Many are quick to blame all religion for the abuses and crimes of some kooks. Jesus never taught the things they do. They distort the gospel to serve their own perverted interests.
But then, we do the same thing politically. Our party system makes enemies of us all. The Constitution was designed to ensure our rights, freedoms and help us work together as citizens. Yet politicians abuse it for their own gain and we end up hating each other along party lines.
Parties are a lot like cults. We pay homage to flawed leaders, follow and defend policies that serve special interests and benifit mainly the elite. And we mistrust and spew venom at anyone who marches to a different drummer.
The problems aren't caused by faith in either the Constitution or the Savior. But rather in "radical clerics" of whatever flavor. And in our tendency to be an us vs. them society. People who are quick to criticize but apathetic about extending a hand. Sad!
This was submitted to Huffington Post as a response to anti-religious comments after an article about cults.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mona-ackerman/when-a-loved-one-joins-a-_b_78302.html
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Beauty
Recently a study showed a higher rate of suicide among women who had breast augmentation surgery. Some of the responses to the article at Huffington Post talked a lot about insecurities and depression, but little about why.
We've created a society where women would rather be cut open and mutilated than learn to be comfortable with themselves. Where self esteem comes from a knife and a bottle instead of from within. Where we tell them they must look anorexic, but with disproportionate breasts and plaster faces. Where if they look natural and age normally they're ugly and somehow less valuable. And if they commit suicide they must be flawed.
The flaw isn't so much in the tortured soul as it is the sick machine that causes the pain in the first place. The fashion industry. Hollywood. Advertising. Television. Cosmetic medicine. And a gullible public that has come to believe their propaganda.
We were outraged when the truth came out about the tobacco industry and how they lied. We tried to make them responsible for the deaths they caused. Yet we are silent when our daughters suffer and die from eating disorders. When women jeopardize their health with fad diets and pills. When we spend many millions every year so doctors can inject poison in our faces and other, more brutal procedures so we can look the way we're told we must look.
Real beauty can't be painted on or carved into the skin. It doesn't come from a syringe. No amount of cutting or stretching can create it. It comes from within. It shines from a smile. It twinkles in the eyes. It radiates from a woman who knows & likes herself, and as a result can love others. It comes from the joy of serving others. From loving and being loved. From appreciating happiness after enduring sorrow. It's a reflection of the eyes of her children.
I've seen plenty of real beauty in women who society would consider plain or even disfigured. I rarely, if ever, see it in those who are obsessed with their looks. If you think about it seriously, I bet you'll agree.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/08/study-women-with-breast-_n_59719.html
We've created a society where women would rather be cut open and mutilated than learn to be comfortable with themselves. Where self esteem comes from a knife and a bottle instead of from within. Where we tell them they must look anorexic, but with disproportionate breasts and plaster faces. Where if they look natural and age normally they're ugly and somehow less valuable. And if they commit suicide they must be flawed.
The flaw isn't so much in the tortured soul as it is the sick machine that causes the pain in the first place. The fashion industry. Hollywood. Advertising. Television. Cosmetic medicine. And a gullible public that has come to believe their propaganda.
We were outraged when the truth came out about the tobacco industry and how they lied. We tried to make them responsible for the deaths they caused. Yet we are silent when our daughters suffer and die from eating disorders. When women jeopardize their health with fad diets and pills. When we spend many millions every year so doctors can inject poison in our faces and other, more brutal procedures so we can look the way we're told we must look.
Real beauty can't be painted on or carved into the skin. It doesn't come from a syringe. No amount of cutting or stretching can create it. It comes from within. It shines from a smile. It twinkles in the eyes. It radiates from a woman who knows & likes herself, and as a result can love others. It comes from the joy of serving others. From loving and being loved. From appreciating happiness after enduring sorrow. It's a reflection of the eyes of her children.
I've seen plenty of real beauty in women who society would consider plain or even disfigured. I rarely, if ever, see it in those who are obsessed with their looks. If you think about it seriously, I bet you'll agree.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/08/study-women-with-breast-_n_59719.html
Saturday, February 17, 2007
"Do-Something Democrats"
Senator Kennedy recently wrote an article at Huffington Post. First he decried the Republicans for being the do-nothing congress. Then he applauded the Dems, calling them the "Do_Something Democrats." As proof, he touted himself for "dramatically reforming our education financing system" by introducing legislation to reduce student loan interest rates.
Making a decent education more affordable is a good thing. And I'm glad at least someone thinks members of congress can accomplish anything!
But I think it's a little early for that moniker, Mr. Kennedy. Your party took control of congress with grandios promises to make sweeping changes in the first 100 hours. Paramount on that list was ending the war in Iraq and raising the ethics bar in Washington. After all the negative screeching about Pres. Bush and his "lies and illegal war", all you could come up with was a SYMBOLIC statement against escalating the battle. How pathetic is that? Where is the bitter resolve we've been listening to for years?
And the ethics reform? A couple of small hoops for lobbyists to tiptoe through as they do their influence peddling dance around the halls of congress. What about ending the lobby entirely? What about making members of congress responsible for their actions?
How do you and the others in the new-improved legislature sleep at night? You make non-binding statements and minor changes to make yourself look good, and all the while you continue to pad your wallets with corporate money and turn your backs on your constituents and the young people dying overseas. Each time you pat yourselves on the back it makes a distictly hollow sound!
Do you really want to accomplish something? Get everybody together and put a stop to the war. Then permanently end the lobby and make profound ethical changes. Then put a stranglehold on corporate oil, drugs and tobacco. Do that, and you'll have the whole country behind you to accomplish all the other things we desperately need.
Making a decent education more affordable is a good thing. And I'm glad at least someone thinks members of congress can accomplish anything!
But I think it's a little early for that moniker, Mr. Kennedy. Your party took control of congress with grandios promises to make sweeping changes in the first 100 hours. Paramount on that list was ending the war in Iraq and raising the ethics bar in Washington. After all the negative screeching about Pres. Bush and his "lies and illegal war", all you could come up with was a SYMBOLIC statement against escalating the battle. How pathetic is that? Where is the bitter resolve we've been listening to for years?
And the ethics reform? A couple of small hoops for lobbyists to tiptoe through as they do their influence peddling dance around the halls of congress. What about ending the lobby entirely? What about making members of congress responsible for their actions?
How do you and the others in the new-improved legislature sleep at night? You make non-binding statements and minor changes to make yourself look good, and all the while you continue to pad your wallets with corporate money and turn your backs on your constituents and the young people dying overseas. Each time you pat yourselves on the back it makes a distictly hollow sound!
Do you really want to accomplish something? Get everybody together and put a stop to the war. Then permanently end the lobby and make profound ethical changes. Then put a stranglehold on corporate oil, drugs and tobacco. Do that, and you'll have the whole country behind you to accomplish all the other things we desperately need.
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