One world, secular government?

If this one world, secular government believed in the innate good and perfectability of people, the laws itself could potentially disagree with our standards as Christians. Having a secular government would mean that all the laws would be created through non-biblical terms. Society would be forced to live under a law that does not line up with the Bible. Not only would this strip the majority of individual thought, but the "rights" that are created by this government would have no foundation. Where do these "fundamental rights" come from if there is no greater power. Who can define good from bad if there is no structure beyond what is man-made. Therefore this would ultimately illiminate any ethical codes for all people. The government would be ran from certain political agendas for all people. Although many believe that this would essentially bring about equality and the ideal government, a one world secular government would eliminate any change of individualism for we all would be held under the same secular standards. And since secular standards do not come from any higher power or any religious aspect, these standards would be coming purely from the ideas of a sinful human being. Expecting the best out of humanity is not always the smartest route to take. The corruption within this kind of a government would be endless, and the majority of society would not stay under these laws, for they have no ethical or moral reason to stay under them.

Abortion. Question #3.

How is funding troops similar to funding a woman with intentions to kill her child? Troops are called to defend their country, to prevent any damage to their home. Troops are often called in response to some sort of attack on their territory. Abortion mothers, on the other hand, intend to take the life of an innocent child in order to take away any discomfort for themselves. Although it is true that taxpayers fund both of these causes, the causes are still completely different situations. On the other hand, murder in our country is illegal. If the unborn is infact a human, then abortion would be classified as murder. Therefore our tax payers are paying for women to murder their own children that are very much alive. Of course people opposed will vote against abortion, but why keep silent and leave it to the polls. If the public is not aware of what abortion really is, then how can one make an educated decision for or against it. Abortion IS the killing of an unborn human being who is growing and forming just like we all have. The majority of the public would oppose a child that is being murdered on the street corner. The majority of the public would speak up against such an event in order to prevent and punish it. Why then do the majority of the public sit still while children are being killed daily. Silently voting can only do so much.

Law #4

The terms of equality and justice spread with a wide range of interpretation within our society. One of the most common places to find these terms used most often is when it comes to law. Equality can often be discussed with relation to both race and gender differences. In these areas is when equality and justice can often be slighted. When personal opinions and personal pride are raised above the concept of justice, equality between race, gender, and rank can all have major difficulties. As far as the Critical Legal Studies go, the lawyers seek to break down these barriers in order to create equality and therefore justice within the law. Although you can see that some of these "breaking down of barriers" can line up with the Christian faith, others do not when these organizations seek to destroy limitations on marraige. This encourages same sex marraige as well.

Many verses in the Bible give clear instructions on how one should seek both equality and justice. We are given an innate sense of right and wrong, just and injust. We are to stand for those that are unfairly being oppressed and we are to turn from violence. We are to approach justice with the same love and mercy that is shown to us. We are to act with ultimate goodness in an immitation of God's love. One of the ultimate commandments we are given is to look after those who are less fortunate and those who are weak. Our society should not thrive off of power and social ladders, but rather humility and selflessness. Problems in the law most often arise when one takes advantage of their gifts and gives no consideration to anyone other than themselves. The root of all kinds of evil (greed, lust, racial tension, gender tension, status barriers) are all due to the pride of our sinful nature.

Muslim Laws

Although Islam and Christianity have similar views of theism, there are many differences as well. Islam recognizes Allah as the ultimate lawgiver who has complete control over their fate. Therefore they are held to certain standards of the book of the law and these are extremely strict. Their good and bad are weighed accordingly to determine their ultimate fate and this also will add to the following of the law. Differing from Christianity (where God is merciful to his people and he loves them) Allah is just the ultimate judgement who is impersonal. This type of faith lacks all forms of grace. The laws given to the Islam faith are extremely strict and expected to be followed in accordance with Allah's provision. So although we both answer to an all powerful being (although Islam's is impersonal), there are many differences. The Quran and the Hadith are the basis for their faith whereas we look to the natural law that we believe is divine as well as the written law given to us in the Bible. As Christians we are given freedom within the bounds of God's law whereas the freedom of the Islam faith is extremely restricted. Therefore the Islam and Christian view of law differs greatly.

Standards of the Law

We as humans do not hold the rights to the laws. God is the ultimate law giver and he has made clear his laws in the Bible. Although I do believe that we have an independent responsibility to uphold the laws given to us, I believe that there is a point where we need to divide the rules given to us by government and by God. We are told in the Bible to respect those in authority, and this also means their laws. There comes a point though where we need to recognize if man's laws go against God's laws. In cases where man's law conflicts in when we are given responsibility to interpret laws on our own. We must always reference God's law above any other law and this is when we are to determine the accuracy of the two laws lining up. Overall we must have discernment in a fallen world and we must constantly strive to live for Christ and this means following his law above all else.

Laws

Since Sarah is a Secular Humanist, this makes since. Secular Humanists revolve around the idea that society creates their own rules. This rejects the idea of any spiritual law or law that is above any other (or applicable to all of humanity). As a Christian, I believe there are far more laws beyond what the government instructs. Since we unfortunately do not live in a society that is rooted in the Bible, I believe there are not only laws put in place by the government, but also moral laws that we all should abide by. The idea of God's law is put in place even when traced back to Adam and Eve. They were put in the garden of Eden and were given one simple rule or "law" and they broke it. This is evidence of humanity's sinful nature. Therefore I do not believe that humanity should govern their own laws, but in fact we should be governing ourselves through the law that God has set for us. God is our Creator and he has set laws for us and we are subject to only his judgement in retrospect.

The Christian's View of Feminism

As Christians we should recognize that men and women were created with equal spiritual importance. Men are not superior to women and this is made clear in the Bible. Men and women were created for the same purpose: to bring glory to God. Although we are equal in the eyes of God, we do have different roles on this earth. Women are not meant to be pastors or kings, or roles of such leadership. This is reserved for the men, whose instincts were given for him to be a hard worker. Women are given a more nurturing side, which lends to how women are to care for their family and bear children. Although we are given different responsibilities between the two genders, both roles are significant. I believe that Christian women should not try to assert themselves into the roles that are given to men in the Bible. We should recognize the differences between the roles of each gender but also realize that we are all of equal spiritual importance.

Themes in Pride And Prejudice.

     One of the most evident themes in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is the reputation of women within society. The necessity of a woman fulfilling all the standards of what it means to be "feminine" was crucial at this time. Any woman who defied what society held as normal for a woman, was often looked down upon by other women. For example, when Elizabeth walks all the way to Netherfield and arrives there with her shoes and skirt full of mud, Miss Bingley turns up her nose at her and treats her with less respect. Since it was uncommon for a woman to disregard the way she presented herself, this was shocking to such a reputation oriented Miss Bingley. Also we see the importance of a woman's reputation in the emphasis put on marriage. Mrs. Bennet is a character who cares so much about the reputation of her children that she is nearly obsessed with the idea of her daughters marrying. For instance, in chapter nine Mrs. Bennet brags of Jane saying "I do not like to boast of my own child, but, to be sure, Jane—one does not often see anybody better-looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my own partiality." Mrs. Bennet takes pride in the fact that her daughters possess the qualities of a good spouse. Since reputation was so important in this society, Mrs. Bennet would often brag of how well her daughters were. These necessary feminine qualities for women were what determined the essential reputation of a woman.
        The ideal reader would interpret the marriage theme as mocking the view that marriage is essential in society. The ideal reader should recognize that within this point in history marriage was viewed as important to further one's social status. This point is proved in the first few lines of the novel when it states that "it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Not only did the novel acknowledge that society made it necessary that one finds a spouse, but it also assumes that all singles must be in WANT of a spouse. The fact that Austen says that this point is universally acknowledged shows that this was a very common view at this time. Marriage throughout the novel is seen more as something you must do for financial comfort and stability (as seen the the marriage of Mr. Collins and Charlotte). The only exceptions of this are in the relationships of Elizabeth and Jane to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. Therefore the ideal reader should recognize that marriage in this time was more for financial and societal reasons.
           I believe that marriage is sacred and should be between a man and a woman who both share the same values and therefore plan to spend the rest of their lives together no matter what the terms. I do not think that marriage is a necessity for all people but is for those who long for companionship and commitment. Therefore nowadays I don't think that marriage is seen as more financial and status based, for in most cases it is seen as occurring when you love another. Overall I want to marry someone who treats me well and shares my values, if I don't find someone like that I most likely will not marry.

Sexist? Homophobic?

Although many misinterpret Christians as being homophobic or sexist, this is quite untrue of many. Personally, although I do not agree with the practice, it does not mean that I have a fear or hatred towards them. I just see it as a choice, and although I believe it is a sin, I too sin on a daily basis. I definately do not hate them for the Bible instructs us to love all people. Even Jesus walked with the prostitutes and tax collectors, so who are we to say that we are better than them. But under the charges of Christians being homophobic, this is very untrue. This word literally means a fear of them. Although Christians may not approve, they are not afraid of homosexual people. Christians recognize marraige as a sacred union between a man and a woman, so yes, we do not agree with their practices. As far as the sexes go, men and women were both created in God's image and both are loved equally. Although men and women are very different, we still fall under the same standards in the eyes of God. We must each take responsibility for our roles in this world because we are both called to be followers of Christ, building his kingdom in heaven and expanding his followers. Therefore, we do not discriminate between the sexes for within Genesis our roles are founded.

Sociology.

Personally, I believe that the government cannot be responsible for everything that goes on at home. There must be a point where one's own responsibility must take over for their household. Now if I believed that the government functioned with all of the Christian standards and expectations, without corruption, then maybe I would say that the government should be move involved. The truth is though, the government has corruption in itself, so in an attempt to regulate all family life, there is no way that it would work and still be able to keep the rights that the government has already established. For instance, if one thinks that it is bad to swear around your children to the point of the government interfering, then this would be overstepping the right to freedom of speech. There would be too much overlap and too many different views that are held to be able to effectively control family life. Personally, a spanking is not wrong if a child is misbehaving. I believe that often people do not differentiate between a simple spanking and abuse. But this is where the government must draw the line. As far as abuse goes, the government should have terms and ways to punish these acts, but the government cannot be responsible for every act that takes place in a household. It would be in the government's best interest to involve themselves in acts that are abusive or dangerous, and avoid the little problems within the home. In the Bible, the head of the household needs to take responsibility for their family. I believe if the government was based off of Christian principles, then I would be more encouraged to allow them to work within family life. What is taught in the home should be regulated by the responsibility of those with authority: the parents.

My Subjective Perspective

Although my personal experiences have caused me to see through many different lenses, I am only going to pick out ones that I feel are the most evident in my own lense.

1. I chose a fan as my first symbol. To me the fan represents the fact that I am a woman. I am not as able to understand the circumstances of a man as I am a woman. Therefore, my femininity allows me to not only relate with female characters, but also view things from a feminine background.

2. I chose a flower as my second symbol. This represents my love of nature. I believe the fact that I love being surrounded by nature makes me more able to pick out points within a work of liturature where I believe nature plays a large role. On a different level I love to analyze whether the concept of nature vs. nurture is present. (This could relate to my love of psychology, and analyzing the human mind).

3. Next I chose a small stuffed animal. This represents my youth. I have not experienced the years that many others older than me have. I have not lived in generations before the 90's and this could bias my views alot.

4. This symbol will tie into my third. I chose a floppy disk because this represents that I have lived in an age with a reliance upon technology. I may not always be able to relate to times when there was no such thing as "Google," as well as the fact that most jobs required much more manual labor without technology.

5. My fifth symbol is an American flag key chain. This is to represent the fact that I am an American. I have not experienced many cultures outside of my own and therefore cannot fully understand them. When I am reading works of literature, this can have a huge impact on my understanding.

Feminist Lense- Death of a Salesman

           In the play, Death of a Salesman, the character Linda depicts the author's view of women within this time. Linda was purposeful in becoming the best "housewife" she could be. She took responsibility and care for her family and was concerned both with how their family managed themselves as well as how they appeared to their neighbors and other peers. At this point in history the typical woman was viewed as submissive, and only necessary in the jobs around the house. Linda is usually seen only around the house. Her main locations are the living room, bedroom, and kitchen. Often times her stage directions will be "carrying a washbin" or always retrieving what other character's need. Within the first couple scenes the stage directions even indicate that Linda was "taking off [Willy's] shoes" for him. As the view of a successful household was changing, the woman's role became that of submission to the men around her. Linda was always working  hard to keep the men around her happy and living in comfort. This trait was often seen with the women of this time.

             Furthermore, Linda's relationship with Willy is the most obvious evidence of the view of women within this time. Willy represents the typical man who takes advantage of the women in his life and rely on them for comfort and support while giving them nothing in return. For example, Linda constantly will refer to her husband as "dear" or "darling" while he shows her no mutual treatment of affection. She will constantly make excuses for his rude temperment and shows infinite patience. This presents the woman figure as someone who is weak and will not stand up for herself if it means going against a male figure in her life. All of Linda's actions are in order to make Willy feel comfortable, constantly complementing him saying "Willy, darling, you're the handsomest man in the world" (43). It is evident that the affection from a woman was much for present then that from the man. She is also seen as constantly worrying for her husband and family. She will make sure Willy has everything he needs before he leaves the house and will remind him of small things saying "Be careful on the subway stairs" (75) as if he was a child. The woman figure is presented as the one that must tend to everyone else's needs and make sure that everyone else is well prepared.
                The women are also seen as the one's that hold the men back from persuing a life beyond the home. Since the women are seen as such subservient wives who are completely tied to the home, when Willy hopes to leave the comforts of home she attempts to convince him that everything around home is much better. She not only will respond this way to only Willy, but for the sake of Willy she will react quite differently to her sons. She shouts "Don't you care whether [Willy] lives or dies?" (117). Even in the midst of trying to convince herself that Willy's affair was not true, she will do anything to protect Willy. She demands the respect towards Willy from her children, whether he deserves it or not. The male figure is seen as one that will take advantage of women and disrespect them, even to the length of having an affair. Linda is made to be a wife who at all cost, nomatter what the situation, she will always stay loyal to her husband. Therfore, overall the men are seen to have ultimate control over the women in their lives while the women are intentionally submissive.

Photo Journal Walk

When I think back on this last year of my life I can honestly say that it has been one of the best. I have met people that have already had such a great impact on my life and I have grown closer to people who have encouraged me in so many ways. This walk was honestly exactly what I needed right now. Winter is always so crazy for me, with basketball and schoolwork I feel like I’m always struggling to find any time to myself. It still hasn’t sunk in yet that this will be my last year in high school, I mean my whole life has pretty much been routine so far because every year’s schedule has been pretty similar to the last. I chose to take my walk at a small park in downtown Kent that I used to LOVE to go to. I chose a really good day too because the pond was frozen over and there was still some snow on the ground so it was absolutely beautiful. It is funny because I remember that park seeming so much bigger when I was a kid, and now it seems so small. I never realize that my perception of everything around me is changing until a few years go by and I return to a place I haven’t been for a while. It is hard to put in words besides that it felt strange, but not necessarily in a bad way. I used to be so afraid of when it would be time to leave high school and head on to college, but as it grows closer and closer I feel ready. I feel like everything high school had in store for me was worth while and I got everything I could have out of it. Honestly, I’m really happy with how these four years have turned out, even with the ups and downs. The main thing that I got out of my walk is that I realized that I’m confident with where I am in life right now, and I’m ready for a new environment. I honestly can’t wait to see what college will be like and I hope that in everything I will always stay close to what I’ve accepted as my personal truth: my faith in Jesus Christ. I hope that my life will never get so hectic that I begin to lose time for the one thing that will bring me peace. I feel like over this last year I truly made my foundation for who I want to be, and now I’m ready to see where it takes me.