Stamp Out Porn!

I am so disturbed and horrified that I could puke.  Since when does free speech allow us to further debase ourselves and harm others around us?

New York City's 200-plus libraries are beginning to allow access to internet pornography.  Their claim?  Free speech according to the First Amendment.

It's bad enough that porn is even allowed to be posted at all on the Internet or in the media.  I have yet to hear of any positive effects of it.

Many of us, including myself, are too passive to this danger.  We may put a block on our own computers and try to protect our children from it, but how often do we think of the millions of children who are suffering each day as a result of porn-driven molestors?

Libraries are public places and should be places of respect and dignity toward its patrons.  Smoking is banned because of the proven facts that second-hand smoke is harmful to our bodies.  Well, pornography is harmful to our spirits, the essence of who we are.  Those who succumb to this degradation lose all respect for themselves and eventually slide deeper into it and begin to sexually abuse others.  It's so sad, and it's so scary.

So what can we do about it?  First of all, find out if your community library allows access to internet porn.  I just called our library, and I was happy to hear they do have blocks on their computers.  However, there are always those who have ways to find porn anyway.

I talked with the librarian about the New York City libraries, and she shared how so much depends on the community the library is serving.  I really hope that many of the New York City patrons are protesting and doing their best to change the policy.

If your library allows it, try to get a team together to work towards changing it.  Most libraries get government funding, so work also through government officials.

Wouldn't it be so much better if our government funded getting help for victims of porn addicts?  Or even help for addicts themselves?  Of course, in my heart, I don't feel inclined toward mercy for any molestor, but I remind myself that any of us can fall prey to the deadly monster of porn, and there are some out there who really do want help.

Sensitive subjects like these are difficult to discuss with our children, but it's out there in their faces already at an early age.  We need to be educated, and we need to educate our children. 

Protectkids.com has some resources on the ill effects of porn.  It even has some teen testimonials on porn and recovery.  Focus on the Family has various resources on pornography.

We can get so busy with life's activities that we become passive about critical issues like these, but let's open our eyes to the horror of it all and beg God to protect us and our children and all children around this entire world from the devastating repercussions of pornography.

The Tomb Is Empty!

God often uses a little child to teach us deep spiritual truths.  I have heard a story of a 9-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome who taught a valuable lesson to a Sunday school class, including the teacher. 

The teacher made certain Philip was treated like everyone else, but some children still left him out because he was different.

A week before Easter, the teacher said, "I have a plastic egg for each of you.  Find something that reminds you of life.  Put it inside your egg, and bring it back next week."
The next week the teacher gathered together all the eggs.  One by one, he opened the eggs and found a flower, a blade of grass, a butterfly, and even a stone.  Then he opened one that was empty. 

"Someone did it wrong," said some children.

As the teacher stared at the empty egg, a hand tugged his shirt.

"I didn't do it wrong," said Philip. "The tomb is empty!"

The teacher used this empty egg as an illustration of the Easter message.  After that, all the children wanted to be Philip's friend.

From the mouth of babes, God perfects praise.  God taught a little child the deep truth of Easter.  May God give each of us the simple, childlike faith!

Because the tomb is empty, we may have life!  Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we have been forever freed from death, sin, and hell!

Compassion or Compliance?

 

Suppose we were walking through a field and discovered a mother and child suffering from dehydration, so weak and tired that they could not go one step farther.

Of course, we would immediately get them something to drink, right?

But what if we suspected they were illegal immigrants?  Would that change our reaction?

Would we just refresh them and explain to them that it’s our duty to turn them in to the proper authorities, or would we listen to their story?  Perhaps some of us would not dare even to give them a drink out of fear that we may be supporting them in their illegal activities.

What if the woman told us that her husband was shot down by a drug cartel and they were fleeing for their lives?  What if she begged us not to report her?  Begged us not to send her back because she would surely be hunted down and killed?

What would we do then?  Shouldn’t compassion overrule compliance to immigration laws?  What would Jesus do?  I dare say Jesus would be more concerned with the need of the mother and child than an immigration law.

I think of Corrie Ten Boom and how much she suffered because she hid the Jews from Hitler.  Protect innocent people or follow the law?  She did what she knew Jesus would want her to do.

If laws force us to forget compassion for a needy human being, one of God’s own creation, then I begin to wonder if there is something wrong with the law.

I know.  Sigh…  Without laws, there would be chaos.  But what if I did come into a situation like I mentioned?  Shouldn’t compassion triumph over compliance to a law?

What would you do in this situation?

Bald Eagle Update

I hope you're enjoying the adventure with the bald eagle pair and their little ones.  The first egg hatched on April 1, the second on April 3.  The third egg looks like there are pecking holes in it, so I expect to see another fuzzy, grey little one soon.

I photographed these pictures from what I see on my computer screen, so they may be a bit fuzzy.


One of two faithful, devoted parents sits on a nest 80 feet above the ground.

It's 5-6 feet wide and just as deep, and it weighs almost 1-1/2 tons.

Don't you love the little bandit-masked eyes? 

This is #1 who after a couple of days was already venturing out a bit on his own.

Meal time!  The first meal for the eaglets was a rabbit. 

After that, there's been a variety of birds, fish, and furry creatures.

If you still wish to tune into the life of God's masterpiece, the bald eagle, here is the link - http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles .  George Washington Carver once so adequately said, “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”