My Visual Argument

Well, here it is. For some reason I can't get it to go any bigger, but here is the link to the full size. http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc137/GalenaNutumnent/Visual-Argumentweb.jpg

Peace on Earth?

Happy Holidays. We say Merry Christmas. Santa Clause. Jesus is the reason for the season. Happy Winter Solstice.

Oh dear what is Christmas coming to? Normally I try not to let all of this nonsense bother me, but this year it seems worse than usual and it can really suck the Christmas spirit out of a person. If someone does not want to celebrate Christmas, that is fine. They don’t have to. No one is forcing them. What I don’t understand, however, is why certain people who disagree with the Christmas message, that God came to earth in the form of a human baby, feel so determined to ruin it for everyone else. No doubt you have heard something of the controversial sign that was placed in Washington.


This sign is completely uncalled for and inappropriate. Not only is it negative and demeaning towards Christians and anyone celebrating Christmas, but it also makes atheists look bad. I know that not all atheists are mean Scrooges with no motive other than to destroy other people’s opinions, but that is what this sign certainly suggests. If I were an atheist, I would not want this to be my representation at Christmas.

It is simply not necessary to spite other people’s opinions in the name of free speech. Constitutionally, there is no reason why a nativity scene or other Christmas decoration cannot be displayed in a public place. “Separation of Church and State” has been so taken out of context, I doubt Thomas Jefferson would have ever penned the phrase if he knew how it would be abused. He wrote it in a letter to a group of Christians, Baptists I believe, who were afraid the government would control religion too much. (It is not even in the Constitution!) He assured them that that would never happen, because there was a “wall of separation between Church and State,” so that the government could not interfere with the affairs of the Church. Now, this phrase has been reversed, to mean that the church and religion cannot be in any way connected with the government. This is not what Jefferson meant at all. In fact, he and many other Founding Fathers openly supported religion and Christianity, thought it was a beneficial and necessary part of the country, and even commended prayers, Bible verses, and religious things being included in schools, governmental ceremonies, and other public places. Now the “separation” phrase has been so misused.

As no one is forced to celebrate Christmas, I do not understand why certain people feel so inclined to speak so negatively about it. To my knowledge, there are not protests of this sort at Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist holidays, or celebrations of other religions. Why Christmas? I just do not see any reason to take away from one of Christians’ most sacred celebrations in this manner.

Working Bibliography

Well, here it is. I will keep updating this post as I change/add sources.

Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne. “Brain Development during Adolescence.” Education Review 20.1 (2007): 82-90. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Wake Forest Public Lib., Wake Forest, NC. 26 Oct. 2008. http://web.ebscohost.com

Epstein, Robert. The Case Against Adolescence: Rediscovering the Adult in Every Teen. Sanger: Quill Driver Books, 2007.

---. “The Myth of the Teen Brain.” Scientific American Special Edition 17.2 (2007): 68-75. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Wake Forest Public Lib., Wake Forest, NC. 26 Oct. 2008. http://web.ebscohost.com

Graham, Philip. EOA: The End of Adolescence. New York: Oxford University Press, USA, 2004.

Monastersky, Richard. “Who’s Minding the Teenage Brain?” Chronicle of Higher Education 53.19 (2007): A14-A18. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Wake Forest Public Lib., Wake Forest, NC. 26 Oct. 2008. http://web.ebscohost.com

National Institute of Mental Health. “Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress.” National Institute of Mental Health. 26 Jun. 2008 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teenage-brain-a-work-in-progress.shtml

Sabbagh, Leslie. “The Teen Brain, Hard at Work.” Scientific American Special Edition 17.2 (2007): 54-59. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Wake Forest Public Lib., Wake Forest, NC. 26 Oct. 2008. http://web.ebscohost.com

Schlegel, Alice, Herbert Barry III. Adolescence: An Anthropological Inquiry. New York: Free Press, 1991.

So many topics, so little time.

I still haven't decided which topic to write about for my paper. I wish we had a little more time to think about this and make up our minds. So far, I have two ideas.

Numero Uno: I'm thinking of writing about why music is important, beneficial, etc. I might talk about how it helps us learn, or a little about music therapy. I've found a lot of articles and books about this, especially since music therapy seems to be becoming more popular.

Numero Dos: My other idea is something about teenage development, whether or not teens are capable of more than is generally thought, or if our system of high schools/colleges is effective in helping teens grow into adulthood. This might be better suited for this type of research paper. I'd really rather write about this, too, but I'm having a little trouble finding sources about this topic. So far I've only found one really good article, and one or two others that might be somewhat helpful.

Hopefully, I'll be able to find enough to research for the teenager topic. Otherwise, I guess I'll write about music. I think either one could be pretty interesting.

What's in a name?

How much importance is, or should be, placed on the name of something? Historically, names seem to be very important. In the Bible, more often than not, people’s names were much more than just a title, they were symbolic. After his conversion, Saul became Paul, and Simon was Peter, the rock and foundation of the church. Moses got his name because he was taken “up from the waters.” Both Abraham and Sarah had their names changed, too, after they formed a covenant with God. Parents would also give their children symbolic names. Moses, Isaac, Samuel, and many other Bible babies were so named because of events surrounding their birth. The Puritans also gave their children names such as Patience, Love, Faith, or other virtuous titles.

In fiction, too, it is rare that a name does not have a deeper meaning or shed greater light on the character. Even in the poetic nonfiction Old Testament book of Hosea, the characters’ names have very symbolic meanings. Hosea’s children’s names literally mean “God sows,” “having obtained compassion,” and “not my people,” which are extremely meaningful in the context of the book. God uses their names, among other things, to communicate His message to His people. Hosea 2:23: “I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not my people, ‘You are My people!’ And they will say, “You are my God!’”

In all of these examples, when the person was named or renamed, a new chapter of their life began and their new identity was determined. Saul was a persecutor of the Christians, Paul was one of their strongest members. Samuel, at birth, was named and dedicated to God by his mother, and proceeded to continue in that role as an adult. Abram was a moon-worshipper from Ur, Abraham became the father of God’s people, the Jewish Nation. The list goes on.

So, what is my point in writing all of this? I just think it’s interesting how much importance is placed on someone’s name. After all, a person is still the same person no matter what we call them, aren’t they? Or does a name carry more weight on who a person is, and who they will become? When parents give their babies a name, they are giving that little person an identity, telling the world who the child belongs to. Although humans are of course free beings and can make their own decisions, I wonder how much our circumstances affect our growth. In a way, perhaps when parents name their children, and also as they are raising them, they are determining who they are and who they may become.

School

With all of the reading we’ve been doing about education, I have, not surprisingly, been thinking about learning. After having to read the educational memoirs of so many different people, I decided to write my own. I think being homeschooled gives you a slightly different view of learning, or at least being homeschooled in my house does. Until high school, my mom never really gave us grades. If we got something wrong, she would make us correct it and study the material until we understood it. Then we would move on to learn the next thing. Although it was laid back and we often went on educational rabbit trails, I did learn a lot because we were focused on learning. We did not get distracted by busy work in text books or unnecessary exercises about material we already were proficient in. Many homeschoolers enjoy the flexibility they have to speed through or spend more time on subjects according to their needs. It seemed like every year, though, no matter how hard we tried, we could never get done everything we had planned to. We didn’t do enough lessons in math, or all the assignments in history, or the last chapter in science. But despite our seeming failure, we learned so much. We spent time studying things until we really grasped it, and at the end of each year I had a better understanding of so many different things that I would not have gotten to learn had we stayed directly “on track.”

Then I took a debate class. My goodness, those kids in debate were so smart. Every Monday after class I literally had a headache from thinking so much. There were some people that I was seriously terrified of debating—they could be brutal. (There was an excruciating process called “Piranhas,” where four or five people would cross-examine you after you read a new case. Definitely not the most fun experience I ever had, but it would weed out a lot of bad ideas in your cases. One girl was particularly good at cross-examinations. Some have described the experience of debating her as “crucifixion.”) And yet, they truly were the nicest kids I ever knew, and were so dedicated. Not only were they great debaters, but they were good in all their school, and most played an instrument well and maybe a sport or some other hobby. They were so intelligent and mature, and I wanted to be intelligent and mature, too. Debate was the most painful class I ever took, and also one of the classes that I learned the most in.

And then last year, I signed up for a Spanish class at a community college. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I liked it for the most part. For some reason, I always like to be prepared. This usually means that before a test I study until I memorized every word in the book we’re looking at and every single word out of the teacher’s mouth. In mom’s classes, I had to do this to get good grades (she writes the hardest tests!) and in debate, even when I did this I still felt less prepared than the super-smart debaters. Spanish, however, was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was so shocked when we had our first vocabulary quiz and, after studying so hard and knowing each word and phrase frontwards and backwards, it turned out to be a “matching” quiz. Like the kind I used to get in first grade. “Match the word in Spanish to its meaning in English.”

My classmates in Spanish were a lot different than my classmates in debate, too. The debaters strove for excellence and talked about things I could not even pronounce much less understand, while my Spanish compañeros were content just to pass. Some people would come to class and say, “Oh, we have a test today?” Little by little, I allowed myself to study less and procrastinate more when I realized good grades could be gotten with half as much studying, and it wasn’t necessary to be quite as prepared as I was. This is partially a good thing because I probably needed to relax a little, but on the other hand it is a dangerous attitude to adopt.

Lately, I have been thinking about school work and learning. As a senior, it can be so tempting to let things slide because it’s “my last year.” I have worked hard and deserve a break, right? Not exactly. Your intellectual life doesn’t end at graduation, so your desire and motivation to learn should not either. From a spiritual standpoint, intellectual laziness is not a good thing, either. God has commanded us to work at what ever we do as if we are working for Him, and not for men. Christ also said we are to love God with all of our minds, which means using them to our full potential. Both of these things have convicted me of my poor attitude towards schoolwork. They have reminded me how important it is to put your heart into your work and strive to do school assignments out of an earnest desire to learn, not just for the sake of doing them. Otherwise, what is the point of school? If you don’t truly want to learn, your work won’t be productive.

Can music be wrong?

I have been thinking about New Age music, and just different kinds of music in general. In case you don’t know, New Age music originated as calm music intended to be listened to while doing things like meditating, relaxing, or yoga. Ever heard of Yanni? Enya, who did some music for the Lord of the Rings movies, is a Celtic/New Age musician, too. In their music they sometimes use unusual electronic noises to create a calming wash of sound. While some of these musicians do have New Age spiritual beliefs, many do not. So, I have been thinking. Is music wrong if it is often used for ungodly purposes, such as New Age spiritual practices?

Here is a song I like:



What did you think? My first reaction to it was thinking that it was beautiful and also a strong desire to find the music so I could play it. When I played it for my mom, she also enjoyed it. So has everyone else I have showed it to.

But for some strange reason, when I mention that “River Flows in You” is written by Yiruma, a New Age composer from South Korea, peoples’ reactions change slightly. “New Age.” That must mean it’s bad. But does it really? Is it possible for one piece of music to be bad, simple because sometimes people use it for bad purposes? Somehow, I don’t think so. Knives, for example, have been used as instruments of murder and violence countless times, and yet it is perfectly alright for me to use a knife to cut up vegetables for dinner every night. The knife itself is not evil, but the person using it can use it for evil things.

I enjoy listening to New Age music. Yiruma has written many pieces that are gorgeous and relaxing. New Age music, I think, is like knives. It does not have to be used for ungodly purposes, and it is very beautiful when used appropriately.

Pitbull

Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin. That is the name on everyone’s lips this past week and a half. Personally, I think McCain made a wise choice in selecting her for his running mate. Many have said that she will attract female voters, which may be true, but Palin also serves another purpose in this election. Prior to the announcement of Governor Palin as republican VP, nearly all the conservatives I know were less than enthusiastic about John McCain. Some were even considering not voting at all. Next to Obama’s charisma and enthusiastic speeches, McCain was simply unexciting. Many also argue that he is not a “real” republican. Two weeks ago I knew very few people who planned to vote for McCain because they liked him, and not because they disliked his opponent. One thing Sarah Palin seems to be doing, however, is make hesitant voters much more supportive of the republican ticket.

The “hockey mom” strategy she presented in her acceptance speech seems to be serving its purpose well. Not only have more women decided to support McCain, but people in general seem to like her and feel that she is “one of us.” Check out this poll I saw on Fox News. Apparently, out of McCain, Biden and Obama, Sarah Palin is considered “most likely to understand ‘the problems of everyday life.’” She is also a more conservative conservative than McCain, which has been good, too.

I like her. So far she seems like a very good choice, and if I were old enough to vote I’d probably give mine to McCain and Palin. I suppose we will see how it all plays out. Already questions have been raised about her character and family life, and experience. But the self-proclaimed “pitbull with lipstick” seems pretty tough, and I think she’ll do alright.

Word Bank

I now have a word bank! If you scroll down to the bottom, there should be a list of vocabulary words linked to thier definitions on dictionary.com. Hopefully this format will work well.

The Name

For as long as humans have existed, we have been curious, and tried to make sense out of our surroundings. From many different cultures and time periods, we are all united by our desire to use our minds and to learn. I thought that taking an idea by another thinker and switching it around a little would convey this truth. Simply existing as a human necessitates the desire to think. Also, I thought the title would be appropriate, considering that this blog will be showing my thoughts and (hopefully) intellectual growth throughout the year.