Seg·re·ga·tion

-the action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things or being set apart.-

Senate Bill 101 is not the first of it's kind... Sadly, it won't be the last, most likely. I don't know of all the others, I recognize that I probably should. I have heard that some of the states that do, also have laws protecting the civil rights of the LGBTQ community. So here's the thing, I do not understand how people are backing the law.  I do not understand, how, as a Christian, a person can stand up and say that a group of people offends me to the point I am not going to serve them. I don't understand how people can't see that this is terrible.

I've read the bill, if I'm correct in deciphering the legalese of it, it states that the government cannot "substantially burden" (interfere) with an "entity" (individual, business, organization) for acting on their religious beliefs.  If the government does interfere it has to do so in the least oppressive way.  So that's what I got out of it. I could be wrong, but for the purposes of this blog that's the understanding I have.

So if my "religious beliefs" were that black people shouldn't marry white people... I am free to deny them my services?

We aren't talking about not baking a penis cake in a wedding cake shop. If your business doesn't bake penis cakes, well then you don't bake penis cakes. But if you make wedding cakes... Well that's what you do. You do that for customers.  If I sent my wedding planner in to you and s/he did not inform you that the cake was for a gay couple, how would you know? Does that prospect offend you? Will you have a contract that everyone initials stating that they are not gay?

The general response that I keep seeing on social media is, "they can go to the cake shop down the street.". Do people hear themselves when they say that...? You sound someone from before the civil rights movement!  Or like a present day bigot. The blacks, oh I mean gays, can go to the coffee shop down the street.  They have the same coffee there, what's the problem?

I've been told that segregation doesn't exist.  It does, we are overly familiar with it in reference to race, but the word in itself is not specific to race. It makes us sound bigoted when we say we are okay with separating the LGBTQ community, or any community really.  And let's, be fair, we are not okay with being bigots in public.

I recognize that I'm aware of this problem because of the recent media buzz, I'm not proud that I wasn't involved before that. I am not, I'm not going to be quiet about it. I'm not going to pretend it will go away. If we continue to use religion to put a barrier between those who believe what we believe and those who don't, we have missed the boat.

I don't have an intimate knowledge of other religions. But I know that Christ regularly broke bread with prostitutes and thieves. I know that He said to love your neighbor as yourself. This doesn't seem very loving...

Camouflaged Agenda

As always, a little disclaimer to begin. I personally don't care if you or your family choose to hunt.  I don't understand calling it a sport.... Unless it's hunting where you are tracking and stalking.  But, I am well aware that people do it. The article referenced below states, rather sarcastically, that hunting makes a person better.  The full article can be read here...

http://jdheinerblog.com/2015/03/19/10-reasons-kids-should-not-hunt/

I would like to show that there are other ways to instill the same values just as effectively.

The author writes the following:

"Admittedly, I asked myself “why?” After much thought, I have come up with exactly 10 reasons why kids should NOT ever hunt in all its forms.

Hunting teaches kids how to provide. Really? What kid needs to learn how to provide? We are no longer cavemen or pioneers. Our kids are entitled not only to basic needs but to added comforts.

Hunting teaches kids how to be uncomfortable. What kid needs to learn the value of cold hands and blistered feet? Kids should never be expected to sleep on the ground. As an advanced society we are certainly above this. All the comforts of the world should be ours. Our time is best suited teaching our kids actual lessons of value like how to get something for nothing.

Hunting teaches kids how to stay fit. Good health is overrated.

Hunting teaches kids how to respect God’s creations. Who’s that guy anyway? Isn’t America’s prosperity the result of our own great minds? Aren’t those awe-inspiring hills and all that is in them a result of some big bang?

Hunting teaches kids how to prepare. Prepare for what?

Hunting teaches kids how to work. We live in a day and age where every one of our kids are entitled to a job despite their work ethic, reliability, prior training or education. To really spend the time teaching a kid to work would have been valuable maybe 52 1/2 years ago.

Hunting teaches kids how to survive. Survive what?

Hunting teaches kids how to conserve resources. Resources are plentiful. Do you really think they are going to run out? If the goal is to conserve, wouldn’t killing do just the opposite? Maybe PETA is on to something. Clearly hunting and conservation do not go hand in hand.

Hunting teaches kids how to solve problems. Problem solving is for the birds. The risk of encountering too many problems while hunting is real. Clearly my own attempt was chuck full of unnecessary problems. I should have known better than to leave my recliner and remote.

Hunting teaches kids how to have fun. To be honest the high-pitched shriek of kids laughing can be annoying. It is certainly counter intuitive to hunting. Perched behind the glow of their iPad in the darkest corner of the house their laughter and tears are only a distant squeal."

So my response?  The does not need to be the assumption that the ones of us who don't hunt have no bearings on how to instill values... We do...

Instilling a solid work ethic and moral compass in your child by investing time daily showing them what it takes to support your family will help them learn what providing for a family actually means.

Taking your child to serve in the mission field, feed the hungry, be the hands and feet of Jesus/Mohammed/Buddah/just an overall good person will show them that life is not always comfortable and that we should all strive to ease the suffering of others.

While we should never shame our children's bodies, having meaningful conversations about being healthy in our activities and eating is important. Model healthy choices in your own life and show your children how to stay fit on a daily basis.

Take your children to the state and national parks. Let them be immersed in the miracle of this world with every breath that they take. Teach them that this is our only home for the foreseeable future. Respect the world we have for what it has given.

Teach your child time management skills by setting a task to be completed before something else can be done. Teach them to prepare their tasks so that they are more efficient with time. Help them to understand that if you are going to ride our bike, there are steps we take to prepare for that.

Instill a work ethic in your child. It builds character. Make a chore chart. Pay the kid for a job well done. Teach your child that you get nothing for nothing and only something for, well, something. Work is part of life, teach them that by showing them that... Like daily.

So many people in our world would not survive without the creature comforts that we have. But many would. Plant a garden with your child. Show them how to harvest seeds. Show them how trapping works, fishing, and for all purposes yes, even how to properly fire a weapon if needed. Teach them how to scavenge, dress a wound, obtain clean water, start a fire.  Teach them how to follow the stars and the path of the sun. Teach them to LOVE... Otherwise why would they survive...

Our world is not endless.  Show them those without.  Show them that the lakes are low, show them where the forests once were. Plant a tree and have them watch how long it takes to grow and then how much it takes to make something. Show them that sometimes when things are gone... They are gone.  "Yes, Jane, you can have milk but that's all there is until Friday. Your choice. Would you like to save some for tomorrow?"

Parents are often those that rush to save their children.  Let them fall. Let them mess up. Ask, "what are you going to do to fix that?" Allow your children to solve some of their own problems. Be a resource not the repairman.

Make memories.  Ones that make you smile and ones that make them smile.  Some of my favorite memories of my childhood are from building things with my great aunt or working with granny in the garden. Have fun, get dirty, make a mess, clean it up.

All in all, I don't care if people want to hunt, but when it is written in a way that speaks down to another person, the points get lost amongst the irritation and snide remarks. 

Thanks for the blog material though.

Peace.

Peace

Something that we all enjoy but don't always have. At times we often feel that we may never have it. Due to one thing or another, it's always just being our reach.

Peace.

How do we get there? I will say that for us, it's been discovered in the most elusive place ever. I'm not one to get excited about diet fads or get rich quick scams. However, we did enroll in Dave Ramsey's class when our church offered it. And I will say that it is amazing. I didn't realize I was so stressed about our finances. But now that we are working together it's just amazing.

So step outside your box, look in interesting places, find your peace.

Unless someone like you...

Cares a whole awful lot....

Dr. Seuss was pretty amazing.  He doesn't say unless someone like you persecutes, withholds food, promotes inequality, allows injustice, denies healthcare, or permits children to be homeless.

.... It's not going to get better, it's not.

Sometimes I need a reminder that my voice, though not always appreciated, is necessary. Because there is an undeniable need for change.