American Christianity

American Christianity; I have a problem with it.

The problem I have with American Christianity is American Christianity.

First, lets take a step in the right direction and define what Christianity is.

the religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the Bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies -Merriam Webster Dictionary.

Christians are followers of Christ who subscribe to his teachings and apply them to every aspect of their lives every second of every day.

Christians are "called" and through calling they "accept" the teachings of Jesus Christ and accept that He is lord and Jesus Christ must also accept them. Upon accepting the teachings of Christ and acknowledging Him as the All Mighty, we are then called to apply the teachings of Christ to our lives in every way possible.
---Most of the teachings we subscribe to come directly from Christ himself. However; since the Bible is the word of God that means every word in the Bible comes from God Himself through "inspiration" which the writers of the Bible had. On that note, we also apply the ten commandments found in the old testament (OT) to our lives. 

In actuality, the entire Bible is applied to our lives, but realistically we focus more or less on the teachings of Christ found in the new testament (NT) in the books of  Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, plus we take to heart the ten commandments.

What is it we are called to do as Christians? We are called to love the lord and obey Him first and foremost. Secondly, we are called to be faithful and kind to humanity, we can take this to mean "giving, helping, not creating evil in the form of animosity, jealousy, envy, hatred, etc." 

On one hand it's a very simple calling. Christianity is not rocket science but it is perfect.

Here is where we will dive into the issues concerning Christianity in America today. Here is the list of issues we will address together and the order in which we will address them:

1. Preaching
2. Interpretation
3. Representation
4. Radicalization

1. PREACHING

As Christians are called to spread the gospel. Whether it is in the cities or our in rural areas with few people it doesn't matter. We are called to spread the word of God and allow everyone the opportunity to hear His words and His messages.

Here is the issue: American Christianity is vastly different than that of Christianity during Paul's days. American Christians take "spreading the gospel" to mean "spread, re-spread, re-spread, re-spread, etc". Hence why we all see Christians holding signs in front of civic centers, shouting Biblical doctrine in university squares, and why we meet them at our doors when they want to teach us about Christ (Jehovas Witnesses).
 Last month four preachers came to my university and in the middle of the whole school (30,000+students) they began shouting Biblical verses and making statements like "accept Christ and turn from your wicked ways or burn in hell".

The kind of Christian preaching where Christians yell, shout, and holler at people is not Christ-like and is not part of Christianity. That is foreign. 
Yelling, shouting, and causing disturbances outside of the actual church is not Christianity. God has not called any of us to stand in the middle of the town and shout Bible verses and casting judgment on the people. This is a perfect example of what not to do, and a perfect example of evil. This method does not work!

God calls us to spread the gospel, not force or coerce people into accepting it. In America for instance, people are aware of God. They have heard of the Bible and they have access to it. This is the result of spreading the gospel. We want everyone to have access to it. We do not want to force people to read it or feel guilty in anyway.

We are not called to spread the Word over and over again in the same area if the people do not want it. "shake the dust off your feet"-Luke 9:5
If the people have heard the gospel then we have done our job. If anyone is interested in hearing more than we are called to also help teach and guide them but under no circumstances are we called to repeat the gospel over and over again hoping to convert the population. In fact, as Christ explains it in Luke 9:5 if they do not want the gospel then we are called to stop trying to spread the word there and to move on.

This is the single biggest misinterpretation American Christians have of the Bible and subsequently their faith. So stop trying spread the gospel in America and focus on the people who have never heard of God, such as those people in Africa.

The other thing we should touch on is preaching itself in America, as in the preaching that takes place from the pulpit to the masses in the church buildings themselves.

Christian pastors are preaching wrong.
Why?
Christian pastors are called to be men of good esteem, men with a family (only one family), married (to one spouse), not divorced ever, and men that are faithful to their spouse and their family.

I've seen and heard of many pastors failing at least one of those conditions, and by Biblical standards if they fail one they cannot be pastors.

Pastors are also called. They don't have to go to college. In my opinion I feel that it can be good if they go to college and learn something. The Bible does not say anything in opposition to this so there it is indeed a good thing. No person should have to go to a Christian college and become "certified" in any way, shape, or form to be become a pastor. That should merely be an option, not a requirement. God never says it is required to go to a school before becoming a pastor.

Also;
Pastors are called to preach the word of God to their flock. They are not called to be funny, pleasing to the people, or to story tell. They have one job: communicate the word of the Lord to the people and support their flock. 

Too often have I seen and hear about pastors who are completely desperate to please people so they tell more jokes than they explain Biblical versus. They tell stories about what they did last week as opposed to telling the flock "here is whats wrong; there is whats right. This is how we get there." or something along those lines.

No one cares about what you did last week. I don't want to hear it, and neither do the people. You are a false teacher. Get away from me!

The last church I went to (3 months ago) the pastor actually had pizza delivered from Pizza Hut for the whole congregation and said these damning words "church should be fun!"-I almost stormed out right there.

The fact is; church can be fun. But the emphasis should not be on having fun; it should be on learning the Bible and progressing your faith. If that sounds fun then by golly church is fun!

And get rid of the espresso bars! Unless the church is willing to give away free drinks and food to the congregation they should not have any cash-registers, or any form of money exchange outside of tithing. Every church I've visited in the last ten years have had a coffee-bar at the front entrance where they charge a fee for their "service".---the only service that is required of a church is the preaching of the word of God.
---Jesus Christ threw down the carts of those seeking to sell their goods in the temple.

Many of these churches like to use the phrase "the money from our coffee bars go into paying for the building through the loan, maintenance, utilities, or for upgrades."--- that's a level of coercion.---stop it!

Churches have bills I'm aware of that, but anything outside of the necessary is not necessary. If the Bible tells us to give up all we have and live for Christ we should all be making that effort. If the pastor has a new suit every Sunday then I'm afraid there is an issue.

And finally; preach the gospel.

I've seen too many churches not preach the gospel but instead, they rely on telling stories or diving off into politics: "Vote Republican because they are the Christian party!"---No they are not!
"Let's talk about gun rights." said a pastor in church... no... lets not do that. You're not a man of God and I have no need for your message.

Stop the emphasis on cool and focus on whats right. Churches have become political and bureaucratic. This is not the way.

2. INTERPRETATION

Another huge misstep within the Christian religion is to create far too many misinterpretations.

"God loves all of you" I hear from pastors all the time... no He doesn't. God is not a teddy bear, stop trying to over-humanize Him!

The fact is; we don't know who God loves with 100% surety because we do not know for sure who He has saved. Read John 3:16 through the end of the chapter. Read Romans, or better yet the OT. No where does God say He loves and accepts all of us. In reality; He has chosen some of those that He has called so not everyone is going to heaven thus not everyone is loved. "FOR JACOB HAVE I LOVED; ESSAU HAVE I HATED."-God.

Our God is a jealous God; He is not a teddy-bear!

3. REPRESENTATION

The same Christians committing these evil acts are the same ones that represent the majority of the Christian population in the United States. And that majority of Christians just happens to be the major population of the United States; hence-forth they are the largest group of people representing this nation around the world.

Scary stuff!

In almost any newspaper available at nearly any given time of day around the world, we can find articles of "Christians attacking Muslims" or some sort of prejudicial discrimination against them. Or we can look to the U.S. military and the U.S. government; the ones in charge just so happen to be Christians. And look at the shape the U.S. is in. Whether it's economical, social, foreign policy, or what have you the census is the same:  were in bad shape!

4. RADICALIZATION

This is the subject I most look forward to because its barely beginning to manifest itself such that non-Christians in America are beginning to take notice and report on it.

Christians in America are largely no different than Muslims in Africa, Saudi-Arabia, or the U.A.E. Before people freak out about this let me explain:

Muslims take their faith very seriously.-Christians do too!
Muslims want everyone to be a Muslim. -Christians do too!
Muslims have the potential to become radicalized.-Christians do too!

Not only do American Christians have the potential to become radicalized but many of them already are. This is partly why were in countries all over the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Iraq. And the Muslims see it as the main reason were there. They see us as Christian crusaders which only heightens the tension and increases the violence because in essence it is a Christian nation in or around a Muslim nation making war.

But it my point transcends all of this: Christians in America today have goals that are not found in the Bible: they seek the Christian-conversion and Christian influence in all of America and in every area. They want Christianity in the law books, in the schools cafeterias, along the roads, in politics, in the judicial system, in civil rights, and a host of other areas. This is absolutely not Christian!-Stop it!
That's absolutely no different than the Muslims of Jordan, or Beirut, or Lebanon. Not only that, but it is not Biblical! Stop trying to enforce your ways on the rest of the world, and the rest of America!

If a woman wants the right to have an abortion than so be it. That transcends my personal viewpoint because I see it as her deciding to do what she feels is best for her own body.Generally, I am against abortion but there are some cases that I feel the option should be given to the woman to make, as in the case of rape or potential death.

Example: if a woman is raped and she does not want the child and the child is not yet a child but a simple cell than I say it is her choice. I could not possibly fathom that situation personally and I don't believe I have any say.
Another example is if the woman may die from child-birth and she decides she does not want that risk. Again, this is her choice not mine. She is big enough to make the decision to engage in sex so I trust she is big enough to make the decision to preserve her own life.

I disagree 100% with any woman who chooses abortion simply because she does not feel she can "take care of the child". In such case, the woman should not have had sex.... and yes it is entirely possible and even plausible to not have sex for long periods of time.

The radicalization of Christianity in America is huge. So big in fact that nearly the entire population of the Republican party is made up of these Christians. Their own presidential candidate (Mitt Romney) is a radical Mormon!

This causes people to believe in false-hoods. Essentially becoming over-zealous by incorrect theories and lies; no, Obama is not the anti-Christ and he has no plans to round Americans up and execute them or place them in prison camps.

The whole ideology of the current Republican party is flawed.
Christians cannot be ignorant, or arrogant and this is exactly what we see in American politics these days. Christian Republicans not taking the time to properly educate themselves on the facts. This leads down a dangerous road that breeds corruption and hostility.

Population: Hypocrisy

I take issue with American society today;

The people within this great country have become quite possibly the largest population of hypocrisy in the modern world.

Everyday I see topics in the news centered around abortion, gay-marriage, weed, etc.

Those issues are important and relevant to people and have thus become a big deal. This is part of the normal process of a dynamic society. It may even be called the "evolution of a society." --Notice I say "...a society" not simply "society". I will get to that in a moment.

There is one great and tantamount issue that immediately reveals itself within society during the debates and discussion of these topics: freedom of speech

Those who do not support or agree with marriage-equality, abortion, and the legalization of weed are faced with a huge and constant wave of attacks. One right after the other. They are called such names as "scum of the earth, conservatives, backwards, backwoods, redneck, dumb, uneducated, religious scum, etc..." simply because they are voicing their opinions.

Do you see the issue with this?

The same people invoking the right to free-speech to support their cause attack those who use the same expression of free-speech to support their beliefs. It is hypocrisy at its finest and it's dead-wrong.

The nation is much like the ocean; there is an ebb and flow to everything and rarely a calm time. Clouds thicken and turn black overhead, the waves grow taller and wider, and the air cold.

America is not balanced and in many respects has never been balanced on civil rights issues, economics, morals, you name it.

But now is different. When people want something they have to have it; and will utterly disregard all opposing views and go to such lengths as filing them under the name of "THREAT" which if enough people agree with can go further in such extremism to "Elimination". All it takes is generalizing and a label and you can create your own explosive mix of radicalism.

Everyone is entitled to their point of view. No one is entitled to hatred for expressing their beliefs.

And the issues with civil rights and other stuff like legalizing weed is not always a black and white issue. Sometimes there are gray areas where the subject is simply subjective and not objective in regards to correctness.

For example: weed may help a man who has chronic back pain and doesn't feel like he should have to fork out thousands of dollars every month for a prescription when he can instead pay a couple hundred for his weed. Others may feel (and rationally so) that weed inhibits a persons senses and abilities to perform certain tasks, making that person more of a liability than an asset in certain situations like driving, working, etc. Both are views founded on some level of rational thought.
   So what is the deciding factor? Usually past and current socio-environmental factors arise to guide a persons judgement of such issues. In other words; morals. When logic fails morals come to the rescue, and when morals fail logic comes to the rescue.

Instead of creating enemies and animosity, why not become a true progressive in the sense that condescension and hatred are not tolerated on either end of either party. The Christians and religious don't want marriage-equality because of what their scriptures tell them, not because they have a deep-seeded hatred for the homosexuality community. If both parties, and particularly the more left-leaning population took the time to understand their opposites they might be able to formulate more successful platform.

Corporations are not people!

How many times must this be argued?

With the most recent Supreme Court ruling, which can be found here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/25/supreme-court-reversed-citzens-united-montana_n_1605355.html .

Here we can see the official document as presented by the Supreme Court:  http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-1179h9j3.pdf

For more info check out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._Federal_Election_Commission.

If you agree that corporations are people and "they"should have as many rights as you do then vote for this guy:  http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/warren-blasts-romney-corporations-are-not-people
>>>> Mitt Romney.

This case is a complete disaster for the people of America and proved to the whole world that the U.S. no longer has a competent Supreme Court and by competent I mean one which understands American law, civil duties, and capitalism.

A corporation is a corporation (geez, really?). They have what is called "Corporate Personhood" which entitles them to sue, and to be sued as a whole.
Corporate personhood is the legal concept that a corporation may sue and be sued in court in the same way as natural persons or unincorporated associations of persons. This doctrine in turn forms the basis for legal recognition that corporations, as groups of people, may hold and exercise certain rights under the common law and the U.S. Constitution. The doctrine does not hold that corporations are "people" in the literal sense, nor does it grant to corporations all of the rights of citizens. "
-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_personhood

Now the recognition and separation between a corporation and a living, breathing human-being was well established and well recognized for the last seventy or so years. It is with the SC's most recent decision that this is now reversed, through the action brought to light by the state of Montana, which already had a law in place that forbid unlimited corporate funding for political process of any candidate. This act was called The Corrupt Practices Act.

Montana's supreme court then ruled earlier this year that such a law is well-founded and is completely ethical and necessary to have a fair election process. With the recent Supreme Court decision, this act is now null and void with the claim that corporations are people, and people have no limit to how much they can donate to a political party or candidate.

This is wrong not just morally, but ethically, and democratically. This is simply not how things are done in a democratic republic that has laws established to protect its people.

What does this mean for Americans?

We can still vote for anyone we want. Our freedom to vote has not been affected per-Se. But in order to vote for the candidate we believe best represents our ideals we must have all the facts, right?

Well typically the candidate with the most money wins. This is a standard much less a rule. Now take Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has established ties with several different lobbyist groups on K Street in Washington. Wal-Mart just like every large corporation keeps an eye on politics and they will attempt to influence any politician that presents a "pro-Wal-Mart" view on things, even if said politician is a direct supporter of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart enters into an agreement with said politician and agrees to pay such politician X amount of money in return for "pro-Wal-Mart" legislation. This extends to politicians in all fifty states and cases are not isolated. Meanwhile, they're forking out millions of dollars to lobbyist groups on the Hill that exert influence over current Senators, law-makers, representatives, etc.

So instead of a corporation having to pay fair wages to folks, perhaps they can exert enough influence on the Hill to re-write the law so they don't have to.

Remember, a business is a business, and they exist to make money. They have no obligation to me, to you, or to our friends and family. They exist to make money. Huge corporations exist to make money for their investors, and those investors will squeeze every cent they can through any means. That's the beauty and curse of capitalism.

Now, companies can donate an unlimited amount of cash to political candidates (and they will only donate to those who represent their ideals, obviously) which means more advertising and marketing for that candidate which translates into more support, which in turn means that candidate can afford to thrash his/her opponent more.
If said candidate is financially supported by a large corporation who has the right to donate unlimited amounts, isn't that candidate likely to be bought and paid for by the corporation and then representative of the corporation's interests and not the peoples? True.

If Microsoft offered Mitt Romney $200 million in return for supporting a bill or policy that allows Microsoft to dump waste in fresh water streams and lakes, do you think he would turn it down? Likely not.

And now our Supreme Court has failed at their most basic civic duty which is to protect the people. We now enter the gilded age of corporate America.

The Baby Boomer Generation.

In a long analysis of the effects of an aging generation of Baby Boomers, Credit Suisse analysts led by Neal Soss conclude that the U.S. faces steep challenges in paying for a massive generation of retirees who have saved poorly.

Concerns about entitlements have formed the center of debates on the sustainability of U.S. public debt. and this charts show just why.

First dependence on transfer payments—or the money people receive as part of redistributive government programs—has more than quadrupled in the last fifty years, while the share of income generated by wages has sunk 20 percent:

Credit Suisse

Not to mention the rising costs of social security.

In the chart below, the dotted "cost rate" line denotes the cost of Social Security programs as a percentage of payroll, which exceeded the red "income rate" in 2010. The latter line denotes the portion of payrolls that becomes tax revenue. That is projected to stay relatively steady.

In less than five years, the cost of Social Security is projected to rise exponentially as more and more Baby Boomers retire, culminating in a bubble reached around 2030-2035. The lesson: the government does not have a lot of time to get its act together before the promises it has made on Social Security begin to spin wildly out of control.

Let's get things right!

Let's get things right here...

The millennial generation(1982-1999) is taking a lot of flack for things.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/05/millennials-the-greatest-generation-or-the-most-narcissistic/256638/

I want to clarify things here on behalf of my generation.

First off; I think we are a more selfish materialistic generation than any that has come before us. It's about the numbers. How much we spend on unnecessary things, and how many people are spending. 

To any older generation that presumes that we are "lazy" however; this is far from the truth.

Here is why:

Let's compare my generation (millennial) to my parents generation (baby boomers).

My parents were afforded opportunities that my generation has not had the blessing of experiencing. The Baby-Boomers were raised up in a world being taught that they can do anything, be anything, and they have nothing to stop them. They were raised with a belief that America was truly the land of opportunity.

...so was I.

Problem?

Take this one simple creed for example:
My parents taught me to save my money and I did. I opened a bank account with my mother when I was 12. This is exactly the mentality that the Baby-Boomers have. Save your money! Put it in the bank and let it collect interest! Whoa! What? Interest on my money? What's that?

Ah! We have discovered our first distinct difference among the Boomers and the Millennial's!

When my parents were about my age, the common thing to do with your money was to put it in the bank and allow it to collect interest. Interest rates in the 80's ranged from 15-24%! That seems like an imaginary number for interest rates to me!
So they could take their $100 and put it in the bank, and a month later they have an extra $20 (assuming 20% interest)! This was more than saving; this was investing! And a smart thing to do it was!

Millennial's do not know that same blessing. We cannot take our $100 and put it in the bank and expect any sort of return. We have been raised in a world where interest rates are at best 1%! Generally speaking, most of us see a 0.125-0.5% return if were lucky.

So our attitudes towards investing are completely different, and if anything, more cynical. This makes life just a little more difficult for us than it was for our parents.

Now let's take a look at education:



The Baby-Boomers could afford an education with their basic income levels. Millennial's cannot! Unless you have been saving your whole life, even a public institution will make you go broke!


To anyone who thinks to the contrary; this simple chart illustrates the rise of tuition since the early 80's.


 

Besides the many other sins these charts reveal, do you see different the world is for a Millennial versus a Baby Boomer? Different in a bad way.

We hear our parents tell us how hard their lives were. Well; they didn't grow up in our generation. The experiences we've had makes their lives seem almost easy.

Saving is more difficult today than it ever was before. Spending is much easier to do today than ever before in our history.

... and there is blame to be had!

The Baby Boomers are the ones to blame. My generation is just now getting their feet wet in the working world. The older Millennial's have been in the working world and are just getting settled while the rest of us are still struggling to graduate, find jobs, find spouses, etc.

We are not in power. The Baby Boomers are the ones that run this country and they're running it straight into the ground.

Our economic situation is a result of a homogeneous bounding between The Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers. With the Baby Boomers causing the most damage. They're the ones who advocated TARP (Toxic Asset Relief Program) that bailed out the banks and auto-industry. They're the ones who vowed to build five million new homes for families... homes that sat in empty neighborhoods.

The Baby Boomers instituted the most damaging, violent, and negligent acts our nation has seen sense World War 2. They instituted the NDAA, CISPA, and the Patriot Act.

They engaged in an illegal war in Iraq, and a faulty, poorly thought-of and poorly-run war in Afghanistan that almost makes the Russians look good.

The greatest threat to my generation is not terrorism, is not Europe, is not China nor Russia. It is our parents.
It almost seems absurd, but our current economic and societal situation is the result of actions taken by the Baby Boomers, handed to them by the Greatest Generation. 
Still not convinced?
After graduating college, many folks from the Greatest Generation and Baby Boomer generation expected to have a job waiting for them. That job would be their last job. They would work for that company from the time they graduated college until the day they retired.

They could predict their future with much more certainty than anyone ever could. 

After retirement they expected a pension to help them through their golden years. Life was simple!

NOT ANYMORE!

College graduates now face an uncertain, and dynamic environment. One that is constantly in flux and never the same.

When we graduate we don't expect to have a job; we hope to have a job and we hope that job will be enough to pay our bills. Their expectations have turned into our hopes.

Upon graduation must search out with full vigor for a job and when we find one we must go up against hundreds if not thousands of other applicants, many of whom have more experience. We must fight tooth and nail for a job that we paid thousands of dollars for, a job that we need to pay off our student loans that are pulling us by our shirt-collars.

The jobs we are searching for are for companies ran by the Baby Boomer generation. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Exxon, etc. From banks and credit institutions, to engineering firms and hospitals, they are all ran by our parents. 

Oh... and if competing against your friends for an entry level accounting job (that also includes a desire for entry-level accountants to have 3-5 years experience), we must also face off against competitors from overseas in such places like Malaysia, India, Saudi-Arabia, etc. 

And then let's say we get the job. We are now faced with more pressure to perform, and out-perform more than ever before. We hold on to our jobs with both hands knowing full well that, even if we do succeed and meet the standards of the company that may not be enough. We may lose our job to outsourcing and other cost-cutting techniques, or we might see a reduction in hours, or even a salary cut, all so that the Baby Boomers in charge might make an extra buck and reward themselves, and occasionally their investors at the end of the year.

Unpredictable. That's what are generation should have been called. Not because we are unpredictable about what we will do; were not! But we have no idea what sort of actions will take place in the world that will lead us to react in a way we are unfamiliar with.
We have little hope of pensions, benefits, vacations, etc. The Baby Boomers have made things all but impossible now.
...Speaking of vacations. We Americans are given, on average two-weeks of vacation per year. TWO WEEKS! And many of us won't take those two-weeks off for fear that our company might see that as unproductive, and find someone who won't take off those two-weeks. 

There is fear in air and quite possibly that fear will stoke a flame of angst leading to blood in the street. 
Life cannot continue like this in America. Life is not about working yourself to death. It is a balance between work, family, friends, and self-reflection that may or may not include religion and yoga among other things.
I think our generation might just make it as the next Greatest Generation. Facing a war of attrition that has lasted longer than World War 2.

The Mystery of Carpe Diem.

This is an ongoing discussion I am writing about in length and is tied to my other blog "Political Ethics."

A non-comparative analysis.

Recently, on another blog site I host, I made a comment regarding my disdain for pornography and how I feel it upsets the social-order of things... only to introduce chaos.
I received many replies and comments from people. Some good, some not very good. But there was one that stuck out. A reader made a comment that many of my readers around various websites have made: "Isn't it better for society to have pornography to use as an outlet for our sexual frustration rather other, more dangerous forms of sexual expression like forced sex [rape], pedophilia [rape], and sodomy?"

I've encountered this argument many times but I haven't addressed it directly. Partly because I never took it seriously, which is a fault of my own, but I also don't see it as valid. In my mind, I see pornography as an evil much like rape.

On the surface of the question; pornography is the preferable choice. I would prefer that a pedophile remain in his house and away from children.
But if we dive deeper into the question there is more than initially meets the eye:

1) Is there a correlation between increased viewing of pornographic material and decreased sexual assaults [rape, molestation, etc]?
-Statistically it's a hard question to answer. There are many variables and the outliers involved. But here are the facts:
The increased viewership of pornography is directly associated with a decreased percentage of rape. According to:
http://www.law.stanford.edu/display/images/dynamic/events_media/Kendall%20cover%20+%20paper.pdf
http://anthonydamato.law.northwestern.edu/Adobefiles/porn.pdf
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3791317?uid=3739768&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=47698863378177
http://www.toddkendall.net/internetcrime.pdf

But is exposure to pornography really the only factor in determining the decrease in incidents of rape over the years?

I would argue that it is not. There may be other factors such as:
1) Public exposure.
   - Social media and the internet have revolutionized the way we communicate with each other and the speed in which we do so. What happens in Siberia can be nearly instantaneously transmitted and broadcasted in Wichita, Kansas.
2) Punishment.
   -Is the punishment for sexual assault and rape any greater now than it was two decades ago? The answer is no.
3) Are people generally more aware of their surroundings and take greater precautions now?
   - Again, no.
4) Do possible offenders feel they have more to lose now than they did in years past?
   - Possibly. They might feel more connected to society and more connected in general to the people around them, thanks to social-media and the internet.
5) Are people 'easier'? I mean, is sex with another person easier to achieve today than it was in years' past?
   - Yes. Sex is more common and held to greater esteem today than it was a decade, two, or even three decades ago. When women and men alike were held to higher standards and dress codes, media (TV, movies, music, advertisements, etc), and public displays of affection were much more conservative.

Statistically speaking; rape is down, porn is up. And there is indeed a correlation.

This doesn't mean that pornography should be condoned. It simply means that much of American society is without the means to control their sexual urges. Thankfully; as a society, we choose the lesser of the two evils. Unfortunately, we do not choose abstinence and restraint.

SO,
We will now return to the initial question at hand: "Isn't it better for society to have pornography to use as an outlet for our sexual frustration rather other, more dangerous forms of sexual expression like forced sex [rape], pedophilia [rape], and sodomy?"

Again, the face of the question begs the answer YES! But it is to the contrary.

America is not only the largest producer of pornography but she is also its largest consumer. And one more thing: America is also popular destination for sex-trafficking.

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cshti0810.pdf

According to the statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Justice [see link directly above], sex trafficking is on the rise. Perhaps coincidentally, there is a correlation between the consumption of pornography and the rise in sex-trafficking.
   It is estimated that one in five pornographic pictures on the internet are of under-age children. Many of whom are either forced, or coerced into the industry. And with the rising popularity of cell-phones, many children ranging from the ages of 12-17 are sending naked pictures to a specific love-interest, only for those pictures to end up on the internet.

SO,
Pornography leads to an increase in sex-slaves, child-trafficking, abuse of privacy, and an increase to human-trafficking in general, including drug-trafficking. Many of perpetrators of sex-trafficking are also involved in drug and labor-trafficking, which leads to an increase in crime, an increase in government spending which in turn leads to increased taxes and fewer dollars for Americans to spend on toys, food, clothes, homes, etc.

We have only analyzed the crime statistics, and the effects pornography has with our wallets and the threats it presents. We have not scratched the surface of porn's influence on government, monetary policy, household expenditures, or even delved into the metaphysical dangers porn presents to society everyday.

Next time you feel the need to defend porn, don't! You're not only wrong, but horribly uninformed, and a supporter of human-rights abuses of people of all ages, races, genders, and religions.

State of Affairs.

State of Affairs.
Pornography and material lusts.

I disagree with much the Republican party has to say; but I do not disagree with banning pornography. It's sad to see the state of society these days. A society that embraces pornography under the pretense of liberalization and free-speech, but condemns any expression of religion, morality, and traditional values simply because they are "old". 
What good is a nation that cannot produce men who have understand integrity and charity? Why is it so difficult for any person to control themselves? Under such circumstances you may be called a slave to debauchery and immorality. A slave to sin and perversion.
To claim that a person cannot control their desires is to admit failure, and ultimately to help yourself to desires that warm the flesh but yield no growth for the heart. We live in an age where premature ideologies trump the rights that our forefathers fought and died for; many of those forefathers wiser than we are today.
Sarcasm and cynicism prevails as formal communication in an age where no one can speak from the heart because they're too wound up in selfish desires and material lust.
God help us!
What value is there in lust? What good does it do to lust for anything? It is a sad time to live in, one that is justifiably akin to ancient Rome. We have become a den of thieves and a house of predators.
Society does not value matters of the heart; nor does it respect a sincere expression of integrity and honest principles. We have become fixated and obsessed with matters of the flesh and Earthly desires rather than embracing spiritual growth; a growth that always leads to joy, peace, and contentment. A strong spirit yields a good heart, which in turn yields a hard-worker, an honest person, and a character that history forever remembers. It is the honest and committed person who is remembered and immolated and praised; not the sinner. 
Yielding to the flesh under the guise of "normality" and forms of cynicism is simply the devil succeeding in his work. People have always resorted to excuses for their mistakes; there is nothing new about that. What is new however, is the common practice of accepting such excuses. Excusing bad behavior because you were born is not an excuse; it is a problem with discernment and judgement. We are all human and we all experience the same emotions and desires, but we choose how to express those desires based upon knowledge and wisdom. 
Lust clouds our judgement and ability to make rational decisions; we experience the highs and lows of our emotions rather than the stability that is brought about from rationality, which in turn is narrow band of thinking; the product of spiritual growth. Perhaps that is ludicrousness? We have history to back my claim.We will take a specific range of history; 1700's through the 1800's (commonly referred to as the American Enlightenment [1715-1789]). In this brief history of time we see an explosion of liberalization, self-expression, liberty, and democracy. The American Enlightenment was birthed of collectivized group of highly intellectual individuals within the nation. Part of the enlightenment I personally view with a sense of bias due to the rise of deism, but I also believe that to be beneficial in the long-run as it helped breed a new wave of curiosity.The impact was great, but it did not sever the spiritual faith of some of the great men of valor that eventually became presidents, statesmen, businessmen, and leaders of great renown.Between the 1700's and early 1800's industrialization was just getting its feet wet, and people were curious about a great-deal of political and socio-environmental issues. Undoubtedly, many viewed these issues with a sense of ethnocentrism, but it was through that lens that the worlds greatest nation ever, would arise.
If you study the linguistics and syntax of communication used by people of that time you quickly notice a level of detail and beauty that has sense been unrivaled. Furthermore, you experience poetry, essays, journals, and books that have sense never been equaled in elegance, clarity, sincerity, or acuteness. You also notice a great yearning for learning. People were not only curious, they were rational. Not simply rational as we know the word today (Pythagorean Theorem), they were rational in their ability to take the unimaginable and translate it in such a way that any laymen might understand it without misinterpreting a single syllable. Their sincerity gave life to their words.Art, science, and philosophy were arguably near their peak at this time. The minds and workings of people were outstanding, and incredibly liberal.
Looking back we see a sense of pride, charisma, and general happiness that has not since been equaled even though we live in a world where we have every need covered, and every want and desire easily within reach.
Today's world is much different. There is chaos everywhere; time is of the essence. Time is constantly on our mind and we base our entire lives off of it. Incredible!
Poetry and entertainment have "evolved" into forms of expression that only satisfy our immediate and childish desires. Rather than feeding the soul, modern music, TV, movies, books, and other forms of entertainment prey on the most primitive desires of people like sex, lies, cheating, selfish cravings of vanity and ego.
Sex and erotica in music and TV do not improve the lyrics of a song or the script of a show.Drugs do not change the words that are said. But they do affect the level of discernment of the user, and the interpretation of those words.
Would you rather live on your knees than die on your feet? Is the price of fleshly appeasement worth your soul? Selling yourself to immorality and becoming a slave to quick highs... is that rational? Is that admirable? Is it enjoyable to be as a dog and lick up your own vomit only to throw it up again?

American Business Failure!

I really want to convey to everyone the importance of the time we live in.

Evil is not any greater than it was a thousand years ago.

People's morals are not worse; nor are they much better.

It's a really frustrating time to be an American right now. This is still a great nation, capable of great things. We can commit great evils against each other, or we can act with great valor, prudence, and dignity. We may convey our power through "soft power" as Chomsky defined it; which is through dialogue, economics, and capitalizing on the value of speech and wealth-creating systems. Or we can convey our message to the world through "hard power" which is another term for force that is accomplished through military intimidation and might.

I was born in a Christian home and raised with Christian values. I was homeschooled my whole life until the age of 18. I said the pledge of allegiance everyday, and believed America was the finest, and most noble country on Earth. I believed this to be God's country! I truly did.

Then came the Monica Lewinsky affair. Then came 9/11. Then came the infamous speeches from the worlds most powerful man claiming "war is over" while it is still underway and just gaining steam. Then came revelations that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were based off lies; no. They weren't just based on lies; they were lies. From the WMD's in Iraq, to the power and influence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. These were events that would forever change the current attitude, and future course of the United States. The implications of these wars would live on forever, and stand as the writing on the tombstones of each citizen of this great nation.

Freedom of Information Act amendments. The Patriot Act. Warrantless tapping of citizens phones. Classified citizen details and detainment's. Covert operations and spying on tax-paying citizens, all because they said the word "Allah", or "terrorist".

TSA, Homeland Security, increased national defense budgets where no platter was too big, and increasingly militarized city police. Increased watchfulness of citizens speech and demeanor. Increased regulation on free-speech and rightful protest.

Wasted tax-payer dollars in the billions... wait... in the trillions. Increased percentages of Americans imprisoned (25% of world total).

And then...

The recession and government handouts to banks who's business model was supposed to be one that promoted business and free-market capitalism, but instead, ran with a business model that leveraged such high amounts of risk that governments viewed them as entities or agencies, not private, or publicly-traded organizations that were ran by uncaring, and cold-hearted men and women.

Boeing, JPL, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Haliburton, Exxon, Chevron, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Motors, and countless others all used their influence through lobbyists in Washington to convince our senators and representatives that we are a nation in danger, and through their services, and theirs only, would we be safe and secure.

Bank of America, UBS, Wells Fargo, and how many others received my... our money... to fund their business model that inevitably leads itself to bankruptcy?

We've all been had! Muslims are not terrorists! Banks do not need our money! Lobbyists do not need to be in Washington! Corporations are not people! Companies should not be allowed to finance ad infinitum politicians who care nothing for the people they were elected to represent.

Iran will not nuke us! China will not invade us! We have no legitimate enemy anywhere in the world right now! So why are spending nearly a trillion dollars a year on national defense?

Wal-Mart is both good and bad. They provide us with cheap goods that we all love, but poor working wages. Why do we subsidize them and other like Cabelas?

How can two liters of Pepsi cost me less than 24 ounces of bottled water? What are the market forces behind this?

How can our government spend itself into such a large amount of debt that we are no without any end in sight?

People of America: You have been had! Your government has lied to you, and you have lied to yourselves!

By making uninformed decisions on political candidates, you have allowed the poorly educated, and geo-politically uninformed to run your country! You are at as much fault as them!