Re: Religion in the Classroom

I've decided to comment on a colleague's work with a topic I have a pretty strong stance on. Thanks to a great article by Michael Armatino, I've got a good foundation to expand upon.

The article is about religion being taught in schools, and whether or not to use it. Obviously, this is a touchy subject, and I certainly don't want to "step on anyone's toes" so to speak... So, I'll merely give my view on the topic and include some of the counter arguments to help see everything for what it is.

I'll start by saying: although I value my mind's "perfect world" and everything that would go on if it were to play out as I wish it would, life truly doesn't work that way... and I would never expect it to. That said, I truly wish there were a way that religion could be taught in schools. I won't even go into what type or anything like that... It's merely the morality and virtue that a religion can bring to its followers (if they are truly dedicated) that I want the world to have and be more in tune with. In recent years, I've steadily watched the world decline over-all, to where decency and honesty seem to have become things of the past. We live in an indulgent, impatient society where instant gratification is a must, and things, more often than not, lack the values that our country was originally founded on. I suppose all I'm trying to say is that society in general could use a big shot of "goodness" into its meanderings to straighten it out a bit. Wouldn't you agree?

I have no idea why a Britney Spears lyric is screaming to be written here, as I'm certainly not a follower... but in one of her more recent songs you may have heard on the radio has this lyric in one of its verses: "Are you in? Living in sin is the new thing." And to be honest, it seems that this does tend to be how people feel these days. I think things could use a turn in the other direction.

That was my view on the subject. Of course parents and family members have the responsibility to bring up their children the way they feel is right, as Mr. Armatino said in his article. I'd just venture to say that it could do many some good to incorporate even more into the mix. School would be a great outlet to use...

With Liberty and Health Care for All...

For this post, I decided to talk about my take on the new health care reform bill recently voted in by president Obama, and how it effects us.

I understand the need for health care... Things like illness and accidents (etc) happen in life. Health care provides a way to get the treatments and surgical procedures one may need should anything ever happen. However, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this statement, I DO NOT feel that it is right in ANY way to force the American citizen, (Texans in our case) to have to pay for it or face severe penalty otherwise. Information I've found online states that in 2007-2008 about 44% of Texas did not have health care. I'd deduce that 44% has a decent or valid reason for not paying the price of health care, wouldn't you? Whether it be barely making ends meet in the current economy, or what have you... many working class Texans struggle from month to month just to pay the rent. Now these people will have to pay for the Government's mistakes in the way of budgeting and spending by way of health care. I feel that it's an individual's choice how they are to spend their dollar, and the government shouldn't change anything or add any additional requirements to what we already have to pay. I feel behind enough, most of the time. The bill doesn't go into act fully until 2014, and one can only hope that by that time Texans will be prepared enough to undertake the new costs we'll have to face.