Words

A thought dawned on me today while I was in my room; it is absolutely amazing how easily we forget that everyone is human. Think about it, the little thoughts of judgement that run through your head throughout the day, is sickening. We are so quick to judge even if we don't say it aloud. And when we do say it aloud? The amount of hurt human beings cause one another is unfathamoble when we really think about it.

I have a new approach to how I desire to speak to people: imagine what you are saying is the last words that person will ever hear. When you think about it in that sense, even if you only have a slight conscience of right and wrong, you will be prompted to speak more good than evil. We all face our daily battles, but if what we say and think can take the burden off of someone or not add more of a burden, what do we have to lose?

Marriage

My sociology class discussed recently if marriage will even exist in the generations to come. With sex becoming less and less tabu in society, and that being a main reason people were married in previous generations, many find the means of getting married..well..unnecessary.

Previously marriage was seen as a sacred union between a man and a woman. Now, with divorce rates in the U.S skyrocketing, most people don't see the point in saying "I do" when the odds are set against them. So what does this mean for those of us who still believe in marriage and hope to have that one day? Well, seems like finding others like us is going to be one hell of an expedition. Less young people are interested in saying vows, and it seems like marriage is just going to disappear.

Socioeconomic status

So in my last post I discussed how our parents influence the people we become. With that said it prompted me to think of the socioeconomic status of our parents and how that influences the offspring's career and economic place. Lets be honest here; it's rare that people who came from the bottom of the totem pole rise to the top and become very powerful, wealthy and successful. Most of us end up like our parents. Those who come from wealth are more likely to follow in the footsteps of their parents because of connections and that "push" they are often given when growing up.

As for those who are consider to be in poverty; they end up that way for the same reason. Many people are in poverty because of spontaneous spending and irresponsibility, or addictions to drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately the behavior of the parents greatly effects the child's place in the socioeconomic realm.

It's all about leading my example. But there are some who break these molds and I plan to be one of them. My parents are at the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to wealth status, and I plan to not be that way. Their situation is unique in the sense it was a mixture of that financial irresponsibility and the misfortunes and bad luck of the world we live in. Regardless of how they came to where they are they are working to improve and I plan to do the same. I know what it's like to be a member of that lower class, and it is not what I want for my adult life or for my future children to grow up in.

Nature or Nurture

Certain aspects of our personality definitely come from the strengths or qualities that our parents lack. Lately I've been feeling like I always want to prove to myself that I am not like my parents; the parts of them that I feel aren't ideal or something that people should be like. My mother always says she's nothing like her mother even though she acts just like her more and more everyday, and that's not a good thing. Are we doomed to be like our parents for the most part? Is it more biological than psychological? Maybe nature is more dominant than nature. What I've realized is the more I try to not  be like the bad qualities of my parents, the more I become like that, and that scares me.

Maybe trying is the part where the failing comes in. We should just let whatever happens happen and not try so hard. The more I think about it, the more angry I get and the more I fail. I don't think we are doomed to be like our parents if we don't want to. Maybe that's what finding out who you are is. Taking the strengths of your parents and not inheriting their weaknesses; that's when you find out who you are.

Foundations of the U.S

I'm going to go off of my last blog post on the topic of gay marriage. The whole dilemma here is that the supposed "seperation of church and state" isn't really implemented. Why you might ask? Because how can you separate a nation away from the church when that is exactly what it's constitution was built on? The constitution is based off old English law, which comes from the basic principles of Christianity (primarily Protestant) and the bible.

I don't believe there will ever be a seperation of church and state even it supposedly already is; and I don't think there should be. Our founding Father's planted our nation on a foundation of spirituality and a closeness with a heavenly god. That is the basis, that is the origin. Why should we go against what the founding fathers implented? Because we are a "progressing" nation a.k.a a nation with diminishing moral ethics. No, you don't have to practice Christianity. Freedom of religion is legit, but those "progressive" thinkers who believe we should just throw the constitution out and start from scratch are ignorant and delusional. This is America, if you don't like the moral ethics and foundation this country was built on, leave.

(By the way this is In no means talking about gay marriage and it being immoral. I actually support it 100%. I think there are other serious matters that should take so much time to be debated on.)

Controversy

Since I enjoy blogging about societal issues, I figure I'll blog about one that has been coming up a lot lately in the news and in everyone's daily conversations-gay marriage. Today the supreme court will hear arguments of whether the government should withhold federal benefits to same sex married couples.

Here's my two cents on the matter. The sex of the person, or whom they are married to should NOT determine the benefits they receive. It should be the status of the person, and the value they withhold in society, not if they like men or women. I would rather a same sexed couple who works hard, pays their taxes and contributes to society to gain benefits over a straight couple who is on welfare, doesn't work, dabbles in illegal activities etc.

Who one loves should not determine their status in this country and what they receive. All legal citizens of the United States should have the same rights as anyone else. I have been raised in a protestant, evangelical church my whole life. The church does not believe in same sex marriage. Of course since many of my facebook friends are my fellow church goers, my news feed is blown up with their opinions. One comment I found absolutely wonderful in "hitting the nail on the head" was a childhood friend of mine who attended church with me and now identifies himself as a homosexual. Another friend of ours posted a status about the fact it doesn't matter what side we are for on the issue, it's only causing greater division. In response to someone saying the bible calls homosexuality an abomination in the eyes of the lord he said this
"Leviticus contains laws for stoning, eating shrimp, raising sheep, selling your daughters, touching women on their periods, all of which were cultural and had to be repented by sacrifice. If you believe that Jesus died on the cross and created a true new testament and religion, then you would believe that his sacrifice denounced the cultural ways of Judaism, which would be called Christianity under the new laws.The reference to it in Romans was not something God or Jesus said, it was a letter to the romans on how to live more purely for god. At the time pagan temples were incredibly common in Rome, and one of the practices of pagan worship was to have religious prostitutes. Back then, women were not allowed to hold any ranking in the house of god, so all of the prostitutes were men. That reference is not referring to the love between men, but it's telling them not to enter pagan temples and take part in their practices."

The issue will forever be controversial, but if the only argument you have for not supporting gay marriage is that the bible says it is wrong, take a seat. This issue can be argued both sides with biblical evidence. The more Christians are going to preach that gay marriage is evil, the more no one is going to want to give their Jesus a chance. As someone once said "don't judge someone because they sin differently than you." As Jesus said to the adulteress I say to people opposing this issue "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Destiny

A question that I am constantly going over in my head is whether or not we are in control over our own lives, or if some form of higher power has it all planned out. Can we really change our own path or are we predestined to a certain path before we are even born? Is it possible to make some sort of mistake and miss out on what was meant for you?

I think the answer is a mix of yes and no. I do believe in a higher power and I do believe that higher power is in control of all and has the "final say," if you will. But I also believe we can miss out on our "fate." But sometimes missing out on fate may not be a bad thing. Maybe you weren't suppose to catch that train that the man with the piercing blue eyes was on; it was a good thing you dropped your cellphone retrieve it. Maybe that man who you felt you had a "moment" with would steal your heart, but maybe he would turn out to be a psychopath years later and leave you with nothing. Maybe that dream job you thought you had in the bag really wasn't your dream job after all; and whoever is "up there" watching over has a much greater plan for you than what you can think up for yourself. Unfortunately the answer is not that clear and simple, we just have to hope for the best.