There are all kinds of talk about how we are losing children and they are going to prison because they cannot find a job. Has anyone stopped to ask the question, “What are they qualified to do?” Most parents will support them in doing nothing. I wonder when we will get sick of talking about how we were raised while we are doing little or nothing to raise our children or grandchildren the same way.
There are a number of key factors to raising children, including discipline and holding children accountable for their actions. There are three institutions that are failing our children. Number one is the home, which is becoming more and more non-existent with two parents. There are situations where there is one parent that has done a great job in raising a child but that does not take the place of two parents in a home. When there is only one parent in a child’s life there will be a hole in that child’s life.
There have always been a few young ladies getting pregnant out of wedlock but we are living in a time when sex seems to be something for fun. Men know how to help bring a child into the world but cannot be a father to it. Wrongdoing will never be without consequences.
When it comes to control, the schools have been handcuffed by the rules of those at higher levels who seem to have no real idea what it’s like in the classroom. All throughout this nation there are more and more children who are out of control and those who are in authority are acting like it doesn’t exist. For example, a few days ago a student fell down when the driver had to apply the brakes and everyone was asking, “What kind of driver do we have?” The question that should be asked is why was the student out of the seat while the bus was moving? As a driver of all different busses I see what the children are like and too many of them are out of control.
Just the other day I asked a young man to remove his feet from the aisle and off of the seat and his comment to me was, “I am not going to do anything.” It doesn’t seem to bother the community that from time to time we have to call law enforcement to remove a student from the bus. Is there anyone who really cares enough to do something about this kind of behavior?
Our churches seem to have lost it except just for the money. Doing well should mean looking at what is right instead of who is right. When it comes to our Lord and Savior, there is nothing that is worth half doing. The teaching of the Holy Bible is the one thing that can heal a nation.
It’s not the truth that will set you free but the knowing of the truth and acting on it. We would not have to concern ourselves about the people who are going to prison, for it is better to train children and we will not have to rehabilitate men. We must be able to tell which is worse, to fall flat on your face or to lean back too far.
Never think of a problem without thinking of some solution. Any nation that does not serve the right God is doomed. America needs to wake up to the fact that she is losing her spiritual soul. When we have a cross around our neck and no Christ in our heart, Christ is not going to answer to a counterfeit Christian.
Thank you and Lord bless,
Johnny L. Blacke, MSG(R)
Lets throw out a low number and say that there have been over 3000 gods worshiped by various peoples in the last 10,000 or so years. You believe in only ONE of those gods, I believe in none of them.
Therefore your chances of having chosen the right god are 3000 to 1 - my chances, not believing in a god I see no evidence for are 3001 to 1
so, your chances of having chosen the correct god and avoiding whatever damnation that god inflicts on his beloved creation are %3.333... Mine are %3.3322...
Furthermore, I have something better than faith to rely on. I have evidence that leads me to a naturalistic worldview, as well as evidence that leads to the conclusion that the Bible is an unreliable source for both morality and truth (feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss that further.)
Now, I should state that my intent when posting my comment on Sgt. Blacke's letter was merely to question the premise that he knew which god was correct, if any - not to be disrespectful at all but to question something that so few are willing to. I find that questioning things like this are essential to living a free and happy life and that no one should simply take another persons word for it when it comes to matters of faith.
2) Believing "just in case" is not a no-loss situation. If our current lives are the only ones which we'll ever get, absolutely we would do well to focus our efforts in so a way as to maximize our comfort and enjoyment here and now. Most people in some way contribute financially to whatever their religion; time is spent at church; most religions demand a certain structure for food and sex; etc. People sacrifice money, time, and even essential liberties in the name of their religions, and it very well might be for nothing.
3) It isn't as though one can just decide that they want to start believing in God. A verdict of unbelief is usually some combination of recognizing that there exists no evidence for a god, arguments for god's existence are not logically sound, the Bible has internal contradictions, etc. It's not at all reasonable to suggest that one can spontaneously just decide to stop noticing or caring about these flaws.
Pascal's Wager only sounds convincing if you first assume you are right.
You ASSUME you are right rather than find the means to PROVE you are right.
If I make the claim that there are fairies flying around everywhere then I must prove my premise - the same goes for you. If I don't make that claim or if I say that I see no evidence for said fairies then there is no burden set upon me.
You being wrong is a matter of probability and a lack of evidence to the contrary only because you make a claim - were you to omit your claim entirely then there would be no burden.
"Proving" that the unseen exists isn't so hard when it comes to wind. You can't see it, but you can FEEL it and you see how it affects the world. Just like the wind, God cannot be seen but we can feel Him and we can see His effect in our lives. But, one who refuses to believe will see what I see as God and credit it to something else. Likewise, love cannot be seen, yet it exists. But people are asked to "prove" they love someone all the time. However, I think you would agree that if someone is convinced that you don't love them, no matter what you do to try to prove it them, they won't believe.
I can type a book of miracles here, but I am inclined to think that it would do no good to convince you, Matt, that God is indeed real and loves you. We could talk about the healthy little babies being held in their mothers' arms tonight after the educated professionals said it was not possible for them to live. We could talk about the big fat honeybee with the little bitty wings who still manages to fly. However, KNOWING God exists, just like with what the world calls love, requires FAITH. And I will pray until you open your heart again to receive the gospel of Jesus.
"We KNOW that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We KNOW also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may KNOW Him who is true -- even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." 1 John 5:19-20