Should We Filter the Internet for Everyone?
With churches hosting protest events like “porn sunday” and supporting the anti-porn efforts of ministries like xxxchurch.com the question arises: Should we force the internet to abide by standards of decency? Some people are pushing for standards to be enforced—apparently they already exist in our Federal system, but have not been enforced.
Others point to the abolition movement of the past century, where zealous protesters fought for a ban on alcohol only to have it remitted years later. They consider legislating morality to be too extreme in this case, and they flaunt the freedom of speech as if grants them a right to offend, enslave, and expose everyone around them to anything they want.
Our democracy is built on a balanced tension between two extremes, and often that balance can be difficult to identify from a single standpoint, but on this issue, I am happy to be found on the side of the extremists. I would be happy to see a hard crackdown on all media: internet, TV, and advertising in the U.S. I believe we need to go beyond explicitly sexual content and start banning the sexual innuendo that is used to sell everything from hummers to rice.
Do we really need 3 movies in 12 months that flaunt the theme of “friendship with benefits”? REALLY? Should these really only be rated R?
Should a child really be able to go to a public computer somewhere, or to their phone, and surf pornographic content without any age verification or warning?
Relationships are so much more than passionate moments.
Sex is so much more than a recreational activity.
Love is so much more than what develops on television and the movies these days…
I crave a better presentation of life from television, movies, and media. I crave a safer environment to allow my children to play in. I fear the perceptions, habits, and addictions that our unsafe world develops all too quickly.
Read more about the censorship movement here…
How Technology has changed in 100 years…
When I was growing up, my Dad drove an IBM van filled with belts, tools, hoses, compressed air cans, and other mysterious computer parts…he spent a lot of time fixing moving parts inside of computers for the technology company.
Today he drives a car without many parts, and spends more time in front of the computer screen than inside the computer’s guts…a lot has changed in his world in the past two decades.
IBM has put in the extra effort to show us just how much has changed…in its 100 year history. If you want to see things change at the rate of technology, take 13 minutes to watch this video:
Human Trafficking… (and bad statistics)
The Superbowl has become a rallying point for activists against human trafficking. For Texas residents, it feels like the bandwagon that everyone is supposed to jump on this year, just like the green movement was in 2009. While I do appreciate the passion and the nature of the cause being advertised, I feel like a lot of extremely unfounded statistics are being thrown around--numbers in the 100,000's--when the real numbers are closer to the 10-20,000 range in the U.S.
I'm a proponent of good research, honest discussion, and firm action. If you are curious about this same issue, please take time to review sites other than the ones that are simply promoting rallys. Take time to view the true stats, and feel free to use some of the links I've shared below. Please specifically note that the FBI and the U.S. State department have websites and reports dedicated to this issue locally and globally.
A Texas specific Report: texasimpact.org/UMW/HumanTraffickFactSheet.doc
The FBI lists the actual numbers 15,000-18,000 http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2006/june/humantrafficking_061206
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking/human_trafficking?vm=r
Central Texas lists 20,000 http://ctcaht.org/What_is_Trafficking.html
This site lists 17,500 as crossing the border for this purpose: http://www.humantraffickinged.com/?vm=r
The U.S. State Department report fails to list any stats on trafficked individuals: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2010/142761.htm except to state the global total in their report.
Even Wikipedia gives far smaller figures that these promotional sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking?vm=r#United_States
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Detox Time! (7 Day Detox Miracle)
It's that time again, time for the weekend from Hell. Three days, water only. Sound crazy? It is. Crazy good.
I bet you're thinking "I couldn't do that!" Let me empathize: it messes with your blood sugar, it makes you queasy and achy and grouchy and sick...but in the end, its worth it. You endure hell while your body processes out its built up toxins: your liver does a major filtration of your blood, your stomach and intestines relax and deal with any lingering food, and your taste buds reset from all the sugar that you've taken in. By the end of the third day, you feel pretty good. Weak, but good.
But wait, "What happens after day three?" you ask. Fruits, vegetables, and rice. A cocktail of natural, healthy, easy-to-digest foods gets you back on track to eat healthier for the rest of the year, and gives your digestive tract a slow relaxing return to the daily routine of digestion.
Stacy and I have been doing this once a year for a while now. This should be year #4 for us. We should probably do it more often based on how much Dr. Pepper and greasy food we eat, but it's a good way for us to reset our diet in the new year. And there really is a lot of good science behind it. The book 7 Day Detox miracle is what first convinced me to do it, not by explaining the program, but by explaining the science.
If you haven't sealed your 2011 reading list yet, I recommend that you add the book. If it convinces you to give the detox a try, let us know! Maybe we'll do it together!
Update on Sudan–Keep Praying
After a peaceful week of voting, the standards have been met and it appears that Sudan will split into two countries—the southern half will have the right to govern itself. This means increased freedom for our Christian brothers and sisters, who are under strict Muslim law created by the north at the present time. It also means a more equal distribution of wealth.
Unfortunately a peaceful vote does not guarantee a peaceful future for the two countries. While things will look up for the south section of Sudan, the north is not happy about the outcome of the vote, and may likely threaten violence in the future. A key border city between the two countries—rich in oil resources—has yet to vote on which country it will choose to be a part of. Mass migration of people from north to south or south to north will place a strain on the infrastructure and resources that provide food, shelter, jobs, and stability. A stable government must form in the south to lead the country through this transition, and substantial changes will likely occur in the north as well—which is already threatening rebellion against its current leaders due to their frustration with the governments inefficiencies.
If you want a full picture of the situation in this country, I suggest two articles to read:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20110107/cm_csm/354830_1
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2042218,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
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