Methods of Opposition

Here is the set up. Today, on the UTC Campus, an anti-abortion group set up camp on Cardiac Hill. By “set up” I mean that preceding the display they had a warning “Warning: Genocide Ahead.” then as one proceeds to walk up the hill they are encountered with images of aborted fetuses. These images will forever be burned into my head, but my reason for writing this post is not about abortion, or my opinion of it, but should this be the way that we oppose those with whom we disagree?

Please, don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for those who stood out on the hill showing what abortion is all about. I am grateful that they were willing to take the ridicule that they received to help this who have not only had an abortion, but maybe to change the mind of one who was thinking of having one. But should this be the method?

I am also not saying that I agree with complete passivity. We, as Christian especially, should be ready to help those who are helpless, weak, hurting, and afflicted. We should not take a passive role in an area as prominent as this. To be passive about this issue would call into question ones own salvation. I know that sounds harsh, but throughout the Bible Christians are called to help the helpless and off all people who are helpless, an unborn baby ranks the top of the list. So if one is not helping even the most helpless, do they really know the Helper? This is going too far off topic.

Back to the issue at hand, should we protest abortion in a way that is as in your face as this, or is there another way? What are your thoughts?

Everybody’s Doing It

The phrase “everyone is doing it” has taken the stage once again showing it’s ugly head for conservatives.  Issues such as pornography, gay marriage and abortion, were outlawed in the past and up until the early 60′s people didn’t do anything about it because, frankly, people didn’t care.  The only people that cared were the people actually wanting the “procedures” done.  William Saletan of Slate magazine recently did an article titled “The Mainstreaming of Marijuana” in which he gives 6 reasons why he believes marijuana will be legalized within a few years time.

Are we that selfish as to need to have a temporary high in order for us to toss our cares away?  There are few medical purposes that I would even consider someone using marijuana to treat.  Even then, those can be treated with other medicines.  Most people that use it are because they are depressed and they think that by getting a little high they will be able to get away from their problems.  Guess what they end up learning.  It Works!!!, but only for the first few times.  After that they have to smoke a little more for the pain to dull and they end up getting so wasted that they can’t tell how much time they’ve wasted. 

With the legalization of marijuana we are going to see our culture go down the drains even faster than before.  Parents are always being told that they shouldn’t punish their kids because “it’s natural for your children to want to do that.”  Yes, it is natural because every child is born with a sin nature.  When the US finally legalizes this children acting out is only going to be a small part of the problem.  People that have depression issues are going to start smoking this and they are going to fell great.  They’ll miss a few days of work, but no big deal.  Then, it will be a few more, and a few more until they’re fired from their job.  This will make them more depressed and they will want to smoke more.

This isn’t just for those with depression issues.  This is with everyone.  Currently, most states have some form of requirements for their police officers and one of the requirements is that they have to have a clean record, including drug charges.  If we legalize marijuana will we erase the priors of every person in the system?  These are only surface questions and statements. 

I think the argument of to legalize or not to legalize marijuana is a false dichotomy.  The real question would be, “Why do people want to legalize marijuana?”  I think once we answer this question a lot more of what life really is would make sense to a lot of people.  I think that the people that have depression need to see why they have depression.  My own personal reason would be because it’s a sin issue, but that that’s a different argument for a different time.  My point is that, is the phrase “everybody’s doing it” really a good excuse for legalizing something?

Genetic Testing and Abortion

I haven’t updated my blog in a while and it would be because I haven’t really had the time.  I have two part time jobs, I’m taking 13 credit hours at school (which translates into 39 hours of work) and I also have church.  Needless to say I have no time to do anything that I desire to do, but I’m going to try to post something decent in the weeks to come. 

 

One thing that has been brought to my attention recently is the idea of jobs being able to do a genetic test to make sure you’re going to be a good employee physically.  The court is putting up protections against employers being able to hire/fire people because of genetic disorders.  What I mean is the employer would get something like a blood sample and run tests on it to make sure everything is fine and that the potential employee doesn’t have any genetic disorders or something in them that potentially cause the company to have to pay them because they found out they had cancer.

 

The Supreme Court has noticed the fourth amendment in this instance which states:

 

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

 

As you just read, we the people do not have to subject to unreasonable searches in any case unless there is reasonable probable cause or reason for the person in question to desire to search.  The Supreme Court has recognized medical history (i.e. genetic testing) to be included in these searches. 

 

I would wholeheartedly agree with the Supreme Court in their decision to do this, but they are being very double minded in their way of thinking.  On the one hand they say it is wrong for a company to do genetic testing because it goes against the right of a person, but on the other hand they say it is perfectly alright and not unreasonable for a person to abort their child because of medical reasons. 

 

“Your child has Down Syndrome?  No big deal!  Have it aborted and try again and if that doesn’t work, have that one aborted and try again.  Keep going until you have a child that is perfect in your eyes.”  Where is the justice in that?  At what level do we say that it is wrong to do genetic testing on the children in the womb?  Or do we say that once the child has come to term, that is when we will consider it to be a human being and at that point you can’t do genetic testing.  Well, that’s not the case because we have already said that partial birth abortion is alright, so even though the child has come to term and even though it is in the process of coming out and even though it is breathing you still are not going to consider it a human being?  So again I ask, where is the justice?