What I really do not understand is how it is possible that people would want to worship a god who they believe wants them to kill other people, particularly for such blatantly hateful and unimportant reasons. Maybe it is idealistic, but I choose to believe in a god who loves everyone regardless of race, sexual preference, personal choices, and even religion. In my mind, if you are a good person, then God loves you. It is as simple as that. It is seriously disturbing to me that there are people in the world who actually think that bombing things and killing people who do not have the same beliefs as they do is a good thing, and in fact a necessary thing, to do.
This video also really makes me question the images that people in other countries see of Americans. After seeing the pictures of “Bible Boot Camp” and things of the like, it would be understandable for people in other countries to think that that is how all Americans are, and that it not only untrue, it is absurd. When the media or anyone else portrays an entire group in a one-dimensional way, especially when it is negative, perceptions will always get skewed. (part 2)
I remember this video from a couple of years ago when I took Soc 119, and it gave me the chills this time just as much as it did the first time I watched it. I know better than to judge an entire group of people or an entire religion based on extremists, but at the same time, if I had never seen or heard anything positive about Islam or encountered any ordinary Muslim people in my life, I think that I would be more disturbed and frightened by this video. In truth, although I do not live in fear of terrorism or believe that the majority of people who follow the Islam faith want to kill everyone who does not believe their religious views, things like this video are still somewhat frightening to me because they show what certain people are capable of. All of those terrible bombings and killings over so many years were committed by people on a so-called religious mission. (part 1)
Being transgender is something that I have always believed would be extremely difficult. But I personally believe that if a person is transgender and identifies with one sex over the other, then people should simply accept them as being that sex, no questions asked. If Mr. Devoureau is not a man, then what is he? Because he sure is not a female, either. Where would he fit in gender classification to the people who fired him? They cannot really say that he is not a man since in our world we only think of people as being one of two sexes, male or female. And it is very clear that Mr. Devoureau is not a woman. It would have been one thing if he was fired for making the men he was monitoring uncomfortable, but that is not the case. This is a case of clear discrimination against a transgendered person, and that is wrong. I hope that when he has his day in court, the judge and jury side with him and not with his former employer, because not only would it help Mr. Devoureau, it could possibly help other transgendered people in his position gain more rights and equality in the workforce. (part 2)
In agreement with some of the other responses I read, this article immediately took me back to the article we read for the last exam about the five sexes and how our world is based around only having two different sexes when in reality there are plenty of people out there who were born with portions of both male and female parts. I do not necessarily think that “What is a man?” is the best question to ask in this case. I think the better question is “What is gender?” or “How do you distinguish gender?” It is absolutely ridiculous to discriminate against anyone, and it seems to me as if punishing someone for being transgendered is no different than punishing because of their race, age, or sexual orientation. It is a horrible and nonsensical thing to do, and I really wonder if it will ever completely go away. (part 1)
The thing that this woman said about dying from the inside out is something that I never would have thought about, but it makes a lot of sense. The fear that I think I would feel if I lived somewhere that I was always at risk of being killed or having something happen to my family and friends would be absolutely paralyzing.
My whole life, I have been extremely anti-war. But more than that, I am unable to even comprehend how anyone would think that the way to solve any problem would be to kill people. Terrorism is of course terrible, but how many terrorists are there in a country that the United States decides to bomb and claim that it is for our citizens’ safety? What about the innocent people’s safety in those countries? And why does the U.S. always think that they are right? Our country is far from perfect. If the government ever claims that they are helping the citizens of other countries who are being “oppressed” by their home governments, all I can think is that we should fix our own country before we decide that we should “fix” others. (part 2)
It amazes me when I hear stories like this that anyone is actually pro-war to the point that they think it is okay to disregard the horror that innocent civilians are forced to go through. I do not think that Americans really realize how lucky they are that there has never been a war on American soil. Yes, the September eleventh terrorist attack was horrible. But one attack, no matter how terrifying, is nothing compared to the things that some people have to go through in war-torn countries. We do not think about the parents that have to try to protect and console their children. We do not think about the psychological trauma that people face in addition to any physical trauma that may occur. We do not think about the people who lose their homes, lose their loved ones, lose everything that they own, and then have nowhere to go and even if they rebuild they are at risk of being bombed again. (part 1)
Additionally, I really find it very interesting that many people in prison feel as if they are freer there than they ever were before. I never would have even considered that before taking this class and reading blogs like this one, but now I am beginning to understand. I do not feel most free when I make the decision to walk across the street and get lunch, or go to a movie or concert with my friends, or any activity like that. I feel most free when I am dancing, or singing, or reading books, or writing songs; things that not only am I able to do by myself but also can do in the privacy of my own room if I want to. And I also understand how so many people find religion over the years in prison, and how that can be very freeing. I am really glad that we have the opportunity to read these blogs and discuss these things in class, because I feel like I am learning a lot and really broadening my horizons by learning these kinds of things. (part 2)
I can see how it would be very frustrating for people to categorize you as something that you are not, especially when that thing is being a murderer. I am not going to pretend to understand everything about the legal system, but it seems to me that unless a person actually takes another person’s life themselves, they should not be locked up for the rest of their lives. I mean, there are probably a very large number of cases in which someone happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and had no idea that someone would be killed when they decided to go into that situation. When Sam talked in class about the 14-year-old boy who had no idea that his older friend was going to kill a man, but happened to be with him when he did it, got sentenced to life in prison, it really made me question the legal system. What kind of jury would make the decision to take away that child’s entire future for a crime that he not only did not commit, but also had no idea was going to happen? Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. (part 1)
When I saw that Ireland was one of the countries where religion is declining, I had a mixed reaction. In one way, I was surprised. I studied in Ireland last spring and came to realize that religion is an extremely important part of the culture, particularly in Northern Ireland, something that I had read and learned about but needed to witness for myself before I could truly grasp the truth of it. On the other hand, though, I was not surprised, because since it is such a central part of the culture, and something that families may even forcefully put upon younger generations, those younger generations may want to rebel. In any case, I cannot foresee organized religion completely vanishing from any country, let alone multiple ones, in the near or even far off future. (part 3)
I was brought up Catholic. My family went to church every single week, even if we were on vacation. We went to Mexico a number of times, and even though no one in my family spoke Spanish, my parents still would make me go to church with them on Sunday mornings when we were there. Since I started college, I have been going to church less, mostly because I do not know what religion I am, but I do not think that it is Catholic since I have contradictory beliefs to a great deal of their teachings. But even I still go on religious holidays (Ash Wednesday, Black Friday, Christmas, Easter, etc.) and when I am at home. And when I go, something about it makes me feel good. I know that when I get married and possibly have children of my own, I will go to church every week, whether the church I choose is Catholic or another religion or branch of Christianity. (part 2)
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