| xcel |
Hi All:
___I just received an E-Mail that was very thought provoking. I do not know what you may or may not believe in nor would I dare force you to think one way or the other (I might use a little persuasion however ;)), but I found this article interesting to say the least. Whether its genuine or not, I do not know quote:
In light of the many perversions and jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11).
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school ... the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued (there's a big difference between disciplining, touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking, etc.). And we said OK.
Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said OK.
Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school. And we said OK.
Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good.
Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body. And we said OK.
And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then further again by making them available on the Internet. And we said OK, they're entitled to free speech.
Then the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. Let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right ahead.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in!
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net |
|
|
| DaleB |
There seems to be a thread of truth in many things stated, though I think it would be difficult to show cause and effect.
The Golden Rule would apply regardless of one's personal beliefs in a spritual or secular sense. For doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, works wonders and is probably the reason why the human race still exists as we know it.
Does that mean anything is justified, no it does not. But neither do I think there are only black or white answers as to what is right or wrong morally. The best we can do is live moral lives ourselves in accordance with our society, and accept the differences others choose to live by, as long as they do not infringe on our own personal beliefs or rights.
It is easy to point to incidents that are 'wrong' but if you go back in the history of man and examine the inhumanities that occurred (and still occur) and how many in the name of a god, I think what we perceive as signs of our society crumbling pale in comparison.
Yes, have faith by all means, and in a way that works for you. But spend less time being judgemental and more time setting good examples, especially for our children. |
|
|
| zafer |
quote:
Originally posted by xcel
.... Whether its genuine or not, I do not know
Actually her response was -
quote:
I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we're sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/earlyshow/he...spiritual.shtml |
|
|
| zafer |
After being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said: "Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning. I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their t-shirt messages and dress habits. You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self-esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job. I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, offer advice, Write letters of recommendation for student employment and scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others, and oh, make sure that I give the girls in my class fifty percent of my attention. My contract requires me to work on my own time after school, evenings and weekends grading papers. Also, I must spend my summer vacation at my own expense working toward advance certification and a Masters degree. And on my own time you want me to attend committee and faculty meetings, PTA meetings, and participate in staff development training. I am to be a paragon of virtue, larger than life, such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of authority. You want me to incorporate technology into the learning experience, monitor web sites, and relate personally with each student. That includes deciding who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to commit a crime in school. I am! To make sure all students pass the mandatory state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments. Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap. And I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card. All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile AND on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps! You want me to do all of this and yet you expect me.....
NOT TO PRAY?" |
|
|
| dbehrens |
(regarding the attacks on Sept. 11)
quote:
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school ... the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
1)I don't believe any of the Terrorists from 9/11 went to any of this countries schools and were prevented from praying.
2)Any individual child can read a bible, pray or talk to friends about religion in any school. It is the public institution that is prohibited from organizing any religious activities.
Keep religion where it belongs, out of the public sector and in the place of worship. |
|
|
| DaleB |
Having religion in our schools will not make those that do not believe more virtuous, and not having it will not make the true believer less virtuous.
The schools have a formidable task in just educating, one in which they are still struggling to excel. |
|
|
| mdxxxx |
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
...The Golden Rule would apply regardless of one's personal beliefs in a spritual or secular sense. For doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, works wonders and is probably the reason why the human race still exists as we know it...Yes, have faith by all means, and in a way that works for you. But spend less time being judgemental and more time setting good examples, especially for our children.
Amen...:4: |
|
|
| oceanMDX |
The Taliban would pretty much agree with Anne Graham's (or what she was alleged to have said) statement.
Through history, religion has given different peoples another reason to fight each other. |
|
|
| zafer |
Decision Protects Popular Profanity
By a 9-0 margin, the U.S. Supreme Court decided yesterday to block a bid to remove the word “God” from the popular profanity “God damn it.”
The decision came in response to a lawsuit from a California doctor, Steven Lapelle, who had argued that the inclusion of the word “God” in the phrase violated the constitutional separation of church and state since “God damn it” is one of the most frequently used phrases in Washington.
In writing for the majority, however, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist made it clear that the word “God” in “God damn it” was very much here to stay.
“Without the phrase ‘God damn it,’ it is highly unlikely that our Federal government would continue to function in a smooth, efficient manner,” wrote Justice Rehnquist. “As for Dr. Lapelle, I suggest he mind his own goddamn business.”
But the California doctor remained undaunted by the Court’s ruling, telling reporters that he would proceed with a new lawsuit to remove the word “hell” from the phrase “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”
If that suit is successful, Dr. Lapelle said he would pursue his ultimate goal, which is to remove the words “God” and “hell” from the phrase “Get the hell out of my goddamn face.” |
|
|
|
