Save Darfur!

            The role of an everyday Christian to stop the genocide in Darfur is to do everything in their power to stop this atrocity.  This might be giving money to organizations like Save Darfur, going to Darfur to help deliver supplies on a mission trip, or it might just be in prayer towards God. To help end the suffering in the world today everyone should do whatever they can to help end genocide and suffering in Darfur and across the world. I think another issue that should be addressed in the world is world hunger in places were there is little food or the government is unwilling to help those who are hungry.  I think that as a Christian, we should all be working together to stop the genocide in Darfur and other problems across the globe.

            I played both a little boy and a little girl in the Darfur is Dying game online. I was captured while I was playing as a little girl and a message popped up that said the girl would mostly likely be raped and then killed. This definitely changes my opinion on how genocide should be addressed because there are many little girls and women in Darfur. I think that this should really be addressed because I think no little girl, or other person for that matter, should have to live in a place where they’re worried about being sexually assaulted or killed.  I think that the rest of the world should address the genocide in Darfur because it’s atrocious that this is even being allowed in the world today.

http://poietes.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/save-darfur-logo.jpg

Death Penalty Sources

      The most compelling arguments that these organizations outline for their stance on the subject differ greatly. The organizations that are pro-death penalty believe that there should be retribution for a murder by killing these people. The organizations that are anti-death penalty believe that murder is never okay and that killing a person for revenge is an equally evil and morally wrong act. Prodeathpenalty.com is the most outrageous site with quotes such as, "If we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of murderers. If we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would in fact have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. I would much rather risk the former. This, to me, is not a tough call” from John McAdams, a professor at Marquette University. Antideathpenalty.com made me think that the death penalty should be abolished because it’s less expensive to keep them in prison and then there’s no moral problems about it.

Sources:

http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/
     This website provides correct statistics and information that is unbiased and realistic. However, the quotes that are provided on this website show that they are very pro-death penalty and believe that this should never be taken away. This website is very pro-death penalty as shown by their web address and thoughts on the death penalty.


http://deathpenalty.procon.org/
     This website is unbiased on the death penalty situation. There are resources that show both the pros and cons of the death penalty. These resources have reliable statistics that display the differences between the two groups of people who are for and against the death penalty. This website is a good resource for information on the death penalty since it’s unbiased and informational.


http://library.thinkquest.org/23685/data/pro.html
     This website is for the death penalty and believes that it would be less costly just to kill a murder instead of keeping them in jail for life. This site also provides statistics on the death penalty and how it helps families to recover form the loss of a loved one by a murder. This website seems very biased towards keeping the death penalty and provides skewed statistics about it.


http://www.antideathpenalty.org/
     This website gives information about how the court system works and how the death penalty is unconstitutional. This site also states that although many people think it’d be cheaper to kill someone then keep them in jail, it’s not. This site really convinced me that the death penalty should be illegalized.


http://davecoop.net/adp.htm
     This website shows that many other countries have abolished the death penalty and that the death penalty should be abolished. It also states that the death penalty does not prove that criminals will be less likely to kill people. I think that all these things combined show that the death penalty should be abolished in the United States.


http://www.discoverhumanrights.org/uploads/Death_Penalty_Logo_ol_4.png

The Death Penalty

            The Church’s official stance to capital punishment is that it is unacceptable and morally wrong. This fits into the category of murder, which includes abortion, euthanasia, and stem-cell research as a thing that is “inherently evil”. The Vatican states that all human lives are sacred and the fifth commandment says that “You shall not kill”, which should apply to all situations.  Pope John Paul II also said, “The cases where it is absolutely necessary to do way with the offender are now very rare, even non-existent practically”.  In the United States, bishops and other people from the Church also believe that the death penalty is wrong and counter-productive.

            In the United States the Church maintains a strong position on being anti-death penalty.  This goes along with the Vatican’s opinion on opposing the death penalty strongly and showing it as a useless ability of government. A Catholic Bishop from Illinois stated, “To take a human life, even that of someone who is not innocent, is awesome and tragic. It seems to us and others that, in our culture today, there are not sufficient reasons to justify the state continuing to exercise its right in this manner”. From these two sources I do agree that the death penalty is wrong, and I think a solution for this would be to ensure that anyone who has killed someone maliciously should have be in solitary confinement in jail until they pass away. I think that this is a fair compromise between death and being let out of jail after a long period of time. I think if this was established, then the government and churches might be on better terms without the fight over death row.

http://www.usccb.org/deathpenalty/dpstatements.shtml
http://www.usccb.org/deathpenalty/dpvatican.shtml

Abortion and the Church

            

          On the abortion debate, I believe that abortion should only be considered in extreme cases, such as rape, incest, or risk to the mother’s life.  Although, I think the last point can be greatly influenced, such as when a women’s chance of survival is above 90 percent for example. In this case I think a woman should not be allowed to have an abortion, because with skilled enough doctors, the woman would probably be able to survive alongside the baby. I feel that the Church teaches the way it does because they believe that everyone has the right to survive, even the smallest of babies. My opinion agrees with the Church because I don’t believe in abortions except in extreme cases. 

            From a Catholic perspective, rape and incest and not things that the Church makes a specific exception for. When a disabled child will be born, the Church says that all human beings have the same value.  The Church believes that women feel remorse and loss after abortion, so the Church believes that abortion doesn’t end with the baby.  In medical necessity the Church says that the woman needs to try every option before killing her child, in other words she must try to deliver early or other means to attempt to save both the child and mother. I feel that the Church is correct in these special circumstances except for rape and incest. In cases of rape and incest I believe that a mother should be allowed to abort the child so that she wouldn’t have to go through the emotional pain and stress.

http://www.fredcrystal.com/clipart.htm

The Story of the Sniper

            

            In O’Flaherty’s story entitled “The Sniper”, a young sniper is laying on a roof lighting a cigarette when shots are fired at him. He then shots a woman and a soldier when he is struck in the arm.  He is unable to move his right arm, but somehow he manages to shoot at a sniper across the street so he can escape. After he begins to leave the street, he comes back curious of what man he shot.  He flips the man over the discovers that he has shot and killed his brother. I think the author’s message about murder in society is that every person that is killed during a war is someone’s family and that killing people might have a just cause, but it generally has a bad effect.  The fallen nature of man is shown in this since this man ended up killing his own brother, which is the most evil thing that can really be done by man.  I think that killing is never justified unless you are forced to kill someone in self-defense. I think killing is never justified when you do it without any reason whatsoever. I think an example of this is when the government kills people through use of the death penalty.  Through O’Flaherty’s story, “The Sniper”, war, violence, and murder are thrown in a different light and show that in no situation are these acts morally right.

http://www.bhop73.com/artwork/sniper.jpg

Positive Songs

Stuck Like Glue, Sugarland

“You do that thing that makes me laugh, and just like that there you go making my heart beat again, heart beat again, heart beat again, there you go making me feel like a kid, won’t you do it, do it one time?”

    I think the main message of this song is that love is something that should make you happy and feel closer to God through both peoples’ happiness.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Elton John

“Can you feel the love tonight? How it’s laid to rest, it’s enough to make kings and vagabonds believe the very best.”

    I think the main message of this song is that love is something that makes the world a better place because it’s a main theme for everyone in the world, and can connect people in positive ways.

Take My Breath Away, Giorgio Moroder

“Take my breath away. Watching I keep waiting, still anticipating love, never hesitating to become the fated ones.”

    I think the main message of this song is that love should be something that occurs between two married people and that links these people and makes their two souls into one.

http://www.moe.gov.tt/cyberfair/websites/Secondary/NGHS/images/music_notes.jpg

The Evils of Society

          

         I think that some parts of society are trying to promote a message about respect for the body, but overall I think that most aspects of society promote disrespect.  I think society is failing to promote respect because many TV shows and movies portray the body as an object for other people to use.  I think that the biggest problem that has to do with the body is people not eating because they want to look celebrity skinny.  I think that celebrities contribute to the misuse of bodies because most people feel that they have to act like those people to be liked or have a perfect life. I think that all people should love the body that God has given them and treat it with total respect. 

http://www.generave.com/food/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/sad-face.jpg

A "Picture-Perfect" Family

            

            Based on the Leave It to Beaver episode about Ward’s problem, the family has an unrealistic view on family life.  The positive characteristics that should define family life include happiness, honesty, and respect towards everyone.  On the other hand, there’s little communication in this family because no one wants to step on anyone else’s’ toes. In general family members should interact with each other in the most honest way possible, even if it leads to arguments and problems.  I would say that my family has some of these characteristics, but we’re not the “perfect” 1950’s TV family.

            Right now my mom, dad, my dog and me are the only people who live in the house.  My brother is going to FSU, but he sometimes comes home for holidays or special occasions. The main role of my mom is to figure out dinner and clean the house. I usually help around the house, take care of the dog, or do yard work. My dad pretty much just works and then comes home and does maintenance work around the house. I guess this is a pretty stereotypical set-up for a family, but we don’t meet up to the unrealistic expectations of family life.

http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-100224-TV-families/leave-it-to-beaver.grid-4x2.jpg

"Ten Ways to Joy"

          If I were a motivational speaker giving a talk to young people about ten ways to joy, I would recommend things that reflect Jesus’ law. My top ten recommendations would be going to Mass on Sunday, spending time with family, enjoying nature, spending time with friends, and serving the community. I would also suggest that the students should spend quiet time to themselves, pray, stay active, try hard in school, and join clubs to make new friends. These suggestions reflect the Law of Love because they are all aimed at creating a better life for the person that carries out these recommendations. I already live out most of these values, but I think I could try harder at going to Mass on Sunday with a happy attitude and praying more often.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3445525688_72b616dce9.jpg

Influential Biblical Characters

          

             I think that three most influential characters in the Bible are Mary, Jonah, and Moses. Mary lived her life by having faith in God and always following His will by saying yes to Him and having Jesus Christ as her son. Mary’s lived and stated values were the same because she lived her life with faith, reverence, respect, and wisdom. She is a good model for Christian living because she showed her love for God by saying yes when He asked her to bring Jesus into the world to save all of mankind. Jonah lived his life in order to serve God in any way possible, but when God asked him to do something he didn’t want to do, Jonah turned away from God. Jonah’s stated values included a love of God and respect towards God, but his lived values showed that he had fear towards doing the difficult things God asked him to do. Jonah fails to show us a proper model, because we should always be faithful towards God and do what He asks us to do. Finally, Moses is a good example of how we should all live our lives. Moses had similar lived and stated values because he followed God’s will after He appeared in a burning bush to let the Jewish slaves go free and he helped them all reach the Promised Land. He is a good model for Christian living because he teaches us perseverance and that we should always listen to God, even though we might not understand what He’s asking us to do. In conclusion, Mary, Jonah, and Moses can all teach us important lessons about lived and stated values towards God and others.


http://p21chong.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/the-blessed-virgin-mary-mother-of-god-maggie-mayer.jpg

A Bystander's Dilema

           In “The Filipino and the Drunkard”, by William Saroyan, the bystanders hold the most responsibility for what took place in the story.  Although the man was drunk, which was his fault, and the Filipino stabbed the man, which was his own decision, the bystanders are really to blame.  In a rush of adrenaline the Filipino stabbed the drunken man, who was out of control.  Had the bystanders stepped in and restrained the drunken man in an effort to help the Filipino, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened.  I would like to think that I would have stepped in and forced the man to stop, but more likely I would have gone to the authorities and asked them to restrain the drunken man.

            Today many people stand by when they see drunk drivers getting into cars and just let them pass since it’s not their problem.  I believe that regular individuals have a responsibility to stop this, since the drunk driver could really hurt or kill others.  I think that if they choose not to act, then they are guilty on some level since they allowed the impaired person to drive a car.  I think that genocide is an event that continues to happen around the world in placed like Darfur that should never be allowed to happen.  I think that we as a world community should be more aware of the irresponsible things that people do, and then put a stop to them before people get hurt. 

http://www.camerahobby.com/Digital_KonicaMinoltaA2.htm

Five Person Party

          If I was allowed to invite any five people to a party I would invite Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, my grandmother, and Benjamin Franklin. I would consider the truly heroic “people of conscience” to be my grandmother, because she is the person that has always been there to teach me right from wrong. I would like to talk about the mistakes these people made in their life and how they overcame them. I think all of these people share in common a good sense of judgment that makes them good models to follow in life. In conclusion, these five people would make a great group of people to invite to a party so that I could learn more about morality judgments.

Saint Katherine Drexel

            

           Katherine Drexel was a saint who helped to improve the world though her works of kindness.  Saint Katherine Drexel was born on November 26, 1858 to a rich father who left her everything when he passed away.  Katherine decided that she would use this money for missionary endeavors.  After talking to Pope Leo XIII, Katherine became a nun in Pittsburg to begin a missionary for colored peoples.  Over the course of her lifetime she gave over twenty million dollars to establish sixty missions to care for the education of Native and African Americans.  She passed away in 1955, leaving behind her a set of great accomplishments that would change the Church.

Saint Katherine made a strong effort to create educational places for African and Native Americans, and through her works she accomplished that.  She influenced the Church today through the forty-nine convents she set up and the sixty-two schools, including Xavier University.  Through Saint Katherine’s outpouring of love and monetary donations, it serves as an example to us all to donate money to worthy causes as Katherine did. The way Saint Katherine lived her life can show young people today to always have perseverance towards dreams, to never be afraid to try new things, and give your love and possessions away to others.  In conclusion, Saint Katherine Drexel is a perfect example of the way we should all live our lives today.

http://allformary.org/katherine-drexel/
http://www.bridgebuilding.com/images/mi416x.jpg

Out of Control Train!

      
              If I was driving this out of control train, I would chose to move to the side track and hit the one person there. This is a really big moral dilemma for me, especially since I am horrible at making decisions in a short amount of time. I think that as I moved to that track though, I would make my best effort in screaming at the person and attempting to slow down the train in anyway that I could. In reality, the choice matters enormously, because I don’t know what kind of people that are standing on the track. For all I know the one person could be a priest and the five people could all be escaped from jail. In the end though, I would choose to switch to the side track, because technically one life is fewer than five lives, so more lives would be saved through my decision.


http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Vehicles/intermediate/trains-01.html

Jesus in the Nativity

The artist is Giotto Di Bondone and time of creation is from 1304-1306 for this oil painting, but it can be found in Firenze. It is simply titled, Nativity- Birth of Jesus. Christ is depicted as a child and I am drawn to this image because it reminds me of family and loving relationships. To me Christ, is like a loving son that will always remember me and always love me no matter what. For these reasons I believe that Christ is a loving person just from looking at this picture.

Bullying

         All but six states in America have passed a law that prevents bullying in schools by offering programs. This law was implemented after a fifteen year old girl committed suicide. However, the teachers must constantly work on being aware of the relationships students have in their class, or this won't succeed. In other countries, like Norway, these laws have already been implemented and the suicide rates have decreased dramatically. These laws seem to provide a bridge between the teacher and the student dealing with bullying, and that is a bridge America needs to cross.
         I believe that laws should be passed against bullying in every state. Bullying is a highly preventable problem, and I believe that we as Americans need to stop the bullying that goes on in our school systems. I think that implementing these laws is a great first step, but the teachers need to follow through with a program against bullying when children are younger. I also think that parents must be aware of their child's feelings and online activity to prevent any suicidal thoughts from the child. I believe that if a parent is paying close enough attention to their child's attitude, depression will be noticeable. In conclusion, the United States should work harder to end bullying.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/opinion/23engel.html?_r=1&ref=bullies
http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~jgamble/No%20Bullying%20circle.gif

Abortion

A law has recently been passed in Missouri where any woman who wishes to have an abortion must follow several rules.  These rules include knowing the developmental progress of the fetus, seeing the ultrasound, and hearing the heartbeat.  The mothers must also receive medical assistance, child support, and counseling from the “doctors” providing the abortion.  Those people who support abortion say these laws are unfair since they are making it harder for women to get abortions in Missouri.  However, I believe that abortion should be completely illegal in Missouri and everywhere else.

            I think that abortion is an immoral deed because to me it’s the killing of an unborn child.  I believe that this law in Missouri is a step in the right direction, but I also believe that they should go further.  I think that abortion should be made illegal in every state.  I think that women should be strongly encouraged to give up their children for adoption since so many people are unable to have children and want them.  In conclusion, I believe that abortion should be made illegal and the women who feel there is no other option should be well informed of every possibility.  


http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/27/2182225/new-laws-on-abortion-and-kc-zoo.html
http://illinoisrighttolife.org/ProLifeRibbonMagnet.jpg