Good stuff! How do we rise up as Americans and solve these issues? If we rely on those currently in political life I will continue to be concerned. Neither of the current parties in their curent structure are the answer. How can we manage up?
This letter will bring on a firestorm of partisian comments based on the various talking points of both parties. It would be humorous to watch all the kool-aid drinkers on both sides if our country wasn't in a tough spot. The "funny" part is that both sides call "liar", both sides say they have the answer but there are no real details, both sides blame the other (either current admin or past), and you can exchange Rep or Dem in many cases and the argument will be the same. The most crazy thing is how each side makes "mountians out of molehills. As long as this continues neither party will put us on the right track. How can we pull together as Americans (yes, both Obama and Romney are quality Americans) to solve our issues? How can we stop the childlike playground comversation to come together? Contrary opinions are good! They lead to better solutions in most cases . . . group think is not the way to go. Are we able to pull the best concepts from all sides to get us back on the right track? It took the "best" talking points from both parties administrationsover the past 10-to 15 years to get us in this mess!
Also let me state this about structured religion . . . there are many negative issues that surround religion. There are many sickos in man (or woman) made religions . . . I try to remove the sick or corrupt behavior from the teachings of the faith. These are not one and the same. Is one way of thinking better than the other? I don't know but I have chosen my belief structure and I try to live it to the best of my ability Am I right and others are wrong? I doubt it! I can't judge but I do know that it is stated in the gospels that there are "many rooms" in God's house and if my beliefs have any truth to them, many faith traditions will be there. I will share my faith with anybody but I do try and not judge others.
Courseaire, please get the facts before commenting. Whoever you are listening to is wrong! These types of sterotypes are used to scare poeple from other faiths and are hurtful and lies. I do know that all organized religions (Catholics included) have their share of issues and all faiths tend to use the "my way or the highway" perspective just as we do with politics. Putting others down makes us "better"!?!? BTW . . . here is the reading from last Sunday that was used in all Catholic churches across the world -
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
"Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, "
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say,
"You have faith and I have works."
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Jas 2 14:18
It is not one or the other . . . it is both / and.
I am not trying to prove any religion is better than the other (or religion in general is better then no religion) but just to make sure facts are used in the conversations . . . you know a sort of "fact check" process. But as seems to be the case in today's world, facts don't seem to matter as long as we tell our story.
Evolution is a theory. Theories are not fact. They are beyond a hypothesis but not proven. BTW . . . I did look it up and with 3 sources and nowhere was it referred to as a fact..
We have a whole slew of quality evidence regarding Darwin's work on natural selection and the orgin of some species. We do not have facts as to where humans evolved. This is all theory and yet to be proven as fact. The biggest questions is where did the first piece of matter come from. I believe it is from God but others may believe differently. I believe that boith the theory of creation and the theory of evolution can coexist. It is not either / or but both / and.
chubbs - I agree with much of what you said but I would also add that religions have agendas. The many religious agendas can be as contrary as there are science "facts". I feel it is a mixture of intellect, logic, and faith that lead us to believe what we believe. I feel that any one of those traits alone can lead to conflict within one's self and with society in general.
In the sake of keepiing comments factual . . . most of the sites and posters that are trying to PROVE that a gay gene is a "myth" have left the last few words out of the APA quote. This portion leads me to think that there is a complex set of circumstances that determine a persons sexual preference. The statement does state that "most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation". That is from the site reference given by TAP and others to "prove" that homosexuality is a myth. Sounds like the jury is still out . . . no real proof either way but the APA does state that there is "little or no sense of chioce" whatever the reason that a person is gay.
Here is the FULL statement from the APA's site:
"There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation."
There is a lot of truth in what you have said . . . it is important to realize that both parties have had a hand in our foreign activities. How do we as a people determine what is in our strategic interest and maybe focus on those few activities? It seems that each administration determines the "strategic interest" and has led us to the mess we are in today. Maybe that leans to dictatorship but I am not sure. If so whoever the party in power is seems to be the "dictator".
In a business enviroment we would go on retreat and look to our vision and mission and align our activities to those core beliefs. Maybe the founders docs are our vision and mission but how do we bring them into the 21st century? How do we align our activities on our core beliefs?
Tough situation . . . that is why we need to drop the "my way or the highway" concept and work together to begin to solve our issues. We have too many intelligent people in our country to be in this situation.
kiki 7 months ago
About to Lose Hope for America
Good stuff! How do we rise up as Americans and solve these issues? If we rely on those currently in political life I will continue to be concerned. Neither of the current parties in their curent structure are the answer. How can we manage up?
kiki 7 months ago
Wake-Up Call
First example . . .
kiki 7 months ago
Wake-Up Call
This letter will bring on a firestorm of partisian comments based on the various talking points of both parties. It would be humorous to watch all the kool-aid drinkers on both sides if our country wasn't in a tough spot. The "funny" part is that both sides call "liar", both sides say they have the answer but there are no real details, both sides blame the other (either current admin or past), and you can exchange Rep or Dem in many cases and the argument will be the same. The most crazy thing is how each side makes "mountians out of molehills. As long as this continues neither party will put us on the right track. How can we pull together as Americans (yes, both Obama and Romney are quality Americans) to solve our issues? How can we stop the childlike playground comversation to come together? Contrary opinions are good! They lead to better solutions in most cases . . . group think is not the way to go. Are we able to pull the best concepts from all sides to get us back on the right track? It took the "best" talking points from both parties administrationsover the past 10-to 15 years to get us in this mess!
kiki 8 months ago
Secularism Threatens
Also let me state this about structured religion . . . there are many negative issues that surround religion. There are many sickos in man (or woman) made religions . . . I try to remove the sick or corrupt behavior from the teachings of the faith. These are not one and the same. Is one way of thinking better than the other? I don't know but I have chosen my belief structure and I try to live it to the best of my ability Am I right and others are wrong? I doubt it! I can't judge but I do know that it is stated in the gospels that there are "many rooms" in God's house and if my beliefs have any truth to them, many faith traditions will be there. I will share my faith with anybody but I do try and not judge others.
kiki 8 months ago
Secularism Threatens
Courseaire, please get the facts before commenting. Whoever you are listening to is wrong! These types of sterotypes are used to scare poeple from other faiths and are hurtful and lies. I do know that all organized religions (Catholics included) have their share of issues and all faiths tend to use the "my way or the highway" perspective just as we do with politics. Putting others down makes us "better"!?!? BTW . . . here is the reading from last Sunday that was used in all Catholic churches across the world -
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, " but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Jas 2 14:18
It is not one or the other . . . it is both / and.
I am not trying to prove any religion is better than the other (or religion in general is better then no religion) but just to make sure facts are used in the conversations . . . you know a sort of "fact check" process. But as seems to be the case in today's world, facts don't seem to matter as long as we tell our story.
kiki 1 year ago
Limiting Rights of One Group Is a Slippery Slope
Evolution is a theory. Theories are not fact. They are beyond a hypothesis but not proven. BTW . . . I did look it up and with 3 sources and nowhere was it referred to as a fact..
We have a whole slew of quality evidence regarding Darwin's work on natural selection and the orgin of some species. We do not have facts as to where humans evolved. This is all theory and yet to be proven as fact. The biggest questions is where did the first piece of matter come from. I believe it is from God but others may believe differently. I believe that boith the theory of creation and the theory of evolution can coexist. It is not either / or but both / and.
kiki 1 year ago
Limiting Rights of One Group Is a Slippery Slope
chubbs - I agree with much of what you said but I would also add that religions have agendas. The many religious agendas can be as contrary as there are science "facts". I feel it is a mixture of intellect, logic, and faith that lead us to believe what we believe. I feel that any one of those traits alone can lead to conflict within one's self and with society in general.
kiki 1 year ago
Limiting Rights of One Group Is a Slippery Slope
In the sake of keepiing comments factual . . . most of the sites and posters that are trying to PROVE that a gay gene is a "myth" have left the last few words out of the APA quote. This portion leads me to think that there is a complex set of circumstances that determine a persons sexual preference. The statement does state that "most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation". That is from the site reference given by TAP and others to "prove" that homosexuality is a myth. Sounds like the jury is still out . . . no real proof either way but the APA does state that there is "little or no sense of chioce" whatever the reason that a person is gay.
Here is the FULL statement from the APA's site:
"There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation."
Thoughts?
kiki 1 year, 1 month ago
Traditional Marriage or Unholy Chaos?
?
kiki 1 year, 1 month ago
Moore TEA Citizens to Stage Tax Day Rally April 17
There is a lot of truth in what you have said . . . it is important to realize that both parties have had a hand in our foreign activities. How do we as a people determine what is in our strategic interest and maybe focus on those few activities? It seems that each administration determines the "strategic interest" and has led us to the mess we are in today. Maybe that leans to dictatorship but I am not sure. If so whoever the party in power is seems to be the "dictator".
In a business enviroment we would go on retreat and look to our vision and mission and align our activities to those core beliefs. Maybe the founders docs are our vision and mission but how do we bring them into the 21st century? How do we align our activities on our core beliefs?
Tough situation . . . that is why we need to drop the "my way or the highway" concept and work together to begin to solve our issues. We have too many intelligent people in our country to be in this situation.