I was watching the previews for a new CBS television show called Kid Nation, where a bunch of children end up stuck out in the middle of nowhere by themselves. From the initial description it sounds a lot like Lord of the Flies... but then the previews went on some more and it seemed more like a controlled reality television experiment. Besides, if a television show really wanted to recreate the Lord of the Flies experience for television, a) it would probably get a lot of protests, b) not too many parents would let their children be sent off for such Lord of the Flies experiment unless they really wanted to get rid of their kids, and c) Lord of the Flies reality TV would probably involve CPS.
The television show has adult cameramen and medics on staff (although hidden), so I guess that keeps the kids from killing each other. The television show seemed fairly tame, so I let my daughter watch the show. Here are my findings:
The show is pretty good, kid-friendly television, for the most part. The kids have to deal with things like homesickness, working together to win challenges, and they end up with assigned duties like cook, laborer, or storekeeper depending on what team they end up on (four teams competed for the different spots; the fourth team became the "upper class" and get to help out however they feel like). None of the kids are sent home, although they can go home if they choose, but one kid per episode can win a gold star worth $20,000... which is a lot more than the first Survivor competitors to get voted out get.
There was only one thing that I found wrong with this show. There were several instances of blasphemy (oh my g__). The kids on the television show ranged in age from 8 to 14, and I'm sure that many of them have far worse potty mouths at home or even off-camera, but I did find it bothersome. I suppose that most of the kids on the show don't see anything wrong with that phrase, as most of them were probably brought up in homes where that wasn't considered cursing. At least it allowed me to have a conversation with my daughter about how that is not a phrase that she should be using.
I suppose that Kid Nation is more family friendly than most television that has been on during this time slot lately. I think that I will allow my daughter to continue to watch it, but it reminds me of the movie Time Changer, where a professor at a Bible school from 1890 travels through time to the present day and goes to see a movie. He comes running out of the movie theater yelling "stop the movie! There's been a big mistake! They are blaspheming the Lord!" or something along those lines. I'm not particularly fond of this aspect of the television show.
Showing posts with label morality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label morality. Show all posts
Friday, September 21, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Infant Shot Execution Style In Armed Robbery
Here's one for the sick-and-twisted-morality file: a man and his infant son were shot dead during an armed robbery.
Police believe that the baby's father drove to his friend's house, left the baby in the car, and ended up running into the robbers instead. The robbers shot him, and on their way out, they decided to put a gun to the infant's head and shoot him, still sitting in his car seat.
Who does something like this? I could understand to some degree if this was a 6 year old who might be a witness to the crime. It would still be pretty awful, but people are pretty selfish and the robbers might feel that killing the witness would be in their best interests. But what is a 7 month old going to say? "Da da da da da" is about all my 10 month old manages to say. I guess that the court might find out that Dada was there, but the baby wouldn't be able to point out who actually committed the crime from that testimony.
Reminds me of Matthew 24:12 "And because iniquity should abound, the love of many shall wax cold." There's not one logical reason that I can think of that someone would purposely kill an infant during the commission of a crime. Perhaps they thought it would be fun and that they could get away with it.
Also reminds me of the verse "As in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." The world that Noah lived in was filled with violence.
One more related verse: Matthew 18:6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
Police believe that the baby's father drove to his friend's house, left the baby in the car, and ended up running into the robbers instead. The robbers shot him, and on their way out, they decided to put a gun to the infant's head and shoot him, still sitting in his car seat.
Who does something like this? I could understand to some degree if this was a 6 year old who might be a witness to the crime. It would still be pretty awful, but people are pretty selfish and the robbers might feel that killing the witness would be in their best interests. But what is a 7 month old going to say? "Da da da da da" is about all my 10 month old manages to say. I guess that the court might find out that Dada was there, but the baby wouldn't be able to point out who actually committed the crime from that testimony.
Reminds me of Matthew 24:12 "And because iniquity should abound, the love of many shall wax cold." There's not one logical reason that I can think of that someone would purposely kill an infant during the commission of a crime. Perhaps they thought it would be fun and that they could get away with it.
Also reminds me of the verse "As in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." The world that Noah lived in was filled with violence.
One more related verse: Matthew 18:6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
Friday, August 31, 2007
Newborns in Trash Cans And Toilets... Why Are We Outraged?
I just read another story about a baby giving birth to a newborn and trying to kill it. This lady tried to flush her baby down the toilet at a McDonald's restaurant.
You can find the story here.
I find stories like this to be really sad. If she didn't want the baby, why didn't she drop the baby off at a fire station or a hospital? That seems to be the mantra of so many people that hear about stories like this. The answer, my guess is, lies at the heart of the abortion debate...
She didn't drop her baby off at the fire station or hospital for the EXACT SAME reason why someone would have an abortion rather than put their baby up for adoption.
When you ask someone why they would have an abortion rather than put their baby up for adoption, sometimes they'll reply with "oh, there are so many unwanted babies in the world!" Then if you press it further, bringing up information about how the waiting list is so long for people that wish to adopt newborn babies, and that there are virtually NO unwanted, healthy newborn babies out there (and most handicapped newborn babies get adopted as well) they often have another answer. My guess is that it's the same answer as the people that flush their babies down the toilet or throw them in dumpsters...
"I don't know how I could live with myself knowing that my child was walking around and I didn't know what kind of life they were living!" Or something like that.
There are so many people that say that they could never put a baby up for adoption, and that seems to be a common answer. Why it is better that someone is dead than put up for adoption, I don't know. I don't get it. Especially nowadays... with open adoptions you can pick the parent of your child, send them Christmas cards, etc.
I never really noticed the parallel between people who abort their babies and those who throw them in the trash before... but it seems so clear to me now. So now, the only other part of the equation is... why are we outraged when someone tries to flush their baby down the toilet, but don't share the same outrage when someone aborts a baby?
Something to think about.
You can find the story here.
I find stories like this to be really sad. If she didn't want the baby, why didn't she drop the baby off at a fire station or a hospital? That seems to be the mantra of so many people that hear about stories like this. The answer, my guess is, lies at the heart of the abortion debate...
She didn't drop her baby off at the fire station or hospital for the EXACT SAME reason why someone would have an abortion rather than put their baby up for adoption.
When you ask someone why they would have an abortion rather than put their baby up for adoption, sometimes they'll reply with "oh, there are so many unwanted babies in the world!" Then if you press it further, bringing up information about how the waiting list is so long for people that wish to adopt newborn babies, and that there are virtually NO unwanted, healthy newborn babies out there (and most handicapped newborn babies get adopted as well) they often have another answer. My guess is that it's the same answer as the people that flush their babies down the toilet or throw them in dumpsters...
"I don't know how I could live with myself knowing that my child was walking around and I didn't know what kind of life they were living!" Or something like that.
There are so many people that say that they could never put a baby up for adoption, and that seems to be a common answer. Why it is better that someone is dead than put up for adoption, I don't know. I don't get it. Especially nowadays... with open adoptions you can pick the parent of your child, send them Christmas cards, etc.
I never really noticed the parallel between people who abort their babies and those who throw them in the trash before... but it seems so clear to me now. So now, the only other part of the equation is... why are we outraged when someone tries to flush their baby down the toilet, but don't share the same outrage when someone aborts a baby?
Something to think about.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
To Catch An Idiot
Me and my husband usually catch the "To Catch A Predator" episodes on Dateline NBC. They might as well be subtitled "To Catch An Idiot." Because most of them are.
For anybody that hasn't seen it, pedophiles contact people posing to be minors on the internet and have graphic chats with them about sexual things that they want to do with them. Eventually they set up a date, and when they show up at the house, the police nab them and they get carted off to jail.
Many of them come up with the excuse "I wasn't going to do anything!" They expect the police to believe that, when they talked to this person (often for a period of days or even a month ahead of time) graphically about sex with them, that they weren't going to do anything? Sure. There were two people on tonight's show that might get off because they seemed to have changed their mind ahead of time... one old guy said that he talked to his lawyer ahead of time and found out that he couldn't do anything sexual (duh) and another guy indicated that he didn't bring condoms because he wanted to get to know her better first. They might get off, but most of them clearly didn't show any second thoughts until they got caught.
One pedophile remarked "I wanted to make a friend!" Well, that is a noble and good thing, but it doesn't hold any water. If this person truly wanted to make a friend, they would not have been talking to the teenager graphically about sex before meeting them. If this person really wanted to make a friend, there are other ways to go about it. Schools can always use people that are willing to volunteer their time. There are groups out there where adults to volunteer to be mentors to teenagers. For the religious person, you could volunteer for the church youth group. At any rate, for someone really looking for a teenage friend, there are opportunities... but it's preferred that if you are a pedophile you don't apply.
Another stupid criminal out there is Lindsey Lohan. Either that, or she thinks that the judge in the courtroom is stupid. Does she really expect us to believe that the cocaine found in her pocket was not hers? I won't believe it unless I'm stupid. If it truly wasn't hers, then she is the stupid one. You would have to lack intelligence to hold on to someone else's cocaine when you were just 10 days out of rehab.
One argument against evolution is that people do not seem to be getting smarter. They seem to be getting dumber by the year. I saw an 8th grade exit exam from the 1890s or so... it was tough! Many college students today would find it challenging. I thiink a common misperception is that people of ancient times were stupid... I believe that to be completely untrue. Socrates, Plato, and the like could really write well, and most of them knew several languages. There's a show on the History Channel called Ancient Discoveries that talks about some amazing inventions that they had centuries ago. It's amazing. And although I don't know Sanscrit, I heard that it was a very complicated language. Even the way Shakespeare wrote was more complicated than what we are used to today. Today we have "Lite" salad dressing and people purposely butchering grammar so they can fit in.
I saw a digg.com article today where 23% of parents had trouble reading bedtime stories to their children. Perhaps the article was skewed, I don't know. Some children's stories could be challenging... I found The Hobbit to be a challenge, not necessarily to read but more along the lines of comprehending and remembering. I could even understand having difficulty reading The Chronicles of Narnia, although I didn't find it difficult. More likely, they were probably talking about stories like The Three Bears or Little Red Riding Hood.
Unfortunately, I don't see the schools getting better any time soon. Therefore, the criminals are probably not going to get much smarter either. Maybe that is the one good side... it's easier to catch an idiot than it is to catch a genius.
For anybody that hasn't seen it, pedophiles contact people posing to be minors on the internet and have graphic chats with them about sexual things that they want to do with them. Eventually they set up a date, and when they show up at the house, the police nab them and they get carted off to jail.
Many of them come up with the excuse "I wasn't going to do anything!" They expect the police to believe that, when they talked to this person (often for a period of days or even a month ahead of time) graphically about sex with them, that they weren't going to do anything? Sure. There were two people on tonight's show that might get off because they seemed to have changed their mind ahead of time... one old guy said that he talked to his lawyer ahead of time and found out that he couldn't do anything sexual (duh) and another guy indicated that he didn't bring condoms because he wanted to get to know her better first. They might get off, but most of them clearly didn't show any second thoughts until they got caught.
One pedophile remarked "I wanted to make a friend!" Well, that is a noble and good thing, but it doesn't hold any water. If this person truly wanted to make a friend, they would not have been talking to the teenager graphically about sex before meeting them. If this person really wanted to make a friend, there are other ways to go about it. Schools can always use people that are willing to volunteer their time. There are groups out there where adults to volunteer to be mentors to teenagers. For the religious person, you could volunteer for the church youth group. At any rate, for someone really looking for a teenage friend, there are opportunities... but it's preferred that if you are a pedophile you don't apply.
Another stupid criminal out there is Lindsey Lohan. Either that, or she thinks that the judge in the courtroom is stupid. Does she really expect us to believe that the cocaine found in her pocket was not hers? I won't believe it unless I'm stupid. If it truly wasn't hers, then she is the stupid one. You would have to lack intelligence to hold on to someone else's cocaine when you were just 10 days out of rehab.
One argument against evolution is that people do not seem to be getting smarter. They seem to be getting dumber by the year. I saw an 8th grade exit exam from the 1890s or so... it was tough! Many college students today would find it challenging. I thiink a common misperception is that people of ancient times were stupid... I believe that to be completely untrue. Socrates, Plato, and the like could really write well, and most of them knew several languages. There's a show on the History Channel called Ancient Discoveries that talks about some amazing inventions that they had centuries ago. It's amazing. And although I don't know Sanscrit, I heard that it was a very complicated language. Even the way Shakespeare wrote was more complicated than what we are used to today. Today we have "Lite" salad dressing and people purposely butchering grammar so they can fit in.
I saw a digg.com article today where 23% of parents had trouble reading bedtime stories to their children. Perhaps the article was skewed, I don't know. Some children's stories could be challenging... I found The Hobbit to be a challenge, not necessarily to read but more along the lines of comprehending and remembering. I could even understand having difficulty reading The Chronicles of Narnia, although I didn't find it difficult. More likely, they were probably talking about stories like The Three Bears or Little Red Riding Hood.
Unfortunately, I don't see the schools getting better any time soon. Therefore, the criminals are probably not going to get much smarter either. Maybe that is the one good side... it's easier to catch an idiot than it is to catch a genius.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I Feel Bad For Lindsey Lohan
As most people know, Lindsey Lohan, who just turned 21, was recently arrested for drunk driving... AGAIN. Plus, the genius had cocaine in her pocket (what was she thinking after getting out of rehab 10 days ago?).
Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own actions. However, her family didn't do much to help her stay out of the condition that she is in. Her dad has been in and out of prison for securities prison, mom was her manager, and her parent's divorce wasn't all too amiable.
She most likely will follow the Paris Hilton route and spend some time in jail. That may be the best for her. I'm not sure. However, there are so many stars that get into drugs and partying that never make it into old age... Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, River Phoenix...
What good is it, if you gain the whole world, but lose your own soul? I don't know what Lindsey Lohan's faith is like, but she doesn't show too much fruit. She has been frittering away her fame and wealth in the temporary pleasures of Hollywood and partying. Some day, none of that will matter. All that will matter is what you do to glorify God. So I feel bad for her. Because she is on a self-destructive path, without seeming to take care of what matters most: her soul.
Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own actions. However, her family didn't do much to help her stay out of the condition that she is in. Her dad has been in and out of prison for securities prison, mom was her manager, and her parent's divorce wasn't all too amiable.
She most likely will follow the Paris Hilton route and spend some time in jail. That may be the best for her. I'm not sure. However, there are so many stars that get into drugs and partying that never make it into old age... Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, River Phoenix...
What good is it, if you gain the whole world, but lose your own soul? I don't know what Lindsey Lohan's faith is like, but she doesn't show too much fruit. She has been frittering away her fame and wealth in the temporary pleasures of Hollywood and partying. Some day, none of that will matter. All that will matter is what you do to glorify God. So I feel bad for her. Because she is on a self-destructive path, without seeming to take care of what matters most: her soul.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Teenagers Set Kittens On Fire - How We Treat The Helpless
What is it with some people nowadays? Two teenagers allegedly set a kitten on fire last month.
All I can think is... how horribly disgusting and depraved. How sad. What would drive someone to do this?
Just because you can do something and probably get away with it (so you think) doesn't mean that you should. It's likely that there are many more people that treat animals horribly and never get caught.
Perhaps these teenagers feel that hurting something gives them a sense of power. The kitten, however, is utterly helpless and can not do anything in its defense. What is the power in that? Perhaps they are just cruel, nasty people. I don't know. Wicked is a good word for them.
How a society (or individual members in the society) treats its most helpless reflects either poorly or well on a society (we seem to be doing fairly poorly). Everybody is shocked when someone lights a kitten on fire, but what about other helpless members of our society?
What about the popularity of Bumfights? Homeless people tend to be among our more vulnerable people in society. Why would anybody want to watch this trash? Is it funny that there are people so desperate for a drink (or a hamburger, or $50, or whatever) that they are willing to harm themselves? I find it sad. Not to mention people that think it's funny to beat up random homeless people, just because they can. Would you think that it was funny if it was your son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother in one of these shows? What about the people that think they can get away with murdering the homeless?
How do we treat our elderly? How many people put their parents into nursing homes and never visit them? It's always a joke on The Simpsons that Homer's dad is old and nobody seems to ever care about him. Aren't we supposed to honor our mother and father? Although we may not have to obey them any more as adults, I think that we have a responsibility to care for our parents as they get older. While they may need nursing care that we can not provide, that doesn't absolve us of our responsibility to visit or at least call, if they are long distance.
And what about the most helpless people of all? The unborn? Sadly, that is the most dangerous time for a baby, when it should be the safest.
~ Matthew 25:41-45
All I can think is... how horribly disgusting and depraved. How sad. What would drive someone to do this?
Just because you can do something and probably get away with it (so you think) doesn't mean that you should. It's likely that there are many more people that treat animals horribly and never get caught.
Perhaps these teenagers feel that hurting something gives them a sense of power. The kitten, however, is utterly helpless and can not do anything in its defense. What is the power in that? Perhaps they are just cruel, nasty people. I don't know. Wicked is a good word for them.
How a society (or individual members in the society) treats its most helpless reflects either poorly or well on a society (we seem to be doing fairly poorly). Everybody is shocked when someone lights a kitten on fire, but what about other helpless members of our society?
What about the popularity of Bumfights? Homeless people tend to be among our more vulnerable people in society. Why would anybody want to watch this trash? Is it funny that there are people so desperate for a drink (or a hamburger, or $50, or whatever) that they are willing to harm themselves? I find it sad. Not to mention people that think it's funny to beat up random homeless people, just because they can. Would you think that it was funny if it was your son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother in one of these shows? What about the people that think they can get away with murdering the homeless?
How do we treat our elderly? How many people put their parents into nursing homes and never visit them? It's always a joke on The Simpsons that Homer's dad is old and nobody seems to ever care about him. Aren't we supposed to honor our mother and father? Although we may not have to obey them any more as adults, I think that we have a responsibility to care for our parents as they get older. While they may need nursing care that we can not provide, that doesn't absolve us of our responsibility to visit or at least call, if they are long distance.
And what about the most helpless people of all? The unborn? Sadly, that is the most dangerous time for a baby, when it should be the safest.
Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You? Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.
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