Government is not the answer...

CPAC has been meeting over the weekend. I will admit, I haven't paid much attention to it, except for what liberal talk show hosts have said about it. It appears that Rush Limbaugh, has taken front and center of the stage. Which is so disturbing, because I always equated Rush with Howard Stern, loud and offensive, but not to be taken seriously.

That said, it obvious that I don't believe in the mainstream conservative movement, and feel morally opposed to many of their views. That said, one tenet of Republicanism, and libertarianism for that matter, that I strongly approve of is personal responsibility. I do believe that people should on their own make choices that are wise and responsible. I also think people should make choices that don't harm others.

Unfortunately, I find that most people don't.


Recently, while scanning my local television network's website for local news, I found an article about our city passing a law banning smoking in the car with children.

As I read through the comments, I noticed a disturbing trend. A few people who commented favored this legislation. The majority strongly opposed this legislation.

I understood their opposition. Should individual freedoms be infringed upon for the welfare of the good?

And I might have stayed sympathetic, if so many weren't adamant that they would continue to smoke in front of their children.

Despite all the evidence that second hand smoke is unhealthy for children, these people felt their rights to smoke outweighed their child's right to health.

And so despite my reservations, I am now convinced that the law needs to be passed, because children can't protect themselves, we need to make it illegal to harm them. (yes yes, this is so a heated statement, but let's get there when we get there.) Although what I would prefer is that laws weren't made but instead people took personal responsibility for their behavior and behaved in a way that both protected themselves and everyone else.

And perhaps, if a person's behavior was only affecting themselves, I would be willing to let them pay the consequences for their actions by themselves. But the reality is that the consequences of irresponsibility often have more victims that just the irresponsible.

Ironically enough, the next legislation my city government is working on: Banning texting while driving. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29186208/

The Bible

Today, as my husband and I drove to a local coffee shop, so that he could do some studying and I could catch up on paperwork, we began a discussion of the bible. Perhaps I should clarify, I began a monologue about the bible and he listened, grunted in agreement, and gave a few personal thoughts.

I've always known that I wasn't a so called based "scripture based" Christian. Which isn't to say that I don't read the bible. I have read the bible. (Or at least most of it. I do admit to skipping a lot of the lists of names in Genesis).

But the truth of the matter is that I find the Bible to be full of contradictions. And so much is up for debate:

For instance take the sixth commandment: thou shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17)

If you google the 6th commandment you will find multiple entries about the commandment in which people try to analyze the commandment based on their own beliefs and experiences:

http://www.biblestudy.org/question/what-does-thou-shall-not-kill-mean.html

http://www.deathreference.com/Sy-Vi/Thou-Shalt-Not-Kill.html

http://www.thenazareneway.com/thou_shalt_not_kill.htm


For me, the debate is relevant in the case of abortion, the death penalty, and war.

The death penalty is easy for me, I strongly believe it is wrong. That is a life, and whatever the sins of that person, it should not be up to us to end the life of another.

Abortion is more complicated, for me the decision is whether ending a life is right or wrong, but instead when is it a life. My thoughts on that matter shall be saved for another post.

War is also a shade of gray, particularly as I view innocent people who are not actually part of the conflict being the ones to pay the price. And yet, I can see that sometimes we are left with no alternative.

So that said, I simply don't take the bible as the end all be all in terms of my faith. Instead I find that each spiritual and personal issue must be weighed individually. I find that Bible is an imperfect resource as all resources are.

There is an exception to this: The Gospels. Or perhaps I shouldn't say that it is an exception, I just give more weight to the Gospels. While a great deal of the Bible is relevant to the times it was written, (including most of the New Testament) I find the Jesus' message to continue to be relevant in this day and age.

Introduction

I have a million posts floating through my head, and the desire to share my thoughts is overwhelming, so I finally have committed to putting my thoughts into the public forum.

I am a Christian, in so much that I believe without a question of doubt that God and Jesus are one in the same. I believe that Jesus walked this earth for the purpose of saving our souls. And I believe he died for our sins.

And that is what I have in common with conservative Christians.

Otherwise:

I support gay marriage.

I vote pro-choice.

I believe evolution should be taught in schools.

I believe sex education should be taught in schools.

I wish for universal health care.

I do not believe that you have to be "Christian" to be "saved".

I am anti death penalty.

Each of these feelings, and many more to be explored, do not conflict with my faith.

This is the purpose of this blog. It is an attempt to work through my faith and my political view points. It is a personal journey of a liberal, spiritual woman.