music downloads: acceptable or un-Christ like?
09.28.05 (4:07 pm) [edit]I don't think I ever related this episode to the roving internet community when it occured, and I was reminded of it today, so I'm going to tell it to you now. I know, you're dying to know what I'm talking about. Ok, ok. Please don't freak out anymore; I'll let you in.
Setting: high school sunday school class about a year ago
Who: all the people that were there (no need to name names)
What: chill out! I'm about to get to that!
I can't recall exactly what the lesson topic was but one of the questions posed was: "Is downloading music from the internet without paying stealing?" I hadn't really thought about it before, but quickly recalled lessons of old: taking something that does not belong to you= theft, so I sat back to hear what my classmates had to say. To my surprise, they all agreed that downloading music with no payment is not only not stealing, but perfectly alright with their consciences. I suppose that's a common viewpoint. Actually, I don't think I know of anyone except the music business itself that views music downloading with no payment as stealing. I voiced my opinion then, and will now. Of course its theft! Like I said, taking something that's not yours=stealing. "But its on the internet, so it belongs to the internet community!" Um, no. The music belongs to the artist(s) who created it. The music is an original work of art. The original theif took the musicians artwork and uploaded it to the internet without first paying the artist, and the downloader participates in and condones such theft by downloading. A downloader might as well walk into an art museum and pluck a piece off the wall and run out with it... except everyone notices the theif, and says, "Hey, that's a good idea," and picks their own piece to take off with, and the people at the counter don't mind either because they stole the art themselves, and figure that its fair for their patrons to do the same. Sounds whacky, doesn't it? The artists create; their creativness is their job, so they should be payed for it. "But they get payed millions of dollars; they won't miss my few dollars." Maybe they won't miss your few dollars in particular, but what about all the people that are encouraged to do the same by your actions? That money adds up, and they will take notice. Let's say you go to your job at the supermarket, or campus bookstore, or where ever you've happened to find employment and you put in a full days work for two weeks and you skip out the door on Friday looking forward to that sweet paycheck. You go to pick up your check, and find your envelope empty. Miffed, you approach your manager as he locks up. "Hey, don't I get payed this week?" Your manager replies,"You were going to, but since you came habitually anyway, I figured I'd capitalize on your habit, and not pay you. See you next week!" I wouldn't take that standing up, and no employer in their right mind would do such a thing if he wishes to keep his employee, because I know I wouldn't be coming back the following week, and maybe I'd file a suit to get my hard earned paycheck. Don't the musicians have a right to their paychecks too? Maybe it comes down to a grudge at the musicians for making so much money. They work, and they work hard. I wouldn't want to be swarmed with media, or deal with crazy fans. I'll leave that to them. I agree they get crazy amounts of money for the seemingly easy task of sining or playing into a mic, but professional athletes get payed huge amounts and few get ticked off at that and refuse to pay outrageous sums of money to see them play.
I am still awestruck that this acceptance of theft abounds in a church setting, and what disgusts me most, the teacher just shrugged it off, said nothing, was a door mat, went with the majority. :mad: That makes me want to throw up. Church is supposed to instruct all people, especially the younger kids, on the correct ways to lead a life like Jesus. I don't think Jesus would have rolled over belly up on this one. Come on now, WWJD... What would Jesus do? (For those of you who have forgotten what that lovely little acronym stands for.) I'm over and out and off my soapbox.
Life
09.21.05 (8:55 pm) [edit]I just wanted to take a moment to praise God for life. Many don't even realize life isn't being lived completely as God planned it to be lived until it is lived out with Him in mind. I praise God for the the life He has given.
Miracles of life are terrific too! About a month ago, a friend of mine's mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. They scheduled surgery to remove the cancer, knowing that she would probably not even make it through the surgery. Not only did she make it through the surgery, she is now cancer free. Answered prayer! Answered prayer! For those that don't believe miracles still happen, how can that be explained except with a miracle?
God needs to be thanked for the life of a friend of mine. I went to a concert tonight, and I think it was Hawk Nelson that sang a song about suicide. The one other person-besides the one that is now wasted 24/7-that brought me to Christ almost took his own life a few years back. I love that kid to death, and I don't know what I'd do without him, especially now since he is my only connection left to my early days as a Christian. I just thank God that He surrounded this kid with a large group of caring friends, and gave us all the wise words to help our friend fight the battle raging within himself at the time.
Thanks, God, for life! Life is good; eternal life is better!
Strict Style
09.19.05 (6:15 am) [edit]I have just returned from english compisition class. We had papers due today, and a few students had been previously selected to read their papers aloud to the class because they had made the best grades on the our first in-class essay. I was a little hurt when I wasn't chosen, but at the same time releaved to not have to read because I'm not half as smooth with speaking as I am on paper. *prideful grin* Somehow I've missed the concept of essay writing in school. Actually, the more I analyze my own work and compare mine to others', I'm beginning to think that the reason my papers don't flow so well is due to the fact that I've had too much instruction to where my own style has been cramped, and the only thing that comes out of me in essay form is a mass of words that is dryly stylized due to an excess of strict revision.
As I was sitting the classroom, trying my hardest to concentrate on the other students reading their essays, half the charm and wit of their papers came not from strict grammical and style rules and regulations, but from their own imaginations, view points, and words. Their grammer wasn't perfect, nor was their choice of words and that bugged me. I'm thinking too structurized to let my own words arrive on the paper because they are shot down due in my mind before I give them a chance to come alive. For instance, I used to ask rhetorical questions alot in essays where they are appropriate, but then that one paper in 6th grade I wrote was placed on the bulletin board in the classroom because it was deemed one of the best. The paper as a whole may have been the best, but what I thought was the most clever rhetorical question ever had been marked through, deleted, annihilated for the whole 6th grade to see. Never again have I used a rhetorical question in any essay I have written for school. Ever. Not one.
My next paper I'm going to relax the strict, teacher appropriate style I generally used for my school papers, and write a little more familiarized like I tend to do here. Although without the asterisked action phrases, and with correct capitalization, puncuation,grammar and spelling such as I am practicing now. :D
Are you sweating yet?
09.18.05 (8:44 pm) [edit]So I haven't blogged in a while. I have alot to say, but not right now. *evil laugh* Just whetting your appetite for more of me, because my ramblings are SO appetizing. *YUM!*
Christian mentor turned party hardy
09.08.05 (7:29 pm) [edit]I am currently sitting in my computer chair typing this blog with fresh tears streaming down my face, and mourning the plight of some friends of mine. I have just viewed the photo album of an old friend; all the pics are of this party and that party, and this drunk pose, and that drunk pose. That's all I ever hear from her now: how awesome that one party was, although she doesn't remember much about the party. I cry for her. But in a way, I cry for myself as well. To make a long story short, this party girl about five or six years ago helped bring me into the Christian family with her daily witness, and friendship. She was my mentor for years; I looked up to her. And now... she's doing exactly what she warned would happen to me if I didn't get on the right track. I have known she was down for the count for a while now, but now other former friends are in the pictures with her. Drinking it up; living down below their standards. One of the girls in the pics was one of the smartest girls-if not the smartest-in my high school class. I know she didn't get those kind of grades by partying all the time.
So here I sit, several hundred miles away, and able to do nothing to help! I hate feeling helpless. Actually, I'm not totally helpless. I pray for her everyday, and now am coming to the community of fellow Christians that visit my site to pray for her as well.
Oh shesh, I'm tearing up again. I better end this, and just go to bed before I'm overwhelmed and feel like a squashed bug under satan's little toe. (I refuse to capitalize satan's name because he is definatly not proper, and does not deserve such destinction.)
Belonging to God and spouse?
09.07.05 (7:22 pm) [edit]I am from now on going to practice writing correctly, and use capitals and as much correct punctuation as I know how to use. It was getting hard to go between writing essays with capitals and punctuation, with no such thing here, so something had to give.
Ok, so I've been a little confused here lately on how God and people relate. We are to be as close to God as we can get as imperfect humans, but in a marriage relationship, the two are to become one. My question is this: how can a single person be "one" with two different beings? The two beings being God and spouse. I was reading a devo in My Utmost for His Highest (Chambers) the other day which sparked this question. The devo was talking about how we are to belong to God, and be totally devoted. The word belong trigged a wife "belonging" to a husband, and he to she. So I've been tossing around in my head, "How can one belong to two at the same time, and be totall devoted to both?" Can anyone out there help me out with my question? I'd be most grateful!
you know you grew up in the 80s and early 90s if:
09.02.05 (9:21 pm) [edit]You Know You Grew Up In The 80's or Early 90's If:
1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word "SIKE"
2. You watched the Pound Puppies.
3. You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"… and can do the "Carlton".
4. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.
5. You yearned to be a member of the Baby-sitters club and tried to start a club of your own.
6. You owned those lil' Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls.
7. You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey on Blossom
8. Two words: Hammer Pants!
9. If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock"
10. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars..."spokey-dokes" or playing cards on your spokes for that incredible sound effect.
11. You can sing the entire theme song to "Duck Tales" (Woo ooh!)
12. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
13. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
14. You saw the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on the big screen...and still know the turtles names.
15. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
16. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
17. You played the game "MASH" (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
18. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
19. L.A. Gear....need I say more?
20. You wanted to change your name to “JEM” (She's truly outrageous.)
21. You remember reading "Tales of a fourth grade nothing" and all the Ramona books.
22. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF"
23. You wanted to be a Goonie.
24. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (Some of us...head-to-toe)
25. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
26. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
27. You took plastic lunch boxes to school... and traded Garbage Pail kids in the schoolyard.
28. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
29. You still get the urge to say “NOT” after every sentence.
30. You remember Hypercolor t-shirts.
31. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band.
32. You thought She-Ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook up.
33. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
34. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes. (And like ..24, probably in neon colors, too)
35. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
36. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
37. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
38. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.
39. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
40. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds with an outdoor playground.
41. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.
42. You remember Popples.
43. "Don't worry, be happy"
44. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks.
45. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do...getting yelled at by "younger hip" members of the family)
46. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
47. You remember watching both "Gremlins " movies.
48. You know what it meant to say "Care Bear Stare!!"
49. You remember watching "Rainbow Bright" and "My Little Pony Tales"
50. You thought Doogie Howser was hot.
51. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
52. You remember New Kids on the Block… when they were cool...
53. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved by the Bell," The ORiGINAL class.
54. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
55. You just sang those words to yourself.
56. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.
57. Homemade Levi shorts.. (the shorter the better)
58. You remember when mullets were cool!
59. You had a mullet!
60. You still sing "We are the World"
61. You tight rolled your jeans.
62. You owned a bannana clip.
63. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
64. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' about Willis?"
65. You had big hair and you knew how to use it.
66. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you?!?!!
i smiled, laughed, and sang my way through this one. here's to the children of the 80s and 90s!
