Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Good Man, a Wonderful Brother
This is a hard place to be saying this, but my big brother, Jordan (a.k.a. Zevran Man), passed away last Wednesday. In honor of his life, I will continue to have him listed as a contributor to my blog, at least for a while.
-Mariah
-Mariah
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Hymn of the Day
I Believe in Christ
Bruce R. McConkie
I believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to Him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick, the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be praised.
Click here for the music; in the column to the left, select "words and music."
Bruce R. McConkie
I believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to Him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick, the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be praised.
Click here for the music; in the column to the left, select "words and music."
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
A History Lesson
Back in the day, the Church of England was the established religion in England. Many were persecuted for their beliefs. That is why the Puritans left England for the New World.
When the Constitution of the United States of America was written, the Bill of Rights was added, as ten amendments. One of these addresses freedom of religion. Not the absence of religion, but the absence of an established religion, like the Church of England. The purpose of this amendment was to protect the American people from persecution for their beliefs.
Now, in California, people are persecuted for conservative beliefs. Labeled as intolerant. This has even spread to Salt Lake City, around the precious Salt Lake Temple, which I love, a temple that took forty years to build because of persecution.
Since people are again being persecuted because they don't adhere to the doctrine of extreme political correctness, where's the "New World" for us to retreat to? Where is the land where we can live in peace, with our beliefs?
There is not another "New World" that is available to us. This amazing country was established to protect our rights, just as much as to protect the rights of any other group of people. It is up to us to preserve that freedom, that safety. Our Founding Fathers could expect no less of us.
Let us be a people of virtue, for how else can we preserve a country that was founded upon the ideals of virtue?
When the Constitution of the United States of America was written, the Bill of Rights was added, as ten amendments. One of these addresses freedom of religion. Not the absence of religion, but the absence of an established religion, like the Church of England. The purpose of this amendment was to protect the American people from persecution for their beliefs.
Now, in California, people are persecuted for conservative beliefs. Labeled as intolerant. This has even spread to Salt Lake City, around the precious Salt Lake Temple, which I love, a temple that took forty years to build because of persecution.
Since people are again being persecuted because they don't adhere to the doctrine of extreme political correctness, where's the "New World" for us to retreat to? Where is the land where we can live in peace, with our beliefs?
There is not another "New World" that is available to us. This amazing country was established to protect our rights, just as much as to protect the rights of any other group of people. It is up to us to preserve that freedom, that safety. Our Founding Fathers could expect no less of us.
Let us be a people of virtue, for how else can we preserve a country that was founded upon the ideals of virtue?
Sunday, September 6, 2009
I like Utah schools.
Thank you, Spencer, for your post: http://drpaleophd.blogspot.com/2009/09/yet-another-reason-to-homeschool.html
Here are my thoughts:
There are much more effective ways to eliminate bullying than by using the books that are now required, as shown in the video. Bullying is a management issue more than it is an indoctrination issue. It depends more on the way the teacher runs the classroom, the way the teacher teaches, than it does on what the students are taught. Management makes a difference. Having a warm, caring classroom makes a difference. Forcing beliefs on children that are contrary to family religious and moral beliefs cause contention in the home, confusion, and because of that, contention in the schools. Now, how in the world is that supposed to help?!!!
In my classes preparing me to be an elementary school teacher, one of the ideas we have talked about recently is that of ethics--it is, actually, unethical to deny any child an equal opportunity to learn. It is also unethical to force information on any child. Particularly information that is controversial and that is not backed up sufficiently by good, reliable studies.
Don't get me wrong--I do not hate homosexuals. If you ask my family, my roommates, my friends, they'd be able to verify that I don't hate anyone. It's just not who I am. I know people who life "alternate lifestyles," and much as I disagree with the way they live, I recognize that it is their choice. They must abide by the consequences of their choices, just as I must abide by the consequences of mine. That's just the way life is. They have the agency to choose, as do I. But I am responsible for the moral and religious upbringing of my own children. Not a teacher. Not an organization. We are treading on very shaky ground when we are trying to force beliefs on others. Forcing people generally is not a good idea.
The young man in the video was harassed because he's homosexual. When I was in middle school and high school in California, I was harassed because of my conservative beliefs. In fact, I was sexually harassed, and I was vulnerable because of my innocence, because of my lifestyle, because the young man who was harassing me was not sufficiently curbed by school officials. I was put in danger for the sake of "free speech."
School officials were not aware that this harassment was taking place--that is not what I accuse them of. They didn't realize what they were allowing him to do. But because of the lifestyle he was allowed to live, and to reflect in his behavior even while he was at school, I was hurt very deeply. This wasn't the only time that I was hurt because there had to be "free speech" and "tolerance" of various lifestyles, even on school property. And I know that I'm not the only one.
Now, don't worry, Spencer. He never tried to touch me. Don't worry.
Now, I know that there are good people on both sides of this dispute, and there are those who have not behaved so admirably, on both sides of the dispute. I am here to say that what we need is more understanding and openness, less judgment. More love and caring, less hatred.
I hold my beliefs as highly as does anyone else. Part of that is the need to love and accept people even when we must hate and reject their beliefs. And I testify that it is possible to achieve both.
Here are my thoughts:
There are much more effective ways to eliminate bullying than by using the books that are now required, as shown in the video. Bullying is a management issue more than it is an indoctrination issue. It depends more on the way the teacher runs the classroom, the way the teacher teaches, than it does on what the students are taught. Management makes a difference. Having a warm, caring classroom makes a difference. Forcing beliefs on children that are contrary to family religious and moral beliefs cause contention in the home, confusion, and because of that, contention in the schools. Now, how in the world is that supposed to help?!!!
In my classes preparing me to be an elementary school teacher, one of the ideas we have talked about recently is that of ethics--it is, actually, unethical to deny any child an equal opportunity to learn. It is also unethical to force information on any child. Particularly information that is controversial and that is not backed up sufficiently by good, reliable studies.
Don't get me wrong--I do not hate homosexuals. If you ask my family, my roommates, my friends, they'd be able to verify that I don't hate anyone. It's just not who I am. I know people who life "alternate lifestyles," and much as I disagree with the way they live, I recognize that it is their choice. They must abide by the consequences of their choices, just as I must abide by the consequences of mine. That's just the way life is. They have the agency to choose, as do I. But I am responsible for the moral and religious upbringing of my own children. Not a teacher. Not an organization. We are treading on very shaky ground when we are trying to force beliefs on others. Forcing people generally is not a good idea.
The young man in the video was harassed because he's homosexual. When I was in middle school and high school in California, I was harassed because of my conservative beliefs. In fact, I was sexually harassed, and I was vulnerable because of my innocence, because of my lifestyle, because the young man who was harassing me was not sufficiently curbed by school officials. I was put in danger for the sake of "free speech."
School officials were not aware that this harassment was taking place--that is not what I accuse them of. They didn't realize what they were allowing him to do. But because of the lifestyle he was allowed to live, and to reflect in his behavior even while he was at school, I was hurt very deeply. This wasn't the only time that I was hurt because there had to be "free speech" and "tolerance" of various lifestyles, even on school property. And I know that I'm not the only one.
Now, don't worry, Spencer. He never tried to touch me. Don't worry.
Now, I know that there are good people on both sides of this dispute, and there are those who have not behaved so admirably, on both sides of the dispute. I am here to say that what we need is more understanding and openness, less judgment. More love and caring, less hatred.
I hold my beliefs as highly as does anyone else. Part of that is the need to love and accept people even when we must hate and reject their beliefs. And I testify that it is possible to achieve both.
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