August 26, 2008

Contradicting Contraception

Thanks to my labmate/colleague JRob for the heads up...A contraception-based lifestyle tends to promote sex over love, marriage, and family. (The best case, of course, is having all of the above. Like other things --- and especially in the Christian lifestyle --- this is an all-or-nothing scenario.)

Disclaimer: Catholic and Evangelical Christians promote sex only within the marriage of one man to one woman, but where the former support only natural means of birth control, the latter support artificial contraception as well. Again, as long as within marriage.


UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CONTRACEPTION
Family-Life Speaker Links It to Abortion and Divorce
from http://www.zenit.org/article-23338?l=english


(EXCERPTS:)


ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida, JULY 25, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is an excerpt
of a talk titled "Why Contraception Matters: How It Keeps Us from Love and Life," given by Steve Patton, director of the Diocesan Center for Family Life in St. Augustine. The talk is being distributed by One
More Soul.

* * *


It used to be, before the contraceptive revolution, that there was a
pretty clear and firm connection between sex and marriage. Married people had sex, unmarried people didn't, or if they did, they more or less knew that they weren't supposed to. Most everybody knew this.

But over the course of the 20th century, as contraception became more
socially accepted, more available, and more effective, all that began to change. By the time the sixties rolled around it was becoming clear, to married and unmarried people alike, that you didn't have to be married to have sex. Contraceptive practice had made sex into a recreational activity that everyone has a right to.

...Widespread use of contraception by married couples also led to an increase of adultery. Once you take away one of the greatest fears of extra-marital sex -- which is pregnancy -- you're going to see an increase of that activity. And when there is an increase in adultery
there's also going to be an increase in divorce.

...What Dr. Morse touches upon is our culture's prevailing disconnection between sex and babies. Before contraception was king, the prevailing assumption was that a baby was a natural consequence of sex. If you chose to engage in sex, you knew it could result in a baby. You might not have wanted that to happen, but you assumed that it could happen. If a baby did result, it was because of your freely chosen action, and so you were likely, not necessarily, but likely, to feel a certain kind of responsibility toward that child.

Now couples who think this way do know that keeping a baby out of the
picture doesn't just happen by itself; you have to do your part. You have to do something to the sexual act to make sure that a baby won't be conceived. That's what, quote unquote, taking responsibility for your actions now means with respects to sexual activity.

But if a couple has this kind of attitude, then when the contraception
fails, as it often does, and there's a pregnancy, they're not going to tend to think the baby's there because of their actions. They're going to tend to think the baby's there in spite of their actions. In other words, their mindset is not so much that this is their child that they conceived. Rather, they're going to tend to think it's an invader that they failed to repel. This kind of thinking is likely to foster quite a different sense of what's the responsible thing to do next.

August 9, 2008

The Olympics, the world, and Christ ^__^

The Olympics, the world, and Christ :D Yeah :D (All from Christianity Today.)


(1) OLYMPIC SNAPSHOT
Imagine swords turned into plowshares, and soldiers into soccer players.
by Al Hsu

(2) THE EXCITEMENT OF HOPE
Olympians have something to teach us about this cardinal virtue.
a Christianity Today editorial

(3) OLYMPIANS TO WATCH
At least 12 confessing Christians are likely to win in Beijing.


"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, not as without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified." -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

would God love me more, or less?

WHAT IF
by Jadon Lavik
(see video here)


What if i climbed that mountain? What if i swam to that shore?
What if every battle was victorious? Then would You love me more?
Would You love me more?

What if i were everyone’s first choice? What if i went farther than before?
What if i stood high above the rest? Then would You love me more?
Would You love me more?

You say i belong to You, apart from the things i do
You say i belong to You, i’m in awe of why You do
Why You do, why You do, i’m in awe of You, ooh

What if i ignored the hand that fed me? What if i forgot to confess?
What if i stumbled down that mountain? Then would You love me less?
Lord, would You love me less?

What if i were everyone's last choice? What if i mixed in with the rest?
What if i failed what I passed before? Then would You love me less?
Lord, would You, would You love me less, oh no, oh no, oh no

You say i belong to You, apart from the things i do
You say i belong to You, i’m in awe of why You do
You do, You do, You do

What have i done to deserve Your Son sent to die for me?
What can i give? i want to live, give me eyes to see
In a world that keeps changin’ there’s one thing that i know is true
Your love is stayin’, there’s nothing else i’ll hold onto

You say i belong to You, apart from the things i do
You say i belong to You, i’m in awe of why You do
Why You do

You say i belong to You, apart from the things i do
You say i belong to You, i’m in awe of why You do
i’m in awe of You, i’m in awe of You

The way You love me, the way You do
The way You do, the way You love me, You love me, You love me
The way You do, the way You do, the way You love me,
The way You love, You love, You love

turnin'...whoops too much, turn back...again...

ALL OF LIFE IS REPENTANCE
From: http://www.downshoredrift.com/downshoredrift/2007/07/all-of-life-is-.html

(Excerpts below.
The article also includes some practical, Bible-based steps to repentance. Hope you can check them out :) )


True repentance means that we turn AWAY from sin and turn TO faith in Jesus.
Repentance means to turn around. A man might say, "I was headed for a cliff, but I repented. I turned around and went the other way and lived."
Repentance is more than just being sorry. It means that we turn around - we forsake our sinful thoughts and activities. It is not a burdensome thing, but rather, it is extremely lifegiving. When we repent, we step into who God has truly made us to be as we place our faith in Jesus.
Who needs to repent? Paul, in Acts 17:30 says that repentance is for everyone...Turn around from the direction you were going and turn to Christ. Even Christians.

We all need to be in an attitude of repentance all the time. We never become so holy or perfect that we do not need to continually realign ourselves with God's work, will, and purposes taking place around us. Who do we think we are?

Well, I am here to confess that I need continual repentance. I need to consistently realign my life with God's will and purposes. I am not ashamed to admit that, because that is a place that I find refreshing, life giving, living water from Jesus. Sometimes it is difficult for us to admit that we need to keep turning our lives over to God, but it is true. And, there is life in recognizing the we still need a Savior each and every day.

August 3, 2008

real love in "artificial beauty"


There was an ordinary guy who loved an ugly girl.



Ugly-girl had complete makeover: plastic surgery, wardrobe upgrade, the works.



Ordinary-guy was willing to let former-ugly-girl marry the man of her dreams until he learned that dream-guy doesn't like artificial beauty.


Eventually, former-ugly-girl does marry dream guy. Even identical twin of former-ugly-girl also undergoes plastic surgery to be ugly no more.


As for ordinary-guy who's always loved the girl, ugly or not?

Never to be seen or heard of again.

...

...

...

...


AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG!!!!


Ugly story, artificial wisdom. (At least the ending parts...)

My fellow women: Whatever we see on the outside, and whatever we do on the outside, please please please consider the inside first. And value the inside please. Honami's (the lead character) insecurities did not disappear when she had her makeover; in fact, they were amplified, and she realized that ultimately it did not matter what she looked like on the outside.





Official character description from
FujiTV:


She struggles with her ugly personality that just won't wash away. Though Honami has the inner strength of never giving up, her arrogance of doing anything for her own happiness is just too much.

And for the dream guy, also from FujiTV:


He's actually tired of high society where relationships are just superficial. Ryusui is a man who values essence more than appearance, whether it's flowers or people. Thus, he is attracted not to Honami's looks, but to her tough and bold personality: like a wild flower growing between rocks.

*cough, cough!* Alrighty then, whatever you say...Maybe Honami (and the writers?!) forgot that dream-guy only noticed her when she was already beautiful, and he initially rejected her because, in his own words, he doesn't like artificial beauty.

When dream-guy finally grew up and accepted Honami for who she is, that's well and good. But i still choose ordinary guy who's loved Honami all along. His love is the real thing.

*everything* about my life in a video skit :)

"Everything" by Lifehouse performed as a skit. i hope you could relate to it as much as i do :)



Read the words while listening to the music here.

*sigh* :)


Remembering that i'm already free,
and that i already have everything,

teci :)


[p.s. thanks to li'l bro for the links.]