I Remember.

I was seven. I was in my kitchen with Lizzy and Matt, my little siblings. We were doing homeschool. We were doing handwriting.

The phone rang. My mom answered. Her expression turned startled and frightened. That got our attention.

"Who is it, Momma?"

"Momma, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer us. She went into the living room.

We were seven and five years old. Our attention spans were short. She left the room, we forgot about it.

Then we heard the TV go on in the living room.

Hey, no fair. If Mom gets to watch TV during school time, so do we.

We almost leapt up and went into the living room, but my mom came out seconds later and went to my dad's study. What was up?

She returned with my dad seconds later. They went back into the living room. I heard my mom saying something about "My mom called...she told me..."

More muffled voices. Matt and Lizzy and I exchanged glances. What was up?

My mom poked her head in the doorway. "Hey, guys? We want you to see this."

TV DURING SCHOOL? Oh yes. We ran into the living room.

It was news on TV. News? News was boring. But why was this such a big deal?

Towers. We saw towers. Towering building, towering smoke. Plans. Fire. Crumbling.

"Some people flew planes into the Twin Towers," my mom explained. I'd never seen her look like that before. Like she was trying hard to be calm. Like she was holding in a great sadness. "Lots of people work there. Lots of people have died."

Matt, Lizzy and I watched.

"Why?" I asked.

I don't remember what she said.

"Go get some blank paper and draw a picture," she suggested to us. "Draw what you see."

I drew a building with debris flying. I remember being very detailed about it. I could feel this was important. I remember being careful to draw on cords on the blinds of the windows.

Lizzy drew the building too. She drew fire and stick people.

Matt drew the building. He drew debris he drew...raindrops?

Momma: "Matt, what are those?"

Matt: "Those are God's tears."

~Kendra

School

Whether your thoughts are on summer being so close you can taste it, or exams beating you over the head with a 2x4, school is most likely on your mind this time of year.

I'm one of those people who hates school, but loves learning. Every once in a while I can step back and agree that school is really important and it gives you a great foundation for the rest of life.

But some people just plain hate school. They don't see the point. You know what? I don't think that's their fault. I think it's the school's fault.

Schools these days aren't giving you knowledge, they're teaching to test. They're teaching you exactly what you need to know to pass. They don't expect you to understand. They don't expect you to know how to think. They don't expect you to be able to apply what you learn. In my opinion, that's robbing you of half your education.

School should be directly related to life. I'm not saying that it is, I'm saying that it should be. Teach us how to think, not how to spit information back at you. Teach us to read, understand, and be able to communicate ideas. Teach us history so this next generation won't make the mistakes we've repeated for centuries.

You know what I think? I think school is not supposed to be about fitting yourself into an academic box and making good grades. I think school is supposed to be about empowering ourselves with knowledge. Giving ourselves a solid foundation of numbers, logic, history, English, biology, physics, art, music, current events, and public speaking. We go to school to get a foundation that we will use for the rest of our lives!

Every subject we learn is integrated! Our Creator did not just make a bunch of independent subjects to be studied! He made everything fit together in beautiful and delightful ways! He left behind all this knowledge, just waiting for us to soak it in and see how it all works together. When we don't embrace our education, we're cutting off part of what makes us in God's image.

School should not be where our parents shove us because that's just what you do. School should not be about becoming popular because a full social calendar is what it's all about. School should not be where our curiosity and creativity are squashed to promote class efficiency. School should not be a place where we are brainwashed because that's how we're supposed to think.

School should be where we go to soak in the knowledge that God has created for us to learn! School should be about making strong friends who will help you become who you're supposed to be. School should be where we're encouraged to ask questions and be our own person. School should be a place where we're not told what to think, but given the tools to draw our own conclusions.

School should not be about facts or about grades. School should be about gaining life skills in specific areas and learning to think. Because when it comes down to it, understanding HOW to think is a lot more useful than being told WHAT to think.

~Kendra Logan

Christians Should View "R" Rated Movies (Negative)

1NC: Christians SHOULD watch “R” rated movies.

Is the judge ready? Is the timer ready?

As Matthew 15:11 states, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The Bible and Christianity are all about the heart. Jesus was never interested in following the letter of a law, but the spirit of a law. It becomes clear in verses like Matthew 15:11 that what one views does not constitute a sin. My name is Stephanie Bailey, and I am arguing against the resolution that Christians should not view “R” rated movies.

I would first like to define a few terms.
Christian - One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
“R” rated – Any movie rated “R” because of hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements.

Movie – Motion picture

There are three values or reasons why I believe Christians should be allowed to view “R” rated movies. The first is Reality. Christians are to be in the world, but not of it. Yet many Christians shelter themselves from the issues at hand, and therefore are not even “in” the world at all. The second value is Fairness. The rating system is extremely flawed, and therefore not an accurate representation of what is “okay” to watch. And lastly, the Heart. WHAT someone does is really not as important as WHY one does it.

As Christians, it is important to behave in a Christ-like manner. Did Christ shelter himself from the evils in the world? He did not. Did Christ avoid unsavory situations? He did not. Christ was right in the midst of all the worldly horror so that he could know how best to help. Christians are supposed to be in the world but not of it, but many people are just hiding their eyes. They spend so much time sheltering themselves from evil that they miss out on what they could do to help. God does not want us to turn our backs on suffering or ideas that make us uncomfortable. God wants us to be aware of the evil in the world, acutely aware, so that we can do something about it. Being a Christian is not just a label that makes us exempt from dirty work. Exactly the opposite. To be a Christian is to know the horrors of the world, and do something to stop it.

The rating system is flawed. If Christians are worried about content, the rating has surprisingly little to do with that. The difference between a PG-13 movie and an R rated one is not the content, but the amount of it. A PG-13 movie might have the F word three times, but a fourth time gets it classified as an R.

The movie Nowhere In Africa received an “R” rating because some European women adopt the tribal practice of going topless. Had it been only the native Africans who did this, the movie would have received a PG-13 rating. Is this really fair? Should rating really be that much of a deciding factor? After all one would expect a sailor to have rough language, but middle schools swearing up a storm? One is clearly more objectionable than the other, but they would be rated equally.

Whether Christian or not, it is important to realize the flaws in the rating system before drawing an accurate conclusion.

Lastly, one of the most fundamental teachings of Christianity is the Heart. Over and over it is taught that God does not care about following a bunch of rules, he cares about what’s in your heart. A movie rating does not have anything to do with your heart. A Christian should be able to watch “The Passion of the Christ”, rated R, with a clear conscience, but some PG-13 movies should not feel right to them. True honor comes not with obeying the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. Some PG movies have bad messages that will shape us just as much as “R” rated ones. The real question is not what the movie is rated, but whether you are watching it for the right reasons. God is not about ratings, God is about the heart.

Even outside the realms of Christianity, people tend to believe that it is the thought that counts, or that one should do what he believes is right. Many people, not only Christians, realize that following the spirit of the law is what gives a person integrity, not following the letter.

In conclusion, I believe that Christians should be allowed to watch R rated movies. We should not shelter ourselves from the cruelties of the world, nor should we be so bound by the letter of the law. The rating system itself is flawed and should not be a deciding factor in what’s okay to watch. After all, God is not about letters on the back of movies. God is about the heart.

~Kendra Logan

Christians Should Not View "R" Rated Movies (Affirmative)

1AC: Christians should NOT watch “R” rated movies.

Is the judge ready? Is the timer ready?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8. This is only one example of the Bible being very clear on what to put into our minds. The Bible does not put qualifications on this, it very simply states to keep yourself pure by dwelling only on what will be beneficial to you.

Before continuing, I would like to define some terms.

Christian - One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

“R” rated – Any movie rated “R” because of hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements.

Movie – Motion picture

There are several strong values that support Christians refraining from “R” rated content, but the three I’ve chosen to focus on are Pure Minds, Honor, and Example. Even when something doesn’t affect us on the outside right away, it is important to keep our minds Pure. Honor is about keeping our minds and our hearts strongly immersed in God’s word and doing what he would want us to. And as Christians, it is important to set a good Example for the world. By watching “R” rated content, we can cause other to stumble or doubt that Christ really makes us different.

Since movies were not around during Biblical times, it is difficult to be decisive about this subject. Instead of relying directly on the Bible, we must rely on the messages given to us. One thing is for certain: God does not look at things the way Man does. When deciding whether or not to view “R” rated movies, one must try to see things from a holy perspective.

Christians should be in the world but not of it. They should be living, breathing, tangible reminders of what Christ did and how he changes lives today. When the world looks at Christians, what does it typically see? Hypocrites. It is extremely important that we work to change this view on Christians. By viewing “R” rated movies, especially in the theater, we are only bringing our faith down. It is important to show the world that Christians are different.

Who we are is defined by how we act. How we act is defined by what we think. What we think is directly influenced by what we take it. If we fill our hearts and minds with “R” rated content, whether we think so or not, it will eventually affect how we think, how we act, and therefore who we are. Who we are needs to set a good example to the world.

Another important thing to consider is the purity of our minds. Everything we put into our minds affects us, whether it is immediately apparent or not. As Renae Richardson points out, “A person is not deemed to be sick of a disease until it is confirmed by outward symptoms or diagnosed by a physician. However, a person is often internally sick before they even manifest the first signs. All diseases begin with one germ that multiplies. All germs have an origin. They don't just manifest.” This means that even though “R” rated content may seem not to affect us, it actually is. Everything we view has an effect on us, good or bad, whether we realize it or not. Change starts on the inside; we ourselves might not even realize it until very late in the game.

The bottom line is honor. Honor God, honor yourself, honor your family, honor your morals. Honor is not about doing what is easy, what is convenient, or what makes sense at the time. Honor is about setting values for yourself and following them even when it is not as appealing. It’s all too easy to make good decisions when you are calm, but when put in different circumstances, our minds are not always clear. It is better to make a conscious decision NOT to watch “R” rated movies than to leave yourself open to temptation and decision in a difficult situation.

In conclusion, Christians should not view “R” rated movies because it compromises their honor, affects the mind whether they realize it or not, and sets bad examples for non-Christians.

Stay tuned for the negative side to this argument: Christians SHOULD watch "R" rated movies.

~Kendra

Thanks

Wow, those thoughts yesterday were incredible. Everyone expressed themselves so well. I really enjoyed reading all the posts, even though I haven't commented yet. Commenting on Carpe Noctem tends to suck the commenter into a never-ending debate, so I've been trying to stay out of those lately XD

I'm really glad you all posted, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every pst. Awesome thoughts, y'all :)

Lissy: John Adams

Inaugeration Speech of John Adams

Annotated by Alyssa Davidson

I am no history major, or even a history nerd, but when I came across this speech, I endeavored to read it. I was simply intrigued by the complexity of the archaic language. By the time I had finished, I had decided that this was something that needed to be shared for others to reflect on. I have made annotations on the speech in an Office Word document, for this was the best way to comment on the speech without my test interrupting the flow of the speech, which is already tricky to follow. Please enjoy.

Here is the link to the document. I appologize, but you will need to download the document to see the annotations.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=31828073

Christopher: The Holy Bible

First of all, thanks to Kendra for saying “What the heck?” and hosting two Follower Say events in one year. It’s really a great idea. Also thanks to all my fans, and to my friends and family watching back home.

Onto business.

Recently I made the overdue decision to read all the way through the Bible from cover to cover. Now considering I’m not as self-disciplined as some, and considering neither Bible study nor theology is exactly my forte, I’m allowing myself short literary lunch breaks of novels and the occasional picture book. So far I’ve only gotten about halfway through Numbers.

Since I only have a couple minutes or so to talk within the limits of the average attention span, I’m not going to share with you my interpretation of every single Bible verse and parable that I’ve read so far. Instead, I’m going to share with you the premature conclusion I’ve reached just from the first three and a half books of the Bible that I’ve read through.

I think we can all agree that the Bible did not descend from heaven on a cloud accompanied by an angel’s chorus. Most of you, on the other hand, probably believe that the Bible holds the exact words of God. Exact. I beg to differ.
Have you ever read all the way through the books of Leviticus and Numbers? If so, and you’re prepared to obey every word that the Bible commands to you in your life now, then I have some questions for you:

Have you been sacrificing lambs every time you sin? Have you ever suggested to your Church’s minister that he dress in golden robes made especially for him instead of in a suit and white collar? Do you go into exactly seven days of isolation every time you have an infectious disease? Do you go through a mystic and superstitious ritual every time your spouse suspects that you’re cheating on him/her? Do you honestly believe that the sky is a second ocean, just separated by an invisible ceiling? Do you believe that people should be stoned or killed for crimes as meager as theft and disobedience? Do you sacrifice the right type of animal through burnt offering to God every time a baby is born? Do you consider it a sin to be human?

I’m crossing my fingers that you haven’t answered yes to all of these questions.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I read the Bible. I learn from the Bible too. But I think that after roughly 2000 years, it’s time to consider the thought that what we’re reading in the Bible are not the words of God himself, but the words of men who were deeply inspired by God. Reasons why I think this? I’ll name some.

1) The Bible commands the people of early Israel to give most of their offerings to the priests. It says so very explicitly. The priests were ridiculously wealthy because while the offerings were made in regard to God, they were fed to the priests. Isn’t it possible that the priests had some influence over that? Do you really think that God would be so unfair as to give a select a handful of people to be five times more wealthy than anyone else in the nation?

2) The Bible is extremely contradictory. In the New Testament, Jesus preaches “turn the other cheek.” In the Old Testament, God the Father preaches “an eye for an eye.” There are many similar occurrences throughout the rest of the Bible.

3) Like I mentioned earlier, the science that is preached in the Bible is very ancient—not the type that an all-knowing God might believe in. The sky is a second sea? I don’t think so. Disease can usually be healed by holy water? Doesn’t sound scientific. I admire Christians everywhere who are conservative in their interpretation of the Bible but are still logical scientists. But that’s contradictory. How can you interpret the Bible literally and still answer no to all of the questions above?

Mainly, it’s just liberals who are accused of preaching the parts of the Bible that they like and ignoring the parts that they don’t. Really, I think just about all of Christians today are guilty of that too. If you think that one should interpret the Bible literally and then make all of his decisions based on specific verses, then it’s fair to guess that you also ignore the parts of the Bible that you don’t agree with, just judging by the fact that you’re not a total eccentric.

I’ve mentioned earlier that while most Christians use the Bible as a handbook to life, I use it as a tool for inspiration. I’ve said that a lot, haven’t I? Well, I want people to understand. The Bible still houses uncountable great lessons, instructions, and morals that need to be learned from. But I don’t want to see it as perfect. It’s like God’s prophets in the Bible. They came to teach a message, but they weren’t perfect.

Christians still need the Bible, but obsessing over each verse and basing our lives on it has already been proven to not work.

Thanks for reading.