Good morning, May I respectfully request that we discontinue using this genealogy list for posts that are volatile and could easily enflame some readers. I belong to another list that deals with spirituality, and when this post appeared, a flame war erupted. I myself was moved to write a rebuttal to Ms. Minor's conclusions and suggestions. I only wish my father were still alive (a 4th generation Mercer County man). He could have written the rebuttal much more eloquently than I. Bill Hobbs Arthur Davidson wrote: > Jojo, your daughter, and, Joyce Minor:::::::::: > What a great boost to start each and every day. > > Arthur Davidson > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2000 12:21 AM > Subject: [WVMERCER] (no subject) > > > This message was forwarded to me by my daughter. It is truly > something > > to think about, Regardless of your beliefs. As for me, my personal quote > is, > > "Where would I be without my LORD"!! > > > > > > Message About Today's World > > > > > > "I grew up in rural America in the '50's and '60's. On any given day, > > > you could walk through the high school parking lot and observe that > > > half the vehicles parked there were trucks with windows rolled down > > > and doors unlocked. Most of them carried, as standard equipment, an FFA > > > >sticker (future Farmers of America for you city folks] and a gun rack > > > with > > > at least one gun, usually loaded. You could make the same observation > > > at any of the four high school campuses in our county. Amazingly, I > > > do not ever recall reading or hearing about mass shootings in any of > > > those high schools. > > > > > > What has changed in America is not the accessibility of guns, but the > > > character of man. > > > > > > On the wall in my parents home is a plaque awarded to my father in > > > recognition of service for 27 years on the local school board. He told > > > me that for years, a standard requirement on every Teacher's contract > > > was > > > membership in a local church. > > > > > > I remember starting every school day with the pledge and a prayer. I > > > remember when girls who got pregnant in high school were ashamed, when > > > abortions were illegal, when the divorce rate was not 50% because > > > couples stayed together for the kid's sake, when there were no > > > X-rated movies, when milk cartons didn't have missing kids faces on > > > them and I didn't know anyone personally who used drugs. I remember > when > > > kids > > > >were taught respect for authority and accountability to God. > > > > > > I hear people say that the good old days weren't always so good but > > > please don't tell me you think these are better. Last night I attended > a > > > high school football game that was covered by local and national news. > > > The news coverage was not about the football teams, but about the > > > defiance > > > of a court order by one brave little Texas town to preserve the right > to > > > > > > pray before a football game. > > > > > > The more this country struggles to free itself from religion, the more > > > we become entangled in the consequences. If people are taught that they > > > came from slime, the obvious questions and consequences must follow; > > > What > > > is the purpose of my existence [hopelessness], who made you the boss of > > > me [lawlessness], why are your rules good and mine bad >[relativism], > > > what does it matter how I live if I came from slime and return to slime > > > [immorality and inhumanity]? > > > > > > I realize that in any given poll, the vast majority of Americans claim > > > to believe in God. I claim to believe that running is good for me but > > > that does not make me a runner. Putting on my running shoes and > running > > > > > > makes me a runner. The climbing abortion rate, murder rate, divorce > > > rate, > > > alcoholism and drug abuse rate, child and spousal abuse rate contradict > > > that claim and prove that actions speak louder than words. It is an > > > observable truth that the best time you will ever make on any American > > > City freeway is on Sunday morning because there are no traffic jams > > > getting > > > to church. > > > > > > For those who believe that separation of church and state is not > enough, > > > that the world would be better off with no church at all, ask yourself > > > this question: How many hospitals, universities, orphanages, homeless > > > and > > > abuse shelters have been founded by the ACLU or American Atheist > > > Society? > > > It is the inclusion of the word Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, > > > Christian, > > > etc., in the name of so many of these institutions that proves by > > > actions, > > > not just words, who really cares for the suffering of mankind and > > > desires to > > > make the world better. > > > > > > The question that people should be asking is not "Why does God allow > > > tragedies?" but "When will we realize that no nation, in the history > > > of the world, has ever separated itself from God and evolved to a > better > > > > > > society?" Of course, to answer, you would have to know history. Most > > > people, > > > it > > > would seem, prefer People magazine." > > > > > > Joyce Minor > > > >Asst. Director of Development and Alumni Relations > > > >University of Alabama School of Law > > > > > > > > > ==== WVMERCER Mailing List ==== > > MESSAGE HINT: Before replying to any message, > > take time to delete all unnecesssary material. > > DELETE: Taglines, empty lines, greetings, etc. > > > > ==== WVMERCER Mailing List ==== > MESSAGE HINT: Before replying to any message, > take time to delete all unnecesssary material. > DELETE: Taglines, empty lines, greetings, etc.