Tag Archives: youth
Atheism and Religion: Logical Insight
As many of you may already know, I am an Atheist. This doesn’t mean I dislike people who are religious, the same as I don’t dislike Conservatives (Republicans), just disagree with some of their opinions. I have many friends and family members who believe in religion and although I think it’s harmful to society, I would never disrespect them for coming to a different conclusion than I have come to on my own. But, seeing as I am a passionate person, I like to share what I believe with others, urge them to think differently and open their minds. I encourage myself to do the same, which just so happens to be the reason I have come to this conclusion.
A friend of mine, Anastasia, wrote something the other day that I found to be pretty great. I asked her if I could share it here and would like to know what some of you think, as well as express my support for everything that was said. I have shared it exactly as it was written below:
“I’ll tell you what else is on my mind. I recently watched the episode of “Louie” where, as a child, he attends a Catholic school and the teacher brings in a doctor to explain, from a medical stand point, the process of Jesus’ crucifixion. It’s brutal and horrific, and the best piece of mind-fuckery out there. How in the world does the idea that one man being physically tortured cancels out the “sins” of the world? (more on “sins” later. okay right now- not raping people is not one of the ten commandments. not using the lord’s name in vain is. uhm. what.?) Really think about that. More importantly, think about how many people have been physically/mentally/
I know that many people are getting tired of the political and religious posts that are on Twitter, FaceBook, etc; But personally, I think it’s great that our generation is becoming so involved and choosing to think for ourselves as opposed to just take what was told to us, as truth. Granted, there are definitely many people who still do this, it’s great to know that thanks to the advancement in social media, our generation is able to meet people who share the same views, values, morals, etc. and are open to discussing how they could be right and/or wrong.
Thank you Anastasia for allowing me to share your message and I hope others can see the humanity in your words as opposed to the “religious attack” you made “against” them.
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[VIDEO] Bus Monitor, Karen Huff Klein, Mercilessly Bullied By Middle-Schoolers
As I was watching this video I grew absolutely disgusted with humanity, especially kids at this age. I remember being in middle school/high school and constantly having people talk about myself and/or others without having any real clue as to who they were, inside, not out. These ignorant, cocky, insecure middle-schoolers thought it would be funny to make fun of a woman just because of how she looked and her unwillingness to give into their taunts, and retaliate. When you see a video like this, it makes you better understand why it is that bullying is such a huge issue for kids these days.
Klein is a 68-year-old woman that has been through a lot in her life, and although the taunting offended her, she has received support from many people around the world who have contributed nearly $300,000 to her after seeing this video that has gone viral. Unfortunately, kids who are bullied have to deal with children teasing them like this on a daily basis and have no outlet. Why is it that we lack compassion at a young age and don’t respect our elders? I know times have changed, and in a lot of ways, for the better; Sadly, the attitudes of most pre-teens/teens has been one of the most disappointing outcomes of our growth as a society.
Continue reading after video…
Karen Huff Klein is a hard-working individual that has been employed by the same school district for over 23 years. Annually, she makes around $15,000 which doesn’t even compare with the amount of donations she’s received from donors across the country. The fund was initiated because someone believed this woman needed a vacation, especially after seeing what hell she’s been put through. At one point in the video, a child says “You’re so ugly, your kids should kill themselves.’ One of Mrs. Klein’s sons had killed himself 10 years earlier. It’s shit like this that these kids don’t know and are unaware of how what they says may affect her. Instead of teaching these kids mathematics and history that isn’t really all that true, we might want to give them basic lessons in human interaction, compassion, understanding and being kind.
At the 6 and a half minute mark, a student said: ‘If I stabbed you in the stomach, my knife would f***** go through like butter, because it’s all f***** lard.’
Klein is very appreciative for what the random donors have done for her, but what she’d really like is an apology from the four students that made her cry and humiliated her.
To donate to Karen Huff Klein, please click HERE
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[VIDEO] Gay Rights: How Far Have We Come, How Far Will We Go?
Being gay is something that is difficult to come to terms with, especially for young children who are easily influenced by the people around them. As I was growing up, I remember thinking to myself in bed that I was a lesbian and trying to convince myself to let those words escape me: I am gay. The first time I was able to say that out loud, I cried and remembered thinking to myself ‘Okay, this is going to be okay…I’ll just deal with it in college.’ This become harder everyday by the way because I was a high school girl who wanted to go out and date and have fun.
(Sidenote: This is why many gay people are such big partiers so much later in life, in my opinion. All os us who were unable to have a normal high school experience, come out, discover many gay friends and act like we’re back in high school all over again but this time with friends, parties, and good times when we don’t have to pretend we’re something we’re not.)
The high school I went to was the high school my father and his brothers attended. The town I came from was small and everyone knew most everyone that resided there. I couldn’t possibly imagine telling the people I considered my friends that I was a lesbian; I had heard the things that they said that convinced me of how they would react. The term ‘gay’ has often been used to imply ‘stupid’ or ‘uncool’ and I even used that terminology. Many people who say this do not have a disdain for homosexuals, but it is formatted into our generations vocabulary, and that alone, intimidates gay youth to express themselves freely without the fear of being judged.
Another influence in my life was a guy at my school who dressed like a girl, or rather, more feminine from time to time. I, too, made jokes about this man and to this day am ashamed that I wanted so badly to fit in and hide beneath the persona that I created for myself, that I belittled someone for being different.
Gay youth all over the country are dealing with this everyday. Those that are unable to hide behind anything because of who they are naturally have it ten times harder. But this shouldn’t be the case. No one should have to hide who they are in the hopes of straying people away from bullying them. Friends are a huge part of growing up and developing character, and when we’re unable to be honest with them, we feel more alone than ever.
Yes, gay rights in this country have come tremendously far and I am so happy to be living in this day and age and witnessing such compassion, kindness and understanding. Unfortunately though, there are still many people who are suffering and feel they are trapped in either situation, and rightfully so. Bullying needs to come to an end and feminism in males and masculinity in females needs to stop being condemned. These kids are learning too young that who they are is wrong. The problem with that is they are perfectly fine, in fact, great and courageous people that deserve to live a life of happiness and experience. Don’t take that away from anyone; It’s not yours to take.
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Related articles
- Why Gay Parents May Be the Best Parents (alwaysquestionauthority.wordpress.com)
- An interview with Lesbian Life Guide Kathy Belge (lesbiandating.net)
- High school teacher faces unemployment over anti-gay Facebook comments (thegrio.com)
- Students Nationwide Address Anti-Gay Bullying as GLSEN’s Ally Week Kicks Off (prweb.com)
- New Study Proves Lesbians To Be Better Parents (practikel.com)
- The Gay Rights Movement (itsjustjustin.com)
Honey-Soaked Naked Girls Were Filmed By Pastor
The Smoking Gun – Using a hidden video camera, a Texas man filmed four naked, honey-drenched teenage girls while they showered at a church where he worked as a youth pastor.
But since the statute of limitations has already expired, prosecutors today were forced to dismiss felony charges lodged against Thomas Fortenberry, who allegedly did the surreptitious filming in November 2007 at the Greater Harvest Community Church in Pasadena.
The 30-year-old Fortenberry, investigators alleged, organized a “Fear Factor” game that included honey being poured over four girls he had picked to participate. After the contest, Fortenberry instructed the minors that they “could take a shower and wash the honey” off their bodies.
It was at this point that he allegedly videotaped the four teenagers with a camera he had hidden in the church bathroom.
Investigators learned about the filming from one of the girls, who eventually went on to date Fortenberry. “When they became closer and it looked like they might be married,” Fortenberry, pictured above, told the victim, now 21, “that he had secretly videotaped her taking a shower” at the church.
The woman, who was 17 at the time of the “Fear Factor” incident, added that Fortenberry confessed to secretly videotaping three other girls (two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old). When confronted by a police officer, Fortenberry would not deny having filmed the teenagers. “The defendant would only say that he has done things that he should not have done.”
Either way, Texas prosecutors today announced that they could not pursue charges against Fortenberry since the incident occurred more than three years ago, beyond the statute of limitations for the improper photography/visual recording count. The felony complaints, which were filed against Fortenberry on August 4, were dismissed today by the Harris County District Attorney’s office.
Gov. Jerry Brown Signed Bill to Teach Gay History in Schools!
I read an article in the Huffington Post, which shared that “Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Thursday making California the first state in the nation to add lessons about gays and lesbians to social studies classes in public schools.”
This is another huge step in the right direction for the gay community. Gov. Jerry Brown was heard saying that “History should be honest.” Truth is what the children should learn, so they can make their own independent issues on such matters. There are already far too many details that we learn in the public school system which are not honest; No need to further inhibit their education.
Obviously, this Bill is taking some heat though from the Conservatives side. Many believe that it “would indoctrinate children to accept homosexuality.” Why don’t we switch the world homosexuality into “colored skin” and see how that sounds? It is a cruel injustice and just because you do not like it, does not give you the right to keep facts from the ears of our youth. Keep your personal opinions on the matter of my sexuality where they need to stay, with you. Although you can’t see that I have always been different because my skin color isn’t pink or orange, doesn’t mean that I was not born this way.
I think the author of this Bill, State Sen. Mark Leno said it best:
“Today we are making history in California by ensuring that our textbooks and instructional materials no longer exclude the contributions of LGBT Americans.”
For the full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/california-gay-history-law-jerry-brown_n_898745.html