Pope's Comments

I'm not sure what the full content of Pope Benedict of the Catholic Church's speech was, but it was definitely enough to create some controversy. I've seen many headlines in the past few days about the fury of the Islamic world. Just today, I've seen a headline stating that the "Pope's apology for 'slur' fails to quell rising Muslim fury."

They're mad that the pope said, in effect, that Muhammad only brought evil and inhuman contributions to the world. Now these "protesters" are outraged to the point of attacking Christian churches in the Middle East. They're not disproving a point. They're confirming it with their actions.

We should all use the best of our cultures to influence others. Kindness and understanding are the tools that God would truly have us use to build relationships with each other. Any other method is not of God.

Philanthropy at its Best

Warren Buffet gifts $30 billion dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His and the Gates' interview here on Charlie Rose TV show.

Pack in Iraq? No!

"Almost as soon as Baghdad fell in 2003, some in Congress began to call for withdrawal of U.S. forces based on dates that were basically pulled from a hat. As time passes, these calls resurface, perhaps slightly repackaged with different labels. Again and again, the American public rejects them, and rightly so.

"As Iraqi forces grow and improve in capability, American men and women in uniform will relinquish the reins of security to Iraqis. That is the standard that must be achieved, not some arbitrary date on a calendar that comes whether we've succeeded or not."

These excerpts are taken from an article by Senator Larry Craig of Idaho.

Religious Coaltion for Marriage

An easy web-based form for sending an email to your state Senators concerning the debate and vote on the propsed amendment to the Constitution protecting marriage.

Go here.

Definition of Marriage

Well, what the hot topic to initiate the blog with. It seems that this topic has exploded out of nowhere. Things that just a few years ago were hid in closests, now are paraded in the open. Homosexuals have been growing in number and visibility. What used to be viewed as wrong is now getting applauded for being bold and different. People who used to seek help for ways of avoiding this problem now seek those who have made similar choices in order to hold rallies and other public events encouraging it.

Society's take on homosexuality has changed drastically. I believe that's a bad thing. The family, marriage between a man and a woman, has been the basis of all civilized cultures since the beginning of recorded history. In fact, especially in religious history, civilizations that eventually began to embrace homosexuality and accept its culture fell into ruin. Current society is also at a pivotal turning point.

Measures are being taken to attempt to ensure that traditional families will survive the attempts made by society to redefine good, redefine right, and redefine marriage. This week, the U.S. Senate is slated to begin debate on an bill that has been introduced that proposes an amendment to the Constitution asserting that marriage can only exist legally and lawfully between a man and a woman. That's how it's always been. And yet, nay-sayers of the bill turn the table and accuse proponents of the bill of "redefining" marriage into a new restrictive definition. But, what indeed has been subtley happening over recent years is a movement by homosexuality supporters to redefine marriage into something that has and will erode society's base values and have an extremely determental effect on the world's spiritual, social, emotional, economical, etc. welfare.

In the current matter, I am guided mainly by my faith and belief in God and His absolute truth. I believe that He does not look upon this matter with the least degree of allowance. I believe in a "traditional" (really, the only kind) family. Homosexuality is never allowed. However, we should be aware of its existence in this world only so that we can help and assist those who have become involved in its culture to come out of it, be rid of it, and lead a life of happiness as it was meant to be.

In light of the imminent debate, I would encourage you to contact your state Senators, just as church leaders have suggested.

The family is here to stay. It will be a foundation of my life, even if society around me crumbles in its inability to see its importance.

Links:

• 
  The Family: A Proclamation to the World - the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  


• 
  What Matters Most is What Lasts the Longests - Elder M. Russell Ballard
  


• 
  Strengthening the Family: What is a Family? - Ensign Magazine
  
  

My View

This domain should serve as a good place for my expression of views on various subjects. I am a generally non-confrontational type of guy, but when I think about it, I discovered (yes, news to me sometimes) that I actually have some very strong feelings about a number of issues -- mostly moral issues. I have a bit of a political vein -- that's from my dad.

Spiderman's grandpa once said, "with great power comes great responsibility." I apply the same attitude to the process of sharing views in two ways. The power to express ourselves in this great country of the USA is given to us all, provided we do so responsibly and respectfully. And because we can and have formed these views, some being based in our guiding beliefs and values, we have responsibility to share them with others in an effort to persuade them to similar views.