well the strange reality is, there WERE blacks in Germany during the second world war. Their numbers were probably few and most of those were mixed-race (if I'm not mistaken). The story as I see it, is that blacks were given low priority status on the enemy list. How ironic it is that this beautiful black child (the author Hans J. Massaquoi) was a victim of racial harassment but was still force fed hatred of Jews by Nazi school officials. He admits that this venomous teaching led him to hate Jews until he realized that as a person of color, it was ridiculous for him to hate on the basis of ethnicity. I would encourage anyone who wants to learn about the experiences of blacks in Nazi Germany to read this book. So far, I am walking away from it learning that there were some pretty decent Germans living under Hitler. I was presently surprised.

American Idol? Are you kidding me?

2007-03-20T19:31:00.000-05:00

This season of American Idol proves to me that America has gone totally tone deaf. That is not to say that there are no fab performers on the show at present...like Melinda Dolittle. However, Sanjaya really cannot sing as well as the singers voted off so far. Simon and the gang made a big mistake by choosing him over his sister. I'd have to say that since he is only 17, he has many years ahead of him to improve. The kid's got great potential.

On a side note, there is the British Invasion tonight...cool!

Well let's see who will be voted off this week.

UPDATE!!!!!

2007-02-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in what seems like ages. Well, it's Fashion Week, folks. I'm covering shows and devoting all of my free time writing articles for an online publication. Once it's all done, I'll be back with a blogging vengeance.

Ciao.

AMERICAN IDOL--SEATTLE

2007-01-17T22:01:00.000-05:00

American Idol was even funnier than last night. Here are my picks of the night:

"You could lie in the bath with your mouth open..."--Simon to Amy after she claimed that drinking water would help her sing better.

Thomas' audition proves that you shouldn't give up after one or even two auditions--Why didn't he get through to Hollywood the first time? I think Simon and the gang missed that one.

I won't be surprised if Rudolfo is the next American Idol

Kenneth Briggs--Simon shouldn't have commented on his looks. Never, ever, ever compare the looks of a human being to a creature of the jungle. Only domesticated animals should be used for such comparisons (not to say that Kenneth looks like one).

Jordon sparks was great. I don't necessarily think she'll be the next American Idol.

Oh, and don't forget the 50 foot woman. She had a great voice. I hope she stays on the show for the long haul.

Now, off to Memphis and NYC.

AMERICAN IDOL IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-01-16T22:08:00.000-05:00

I waited months for the season premier. As usual, Simon was up to his old tricks. What I really wanted to do was find something to disagree with Simon about. Unfortunately, I couldn't. If anyone paid attention tonight, you would have seen that Minneapolis was terrible. In fact, only one girl (the former crack baby) could sing. She wasn't the only one to make it to Hollywood, but no one else came close to her IMO. I would be amiss if I didn't ask one important question: If a great voice has ANYTHING to do with making it in the music business, how did Paula Abdul or Britney Spears make it? Neither of them can sing. Does anyone disagree?

2007-01-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Just imagine the heartache of losing a loved one to the war in Iraq. It's nearly impossible if you can't identify with such a tragedy. Now imagine getting a letter from the U.S. Army. Is it a letter of sympathy? Perhaps it's benefits to surviving family members? No, it's to inform your loved one (remember, he/she was killed in action) to report back to active duty. It's true according to BBC News America. Normally, I'd have a lot to say on the war in Iraq, or military personnel. This time, however, I'm speechless. This is just plain awful.

BBC NEWS | Americas | US Army urges dead to re-enlist

BRAVO OPRAH!!!!!!!!!!

2007-01-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16396343/site/newsweek/
I'd have to say I'm not surprised that some are criticizing Oprah for building a $40 million school in South Africa instead of in the United States. As an inner-city public high school teacher myself, I thank Oprah for building a school where her efforts will be appreciated (yes, I mean what you think I mean). Think that's harsh? Try teaching groups of students who have cell phones, expensive sneakers, handbags, clothes, etc. Yet, it is common to hear, "I don't have a pen, a notebook, or my homework." Students rarely do homework in a good number of inner-city high schools. Don't believe me? Take a survey of teachers who work in the inner-city. Instead of pointing fingers at Oprah, we should point them back where they belong...at the citizens who make up the inner-cities. Talk about priorities...

Of course you will find motivated students in the inner-cities. I can't say it's true of the majority. In the future, that majority will have no leg to stand on when blaming "the man" for keeping them down.

2007 ALREADY?

2007-01-01T08:22:00.000-05:00

2006 was the year it hit me. I'm long overdue for change. So 2007 will be the year of change for me. Here are a few things to accomplish:

1- Leave teaching for good and finally get my dream job.

2- Write 2 or more books (fiction and nonfiction).

3- Launch my ebusiness.

4- Make more money.

5- Buy a condo.

6- Visit Spain.

I have one goal more important than all the above. Stay tuned for more info, LOL.

THE HOLIDAYS AREN'T SO FESTIVE FOR ALL.

2006-12-30T21:36:00.000-05:00

Joy to the world...
We wish you a merry Christmas...
Happy New Year...

The holidays are simply too depressing for many people. It is a time to be bombarded with reminders of what you don't have. For some it's a mother, others a father, husband, wife, child, job, etc. Telling someone to look at the bright side is easier said then done. Or is it?

Today, I watched coverage of James Brown's funeral. To put it bluntly, I felt as though I were watching a fabulous concert at one time, and a festive church service at other times. Why am I bringing this in? It was a big party for such a sad occasion. If they can find joy in a funeral, why can't all of us find joy during the holiday season? Of course others may not have reached the level of resilience that I have, but they can try. After all, we can't stop our loved ones from dying.

BE HAPPY!!!! You owe it to yourself.

SADDAM IS DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-12-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

I'd have to say that his execution really doesn't change much for me. The fact of the matter is, the death toll for our soldiers and marines is about 2,995. I can't believe we have reach about 3,000 deaths in this short time. Mission accomplished? The end of hostilities? The real war started as soon as Bush made those declarations. Bush has about 2 years left in office. I really hope that he cleans up the mess he made. If not, he deserves to be impeached. I don't hate Bush, in fact, I don't think that Kerry would have done any better had he been elected. But, Bush has caused too much heartache for thousands of American military families.

Who will be next to lead Iraq?

THIS IS EMBARRASSING!!!!

2006-12-27T21:26:00.000-05:00

As a black person, I find it disturbing that anyone (especially another black person) would create a site with such an offensive name. Hopefully, they will understand the harm it's actually doing and change it. Some would argue that this is a form of taking ownership thus taking power from the word. No matter how you slice it, it is a negative word and should not be used to describe an entire race of people.

http://niggaspace.com/

LEAVE IT TO NYC!!!!!

2006-12-24T19:43:00.000-05:00

While strolling in Times Square today after church and a delicious tapas feast, nature called. Ya think that's TMI? Read on. I noticed a huge public restroom by Charmin, the toilet paper company. So I decided to try it out but I noticed something odd. I wondered why there was such a long line and why people were leaving the place seemingly on cloud nine. Was there something in the toilet paper? I got closer and closer to my goal, the bathroom. The workers were like happy little elves cheering as customers went into each bathroom. Mind you, the bathrooms are cleaned after each and every use. But as I approached the workers, I got realllyyy nervous. I thought...I'm only going to the bathroom. Please don't draw attention to me. My pleading thoughts were soon proven to be futile. As soon as my turn came, there it was. THE VIP BATHROOM WAS FREE FOR MY TURN. The workers chanted, "VIP, VIP, VIP!" I was embarrassed and tickled at the same time. Would I go there again, most likely. It's a fun experience so check it out if you're ever in Times Square.

Other things I did today was exchange gifts and sampled wine and champagne. What a day it has been so far.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

EVERYBODY HATES DENNIS PRAGER

2006-12-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

Prager condemned by Holocaust Memorial

Everyone's on Prager's case; perhaps rightfully so. We can't deny that he spoke the truth. The koran doesn't mean anything to most Americans, myself included. However, is the bible important to most Americans as Prager would believe? I don't think it is, but I could be wrong. If we force Congressman-elect Keith Ellison to take the oath using the bible, how can we trust anything he does since it's not a holy book to him? He would be lying if he were to use the bible. Let him use the koran if he wants. How does that affect me or other Americans? It doesn't. Dennis, lighten up.

CHOICEMOMS--SELFISH OR NOT?

2006-12-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

My Father Was an Anonymous Sperm Donor - washingtonpost.com

So, it's my 33rd birthday next week and I must face one reality. I am still childless, LOL. At the moment, I'm not married. In fact, I may not ever get married. Nothing scary about that, but it is a fact nonetheless. So, what options does a lady have these days? I could relentlessly pursue Mr. Right, I could adopt, or what about a sperm donor? But one would have to ask themselves, is it really ethical to place a child into that kind of a situation?

The article above is by a young woman named Katrina Clark. Her mother made the choice to use an anonymous sperm donor in order to have her much wanted child. Was she selfish? Well, let me see: She made a decision to sacrifice her own freedom as a single carefree woman in the favor of someone else, her child. I wouldn't call that selfish. However, there are selfish people within groups from all walks of life. Choicemoms are not immune from selfishness just as married moms aren't immune.

Fortunately, a few sperm banks now make available identity release donors. They are few in number when compared to donors who prefer to remain anonymous. If more open donors were available, I believe more women would choose them. I will say this, any woman who opts for an anonymous donor over an open donor is selfish; that is, if she is doing it for the sake of anonymity. If open donors were unavailable or she can't afford the fees, that is a different story. Children should have the choice as to whether or not they would like to know the identity of their donors. With that said, I believe that donors who would not give the child the opportunity to learn about their heritage are equally selfish. Note, I did not say they had to financially support offspring or even be a father figure in their lives. I am saying it's wrong to deny an offspring the opportunity to learn.

Am I making a value judgement? Absolutely! The child didn't ask to be donor conceived. They should at least be allowed to make the choice to find answers to unanswered questions.

Still, I support single mothers by choice. No woman should have to deny herself the gift of a child simply because she is not married. Besides, women have the right to end their child's life via abortion. They should have the right to give life. That's my 25 cents.

RANDOM THOUGHTS--AND I DO MEAN RANDOM

2006-12-16T18:31:00.000-05:00

The war in Iraq cannot be won militarily. Iraq has been in existence much longer than the US has. It's futile to think that we can change things through military might.

Why is the Duke "rape" case still in the news? It's obvious that there is no evidence. Why is anyone still wasting time? That's easy. The story creates headlines.

It appears that whenever we hear something about Nicole Richie, it's negetive.

Why don't conservatives think for themselves? Why don't liberals do the same? Independents can think for all of us.

CHECK OUT SOME GREAT BOOKS

MARY CHEYNEY

2006-12-09T23:16:00.000-05:00

So Dick Cheyney's lesbian daughter Mary is pregnant. Obviously by a known or anonymous sperm donor. So what should every conservative christian ask themselves? If one believes that God is the only giver of life, for some reason, He decided to allow Mary Cheyney to be pregnant. If you don't believe it was God's plan then you can't believe that God is the only giver of life and thus God is not sovereign over life in your eyes. Is the power of life in God's hands? Man's hands? Both? Don't be afraid of the answer.

SO 50 CENT THINKS OPRAH HAS ABANDONED HER ROOTS?

2006-12-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

What exactly does he consider her roots? Music lyrics and videos that degrade black women? Since Oprah speaks out against that, she doesn't like being black? He should clean up his image before condemning Oprah.

KUDOS TO RICK WARREN

2006-11-30T20:15:00.000-05:00

News- Pastor Defends Invitation to Obama - AOL Black Voices

I applaud Rick Warren for not bending over backwards to the religious right. It annoys me that these people feel they represent all of christendom. So they are emotionally distraught over Obama's support for abortion rights. Big deal. Obama will not be speaking on abortion, but AIDS. Bravo to Rick Warren and anyone else who puts the religious right in their place.

THAT KRAZY KAT KRAMER (AKA MICHAEL RICHARDS)

2006-11-22T16:47:00.000-05:00

THAT KRAZY KAT KRAMER (AKA MICHAEL RICHARDS)

I was never a huge fan of Seinfeld's show. The few times I did watch it was because of Kramer. He was hilarious and made the show fun to watch. So imagine being a fan of someone who obviously can't stand you. His feelings against black people are blatantly obvious now. He used the N word over and over again. That's no accident. If the seed of racism was not buried deep inside of him, that maniacal episode would not have taken place. This makes me wonder who else in liberal Hollywood is a rabid racist. I am fans of many white celebrities but I am now skeptical. I'd rather not admire anyone who has no respect for me. What I don't know won't hurt me? Actually, it doesn't hurt, but annoys me. We shall see which celebrity will show their true nature to the world next. If I could ask Richards a question it would be:

Hey Richards. What did you think of Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic rant?

I listened to an interesting radio show the other day. Monique, another former fan of Michael Richards, basically dedicated her show to the now disgraced comedian. The song of the day was "I'm black and I'm proud" by James Brown. Not to knock her or anything, but I don't need racist incidents like this to remind myself that I should embrace my blackness. It is almost as though some people really feel that their self-worth was damaged because of Richards. That certainly isn't true of me. That is not to say that it is necessarily true of her either.

OK, what's next? LOL

I FEEL FOR TED HAGGARD

2006-11-05T20:52:00.000-05:00

Evangelical Leader Dismissed Amid Sex Scandal - AOL News

As far as I'm concerned, he is not a hypocrite. I've heard openly gay individuals declare that gay marriage should not be legal (rather civil unions instead). He is a christian who fell into a trap like many of us do. For some it's homosexuality, for others it could be heterosexual sin, drugs and or alcohol. The list could go on and on. Instead of branding him as a hypocrite, we should learn from his mistake (whatever that mistake was). Whatever we don't want to be revealed in the public eye, we should avoid it. Sinful desires should be dealt with as soon as they arise. Don't let them take root. Just look at what happened to Haggard. Don't be shocked at specific sinful temptations (like drugs, homosexuality, thoughts of violence or suicide). Christ was tempted on "every side." Should we expect not to be? Just fight them with the tools that God gave you. When you see a brother or sister fall, don't condemn...just pray and be a friend.

I did consider his accuser an opportunist. But could there be another side to that coin? Supposed that man had respect for God and the Bible (yes, it is possible for gays and lesbians to feel that way, LOL). Here comes Ted Haggard, a professing man of God, who does not share the Gospel of Christ with him but the gospel of sin. Think about it, how would you feel if you were Jones? Christians are supposed to be God's representatives. What Ted probably did was shatter any potential faith that Jones could have developed. We should pray for him too.

The end for now.

THE POPE SHOULD NOT HAVE APOLOGIZED!

2006-09-17T19:07:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - Pope's statement in full - Sep 16, 2006

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/16/pope.statement/index.html?eref=aol

It appears that some within the muslim community feel that their religion deserves more respect than all others. Allow me to be one of the many who say IT DOES NOT DESERVE ANY MORE RESPECT THAN ANY OTHER RELIGION. The pope was simply quoting someone and gave no indication that he believed or agreed with the quote. There is no reason why anyone should bend over backwards for any religion including islam. As for me, I don't hate muslims at all. However, don't ask nor expect me to submit to it nor acknowledge it as a true faith. I'll return the respect and not force you to submit to my views. Fair? I hope so because I'll have it no other way, LOL.

Peace! (smile).

CHRISTIANS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS.

2006-09-04T13:03:00.000-05:00

You know, I've learned an important lesson. The biggest threat to creating defectors from Christianity is not the gays/lesbians, Muslims, wiccans, Jews, radical feminists, etc. The biggest threat in my opinion are "misinformed" Christians. Note, I did not blame all Christians, I said misinformed ones. Consider the following spiritually illogical responses to various things:

Imagine a parent loses a child to a horrible death. Some well meaning but misinformed Christian would say something like, "we must accept God's perfect plan." You mean to tell me that a small child dying a horrible death was God's perfect plan? Absolutely not. I can imagine a grieving parent so angry after such a ridiculous comment. What it was was a horrible event nothing more, nothing less. It is never God's perfect plan to cause something so tragic. It happens yes, but it is not God's perfect plan.

"We don't know if God sends newborns to hell. If He does, He does. Whatever God does is fair, just, and right." Allow me to be the first to say that if God sends babies to hell, that would make Him unfair, unjust, and wrong. Since God is fair, just, and right, He would not send a baby to hell. Some people are so misinformed that they will go on to make ridiculous statements about God. God only does what is right. Anything contrary to doing what is right would make God wrong. Instead of being so full of fear and foolishness, we should use the brains God gave us and call things what they are. God is not a man that he should lie. If God were to lie, that would not be fair, just, and right; it would make Him a liar. And we all know that God does not lie so can't, therefore, be a liar.

"It will happen in God's time." Although at times this comment is warranted, it sometimes comes as a result of being misinformed about how God works. For example, God has timing all mapped out for how someone's ministry should work out. One should not rush that. On the other hand, God will never tell someone that "it isn't my will for you or someone else to get saved right now." Are you kidding me? Now is always the time to be reconciled back to God. It is only the human who postpones salvation. Another example, how many unemployed people are waiting on God's timing to find the right job. First of all, if you believe that it's God's will for you to be unemployed when you need a job, you are not operating in Godly wisdom. God is more realistic than we paint Him. So let God lead you to gain income. Many women complain about their biological clocks. Some of these women will turn around and say, "It's just not God's time for me to be married with children." That woman may very well find herself at 45 and even 50 still single and childless. When she does, she has the nerve to blame God. Well, God made the woman's body. The medical community has confirmed that a woman's fertility begins to decline after 35. Therefore, God's timing is clear. You may say, "well, I know women who've had children well into their 40's. So? Those women are the exception, not the rule. Just because some women had children at that age does not mean most will. We can conclude that God's timing is clear in that case; God set a woman's fertility clock for a reason. Listen to Him. If not, don't blame God when you've missed the opportunity. You may as well explore the option of adoption or childfree living.

"You must have done something to deserve this." First of all, we don't know why God allows some things to happen. We certainly can't say for sure that it is the result of sin. It is usually the most self-righteous and judgmental people who say such things. If you find yourself constantly blaming tragedies on a person's sin, keep on living. You'll see.

As Christians, we must be careful not to lean on our own understanding and personal biases when we try to instruct others. Although we mean well, we are at times doing more harm than good. It is better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing and push someone away from us and more importantly, away from God.

I JUST WANNA PUKE!!!!!!

2006-08-26T22:44:00.000-05:00

Hell To The Naw!!! :
Just when you thought the news couldn't get any more ridiculous. I don't believe a word of this. Most rationally thinking people wouldn't. I would never insult Whitney Houston like this. Osama Bin Forgotten...er...I mean Laden is a monster who doesn't deserve even this kind of "humanity." Click on the link. I just hope you haven't eaten yet.

MORE QUOTES BY OUR PRESIDENT

2006-08-22T15:59:00.000-05:00

Give me a chance to be your president and America will be safer and stronger and better.
--George w. Bush

Marquette, MI
07/13/2004

Is America really any safer?

If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road.
--George w. Bush

Boston, MA
10/03/2000

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties.
--George w. Bush

discussing the Iraq war with Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson, as quoted by Robertson

I WONDER IF OUR PRESIDENT BELIEVES THAT GOD TOO WAS MISTAKEN ABOUT WMD'S?

QUOTES BY OUR PRESIDENT

2006-07-30T17:55:00.000-05:00

I believe that the war in Iraq was and is a dreadful mistake. Here are a few quotes allegedly made by president Bush. Let me reiterate, allegedly made by the president. Hopefully, the person who sent this to me via email is mistaken.

Had we to do it over again, we would look at the consequences of catastrophic success, being so successful so fast that an enemy that should have surrendered or been done in escaped and lived to fight another day.
--George w. Bush

telling Time magazine that he underestimated the Iraqi resistance

Amazing!

I've been to war. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war.
--George w. Bush

Charleston, WV
01/27/2002

Utterly Amazing!

This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table.
--George w. Bush

If it's ridiculous, then what the heck does "all options on the table" mean?

2006-07-18T19:37:00.000-05:00

Today I came across an interesting site by a writer/blogger named Suzanne, a science fiction novelist. I found her site while exploring the National Novel Writing Month website. She so accurately and humorously describes the maze like writing process zanzjan.net: writing. I too start off with about 600 to 6 billion ideas for one story. Then I narrow it down to one and begin my writing quest. After finishing the first 1000 words or so, I noticed my theme turning into something completely different. Weird huh? As a result, I allow myself enough flexibility while writing. If a story goes into a totally different direction than intended, so be it. Having a fixed idea can sometimes take the fun and creativity out of writing. However, I do not think this applies to non-fiction.

On another note, I no longer feel it necessary to write with the purpose of being published. There are so many books and websites which offer tips on how to write the perfect novel. I find many tips and guidelines to be too limiting. In order for me to write, I must be able to do it freely without worrying about how to write it. I am not speaking of things like proper grammar and such, but telling the actual story. For example, there are times when I want to write things that are not realistic (let's say for example, a man giving birth). Why should I worry that a story such as this isn't marketable or will simply turn the public at large off? I could just write a story and "publish" it on my blog. Coming to terms with that is freeing.

WRITING FICTION

2006-07-17T14:57:00.000-05:00

Writing fiction has turned out to be much more difficult than I could ever have imagined. Upon reading this opening scene, one would never guess the direction this story would take. I am not yet sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it depends on the story. I need to determine if my story can survive with a beginning such as this:

Chapter 1- Her unending discontent leads to disaster

“Hey Ms. Maxwell, I was going to cut your class at first but forget it. The dean and his motley crew of cannibalistic assistants would almost certainly capture me. Who wants to waste time trapped in in-school suspension? On second thought, that might be better than rotting in this hellhole with an ogre like you. Anything would be better than your stupid class.”

Ms. Maxwell trotted over to Claire’s desk and shot her a look that made her blood boil. “Claire, sit down and get to work!” she demanded.

Feeling far from intimidated, Claire returned fire with a gaze that caused Ms. Maxwell to take two steps backward. She yelled, “No! You get back to work, Ms. Maxwell! Your class is boring as hell! Look at this disgusting place.” Claire looked around the room at the sky blue walls with painted clouds. The classroom bulletin board contained outdated student work. “Here it is April, and you still have work up about the holiday season.” Claire found no beauty in the efforts her teacher made to beautify the classroom.

“Ya know what else? You can’t even teach. How on earth did you get this job? The way you look certainly didn’t get you hired. Honey, if looks had anything to do with it, you would have been rejected upon first sight. God, the sight of you makes me wanna puke. Now get out of my face!” Claire’s defiance sent shockwaves through Ms. Maxwell’s body. She was verbally paralyzed.

“Do you have any idea how ugly you are? You should be more worried about that screwed up hairdo than what I’m doing right now.” She looked at Ms. Maxwell’s curly hair that appeared as though it were filled with dust. “Hello,” Claire taunted her. “The bird’s nest look has never been in. Oh wait! You probably have a spider web holding it together.” A clamor of laughter sprang out from her classmates. “God, I can’t stand you. For the life of me, I can’t understand why the principal won’t get rid of you as soon as humanly possible. You should be more like me, Ms. Maxwell. I’m hot. You can’t get any better than this,” Claire boasted as she arrogantly pranced in front of her classmates switching her hips from side to side.

“One day, I’ll find a man who’ll worship me. He’ll treat me like the queen I am. I can just picture him waiting on me hand and foot. Don’t you wish you had a man, Ms. Maxwell?” The bell rang just as she finished her last emotional rant against the teacher. “Now that is what I call saved by the bell. I’m getting out of this friggin class. Who knows? I may send you some crumbs from my spectacular wedding cake. Bye, Bye Ms. Maxwell.”

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DOG IN THE WORLD!!!!

2006-07-13T09:58:00.000-05:00

Lorraine’s Blog

IT FEELS GREAT TO BE A WOMAN

2006-07-09T20:05:00.000-05:00

As a woman, I have the right to an abortion without the input of the father. At the same time, I can sue him for child support should I decide to keep the baby. Still the father's feelings don't even need to be considered. Men don't have that freedom of choice, but women do. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE A WOMAN.

A man who has relations with an underage girl can be sent to jail. A woman who does the same can get a slap on the wrist. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE A WOMAN.

A woman who kills her children can blame it on mental illness. A man who kills his children won't stand a chance. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE A WOMAN.

A man will be branded a pervert for being hooked on porn or a dog for cheating. But a woman? On second thought, women don't watch porn nor do they cheat. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE A WOMAN.

MY RANDOM THOUGHTS TODAY

2006-07-06T09:41:00.000-05:00

The entry below was written while at a Blogging Workshop.

I sit here at this computer wondering what I should write about. We could write about anything on our minds, but I tend to have many things going on in my mind. They are all important and for the most part interesting, so it is hard to choose. I will talk about a book that I am reading. It's called Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. Frankly, this book is starting to bore me to death. It seems so similar to the Da Vinci Code. Both contain a young woman with a father (or father figure) who was murdered for possessing secrets that could destroy a specified establishment. Both include crazed assassins (or hassasin as described in Angels and Demons). The Da Vinci code had an extremely boring ending as I anticipate this one will. Will I find the same character and situational types over and over again in each Dan Brown novel? If this book does not "pick up" and captivate me, it will be the last Dan Brown novel I ever buy.

Well, I don't mind reading more than one book at a time. Other books I am trying to read are Don Quixote and short stories by Franz Kafka. I would not call either of them interesting, but required. It is my personal belief that I should be well read. Even if I don't like a book, I'll try to find something worth the effort of reading it. Don Quixote is a world renowned classic. I'd like to know what's inside of it. I would not call the book a complete bore. I am saying that it takes a lot for a book to keep my attention. I am afraid I don't have much to say about the Kafka stories at this time. A book as to be phenomenal in my eyes in order for me to enjoy it.

WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THE ARRESTS OF THE "FLORIDA SEVEN?"

2006-07-05T18:30:00.000-05:00

AOL Black Voices Lifestyle- black-patriotism - AOL Black Voices

The above is a link to an article illustrating the truth about black patriotism in the United States. It has been established that black Americans are no more or less patriotic than other Americans. I wholeheartedly agree, but that is not the point of this blog. I question the legitimacy of the arrests of the Florida 7. Allow me to make myself clear by saying I do not have all of the facts about these men. I will say that their practices, from what I have heard, are a bit out of the norm. Still I'd have to ask why these men were arrested? OK, they may have wanted to blow up the Sears Tower, or so we have heard. Why should we trust the authorities when they have not even gotten a handle on Homeland Security? Could the government be so desperate to find a terrorist that they are now targeting a few quacks from Florida? Do these black men really have the resources to carry out their desire (if in fact it really was there desire)? So why were they targeted when lunatics regularly make threats against the government or the president everyday on the internet? There is a "paper trail" behind every screen name, right? Have you ever heard of the media arresting someone for making threats against the government or the president via a message board? I haven't. I believe that many within this government are a bit too eager to target people of color. Were young white male agnostics with military cuts the victims of constant racial profiling after the Oklahoma City Bombing? Were any white men targeted after abortion clinics were blown up and doctors killed? I doubt it. Why not? I am not one to cry racism but...

IS THE GAY MARRIAGE DEBATE A DISTRACTION FROM THE REAL ISSUES?

2006-06-20T20:49:00.000-05:00

PERHAPS THE LEFT IS RIGHT ABOUT IT. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DESPERATELY NEEDED A DISTRACTION FROM ITS FAILURES. GAS PRICES ARE OUT OF CONTROL, THE HOSTILITIES IN IRAQ DID NOT CEASE BUT DRASTICALLY INCREASED. WHY ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT GAYS AND LESBIANS TRYING TO "MARRY"? I HAVE A SOLUTION, LET'S PUT THE GAY MARRIAGE DEBATE DOWN FOR THE TIME BEING. DON'T CREATE AN AMENDMENT BANNING IT, AND DON'T ALLOW GAYS AND LESBIANS TO MARRY JUST YET. LET'S FOCUS ON THE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES BEFORE WE DO EITHER.

FAIR?

ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI

2006-06-08T18:15:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it! While we the people of the United States, (everyday citizens and G.W. Bush) were safe here in our homes, our heroic troops killed the maniac Al-Zarqawi. No one else could do the job that our brave men and women are forced to do; not me, not Bush, not anyone left behind.

Cheers to the real heroes, those who have and are serving in Iraq.

CONCLUSION NUMBER ONE

2006-06-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

It's been an unbelievable and amazing ride reading the testimonies of ex-christians recently. The ride didn't begin there. My mind raced back to the numerous online battles I have had with atheists over the past few years. When I take those memories and mix them in with my current situation questioning everything I believe, I come to one crucial conclusion. I see absolutely no logical nor reasonable argument in favor of atheism. As far as I am concerned, to say that the universe and all life came to be without a divine designer is like saying the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the computer, etc just came into existence without being created. Of course someone will say, "there is proof that those things were created." That is true without question. I'd ask who determines proof? Can one decide for me what proof is? No they cannot. The proof I have of God is all the proof I need. The proof I speak of has nothing to do with a euphoric feeling one gets while in church. It has nothing to do with watching people shout, scream, run around, or cry while in worship. Don't get me wrong, I am not against those things. However, I must admit one thing: 99.999% OF THE TIME, I FEEL ABSOLUTELY NOTHING DURING PRAYER OR WORSHIP. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT ISN'T NECESSARY FOR ME TO FEEL ANYTHING. I SIMPLY HAVE TO KNOW BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT GOD IS WITH ME AT ALL TIMES. Is my point clear enough, LOL?

Before anyone tries to throw in the THEORY of evolution, allow me to provide a breaking newsflash: EVOLUTION DOES NOT PROVE THAT GOD DOES NOT EXIST. It is a theory that attempts to explain how populations change over time. Some well meaning Christians believe in evolution, some do not.

Here are some interesting websites that I found:

Evolution: Change: Life's Grand Design

Evolution: Humans

Charles Darwin-- I find it interesting that his already fragile faith was completely shattered after the death of his young daughter. I find that many people (not all, but many) lose their faith after tragedies and disappointments.

Charles Darwin's views on religion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'd also like to add the thesis statement of many ex-Christians, "The more I studied, the less I believed in the bible, God, or both." That is the controlling idea often echoed by ex-born-agains but now current free-thinkers. Well, I have literally spent hours at a time studying arguments against Christianity as well as the Bible. The alleged bible contradictions, so-called pagan origins of Christianity are nothing new to my ears. I have heard it all. Perhaps I will create a blog showing why the accusations of pagan origins hold no weight. Btw, don't go ballistic over the term "controlling idea." English teachers in New York will get the idea.

hhhmmm, today is day 6-6-6. I noticed my 16 month-old niece playing with the telephone on Saturday. When she handed me the phone,I looked at the digital display. She had pressed 666. I'm not joking either. But you know what? Who cares, LOL?

Conclusion Number One= God "still" exists

ANOTHER BIBLE CONTRADICTION?

2006-05-29T21:48:00.000-05:00

IF ONE GETS DIVORCED, SHOULD THEY REMAIN UNMARRIED? SHOULD A BELIEVER REFRAIN FROM DATING OR MARRYING AN UNBELIEVERS? HERE ARE A FEW BIBLICAL PASSAGES REGARDING THE ISSUE:

Matthew 5:32 (King James Version)

32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Nothing in the verse above indicates that it is permissible to remarry after a divorce. I looked at a different translation that clears it up for me a bit better:

Matthew 5:32 (Young's Literal Translation)
32but I -- I say to you, that whoever may put away his wife, save for the matter of whoredom, doth make her to commit adultery; and whoever may marry her who hath been put away doth commit adultery.

I believe this verse means that if your spouse was sexually immoral to begin with, he/she will need no coaxing to remain as such after you divorce him/her. Therefore, you will not cause someone to commit adultery (remarrying) who was already sexually immoral in the first place.

Matthew 19 (King James Version)

9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mark 10 (King James Version)

11And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

I am not going to pretend that this does not look like a clear example of a contradiction. It does indeed. First of all, I see the word fornication and adultery. It is a commonly held belief that Matt. 19:9 means that one can divorce their spouse and remarry if the previous spouse commits adultery. As you can see, the verse does not use the word adultery in that context, but the word fornication. Where are those Christians getting the idea that adultery releases the offended spouse into freedom to remarry? The last time I checked, fornication meant sex between two unmarried persons. Adultery means sex between a married person and an unmarried person. That leads me with two possibilities; either the word fornication was a poor word choice on the part of the translator or many have gotten the message all wrong. Perhaps, just perhaps the so called exception clause was not referring to the adulterous spouse, but to the offended one. Remember, the bible was translated into English, not directly inspired by the Holy Spirit into English. Whether we want to admit it or not, what we have are texts translated from Spiritually inspired words, not the original inspired words. That is not to take away from the credibility of the bibles we have today (well, not all of them, LOL). I do believe that we must take into account "language transferring" issues when trying to understand the bible. If we don't take that into consideration, we are in fact left with contradictions (whether we admit it or not). Back to the exception clause:

Matthew 19 (King James Version)

9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

If we conclude that the so-called exception clause refers to the adulterer, then this verse is at odds with Mark 10:11-12. Reading that verse alone shows us that remarriage after divorce is a sin no matter what the cause of it was. However, I am going to paraphrase (Matt. 19:9) with what I think most clearly and reasonably matches the inspired text:

If you divorce your spouse, unless you enter into fornication, you are committing adultery. In other words, any relationship you enter will be considered adultery (if you claim remarriage) or fornication (if you simply form sexual relationships).

Disclaimer, I don't believe this applies to widows and widowers.

If someone has what they believe is better explanation that shows no contradiction between the two passages, I am open to hear your explanation. How does one translate it, be, and for (see Matt 19:9) from Greek to English? Were those 3 words included in the original Greek texts?

Should believers marry unbelievers? Most Christians hang all of their doctrine on the verses below:

2 Corinthians 6:13-15 (King James Version)
13Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

The passage does not mention marriage. I would say that the passage is more open ended than that. I believe that Christians apply the marriage principle to this simply because of the concept of a union or fellowship. The question would be, how does this apply to non-marital family ties? Aren't we in fellowship with our unsaved mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, etc. (for those of us who have unsaved family members)? Some may say no, there is a difference. How is there fellowship and communion in marriage but not in close family relations. This makes no sense to me. Yet, I am always willing to admit that I could be mistaken about something.

1 Corinthians 7:13-15 (King James Version)

13And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

14For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

HHHmmm, many will claim that the passage refers to people who came to Christ after a marriage to an unbeliever. However, nothing in the passage indicates this.

15But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Many Christians also claim that the above passage means Christians get remarry if their former spouse deserts them (if that person was unsaved). Whether or not you are deserted (ex spouse saved or not), nothing in the passage speaks of remarriage. The person is not under bondage to continue the marriage, nothing speaks of the so called Pauline privilege. Too many Christians add things to the Bible in order to make themselves comfortable. Remarriage is not an unpardonable sin. Marriage to an unbeliever is not an unpardonable sin; in fact, I can't say with certainty that the Bible says it is sin. I will say it would be best for believers to marry believers.

To be continued...

WHAT A GOOD SERVICE!

2006-05-28T19:22:00.000-05:00

I didn't go to my usual church today, but visited another. I'd have to admit that I really felt at peace. It was so nice not having to sit through a service where you are constantly bombarded with "God is going to give you a house, a business, a spouse" only to see that never come to fruition. The sermon spoke of healing the inner man/woman from emotional hurts. That is what we need in Christendom. I simply cannot stomach one more "God is going to give...?" What's next? God is going to give you $100 million in 10 days? Allow me to make myself abundantly clear when I say I'd love for God to do that. However, spiritual reason and logic says it won't happen. Contrary to popular belief, God does make sense, sometimes that is. LOL

For example, my tire was flattened 2 weeks ago. I was driving on the parkway to church when I noticed a strange noise and a lopsidedness that I hadn't seen before. A so-called still small voice said to me (paraphrasing), there is nothing wrong with your car. I foolishly kept driving for about 2-3 minutes. A passing motorist motioned to me pointing toward my tire. I waved in thanks and pulled over. It was then that I noticed my flat tire.

Where am I going with this? Sometimes we mistake our own thoughts for the voice of the Holy Spirit. Other times, we are so caught up in a "spirit world" (note the quotes), that we fail to use the common sense that God gave us. If we focus on following the teachings of Christ, as we should, we would not get so caught up in what God can give us. Personally, I don't need one more preacher to tell me what blessing God is going to give me. I certainly don't want one telling me that God is going to make me president of the United States when nothing of the sort will happen. You get the picture. As I said before, sometimes God makes sense.

But then, there are still the questions and frustrations with the Christianity that has been presented to me. God, I am sure, is not intimidated by my questions. Why should anyone else be? Gee, what question/frustration will I include in this blog next?

Until next time...

EXAMINING THE PRINCIPLES OF SECULAR HUMANISM FOR MYSELF

2006-05-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am on a quest. Since I have been growing frustrated with the faith that I had lived by for many years, I decided to explore if the grass is greener on the other side. Can someone be happy and fulfilled outside of Christ? Would my life be a lot richer if I didn't have the restraints of a deity? I have been doing a lot of research lately. Most of it includes testimonials of ex-born-again christians. Yes, it is possible to be one, LOL. They have discovered that what they believed was not all it was cracked up to be. In all fairness, it is possible that these people believed a bit too much. Perhaps they adhered too much into things not necessary, like no movies, or pants for women, or the concept of a young earth; thus the reason they left Christianity.

To make things more interesting, I've discovered that there are many people (including a few ex-Christians) who sing the praises of secular humanism. What exactly is it?

Council for Secular Humanism
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php

It is a world view which maintains that every belief system should be weighed and tested in order to determine its validity. We should never just accept something based on faith, but facts and evidence. They also adhere to the ethics of tolerance, free inquiry, and the betterment of humanity through humanity and not a deity. Many humanists are nontheists. I would be amiss if I did not admit that I found many humanistic ideals that are appealing to me. There is nothing wrong with that. It is healthy to acknowledge the truths we find. At the same time, I found a few things that didn't quite sit well with me. If I am free to question the faith that I have had for many years, I can and will question other world views. On that note, here are a few things that I found on The Council for Secular Humanism website. This blog contains info from A Secular Humanist Declaration and The Affirmations of Humanism.

Free inquiry requires that we tolerate diversity of opinion and that we respect the right of individuals to express their beliefs, however unpopular they may be, without social or legal prohibition or fear of sanctions. Though we may tolerate contrasting points of view, this does not mean that they are immune to critical scrutiny. The guiding premise of those who believe in free inquiry is that truth is more likely to be discovered if the opportunity exists for the free exchange of opposing opinions; the process of interchange is frequently as important as the result. This applies not only to science and to everyday life, but to politics, economics, morality, and religion.

The above declaration contradicts the declaration regarding science and technology. Secular humanists are opposed to including creationism in science curriculums. They feel that creationism should be limited to courses on religion or the history of ideas. It is the right of every humanist to believe whatever they wish. However, it is not their right to determine what the general public should view as science. After all, truth is more likely to be discovered if the opportunity exists for free exchange of opposing ideas, right? How is excluding creationism from general science curriculums a free exchange? It isn't as far as I am concerned. Allow me to make something clear. I do not believe that creationism should be forced upon anyone. However, I do believe that all viewpoints should be presented to our children within the same curriculum. It isn't up to anyone to determine what should be accepted as science, not humanists or theists. We must be exposed to all views and beliefs.

Ethics Based On Critical Intelligence

Morality that is not God-based need not be antisocial, subjective, or promiscuous, nor need it lead to the breakdown of moral standards. Although we believe in tolerating diverse lifestyles and social manners, we do not think they are immune to criticism.

What exactly are the moral standards followed by humanists? I wish this were more clearly defined on their site. Is it something determined by the individual?

The Affirmations of Humanism:

A Statement of Principles
We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.

Mature adults should express their sexual preferences? The fact is, we can't legislate what goes on in the bedrooms of mature adults. I would add in the word consenting with the word adult, but the affirmation doesn't use the word. The danger here is that nutcases can misinterpret or misuse what is being said (similar to how nutcases misuse religious texts) since the affirmation is too abstract. I believe in responsible sexual behavior. Certain types of sexual preferences are not healthy (my statement has nothing to do with my views on homosexuality, but sexual preferences in general). We should not be afraid to admit that in the name of tolerance and personal freedom. AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, and broken hearts should be enough to teach us that we should not tolerate all aspects of the expression of sexual preference. Again, sexual preference is not limited to the discussion of gays, lesbians, bi's, and straights. If the humanist council meant it as such, that should have been made clear.

We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.

Joy rather than guilt or sin? There are things that I have said and done to others that left me feeling guilty. Should I feel joy instead? I don't want to feel any joy when I do something wrong. This is not to say that the humanists believe we should feel joy about hurting others. It is to say that this word choice could lead to others interpreting it in a way that was unintended by the council. By the way, no one feels sin they commit sin.

There have been any number of distinguished secularists and humanists who have demonstrated moral principles in their personal lives and works: Protagoras, Lucretius, Epicurus, Spinoza, Hume, Thomas Paine, Diderot, Mark Twain, George Eliot, John Stuart Mill, Ernest Renan, Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison, Clarence Darrow, Robert Ingersoll, Gilbert Murray, Albert Schweitzer, Albert Einstein, Max Born, Margaret Sanger, and Bertrand Russell, among others.

Margaret Sanger?! A secular humanist?

http://blackgenocide.org/sanger.html

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/files/portal/medicalinfo/birthcontrol/bio-margaret-sanger.xml#1132244666315::-5699605734901894369

It would be best to make up your own mind about her. I know what I think.

Science And Technology
We believe the scientific method, though imperfect, is still the most reliable way of understanding the world. Hence, we look to the natural, biological, social, and behavioral sciences for knowledge of the universe and man's place within it.

Accordingly, we deplore the efforts by fundamentalists (especially in the United States) to invade the science classrooms, requiring that creationism theory be taught to students and requiring that it be included in biology textbooks...Moreover, we do not deny the value of examining theories of creation in educational courses on religion and the history of ideas; but it is a sham to mask an article of religious faith as a scientific truth and to inflict that doctrine on the scientific curriculum.

But here it says:

Moral Education

We do not think it is moral to baptize infants, to confirm adolescents, or to impose a religious creed on young people before they are able to consent. Although children should learn about the history of religious moral practices, these young minds should not be indoctrinated in a faith before they are mature enough to evaluate the merits for themselves.

Children should eventually evaluate the merit of ideas and beliefs when they are mature enough to do so. No question about it. The problem I have with the above is that the secular humanists appear to believe that this stance against "immoral indoctrination" should be limited to religious beliefs (whether they admit it or not). It is my humble opinion that people should be consistent in their views. To do otherwise presents an image that one feels threatened by the views of others. My problem with secular humanism is not limited to what is written in this blog. Based on all that I have discovered, secular humanism is certainly not for me.

FAITH

2006-05-26T22:24:00.000-05:00

How should I exercise my faith? Does God answer all prayers? Should we really step out on faith? These are questions that I needed to answer for myself. First I would like to settle one basic fact. God does indeed answer all prayer; just not in the way we would expect. Still that leaves me with unanswered questions.

What does the bible say about prayer?

Matthew 21:22 (King James Version)
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

According to the verse above, one will receive anything they ask in prayer if they believe. How many people have prayed for a dying loved one, believing they would live, only to see them die? Or should we assume that those who prayed didn't really believe or have enough faith? I would go on to ask, isn't it God's will for everyone to die? I am not arguing dying at an appointed time. My point is that everyone's life must come to an end. Therefore, praying for someone to live may have nothing to do with faith but God's divine will. But that still leaves a problem. Do we really receive "whatsoever we ask", even when it comes to life or death?

What about praying to get a desired job? Should we assume that we will receive that dream job simply because we believe God will answer? As I have stated before, God does not always answer in the way we would expect. However, the verse above says "whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer" as long as we believe. So is it whatever we ask in faith or whatever God desires for us?

So what shall we do? Should we believe that we will receive anything we ask in faith? Let's look at something else.

Psalm 37
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

According to the verse above, we will receive the desires of our hearts if we delight ourselves in the Lord. The word desire is written in the plural form (desires). In all honesty, I have yet to see any solid christian testify that they received the desires of their hearts. Maybe one desire, but this is not a constant thing that happens. If that were the case, no solid christian would be poor (since no one in their right mind desires poverty).

What do I believe about faith? I believe that God works miracles, when He wants to. Therefore, I don't pray or believe for them in advance. (If and when I witness a miracle, I will acknowledge it.) In fact, I no longer believe in faith regarding specific things. I have faith that God will answer prayers when and how He wants to.
I'll give you an example: I met a woman whose son was killed in Iraq. She did so much praying for him to come home alive. Unfortunately, he died there. I had a brother who was there twice, and I did not want to "step out on faith", as many christians put it. I'd rather not believe for something than end up disappointed. As it turned out, my brother came back alive; twice and is now out of the military. My point is, I refused to have faith that God would keep my brother safe from harm or death. I was too afraid that God may not let him live, thus, my relationship with God would be destroyed. But you know what? I had a great outcome. This woman had faith and prayed that her son would live, but he died.

After much thought, I have decided it would be best for me not to believe God for specifics any longer. Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of abandoning my salvation. However, much needed changes needed to be made in order for me to remain a christian.

ARE MEN STILL ALLOWED TO BE UGLY?

2005-04-30T18:48:00.000-05:00

ARE MEN STILL ALLOWED TO BE UGLY?

No. Not by a long shot. Gone are the days when men were allowed to be fat, bald, and short. I am hearing more and more men complain about women judging how they look. Now men are getting a taste of that medicine. Is this a good thing? You answer that question. It used to be that women were the only ones who had to lose weight, get plastic surgery, or worry about their hair. How many women do not care if their man gains 75 pounds? We may claim not to care, but many of us really do. Hey, I would be amiss if I did not admit that only certain types of guys cause me to turn my head. I guess men finally know how it feels to not measure up. What do you think?

CRIMINALS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TSUNAMI VICTIMS

2005-01-03T17:37:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article on the Reuters website that spoke about criminals targeting Tsunami survivors. These horrific crimes take place in refugee camps and hospitals in Asia and in European nations believe it or not. Rape appears to be one of the crimes of choice against the already traumatized survivors of the disaster. In Europe there have been complaints of identity theft and prank emails claiming loved ones are dead. This article reminded me that there are people without consciences alive but apparently not well. The blood in their veins is probably cold as ice. I certainly hope that these people will be prosecuted to the fullest whatever that means in the countries in question.

International News Article Reuters.com

Mother chooses which child to save in Tsunami disaster

2005-01-02T23:40:00.000-05:00

Many people will claim that we really do not know what we would do in the most extreme of circumstances. A young mother had to make what she felt was a dreadful decision. Which child should she save? Being under extreme emotional pressure, she decided to save the younger one. Her older child begged her not to let him go. I can imagine the child screaming in great fear. It must have been awful for the young mother but not nearly as awful as it was for her son. I will admit that she did call out to a woman, who was struggling to save her own life, to grab her child. In other words, she did not just leave him there to die. However, I shudder to think what would have happened if no one were there to take hold of the child. Would the mother still have left him, and this time to die? When we are under that kind of pressure we are in danger of thinking irrationally. It could happen to anyone of us. That does not mean that we should receive sympathy when we make such decisions. Being in danger of thinking irrationally does not mean that reason would not kick in at the same time. That is when we have to choose which route to take; either the irrational or the rational. This young mother does not deserve any sympathy. Note, I did not say that she deserves condemnation, she deserves no sympathy. That young boy is going to grow up one day. I wonder what decision he will make if and when it comes time to care for only one of his elderly parents. Will he choose his mother or his father? HHHMMM.... I think I know the answer.