Religion Meets Politics

So, today Fox News reported that one in five Americans polled believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim.

First of all, before I even get into this, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Muslim religion, in my opinion. They have extremists that take things to a worrying level just as any other group does, but those who are practicing the religion because that is where their heart's faith lies are no different from anyone else. This is not a work of religious prejudice. Thank you.

The Fox News article concludes that Obama is, in fact, a Christian. This is where my controversy steps in, and I would like to respond with a very hearty, "Puh! Yeah, right!" In addition to the fact that Obama has "mistakenly" referred to himself as a Muslim on television before (click here for a clip of such an occasion when he does not even realize the slip and the interviewer must point it out for him), he also is the first president ever to remove the Nativity scene from the White House at Christmas and the first to not attend a Christmas church service. Additionally, Obama also requested that all religious symbols present in the backdrop of his speech at Georgetown University be covered. The only religious symbols present were the cross and Jesus Himself. Why should a proud Christian worry about covering symbols of his own faith?

The Fox News article continues to quote a statement issued by the White House that says, "The president's strong Christian faith is what guides him through these challenges but he doesn’t wear it on his sleeve." .............. Anybody? Yeah, I find that pretty astonishing. I think saying he "doesn't wear it on his sleeve" is a vast understatement. He seems to have downright banished it from his image. He's also claimed that our nation is no longer a Christian nation and supported the building of mosque on Ground Zero. While I have no problem with the building of a mosque where one is needed, I strongly believe that the Muslim groups who are vying for this project do not need another mosque to add to the 90 that already exist in New York City, let alone one built on what is literally a sore spot for the entire country--the country Obama does not seem very proud of or interested in supporting and improving with anything useful.

I don't know what President Obama's religious affiliations might be, but if he intends us to believe that he is firm in his opinions and his own beliefs, he might want to start showing how much he cares for the things he believes in, rather than avoiding any and all responsibility for anything...at all.

Again, no disrespect is meant toward anyone of any religion. Allah/Jehovah/God bless you all. :)

Prophecy Practicality (as promised!)

Here it is! With only a few slight modifications (a comma here, a new paragraph there), this is the article I mentioned before. It got an A! Hope you like it!....



The Rev. Matthew Young, of the Elysburg Presbyterian Church, says that there is little to fear from the 2012 Doomsday prophecies.

With the approach of the world's latest speculation regarding the date of Doomsday, many people will look to the church for answers.

Having been an authority for those who feared the Doomsdays now past, how would the church respond to the stigma of 2012?

As many documentaries and articles have pointed out recently, the 2012 deadline is not exclusive to the Mayan civilization. Many prophets from across the globe, including the I Ching, Merlin (the nomad, not the wizard) and even Nostradamus have all pinpointed 2012 as the year when the world comes to a cataclysmic, hopeless end when humanity can progress no further.

To this, Young says, "Contrary to those who see humanity as simply evolving to greater and greater self-capacity for good, the Christian faith sees us moving toward a moment of judgment and final destruction of evil within and around us."

Additionally, Young believes that the Kingdom of God that is promised to arrive at the End of Days in the Bible is already present today.

He says, "In such places (like, hopefully, in churches!), we have what amounts to a sneak preview of the blockbuster event in the coming of the Kingdom."

Therefore, if 2012 is the fulfillment of the biblical End Times prophecies, things will only continue to improve.

Aside from the numerous legends that fuel the lore of 2012 outside of the Christian faith, the year will also mark the occurrence of a celestial event that inspired the Mayans to end the most accurate calendar the world has ever known on Dec. 21, 2012. On this day, it is thought that some of the planets will align with the sun as it crosses the galactic center.

Regardless of these theories, it is well known that religious beliefs and scientific theories do not always agree. However, many people believe that the book of Revelation in the Bible may indicate a validation to the galactic-alignment theory. But not everyone is so convinced of this idea.

Young says, "I would be quite disinclined to connect these images with a prophecy for some specific date, since our Lord never talks in ways that focused us on specific dates, nor does Holy Scripture move in that direction."

So before Christians and desperate believers decide to flock to the nearest chapel on Dec. 21, 2012, Young encourages people to leave the future to faith and live in the now.

"Every day, we Christians are called to be faithful followers of Christ, trusting Him with everything, knowing that whatever happens and whenever it happens, we belong to Him and He is in charge, as our Lord and Savior...the 2012 prophecies and such completely miss the consummation element (of God's love) and obsess about the purgation element. All Destruction plus no hope equals, 'Bummer, dude.'"

With stories circulating and panic rising, Young believes that the hype surrounding 2012 is more of an expression of the human desire to know the future than a likely catastrophe.

For Christians and nonbelievers alike, Young has a hopeful message regarding how people should view the upcoming pseudo-apocalypse and the time during which it will happen. "Our God, the Savior God, wants to save people," he says. "So whether Christ's return happens to coincide with the Mayan calendar or Aunt Millie's sneeze or Grand-pappy's poops, it doesn't matter. There is always hope for everyone, because of the shepherd character in Jesus Christ, who is both the Judge and the Savior."



Bare in mind that this is set to the AP grammar and style rules as interpreted by my Introduction to Journalism Professor.

So, there it is! Hope you liked it! That's just a three-page paper that is derived from a six-page interview transcript. Pastor Matthew had a lot more to say. I might post the interview transcript eventually, but for now I guess there's really nothing to be afraid of, guys! :)

Coming Soon...

Okay, I know that this blog has been vastly random when it comes to post topics, and many of them happen to focus on religion. I do not apologize for that.

That said, if you're interested in what the Christian faith has to say about the upcoming 2012 "disaster," then you might want to check in sometime Monday or Tuesday for my next post. I'm writing an article for my Introduction to Journalism class about this very topic, and by Monday I will be satisfied enough to post it.

The article features an interview with the knowledgeable, hysterical Reverend Matthew Young of Elysburg Presbyterian Church (my pastor). He steals the show in the article and leaves the reader wanting to hear more...

In fact, I may eventually just post the transcript of my interview with him so you can all satiate the thirst for knowledge he inspires.

See you Monday! :)

A brighter, faster, roadkill-free future!

Hover technology. Yes, hover technology. Some think it's a far-off concept that we'll see in maybe another century, others think we'll have it down pat in about fifty years. I don't really have an opinion of when it should become a possibility, but I most certainly have a theory as to how it can be possible. It's simple, good for the environment, and pretty darn cool, if I do say so myself...

First, allow me to explain the hows of the matter, as in how my concept of a hover craft, namely a hover car would work. Electromagnetism. Yeppers, that's what I said. Now, I know that this would mean that every different location on Earth would need to have its own type of hover car to accommodate the particular magnetic presence in that area...or would they? See, here's the thing: electromagnets, when turned off, are completely useless as magnets. They don't assume their polarities until they're turned on. So, I say, why not have the polarity of the hover cars be adjustable? You can have a built-in GPS that can tell you the necessary settings of the area and even make the slight fluctuations in polarity settings necessary for longer trips. Piece of cake!

Also, the higher the level of magnetism you set the hover car to, the higher your car will go, which leads me to the benefits: a lot less roadkill, and no battling with 18-wheelers on the road, so you'll be getting where you want to go with less traffic which lessens the urge to drive over the speed limit. Are you on board yet?

Perhaps you are concerned about the Department of Transportation jobs that could potentially be lost in this type of transition. No worries! Trucks such as 18-wheelers will still be on the ground, getting their loads to their destinations faster than ever before and needing the DOT workers to keep their roads safe and smooth. If anything there will be more jobs for people to keep the GPS's from malfunctioning, monitor air traffic, and pull off that whole OnStar thing where they can help a person who locked themselves out of their hover car (because buildings are still on the ground; we aren't made of money, you know) or find it when it's lost.

And, did I mention? The magnets would help to propel the car based on which direction they are pointed in (turned backward to send you forward, with stabalizing magnets in the optimum places to prevent you from totally wiping out), so there will be less of an need for gas and oil, which means, cheaper running costs, fewer,if any, carbon emissions, and more fuel to last us much longer than it would have! Also, less dependency on the Middle East for oil! These innovations might also be applied to NASA projects, making space missions cheaper as well, so maybe Obama can give us our space program back...

Just something to think about... :)

One Month and Ten Days...

Yeah, I know, and I really am sorry. Honestly, it has been a busy month, but it just hasn't been a month of blog-worthy experiences. I have been trying, believe me. I've been looking all around, thinking of anything I could to come up with something worth writing, but jeez...blank.

I do promise to keep trying, but honestly, the only things going on in my life right now are Intro to Journalism and weekend picnics....My highlight this week is going to see Toy Story 3...that's how uneventful my life is currently, but you never know what's going to crop up, right?

I am REALLY excited to see Toy Story 3, though... :P

I'm still alive!

I know it's been over a month since my last post. In fact, it's probably been closer to two months, and for that I do apologize, but school is school. I had to take care of the work before I could play, you know.

Anyway, on to our stimulating topic of the moment: Christians

Yes, Christians.

Actually, this is a very two-sided article about Christians, because I'd like to settle something here. I know for a fact that many people roll their eyes at Christians because they tend to be pushy, self-righteous individuals who think that quoting the Bible at you will save your soul and earn them a shinier halo once they've done their Godly Deed of the Day. Am I wrong?

It may surprise you to know that I, a Christian myself, and proud of it, also share this opinion in some cases.

Seriously, I do.

Just today, I was in a dentist appointment, and when asked what I had going on in my life I proudly announced that I will be turning 20 on Saturday and am spending the weekend in Gettysburg. Now, of course, not ever 20 year old chooses Gettysburg to host their birthday bash, but I am very much looking forward to doing a special ghost hunt that I made an appointment for weeks ago, and when I told them of my eager plans, this is what I had to endure:

"Ghosts? You should be searching for the Holy Ghost," the first assistant declares with a proud smile at her attempt at word-play.

"I've already found Him," I reply simply.

"Well, then why would you search among the dead what you can find among the living? That's one of my favorite quotes regarding this subject from the Old Testament." Another smug smile, but this time from the second assistant.

That's right. They had me cornered. Right there in the dentist's chair.

"I just want to see if they're real," I say, trying not to show that I was getting a bit peeved at having them lecture to me about my own religion.

"Oh they're real," the first assistant says gravely. "But all they do is lie to you. They'll lead you straight to Satan--that's how he works!"

"Just something to think about," the second assistant says in a cheery I've-just-saved-your-soul-and-earned-an-extra-bar-of-chocolate voice.

I, still looking forward as I had done the entire time so as not to reveal the stubbornness that was about to boil over, just said, "Yeah..." before being dismissed.

So, yes, one and all. I understand where you're coming from, BUT!

And this is a very big but: Please do not judge all of us that way. Sure, some of us are over-bearing and can be quite pompous, but they do mean well, however annoying they are, and there are those who take a separate approach at being Christian entirely. Like I said in my second or so post, I'm more than happy to hear what you believe in, because as long as it works for you and makes you feel fulfilled in the way that you're looking for, I'm perfectly content. You don't absolutely have to believe what I do "lest you be forever condemned." However, if you are curious about my beliefs and would like to hear them (because they're not exactly what the text-book Christian preaches), then I'd be glad to share my opinions with you, pressure-free. I'm a Christian. I try not to judge, but I am only human, and I'm sorry about that. I do have my own values that I can get pretty heatedly defensive about, but so does everyone else.

I'm a Christian, and I'm your friend, wherever you come from in life. I'm not going to push my beliefs on you unless you ask to hear about them, and even then I won't push.

In conclusion, you're not completely wrong when you generalize Christians in the way I delineated above, just like every other generalization spawns from some level of truth, but--I beg you--don't assume we're all like that and roll your eyes just because I mention what I believe. I wouldn't do that to you.


Live happily, speak your mind, and stand up for what you believe in, but be polite, please :)

The "Friend Zone"

There has always been talk, thanks to several real-life situations, movies, and I'm sure that little Free Love movement back in the 60's, about being "just friends" or being "more than just friends". "Do you like him? Or do you like like him?" We've all heard it before. So let's really look at this. If you are confused between whether or not you simply "like" your best friend or if you just might "like like" him or her, I am about to attempt the impossible by trying to categorize what qualifies as "just friends: you like them" or "more than friends: you like like them"...wish me luck here, and no flying vegetables, please.

First, maybe I should discuss the influences that can stir up the feelings that bring this confusing "like like" situation into play. I blame two sources: whoever created old cliches, and the media (as always). There is an old phrase that says that boys and girls can never be best friends and stay "just friends", and the media supports this with fervor--"Valentine's Day", for a very recent example, showed innumerable relationships blossoming, failing, maturing, becoming more honest, what have you, but what was the scenario for the main character, Ashton Kutcher (designated as such simply because he and his female counterpart were the connecting factors for nearly all the stories)? Upon discussing relationships with Mario Lopez, he was given the response to his question of how Mario had made his relationship work so well of "That's easy! I married my best friend!" Hollywood loves to do that "it's the girl/boy who was always there for you, but you never thought to consider the fact that you might love them" thing, and that can sometimes happen in real life, too. My parents started out as best friends, and things just sort of fell into place for them after that, but not everyone is going to get that specific fairy tale.

Now let's discuss the feelings themselves. Here are some criteria I've noticed that seem to describe a best friend: You've known this person for a long time. You're comfortable around them. You don't have to change parts of your personality to fit them. They fit into your life well. You may or may not have noticed how attractive they are or aren't in your opinion due to not having thought of it before now. They are reliable. They text or call you to invite you places, instead of you always having to do all the planning work in the friendship. You have found yourself singing around them with little to no regard of how they might judge your talents--that probably never even crossed your mind to begin with! You enjoy enough of the same things to get along, but you disagree on enough subjects to sustain stimulating and entertaining arguments with each other. When you are around them, you honestly feel free venting because they'll listen, and you can listen to them without making the conversation about you because they already know enough of your past to know that you understand. You really do forget that infuriating fight you had with another friend or an ex-boyfriend or boyfriend, and it just doesn't seem to mean anything to you anymore. You mentioned something hours, days, months, years ago, and today something pertaining to that subject happened causing your friend to look at you and you to nod before he or she has to say anything, to which he or she simply nods his or her understanding, and the two of you move on.

That, my friends, is a best friend.

But how many people do you think would tell you that you two must love each other without realizing it? And how many of us would stop and think, "Well, huh, maybe they're right. Maybe I'm one of those lucky people who gets the adorable fairy tale..."

But what if we're just letting what others say get into our heads, and hidden emotions are really not the case right now, and you two give it a shot, and it doesn't work, and you're left with a ruined friendship that had been such a comfort to you before? Then I bet you'd be smashing your head against a wall... I know I would...

While this has yet to be scientifically confirmed, I would classify this as "just friends: you like them". Give it a few years, and see how you feel when you're a bit older and have made a few more mistakes with significant others whose loss don't leave such an everlasting sting on your heart before you put a once-in-a-lifetime best friendship on the line. Leave the fantasies for Hollywood. No one gets hurt in dreams, but reality may be a bit different in many cases. I'm not saying it will never happen, but I am saying that I think you should be without any doubts when gambling something as precious as a best friendship.

Now, for those of you who get butterflies in your stomach, and can't breathe due to a pounding heart, and think about this recently introduced guy or girl 24/7. To you I say, get out a bit more. Attempt to hang out with this object of your affections on a more friendly basis before you go diving head-first into a relationship. Dating used to be very popular. It made "going steady" a gesture of honesty and importance. Going steady said, "even though there were no strings and good, clean fun before, I'd like to take that step into Commitment-land and show you how special I think you are...maintaining the good, clean fun part, of course..." Nowadays, dating is seen as trashy and indecisive. For all the positive things that have been distorted and tainted into something unethical, yet no longer taboo, that society now urges us to accept regardless of morals, dating seems to have gone the opposite route. It was harmless and safe, mostly because people didn't have sex ASAP, which I will blatantly tell you I do NOT agree with, no matter what society says these days.

In my honest opinion, I wish we all had a best friend that we could safely fall in love with for the rest of our lives without losing the precious bliss of friendship, but I know that people are beautifully complicated deep inside, and that makes it much more difficult than, "You're my best friend--let's get married!".

Tread softly, dear readers. Don't lose something wonderful when you have plenty of time to find that Certain Someone. Who knows who you'll meet tomorrow? But don't forget who is important now and pretty much always has been. Don't forget the happiness that you have because of your history, and use it to consider your best decisions for the future. Can you not live without this person? Would you be devastated if they left you? Then I urge you to wait. If it is meant to be, by the time you two realize, beyond doubt, that you are meant to be "more than just best friends," when you find that you both "like like" each other to the point that you may even love each other, you'll have even more inside jokes and memories to fuel your lives together and keep you close for that Happily Ever After that we all desperately search for. And if it's not meant to be, you'll find someone to love and have your best friend as well. Bonus! Right?

So, in conclusion (and here's where the flying vegetables might take flight), I hate to sound like a Magic 8 Ball, but..."Only time will tell...Ask yourself again later..." ;)