Patriotic Shopping in the US (1st Blog Assignment)

It is patriotic to shop in the US. There are a couple different reasons for this. The first is that in the US there is a sales tax. Taxes go to the US government and thus, to the support of the country. That is a very simple reason why it is patriotic to shop in the US, but there are some other slightly less clear reasons as well. Besides there being a sales tax on purchases in the US there is also the stock market to consider. The stock market is a place where people with money give their money to companies to fund them in hopes that the companies will do well. If the companies do well the givers of the money are rewarded by being able to withdraw their money and the extra that the company made for them. If the company does badly, then the givers might lose the money that they gave. The reason for this is that their stocks could be worth less than they bought them for. Now that there is an understanding of the stock market, if people are not shopping then the money givers will not have confidence in the companies and will not fund the companies. If the companies are not funded they will be forced to lower overhead costs which include employee expenses and employees will be laid-off. If people are laid off they will not have the money to buy things from the companies and the circle will wind down until the stock market collapses and the economy goes into recession. That is a very big reason why it is patriotic to shop. Finally another reason for shopping being patriotic is that as US citizens can choose to purchase things which are manufactured in the US. This contributes to the companies that employ other US citizens thus helping the economy and the country as a whole. US citizens can show patriotism in many ways one of which is definitely shopping!

I am the Bible. There are many books that have been written for various reasons, but there is only one reason that I have been written: To reveal the secrets of God to mankind. Indeed I am God’s self-revelation to man. I have been translated into many languages, but the truth that is contained within my pages can never be changed. Many have tried to add to or remove what they want from me, but through time and eternity I will remain. Just as God is the same yesterday, today and forever as I am God’s word, I will never change. I am the world’s best-selling book of all time. In comparison to the second best-selling book of all time (Quotations of Chairman Mao Zedong) I am not the thoughts of a man that were printed for one country. I am the word of God and I was printed for all nations and all people. I am the most important book of all time. The words contained within my pages are more than just stories and proverbs, they are words that men and women can live by because they will not change with the latest fad or trend. The words written on my pages have applied to life in years past and they will apply to life until eternity. Many have tried to interpret me in ways that I was not intended to be interpreted. They justify such interpretation by saying that men wrote me so I am not God’s word, but instead that I am man’s word and thus up to any interpretation. Inside my pages is written words that address such misinterpretation, "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, a until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:19-21 The Holy Spirit of God inspired men to write the words held within my pages. My words are not up for interpretation. It is only by God’s will that I was written, and it will be only by His will that I will survive through the ages. There is no special person that has to interpret my words for people to understand. I was meant to be read and my words taken at face value. I was meant to be believed and trusted to be the ultimate truth. Finally, the words written on my pages were meant to be lived, just as the words live, so should all who read me live according to these words. The most important overarching reason that I am the Bible is as I mentioned before, I am the most important book in the world. There is no other book that has the infinite worth that I have.

Reasoning Skills Taught in Primary School? (2nd Blog Assignment)

The question is simple to ask, "Should reasoning skills be taught in primary school." To answer it on the other hand might not be as easy a task. In terms of children not being able to reason by the time they are teenagers or young adults it seems like it would be incredibly beneficial for reasoning skills to be taught at the primary level. On the other hand, primary school is where kids are supposed to learn basics, colors, numbers, reading, writing, etc... and we don't want to distract from those. It is clear that while observing the lack of reasoning skills in the general population something needs to be done about people learning these skills. What better time than when they are little sponges and perhaps the most willing to take in these important reasoning skills that should be incorporated as part of "the basics" taught to primary students. The question begs other questions such as, "Who decides what the children are required to learn?" and, "How much input or say in the curriculum do parents or guardians have?" ... but let's not get distracted.

Let's talk about the benefits of young people having reasoning skills. There are a lot of things that children and teenagers do that are damaging and often times incredibly dangerous to themselves and to others. We as adults like to blame immaturity and lack of experience, but isn't it also a lack of reasoning skills? Imagine a child about ten years old riding his bike home from school. There is a curb that happens to end in a ramp-like drop-off into a concrete wash. Now WE know that a human only has a limited amount of control while in the air on a bicycle and this probably won't end well but the kid doesn't have the reasoning skills we do and is only thinking about how awesome the stunt is going to be. If the child had reasoning skills he would be able to think past the moment he is in, but without them he will be launched into the unknown and possible break an arm, leg, or severely injure his head. Having reasoning skills is basically just weighing outcomes against known facts, and being able to play a scenario out in the head before acting on a thought. Steven Schafersman paints a good picture in his essay here: http://www.freeinquiry.com/critical-thinking.html on critical thinking and learning reasoning skills earlier in life.

This was only one example but if people learn reasoning skills earlier in life, bigger more detrimental outcomes might be avoided.