Because I like to keep myself so up to date on the news, I dusted off last week's Newsweek and started flipping through the pages to look at the pictures. I stopped on a page with a picture of Wolverine on it and was thinking to myself how cool it would be to have claws. On that same page was an article entitled "Modernity's Worldwide Belief Boom" that was about a new book, God Is Back, by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge.
God Is Back is about how "as the world grows more modern, it also becomes more religious." It talked about how globalization, politics, democracy, and the economic crisis are positively impacting people's perspectives on religion. People are using religion as "a shield against the modern world" and as "a way to get ahead." Micklethwait and Wooldridge belive the majority of people are religious and are devout in their faith.
I disagree with Wooldridge and Micklethwait. Most of the people that I know either do not believe in God or do not care enough to attend mass regularly. Maybe they have surveyed more people than I have but it seems like this new generation is caring less and less about God and turning more towards facts and reason. An example is from Peter Hessler's River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze. Hessler visited China with the Peace Corps. He went to mass every Sunday and the only people there were very old women. Also, he noticed that the younger generation did not care about traditions or religion.
God is not back.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
#11 4/21/09 Welcome to the Gun Show
The April 20 Newsweek had an interesting article about gun control called "Obama Gets Gun-Shy" by Michael Isikoff and Suzanne Smalley. Some people want assault weapons banned and others want to be able to own these guns. Obama had a campaign promise to ban assault weapons but he wants to stay out of it and deal with more pressing matters such as the economy.
The pro gun control people say that when people have guns, they shoot other people. This article told the story of Richard Poplawski who killed three police officers. They think no one should have guns because of guys like this. The anti gun control people say that just because one in a million people decide to kill someone, that shouldn't ruin it for everyone.
I agree with the anti gun control people and the NRA. First, most people won't kill anyone and second, I think that if assault weapons are banned, people will just get them illegally. That is what the Mexican drug cartels are doing. Also, the second amendment says that we can own guns. We might need to defend ourselves and AK-47s would do the job nicely.
Maybe we can compromise and instead of making assault weapons completely illegal, there can be more thorough background checks. Someone should make sure that people that buy guns aren't insane like Richard Poplawski. According to the article, there is "a gaping loophole that permits people to purchase arms at gun shows without background checks." That just seems unbelievable to me.
What do you think should be done about gun control?
The pro gun control people say that when people have guns, they shoot other people. This article told the story of Richard Poplawski who killed three police officers. They think no one should have guns because of guys like this. The anti gun control people say that just because one in a million people decide to kill someone, that shouldn't ruin it for everyone.
I agree with the anti gun control people and the NRA. First, most people won't kill anyone and second, I think that if assault weapons are banned, people will just get them illegally. That is what the Mexican drug cartels are doing. Also, the second amendment says that we can own guns. We might need to defend ourselves and AK-47s would do the job nicely.
Maybe we can compromise and instead of making assault weapons completely illegal, there can be more thorough background checks. Someone should make sure that people that buy guns aren't insane like Richard Poplawski. According to the article, there is "a gaping loophole that permits people to purchase arms at gun shows without background checks." That just seems unbelievable to me.
What do you think should be done about gun control?
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Forum Post #5
I think everyone is guilty of wanting more than we need. Huang Xiaoqiang is a great example of this. He owns a great restaurant called the Students' Home. He has a big apartment, a driver's license, a color TV, a public telephone, a stereo, and a camera. He also has a big family that supports him. His parents, wife, sister, and son help with the work at the restaurant. Yet, with all this, he still finds plenty to complain about and to want. He wants a videodisc player, a cell phone, a car, and more money. He complains that his life is hard even though all he does is make dumplings and let his mom and wife do the rest.
We have so much but we never take the time to be thankful for it. Lots of people around the world's main concern in a day is if they will have anything to eat. We never have that problem. We are concerned about having the new coolest cell phone or ipod. We need to remind ourselves how fortunate we are and how easy our life is.
We have so much but we never take the time to be thankful for it. Lots of people around the world's main concern in a day is if they will have anything to eat. We never have that problem. We are concerned about having the new coolest cell phone or ipod. We need to remind ourselves how fortunate we are and how easy our life is.
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