en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/769512 Comments by lifeonpurpose https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71220778 Precious. I feel like my heart got bigger just after watching those videos. A friend of mine is in need of a heart transplant and the wait for a healthy organ and all those other complications are incredibly overwhelming. That man who helped the woman with kidney failure really is an angel on Earth. It makes me wonder why he helped her? I’d love to ask him. What inside you spurred you offer your organ to someone you hardly knew? Was it because it would make you feel good inside, or your primary goal was to help her? I do believe that inside each and every one of us we enjoy helping someone and seeing how our work benefitted them, but not to this length. Actually donating an organ is on a whole different level of service and humbleness. I’m trying to place myself in his shoes and offering a vital organ to a complete stranger is a foreign concept to me. I struggle with this and doubt that I would be able to do it. I guess it’s hard to truly know how you’d react when you’re not in the situation, but I’m certain it wouldn’t be an easy decision. I greatly admire his servant heart. It should be inspirational for us all. Speaking of caring for others, today I saw a commercial on the TV by The Foundation for a Better Life that was uplifting. It was fairly stereotypical; a girl walked into what appeared to be a high school cafeteria and had no place to sit. She chose to sit at a table with a few other girls who looked inviting but they got up and left after she sat down. One casual observer noticed the girl sitting by herself and left her table of friends to sit with her. The message at the end of the video said “reaching out. Pass it on.” GREAT message. Simply taking time out of one’s day to pay attention to people and lend them your ear goes a long way. A friend of mine is a nursing major and while at work she was assigned a stubborn patient who just wanted to die and refused to take a bath or eat. She offered to give him a massage, which enabled him to open up and within 4 hours a transformation had taken place. He was up, clean, and combed his hair. He even wrote a poem and dedicated it to her (not in a creeper way, just in the appreciative way). We should all think about ourselves a little less and others a little more. That last video with the young boy was one of the cutest things my eyes have seen in a while. Thu, 29 Apr 2010 06:53:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71220778 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71221041 Precious. I feel like my heart got bigger just after watching those videos. A friend of mine is in need of a heart transplant and the wait for a healthy organ and all those other complications are incredibly overwhelming. That man who helped the woman with kidney failure really is an angel on Earth. It makes me wonder why he helped her? I’d love to ask him. What inside you spurred you offer your organ to someone you hardly knew? Was it because it would make you feel good inside, or your primary goal was to help her? I do believe that inside each and every one of us we enjoy helping someone and seeing how our work benefitted them, but not to this length. Actually donating an organ is on a whole different level of service and humbleness. I’m trying to place myself in his shoes and offering a vital organ to a complete stranger is a foreign concept to me. I struggle with this and doubt that I would be able to do it. I guess it’s hard to truly know how you’d react when you’re not in the situation, but I’m certain it wouldn’t be an easy decision. I greatly admire his servant heart. It should be inspirational for us all. Speaking of caring for others, today I saw a commercial on the TV by The Foundation for a Better Life that was uplifting. It was fairly stereotypical; a girl walked into what appeared to be a high school cafeteria and had no place to sit. She chose to sit at a table with a few other girls who looked inviting but they got up and left after she sat down. One casual observer noticed the girl sitting by herself and left her table of friends to sit with her. The message at the end of the video said “reaching out. Pass it on.” GREAT message. Simply taking time out of one’s day to pay attention to people and lend them your ear goes a long way. A friend of mine is a nursing major and while at work she was assigned a stubborn patient who just wanted to die and refused to take a bath or eat. She offered to give him a massage, which enabled him to open up and within 4 hours a transformation had taken place. He was up, clean, and combed his hair. He even wrote a poem and dedicated it to her (not in a creeper way, just in the appreciative way). We should all think about ourselves a little less and others a little more. That last video with the young boy was one of the cutest things my eyes have seen in a while. Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:53:30 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/stories-for-uplift__trashed/#IDComment71221041 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68419491 Absolutely. All the cultural pressures that we put on the expectations of what it is to be a “man” or “woman” are faced by everyone. The expectations are brought to light when the little boy who only wants to play with the girls at recess rather than rough sports with the boys, and when the girl who hates wearing bras; it’s just that we (girls and boys) face different expectations or societal pressures. Men are supposed to be manly and not express their emotions while females are supposed to be mild mannered. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the pressures that the other gender faces simply because we’re imposing the expectations and not receiving them. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:57:56 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68419491 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68417911 The good thing about this lecture is that it showed a different perspective. It opened our eyes to the other side and what they see and experience. It’s important to be able to understand the other party involved in a conflict in order to find eventually find peace. And because of that, the lecture on the “Christian Invaders” was beneficial. However I think he missed a few points. How exactly do people form judgments against others from a different culture? How do we Americans construct these stereotypes against those from the Middle East, and how do Middle Easterners form the judgments against us? By word of mouth, personal interactions and experiences, and the media. These are the 3 points that weren’t discussed as deeply as they should have been. Due to the level of trust that exists amongst family members and friends, their opinions have a powerful sway on an individual’s judgment. This is true in nearly every situation, especially if you’ve never experienced what they’re talking about and are relying on their experiences to form your own conclusions. So naturally, the gentlemen whose car was run over would have negative emotions towards the immature American soldiers who ran over their car. Most likely their friends and family members feel the same way. And for the people whose kids were given the candy by the kind American soldiers maybe have warm feelings towards the “Christian invaders.” Perhaps their friends and family members feel the way same way as well. If you rely on the information given to you by those you know, you’re only going to see one side of the argument. A noteworthy influence on the minds of the people is that of the media. Yes, the media in America is different than the media in the Middle East, but I believe there is still an impact. The media has a powerful role in the way people view other cultures because not every Iraqi or Afghanistan citizen is going to come in contact with an American soldier and vice versa. If you don’t get your information from those you know or personal experiences the next logical place to look is the media. In this realm, you can find whatever information fits best to you; 9/11 didn’t actually happen, Barack Obama is a terrorist … the list goes on. This is the danger and beauty in the media as it exists today; but the potential for propaganda is the worst. We experienced propaganda right before we decided to go to war. The media all over the nation sided with Bush and convinced many Americans that going to war was the right thing to do. Propaganda is powerful. So while I agree with Sam’s purpose of opening our minds to what they see, I think it’s important to keep propaganda into account (on BOTH sides). Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:44:52 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/christian-invaders-the-turnaround__trashed/#IDComment68417911 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66873177 The issue of slavery is very difficult to grasp because of its enormity. And with any issue of this size it’s hard to encourage people to take action because the extent of the problem is numbing. People feel incompetent to create a movement, and individuals become anonymous in the masses and feel powerless. In order for anyone to see significant change in the slave trade I do think the first step is to acknowledge that slavery exists. I think many people are still in denial about the existence of slavery – we were taught in history class that slavery was this awful trade that existed in the beginning stages of America but we ended that. And with the help of Martin Luther King Jr., blacks were able to receive all their rights. Unfortunately our classes forgot to mention to us that slavery still exists and on a more global level than before. As a side note, I think it’s natural for humans to want to believe the best in situations rather than the worst. So obviously we would ignore those crazy people who contradict those history lessons. Back to step one for a second. Think about it, if we all made an oath to spread the reality of slavery to our clubs, friends, families, work places, and homes that’s a pretty significant amount of people whose eyes would be opened. And in all those people if there are a few who feel inspired to join organizations to actively fight slavery, great! Knowledge is a great tool though, very effective to starting movements. As for step two, I think it should be interpreted as a personal calling. One of the easiest things to do would be to only purchase the free trade products that we talked about in class. Other options would be to join movements that are already invested in ending slavery. Groups like USAS (United Students Against Sweatshops – not quite slavery but very close to it), IJM (International Justice Mission), Free the Slaves and a bunch of other groups. The three ways to join them would be with your money, time, or talents. Clearly one’s involvement in these organizations is dependent on their time and how much they can give to help a movement like this. And if you feel led to, why not start a movement yourself? Who knows what your future is meant to be and if there’s a strong desire in you to end the injustice, maybe your voice is the voices that needs to be heard to bring and end to slavery. Keep in mind that every little thing counts. “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” (James Baldwin). Fri, 9 Apr 2010 21:01:07 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66873177 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65687676 I think it is great! This class has opened my eyes to the importance of diversity in peoples’ lives and if the whites are no longer majority, then perhaps it would be harder to run away from diversity. Also I think it would strengthen the culture of white people and maybe even instill a sense of pride that is lacking. I am not talking about white racist pride, but the pride that other cultures have in their own culture. I look forward to the day when America is in all honesty the big melting pot that it claims to be. Sat, 3 Apr 2010 02:50:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment65687676 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment65675966 If we’re concerned about people getting offended then we need to attach a disclaimer onto nearly every statement. It seems as though people interpret things differently, due to their diverse backgrounds, and consequently get fired up if they feel offended. The people who are conducted the research for the census should, I would assume, have a good grasp on what words people will/will not find offensive. If negro is one of them then right on the census there should be an explanation as to why that word is included. This would clear up any miscommunications and misconstrued meanings that could be inferred. Sat, 3 Apr 2010 01:12:42 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment65675966 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65675366 I think the class tends to make these issues black and white when they aren’t. Sam’s recent comments about how you should identify with the ethnicity you feel closest too seems to be an appropriate thing to say, but why not be both? Why not consider yourself white AND Puerto Rican. I realize it’s almost like an identity crisis, not being able to feel strongly towards one side of the ethnicity/race chain. So why put yourself in that position which makes you feel like you need to “choose” which side to be on. Obviously, if you feel like you can connect more with Hispanics because of the culture you were raised in, then consider yourself a Hispanic. But if you feel torn and believe that aspects of both cultures resonate with you, let them resonate. Be part of both cultures, don’t fight it. It’s not a bad thing to connect more with Hispanics in some cultural areas and white in others. It seems as though the reason for the confusion is because of soc 119 and how Sam makes the distinction between white and black and brown people so clear when it isn’t. He did admit that the distinction isn’t as obvious as he’s making it but for the sake of his lecture and topics discussed it class it makes it easier. Seems like the best way to tackle this issue is to think more on this topic and ask yourself if you’ve discovered this (this sort of racial identity crisis) throughout your life or just in this class? If it is the former, then try and think back to the experiences that invoked these emotions within you and try and pinpoint why you felt that way. Multiracial people must feel ostracized by society. There are many situations that encourage multiracial people to feel excluded from the masses; for instance, in all the forms that are filled out in which you bubble in your race. There is usually an option for “other,” but still it is another way to say “you don’t belong.” I recently met an Australian studying abroad at Penn State for the semester who was born in South Africa, lived there till he was ten and then moved to Australia. He has literally split his life in half in two different countries. He confessed to me that while he is in the United States he feels Australian, but once he’s back in Australia he feels South African. Not only would this be hard to handle because of feeling confused about his racial identity but also the feeling of not belonging anywhere. That feeling of not belonging is the issue many multiracial people face, or so it seems. Sat, 3 Apr 2010 01:07:47 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment65675366 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64269964 This class does focus a lot on the blacks vs. white battle. Perhaps the reason for this is due to the long history white Americans have had with Africans and slavery and rights for blacks. What do I think of Asians? Eh, I suppose I don’t think much about it. Honestly, it seems like a forgotten race, or the race that will take over the world (or that’s the way it’s presented in my business classes). I’d like for us to talk about Asians and other ethnicities; I do think that with the lessons of the different stages of awakening and so forth will be enlightening. That it will shine light on other ethnicities and their struggle of identity in America. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:42:58 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64269964 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64268442 I think this discussion that has been going on about bleeding has been right on (by Sam) and that people in the class are overreacting. Menstruation is NATURAL. I don’t understand why it’s disgusting. I don’t understand why it’s pushed under the rug and we’re not encouraged to talk about it. I’m not saying that I desire to talk about my period 24-7 but the freedom to talk about it in public would be ideal. The freedom to say what I want about it and not feel uncomfortable or that I was crossing lines would be optimal. However, I think our society is one that is closed and not open to discussion of private issues and periods is an issue that happens to have that label. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:33:41 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64268442 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64267967 What was most shocking to me about that video is the fact that these young black children said the black dolls were the bad dolls and the white dolls were the good dolls. It was also shocking that they said they wanted to play with the white dolls more than the black dolls, but from some of the responses that we got in class it makes sense. That our media is so saturated with white people (movies, commercials, cartoons), it seems to be almost instinctual that a young child would want to play with something they are surrounded with and see all the time. Not that it makes it any better – it’s still disturbing and unsettling. This triggers the thought of race issues at a young age and how it is different amongst races. We also mentioned this in class. That those in the minority deal with racial issues before a white person does; that the parent of a black, brown, or mixed child needs to have the race discussion before the parent of a white child. That’s obvious to me in my own life. Being a white girl and having grown up in suburbia heaven in an area north of Pittsburgh there wasn’t much diversity. Come to think of it, I’m not sure if I ever had “the race talk” with my parents. I can remember learning about massacres that happened (like slavery and various genocides) in history class in high school, but there was never a moment in time in which I had to face racism. When I say “face racism” I mean being a victim of it or having a discussion about race with those who were victims. College and this race and ethnicities class has been incredibly eye opening for me, in the best way possible. The video is very telling. Children can’t mask their emotions or their thoughts, and watching these young kids choose the white babies over the black babies is one strong example of how this is a white society. That those who are white are more privileged than minorities. It’s upsetting. It’s upsetting that these children are taught through culture to feel inferior at such a young age. Somehow through social cues they learn that being white is more attractive and acceptable than being black. I think it would be interesting to see this experiment done on other minorities, like Latinos, Asians, etc. to see if the results vary or remain the same amongst the different ethnicities. I would imagine that the results would be fairly consistent. It would also be interesting to keep performing this study every ten years or so and see if and how the mindset changes. Eventually whites won’t be the majority, so maybe each ethnicity will be more proud (or comfortable) of their own culture and not have a desire to be like another. Perhaps that’s quixotic … Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:28:36 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64267967 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59988389 Well this sure is an anomaly. The only reason I can think of as to why whites are the majority on the show is because whites are the majority of the population in America. I would hope that the network isn’t discriminating against other ethnicities, but as we’ve learned so far in Soc 119 it seems as though the system is in place to benefit whites – and that racism occurs under our noses and we are not aware of it’s existence. The best solution would be for the network to be addressed about this issue so its actions aren’t repeated on future episodes. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 04:15:33 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59988389 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59986784 I was not aware of any themed parties that exist that are racist against black people or African Americans. The themed parties I can think of off the top of my head include: 80s, CEOs and corporate hoes, Jersey Shore, ugly sweaters and I suppose Halloween could be included in that. As far as I know none of those have any undertones of discrimination against blacks. But who knows, maybe I’m naïve and ignorant to the real underlying issues. I think to give the argument more support it’d be good to give specific examples of themed parties that are racist. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 04:03:54 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties__trashed/#IDComment59986784 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment59985864 This is absurd. Abercrombie and Fitch handled this poorly. I see two problems at hand: 1. They lied, telling the girl the headscarf was acceptable which allowed her to belief that there would be no issue and then fired her on account of wearing the hijab. 2. They are clearly violating the first amendment to the Constitution which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The hijab is worn for reasons based on religious doctrine. In the book Hadith of Sahih Bukhari it says, “My Lord agreed with me ('Umar) in three things... (2) And as regards the veiling of women, I said 'O Allah's Apostle! I wish you ordered your wives to cover themselves from the men because good and bad ones talk to them.' So the verse of the veiling of the women was revealled" Obviously this is a religious teaching. On the U.S. Department of State website, it talks about how the United States is a country dedicated to aiding religious NGOs, assisting new democratic countries in promoting freedom of religion, “Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries;” and most importantly “Identify and denounce regimes that are severe persecutors of their citizens or others on the basis of religious belief.” As distinctly stated, the United States has a strong stance on the issue of religious freedom and we even encourage it in other countries. How is it possible then that these standards are not enforced to the companies within the country that is so open and tolerant to all religious beliefs? The young woman complied with the requests of Abercrombie and Fitch, wearing only blue, gray, or white headscarfs, yet she was fired for no apparent reason other than her hijab. I fail to see how wearing the hijab is a threat to the sales of their company or in any way offensive to customers. The actions that Abercrombie and Fitch took were blatantly incongruous with the aforementioned statements found on the US Department of State website. I think the best course of action from Abercrombie and Fitch would be an apology, obviously the re-hiring of the young Muslim woman and a raise. Unfortunately the company can’t undo what they did but they can make efforts to fix the current situation. Sadly, I think the actions of this company reflect the thoughts of many people are an example of issues to come. Sat, 6 Mar 2010 03:57:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment59985864 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58882827 While I do think it is wise to take those factors into account, the numbers still speak volumes. There will always be outside factors in any experiment or statistical analysis that sway the results but it’s important to take a good look at the deeper underlying realities. And after Sam’s last class when he gave examples of how an employer in some cases was more likely to take a white man with a criminal record than a black man with no criminal record, it just shows that racism in the judicial field is still an issue. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:31:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/inequality-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58882827 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58882039 This is a difficult topic to talk about, and even a harder one to understand. What is our role in the situation regarding the racism against American Indians and how are we to come to terms with what happened in the past? I think what Sam is trying to do here is open our eyes to the truth of the situation rather than impose blame. And if once our eyes are opened we feel the need to act, even better! We should be encouraged to act. But just remember there are different ways of acting – whether it be educating others, viewing American Indians in a more respectful way, or pushing for policies in the White House – and all are necessary. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:24:14 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-two__trashed/#IDComment58882039 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58881297 The massacre that happened to the American Indians is one that cannot be ignored and should be addressed. The racism that still happens against Native Americans today stems from American’s general ignorance of their history and culture; and the best way to solve this issue is to start with education. I think this is a good point to make, that we should start with education, but I think the waters are murky in regards to choosing what age to start teaching the brutal truth of the situation. Our culture is one full of censorship and tries to not pollute the minds of children. For example, some measures that have been taken like the “explicit content” label that appears on music that is supposed to advise parents to not allow their children to listen to that album/song. Also, there are many programs that parents can download onto their computer that prohibit anyone from visiting porn sites or other promiscuous websites. These two examples go to show that we do value censoring some information from children. However, it is difficult to decide at what age should the censors be lifted? This goes for anything, whether it be lifting the ban from promiscuous sites, revealing embarrassing family history, or the truths of racism. With this in mind, I think the way the facts are presented to preschoolers should not be too different from the way they are presented now. I don’t think that 3 and 4 year olds can comprehend the enormity of the situation, but it would be acceptable to incorporate some truth when the history of the Pilgrims is taught. Like mentioning that there were people here first but the Pilgrims made them move away is reasonable. And once the history of the Pilgrims is taught more in depth that is when the honest and brutal truth should come out. My guess is that age is around 2nd or 3rd grade, I can’t quite remember when that particular part of history was discussed but that’s my best guess. If we begin to teach the truth at an early age it would clear up any confusion about the history of the United States and hopefully encourage a more respectful attitude. I think different measure should be taken in the areas with a greater amount of American Indians, anti-racist measures I mean. Perhaps some sort of conflict resolution camps or classes. Whatever it may be, education is the most promising way to try and chip away at the racist block that exists. I realize this isn’t the answer, and that it will still exist even if new classes are implemented but it’s a start. As for those who aren’t decedents of American Indians or consider themselves one, I think it’s important to just understand the truth of the situation and respect the them. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:17:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/native-americans-question-one__trashed/#IDComment58881297 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57695327 Easy. Religious conflict. Do I agree with that? Not one bit. But there are people out there who will need much more convincing and interaction with the lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders before their beliefs are swayed. I do think that the road is being paved for equal rights and those that are against it will be forced (by society) to agree with it eventually. Perhaps as the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders get more recognition and respect in society they (those against gay marriages) will realize that these people are humans too, have human emotions and care and LOVE. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:10:17 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-five__trashed/#IDComment57695327 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57694579 The issue regarding adoption for me isn’t between gay males and lesbian females, but who is well equipped and fully prepared for the consequences? If a lesbian couple has thought about it for a while and decided adopting a baby is the best course of action, I have no qualms with it. The same is applied to gay males – if after much consideration a new member of their family is best then so be it. Too many people are pregnant and have no idea what hit them. My friend for example is going through this right now and as I see her go through pregnancy and the realization of all the costs associated with it, I am further grounded in the above statements regarding adoption. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:03:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/lgbt-class-question-one__trashed/#IDComment57694579 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/the-xxx-bible-who-wouldve-thought__trashed/#IDComment57694051 The Bible is a book that is interpreted in many different ways because of its provocative nature, historical background, and the fact that it was written in a different language – and any time when translation is involved it leaves room for misinterpretations and changing the meaning of the message from its original purpose. That being said, text from the Bible needs to be taken with a grain of salt (as does a lot of things in life). Being a Christian, I think the Bible should be read with an open mind and taking many things into consideration (including what I said above and also the fact that it WAS inspired by God and written by human hands who most likely held biases, as we all do). Look at the big picture and the message rather than implied meanings that could be interpreted in many different ways. Religious viewpoints are created for the purpose of giving answers to life’s questions, like: why are we here? How did we get here? How are we to interact with others? What will happen after life here? People are then drawn to certain religions based on family values or what strikes a chord within them. I would hope that after someone has found that religion that resonates with their core values, that they’ve come to follow this religion after questioning it and speaking with people of that religion who understand it and have had a long relationship with the religion, giving them credibility. After developing an overall understanding of the religion I think it’s fair to go with your “gut” feeling. But keep an open mind to what others have to say because it’s quite possible that you’ve got it wrong. But if religion has answered the questions of life and it is in accordance with the way you feel it is right to live your life, hasn’t it served it’s purpose? I think it’s undeniably more important to understand the big picture and take home message than the little minute details that can be lost in translation and easily misunderstood; for one can apply their own biases to the interpretation. There should be a balance of getting caught up in the inconsistencies and understanding the overall message. The danger in living this way, obviously, is believing in something false, offensive and hypocritical. And it can extend further and more personally into daily life – not questioning institutions, laws, those in authority, ideologies, and cultural norms can lead to a parochial view of the world. But if you keep your wits about you and don’t dive into a religion blindly, then you’ve found the answer. Take everything into account and weigh your options. Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:57:38 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/the-xxx-bible-who-wouldve-thought__trashed/#IDComment57694051