http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=52350
Go look at this picture. Right now. You have nothing better to do, just go. Come back to me once you've taken a good hard look at it. I'm not going anywhere; I'll be here when you get back. Go on.
Did you see it? I mean really see it? Scary isn't it (and I don't mean the kid in the mask)?
First, let me just say that this picture does call out those luke-warm Christians who have no cause to champion. All Christians have been called by God, and while most have not been caused to lead the war on abortion rights, some have, and I appreciate them. I do not believe that I personally am called to combat abortion rights.
Abortion does not continue because Christians don't care, it continues because humans have this wonderful thing called "free will." This idea of "free will" is what allows us to love and act in compassion, but it also allows us to do other things, like stealing and indulging in chocolate. It allows us to do things we want, like enjoying the beauty of an Appalachian sunrise or voting in an upcoming election. Free will also allows people to get abortions, and carry signs condemning their fellow Christians for not throwing the country into chaos over what some women do with their lives. Let's take a look into the Bible real quick. The Bible is filled with prostitutes. Prostitutes who were redeemed, FORGIVEN! even. Jesus himself forgave a prostitute who would have been stoned otherwise.
You know, I think our emotions end up misplaced very easily. We can do nothing after someone has an abortion. Nothing we can do is going to bring that child back to life. So what good does it do to condemn our brothers and sisters for something they have no control over? Instead of holding up signs like these, how about we start holding ones that say: "Christians, Remember to love your neighbors!" or "Nothing can separate us from the love of God."?
This whole idea of people holding signs talking about how much "God hates YOU!" really pisses me off. I know that there probably is a place for it, but does it seriously work? Go look at Westboro Baptist Church, the "Christians" who protest soldiers' funerals, saying that they died to protect profanity and corruption. How can people who have experienced the LOVE of CHRIST, condemn the world outright? True we are called out of the law of the world, but we stay in the world to be the light. Who in their right mind will run towards the light if all it does is condemn them. These people tell the world that there is no loving God, there is no forgiveness, there is no abundant life, only judgment and death and condemnation. Oh yes, that's what Christianity is ALL ABOUT! (Please note the sarcasm.)
So, that's why these people piss me off. Yes, they challenge us to examine our lives and consider our own apathy, which is good, but we are told to reproach our brothers in love, not judgment.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
CWO to sent up Propoganda for the Pope
London, September 2010, Pope Benedict will share the streets with fifteen of London's famous red buses carrying signs that simply say "Pope Benedict - Ordain Women Now." The CWO, or Catholic Women's Ordination, has paid a healthy sum to the city to use the buses as advertising space, and also plans to rally during one of the Pope's scheduled speeches.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/od_nm/us_britain_pope
So, what does this mean, for those Christians here in America? Well, to Catholics worldwide, should the CWO succeed in their endeavor, female priests will finally become a reality. Should the Pope decline to head the CWO'c demands, the possibility of further driving a wedge into the Catholic community would become imminent. So here stands Catholicism, on the verge of change, no matter what the Pope decides.
Now, I'm not Catholic, so at first, I have to ask myself: "What do I care?" Well, not being Catholic doesn't mean that what happens with the Pope doesn't affect me at all. Let's take a short trip down history lane. Judaism gave way to Christianity, which evolved into Catholicism, which split and helped give rise to Protestantism, and subsequently, all the non-Catholic Christian denominations. Ergo, just like what affects the Jewish nation affects us, what happens to Catholicism affects us.
If the Pope allows the ordination of female priests, it will become easier for other denominations to allow women into positions of authority. Currently, very few Christian denominations allow women into high positions, but that could change.
In all honest, I don't see the Pope ordaining women. I think it's sad that he most likely won't, but I feel that he will most likely hold to tradition. It seems like the Catholic thing to do. (Please don't think I am necessarily stereotyping all Catholics; I am just basing that statement on the knowledge that Catholicism leans towards conservatism and traditionalism.) So, odds are, in my opinion, the rift over sexism in the church will simply linger on.
What do you think?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/od_nm/us_britain_pope
So, what does this mean, for those Christians here in America? Well, to Catholics worldwide, should the CWO succeed in their endeavor, female priests will finally become a reality. Should the Pope decline to head the CWO'c demands, the possibility of further driving a wedge into the Catholic community would become imminent. So here stands Catholicism, on the verge of change, no matter what the Pope decides.
Now, I'm not Catholic, so at first, I have to ask myself: "What do I care?" Well, not being Catholic doesn't mean that what happens with the Pope doesn't affect me at all. Let's take a short trip down history lane. Judaism gave way to Christianity, which evolved into Catholicism, which split and helped give rise to Protestantism, and subsequently, all the non-Catholic Christian denominations. Ergo, just like what affects the Jewish nation affects us, what happens to Catholicism affects us.
If the Pope allows the ordination of female priests, it will become easier for other denominations to allow women into positions of authority. Currently, very few Christian denominations allow women into high positions, but that could change.
In all honest, I don't see the Pope ordaining women. I think it's sad that he most likely won't, but I feel that he will most likely hold to tradition. It seems like the Catholic thing to do. (Please don't think I am necessarily stereotyping all Catholics; I am just basing that statement on the knowledge that Catholicism leans towards conservatism and traditionalism.) So, odds are, in my opinion, the rift over sexism in the church will simply linger on.
What do you think?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Job Search
In our current economy, many people feel that "rising" unemployment rates makes it nearly impossible to land a job, even a temporary job, much less a career. Well, let me first encourage any job seekers out there with some statistics from the Department of Labor Statistics:
"Total non-farm payroll employment declined by 131,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.5 percent. Federal government employment fell, as 143,000 temporary workers hired for the decennial census completed their work. Private-sector payroll employment edged up by 71,000."
So, as you can see, there are still jobs out there. Employers are still hiring. So, let's go through a few options that might help with landing that all-important income.
1) First off, there's nothing that says willingness to work than simply pounding the pavement. However, nothing says desperate like pounding the pavement. It can also say "inexperienced." So, it may work, it may not. A lot of people do it, but that means it has to work every now and then, or else no one would do it.
2) Fork over the 50 cents to buy the local newspaper, or if your newspaper lists it's classified ads online, check them out there. Know what openings there are in your area. Know what employers are wanting out of someone in this capacity. Contact the company directly and let them see how good you could be for their image, reputation, productivity, etc.
3) Manage your profile on social networking sites. Many companies now check the way promising employees act on sites like Facebook and MySpace. If the smiling, well dressed, impressive candidate who walked through their door turns out to be a drunk flousey, your chances have just dropped, my friend.
4) Go to a temp agency. It may seem beneath you, but how desperate are you? If you need some kind of income, a temp agency may be the way to go.
5) Make sure you're qualified. This could mean anything from going back to school, to learning what not to put on an application. There are many online and print resources on how to write a resume, a CV, fill out an application, etc. Take advantage of those resources.
6) Check out news websites like Yahoo!. It was there that I came across this headline: "Can't Find a Job, College Grad? National Park Service Is Hiring." How awesome would it be to work for the National Park Service. Granted, it's a government job, but money is money.
So, whatever method you choose to pursue, remember to pray that God leads your life and your job hunt.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110370/cant-find-a-job-college-grad-national-park-service-is-hiring
"Total non-farm payroll employment declined by 131,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.5 percent. Federal government employment fell, as 143,000 temporary workers hired for the decennial census completed their work. Private-sector payroll employment edged up by 71,000."
So, as you can see, there are still jobs out there. Employers are still hiring. So, let's go through a few options that might help with landing that all-important income.
1) First off, there's nothing that says willingness to work than simply pounding the pavement. However, nothing says desperate like pounding the pavement. It can also say "inexperienced." So, it may work, it may not. A lot of people do it, but that means it has to work every now and then, or else no one would do it.
2) Fork over the 50 cents to buy the local newspaper, or if your newspaper lists it's classified ads online, check them out there. Know what openings there are in your area. Know what employers are wanting out of someone in this capacity. Contact the company directly and let them see how good you could be for their image, reputation, productivity, etc.
3) Manage your profile on social networking sites. Many companies now check the way promising employees act on sites like Facebook and MySpace. If the smiling, well dressed, impressive candidate who walked through their door turns out to be a drunk flousey, your chances have just dropped, my friend.
4) Go to a temp agency. It may seem beneath you, but how desperate are you? If you need some kind of income, a temp agency may be the way to go.
5) Make sure you're qualified. This could mean anything from going back to school, to learning what not to put on an application. There are many online and print resources on how to write a resume, a CV, fill out an application, etc. Take advantage of those resources.
6) Check out news websites like Yahoo!. It was there that I came across this headline: "Can't Find a Job, College Grad? National Park Service Is Hiring." How awesome would it be to work for the National Park Service. Granted, it's a government job, but money is money.
So, whatever method you choose to pursue, remember to pray that God leads your life and your job hunt.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110370/cant-find-a-job-college-grad-national-park-service-is-hiring
Monday, August 23, 2010
Stuck in Traffic?
The vast majority of people I know hate getting stuck in traffic. Some of my co-workers will stay at work, off the clock to avoid running into busy school bus routes. Some of my classmates will leave over a half an hour early to avoid lunch hour congestion to travel through downtown.
While I will often give myself plenty of time to get from point A to point B, it is generally never to avoid. On the contrary, it is to allow for time "wasted" sitting in traffic. Whether it's on I65 heading to work, I64 to or from school, or just local roads heading across town, somehow or another, I always end up spending time stuck in traffic. So, aside from planning on, and jamming to the radio, I have discovered a number of ways to get through those long moments when one can't to anything but stare at the same three license plates.
So here are some of the things I do, to keep patience and not get overly frustrated with time lost in transit:
1) Turn off the radio and look out at the horizon. Taking in the beauty of the moment often serves to help take my mind off of the fact that I have moved three feet in the past five minutes. Look at the trees or buildings. Take a few moments to cloud-watch. Check out the stars, if you're caught in night road construction.
2) People watch. Now, obviously be careful because heavy traffic is often prime-time to run into someone experiencing road-rage, so don't make eye contact with someone visibly irritated. Instead, look at some of the makes and models of cars around. Imagine who these people might be and where they are going, or what they are leaving. The man in the Volkswagen just in front of you may be a frugal middle-class businessman who's fallen on hard times. Maybe he needs prayer because he was recently laid off and his wife is threatening to leave him because he can't support her and their two children on his unemployment check. Just people watch and imagine some scenarios.
3) Take some time to pray. I know it may sound odd, but picture God sitting in the seat next to you. Tell Him about your day, your relationships, your dreams. Ask Him questions like "God, what do you think about last night's news? I know that story about Pakistan was really depressing, but there has to be some good in that part of the world, right? You know, I think I heard something about missionaries going over to help feed some of those starving children. Thank You for those people." Speak to Him out loud; it makes it more real, at least for me. And don't worry about if other people are looking at you funny, they think you're singing along with the radio.
So next time you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't get frustrated, practice love. Practice the presence of God, and remember, at least this traffic jam is not going to last for 9 days like this one in China:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100823/sc_afp/chinaroadtraffic
While I will often give myself plenty of time to get from point A to point B, it is generally never to avoid. On the contrary, it is to allow for time "wasted" sitting in traffic. Whether it's on I65 heading to work, I64 to or from school, or just local roads heading across town, somehow or another, I always end up spending time stuck in traffic. So, aside from planning on, and jamming to the radio, I have discovered a number of ways to get through those long moments when one can't to anything but stare at the same three license plates.
So here are some of the things I do, to keep patience and not get overly frustrated with time lost in transit:
1) Turn off the radio and look out at the horizon. Taking in the beauty of the moment often serves to help take my mind off of the fact that I have moved three feet in the past five minutes. Look at the trees or buildings. Take a few moments to cloud-watch. Check out the stars, if you're caught in night road construction.
2) People watch. Now, obviously be careful because heavy traffic is often prime-time to run into someone experiencing road-rage, so don't make eye contact with someone visibly irritated. Instead, look at some of the makes and models of cars around. Imagine who these people might be and where they are going, or what they are leaving. The man in the Volkswagen just in front of you may be a frugal middle-class businessman who's fallen on hard times. Maybe he needs prayer because he was recently laid off and his wife is threatening to leave him because he can't support her and their two children on his unemployment check. Just people watch and imagine some scenarios.
3) Take some time to pray. I know it may sound odd, but picture God sitting in the seat next to you. Tell Him about your day, your relationships, your dreams. Ask Him questions like "God, what do you think about last night's news? I know that story about Pakistan was really depressing, but there has to be some good in that part of the world, right? You know, I think I heard something about missionaries going over to help feed some of those starving children. Thank You for those people." Speak to Him out loud; it makes it more real, at least for me. And don't worry about if other people are looking at you funny, they think you're singing along with the radio.
So next time you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't get frustrated, practice love. Practice the presence of God, and remember, at least this traffic jam is not going to last for 9 days like this one in China:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100823/sc_afp/chinaroadtraffic
Friday, August 20, 2010
An Irish Proverb
"The three sharpest eyes are a blacksmith on a nail, a priest on his parish and a young girl on a boy."
Think about it.
Think about it.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Convents and Sisterhoods
Okay, so:
Just as a thought, I have considered devoting my life to God and becoming a nun. Part of the problem with this is that I have no desire to convert to Catholicism or Buddhism. There is good news though, there are indeed protestant convents. Again there are problems, they are all orthodox denominations: Methodism, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, etc. Being part of a Christian church, and no, not DoC, I don't really want to convert per se.
So, here in lies the problem: should I decide that this is the path for me, and I'm not 100% sold out, I have nowhere to go. I could make the vows on my own to God, and I believe that they would be binding and honored by God, but not by man. Oh well though. Just a thought.
Just as a thought, I have considered devoting my life to God and becoming a nun. Part of the problem with this is that I have no desire to convert to Catholicism or Buddhism. There is good news though, there are indeed protestant convents. Again there are problems, they are all orthodox denominations: Methodism, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, etc. Being part of a Christian church, and no, not DoC, I don't really want to convert per se.
So, here in lies the problem: should I decide that this is the path for me, and I'm not 100% sold out, I have nowhere to go. I could make the vows on my own to God, and I believe that they would be binding and honored by God, but not by man. Oh well though. Just a thought.
Blog Moved
The blog at onesteplife.blogspot.com has moved to 2ndsteps.blogspot.com due to the page not letting me update my email address.
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