Thanksgiving and then some

Happy Thanksgiving.
Now that the day is over and the food is starting to settle down, its time to reflect (yesterday was WAY too hectic to even think about thinking!). What am I thankful for?
I’m thankful for the opportunity to speak my thoughts.
I’m thankful for friends.
I’m thankful for my faith and the comfort it affords.
I’m thankful that it didn’t rain – or snow – or sleet – or any number of bad things.
I’m thankful that its over!

Next stop – Christmas.
Now THERE’s a scenario for you. We complain about how soon everyone starts on Christmas. Well I think that I should take them up on it. By the time you add up all the people you want (or should) see and all the shopping you need to do; back up the date to account for travel to and from “Gramma’s house;” insert the hours necessary to do the wrapping, decorating, calling, mailing, and eating; then, I think there ought to be enough time to finish all that if I start right now – I mean for Christmas – 2006!

Somehow the season doesn’t mean what it once was meant to mean. There is no time for family and friends and there is certainly no time to remember the Christ in Christmas. I think it’s a conspiracy. A grand north wing conspiracy. Let’s even up the accounts and start over.

So happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Ramadan/Saturnalia/Solstice/New Year!

If you hurry you can still get those Valentines cards sent!

Intelligent design?

I’m a Christian. There, I said it!
But this whole thing about intelligent design has me worried. Here’s why.

I agree that life here has been through an extensive process of evolution over the past millions of years. I am also of the opinion that God had a hand in how that process worked. So, to me, intelligent design is a truth. But that’s not how the schools are going to see it and that’s why it’s a bad idea to put it in the schools.

Schools are secular. They are, according to the First Amendment, neutral when addressing issues of religion. Which begs the question: If there is an intelligence involved in the design, who or what is it? Since the schools can’t insert God into the picture it will be left to some disenfranchised people to decide how to address the issue. I like my faith. I like the schools. I don’t like the secular schools playing with my faith.

A recent article in LiveScience.com titled “The Top 10 Intelligent Designs (or Creation Myths)” puts forth reasons why it’s a bad idea. They identify the top ten mythological creation stories from across the globe. Creation stories from Greek, Norse and Persian (and other) histories are pointed out. So which will be taught in the schools? This is the reason for the First Amendment. I have my faith and do not need the public schools to present the story. Even within Christian denominations there are significant differences of belief on this issue. How can we expect that the schools will present a view that will be acceptable?

I’ve got it!

We were intelligently created by little green men.