Monday, February 28, 2005
Be Proud of Your Testimony-Misty
LOFT’s message last night (February 27) was very thought provoking and interesting. Professor Rottman spoke about Timothy. He talked about how Timothy was ashamed of his testimony because he, unlike Paul, had not had a life changing/ faith altering experience that made his walk with God “interesting.”
Waiting
Last Sunday I found myself waiting on several different occasions, none of which I enjoyed. From waiting to get into a church parking lot to the even longer wait to get out. I waited to get into the dining hall to eat and then proceeded to wait in line to actually get food and again to get something to drink. I’ve spent the last few days and will spend the next few weeks waiting for spring break and after that I’ll start waiting for the summer. As I waited to exit the church parking lot, my roommate lightened the mood by telling me that the average American spends seven years waiting in line. This depressing factoid is comparatively insignificant to the fact that we spend our entire lives waiting for something, with or without lines.
Modern Technology Has Its Faults-Misty
Remember that conversation with your best friend senior year of high school? The conversation lasted hours and was full of great laughs. How many times were “lol”, “jk”, and “brb” used? It almost seems that this kind of slang has become a new form of language. Instant messaging (IM) is a very casual form of speech, with more relaxed grammar and spelling, also known as street speech. The use of this modern technology (IM) reduces the use of the formal English language, makes it more difficult to adjust to situations where formal English is needed, and takes away from the relational skills that teenagers develop by talking with and interacting with others. Therefore, instant messaging can hurt a student’s writing abilities and social skills.
The Elementary Bridging of the Gap-Megan W
Language is something that makes this world run; it is how we communicate to each other through words. The number of languages is numerous and dialects are infinite. Speaking to one another is very important and learning to speak to others of different linguistic backgrounds is going to make this world more united. In the United States we do not begin learning different languages, until high school and college, but this should be started much younger. Starting the teaching of foreign languages in elementary school, the students could greatly increase their linguistic skills. Among the different reasons: it is proven that children learn foreign languages easier when they are younger, children need to be able to communicate with the growing immigrant population, and by learning other languages we are able to communicate with other Christians around the world.
What can be done about traffic?
The idea of miles and miles of open road and a full tank of gas means freedom to any red blooded American. Cars give Americans the amazing ability to go anywhere and do anything. The problem is that every car owning American has this same idea of freedom and they all seem to be on the road at the same time. What freedom exists while sitting behind a dirty eighteen wheeler in a hot, sticky seat during a traffic jam? Only the choices of lighting up a cigarette, surfing the radio to find an escape in music, shuffling through various stranded papers, or making a phone call to say “I’m going to be a little late.” Everyone wants to arrive at their destinations faster, but no one wants to wait an hour before they leave while the traffic clears. The plague of traffic infects every city in America, and it’s time to find a cure. Besides making one late for an appointment, traffic jams pose major problems for businesses, governments and families, steps must be taken to insure the problem gets better. Some of the ways traffic can be alleviated include the increased use of technology, staggering operating schedules for major institutions, and helping individuals understand that they must change their habits in order to solve the problem.
My summer trip with the buddies
Three of my good friends and I are planning on taking a road trip this summer. Our plan is to see all of the cool stuff in America that we’ve always wanted to, and also find sweet places along the way. We will try to save five hundred dollars apiece through the year, put this toward gas, food, hotels, and campsites, and to travel for two weeks deciding where to go along the way. We will have a list of the places we need to go, like Zion national park and Las Vegas, but otherwise we plan on traveling on a whim; whatever strikes our interest we will check out. Living cheaply will allow us the most freedom, we plan on camping or sleeping in the car most of the time, not to mention staying with any relatives we can get a bed and a meal from across the country. The only thing we still really have to solidify is whose car to take. I plan on buying a new vehicle sometime in the spring or early summer so this problem might work itself out.
Learning Foreign and Second Languages at a Young Age - Jamie
One way the diverse cultures of the United States are evident in daily life is through our conversations. For example, when walking in the street of a busy city, we can hear languages from all over the world. While average Americans are able to understand English conversations, they may be frustrated with their inability to understand the other languages flowing around them. If only they had had the opportunity to study a foreign language at a younger age, their feelings of frustration would perhaps be lessened, familiarity with the language would be deeper and an appreciation for it would have developed. Learning foreign languages should be required for children in the United States. If people acquire a second language while still children, this will increase their chances of absorbing and storing more of the language in their brains, creating a better realization of diversity and culture in their surroundings, and preparing them for the experiences they will encounter in the future.
Thanking the Alphabet-Jamie
This article shows how the alphabet came to be. For those of us who enjoy reading and writing, we have the alphabet to thank, as the title suggests. The article goes back to show the roots of the alphabet and the influences of the Phoenicians, giving examples of the original meanings of letters and sounds. There are also examples of how the letters are pronounced. The article concludes with how we like our letters so much by making them into words and putting them onto t-shirts, billboards, commercials, etc.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas, Harbour Island is a place that I remember well. I lived there for five years. When I think of the Bahamas, one of the ideas that run through my head is, the faithfulness of the Lord to my family in his keeping a hedge of protection around our lives.
Something Meaningful from DCM?- steph w
I took a DCM course over interim called “The Holocaust, history and human nature.” We were required to read a book called Night by Elie Wiesel. That was about two or three weeks ago, and the book is still with me. I found it hard to read but at the same time it was interesting. If I were a holocaust survivor, I wouldn’t be able to write about my experiences, let alone write a coherent book with as much symbolism as Wiesel used.
Weather Modification: Useful Technology or Unnecessary Evil?
Imagine a world where, with a push of a button, one could alter the weather. Imagine a military that could strategically change the weather over an enemy to gain an advantage. Imagine a government with the capability to stop a deadly storm from hitting a populated area, saving millions of lives and billions of dollars. That is where technology is headed. “Weather manipulation” as scientists and militants are calling it, is the goal of American society. To be able to control weather for one’s benefit and another’s harm is the future of technology. But is this a positive thing? Weather manipulation is not a necessary technology because of the effects that it has on monetary costs, weather patterns, and the environment as a whole.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Loss of Eloquence
Grammatically incorrect phrases such as “lol, brb, how r u, wassup, and I luv ya,” are now commonplace in a culture teeming with online chat rooms, text messaging, and instant messenger. Literary eloquence has been lost because of countless instances of Internet shorthand. For example, “u” and “r” have seemingly more value than the grammatically acceptable “you” and “are.” Our culture prides itself in the ability to produce people who, despite glaring errors, can type a sentence – or a fragment of a sentence – in five seconds or less. This recent development succeeds daily in preventing people, completely capable of expressing comprehensive thought on paper, from living up to their written potential. Society’s lack of negative response to this electronic phenomenon results in an overall diminished style of writing. Similarly, computer communication does not seek to develop writing in general and it is a threat to the formal style of writing as a whole.
The Infatuation of February 14
Valentine’s Day inevitably graces us with its presence every February 14. This lover’s holiday – immeasurably dreaded, excitedly anticipated, or apathetically ignored – has successfully invaded today’s culture. Commercials for kissing teddy bears, candies, phone dating services, and most of all diamonds (how can we forget that “every kiss begins with Kay”?) are so prevalent that even the most content person feels that something mystically romantic is missing from their now seemingly boring relationship.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Preaching the Judgment
Have you ever read Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”? If you have, did you agree or disagree with the way the message was preached, that is do you think preaching hell-fire and damnation is effective? If you have not read it, Edwards utilizes powerful imagery of hell and a biblical view of the Lord to warn sinners of their impending destruction. As he said in regards to sinners outside of Christ, “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God”(n.d.9). These warnings of divine judgment are an effective tool that the prophets used to turn people, especially lost Christians back to the Lord. This tool should be used more often and more appropriately, in three major ways. The first area in which it is not used enough is evangelism. The second way is that when these warnings are preached, it is an open rebuke by the Spirit of the Lord that should result in repentance. The third way is that this type of preaching edifies and builds up the Church.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Supreme Court Tenures
The U.S. has one of the best governments in the world. Any American citizen should feel privileged to live in a democratic society. A great aspect of our government is our justice system. An important part to our justice system is the Supreme Court. A key to the effectiveness of the Supreme Court is the fact that the justices have lifetime tenure. Lifetime appointments are very vital in keeping the justices free from political influences, the public’s opinion, and trying to please others for future political purposes.
[For more, see this article in the New York Times.]