Follow the Logic

One of my favorite movies is The Princess Bride. Full of great lines and great moments, the story continues to be a classic. One of my favorite scenes is when Wesley (the hero) takes on Vizzini (an antagonist) in a duel of wits. Wesley wins because, as he admits to Buttercup, he’s been building up immunity to iocane powder.

It makes me wonder if we are doing the same thing today…

I’m going to jump right to the point. We’ve known that research companies use aborted fetus cells as part of medical research, but there is a rather new market that we don’t hear about.

Kidney cells from aborted babies are being used to test sweeteners for sodas. Senomyx is a research company under contract with Pepsi to test sweeteners for their drinks. While the cells do not make it into the drinks themselves, they are used to do the research for the drinks.

This leads me to the next question. How far away are we from cannibalism?

Follow the logic.

Human cells are being used in research for the drinks, thus we are only a step away. Does this frighten you? What does this tell us about our society?

Those of us “older folk” remember a 1973 science fiction movie called Soylent Green. Even the name turns my stomach (still!) just thinking of the context. But this science fiction idea is not so science fiction anymore.

Let me summarize the plot… (Yes! Spoiler alert!!!)

The main character is a police officer who through a series of murders tracks down a corporation who says they are using plankton from the disappearing oceans of 2022 to make healthy crackers called soylent green for the starving people to eat. The world has become over populated, the green house effect has led to poor crops, and the general state of the people is that they are in a starving panic. The main character’s shaman is an older man who is dying. This shaman figures out that the murders are committed to keep the results of an oceanic research paper out of the public eye. The research? There is there is no more plankton in the dying oceans. So the next question is “What is soylent green?” As the shaman is dying he begs the main character to see what happens to his dead body and sure enough, it is turned into these soylent green crackers for people to eat.

Are you sick to your stomach yet?

Well, the fact of the matter is this: We are only a step away from Soylent Green.

Follow the logic.

1973 – abortions are made legal

We find out through medical research that a fetus has complete human DNA from the moment of conception.

We begin to use aborted fetus cell lines to create vaccinations for our children (See MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis A ingredients) We justify this because it is saving lives.

We begin to use aborted fetus cells lines for research for cures for diseases. (It happens that adult stem cells have helped many different diseases while fetus cells still have produced very little cures yet). But we again justify this because it saves lives.

We use aborted fetus cells to test sweeteners for human consumption. How is this saving lives?

It doesn’t. But this is the next step in the de-valuing of human life. There really is no reason for this type of research except that we’ve become so de-sensitized that we think nothing of it.

If we take the next logical step, we might ask ourselves: Would it be so bad to be cannibals if we put these cells in our food? The fetuses are already dead, right?

The slippery slope was determined back in 1973, but when do we cry uncle?

Are we really that far away from Soylent Green?

I can’t help but think that standing by and letting this happen is any different than building up an immunity to iocane powder. Can it do us any good?

Here is the research: http://www.cogforlife.org/pepsiboycott.htm

The Faith Orchestra

A friend shared a thought on Facebook:

In the time it takes to read this sentence dozens of children have died from starvation. Does Tebow or anyone else really believe that God picks sides in a football game?

My question back, do you really think Tebow is asking God for a win? And yet the above question merits something deeper…the explanation of an orchestra.

A musical orchestra is made up of many different instruments. Each of those instruments provides a unique sound that in the end make up a musical feast for the ears and heart. The music has a deeper impact than just the sounds that it makes. Melodies and symphonies stir the heart and soul.

It’s no different with people. Each of us is made to be a different instrument. Some of us are gifted with mechanical means, some of us with philosophical mentalities, and others with physical abilities. Yet each of us plays a part within society. And that part makes a difference.

Consider for a moment the impact that an athlete has on that sport. If they are a positive influence, they impact other teammates, coaches and fans. They inspire others to try their best and the team benefits through this positive influence. They pay it forward with their attitude.

Not long ago I heard a teen grumble that a fellow soccer teammate was complaining about other guys on his team. The complainer didn’t like the way others were playing, they were making mistakes, or they just weren’t thinking. As he began to voice this whining behavior out loud, the other teammates were distracted and brought down by such thoughts. Dissension and arguments permeated the team. The negative impact this one person had on his team is quite obvious. Perhaps his “instrument” was off key?

It’s no different with Denver Broncos’ quarterback, Tim Tebow. This young man’s positive attitude and his believe in hope is permeating the rest of his teammates. The team believes they can win. Now their hope has impacted others. In fact, it is having an effect on fans and people around the country.

Whatever your opinion, it is the reality of our society that sports celebrities have an impact and make news.

With that impact, however comes responsibility. I believe that Tebow is striving to take that responsibility seriously. He is taking the time to recognize his abilities don’t come from himself, but from his Maker.

Those that would say he is asking God for a “win” for the team would be naïve. I believe he is simply trying to give gratitude for his abilities to the One who gave him those abilities. He is also striving to show others that he is serving God with the “instrument” that God gave him.

What impact does that have on others? What about those starving children that are dying? Somewhere out there, there is a soul who has been gifted with the intellectual capacity to understand how to solve the starvation that exists in the world. If that person is inspired to hope they can make a difference, then they will strive to do so. If by watching a sports professional strive to make a difference they are inspired to make a difference with their “instrument,” then Tebow has had an effect on the starving children.

However, there are other avenues he is impacting as well. A plethora of Christian foundations currently exist to feed the poor and hungry, many of them here in our country as well as abroad. These groups build structures to house the poor, and water systems to provide clean water for communities. They provide food when possible and work tirelessly to improve living conditions so that children do not have to starve to death.

If those charities are brought to light because a Christian bows down and shows gratitude to His God, then he is affecting starving children. If by making others aware of his beliefs, he in fact brings attention to the Christian charities that help starving children then I postulate he is doing more to feed the starving children than the average person who complains about the poor but does nothing to help.

This realization brings another truth to life. Whether we want to believe it or not, we are examples to others. How we behave is seen by our children, our friends and even that stranger in the checkout line at the store. If we treat others with contempt, we are encouraging others to do the same. If we treat others with love, then we are encouraging that behavior as well. We supply hope AND we are simply paying it forward.

We are all part of a bigger orchestra. Our “instruments” provide melodies, harmonies, and rhythm in the symphony of life. We inspire others with our actions. Tim Tebow’s job right now is to play football to the best of his abilities. If by his actions he brings to light the possibility that there is Hope and that Hope can be attained by others, then he is playing his part in this symphony we call life.

How boring would it be to listen to an orchestra of guitars playing the same notes to the same songs with no harmony or extra melodies to enhance the experience?

Ugh! I choose to believe that without all the different people in our world that provide all the different aspects of life, I would be bored to death. Literally. So I listen to the orchestra of life with love and hope and I try and keep my “instrument” in tune to play along.