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So I was sitting in the pit at work, answering phones, like I always do when I’m not in clinic with my doctor, when my gay co-worker burst into the room, shaking, laughing and smiling.

“The Supreme Court just ruled same-sex marriage legal! Now I can get married whenever and wherever I want to!”

I blinked, absorbed what he was saying and then forced a smile in a silent form of congratulations. Thinking to myself, The Supreme Court did what??

That’s how I found out that same-sex marriage is now legal in every state.

I’ve been thinking about writing this post for the past 48 hours. How I wanted to write it. What I wanted to write about this subject. And it’s a toughie. It truly is. Let me see if I can first break my thoughts down and secondly try and make it as fair to all parties that I can.

Yes. I work with a gay man. He is the sweetest and most likable person I’ve ever known. I’ve liked him from the very moment I met him. And we get along famously. In fact, his sense of humor reminds me so much of my brother that I sort of SEE and TREAT him like a little brother. Yes. I’ve told him that before.

So I’ve had to be very careful in how I approach this subject at work because it would kill me to hurt this guy’s feelings. I truly like and care about him and I’m a lot of things, but I’m never intentionally cruel to someone – I have too much respect for the people in my life, or the people I like, to go out of my way to be deliberately nasty to them.

But I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle.

WAIT. DON’T GO. Hear me out, please.

I don’t believe God intended men to be with men. Or women to be with women. And no matter how we sugar coat it, or think of different ways to redefine it, marriage is between a man and a woman. Period. I’ve never understood why the gay community insisted on redefining that word. That word belongs to the heterosexual, get your own damn word. Call it a civil union, or a gay union, or whatever else you want to define two gay people becoming legally/contractually obligated to each other, but marriage is OURS.

Or it was until the Supreme Court stuck their high and mighty noses into it.

So, no. I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle. I don’t think it’s natural or beautiful or any other label you want to attach to it. I don’t believe you’re born a homosexual. I believe it’s a conscious/subconscious choice that is influenced by outside factors. I think people are born with a homosexual tendency, like a person is born with alcoholic/drug addiction tendencies and those people have to work that much harder to resist the temptation, but no, I don’t think there’s a special “gene” that makes a person gay.

This is what I believe. Disagree if you must. But here’s the thing – I really don’t care if someone *chooses to live that sort of lifestyle.

No really.

I. Don’t. Care.

It’s really none of my business how a person lives his/her life. I figure the gay community will be judged at some point and that at some point they will have to look God in the eye and explain their behavior.

I say, “good luck with that.” *SALUTE*

God granted humans the gift of free will – if one chooses to live by the rules that God has set forth in His Word, then that person will be rewarded when Christ comes back to get us. If one chooses NOT to live by the rules that God has set forth, then that person will not be rewarded. But it doesn’t really matter how a Christian lives his/her life, God loves us no matter what choices we make. If a person has accepted Jesus Christ into his/her heart and confessed with his/her mouth that Christ is Lord and was raised from the dead, then that person is a child of God. And just like our flesh and blood children sometimes disappoint us and/or don’t live their lives like we would like them to, they are still our children and we still love them.

The same principle applies to God’s children.

So a gay man may be a Christian and God will still love that man, but he will be disappointed and like a naughty child, that man will not be rewarded for his choices.

For with the gift of free will comes consequences of that free will.

If I choose to hold up a liquor store and steal all of their money, that was my choice. Granted, it was a poor choice, but mine, nonetheless. And the consequences of that choice is jail time.

I won’t pretend to know what God’s consequences will be for not choosing to live by His rules, but I’m sure there WILL be consequences. How can there not?

So honestly, who cares what my opinion is? Who cares if I disagree with a gay person’s decision and/or lifestyle. It’s ultimately none of my business how that person lives his/her life as it’s none of that person’s business how I live my life. WHO CARES WHAT ANYONE DOES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

I think my biggest beef with this whole legalizing a gay union (because I REFUSE to call it marriage – marriage belongs to HETEROSEXUALS), is that the Supreme Court turned my voice, my vote, null and void. They spoke FOR the people. They completely ignored the constitution, the states’ rights and basically said, “Fuck you” to everyone and made our decision for us.

They put on their emperor’s crowns and simply made a decision for everyone.

And the scariest part? This is just the beginning. The ice has been broken. Because now that they’ve done it this once, it will that much easier to do again. And again. And again. And before long? We will become a nation of robots that are TOLD what to do, how to live and how to think. And if we dare color outside the lines, WE WILL BE PUNISHED.

And the end begins …

I don’t want to scare anyone, or sound like some crazed religious person, but now would be a good time to start thinking about the afterlife. Because it’s all downhill from here and Christ WILL come back – are you ready? And I know what you’re thinking, “you’re crazy. Whatever.” What if my beliefs are right?

What if?

And let’s not be naive and think this decision, this turning stone, stops here. Guess what’s next?

Pedophiles want same rights as homosexuals

Using the same tactics used by “gay” rights activists, pedophiles have begun to seek similar status arguing their desire for children is a sexual orientation no different than heterosexual or homosexuals.

Critics of the homosexual lifestyle have long claimed that once it became acceptable to identify homosexuality as simply an “alternative lifestyle” or sexual orientation, logically nothing would be off limits.

“Gay” advocates have taken offense at such a position insisting this would never happen. However, psychiatrists are now beginning to advocate redefining pedophilia in the same way homosexuality was redefined several years ago.

Van Gijseghem, psychologist and retired professor of the University of Montreal, told members of Parliament, “Pedophiles are not simply people who commit a small offense from time-to-time but rather are grappling with what is equivalent to a sexual orientation just like another individual may be grappling with heterosexuality or even homosexuality.”

He went on to say, “True pedophiles have an exclusive preference for children, which is the same as having a sexual orientation. You cannot change this person’s sexual orientation. He may, however, remain abstinent.”

When asked if he should be comparing pedophiles to homosexuals, Van Gijseghem replied, “If, for instance, you were living in a society where heterosexuality is proscribed or prohibited and you were told that you had to get therapy to change your sexual orientation, you would probably say that that is slightly crazy. In other words, you would not accept that at all. I use this analogy to say that, yes indeed, pedophiles do not change their sexual orientation.”

The ripple effect begins.

And before you pooh-pooh this “ridiculious notion” away, consider this:

This article from the Greeley Gazette was originally published in 2011. But now, there’s actually a constitutional argument that can be made in its favor.

And did anyone think gay unions would be legal in every state 30 years ago?

And if you’re interested in what Christianity has to say about homosexuality, please watch the following videos: Teaching: Christian’s View on Homosexuality – Parts One / Two, Three / Four, Five / Six.

The slippery slope just got a whole lot slippier.

And that, my friends, is what’s wrong with our society. Does it feel good? Then it MUST be the right thing to do. How sad is that attitude??

How do you define a “moral compass?”

I mean sure, you can look up the defnition:

anything which serves to guide a person’s decisions based on morals or virtues

What the hell does “anything which serves to guide” mean, exactly?

Is that anything whatever mood you’re in when you make the “moral” decision? Does anything depend on the situation? The day of the week? How much wine you had beforehand? On whether or not it “feels” good?

Seriously. I’ve never understood people who do not believe in … something … anything … to know when to draw the line when it comes to right and wrong.

I am a Christian. And the Bible is my compass. I try (and fail) to live by God’s commandments because I believe in a higher entity, one who is all-knowing, wise, loving and kind. The Bible lays out for me how I should aspire to live my life. It outlines what is right or wrong in the eyes of the almighty. It is a script for my life.

If one is not a Christian, what “code” does one live by? Where does one draw the line with … anything and everything. What makes something wrong in the eyes of someone who doesn’t have a moral compass?

For kicks, I Googled moral compass and ran across an interesting article …

Problem. Where it really matters – our lives and most significant relationships – we have more than lost our moral compass. It has been trashed by humanism and driven over by hedonism. We have become our own authorities – our own True North. We do what’s right for us – not what is right. We do what gives us the greatest pleasure regardless of the consequences to others.

This “compass-less” behavior is often defended as situational ethics. People are called upon to reason what would be the best thing to do under certain circumstances. Yet – from what I see, it’s a very flexible, self-motivated “situational ethics”, where people are virtually saying, “In the right situation, I will lose my ethics.” Sad. And yes, the relational chaos is enormous.

Let’s look at what we have lost.

We have lost our sense of right and wrong. Decisions are based on what works for me – on convenience and on compromise not timeless truth. Ultimate standards are replaced by our own ethics. We bend the rules to suit our needs. We become a law unto ourselves. We reason that it’s okay as long as no one finds out.

We have lost our personal integrity. That characteristic is when a person is quality to the core. You can trust this guy. Without integrity in business dealings, rather than God-honoring principles being lived out, people are cut throat, lying and breaking contracts. They will say whatever it takes to get a sale. Pragmatism – whatever works – wins out over principle. A person’s word means almost nothing now.

We have lost our ability to empathize. Our self-centered orientation trumps the perspective of others. We have grown callous. We have quit asking how our choices are going to affect someone else. We no longer ‘do unto others as we would have them do unto us’ (Matthew 7:12).

We have lost our conviction of commitment. Breaking contracts in business is common. Giving up on a marriage without work is the new norm. If it’s not working – push the ‘eject button’. We take the easy path not the right path. We don’t follow through on our commitments if they don’t make us happy. I am done if there’s discomfort, work or it might cost me something.

We have lost our absolute standard of truth. People aren’t reading and studying the Scriptures like they used to. I have seen the changes over three family cycles. Previous generations wore out their Bibles, memorized verses more, attended weekly study groups and generally cared about what God said. Remember the mid- 70’s saying – “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” You likely don’t but that’s how people felt.

And lastly, this article ends with a manifesto, of sorts. A reminder to live a full, giving, generous, honorable life. And guess what, you don’t have to be a Christian to live by this moral compass. It’s possible.

Shocking, I know.

We are Christians…
We have a moral compass – an inner conviction to do what is right.
We believe that knowing Jesus must make a difference.
We believe our lives must honor God.
Therefore, we seek to live what we believe.
We keep promises.
We lend a hand.
We tell the truth.
We respect people’s stuff.
We honor our commitments.
We do our best.
We finish the job.
We don’t take what doesn’t belong to us.
We’ve quit exaggerating.
We put people first.
We admit we’re wrong.
We say we’re sorry when we blow it.
We put things back.
We treat people with respect.
We value family.
We clean up our mess.
We don’t cut corners – we do it right.
We own our mistakes.
We don’t make excuses.
We don’t shift the blame.
We love long.
We forgive.
We earn people’s trust and then work to keep it.
We won’t lie to those we love – or to anybody else.
We keep our word even if it costs us.
We are faithful to our vows.
And…if we don’t have anything nice to say, we don’t say anything at all.
We live today as if God were our judge – we believe He is.
You see, we are Christians – and we have a moral compass. His compass.
We live what we believe and follow one who died for what He believed.

Do you have a moral compass? Is it based on a concrete reference? Something you can refer to from time-to-time? Or is it based on your feelings … common sense and logical thought be damned?

Think about it …

… Jesus came down in flesh and solved both of them.

This is the quote from Phil Robertson in the clip below that struck me the most.

Actually, the whole video really struck me – hard – I cried several times, but if I were to sum up the purpose, the reason, behind this message, that would be it.

Human beings are so arrogant. We think we know it all. We blame other people/entities when we make mistakes or things don’t go according to OUR plan. We make choices every day – some are good, some are bad, but there’s no one to blame but ourselves for the outcome. How badly do you want to work for something? How proud of your accomplishments are you? If you scraped and clawed your way to the outcome you wanted, I’m betting you’re pretty proud of yourself, and guess what, YOU SHOULD BE. NEVER be ashamed of your accomplishments – ever. If you worked for it, if you made sacrifices that other people are either too lazy to make or aren’t willing to work for, then damn it, be proud of yourself.

YOU DESERVE IT.

It’s never too late to turn your life around. God loves ALL people – all you have to do is accept his son, Jesus Christ, in your heart and be willing to live a better, and more humble life. That’s it. If you’re not willing to do that, then so be it. It’s your choice. No human condemns you for that choice. God granted human beings with the gift of free will – do with it what you will. But remember: YOU suffer whatever consequences of your choices.

ALWAYS.

There are two commandments – love God and love your neighbor. These two commands were bought and paid for when Christ died on the cross for us. If you’re not willing to live by those commandments, then that’s your choice.

Do you see how easy this is?

This is the Christian belief. It’s honestly not any more complicated than that. If someone doesn’t choose to live his/her life according to God’s commandments, there will be consequences – maybe not so much in this life, but certainly in the next. If you’re living a homosexual life, then that’s how you choose to live. (Yes – I believe being homosexual is a choice. I think some people are more predisposed to being homosexual, but those people, unfortunately, have to work harder to resist those urges – like people who are predisposed to alcoholism, or drugs – it’s hard, it’s not fair, but it’s life).

Do I personally agree with homosexuality? No. I believe it’s a sin. But do I hate those people who choose to live that life? No. It’s their choice. And guess what – GOD STILL LOVES THEM. And if homosexuals have taken Christ into their heart, believe God raised him from the dead, then they are saved and will live an everlasting life. We are human beings – God loves human beings. He loves ALL human beings, regardless of our choices and/or how we live our lives. Period.

But the more we surround ourselves with various sins, ALL FORMS OF SIN, the harder it is for God to guide us, to speak to us, TO PROTECT US. Sin is our shield against God and the thicker the shield, the harder it is for God to reach us. Satan knows this and uses this human weakness to keep us from a true relationship with God.

And even if we live as close to a sinless life as we can possibly live and bad things STILL happen to us, it’s because we have caught Satan’s attention and he’s doing everything he can to shake our beliefs, to find that weak chink in our armor and make us look bad to other believers / non-believers because if something bad happens and we somehow blame God for that bad thing happening, guess what – Satan wins. That’s the goal.

It puts God in a bad light and begins to shake people’s beliefs – discouragement, disillusionment, disappointment leads to temptation, which leads to more sin, which pushes us further from God’s protection.

We think what we think. We all have opinions – we either agree, or disagree. But the minute we condemn someone for their opinion, for voicing their beliefs in a society that was supposedly built on FREEDOM OF SPEECH, then we’re setting ourselves up for a great fall. Not just spiritually, but as a human race.

This condemnation is the backbone for a dictatorship – of a socialist society where it’s either believe this, or suffer the consequences. A society where one gives up the freedom of will and becomes a robot that is given sets of commands and is punished whenever he/she deviates from the socialist plan.

Is that really how you want to live your life?

So. Listen to all sides of an issue. Evaluate what’s being said. Weigh that against your faith, or whatever creed you might live your life, and dare to disagree, if you must disagree.

And then move on. If it’s a show you disagree with, STOP WATCHING IT. Just because you disagree with a person doesn’t give you the right to treat that person any different – agree to disagree AND MOVE ON.

But the moment we allow the bullies to come and dictate to us what THEY feel is right and wrong and to intimidate us into kow-towing to THEIR way of thinking, that’s when the first brick of our GOD-GIVEN right to be FREE-WILL humans crumbles and falls to the socialist ideals waiting to pounce on us on the other side of that wall.

Today’s question is …

If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere and at any time in history …

I’d like to see what goes on in the doctors’ lives that I work with.

What are they like when they’re not working? What sort of personalities do they have? How do they interact with their spouses? With their children?

I love to watch people. I love to listen to conversations. I love to try and read between the lines and study body language and listen to what’s NOT being said.

In short, I’m nosy. I’m one of those people who like to sit in the corner at parties and watch what’s going on around me, without actually participating.

I’d like the ability to simply follow someone interesting home – then perch, unseen, and watch them go about their daily lives. What makes them tick? What are they passionate about? What are the people in their lives like?

I don’t really like to interact with people, even though I do it on a daily basis and can trick people into thinking that I LIKE speaking with them, or SEEM like I’m really listening when in fact, I’m counting the minutes until I can gracefully excuse myself from the conversation, but I do enjoy watching people.

I just wish I could do more of it and not appear suspicious.

I swear I’m not as creepy as I sound.

At least … for now.

This came from Facebook. And I’m amazed at the comments …

It all depends on the situation others put you in.

My parents both were physically abusive while I was growing up.. can someone tell me how the hell that’s my fault?

Unless you’re murdered or raped..or had your life savings stolen by some greedy teach… I mean wall street fat-cat… then it’s Obama’s fault.

As usual, people are looking for excuses to get out of responsbility, or making tough choices. I’m not saying life is easy – for some, it downright sucks – what I’m saying is, it’s HOW you react to those crappy situations, it’s HOW you CHOOSE to deal with that situation and HOW you CHOOSE to live your life after that crappy situation that’s important.

We all get placed in situations we don’t like and don’t want. We can choose to leave it or accept it. Regardless, we always have a choice how we behave and respond while we are there.

Crappy childhood? Move past it and put yourself in a situation where you can help other children in crappy situations.

In a crappy relationship? Get out of it. Of course it’s not easy … nothing worth having is easy – get over that mindset right now. You want something, whether that’s a better relationship, a new job, a better place to live, more opportunities, then by golly, make it happen. There’s always a way – always. The problem is, do you have the balls to FIND it and then PURSUE it??

Stop whining – make better choices. Take responsibility for your own life.

Unless you’re happy with someone, or some ENTITY (i.e the government) making your choices for you – then whatever. It’s your life But if that’s what you CHOOSE – if you CHOOSE to allow someone, or some ENTITY, to make your choices for you – FINE – stop whining about it; that was your choice.

You CHOOSE your own path. Don’t like it? Change it.

Otherwise, leave the rest of us alone who CHOOSE our own paths.

Yo.

This is a subject near and dear to my heart considering my husband graduated from college (and actually got a job using his degree) and I graduated from college (and didn’t get a job in my degree, but probably could if I tried harder. I would also like to go back to get my Masters’s degree at some point, which is sort of stupid considering I’ve never really used my Bachelor’s degree). We have one son attending a community college and one son on the verge of attending college.

I have mixed feelings about college – on the one hand, you can never have TOO much knowledge and a degree can give you an edge over your competition, BUT, does college really prepare you for the real world? You CAN NOT discount real-world experience and too many times, college graduates may have the education but no experience. Ideally, the perfect candidate for a job would have the education AND the experience.

Going to college doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a high-paying job. Many college graduates think that way. If you go to college, then you have to go with the attitude that you’ll not only have to work hard while IN college, but also finding a job AFTER college. (Can you actually find a job using the degree you’re working towards??) Companies aren’t lined up, breathlessly waiting for you to graduate so they can offer you a six-figure salary. It just doesn’t work that way.

Kevin has spent A LOT of time talking to Dude about the direction of his life. Dude loves computers. He wants to be a gamer. Which, cool. BUT, it’s competitive and there aren’t that many openings for the number of people who want to go that direction. BUT, there are more IT jobs than there are IT people. SO. It might be smarter to concentrate on the IT route, gain some experience that way, and then look for that gamer route using the education AND the experience to get his foot in the door.

So I guess my question is, is college really necessary? What if you just worked really hard at the company of your choice and got promoted to the position you wanted? It’s sort of a gamble, an EXPENSIVE gamble.

Anyway. Our local talk show host highlights local authors every Thursday and he talked with Glenn Harlan Reynolds this past Thursday about his book, “The Higher Education Bubble.” It’s pretty interesting and definitely something to consider before agreeing to pay back thousands and thousands of dollars for something that may, or may not, help you in the future.

Have a listen. [Skip to 5:45 to begin discussion]