Part 13: Syrian Refugees

  President Barack Obama has agreed to allow 10,000 refugees from Syria into America. Furthermore, I read in a local newspaper that Hillary Clinton wants to bring in 65,000 Syrian refugees. In light of the radical Islamist attacks in Paris, I question the decision to accept so many Syrians into our country.
   Now, I am not against humanitarian aid at all; nor am I against accepting those who really just want to start over in our country. In fact, I am all for it; but we are at war.What bothers me, is that we are making a risky decision that is opening a door for terrorists. Screening these refugees will not be enough in an effort to catch a potential terrorist. How reliable is Syria's documentation on it's citizens? How are we going to validate 10,000 Syrians? Questions need to be answered in detail. Further evaluation on how this decision will affect our nation's security, needs to happen.
  Of course, no one knows for sure if one of the Syrians coming over, is a terrorist disguising himself or not. Nevertheless, we have got to go about this very carefully. Personally, I do not think we should be accepting refugees from the Middle East, while we are at war. I think it is providing a way in for the enemy.
  What do you think? Do you think it is wise to accept refugees from Syria, after what happened in Paris? Do you think we need new safety measures put in place during the whole process?

Part 12. Are You Human?

 The question in the title goes along with what I have to say about the belief of racism that seems to permeate the African American culture; as well as the American Anglo-Saxons. Wait a minute! Why list two cultures? Other countries have this thing about racism too. We are not the only ones who have this ugly disease in our minds. However, small it may be.
  I am an American.  I love what my founding Fathers did for this nation and I have such a deep respect for America's Military. I believe in working hard to get where you want to go in life. I respect the standard of respect you should have for every human soul on this planet. I really could care less what your so-called skin color is! I really don't care what your excuse is for such bad behavior! Do you not want respect?
   Here it is, plain and simple: You will never earn anyone's respect, if you believe that every bad thing happens to you because you are a part of a certain culture, society, religion, or ethnicity.
  Furthermore, just because you may have more melanin than me (the less melanin you have the lighter your skin tone is), doesn't mean that you are not HUMAN.  Come on! I do care about a person's well-being. I am not going to apologize for treating every person the way I want to be treated. Granted such an endeavor can be very difficult when you apply the Golden Rule to life, but it is a reward in of itself. I would rather have helped you out than go along in fear that you 'll kill me because of it. You are human, so am I. What makes you so different or superior?
    Mathew 7:12  (NASB)
      "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
    This world just might be a better place if we, humans of this Earth, followed that simple rule. Maybe we would have a greater respect of every individual's boundaries. Additionally, maybe more people would love the sinner, but hate the sin. In other words, love the other human, hate the rude, cruel, evil, mean, and criminal acts. This principle will look different in each and every individuals life, because everyone is different.
   
   

Part 11. Choose to be "Transgender"?

    I am disgusted by the belief that man or woman could change their very selves to be something that they are not, in this way. I am all for the endeavor to make oneself a better person, but this transgender .... that's sickness of the mind. 

    This is undeniable truth: if you were born a male, a man you'll be and if you were born a female, a woman you'll be. Women are women. Men are men. Now here is another thing: there are others who are born with different parts that would normally just be apart of a man or woman. That being said ... I will NEVER ever condone or accept the acts of a man giving up his manhood. Furthermore, I will NEVER ever condone the acts of a woman giving up her femininity. You are human, who is made to shine through who you already are for God's glory! Don't squander who you are or try to fit in. Make the wise decisions, have integrity, and don't give up on the good so easily.

    

Part 10 . Stark Reality

  I am sitting down on a swivel chair at my desk. Outside my window, the tree moves gently as the wind blows on by under a partly cloudy sky. Cars travel on toward or from the town with little fear of anything. I live in a family that cares for each other and knows Jesus Christ. I help my mother as she homeschools. Thankfully, I'll be working again soon. Apparently, I deserve to die because I am a Christian and an American.
   Fellow believers in Christ are being murdered, hung, and buried alive. All this happens as I sit here in the land where Christians are not threatened with losing their lives. It is like watching a movie; too stunned to think or react. All I can do at this point is pray for them. I ponder what it would be like to lose one's life for Christ by being buried alive under so much dirt, suffocating. To have my head be cut off. To have a knife sliced through me at the hands of one who has so much hate. This is what happens in a sinful world that does everything it can to take God, the Alpha and Omega, out of everything.
  While they suffer, I sit here typing about it. I seem to be in a whole different world hearing horrible stories of human beings killed at will.
  On the other hand, there is a different genocide happening here in my homeland. My country is the U.S.A. I am ashamed that it has buildings where young, unborn humans are executed. It doesn't matter who the child is in people's eyes. They are ripped apart before they even see their own parents. The same viewpoint goes for those who kill for Islam. They don't care who it is they are killing. It only matters whether that person is Muslim or not.
  I pray for those who have lost loved ones, who are being persecuted, and their families. I'll even pray for the people who could care less for them.
  

Part 9. Divorce

 Mathew 5: 31-32
  31 "It was said ,'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce ';
  32  but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, 
        makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 
 Mark 10: 11-12 
  11 And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits
       adultery against her;
  12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing 
       adultery."
   
   Divorce has become very common. It has become unsurprising to hear of such a thing. Furthermore, I am disturbed that people think it is a blessing to marry a different person after divorce; even when the Bible (God's Word) clearly says that it is wrong. 
   No matter how much the world says that it is okay to marry another, I refuse to believe it. There are such heartbreaking and harsh consequences to going along with what the world says. 
  
   
  

Part 8. Catholicism Mistakenly Called Christianity (article is divided into three sections)

  Section(1)
   Jesus Christ died an awful death to free us from the sin that began with Adam, Eve, and that snake of a serpent. We are called to remember that death through communion:
 

  1 Corinthians 11:24-26

     24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, " This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

    25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

    26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

  In response to three major points that Catholicism defends, I am going to point out the truths of which have been twisted in the Catholic belief. As I have tried to state before, this is in no way  a personal attack on someone who is a Catholic. I am after the belief itself, not the people. 

   In ancient times there was a time where Catholicism shown the light of Jesus, until the belief slowly became corrupted (I encourage you to read and study on the full history of Catholicism). Later on from it came a group (or groups) of people who broke off from it. They were called Protestants. Now, the Catholic belief has mellowed out, but it still professes things that are not Biblically sound. Three of them are 1}the reason why the crucifix is shown 2} the reason why prayer to the saints is taught 3} the reason for why Catholicism is mistakenly called Christianity. 

  The crucifix is used in Catholicism as a reminder of how we are to pick up our cross and follow Christ. Yes, Christ did say that we must pick up our cross and follow Him.

    Mark 8: 34-38

  34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them,"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 

  35"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

  36"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

  37"For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

  38"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

  In the verse above, it talks about denying oneself, picking up his own cross and following Jesus. This is a personal thing that will look different in every single individual life that follows Jesus. The crucifix in the Catholic belief may have a representation of Christ's death, but that is not what is supposed to remind us of His death. The communion is what serves as that reminder in 1 Corinthians 11:24-26. As to the denying of ourselves, we do not need an object to remind us of that. The Holy Spirit reminds us of that and convicts us about it. As followers of Christ we must deny ourselves, take up the cross, and follow Him.

  The cross in the Bible stands as the symbol of the Gospel. The cross that it speaks of is one where Christ was on it, but then is no longer there. The empty cross is the symbol of the fact that Christ died and rose again. Why is a crucifix always being shown in Catholicism when Christ had left an empty cross? In showing the crucifix all the time, is Catholicism missing the point of the Gospel? It seems that way, because in the Bible it does not portray a crucifix all the time; only when it speaks of Christ's crucifixion does it show it. In Christianity the cross is empty because Christ left it that way. He never left it with Himself still hanging on the cross. Is it right, according to the Bible, then to portray the crucifix like it is presented in Catholicism? The Bible does not teach this. 

Part 7. Humanity's FREE WILL

  We all have a sense of freedom in us. We all have a desire for it. Whether it is recognized or not. The ability to choose anything for ourselves is a wonderful gift. It is what allows us to express different aspects of our individuality. It is called FREE WILL. Without this free will in us, we would be like robots. Very much so.
   On the flip side, Free Will also allows for the choice to make wrong decisions. Whether it be taking something small or actually taking the life of your fellow man. Free Will, while it is a great gift, can also be perceived as a very dangerous threat. Never go to the extreme that says that every one should be of the same mind so that no one has the choice to do wrong. Anyone who believes this or even exercises that ends up as a hypocrite. He or she also ends up with a very big ego.
   The reason why that person would be a hypocrite is because they do the very things that others are prevented from doing: choosing. It does not matter to them if it is against the perimeters they set or not. They want to control. All the while that control feeds the ego. Communism is an example of this. Socialism is a lighter form of that, but leads to what Communism is. Furthermore, ISIS, Islam, legalistic churches (doesn't matter what denomination), the current American government, and other foreign/domestic religions will try in one way or another force you to give up certain freedoms; those freedoms that are okay, which are neither right nor wrong. In the extreme cases, if you deviate from any of their rules, you will be punished, not because if it was morally wrong.
   To be human is to be imperfect and to make wrong or right choices. As soon as anyone decides that they want to change that in another human being, it backfires. It is the same as trying to change the way the solar system is. You cannot try to change the basics of nature. You end up suffering the consequences of doing that.
  Don't ever give up your freedom. Fight for it. Know for certain what those freedoms are; so that you will understand what you are defending and why. In the meantime, watch yourself. Make sure that you are making the right choices and not falling for the very thing that you're fighting against.