After doing a recent MWF Read, I decided to do my own “thoughts on” post. So here’s a few major concepts and how I feel about them. Feel free to disagree and state your own opinion. I’d love to hear it and I promise I won’t bite your head off for giving it.
1: God.
After many years of learning about the different religions and versions of them, I have come to a conclusion (this coming from a man who was music director at a Baptist church for 7 years from the age of 14): I believe in faith. But I believe that everyone has a different way of connecting to their faith. Wiccans believe in nature, and they have faith. Christians believe in Jesus, and they have faith. Scientists and logical thinkers connect through the senses, but they also have faith, as they have theories without all of the facts, but they still believe in something. I connect to my faith through Christianity because it was how I was raised and it makes the most sense to me because of that. If I was raised Wiccan or by a scientific minded family, I probably would connect to my faith in a much different way.
2: Organized Religion.
Organized religion is not truly the problem. Sure, I’ve seen my share of people in large groups being stupid. I’ve watched a church vote out a pastor who was a good man only to turn around and leave the church because it was without pastor. I’ve seen friends of mine burn thousands of dollars worth of Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons cards and books because Pat Robertson told them they represented the devil. I’ve read about the Crusades. But the people getting the “air time” are a minority among the groups. They are the fanatics and the hypocrites. They are the men who praise God, condemn homosexuals, and then come out of the closet. They are the men and women who preach “mercy” and “love” but put a small town bar out of business by building a church within 50 yards.
I’m all for getting together and praising my faith. I’m all for enjoying the brotherhood and sisterhood of my fellow human beings. I’m all for loving one another. I’m not for killing someone over their faith. I’m not for being hypocritical. I’m not for fanaticism. I’m for an open mind and an open heart.
3: Evolution.
These days, every generation is physically and mentally better than the last. I know I’m going to get reamed about saying that, but it’s true. I could go on all day about showing the proof, but I’m not. The problem is everything moves so fast that wisdom is playing a much smaller role in the hearts and minds of the generations. So do we evolve as a race? Most certainly. Could we have evolved from apes? Definitely. Could we have evolved from bacteria? There is nothing to say that it didn’t happen. There is nothing to say that it did. It’s conjecture, and it always will be. And before you start throwing Genesis in my face, remember that the Bible is not meant to be taken literally. It is a teaching tool for morals. God did not create the earth and the heavens in seven of our days. This is conjecture also, but when a being exists eternally, a day to him could be millions of years to us, plenty of time to go swimming in the evolutionary pool.
4: Abortion.
Abortion sucks. No one is gonna say different. But the legalization of it is a necessary evil. Weigh the pros and cons. Seriously. Write a list of all of the pros of keeping abortion legal and all of the cons of doing so. Next to each item, put a number from 1 to 10, 10 being really important to you and 1 being much less important but a pro or con nonetheless. Add up the numbers. Which side wins? That is your moral view of abortion. Now, imagine walking to your car. You’re fumbling with your keys at the lock and drop them. You reach down to pick them up and a large hand presses on your back, locking you in place. Imagine the next week you find yourself pregnant with a baby that you can’t love, or a baby with genetic defects that will kill it by the age of 5, or a baby that is killing you. Would you bring it to term? Make your list again. Make sure to include the rusty scalpels, smell of alcoholic beverages, and the lack of being able to ever have another child again.
5: Flag Burning
We have the right to burn the flag, but that does not necessarily mean it’s the right thing to do. Heck, you have the right to snort talcum powder and pepper flakes up your nose. Doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do either.
6: Capitol punishment.
I am a God-loving Christian. “Turn the other cheek” works in most situations. Heck, one of the best working responses I had for insults thrown in my direction was “Thank you.” It always shut them up. But if I find out you raped or killed my daughter, you’re dead.
7: Gun Control
Whether it’s by gun, knife, or fist, if a person wants to kill another person, he’s darn well gonna try. The weapon is not the problem. The morals of the people holding them is. But morality cannot be legislated. It, however, can be taught… by the parents.
DIET DIARY
Numbers from Today
Blood Sugar: 114
Weight: 282.4
Fat Percentage: 48.2
Water Percentage: 30.2
Muscle Percentage: 34.7
Food and Exercise from Yesterday
Fluids: Water (16 oz - 5 times a day)
Exercise:
20 Curls of 85 pounds.
Saturday from my exercise plan. (1 mile walk)
Meal 1:
Oatmeal
Multivitamin
B150 Vitamin Complex
Snack 1:
1 Slim Fast 220 Calorie Optima Bar
Meal 2:
Nachos Bell Grande from Taco Bell (minus the beans and with extra beef. Lowers the carbs.)
Snack 2:
1 Slim Fast 220 Calorie Optima Bar
Meal 3:
2 Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Chips
(For more information about my dieting and weight loss, click here. For more information about the specific foods I eat, click here.)
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By Turnip on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
The controversial nature of this post left me speechless. You seem to be a sensible person thinking sensibly about important topics. Which is what this world needs, more thinkers and less sheep, and certainly not more of those who mindlessly try to convert others to their point of view. As a civilization, we should be centuries past the “I’m right, Your wrong, because my god says so” approach to life.
Turnip’s last blog post..Turnip’s T-shirt Contest
By Gary R. Hess on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
(Yeah, going back to the name.)
I agree with you for the most part.
I was raised strict Roman Catholic. Huge family, I only have two siblings but I have quite a few cousins. My mother has 9 siblings and my father 8. So you can imagine.
Anyways, a few years back I decided to not follow entirely with the belief system. Not for me, even though the whole principle of catholicism is that it is truly a ‘universal’ religion, meaning you can believe what you want as long as you believe in Jesus, God and Mary. Without going into much detail, I really was a strict Catholic. Prayed all the time, went to church a few times a week, carried a few crosses with me, etc. Then a few things went on in my life and it changed. Now I consider myself an agnostic-deist.
1-2: I have no problem with religion as long as A) They don’t suppress others in ANY way. 2) They are left out of politics entirely. A country is for everyone, meaning all belief systems. Just because your religion believes in killing chickens every Sunday doesn’t mean I have to kill a chicken every Sunday. The same goes for all things Christian, Jewish, Islamic, etc.
3: Hey, the Pope came out and said evolution is entirely possible and it doesn’t change a damned thing in his religion. So true. So why do so many people, including Catholics, point to Genesis and say, “See looky there!” But when I point out the craziness of Deuteronomy or Leviticus they say those books don’t matter. Then they reference those exact same books when referring to homosexuals. Pick and choose much?
4: Abortion should be legal, period. I believe it is morally wrong in all occasions, even rape; however, I’m not going to tell a 14 year-old girl it is illegal to get one, and then her go into the bathroom stall and stick a clothes-hanger up there to do it herself. It is dangerous and lives will be lost if it is illegal or legal. Lets just have professionals take care of it instead. The only thing that should happen, IMO, is to make sure the female knows exactly what will happen and all the alternatives and offer free counseling classes (although, hopefully not government paid). If she still wants an abortion, she can get one.
5: A flag is a piece of cloth. Yes, a piece of cloth that represents a country, but freedom of speech right? If you punish them they are just going to hate the country more anyway, so let them go.
6: Capitol punishment, against it. Murder is murder and the government doing is just sponsored murder. If someone raped or killed someone in my family or a friend, I would do it myself. I wouldn’t want some random joe-blow pulling the lever doing the dirty work so I can feel better at night thinking I wasn’t the one who killed him.
7: I’m mixed on this. Yes, people kill people, etc. Even if there weren’t guns people would just use knives as alternatives. However, guns make it really easy to kill. Do you honestly think if the guy at Virginia Tech had only knives he could have killed 30 people? Having said that, the people have the right to protect themselves, against the government if nobody else.
Gary R. Hess’s last blog post..34 Ways Sex is Like Internet Marketing
By GeekMom on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
Hi Saphrym! I appreciate your point of view on these issues. I agree with you on almost everything, and I admire your guts for posting about these topics.
GeekMom’s last blog post..Chamber Music Hero!
By Full Of Secrets on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
I do not agree with #5 - flag burning at all. think of all those who have given their lives for their country. by burning a flag you are disrespecting the whole country.
Full Of Secrets’s last blog post..What Would Jesus Do?
By Saphrym on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
@Turnip - I agree. I’m a huge fan of tolerance and REAL debate where people converse about a topic so they can better understand the multiple views.
@Gary - As for number 6, I agree. That’s why I said it the way I said it. I’m not a fan of CP, but I’ll carry it out myself if someone does something to my family. I’m not going to lie. I know I would.
@GeekMom - Thank you.
@Full of Secrets - There are multiple ways of looking at it. As I said, it’s not a good idea to do it. I would never burn a flag. But I am proud to live in a country where I have the RIGHT to burn the flag if I want. Having the right to do it and actually doing it are two different things.
By evilwoobie on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
what about bra-burning? Any thoughts on that?
serious question.
evilwoobie’s last blog post..The Most Stupid Crush-Related Rituals
By Saphrym on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
@woobie - I don’t know about anyone else, but I have no problems with women taking off… nevermind. I’ll shut up now.
By Sue on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
Fuck the Entrecard, I just blogrolled you.
Religion is deeply personal so I won’t go into it all but I can tell you that my closest friends are all believers and few of us share the same set of beliefs. We all know that our religions help us be good people, and that’s enough.
As for the guns. If you are in possession of a vagina I highly recommend you are also in possession of a revolver. I’ll never be as strong as a man but gosh darn if that S & W doesn’t level the field.
Sue’s last blog post..Overheard at Dinner
By Sue on Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
You need to close the comments on this one (they’re too long) and make it a meme.
Maybe the “Don’t discuss this at a dinner party” Meme.
Sue’s last blog post..Overheard at Dinner
By Saphrym on Feb 19, 2008 | Reply
@Sue - Do you really think this would work as a meme?
By Entrepreneur on Feb 19, 2008 | Reply
I was quite stunned by this post. You’re really laying it all out there. Religion is really a hot button and unlike the rest of the comments, I will say I disagree with most of what you’ve said.
I won’t go into why I disagree because I don’t think it’ll do any good as these are deeply personal matters and the ensuing discussion should be meaningful, except perhaps for Flag Burning. I don’t think a flag should mean all that much, especially when you’re placing it against other ideas such as abortion.
By evilwoobie on Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
waaaa! You didnt share your views about feminism and bra-burning
evilwoobie’s last blog post..In Love with Love
By Zopito on May 5, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for keeping it real.
I respect you for posting so openly! But what I really respect is that you are able to be open with how you feel and keep an open mind toward others as you describe in your post “The mind is a terrible thing to close”.