tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42412721792407321852024-03-13T17:20:13.317-05:00A Place of Intellectual Inquiry.The questions and musings of my mind.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01637664806144787723noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-38244137119681552522014-09-19T12:34:00.002-05:002014-09-19T13:21:17.587-05:00Unpacking "Hobby Lobby"I'm done with misinformation and ignorance shouted so loudly and without logical coherence. No, I cannot hold back the firestorm of stupid on the internet, but if this post informs just one person, if it encourages just <i>one</i> person to question the emotional appeal of oversimplification from here on out, then I'll be happy. If it makes just <i>one</i> person do a little research with <i>primary sources</i> the next time this happens, then I'll be so thrilled. No, I am not trying to "fix stupid" on the internet or forever correct misleading over-generalizations or blatantly false reporting, but I can respond to the requests I've gotten for "my thoughts" about the Hobby Lobby case. Here they are. Yes there are many, but remember I've been holding this in for a while now.<br />
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<b>Your personal educational level does NOT mean your argument is flawless.</b> I need to start with this because everyone needs to separate their work from themselves, their training from their product. Just because you graduated with honors from a good school does not mean you are immune to logical fallacies. <u>I'm not immune. I own that. </u>I ask for feedback. I seek out the weaknesses in my arguments and make them stronger. I do not believe my advanced education automatically makes my arguments or opinions flawless, <i>and you don't honestly believe it does either</i>. Think about it: all of the Supreme Court justices are highly educated individuals. They all completed strenuous undergraduate and graduate work. They became accomplished in their fields. They are the final arbiters of the American justice system. And yet, I guarantee there is a justice or two you think is nuts. If not, replace this with any American president, and you'll understand what I'm saying. This is a logical fallacy known as <a href="http://www.logicalfallacies.info/relevance/appeals/appeal-to-authority/">appeal to authority</a>. Even <i>if</i> that person is a renowned expert in what s/he is asserting, it is still a formal logical fallacy to say "because I say X, X." Neither my qualifications nor your qualifications make our arguments stronger--so let's start with just putting our egos to the side and agreeing to have a rational, intellectual discussion where we challenge <i>ideas,</i> point out <i>fallacies,</i> and correct factual <i>inaccuracies </i>in order to be the informed public the Founders expected us to be.<br />
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<b>"Hobby Lobby" likely does NOT say what you think it says unless you've <u>personally</u> read the <u>majority </u>opinion. </b>There is so much misinformation circling out there about this case (reporting what's been reported and summarized). So many blatant lies (hi there, Facebook). So many lies by omission (everywhere). Sometimes it's just inaccurate reporting, just reporting someone else's summary of the case or using a general term because you don't know what the specific one means and you're on a deadline. Trust me, I get it. I understand that journalists are expected to be experts in whatever they cover, and that's just not realistic. I've been there. But even though I love Minnesota Public Radio (seriously, I listen to it every day at least twice), even MPR's reporters got it wrong, at the best, or were intentionally misleading, at the worst. I still hear inaccurate references to the opinion when reporters and political activists comment talk about tangential political issues.<br />
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Either way, as much as it pains me to say it, my beloved MPR is <i>not</i> infallible. There. I said it. I've always known it, but I've never said it. Yet, refusing to admit this would be to commit the logical fallacy I just discussed--I would be relying upon the name of MPR and accepting, without question, anything MPR puts its name on. So, no, I am not a crazy conspiracy-theorist who doubts the mainstream media. But neither am I willing to accept something hook-line-and-sinker just because it comes from a trusted source, <i>and you shouldn't either</i>.<br />
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<b>The Hobby Lobby case was NOT about the First Amendment--it was Congress and President Clinton's idea. </b>The Supreme Court did <i>not </i>rest its opinion on the rights of religious freedoms. Indirectly, yes the case related to religious freedom, but only because the law at issue, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, was passed by Congress in a reaction to a Supreme Court case that completely changed how First Amendment cases were analyzed (i.e., it was a case about interpreting a LAW, passed by a nearly unanimous congress and signed by president Clinton, with broad public support. That law was reacting to a controversial Supreme Court decision, and attempted to "overrule" that decision. That particular decision was about the First Amendment).<br />
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Basic appellate law: most cases on appeal will be resolved by either the burden of proof or the legal standard of scrutiny. The burden of proof is who has to prove something. (So, if <i>I go to court</i> saying you owe me $50, <i>I have the burden of proof </i>to establish you are guilty of owing me the money, otherwise you don't. It's applicable in many other formats, but return to "innocent until proven guilty" if you get confused later.) The legal standard of scrutiny has to do with how <i>sure</i> a court has to be about something in order to make a decision a certain way. It relates to how much proof the person/party with the burden of proof has to put forward in order to "prove" their case and get the desired outcome. So, if you have a little proof and a low standard, you could win. If you have a little proof and a high standard, you'll lose. It might seem initially wrong to have different required levels of proof for different things, given the whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing, but it makes sense. Certain explicit guarantees of the constitution make laws that regulate those rights subject to "strict scrutiny." Other areas of regulation only require a "rational basis." Now, on to why this wasn't a First Amendment issue.<br />
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For a long time, the Supreme Court applied what was known as the "Sherbert Test," after <i><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/374/398">Sherbert v. Verner</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/406/205">Wisconsin v. Yoder</a>,</i> two cases that required courts to use the highest level of scrutiny, strict scrutiny, when analyzing claims of violations of the First Amendment's Free Exercise clause (religion). Strict scrutiny required that a government's action be made (1) in furtherance of a <i>compelling</i> government interest, and (2) in the least restrictive method possible to further the interest. This is a sort of two-step standard: the government interest must be "compelling," or relatively narrow and specific, in addition to being a regulation that's the least restrictive method to achieve this "compelling" goal as possible. (So, even if an interest is "compelling", the law could fail the analysis on the second prong--and be unconstitutional--if the law applied to more people than were necessary to achieve the goal). The least restrictive method is key to this discussion. Remember that. <u>Strict scrutiny = high interest <b>and </b>narrow, narrow regulation. </u><br />
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In 1990, the Supreme Court ruled that First Amendment claims could use a lower standard than strict scrutiny and that a generally applicable law does not have to make exemptions for explicit constitutional guarantees of religion. Essentially, a state <i>may</i> make religious accommodations, but it does not <i>have</i> to do so. In this case, <i>Employment Division v. Smith</i>, the Supreme Court held that the state could deny unemployment benefits to a person fired for violating a state prohibition on the use of peyote, even though the use of the drug was part of a native American religious ritual. <u>What you or I think about <i>Employment Division</i> decision is irrelevant to this analysis, but the fact that it happened is fundamental.</u><br />
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In 1993, a unanimous U.S. House, nearly unanimous U.S. Senate (97-3), and President Bill Clinton <a href="http://www.volokh.com/2013/12/02/1a-religious-freedom-restoration-act/">responded</a> with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Act reasoned that a religiously neutral law could burden a person's Free Exercise of religion (guaranteed by the First Amendment) just as much as a law that was targeted at a religion could do so. Congress and President Clinton reimposed strict scrutiny: <u>“Government may substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person . . . is the least restrictive means of furthering [a] compelling governmental interest.”</u><br />
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I repeat that: <i><b>Congress and President Clinton passed a law requiring courts to use strict scrutiny</b>. </i><b>The entire fight in <i>Hobby Lobby </i>was about interpreting that law</b>. IF the law applied, the courts were to use strict scrutiny. If not, rational basis. It all depended on how "person" was defined within this Act. I'll explain the disagreement about defining "person" below, but <i>yes</i>, it does include at least some corporations (to confuse you more: <i>both parties</i> agreed it applied to at least some corporations).<br />
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To pull a quote from the case syllabus (summary of the opinion put out as part of the opinion document, right before the actual opinion): "<i>Held</i>: As applied to closely held corporations, the HHS regulations imposing the contraceptive mandate violate RFRA [<i>not the constitution</i>]" Further, the Court stated: "As we have seen, RFRA was designed to provide very broad protection for religious liberty. By enacting RFRA, Congress went far beyond what this Court has held is constitutionally required." Further, the RFRA was later amended to provide that the exercise of religion “shall be construed in favor of a broad protection of religious exercise, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of this chapter and the Constitution.”<br />
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<b>The Hobby Lobby case was NOT about "birth control." </b>Yes, this case involved birth control, but Hobby Lobby had no problem with providing nearly all forms of birth control. In fact, even after winning at the Supreme Court, Hobby Lobby happily provides most forms of birth control. This case involved <i>certain forms</i> of birth control that would prevent the implantation of an already-fertilized egg (such as IUDs and the morning-after pill). The conception and pregnancy process is <a href="http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/understanding-conception">well-researched</a>, but there are varying perspectives about when to consider a woman "pregnant." Hobby Lobby's view is that a woman is pregnant when her egg is fertilized. Thus, preventing the implantation of an already-fertilized egg terminates a pregnancy. [One more step.... drugs preventing the implantation of an already-fertilized egg = abortifacient (abortion-inducing drug).] Thus, since the IUD and morning-after pill work because they stop this implantation, Hobby Lobby didn't want to pay for them. They're totally fine with paying for contraceptives, but the loose use of terms creates the confusion. Check out <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/the-pill-contraceptive-or-abortifacient/266725/">this article </a>for more explanation about the importance of words surrounding reproduction and birth control.<br />
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The moral of the story: <u>The case is not about banning birth control any more than a restriction against under-age drinking is a "ban on alcohol." Yes, the category technically includes the subset, but it is so overbroad that it is imprecise and misleading. It's so broad that it's sensationalistic and inaccurate.</u><br />
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<b>The Hobby Lobby case was NOT about "companies" or even "corporations." </b>Yes, companies were involved in the case, but it's a gross generalization, just like "birth control." The case only involves corporations (not all companies), only <i>for-profit</i> corporations (not non-profit corporations), and only <i>closely-held</i>, for-profit corporations. This seems nit-picky, but isn't. <u>Both sides on this case argued that corporations were persons under RFRA. </u><br />
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Companies are not always corporations. "Corporation" is a term of art referring to a company that has been incorporated in a state. Other forms of companies include, in <a href="http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/starting-a-business-types.htm">California, for example,</a> limited or general partnerships, sole proprietorships, and limited liability companies. Within the Corporate form, there are <a href="http://www.companiesinc.com/corporation/types.asp">various forms as well</a>--all with different legal implications. There are C-corps, S-corps, professional service corporations, and non-profit corporations. Double take: there are many corporate forms, including both for-profit and non-profit corporations within the term "corporation" and yet again within the term "company." The Court acknowledged this: "Congress provided protection for people like the Hahns and Greens by employing a familiar legal fiction: It included corporations within RFRA’s definition of 'persons.'"<br />
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Remember: <u>Both sides </u>on this case argued that corporations were persons under RFRA. Where they differed, however, is whether <i>some or all </i>corporations are persons under RFRA.<br />
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So, Hobby Lobby is pretty far down in subsets of "company," but we still have to add "closely-held." <a href="http://for/">To be closely</a> held, a corporation must have more than half of its outstanding stock owned by five or fewer people, and it cannot be a service corporation. That means that the company can be entirely run with an alliance of five or fewer people. That means the corporation cannot be publicly traded (at least regularly). <u>This means the corporate heads value their ability to control their company over making money--potentially <i>lots of money--</i> in stocks. That's a huge trade off. </u>(Note: <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/07/what-is-a-closely-held-corporation-anyway-and-how-many-are-there/">Hobby Lobby is actually an S-corp</a> with slightly different rules, but because one family owns Hobby Lobby, the family is treated as <i>one shareholder</i>. The same concept applies, however.)<br />
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<b>There was NO debate about whether or not a corporation could be a "person" under RFRA. </b><i>Both sides</i> on this case said corporations are people under the RFRA. The debate was much more specific than that. The government argued only non-profit corporations could qualify as people under RFRA, while Hobby Lobby argued that distinction was not necessary and, given legal rules of construction, should not be added after-the-fact by a court. Here's why:<br />
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The Dictionary Act, which was also passed by Congress and signed into law, codified the definitions for words not defined through out U.S. laws "unless the context indicates otherwise" (which I'll get to). This is <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/1/1">section one of the chapter one of title one of the U.S. Code</a>, where all the laws are "codified" or kept in one handy location. In other words, it's the "introduction" of the book, the first chapter, the "you should know what we're talking about when we say these words" section. This year, it was actually given the short title of "<a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-113publ126/html/PLAW-113publ126.htm">table of contents</a>."<br />
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The Dictionary Act defined "person" to "include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals." Minnesota limited liability corporate law defines "person" as: "an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity." Minn. Stat. 322C.0102, subd. 20 (2014).<br />
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This is a long-standing definition, and I only use Minnesota law because I'm Minnesotan. It is a completely necessary understanding of the word. The entire <i>point</i> of corporate law is to allow corporations to do things and own things that "natural persons" (physical, living and breathing individuals) may. Only natural people can enter into a contract or own things, and yet, corporate law creates "<a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Corporate_personhood_debate.html">corporate personhood</a>" in order to allow companies to <i>act as people</i>. Some laws distinguish between "natural persons" (a physical person) and "legal persons" (includes corporations, see the Dictionary Act), but the RFRA did not. Since the RFRA did not use "natural person" or otherwise define "person," the Dictionary Act applies. The government's main argument was that "unless the context indicates otherwise" should be applied here. The argument was that personal beliefs should be separate from corporations, and corporations should not be able to force religious beliefs down the throats of (potentially) non-religious employees who are working at a seemingly secular job for a paycheck.<br />
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"Person" cannot be limited to only natural persons because Congress "chose" to not use natural person. Thus, it must include some corporate forms. Further, <u>both sides</u> in this case admitted at least some types of corporations were persons. The government's argument claims "context" should indicate that religious beliefs for for-profit corporations don't make sense, whereas religious beliefs for non-profit corporations <i>do</i> make sense. Thus, the context should imply that the RFRA may only apply to non-profit corporations. The flaw in this argument, though it is the most persuasive, is that it reads into a statute something that is not there, in complete contradiction to several legal rules of construction.<br />
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The Court's response to this claim is particularly articulate:<br />
"This argument flies in the face of modern corporate law. 'Each American jurisdiction today either expressly or by implication authorizes corporations to be formed under its general corporation act for <b>any lawful purpose</b> or business.' While it is certainly true that a central objective of for-profit corporations is to make money, modern corporate law does not require for-profit corporations to pursue profit at the expense of everything else, and many do not do so. For-profit corporations, with ownership approval, support a wide variety of charitable causes, and it is not at all uncommon for such corporations to further humanitarian and other altruistic objectives. Many examples come readily to mind. So long as its owners agree, a for-profit corporation may take costly pollution-control and energy conservation measures that go beyond what the law requires." (internal citations omitted) In fact, there is such a thing as a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-benefit_corporation">public benefit corporation</a>" that completely destroys the argument the corporations cannot have a conscience or a non-business goal. Under the government's logic, even a public benefit corporation with an express value not related to commerce <i>at all</i> would not be able to follow those beliefs because corporations can't have values. Thus, while not all corporations embody morals or seek goals other than money-making, some can and do.<br />
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If ever there is a corporation that could embody values, which there are, it's Hobby Lobby. They're closely held, they exchanged the opportunity for extra profits in order to maintain a particular moral/religious direction of the company, and Hobby's Lobby's statement of purpose is "[h]onoring the Lord in all [they] do by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles." The single family that owns Hobby Lobby also owns a Christian Bookstore, which was also part of the lawsuit.<br />
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<b><i>Hobby Lobby</i> did NOT "open the floodgates" to all sorts of religious exemptions to neutral laws. </b>Before I even say anything, I want you to read a few <i>direct quotes</i> from the <i>majority opinion.</i><br />
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"Our decision should not be understood to hold that an insurance coverage mandate must necessarily fall if it conflicts with an employer’s religious beliefs.”<br />
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"[O]ur holding is very specific. We do not hold, as the principal dissent alleges, that for-profit corporations and other commercial enterprises can 'opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs.' Nor do we hold, as the dissent implies, that such corporations have free rein to take steps that impose 'disadvantages . . . on others' or that require 'the general public [to] pick up the tab.' And we certainly do not hold or suggest that 'RFRA demands accommodation of a for-profit corporation’s religious beliefs no matter the impact that accommodation may have on . . . thousands of women employed by Hobby Lobby.' The effect of the HHS-created accommodation on the women employed by Hobby Lobby and the other companies involved in these cases would be precisely zero. Under that accommodation, these women would still be entitled to all FDA-approved contraceptives without cost sharing." (internal citations omitted)<br />
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"Under RFRA, a Government action that imposes a substantial burden on religious exercise must serve a compelling government interest, and we assume that the HHS regulations satisfy this requirement. But in order for the HHS mandate to be sustained, it must also constitute the least restrictive means of serving that interest, and the mandate plainly fails that test. There are other ways in which Congress or HHS could equally ensure that every woman has cost-free access to the particular contraceptives at issue here and, indeed, to all FDA-approved contraceptives."<br />
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"HHS and the principal dissent argue that a ruling in favor of the objecting parties in these cases will lead to a flood of religious objections regarding a wide variety of medical procedures and drugs, such as vaccinations and blood transfusions, but HHS has made no effort to substantiate this prediction... It is HHS’s apparent belief that no insurance-coverage mandate would violate RFRA—no matter how significantly it impinges on the religious liberties of employers—that would lead to intolerable consequences. Under HHS’s view, RFRA would permit the Government to require all employers to provide coverage for any medical procedure allowed by law in the jurisdiction in question—for instance, third-trimester abortions or assisted suicide. The owners of many closely held corporations could not in good conscience provide such coverage, and thus HHS would effectively exclude these people from full participation in the economic life of the Nation. RFRA was enacted to prevent such an outcome. <b>In any event, our decision in these cases is concerned solely with the contraceptive mandate. Our decision should not be understood to hold that an insurance coverage mandate must necessarily fall if it conflicts with an employer’s religious beliefs. Other coverage requirements, such as immunizations, may be supported by different interests (for example, the need to combat the spread of infectious diseases) and may involve different arguments about the least restrictive means of providing them."</b><br />
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"The principal dissent raises the possibility that discrimination in hiring, for example on the basis of race, might be cloaked as religious practice to escape legal sanction. See post, at 32–33. Our decision today provides no such shield. The Government has a compelling interest in providing an equal opportunity to participate in the workforce without regard to race, and prohibitions on racial discrimination are precisely tailored to achieve that critical goal."<br />
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<i>"Lee</i> [involved religious objections to war and taxes to fund it, and it] was a free-exercise, not a RFRA, case, but if the issue in <i>Lee</i> were analyzed under the RFRA framework, the fundamental point would be that there simply is no less restrictive alternative [the second element of RFRA] to the categorical requirement to pay taxes."<br />
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The <i>majority </i>opinion clearly articulates that it does <i>not</i> open the floodgates (though even if it did, the floodgates would not discredit the underlying logic but would rather point to Congress' and President Clinton's poor law-making). The dissenting opinion, however, <i>could</i> open the floodgates. This has happened before--quite recently, actually. Scalia's dissent in <i>Windsor</i> (DOMA case) criticized the Court's majority for reaching the merits, or for striving to reach the merits, even though the majority opinion stated that they were not holding state bans on gay marriage unconstitutional. And, in an ironic turn of events, judges wishing to strike down the bans rely on Scalia's dissent to claim the decision <i>did</i> find the bans unconstitutional. Let me rephrase that: the majority says " We are <i>not</i> holding X," but a dissenter says "well, you basically are holding X," so people who <i>want to</i> hold X rely on the <i>dissent</i> to find that the majority held X (thus disregarding the express statements of the majority limiting the decision). Dissents like Scalia's and Ginsburg's often<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/why-ginsburgs-hobby-lobby-dissent-might-backfire"> backfire</a>,<br />
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<b>Brief responses to other issues (because, let's face it, I'm not writing a thesis here):</b><br />
<u>Femal Hobby Lobby employees can still get <i>all</i> forms of contraceptives, including those not subsidized by Hobby Lobby. </u><br />
There's a whole bypass system set up for the huge number of religious exemptions to the ACA. Basically, the women still get the coverage but the objecting employer doesn't subsidize it. Read the actual opinion for more information, but <i>women Hobby Lobby can still get all forms of contraceptives</i>.<br />
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<u>Women are not one homogeneous group of beings with uniform opinions.</u><br />
Are you one of those people who are outraged by this opinion because the women on the Supreme Court were all on the dissenting side of this case? Get over yourself. Women are not one homogeneous group of things defined by plumbing. We have diverse life experiences and beliefs. The dissents in this case are poorly argued, rely on bad logic, and miss the point. Also, if reminding you that sexism is behind such a belief is not enough to shake you up, here's a realization: President Obama appointed two of the women on the Supreme Court. Presidents identify justices who, as much as they can tell, agree with their own political and constitutional ideologies. That is not to fault the Presidents. They believe their beliefs are correct (duh), so they want to make sure the people they appoint are "correct." However, <i>who</i> appointed these women here indicates their political leanings, evidenced in many of their other rulings, far more than their gender.<br />
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<u>Justice Ginsburg's dissent, while full of wonderful pull quotes and inspiring platitudes, is just disappointing. </u><br />
Yes, Ginsburg is a spitfire of a woman, and she has been around for a long time. I respect her. I watch her. I appreciate the work she has to break sexist stereotypes. That doesn't mean her dissent made sense. Instead of supposing that my young, curious mind is superior to that of an esteemed Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I will instead point you to some relatively well-articulated responses to the dissent (though, by now, you should be able to spot many of the holes yourself). Check out <a href="http://www.redstate.com/diary/lifeofgrace/2014/07/01/ginsburgs-blistering-dissent-hobby-lobby-ruling-statist-ravings/">this response</a> to the Mother Jones "<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/06/best-lines-hobby-lobby-decision">8 Best Lines from Ginsburg's Dissent</a>."<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jul/03/hillary-clinton/hillary-clinton-says-hobby-lobby-salesclerk-not-go/">this PolitiFact article</a> where Hillary Clinton's statement "A salesclerk at Hobby Lobby who needs contraception … is not going to get that service through her employer’s health care plan because her employer doesn’t think she should be using contraception." was rated 'mostly false' for use of such overgeneralizations. PolitiFact later updated the article to state that <i>even though Clinton accurately relied upon Justice Ginsberg's dissenting opinion</i>, the claim was still mostly false.<br />
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<u>A good thing and a constitutionally guaranteed thing are <i>not</i> the same.</u><br />
Obviously affordable healthcare is a good thing. Everyone wants affordable care for everyone else. The difference is that some "good things" are explicitly protected in the constitution and some are just good things that would be good... for the sake of goodness. For example, access to affordable housing and clean water is a good thing. It is undoubtedly a good thing, and while it might be a basic need, or even a basic "human right," that does not mean the American Constitution explicitly guarantees it. Contrarily, the right to bear arms (have personal guns) <i>is</i> explicitly protected by the Constitution. Thus, this meme has it all wrong, because it's not a "priorities" issue or a moral statement about what is more important. It's a legal issue of what actually is an express right <i>in the Bill of Rights</i> and what is a good thing that all people, by there simple existence as a human, morally should have access to.<br />
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Take your hand at pointing out what's wrong with the following memes (and pictures and presidential posts):<br />
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<span id="goog_71161792"></span><span id="goog_71161793"></span>8.)<br />
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Hopefully I've written this post well enough that you'll now be able to realize the creator/poster of each and every picture above was misinformed, at the very best. Hopefully, you won't succumb to the emotional appeal but will stand up for education and accuracy.</div>
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#rantoverAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01637664806144787723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-54889565464300485402013-12-04T23:52:00.002-06:002013-12-04T23:52:32.831-06:00Homosexuality & the Bible: Genesis 19: 1-13, 24—Sodom & Gomorrah<h4>
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Note: Sorry I took such a long break between posts! I returned most of my books to the library before I left to study abroad, and then law school resumed, wedding plans got crazy, and life just filled up. But before I returned all those books, I'd almost completed the Sodom & Gomorrah post. So, here it is!</span></h4>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">The story of Sodom & Gomorrah:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">The two angels</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">arrived at Sodom</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">in the evening, and Lot</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">was sitting in the gateway of the city.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his
face to the ground.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your
servant’s house. You can wash your feet</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“No,” they answered, “we will spend
the night in the square.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">But he insisted</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">so strongly that they did go with him and entered his
house.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and they ate.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part
of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you
tonight? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bring them out to us so that we
can have sex with them</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Lot went outside to meet them</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and shut the door behind him</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and
said, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No, my friends. Don’t do this
wicked thing.</b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></b></span><span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Look, I have two daughters
who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do
what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come
under the protection of my roof</span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“Get out of our way,” they replied.
“This fellow came here as a foreigner,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and now he wants to play the judge!</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing
pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">But the men</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and
shut the door.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Then they struck the men who were at the door of the
house, young and old, with blindness</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">so that they could not find the door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">The two men said to Lot, “Do you
have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the
city who belongs to you?</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Get them out of here,<b><sup> </sup></b>because we</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="color: black; font-variant: small-caps; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">against its people is so great</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">that he has sent us to destroy it.” [14-23: In sum, Lot
gets his wife and daughters; they flee]</span></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> rained
down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> out of the heavens. Thus
he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those
living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.<b><sup> </sup></b>But
Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.</span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">(</span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Genesis 19: 1-13, 24, NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">The pivotal issue here is “how important was the fact that the example
of inhospitality—the gang rape—was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexual</i>
gang rape to guests?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Robert Gagnon argues the issue must have been homosexuality. (Note: I keep
coming back to Gagnon because he advocates so strongly that homosexuality <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> condemned in the Bible. I find using
his own interpretations but pointing out how his conclusion need not be reached
is most helpful, though other scholars are insightful as well.) Gagnon argues
that Lot offered his daughters to the crowd as a replacement for the visiting
men because it would make the gang rape heterosexual instead of homosexual—thus
implying this heterosexual gang rape is some how “less bad” than homosexual
gang rape. The problem with that, however, (other than it still being rape) is
it uses a western lens, a lens that says women are equal to men. Here, that was
not the case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Gagnon states: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">To “lie with a man as though lying with
a woman” (Lev 18:22; 20:13) was to treat a man as though his masculine identity
counted for nothing, as though he were not a man but a woman. To penetrate
another man was to treat him like an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">assinnu</i>,
like someone whose “masculinity had been transformed into femininity.” Thus
three elements (attempted penetration of males, attempted rape, inhospitality),
and perhaps a fourth (unwitting, attempted sex with angels), combine to make
this a particularly egregious example of human depravity that justifies God’s
act of total destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Bible and Homosexual Practice</i>, p. 75-76)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Did you catch it? Penetrating a man was bad because it devalued him.
It stripped him of masculinity. It converted him into a passive sexual partner
(traditionally the role of the lesser, submissive woman) and lessened his worth
in some sort of patriarchal system emphasizing power of men. Sex was viewed in
the context of the active and passive partners—the active partner (man) being
the one with status and power through the act of penetration, and the passive
partner (woman), who had no action and simply received the actions of the
penetrating partner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Homosexual rape had nothing to do with sexual preferences: it was a
method of shaming. Let me repeat that: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">homosexual
rape had nothing to do with sexual preferences<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></b> It was a method common to ancient warfare because it shamed
and conquered the passive sexual partner. It reduced the status of a man to
that of a lowly woman in a time when women were essentially property. This was
simply not the place for a man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">This immense shame the citizens of Sodom sought to impose on Lot’s
guests was worse than a father losing the valuable commodity of two virgin
daughters. He would rather have the shame of impure daughters—for which he
would feel a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monetary </i>consequence
upon their marriage—than commit such a grossly inhospitable act as allowing his
male guests to be reduced to the passive sexual partner, or to have their power
and masculinity stripped from them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Another reason to disbelieve <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexual</i>
gang rape (as contrasted with “normal” gang rape, hear my sarcasm) was
S&G’s main sin is that the destruction was not originally thought to have
anything to do with sexuality, even though sex was part of it. It was redefined
in the Middle Ages to be about homosexuality, and only later was homosexuality
connected with “sodomy” and “sodomites.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Other evidence Sodom & Gomorrah’s destruction wasn’t about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexual</i> gang rape:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now this was the sin of your
sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned;
they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable
things before me.” (Ez. 16:49-50. Note: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She
and her daughters</i> did detestable things, but the attempted homosexual acts,
for which Gagnon argues Sodom was condemned, was done by males)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“And among the prophets of Jerusalem, I
have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They
strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that not one of them turns from their
wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me;</span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> <span style="background: white;">the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”</span></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> (Jeremiah
23:14. Note: the issue is adultery and deceit.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">“I<span class="text"><span style="color: black;">n a similar way, Sodom
and Gomorrah</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black;">and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual
immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the
punishment of eternal fire.</span></span><span style="color: black;"> <span class="text">In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly
people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial
beings.” </span></span>(Jude 1:7-8. Note: This could refer to any manner of
perverse sexual acts, including gang rape, sexual infidelity, etc. The passage
does, however, say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“In the very same way…”</i>
This could mean the surrounding sins are just as bad as the sexual immorality.)
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">even if</i> the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homosexual </i>gang rape was the “straw that
broke the camel’s back,” the <u>entire</u> story of Lot still fails to support
the current, main-stream Christian understanding of “moral sexuality.” Here’s
what happened after Lot and his daughters were the only people who made it out
alive (because Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into salt):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Lot and his two daughters left Zoar</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">and settled in the mountains,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters
lived in a cave.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our
father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the
custom all over the earth.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him
and preserve our family line</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">through our father.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">That night they got their father to
drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware
of it when she lay down or when she got up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">The next day the older daughter said
to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine
again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family
line through our father.”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">So they got their father to drink wine</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">that night also, and the younger daughter went in and
slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got
up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">So
both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Really? A story advocating <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pregnancy
by</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">incest</i> is used to condemn
homosexuality? </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Enough said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">UP NEXT</span></b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">: <u>Homosexuality
& the Bible: Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13<o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">These are the Hebrew laws cited most often in support of the belief
that homosexuality is a sin. The problem is not as simple as “well, no one
follows the verses before and after anymore, so this one is ridiculous too.”
That can’t be the explanation, because then the whole chapter should be thrown
out (or the whole book, or the whole Bible). Instead, I will look at the types
of laws and their different scopes in order to really understand <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why </i>those laws were important and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to still follow anything else the Bible
says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-86722710291898778122013-06-11T11:24:00.001-05:002013-06-11T13:54:51.032-05:00Homosexuality & the Bible: Genesis 2-3 & “Ezer Kenegdo”<div class="MsoNormal">
“The creation stories of Genesis 1-3 do not speak directly
to the issue of homosexual practice. However, they do supply us with a general
understanding of human sexuality, set within the broader context of God’s grand
purposes at creation.” This quote is taken from Robert A. J. Gagnon’s book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and
Hermeneutics</i>. This dense, nearly 500-page book advocates vigorously that
the Bible condemns homosexuality, and yet, I want to point out that even this
book acknowledges Genesis does not address homosexuality. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay. To the actual text.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the second creation story, God created Adam before He
created Eve (Skim if you want. It’s just a refresher).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
The Lord God took the man and put him
in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded
the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you
will surely die.” The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I
will make him a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">helper suitable</b> for
him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field
and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would
name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air, and all the
beasts of the field. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But
for Adam no suitable helper was found. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
(Genesis 2:15-20, NIV)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The term “suitable helper” comes from “ezer kenegdo.”
Various attempts at translating it include “helper,” “companion,” and “help
meet,” but these translations are wimpy, boring, and flat (according to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captivating</i> authors John & Stasi
Eldredge). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason these translations are so inadequate is because
“ezer” is only used twenty other places in the entire Old Testament, and in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every other instance</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the person being described is God himself</i>
when you need him to come through for you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desperately</i>
(Including Deut. 33:26, 29; Ps. 121:1-2, 30:20, 115:9-11). In these contexts,
“ezer” is a lifesaver. If your “ezer” is not there, you are dead. “Companion”
and “helper” simply do not convey the gravity and depth of this term.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Kenegdo” means alongside, or opposite to. A counterpart. The
Eldredges give Arwen from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lord of the
Rings</i> as an example; she is strong, beautiful, brave, and irreplaceable in
saving Frodo’s life (and ultimately, Middle Earth). The story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needs</i> her or death will occur. She is
Frodo’s “ezer kenegdo” in that moment.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I point this out because “ezer kenegdo” has absolutely
nothing to do with gender. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Absolutely
nothing</b>. It is most often used to describe God, who is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without</i> gender. “Ezer kenegdo” is a person who is a corresponding
strength, who makes you safe and complete.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Adam’s “ezer kenegdo” could not be found with an animal,
because the bond is not something we can have with a pet. I’m not saying we
don’t feel like animals understand us or that they don’t complete us in some
way. I grew up with cats, dogs, and horses, and trust me, I miss those animals
like I would miss my left arm. But this “ezer kenegdo” connection is more unique;
it is deeper than a bond with animals. So, after Adam cannot find an “ezer
kenegdo,” God acts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
So the Lord God caused the man to fall
into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and
closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he
had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is
now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for
she was taken out of man.” <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For this
reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and
they will become one flesh</b>. The man and his wife were both naked, and they
felt no shame. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
(Genesis 2:21-25, NIV)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
John Piper, a well-respected pastor with a large on- and
off-line ministry, paraphrased the above Genesis passage in the following way:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 40.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="background: #F8F8F8; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“In
other words, God created man male and female so that there might be a one-flesh
sexual union and covenantal cleaving with a view to multiplying the human race,
and displaying God’s covenant with his people, and eventually Christ's covenant
with his church.”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The problem I have with Piper’s understanding of the passage
is tri-fold: (1) the purpose in creating another human, Eve, was to provide <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">companionship</i>, or an “ezer kenegdo,”
since it is not good for man [in the all-encompassing, entirety of humanity
kind of way] to be alone; (2) the passage says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i> about reproduction; and (3) the passage says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i> about any covenant, old or new. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I always thought “they will become one flesh” was a
reference to sex, as Piper asserts, but it actually comes from the Hebrew word “basar.” Basar has
two meanings, flesh and good news. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This past weekend my pastor talked about Genesis 2. I attend a church that believes
in heterosexual marriage alone (just throwing that out there). Pastor Steve was discussing what Genesis 2 is about, and
he said the following (after reading Genesis 2:25 aloud):<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
"The word ‘flesh,’ ‘basar’ in the
Hebrew, means literally ‘to gladden with good news, to bear news, or to
announce salvation as good news, or to preach.’ The man and the woman were
brought together to bear good news to the rest of the world—that God is good.
In their oneness—<i>now this gets much bigger than marriage</i>—in their oneness in
their unity of heart and mind, their proclaiming good news, the man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">leaves</i> his father and mother and goes to
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">join</i> someone else, and in the
joining, spreads good news. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
When have you ever heard that story before in the
scriptures? A man leaving his father to join with humanity, proclaiming good
news? Who did that, people? Jesus. We see the pattern in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis 2</i>. This is the picture of humanity. This is the picture of
the church. This is the picture of marriage… any time there is discord, there
is shame, there is someone that makes you distrust the goodness of God, you can
know who is behind that. It is the deceiver, the accuser, the adversary… the
adversary wants to break what is full and empty what is full."(Steve Wiens, Assoc. Senior Pastor, Church of the Open Door)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being united in marriage in order to “become one flesh” can
also mean in order to “bear good news.” This is a beautiful image of what
marriage is, of what that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relationship</i>
is and looks like and reflects about who God is. It is not a text about reproduction, and it definitely does not
have a causal relationship, as Piper asserts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The emphasis is on the
unity and companionship, not the genders of the partners. Piper says the point
is that God created male and female in order for there to be a one-flesh union,
but that is not what the text says. The text structures the statement
differently, with the emphasis on <i>being
united</i>. See it again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
Piper: “<span style="background: #F8F8F8; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God
created man male and female <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so that </i>[or
with the end result intending to be that] there might be a one-flesh sexual
union and covenantal cleaving with a view to multiplying the human race…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="background: #F8F8F8; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Bible: Because God created ‘woman’ as ‘bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,’
the man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for whom she was made</i> will “</span>leave
his father and mother and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be united</i>
to his wife, and they will become one flesh [or they will bear good news].”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, it can be read that all women complete all men, but
that is a gross generalization. Why do we insist on making such a leap when the
text does not require it? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two souls in one body. Other half. Better half. Soul mate.
These are some of the common euphemisms for falling in love, for that person
whom you just have to share your life with. It is like God put you two on earth
for each other, or, some sort of cute, romantic, heartfelt stuff like that. But
the point is none of that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">has</i> to be
related to gender if we do not bring our “homosexuality is wrong” glasses to
the table before we read the passage.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, here we have it. “Ezer kenegdo” has no innate relationship
to gender. The only connection between gender and “ezer kenegdo” in Genesis is
the fact the first man and the first woman were each other’s “ezer kenegdo.” As
discussed in my first post, giving one example of something does not implicitly
ban or exclude all others. [Another example: just because someone has always
had a Wells Fargo bank account doesn’t mean WF is somehow morally superior to
another bank. WF could just be what was available where they grew up, and it’s
never been quite inconvenient enough to warrant changing to a different bank.] </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just
because <i>most</i> of these unique “ezer kenegdo” relationships are between a man and
a woman does not mean they <i>all </i>have to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ezer kenegdo” highlights beautifully the relational nature
of humans. We were created to be in a relationship. God created us in his
image, and He is a relational being (“Let <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i>
make man in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our </i>image,” Genesis 1:26.
The trinity). When God creates the world he says everything is good or very
good. In fact, the first thing he characterizes as “not good” is the loneliness
of Adam—the fact that God’s human has no soul-completing partner that is like
him, of his own kind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later in the Bible, Paul discusses a call to celibacy, but
here, that is not a thing. We aren’t there yet. At this point in the Bible, the
only bad thing in all of creation is a human’s loneliness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The traditional “Biblical” solution to homosexual urges is
to simply remain celibate. This is problematic for two very large reasons.
First, as discussed above, humans are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relational</i>
beings created in God’s image as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relational</i>
being. Few people are called to celibacy, but those who are called have a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">distinct</i> calling. Insisting that people
with homosexual attractions remain celibate is denying them an “ezer kenegdo”
when God has designed them to have one. This is “not good,” in God’s own words.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Falling in love, as a gay person, is one of the worst things
that could happen to you, because you will be heart broken, you will have to
run away, and you will always be alone. Or so the heterosexual-only argument would say. This is not God’s desire for his
creation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">according to Genesis 2.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am trying to be very specific in addressing one issue at a
time while still balancing context and realizing the Bible should be taken as a
whole. However, when, as is the case in this passage, homosexuality is not
addressed and even heterosexual-marriage advocates acknowledge that fact, I do
not think it is wise to mold a passage to mean something it does not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i> to mean—especially when the
consequences are so devastating and would force people who are not called to
celibacy into a life of loneliness, or even worse, isolation and a fake life of
heterosexual actions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I get to the New Testament verses I will address the
second problem with “just remaining celibate” as a way to address homosexual
urges. John Piper admits that the homosexual urges might never go away;
however, he simultaneously asserts that the urges are not sinful while the
homosexual acts (which a person chooses to commit) are the sin. As a sneak peek
to my thoughts on that argument, I’ll leave you with these verses:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28, quoting Jesus)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Today’s sources:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bible and
Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics</i>, by Robert A. J. Gagnon
(Abingdon Press, Nashville. 2001).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captivating: Unveiling
the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul</i> by John & Stasi Eldredge (<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gay Debate: The
Bible and Homosexuality</i>, by Matt Vines (Accessed via Youtube on June 3,
2013) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQjNJUSraY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQjNJUSraY</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Spirit that Fills
and Restores</i> by Steve Wiens (sermon date June 9, 2013. Church of the Open
Door, Maple Grove, MN.) Available on iTunes or at thedoor.org.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let Marriage Be Held
in Honor: Thinking Biblically About So-Called Same-Sex Marriage</i> by John
Piper (sermon date June 16, 2012. Accessed June 5, 2013. Some quotes from text
on website, so quotes as stated in video sermon on website: <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/let-marriage-be-held-in-honor-thinking-biblically-about-so-called-same-sex-marriage">http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/let-marriage-be-held-in-honor-thinking-biblically-about-so-called-same-sex-marriage</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fish Out of Water</i>,
documentary by Ky Dickens, 2009 (Accessed via Netflix).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Homosexuality and the
Bible: Two Views</i> by Dan O. Via & Robert A. J. Gagnon (Fortress Press,
Minneapolis, 2003).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UP NEXT</b>: <u>Homosexuality
& the Bible: Genesis 19: 1-29—Sodom & Gomorrah</u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many lay people believe God destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah
because the city tolerated homosexuality. No serious scholars believe that.
This post will discuss the warfare practice of homosexual rape, which was a
method of conquering and shaming, as well as the real story of Sodom and
Gomorrah, including inhospitality and attempted gang rape.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-65128995921292447022013-06-05T10:16:00.001-05:002013-06-05T10:16:21.178-05:00Homosexuality & the Bible: Genesis 1:1-31 & Procreation<div class="MsoNormal">
The first argument for heterosexual marriage as the only
Biblical kind is, simply put, “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” In the first
creation story, God simultaneously created a man and a woman as complementary beings that
could create new life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Together, Adam and Eve are physically capable of being fruitful
and multiplying, as God commanded all beings in the beginning. The argument is that
this command to procreate extends to all subsequent humans. It focuses on
procreation. I do not disagree with the necessity of a man and a woman in the
beginning. The world needed people who would procreate and fill the earth! [Side
note: check out this hilarious <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afldRcy02RQ">video (hyperlinked here)</a>]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
However, some commands were necessary in the beginning that
would not be necessary (and/or we don't follow) now. For example, God commanded Adam and Eve to eat only
plants. He commanded them to be vegetarians. If Adam and Eve had been craving a
good hamburger and then had killed a cow (when God only created two cows, a
male and a female), then, oops, no more cows on earth. That’d be bad for the
whole “I’m creating a cool, self-sustaining world full of crazy creatures”
thing (Seriously, have you seen a giraffe, a manatee or a sloth? This world is
full of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">strange</i> critters). Health concerns about what is better for us (meat v. non-meat) aside, we can eat beef now without wiping out an entire species.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the need for propagation of the human species was a
compelling reason for heterosexual unions at the beginning of our existence, it
is not an issue any more. This is not to say reproduction is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> important, but as a human population,
we are in greater danger of exterminating our self through the destruction of
the planet through over population than we are to just dying out through a
failure to reproduce. We are too demanding on our planet. We are using too many
resources. We are over-populating this finite earth God has given us. We are a
long way from the total population being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">two
people on the entire globe.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The argument surrounding the unique ability to procreate
states that heterosexual unions are exclusively blessed and encouraged, and
therefore homosexual unions are implicitly condemned. It is built upon the
notion that sexual acts are only morally permissible if they are intended to (and
actually do) lead to pregnancy. This means birth control is immoral (for an
entirely separate reason than the rare argument that it ends a life or is a
form of abortion). The procreative argument means <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no one</i>, including married couples, should be having sex unless they
are “trying to get pregnant.” Condoms should not exist. Birth control shouldn’t
either. This is an extreme position that most people disagree with, as they
should.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sex is not simply for procreation. God created us to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">enjoy it</i>. We could have reproduced like
plants, just getting pregnant to keep the species going whenever we’re outside.
But we don’t. Humans have a God-given desire to have intimate relationships—intimate
emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Here’s just a little snippet from the
Bible:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 27.0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your
love is more delightful than wine.<b><sup> </sup></b>Pleasing is the
fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No
wonder the young women love you!</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="background: white;">Take me away with you—let us hurry!</span> <span style="background: white;">Let the king bring me into his chambers. (Song of
Songs 1:2-4)</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the beginning of an entire book about a young maiden
and her lover. The book is about their desire for each other, their pleasure
together, and the love they share. It is not about children. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Furthermore, the argument that marriage is primarily
intended to produce children is undercut by the implementation of an overbroad
policy. As far as fertility of a couple is concerned, there is no difference
between a post-menopausal woman and her husband and a lesbian or gay couple. There
is no difference in ability to procreate between any infertile couple and a
homosexual couple. Why then, do we allow infertile couples to marry?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is no statement on a marriage application such as the
following: “Neither member of this proposed union has reason to believe he or
she is personally infertile, and the couple intends to procreate and raise
their children.” There is no requirement that married couples have children. States
recognize marriages before (and without) children. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While one could (and many do) argue that the presence of children
creates a compelling state interest for regulating marriage, that is not the
issue addressed here. That is not what the Bible is putting forward. Here, the
“Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” argument is based upon a need to procreate—a
need that would exterminate the human race if not fulfilled. This is no longer
a problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Furthermore, the procreative argument is based upon the
notion that naming one type of approved act condemns those not listed. This
simply cannot be true. The Bible does not address cars, cell phones, the
internet, and an endless list of inventions and changes in society that came
after it. We must take Biblical principles and apply them to new situations. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The procreative command was necessary for the survival of
humanity at the time it was given, but it was silent on consensual, committed homosexual
relationships. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Today’s sources:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fish Out of Water</i>,
documentary by Ky Dickens, 2009 (Accessed via Netflix).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Homosexuality and the
Bible: Two Views</i> by Dan O. Via & Robert A. J. Gagnon (Fortress Press,
Minneapolis, 2003).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UP NEXT:</b> Homosexuality & the
Bible: Genesis 2-3 & “Ezer Kenegdo”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
In the second creation story, God created Adam before He
created Eve. Adam’s need for a companion, a helper, and a corresponding
strength (found in the term “ezer kenegdo”) resulted in God creating Eve.
Together, their relationship reflected the oneness of God, both the masculine
and feminine aspects His relational being. This next post will address the
relational “wiring” of humans, the rare call to celibacy, and the traditional
Biblical “solution” to homosexuality: forced celibacy. <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-20402448639665487382013-06-02T14:39:00.000-05:002013-06-02T16:22:22.622-05:00Homosexuality & the Bible: Intro<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2012, Minnesota voters defeated a proposed amendment to
the Minnesota Constitution defining marriage as between a heterosexual couple. I
voted against the amendment, but I did so quietly. It was a change for me, a
significant one, from the beliefs I held in my teens, but I was not vocal
online or in any visible way. This past spring, the Minnesota legislature was
considering a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, and I finally “came out” on Facebook
as a heterosexual ally to people who are homosexual. The bill passed and will be effective August 1, 2013,
though the paperwork for individual marriage licenses may be completed before
then. It was a big moment for Minnesota and for me personally. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I started to get the researcher’s itch to write about
the controversial issue of the Bible and homosexuality, I wasn’t sure how to
approach it. Scholar, law student, Christian, human being, amateur, soon-to-be bride… there were
so many options. I checked out books from a local seminary, my law school, and
the county library. I read scholarly articles online. I contemplated an extended academic article. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve circled back to a series of blog posts for two simple
reasons. First, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I am not a Biblical scholar<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></b> Yes, I have a lifetime of Sunday
school attendance, I took a religion class in college, I have a personal faith,
and I have an academic background in research. But everything I will be saying
is based upon my research and my own assertions about the logical connections
between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, <b>I want to talk to you like an equal, like we would talk in a coffee shop</b>. My thoughts
about homosexuality have entirely changed since I was in high school, and a
blog is the best way to share why. There are too many people who disagree with
me to sit down at Caribou and talk it out with all of them. These are people I
love and respect, and I believe they (you?) will proceed with an open mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a Christian, and that doesn’t mean I’m perfect. In
fact, it means I’m imperfect. But it means I try to admit when I’m wrong, I ask
for forgiveness, and I am willing to change. It means I believe the Bible reflects
God’s will and is true—all of it. But it also means I want to view the words in
the context of who they were for, why they were said, and how they were
translated.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the first of a series of posts about why the Bible
does not condemn homosexuality in the violently clear way I was taught as a
child, why I slowly came to accept I was wrong and ask for forgiveness of those
I have hurt by my condemning statements, and why I am freed by this
realization. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My goal is to get through this over the summer. Welcome to my journey.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-43909405985249370152012-11-27T00:53:00.000-06:002012-11-27T15:06:06.643-06:00Law School, Choir, and FloodsWell, since my last post I have both started law school and nearly finished an entire semester. I guess the life of a law student is pretty busy.<br />
<br />
My Contracts professor begins each class period with a reading, a prayer, or some sort of inspirational word. Today, she started with a reading by Mother Theresa. I don't remember what the reading was about, but it reminded me of a beautiful choral piece I was able to sing while at Concordia.<br />
<br />
Dr. Clausen's "Prayer," which we performed too many times to count during the 2009-2010 school year, has such a powerful and utterly beautiful text set to music in a way only the Doc can. The text is from a poem attributed to Mother Theresa, and I've transcribed it from Clausen's piece below:<br />
<br />
~~~<br />
<br />
Help me,<br />
Help me spread your fragrance wherever I go.<br />
Flood my soul,<br />
Flood my soul with your spirit and life.<br />
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly<br />
that my life may be only a radiance of yours, a radiance of yours.<br />
Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I know will feel your presence in my soul.<br />
Let them look up, look up,<br />
look up and see no longer me<br />
but only you.<br />
Amen.<br />
~~~<br />
<br />
This isn't meant to be an in-your-face theological discussion. For me, the piece is a way to connect to the <i>point</i> of it all. "It" life, "it" spirituality, "it" education--all of it. Every time I <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECM8sMLFOE">listen to the piece (click here)</a>, I remember the rehearsals, the passion, the man who tried to capture, in one score, a desperate longing for God's life and radiance.<br />
<br />
I remember how the original poem simply started "Help me spread your fragrance...," but that Clausen was struck by the simple "help me."<br />
<br />
I am struck, each and every time, by the fact that the line "flood my soul" usually connotes overwhelming joy, but in Fargo/Moorhead in the fall of 2009, a flood reminds us of a fierce, sometimes terrifying thing. After all, it was in the spring of 2009 when the mighty Red River flooded the region, destroyed homes, shut down schools and colleges, and evacuated all residents. It is not a simple feeling; it is an uncontrollable force that spills out of the banks of our control and into our entire lives.<br />
<br />
I am struck by the overwhelming desperation of Mother Theresa and Dr. Clausen for a radiance and life to be so alive within me, within you, within the one reading or singing these lines, to be so alive that every person can feel something different. I am overwhelmed by the reminder that we seek the life not for ourselves but for those around us, so they can look up and feel that presence too.<br />
<br />
And, for me, I am struck by the fact that I was very aware of the blessing I had while I was in The Concordia Choir, but I still could not know how to treasure the moments until I left. What a lesson.<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AzjCw-AnJ_aJmj0kQVOXLVsnJZcfG1sLWUqNe33r6_bRKYD0G1RYzwym21AsbKT6Ge2cHfFVeTRkp2RguqHm8mLKvvTlYlTOQhbD3cdoZ-bfVeiTvIFH7Rg9JgYUfsaPjL50PRjNlm4Z/s1600/577967_10150780151211604_669146603_9951340_679450991_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AzjCw-AnJ_aJmj0kQVOXLVsnJZcfG1sLWUqNe33r6_bRKYD0G1RYzwym21AsbKT6Ge2cHfFVeTRkp2RguqHm8mLKvvTlYlTOQhbD3cdoZ-bfVeiTvIFH7Rg9JgYUfsaPjL50PRjNlm4Z/s320/577967_10150780151211604_669146603_9951340_679450991_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the Commencement Concert in the spring of 2012.<br />
Seniors were honored with red carnations for the concert.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-199868986021659482012-08-05T13:53:00.002-05:002012-08-05T13:54:20.464-05:00Carpe DiemA few updates about my life: a couple weeks ago I rolled my car. It was moving day, and I was crazy excited so I was driving too fast around a corner--not speeding, mind you, just too fast for the curve-- when I fishtailed and rolled down the hill. Other than back and muscle issues, I'm fine. My car, however, was totaled.<br />
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/528988_10151130435892664_2045045907_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/528988_10151130435892664_2045045907_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After being pulled back to the road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The interesting part of it all is that it happened in such a short period of time. Seconds. I was driving down the road, listening to the radio, thinking about my new apartment. Excited to begin a new adventure. Then, suddenly, it all changed. I couldn't go into work because of movement restrictions on my back, and I lost my job. It's been tough. I've struggled to unpack in some semblance of a timely fashion while simultaneously restricting my movement so I can be mostly healed before law school starts. Errands, oh, blessed errands, are endless. I need a new backpack--with wheels-- but I'd prefer something without a cartoon on it. I need to get groceries, but it's difficult to bring them inside. Cleaning supplies, a printer for school, bedding for my first full-size bed... it's a lot. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/548888_10151130192682664_921417042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/548888_10151130192682664_921417042_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tow truck operator analyzing the situation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Yet, the whole situation could be a lot worse. I rolled down a hill and was stopped by trees, but the windshield never broke. No sapling stabbed me. I left with a seatbelt bruise and without a single scratch. Also, even though I destroyed a car that I loved more than a person should love a car, I have a new car to drive. Insurance has been great, everyone has been so supportive, and I realized I'm happy with where I am in life. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If your life ended right now, would you be okay with the last conversation you had with your parents? Siblings? With the way you work when you're at work? With the job you have? The education you attained? With the words you said or the words you left unsaid?</div>
<div>
<br />
My life didn't flash before my eyes in the rollover. I didn't see something I need to fix. I saw all of the wonderful things I wouldn't have gotten to do. I didn't get to go to law school, get married, or have kids. How many people can say that their only regret would be not reaching the future that they're on the path to living?<br />
<br />
In an attempt to get back to crafting, which I used to love, this is what I made this weekend (you put cards in the pockets):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/556965_10151164532122664_1755714891_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/556965_10151164532122664_1755714891_n.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/423492_10151164533772664_151568100_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/423492_10151164533772664_151568100_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-75625972650425871052012-04-06T12:51:00.005-05:002012-04-06T13:07:52.285-05:00Balance: Cosmo or BusinessweekToday I discovered one of my favorite CDs from last summer. As I was cruising down the road with the windows down, sunglasses on, and sun warming my left arm, Colbie Caillat's "Dream Life, Life" came on:<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="line line-s" id="line_1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Dear someone</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_2" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Have you ever wanted out</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_3" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Of all the stressfulness</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_4" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All the business</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_5" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">You could do without</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_6" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Take all of your worries</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_7" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Throw them away</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_8" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Everyday should be a fun day</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_9" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Thats what I say</span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="line line-s" id="line_10" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_11" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With the ones I love</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_12" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Playing all day long</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_13" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Laying back by the water side</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_14" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With nowhere to go</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_15" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">And the music on</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_16" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is my dream life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_17" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">To be my real life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_18" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">How could that be wrong</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_19" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All we have is this life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_20" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">So make it be what you want</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_21" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life, life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_22" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life, life</span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="line line-s" id="line_23" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Dear summer</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_24" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Will you find your way back home</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_25" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">I miss your golden kiss</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_26" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">How you warm my skin</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_27" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Where did you go?</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_28" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Take all of my worries</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_29" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">And burn them up</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_30" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Everyday will be a fun day</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_31" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Unlock my handcuffs</span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="line line-s" id="line_32" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_33" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With the ones I love</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_34" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Playing all day long</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_36" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Laying back by the water side</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_37" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With no where to go</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_38" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">And the music on</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_39" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is my dream life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_40" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">To be my real life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_41" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">How could that be wrong</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_42" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All we have is this life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_43" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">So make it be what we want</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_44" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life, life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_45" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I want is a dream life, life</span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="line line-s" id="line_46" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">No, I did not call in sick to work today</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_47" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">No, I'm not out hanging with my friends</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_48" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">There's no more wasting time on what I think I'm supposed to do</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_49" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">My clock is standing still so</span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="line line-s" id="line_50" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">I can have my dream life life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_51" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With the ones I love</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_52" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Playing all day long</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_53" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Laying back by the water side</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_54" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">With nowhere to go</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_55" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">And the music on</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_56" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">I'm working hard for my dream life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_57" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">To be my real life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_58" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">And that can't be wrong</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_59" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">All I have is this life</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">So I'm making it what I want</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: center;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; "><br /></span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">This song is genius. I'm on my last break in my undergraduate career. Easter's here, and everyone is excited to be done. We all want free time, summer--a dream-life life, as Colbie says. Yet, I'm struggling with that feeling of freedom other seniors are craving, because I am going to law school. I am continuing my education, and I am excited about that too. </span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; "><br /></span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">Maybe it's just a mindset, it's a culture that says we are supposed to complain about work or school. We are supposed to "live for the weekend," right? The problem with that is that we never enjoy life. Life is all about the journey. It is the journey. It is a series of challenges, changes, of moments. Life is a series of accepting things we never thought we'd be old enough to face. That's my motto, but it doesn't have to be a negative thing. </span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; "><br /></span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; ">What if we, as a society, balanced one extreme to "live life in the moment and not lose your life to work" with the other that says "your work determines your life, because it pays for the dreams you want"? I'm figuring out how to do that, I just wish there was a magazine that reflected my phase of life--it's not either Cosmo or Businessweek.</span><span class="line line-s" id="line_60" style="text-align: left;font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; "><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-81299220187830844702011-11-25T13:22:00.007-06:002011-11-25T14:17:26.354-06:00Stars & RomComs<div>I grade for an astronomy class this semester, so I get to relearn a lot of things from when I took the course. Stars are believed to have formed out of clouds of hydrogen, helium, and random dust in space. The bigger the cloud, the bigger the star that forms from it, because there is more stuff to be pulled into the star and more gravitational energy to do the pulling. Bigger stars pull together with more gravitational energy, and they have hotter cores (gravitational energy becomes thermal energy). The stars also create new elements in their cores. Remember how elements are made of different numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons? When hydrogen and helium heat up, they fly around and smash together into bigger groups. That makes new elements. The greater heat essentially makes the star "burn up" faster than smaller stars, but it can create bigger elements before it dies. Thus, bigger stars have shorter lives, and smaller stars have longer lives. It seems backwards, because more wood for a fire means it'll burn longer, right? Not if it's in one gigantic pile. Smaller stars don't burn as hotly, but they don't cool as quickly. </div><div><br /></div>RomComs generally have two story lines: <div>1. Boy & Girl meet. Instantly fall in love. Someone does something stupid, and they break up. Everyone is sad, but eventually the stupid person does some sort of huge romantic gesture to show just how sorry s/he is (like chasing to an airport, building a white house with blue shutters...). The first person ultimately forgets the offense, and they live happily ever after.</div><div>2. Boy and Girl are either friends or hate each other. Either way, they are constantly in each others' lives as one or both of them do stupid things with other people. In a moment of weakness (a bar, recovering from a break-up...), they get together. Sometimes there's an "oh-no-we-didn't" moment that's eventually overpowered, but they're just magnets that stick together. They forget why they didn't date or hated each other. They live happily ever after.</div><div><br /></div><div>The problem with these isn't just that they're unrealistic. It's not just that they oversimplify relationships; it's that when one out of two marriages end in divorce, that is all people know about relationships. This isn't just a post about intense relationships that fizzle or friendships that last forever. I'm wondering if it's even possible for intense relationships to last. </div><div><br /></div><div>Can you have a big star that has a long life?</div><div><br /></div><div>Technically all stars have long lives, like a bajillion years or something (I just made that up), but I have to wonder. RomComs would say that when you end up together, every moment will be intense. It'll be a giant star that burns hotter and brighter than others. But physics says the bigger, brighter, and hotter the star, the quicker it will die. </div><div><br /></div><div>What if strong, healthy relationships are like smaller stars? They still create new elements in their cores, they still emit light, and their deaths are still noteworthy galactic events. But maybe, just maybe, healthy relationships aren't about being big and flawless. They just are. And instead of giving up on them, like RomComs tell us to do unless both people sweep their problems under the rug, maybe we need the other person to tell us we're acting like a crazy person. What if we could let that person create new things in us, make us better, teach us about ourselves, as long as that person is in our life?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-46271496635931787492011-11-08T00:23:00.000-06:002011-11-08T00:24:12.727-06:00Life: Textbooks, Labs, and PicassoLast semester, I took my one lab science course, Astronomy, as a part of my core requirements. It was a great example of different types of learning, because in lab courses you learn and experience. The best labs were ones where we used a spectrometer to see the different properties of light or where we lined up lenses and saw how they flipped a poster at the end of the hall upside-down. The good labs weren't just worksheets with specific numbers; that's classroom, textbook stuff.<div><br /></div><div>If your mind is as crazy as mine can be, you've already reached a moral: life is about living, not formulas, calculations, and textbooks. It's not about playing it safe and coloring inside the lines. But that's not the only thing I'm thinking about.</div><div><br /></div><div>Go back to the learning analogy. Remember that there are different styles of learning. Some people learn best when they read off the page; they remember where the text was relative to other information and pictures, the re-read the words until they fall neatly into organized memories and can be recalled as needed. Other people have to speak or teach what they are trying to learn to etch it into the sands of their recollection. They need to look at the keyboard as they type so they can close their eyes and recall where the keys were. Still other people need to know why; they need to understand what works and what doesn't work about everything relating to that fact or theory. They need to experience it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now consider how people live their lives. Some people read historical, philosophical, or even religious texts and grasp a great deal from the text. They can apply the meaning to their lives, and they truly internalize the concepts. Others need to process their understandings by talking to other people. They have an "open mind" and are truly touched by the experiences of others. They change when they see something happening. And still other people learn what the painting of their life will look like as they simply color and find out what looks good. It's not that they do not understand that which motivates the first person. It's not that they do not wish they could be completely motivated and changed by the stories of others, after all it would be nice to learn from another person's mistakes. What if it was that this type of person simply learned differently?</div><div><br /></div><div>What if, instead of condemning others who do not condemn themselves, we allowed them to go "Picasso" on their life's beautiful canvas until it became uniquely beautiful?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-49804263555642718702011-10-19T18:48:00.005-05:002011-10-19T19:58:42.604-05:00Career, Family, and Spotts<div>A wee little bit of background (and a plug):</div>A few weeks ago, a friend recommended a blog to me. Now, I've never really followed more than one thing at a time. And I set that main thing as my home page (which is CNN right now, so I'm trying to follow that before hitting the "Facebook"bookmark). But, this blog is different. Ally Spotts (allyspotts.com) is a twenty-something writer and teacher who blogs about life, relationships, singleness, running (yeah, I don't do that part), and her experience with the "Quarter-Life Crisis." There are so many things I love about her blog: how she writes (she has a bachelor's degree in writing), how she presents her information (she is honest and not "fluffy" or superficial), and the perspective she brings (she is old enough to have more experience than my circles, she just got engaged, and her applications are those of a Christian while not being overtly religious). I may not follow it regularly, but it was the first thing I added to my RSS feed, and I am sure to at least skim ALL of her posts. In late Semptember, Ally blogged about the "Career v. Relationship" dilemma society places on women. In fact, she had a guest blogger contribute "The Lies I Tell My Single Self" the next day. This guest laid bare her three excuses for not dating (simplified): "I don't have anything to offer," "I don't want to bring anyone into this mess," and "I want to figure myself out first." It made me think about my life, so here we are. <div><br /></div><div>The point:</div><div>Life does not go as planned. We know this. Most plans to marry by 25, start a family a few years later, and make partner at the firm by 30 don't pan out just the way you thought they would. Goals are important, but planning life's every detail doesn't make the adventure of life very adventuresome. In fact, it makes the changes in life earth-shattering. When you don't get into the college you've dreamed of attending for a decade. When you don't get the dream job right out of college. </div><div><br /></div><div>When you suddenly realize something new might be better than you could ever have planned, a new major, career path, relationship, or singlessness, it can be freeing. And experiencing a little bit of this freedom can tempt carelessness. A lack of planning. A lack of vision. No drive. "Freedom from" can be over-applied.</div><div><br /></div><div>If (when?) I get married, life's decisions will be different than they are now. Financial obligations will change. Visions of where to live will be different. The decision to accept a job offer will be more complicated. All of these will involve a whole separate person's opinions. And this is not something my million-option mind can process in advance. So this part of life's plans have to stay loose. I don't even have a choice in that one. While I can hope, I cannot bank on being married by 25, 27, 29. I cannot stop making plans now on the assumption that I will someday have to change that plan, because I just don't know. And yet, I need some sort of a plan so I don't have a lack of vision. So I am not considered a rambler with no drive. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I plan: law school after my undergrad, during which time I will spoil my niece as she goes through the infant-toddler stage. Kick butt in law school. Graduate with a job offer. Kick butt as a lawyer. Eventually work with mainly or solely discrimination cases. Kick some major hateful-butt at that. Maybe argue a case in front of the Supreme Court someday, but that's just a crazy dream. Throw in marriage and kids somewhere, maybe.</div><div><br /></div><div>The fact that I'm planning has caused some friends to say I'm "career-oriented" instead of "family-oriented," but I say I have a plan that I like. I have a map, a drive, a destination in mind. Yet life is a road trip, and I'm open to taking a day here and there in new cities. Enjoying the sights. Meeting the locals. And until I have to decide which sight to see in which city or which local (read: "stranger") to talk to, this all sounds great. But it's scary. If I'm not petrified when I actually have to make these choices, I just might get addicted to the freedom.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I wonder: what if I get so caught up in the distractions that I never make it to my destination? Will I look back and say "I wish I could have loved Person X, worked at Firm X, fought for Cause X"? What if I really am rationalizing "I don't have anything to offer," "I'm a mess," and "I need to figure me out"? How can we ever know if we're on a lazy, crazy, or perfect path?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-56912492406575976222011-09-21T11:49:00.015-05:002011-09-21T21:11:46.543-05:00Anxious Concern<div><div><div>"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." I'm not really sure where that quote originated, but I'm sure most ladies know it's from the Princess Diaries. That's really not the point.</div><div><br /></div><div>Merriam-Webster defines fear (the noun) first as "an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger" and last as "a reason for alarm." That makes sense. It's something that gets our hearts racing in a not-so-pleasant way, and we don't know what will happen. The moment you're sitting at work when you can't remember if you left the stove burner going or not. That second right before you drop on a rollercoaster when you're hanging there waiting for the rest of the train to come over the hump. Your first job interview, pregnancy, or seminar class. Your first love. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>But fear is not necessarily bad in itself, in fact, fear is something internal that can be caused by "exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm or loss" (the M-W definition of danger). Isn't that just life? Doesn't gettting out of bed create a liability for injury? I think this is where the other definitions of fear come in: "anxious concern" and "profound reverence and awe, especially toward God." So when we are excited yet anxious about apologizing to a friend, the first few weeks in a new job or trying something new, we are technically experiencing fear. What a strange concept.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Fear, that thing which we always say cripples us, causes us to panic or to act irrationally, need not be a bad part of life. But what does that even mean; isn't that just arguing semantics over an emotion that really could be so strong it prevents action and clear thought? Isn't the natural reaction to someone breaking into your house with a knife to be terrorized? Maybe, but that emotion does not need to be crippling.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to say we should just be bold, yet wise, in our responses and decisions. I'm not going to go back to the beginning and say "decide something is more important than fear." You would have seen that one coming a mile away. I'm going to say fear as a good part of life looks like fear. Yes, fear looks like fear. Because how else can I say that an emotion to which we credit our own lack of action or apathy could really be "anxious concern"?</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe that concern is for our very lives or maybe it's not, but when we think about how some people are able to be bold and confident, or even selflessly heroic, I have to wonder if what we think about fear will actually define how we react to high-stakes situations. </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder if fear would be more of an overly-alerted state where our senses are all heightened and our adrenaline is flowing. Maybe having this new "fear" about taking a test will actually help you recall information; maybe "fearing" admitting something will help you say it correctly. Maybe fear, simply because we know it alerts every part of us, will make us more courageous and able to act on our "anxious concerns." What if fear is necessary for courage to even exist?</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-43526853462904291582011-09-18T22:22:00.005-05:002011-09-18T22:49:23.751-05:00The Curious Self & BirthingWell, that's an interesting title for a blog post, you say.<div><br /></div><div>This morning in church, the pastor mentioned the birthing metaphor in Christianity. He talked about being "born again" and what that means. So, naturally, I went on a random thought tangent about birthing-- right there in the middle of the service.<div><br /></div><div>Most Christians understand the phrase "born again" as something either synonymous with or closely related to "accepting Christ" and "being saved." It's the moment when you give your life to Christ, and He forgives you of your sin. But I have to wonder. See, the moment when you actually admit that you've failed is actually a joyous one--yes, it might be difficult to come to that point, but when we actually accept that we have failed, we realize that there is an alternative. There is hope; it's only up from there. Acceptance is the first stage. So the actual moment is joyous, and I have to wonder if that's what being "born again" is. It's a freeing moment when you realize Love conquers all; it's not a moment when you're thinking about your pain. You're experiencing life with out it for, maybe, the first time.</div><div><br /></div><div>I say all this not to espouse religious doctrine but to point out the contrast between that joyous occasion and the actual birthing process. Because it's not a pretty, simple, pain-free experience. Women often do things like yell at family, blame their spouses, hurt doctors... these are not the most appealing or genteel moments of a woman's life. Yes, something beautiful exists as a result of this work, but the actual moment where the birthing takes place is not easy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to wonder if being "born again" has more to do with the daily life of someone who wants to be like Christ. Ripping band-aids off wounds that we've just let fester. Getting over our pride and apologizing to friends for friendships we let die over fights that never settled. Accepting something into your life, like a new understanding of politics or society, that just might contradict what you thought you knew was right. Admitting that you have a problem. I think being "reborn" might be something that throws our closets open and exposes the skeletons for what they are--pieces of ourselves that we'd rather hide than face. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I wonder if a person who is thinking, re-inventing, and wondering, is on a closer path to Love, Truth, and Peace than the one who only allows Love to expose selected parts of the heart. Could constant curiosity, through its existence as a conduit to the unknown, actually bring one closer to God?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-53089131023475047702011-08-21T00:57:00.004-05:002011-08-21T01:15:42.082-05:00Knowing Deep-DownBack in January I blogged about socialization. I was thinking about the concept of liking change but being uncomfortable with changing. Lately I've been thinking about extending that train of thought a little further. Go with me on this one.<div>
<br /></div><div>Let's say you're a coffee drinker, a real coffee drinker. You know what I mean; the type who buys whole beans from Caribou and has to grind them immediately before brewing. You could never set up the coffee pot the night before you wanted to brew it, unless the pot had a grinder built in, because of what the air would do to the grounds during those 8 precious hours. You can drink coffee with dinner without it keeping you up, and you loathe those who drink decaf. Decaf simply isn't real coffee, is it? It tastes different, and everyone just knows deep down that a "real" coffee-drinker drinks regular. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Deep down, we know certain things are right while others are wrong. It's our conscience, our gut, right? It's a part of every human that whispers a greater moral code that all of humanity should obey. It's something in the gut, or maybe the soul, that is only at peace with a certain arrangement of events. But what if that gut, that peace of the soul, that conscience, could not be differentiated from the us that is an accumulation of the events of our lives? We are all shaped by our upbringings. What if, deep down where it matters, we don't know the difference between the confrontation of something different and a situation that truly merits a "deep in your gut," "right and wrong" line?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I was in Caribou the other day, and I saw an advertisement for their decaf coffee. It played off the belief that decaf coffee is inferior, but it explained how their decaf beans are held to the same high standards as the regulars. It attempted to shift the frame through which the die-hards viewed their niche as to admit others to join in.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>What if we didn't just assume the situation in which we are the most comfortable is the right kind of situation?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-74767040431942306962011-07-07T14:16:00.006-05:002011-07-08T12:43:01.603-05:00Self-Applied Labels & BudgetsThis isn't about low self-esteem or damaged emotions. It's not about thinking we're better than we are. This is about definitions. I was talking with a friend the other day, and we were talking about what a "feminist" is. It was then that I realize terms such as "feminist," "Christian," "liberal," "conservative," "spiritual," and so many others are self-applied labels. Even though Webster gives terms denotations, they mean even more than their connotations.<br /><br />People considering themselves feminists can range from man-hating women who believe dominance, not equality, should be the goal of womankind to women who want all people and viewpoints, not just women and our issues, to have an equal chance to be heard and considered. Similarly, people considering themselves Christians can range in belief from "Bible-thumping" believers to those who believe Christ's love has to extend beyond the rigid boundaries of modern religious practices.<br /><br />One point of this realization is that the nature of language is fluid; while it can be precise, it is always changing as our lives attach different experiences to certain words. We choose whether or not we are comfortable with the term "feminist" or "republican" not only based on what the dictionary says, but also based on the way the term is perceived by others. I know many people who make a distinction between being a "Christ-follower" and a "Christian," because Christians in America have such a bad reputation. They do not want people to associate them with the hypocritical and judgmental people who seem to wear blinders and miss those in need. Instead, they agree with Gandhi when he said "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians."<br /><br />Since labels are fluid, one has to wonder what good they can do. Yes, labels such as "republican" and "democrat" can give voters a clue as to where certain candidates stand, but no chunk of society can entirely agree on all of the issues in a party's platform. Similarly, writing off a "feminist" group because they do not fit your assumptions about feminism (and are therefore not "feminists") or because they use the same term as a radical group with which you disagree does more harm than good.<br /><br />With the financial stalemates going on at the state and national levels, we have to wonder if our congressmen and women are simply following our lead. When we write off half of the country as a label, refuse to think for ourselves, blame "them" for our problems, and penalize anyone on election day who would dare to "waver" from strict party lines, can we really complain when they refuse to budge?<br /><br />In a political system that forces candidates to choose labels and appeal to the extremists to simply receive the nomination, can we blame them for acting the way our entire society operates?<br /><span class="ssens"><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-21327215576332215672011-05-31T22:14:00.002-05:002011-05-31T22:33:33.651-05:00SelfishnessI am going to be an aunt for the first time this summer, and I am going to be out of town for the first month of her life. I was going to go home and visit a few weeks after she is born, but finances just did not work out. At first, I was hurt. I not only felt like I was missing a part of her life (and the lives of my brother and sister-in-law), but I felt like I was missing an important event in my life. I wanted to be there to welcome them home, to hold the baby, to see her for the first time. I wanted to support my family, to celebrate with them. I only go from not an aunt to being an aunt once in my life, and I didn't want to miss it.<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday was Memorial Day, and I went to the National Memorial Day Concert on Capitol Hill. It was a beautiful concert with famous performers like B.B. King and Kris Allen performing. The national orchestra was fabulous, and the whole experience was televised to the nation. During the concert, the did short features on servicemen and women. Sometimes the stories were about a death, sometimes a story was about a lost limb. One story was about a man who was going home to meet his daughter for the first time, and she was months if not years old. Here I was, excited to be in the nation's capitol and yet upset at missing the first month of my niece's life when American men are leaving pregnant wives and girlfriends and missing the delivery room. The hospital pictures. The ride home. How often do we put ourselves first. </div><div><br /></div><div>Even when we don't think we are being selfish, I suggest that we are. I wanted to support my family and show the love I already have for Clara, and there is nothing wrong with that. At the same time, however, I forgot about the women who gave birth without their husbands. I forgot about the sons and daughters whose fathers miss their first steps, maybe even their first words. The Buddhists believe that attachment leads to suffering. That desire for things causes us to be disappointed and to have pain. While I do not believe that complete detachment is in my future, I think there is some truth in what they are saying. Can we be so attached to our loved ones that we do not transfer that emotion and understanding? We do not empathize. It is not that we are cold-hearted, but rather that we simply do not realize. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think that is a bigger problem than cold-hearted-ness. In today's American society, the problem is not that anyone wants people to starve. The problem is that we are so worried about our family, our friends, our loved ones, going the least bit hungry that we forget to see the forest for the trees. We forget that other mothers, sons, sisters, uncles and grandmas need food too. They need to see a doctor. They need new glasses, school supplies, and diapers. This is not a demand that government step in, because isn't government a way to force people to act a certain way? No. This is a desire that individual people would open their hearts and love the person they don't know like they would love their sister.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-40117867266901323132011-02-05T12:24:00.000-06:002011-02-05T12:44:44.279-06:00The "or"<div>Should I buy a guitar or should I buy a piano?</div><div><br /></div>Or. What does it mean? In common English, it means either one or the other. It means I am going out tonight or I am staying in. It implies a choice between two options, not the possibility of both. It means I should be either a guitar or a piano. <div><br /></div><div>In the world of logic (according to my Patterns of Reasoning prof), the "or" is represented by a wedge "v" and represents all possibilities where at least one statement on either side of the wedge ("disjunct") is true. So, if the left disjunct is true, the statement is true. If the right disjunct is true, the statement is true. There is not a necessity that the opposite disjunct be false. In other words, BOTH can be true. So the answer to an "or" question can be yes. </div><div>Reread the first sentence: Should I buy a guitar or should I buy a piano? Yes. </div><div>Yes, you should buy one of them. It may not have been what I meant when I asked, in fact often times people are teased for answering "or" questions with a yes or a no, but it is a correct answer. At least one of the disjuncts is true.</div><div><br /></div><div>The English major in me is a little bit weirded out by this concept, and I definitely voiced my confusion in class. How could any sentence more emphatically imply one or the other but not both than by saying "either a or b"? It was pointed out that one side being true does not necessarily imply that the other is false, unless the statements are a tautology, that is the encompass all possible outcomes (such as "a or not a" or "it is raining or it is not raining").</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems to me that this has great implications for life. Imagine what it would be like if I was right and you could be right too. Obviously statements like "there is a god or there is not a god" cannot both be true, but there are other things that do not necessarily have to contradict.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Take for instance the concept of power. A lot of people view power as a finite resource, that is if I have power I don't want to give you any, because that means I lose some. The problem with that is that it is not true. If there is a disruptive student in a class who is always trying to control others and is simply belligerent, giving that student some power might help. I heard a story about this where the teacher wanted to do a presentation about a certain geographical area on Monday, so on Friday the teacher asked that student what she wanted to learn. The presentation was largely shaped by the student's input, but the teacher's end of teaching about that region was met. The teacher had the power to choose the topic, but the student had the power to choose the topic.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>How many times to we assume that what we believe or how we do things is right because "it makes sense," "it's the best way," or "there can only be on right answer."</div><div>Or all of the above.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-15989798186600304712011-02-01T22:20:00.000-06:002011-02-01T22:46:21.089-06:00Why?Why do we fill out our Facebook profiles for the whole world to look at the Sparknotes versions of us? <div>Why do we blog about our lives as if it was a private diary that we have left open for everyone to read?</div><div>And is there a difference between Facebook and blogging?</div><div><br /></div><div>I think everyone has at least two lives. People have the life that they live on the outside, the one where they go to class or work, they act out certain values, and they return phone calls. (If people don't have two outer lives, they're doing pretty well.) But people also have inner lives; the lives where they process what the experience. The lives where they question why the go to class or work, act out or even hold certain values, and why they return phone calls. It's easy to see when you think about it. What are the two types of responses to the question "how are you doing today?"? People can say "Oh, I'm good. This thing in my life is happening" or they can say "I'm responding-or-thinking in this-way about this thing that happened."</div><div><br /></div><div>I think different online venues reflect these types of communication.</div><div><br /></div><div>Facebook is a social networking site; it allows people to connect to other people, and in my mind the people that are connecting are 3-D friends as well. Granted, they might be miles apart, but at some level their relationship was in the real world, not just the cyber world. At least in the way that I view "Facebook friends." People's "essentials" or preferences are put on their profiles to aid in identification and for fun. In other words, people put up "I like diet coke" and "I was born in Minnesota" but most people don't reveal too much beyond that. And for those that do put up too much personal information, they are shunned. Something is off about TMI in statuses, and it's still weird to put it in a note. Everyone can see it. That's the thing about Facebook--everyone DOES see it. Even if I have my security settings to "only friends," there is still substantial pressure to accept every friend request and never delete anyone. My theory? If we're not actually friends in real life and we never communicate online, why do you need to have access to my information?</div><div><br /></div><div>Blogging, on the other hand, is more like a journal or a thought process, and we just put it up for anyone to read. So, it's kind of like the worst of Facebook, because everyone can read it. But it's also better than the best of Facebook, because it's a different venue and people seeking a video clip, a funny quote, or a picture won't read a bunch of text. Take my blogger, for example. I put up things that I am thinking about, things that are going on inside of me... things that are actually a part of my inside life. While this information is "more personal" and less guarded against the amorphous "everyone," it is for a different type of person. On Facebook, "likes," "pokes," comments and notifications are essential to the continuation of the communication. A blog, at least this one, operates for a different reason. </div><div>Yeah, it's nice to have people comment on my posts. That's kind of the point of putting up a musing instead of simply thinking it--to engage in some sort of a discussion. But this information is less identifiable. It is a thought that is personal because it comes from inside me, but it is not personal because it is about something outside me. If I love going to Chipotle every day for lunch (which I would if I had the money and had one significantly nearer than 150 miles), I work at X establishment and there is a Chipotle next door, that information is harmless but it's creepy to have anyone online know. Stalker much? It's not that any of the information is bad, too personal, wrong, or creepy, but assembling it in one place is just awkward. For me, at least. </div><div>I think a blog is not just "safer" from the online-creeper standpoint, but it actually has potential to connect people. Knowing you and 1,437,380 other people like Chipotle does nothing for you. Knowing what someone else thinks about x-y-z even when you don't know who that person is... now that can actually be beneficial. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-40263320237646547412011-01-29T17:12:00.000-06:002011-01-29T18:00:30.349-06:00Socialization v. ChangeI am in sociology right now, and there are so many topics that could fill my blog that I've begun to write down particularly intriguing topics in a notebook to think more about later. So, a lot of posts will probably stem from that class. My prof would be so proud.<div><br /></div><div>The process of socialization is the process by which we learn, accept and internalize social norms. Socialization is what teaches us that it's gross to pick your nose; first we learn that it is disgusting in all circumstances, then we learn that it is gross in public. It is the process of us accepting a set of "norms" of a given culture, society or group. When people join the military, they are re-socialized in the total institution that controls everything about their lives. They learn the new norm, and they internalize it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Resocialization is usually done voluntarily, like in the military, but it can still be difficult. Accepting a different way of thinking, or processing, of living life can't come easily. Think about the formation of our country; they wanted power to rest in the people, but it was a revolutionary concept. The notion that there would be multiple branches that would somehow balance each other and would represent the changing will of the People. They feared the uneducated masses. They had no real reference for the type of government that was established. It was scary, and it took the entire country a long time to fully accept this government. Even now, there is debate over issues of federal versus state power. The process of accepting a new way of functioning, the context in which people would participate politically, the entire environment and structure of power... they wanted the change but it did not come easily.</div><div><br /></div><div>Think about democratization in the Middle East. We think our form of government is the best for arguably legitimate reasons, and we are trying to set up a "modern" government in a matter of a few years that took our nation many to accept. The process of socialization takes more time than that. Not to mention the fact that if people do not want to change, they do not willingly internalize the resocialization!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, what's the difference between change and socialization? Most obviously, change can be limited to a few things within a society whereas socialization is all-encompassing. </div><div><br /></div><div>But, I think any form of change can require socialization. </div><div>When you get a driver's license, the way you act in a car needs to completely change. You can't sleep, and you start paying more attention to the things outside of the car. It revolutionizes that section of your life, your life inside a car when you are driving. When you get into an ensemble you have to internalize rehearsal schedules and conducting styles, and you have to adjust to a different group of people. When you go to college (arguably a total institution if you live on campus and eat in dining services), you have to accept being by yourself, learn to resolve differences with a roommate, and discover a whole new way to live life (eating based on a DS schedule, for example).</div><div><br /></div><div>I think the main difference between change and socialization is that you don't have to like both. You can like one, the other, or neither. Some people like to experience new things, but they might not like to stay submerged in that new thing (traveling, for example). I, on the other hand, don't always like the process of adjusting to new things, but I find them fascinating. I can incorporate new technology, events and twists of life into my daily routine if I get past the awkward phase of resocialization. (Even though it's only resocialization in a small area of life, which technically isn't even resocialization.) I put myself in new situations as much as I can to try and get over the awkwardness of "the new," but I know that I can have that lack of comfort.</div><div><br /></div><div>Think about the impact that accepting the concept of socialization v. change could have. It would not longer be "the past versus the future" in politics, relationships, or life. We could acknowledge that there's an awkward phase of adjusting to something new, and that phase is perfectly legitimate. We don't have to force 100% right now, because we know we'll get there eventually. As long as we keep moving towards a better _____, the size of the steps won't make or break the journey.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-79851303810029339122011-01-25T01:44:00.001-06:002011-01-25T02:17:17.716-06:00What Doesn't Kill Us...It's 2 a.m., and while I should be going to bed, I know I won't be able to sleep. I've been thinking about the old saying "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." <div><br /></div><div>Is it really true?</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, life is hard, and we can endure more difficult times after we are put through something hard. </div><div>We learn how to ride a bike after we fall down a few times. We learn how to study after we fail a test or two. We learn how to be a better friend after we lose some of the best ones we've ever had.</div><div>We learn how to live after breakups that feel like someone put our hearts through a food processor.</div><div><br /></div><div>But are we really better people because we go through all of life's trials?</div><div><br /></div><div>We can learn to fear bikes if we fall too many times. We can learn to hate a particular subject or school all together if we always fail. </div><div>We can learn patience when dealing with frustrating coworkers or classmates, but we can also learn to judge. We can learn to understand when faced with people drastically different than ourselves, but we can also learn to hate and to fear. We can learn to love again, but we can also learn to hide our hearts. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just because someone gets through a life filled with challenges does not mean that he or she is a better person for it. If it did, then why are there cycles where the abused becomes the abuser? Where the judged becomes judgmental? </div><div><br /></div><div>Right here you might be expecting a conclusion like "so, make sure you take the best from the trials of life. Be a better person because of it." But that's not what I'm saying. While a part of our reactions is just that--OUR reactions, or the way we choose to respond to a stimulus--I don't think it is entirely our choice. If we could control what we learn, feel and experience, then life wouldn't be nearly as interesting. I'm not saying I wouldn't prefer it, but if we could control even a single thing--ourselves--then many of the problems of life wouldn't even be issues. </div><div>What if we wouldn't have jumped to conclusions and ruined a friendship, judged someone we just met, said something without thinking... you name it. (Obviously issues like abuse are different, but for the sake of my tangent, just stay with me).</div><div>The thing is, if we can't control the way we act, how could we possibly be expected to control the way we respond? </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure, but I know we are all responsible for our actions. If a woman comes home to her husband in bed with another woman and shoots them both, the fact that she was ticked-off is not a defense. She should have controlled her desire, and because she didn't she is held responsible.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a much less visible way, we are also responsible for our emotional responses to the stimulus that is life. </div><div><br /></div><div>One way to control personal responses, a way that I think is more common than we admit, is to limit the amount we allow ourselves to feel. Think about it: if I am told that "I have a good attitude" through it all, how am I supposed to respond when I have emotional, frustrated, and even hateful thoughts? If I've been told that "I'm always so positive," how should I relate to myself when I can't even touch positivity with a 39 1/2 foot pole? I do not allow myself to experience these emotions, at least in part. We can feel some of it, because that's normal, but we are given an allotted "grieving" or "angry" period, and we are expected to move on and pull ourselves up by the boot-straps. In doing this, I think we lose a little bit of what it is to be human.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not saying we need to let our emotions run wild or toss all social contract to the wind, but what if we allowed each other to actually feel for however long it was necessary? </div><div>What if 5 years later we were reminded of "it," and instead of lying to ourselves about how we've "moved on," we allowed ourselves to feel whatever that emotion is?</div><div><br /></div><div>What if we realized that isolation and a frozen heart could actually be a response to "what doesn't kill us"?</div><div><br /></div><div>Imagine what society would look like if we stopped trying to tell people that "they'll be fine," "it's okay," and "you're so strong" when they really need to be mad or cry or complain.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I think there would be less hearts held together by band-aids and more hearts actually healing.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-90612647716857992022011-01-19T23:55:00.000-06:002011-01-20T00:09:55.762-06:00A "Logical" Mind? Really?I was just looking at my blog (don't we all just look at our own pages and think about what could be better or changed?), and I read what I decided to title it. It hit me. "A logical and developing mind." Really? I'd say that I don't, as is common with most people, think in logical patterns. <div><br /></div><div>Right now I'm taking Patterns of Reasoning, which is basically a logic class, and we've learned logical forms and what makes a logically sound argument (among other things). I definitely do not think in logical patterns, in fact, I'd venture to say that I think in rather illogical patterns. I'm not just saying that I do not usually think in the logic forms we use in class, but I'm wondering if it is at all possible to think logically. </div><div>Take this example:</div><div>I think about my life. I think about myself as a person--the inner-workings and motivations that make me do what I do-- and I think about how I think. Yet, in all of that contemplation, most of it is driven by who I want to be or the emotion of the situation I am in. Not that I see this at the time, but it is pretty evident looking back. I don't necessarily need to think about x-y-or-z, because I can rationalize whatever I bring to the table.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I wonder if other people must be driven by emotion too. I'm not talking about high school drama with overly emotional "OMG he's, like, totally being stupid." I'm talking about inner emotional desires like the being accepted, loved, feeling valuable and strong, and being self-sufficient. </div><div><br /></div><div>The say that history is written by the victor, so do we reinterpret our pasts?</div><div>Do we create stories that got us here, like a little testimony to how far we've come, even if there's not much to tell? Or is it simply forgetfulness? Or are those stories real because their implications are real, regardless of the fact that they might not be totally correct? In believing or creating these stories, doing so do we lose or find ourselves?</div><div><br /></div><div>Can a conclusion ever really be reached?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-6925118087220383172010-03-11T17:16:00.001-06:002010-03-11T17:41:25.240-06:00(Probably) Controversial Musings...A few things need to be clarified before I get to my most recent musing:<br /><br />I've always viewed heaven as the place where God is and hell as the place where He is not. In that sense, Got is with those who want to be with Him for all of eternity (thus, heaven). Conversely, He does not force people to spend eternity with Him if they do not want to (thus, hell). He does not force people to accept Jesus' payment, because He allows them to choose their destiny. He is just (thus the required payment for sins), but He believes in free choice (thus the lack of forcing us to spend eternity with Him, which, in its own way, would be a form of "hell").<br /><br />Since God is Love and all things good, heaven must be all of those things. The beautiful imagery of pearly gates, streets of gold, etc, could be ways people try to capture the sheer AWESOMENESS of God's presence. Conversely, the lack of beauty, love, peace, forgiveness, etc, would be painful--like a burning lake of fire or many of the other colorful descriptors we've all heard about hell.<br /><br />I am not God, and I will never say I know who will and will not get into heaven. Yes, Jesus' death pays for sins, and it is a free gift that must be accepted. But what about that proverbial person on an island who never hears the story of Jesus? Would a gracious, loving God condemn that person to death simply because they didn't know the right <em>words?</em> I don't think He could, because if that person wants to be with God, then God would be reminding me of a petty politician arguing semantics if he turned this person away for not having the right phrasing. Or the completely correct religious doctrine.<br /><br />Extrapolate that out a little bit: If a person's soul, their essence, the core of their very being, wants to be with God, wouldn't LOVE suggest that God would let that person be with Him? That's what the island metaphor and God's character suggest to me.<br />Since that's the case, let's take it a little further. What if a man is born into a different religion, searches for God, follows "God" as best as he can, and dies without ever hearing the name of Jesus. Would God condemn that searching man to an eternity without Him simply because another human being didn't have a "mission trip" to his land? That would be a pretty petty God, and that's not the God that I know.<br />Finally, I believe that every person is wired with a need for God. A "God-shaped hole" is in everyone, if you will. If you strip away the scars life has given everyone, I believe that in the purest form, we were made to be with God and our souls desire it. That would suggest that every person is like our theorhetical man who never saw a missionary.<br /><br />I know that this logic seems to imply that everyone would go to Heaven, including Hitler, Stalin, Bin Laden, and Hussein. It would also say that Ghandi, Confuscious, the Dalai Lhama, Mother Theresa and Billy Graham would be there. That might seem unfair, but if the people in the first list or the "unsaved" ones in the second had realized their soul's desire moments before their deaths, they could've gone to Heaven. Why would a good God deny their souls' true desire simply because they did not realize it until it was "too late"?<br /><br />This seems to imply zero need for a hell. I remember one of my pastor's sermons where he was telling the story of Jesus' death and descent into Hell. On the third day, Jesus broke open the gates to Hell and said "buh-bye! I'm taking they KEYS with me!", according to Pastor Dave. That image stuck with me. Why couldn't Jesus have broken open the gates for everyone?<br /><br />I know, I know. It's controversial, and it says there is no need for Hell. I'm working on that. but everything except the final conclusion seems to make sense to me, and it's simply my most recent musing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-13470170193904810492009-12-07T18:26:00.000-06:002009-12-08T00:17:23.397-06:00Cleansing Tearsby Carrie Johansen<br /><br />"for brave Americans I will never meet, cousins, and classmates."<br /><br />The blades whirl beneath me on the blue Dixon as I cut<br />a path through field grasses taller than I am, seated on<br />the old mower. The cracked seat--strips of fake leather<br />curling up, scratching my thighs below my shorts. Mom<br />decided against this eye-sore that fills the back third of our<br />7.3 acre plot, but I like the smell of the untouched grass<br />that can shock the brain with too big of a breath. We used to<br />hid in the grass, leave Mom calling "Kids, come inside. It's<br />time for supper" as we ate Fruit-By-The-Foot. But my brother's<br />been gone 16 days; he knew to wear basketball shorts, down<br />to the knee to save his legs from the grating of soft flesh on a torn<br />seat. That's why the Army called--even they knew he was smart.<br />I push my right hand forward to turn to the left, curve around<br />a tree, wonder how crickets will find new homes. This whir<br />sends specks of dust and shredded grass into my face. I<br />release the rubber-coated handles, slow the mower to an<br />idle. The blades continue to spin as I close my eyes, let tears<br />rinse out the invading irritants that attack my pupils. The whir<br />of my machine turns into the rumbling of a helicopter, and<br />I imagine my brother's silhouette against the sky, backlit and<br />framed by that Hollywood shot of an open Army helicopter.<br />The blue sky against his brown, green, black camouflage with<br />a pack I've never seen strapped to his back. He looks down, ready<br />to jump, free fall, then pull a cord I pray will save his life. The<br />whirring continues as he jumps, and I can't help but wonder<br />if my brother is going to cut down overgrown grass, shower locals<br />with bullets, rinse the land in the tears of those forced to find new homes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-64597785933153949272009-09-06T10:08:00.000-05:002009-09-06T11:13:23.236-05:00Exclusivism, Inclusivism or Pluralism: where does the Bible stand?In my Religion 100 class our first assignment was to read 30 or so pages out of a book titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banaras</span> by Diana L. Eck. The chapter was titled "Is Our God Listening?" and explains exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism through the lenses of major world religions. Before I can get to my inquiring thought, here's a summary of the 30 pages (keep in mind I have just learned these terms. I am by no means an expert, so I will try to use quotes as much as possible. And I realize this is a longer post, but I think it's necessary):<br /><br />Exclusivism:<br />"Our own community, our tradition, our understanding of reality, our encounter with God, is the one and only truth, excluding all others" (168).<br />"Exclusivism is more than simply a conviction about the transofamtive power of the particular visioin one has; it is a conviction about its finality and its absolute priority over competing views. Exclusivism may therefore be the ideological foundation for isolationism. The exclusivist response to diversity, whether theological, social, or political, is to mark ever more clearly the boundaries and borders separating 'us' from 'them'. It is little wonder that exclusion has been one of the tools of racism and ethnocentrism" (174).<br /><br />Inclusivism:<br />"the presupposition [of inclusivism] is that in the end ours is the truth wide enough to include all. Ours are the terms in which truth is stated" (179).<br />"The Catholic church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in [other] religions. she has a high regard for the manner of life and conduct, the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways from her own teaching, nevertheless often reflet a ray of that truth which enlightens all men. Yet she proclaims and is in duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In him, in whom God reconciled all things to himself (2 Cor. 5:18-19), men find the fulness of their religious life" (182)<br />**The main difference definitively between the exclusivist "there is only one right answer, and ours is it" and this apparent admission that parts of other religions could be correct is the following:<br />"[in Karl] Rahner's inclusivist scheme my Hindu friends are baptized "anonymous Christians" and Muslims are save by the meditation and grace of Christ, even though this certainly violates their self-understanding" (183). In other words, my religion is right, but the Superior Being's love and grace is wide enough to accept/forgive/save those of different religions.<br /><br />Pluralism:<br />"Religious pluralism requires active positive engagement with the claims of religion and he facts of religious diversity. . . [it is] the seeking of understanding" (192). Eck asserts that it is not relativism, but it assumes a real commitment to a particular religion. Basically, I may be Jewish but I must realize that my beliefs are founded on my experiences. Therefore, they are true for me. "Matters of truth and value are relative to our conceptual framework and worldview, even those matters of truth that we speak of as divinely ordained" (193). There are type of relativism that deny any concrete religious absolutes (nihilistic relativism) or lack commitment, but Eck asserts that true pluralism has both openness AND commitment. It is based on respect for differences and interreligious dialogue that would bring "mutual transformation".<br /><br /><br />Here's my quandary: Where do I fit in and where SHOULD the Bible fit in?<br />I am an exclusivist, because I believe that it is only possible for there to be one truth. Pluralism doesn't make sense to me, because if other religions are correct, than why should I tie myself down to one? Why not learn something from all of them and say "we'll all be saved. It's fine". Not to mention that THIS belief would be the ultimate truth.... BUT I am not an exclusivist, because Eck assigns exclusivism a negative feeling. As if by believing there is one explanation to it all, I will shut myself off from the world, isolate myself, judge others, and not listen to anything they have to say. The language of "saved" and "unsaved" does draw lines, but they are not necessarily walls. Not to mention the fact that they are lines that I believe God alone can draw.<br /><br />So, in that sense, I am an inclusivist. I believe that because of humankind's common experience (spiritual beings, utter chaos and depravity, need for a superior being, etc) it would make sense for different religions have commonalities. Since other religions could have parts of truth in it, I can learn from them. In dialogue, I could be challenged to pursuit a train of thought I had not explored. Statements like the following make sense to me: "Truth is one, but the wise call it by many names" (a Hindu quote that I agree with: God is Truth, and he has many names. Not only that, but our finite minds cannot comprehend his vastness, so we describe his many facets in many ways).<br />However, I am not an inclusivist, because while I may be hesitant to draw the line between the "saved" and "unsaved" (completely different topic as to why that's in quotes. Maybe another time.), I believe that a line needs to be drawn. Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats--his followers from those pretending. He talks about those who will get to heaven and be turned away. It is clear, according to the Bible, that some will chose to abandon God and will therefore spend eternity apart from Him.<br />I am a pluralist in the sense that I believe we need to understand other religions, but not just the religions, the people. The Bible tells us to love one another. It says to love our enemies as we love ourselves. So, we need to do more than tolerate differences; we need to love the people. We need to respect them, and we need to talk to them to do so! All of these attributes which seem to be a no-brainer to me (understanding, respecting, talking, etc), are assigned by Eck to the pluralist and no one else. So, according to Eck, I am a pluralism. Except I'm not, because I don't think pluralism makes sense.<br /><br />So, where does that leave me? I have some exclusivist beliefs, but I think Christians, and all people, should relate to the world in a more pluralistic manner. And yet, inclusivism makes the most sense. But it doesn't. The Bible clearly says that some will perish, but it also says that God is the judge and we are to love each other.<br />Maybe the answer isn't which category we fall into or which category we should fall into. Maybe it's not Where does the Bible stand? or How can I prove I am right? but rather that the categories are wrong. While helpful to understand worldviews, I don't believe that the categories can actually apply to religious persons. Example: If Christianity falls, let's just say, in the inclusivist category. Than would it be possible for a Christian to be an exclusivist? no. That person would be using an inappropriate label, that of the "Christian". Personally, I think that it's not either/or. Is it either inclusivist OR pluralist? Should I be either an exclusivist or something else? I think it's AND. Christ teaches that there is a definitive right and wrong, but we need to love all with the crazy, selfless love with which he loves us. So, the labels might be helpful to explain belief systems, but it's completely off when trying to describe Christ. and what is Christianity without Christ?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241272179240732185.post-65410716570797596732009-08-17T23:52:00.000-05:002009-08-18T01:09:21.870-05:00The Origin of Evil & Free WillIn John 8:42-58, Jesus is confronting religious leaders about their inability to identify Him as God. While doing so, He says "you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies" (v.44)<br />This makes sense to me. The devil is the icon for evil. He is evil... God's foil character if you will.<br /><br />God is good, and all He creates is so as well. God created the universe, and it was good. He is all things beautiful, loving, pure, holy, and He is the very definition of goodness. He exists outside of time and space without beginning or end. Before there was anything, there was God.<br />Meaning this struggle between the devil and God that we are living will end. We know how it will end, too. God will win, because He has the real power and has existed long before Lucifer.<br />Here's one thing I often overlook: the devil, aka Lucifer, was an archangel created by God to be beside the infamous Gabriel and Michael. God created him, and he was beautiful.<br />So, if everything that God exists is beautiful and good, than Lucifer was good at one point. Right?<br />Then where did evil show up?<br />God is Love, and true love is not forced. When He created the angels, and later humans, He gave us free will. He wanted us to be able to choose Him, so there must have been the opportunity to NOT chose Him. If God is love, all things good, pure, beautiful and holy, than the option apart from Him must be none of those things. Thus, sin is a rejection of God. Abuse is the opposite of love, lies the opposite of truth, corruption of purity, etc. So, in a sense, evil was "created" when God gave us the option to NOT choose Him. But, is acknowledging the lack of something really creating something? A hole is the lack of dirt in the ground, but one cannot hold a hole or manufacture it. Darkness is the absence of light. Cold is the absence of heat. These concepts were not necessarily created, per se, but we consider them things.<br />Back to John 8. If God gave us the option to not choose Him, how could Jesus say that the devil had "no truth in him . . . he is a liar and the father of lies". Didn't God create the option and Lucifer simply choose it? Yes and NO. Example: a parent who says their child can stay or leave home at 18 is not responsible for the cruel world that s/he encounters if s/he leaves. The parent did not create the world, but the lack of family/home/etc is what the child chose when leaving. When rejecting the safety, love and acceptance of home, the young adult unknowingly accepted the other option... the complete lack of it.<br />Basically, was sin more theoretical until Lucifer committed it? When he chose to not choose God, he chose defiance. He chose death, destruction, lies, cruelty... everything that God stands opposed to. In a sense, God opened the door for it to be done (while knowing it would be, because He knows all), and Lucifer "created" sin. Maybe.<br /><br />I'm just thinking.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3