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Saturday, December 02, 2000
Courtney Myers | 12/2/2000 03:25:58 PM | link
I have been observing things lately, the way culture influences us in our day-to-day lives, and how deceptive and alluring sin is presented as being these days. I would like to ask you all to hold me accountable for sexual purity. It's something I'm very serious about, and something I believe very strongly in. I know of a lot of you (Thom, Laurel, Thad, Jeannine, at least) who share the same views as I. I think it would be very cool if we all held each other accountable on this issue. I believe it to be of the utmost importance, for now and for future marriages.
I bring this up because lately - being in a serious relationship myself - the issue has come up more and more frequently. Being in a serious relationship with someone, you naturally start to think about staying together in the long run, and the like, and also getting closer - and physical closeness is a byproduct, naturally. Trouble begins when the temptations begin to rise. I know that with Thom and I, we made a vow with each other and with God that we would remain sexually pure until marriage. We set guidelines and limits, and fully intend to stick to them. I would like to be held accountable to them as well. I feel by declaring our intent publically, we are less likely to give in to temptations when the passions flare. I truly believe this is one of the more important and most-compromised issues we face today... the Bible is very clear about sexual temptation and what we should do in the face of it... "flee."
So thank you, and God bless.
Thoughts, anyone?
Wednesday, November 29, 2000
Courtney Myers | 11/29/2000 09:48:02 PM | link
This election nonsense brings out the worst in people. I keep seeing ads encouraging people to rally behind one candidate or the other, for any number of reasons.What is really striking to me are the ads that attempt to appeal to women, claiming your "power to choose is at risk."
Like many others of my gender, I tend to vote based on issues. Specific ones. Like abortion. The only difference is, I'm on the opposite side of the issue. I am 100% pro-life. "Aaah!" You say. "The dreaded 'life' term." What I think is kind of funny is when abortion rights supporters label those who are pro-life as "anti-choice." So... if we're "anti-choice," can you be... "pro-death?" "Anti-choice" is such a twisted, backwards thing to say... like we're all "oh yes, I think no one should be able to make choices. Like, should I have sex? Or should I use birth control? Or maybe it won't matter this time? Oh, oops..."
(gets out soapbox)
Abortion is just plain sick. It's literally murder. It is infanticide. These are people. Human beings. Early-term or late-term, it's the same individual. It saddens me to think that if the same thing were done to animals - if it were little puppies and kittens being sucked from their mother's wombs, or having their brains sucked out, or otherwise aborted - animal rights activists would go nuts. And yet when it's a matter of human children, people just look the other way. "Oh, it was her choice, it was the best thing for her." That comes off as very selfish to me. There was a case a few years ago where a pregnant woman was shot, and the killer was charged with two murders - hers and her child's. Why is that considered murder, but if the woman had "chosen" to kill the baby herself, through an abortion, it would be perfectly legal? It doesn't make sense to me.
Partial-birth abortion is a whole other issue. It makes me shudder just thinking about it... like the title, "partial birth," the baby is delivered up to its head, but not all the way (if it were fully delivered, it would be illegal to go on with the abortion), then its skull is punctured, and its brains are sucked out. How nasty is that??! Let's go do that to our puppies, and see what the same abortion supporters have to say about it. You'd probably be charged with animal cruelty. Does this make sense?
I've talked about this before, and it's been beaten into the ground everywhere you look, but it really is the issue I'm most passionate about. My skin crawls at the thought of it... there is almost nothing more repulsive to me. so I apologize if you've heard enough about it, but I won't stop considering it of the utmost importance.
Sunday, November 26, 2000
Courtney Myers | 11/26/2000 03:43:21 PM | link
Aha! Very interesting, Dani! I, too, was always under the impression that Santa Claus was not a good thing, for a whole lot of reasons. I always found it disconcerting when Christian families would celebrate Christmas with Santa. Let me just say here that my parents did not do the whole Santa thing with my brothers and I, and let me tell you, it did not ruin my Christmases one single bit. I think I probably had even more fun without the fat guy in the red suit.
Some of my reasons for not being fond of Santa:
-As Dani says, he draws the focus of the season away from what it's supposed to be. It's Christmas, not "Santamas."
-Kids are always terribly disappointed to find out he doesn't really exist. As my mom pointed out, if they've discovered you've lied to them about Santa, they have good reason to doubt other things you've told them, too, like the reality of Christ's birth, and the existance of God.
-Santa supports the whole idea of "be good and you'll get what you want." Kind of sounds similar to "do good and you'll get your way" or "do good and you can save yourself." ... it's not a philosophy I'd like to promote in any form. It supports the idea that good deeds are all that really matter; throw in a few good deeds and you're OK. As it is with God, if it were really based on that system, nobody would get any presents, just like no one can get into heaven that way.
Both Laurel and Thom were raised believing the whole Santa thing... it might be interesting to hear from one of them, eh? :D
Overall, Christmas is my favorite holiday. There's not many times of year the whole country sings religious songs and doesn't think twice about it. It's nice to walk around downtown and hear "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King" in an area where usually it's hard to even talk about God without being made fun of. I like the lights, and the music, and the movies (I like "It's a Wonderful Life" ... so shoot me :), and going to church on Christmas eve for a cantata or a candlelight service.
Of course... i still live at home and have never orchestrated my own Christmas... so perhaps my opinions will change slightly then. :D
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