…a wise Motto provides the missing reality taboo reason and answer for the increased violence, crime, and shootings taking place in Chicago and the USA?
The Chicago Tribune Editorial titled: Chicago’s taboo topic: to divert youths from crime, support struggling parents: provided a myriad of reasons for this past weekend over 100 shootings in Chicago.
The Purpose of This Post
Is to relate and ancient proverb, a Motto, which in my opinion is being avoided like a plague by all major media news sources, most liberal politicians as a taboo issue and the missing taboo reason not mentioned in the Editorial, that misses the mark to reduce the sad numbers of shootings being reported in Chicago and USA?
King Solomon Proverb
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverb 22:6)
Motto
‘The Family That Prays Together Stays Together’
What’s My Point?
The following is a comment made in a Citizen Tom post”
“There has been no greater guilt imposed upon man than that imposed by organized religion in the name of God… simply to get compliance.
My point is shooters apparently have never been taught to fear the consequences of God’s Commandment: Tthou shalt not kill.
In My Opinion
When the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to teach the Ten Commandments in any public secular school, apparently youths shooting and killing each other now have less fear of man’s Laws than Gods Laws.
Based on the shootings taking place for youths not to fear the consequences of their actions will be judged when they die and are judged by their Maker.
In other words, what is apparent is liberal laws are not as effective a deterrent to youths who have attended a public secular school instead of a private religious school in grades 1 to 8, the most formative years in their lives.
What we are experiencing now is a generation of youths which have grown up, many in single family households, which in my opinion can be considered collateral damage we will continue to experience if they are allowed to be freed without consequences for never having the opportunity to be taught in depth understanding of the wisdom and love in the Bible and the Ten Commandments.
In my opinion, voters need to elect legislators to pass legislation “to support” funding sooner school choice and/or school vouchers in Illinois and other States in the USA, so that in time, the shootings will lessen.
If Interested
Read the Source Links below
Regards and goodwill blogging
Source Links
Chicago Tribune Editorial July 7, 2021
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20210707/281749862347502
Motto – Meet America
Citizen Tom Blog Post and Comment
https://citizentom.com/2021/07/02/how-to-be-unhelpful-without-feeling-guilty-reblogged/#comments.
Previous Posts
School Vouchers
School Vouchers – Rudy u Martinka (rudymartinka.com)
Chicago Violence
In recent years.. decades perhaps.. there’s been this increase in the varieties of interpretations of the Bible.. and more specifically The Ten Commandments. Recently, in different online venues, I’ve made reference to “Thou shalt not kill.” as it relates to certain occupations within our society where the killing of another human being is permitted, even encouraged…. and that contributing to the PTSD resulting from such events simply because most of us have been taught that killing is wrong in any situation.. yet duty calls us to do that. Specifically, law enforcement.. and serving in the military. In the usual paradox and hypocrisy religion offers to mankind… we have situations where it’s “ok” to kill other human beings. I was raised with the idea (I recall being discussed in Sunday school fairly often in fact) that “Thou shalt not kill.” had certain “exceptions” to it as soldiers are fighting to protect us and law enforcement sometimes has to do that to keep us safe from “bad people”. Now.. as a kid.. one might find some level to process (or, buy into) that logic and accept it at face value. But seems of late the implied “Divine waiver” idea has been replaced with the idea that somehow “Thou shalt not kill” is a rather mistaken interpretation as a result of language usage. In the “real” original Bible (whatever that means) the “correct” translation is “Thou shalt not murder.” Ah.. ok. It’s now a “state of mind” at the time you pull the trigger or thrust the sword, or stab with the knife… rather than the act itself of taking the life of another. I don’t recall this being discussed in Sunday school or from the fellow preaching in the pulpit. But seems mankind has found a convenient semantic loophole.
You’ll have to pardon my cynicism of this kind of “adaptation”. You have these Trumpian Right Wing so-called God-fearing Christian evangelicals praising the Second Amendment entirely for the fact that they can exact vengeance on a government they do not like.. which means, they wanna kill other humans.. for what.. bad politics in the name of God? The whole thing boggles the mind.
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Doug,
Trump is no longer President, yet the shootings and killing, and murders, are goingg up and up and it is taboo for anyone to bring up school choice or school vouchers to President Biden who has stated he is a union guy in government run schools with teahers in unions.
Time to move on from blaming Trump, on the shootings, yes, no?.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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My comment referenced nothing of that. I was pointing out tha before one can “teach” religion to the point that it will keep gangland people from killing each other later in life.. the “rule book” should be explicit.
As for the increase in violence in general these days…. hey, if more religion helps then so be it. Trump is not “at fault”.. other than his rise to power helping to proliferate the grievance mindset of a disgruntled minority leading to a wealth of social ills percolating to the surface.,, including the stress of the pandemic. We are in the midst of a cascading convolution of many things.. one spawning another. Trump didn’t cause it… but he certainly throws gas on the fire.
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Doug,
If you believe Trump threw gas on the fire, Biden is certainly not doing anything to dose the flames of violence during his first six months, which if anything, is burning even more intense under his leadership.
I won’t bring up the other fires that are become more intense too now that Biden is in control in Washington such as National Debt, illegal immigration, inflation.
As for the pandemic, why is the violence fire more intense in high crime urban areas and not other areas, all who experienced the same pandemic.
Any correlation with the government managed vs the private religious schools that somehow managed to stay open while the public schools could not?
And why is it some States are using State tax funds to help poor disadvantaged children school choice and in Illinois, the silence on the issue is deafening?
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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I’m not overly defending Biden as being “wonderful”… but he is A LOT more stable and far less confrontational and controversial than his predecessor. The national divide is growing because the Right Wing/GOP has decided to align with Trump and his agenda, and his messages of grievance and fear bringing out all the gun-toting militia loons. One of these outfits is going to act and cause death and/or destruction. Maybe this August when yet another date of Trump’s resurrections back to Washington comes and goes.
We have yet to hear about the boondoggle AZ vote count results, which either way will start something.
Not sure I understand your pandemic paragraph. If you are suggesting all the urban violence is happening in Dem cities… simply look it up… the first something like 18 cities, many over one million population, are in fact Dem administrations. So it’s not like one can compare apples to apples. Republicans simply have no high population cities in which to compare.
As for the pandemic… ask yourself why it is that all the states where people are getting sick and dying from Covid because of vaccine apprehension are all GOP states. That’s completely nuts… willing to die for politics. Sheer idiocy.
As for private/charter/other schools… I’ve no argument offhand as to the quality of education offered by each institution.. BUT… we cannot simply pick where our tax dollars can go. The presumption is that taxes are collected for the programs administered for the public good. Public education is for the public good over all. Just because you have school kids and want to send them to a “better” school does not mean the family can decide where to divert their tax dollars because those tax dollars are going for the public good.. not specifically toward their kids’ education. If that argument held water then taxpayers with no kids (like seniors) can claim a specific tax exemption from paying anything toward public education. In other words, paying taxes for public education is an investment in the future of American.. NOT for family choice.
There are other avenues in which to introduce/indoctrinate religious doctrine into kids other than every single day, in every single class. Now.. as I recall from my own past… at the age when confirmation occurs in Christian and Catholic doctrines.. we kids were let out of school a couple hours early each.. Tuesday, I think. All the kids went to their respective churches.. Lutherans called it “confirmation class” and Catholics called it “catechism class”. Maybe an expansion of that idea might work. But obviously that only works IF the church denominations do not charge anything. Just speculating.
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Doug,
You commented:
1, “but he (Biden) is A LOT more stable and far less confrontational and controversial than his predecessor.”
His stable state is more like a comatose state in my opinion.
2. “because you have school kids and want to send them to a “better” school does not mean the family can decide where to divert their tax dollars because those tax dollars are going for the public good.
Where in the Constitution does it say that? Why are some States approving school choice and school vouchers if, as you say, “does not mean the family can decide”?
The 2020 Supreme Court ruled all the previous Blaine Amendments States passed laws to forbid State tax funds were unconstitutional.
All any States need to do is vote for legislators to pass State laws to fund school choice or school vouchers.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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1, “but he (Biden) is A LOT more stable and far less confrontational and controversial than his predecessor.”
His stable state is more like a comatose state in my opinion.
Yeah… well, after four years of Trump I tend to welcome it. Moving on……
Just goes to show how amazingly messed up the public education finance process is… or has become. Admittedly I have not been following this in such great detail.. having been involved in my local district last in the late 1980’s when my kids were in school. As I recall, the concept of a free public education at all goes back just after the nation was formed when Thomas J. suggested the idea, and that it be funded from taxation. The idea at the time was simply to make the new nation literate. For the most part it wasn’t until the 1875 when Blaine came up with his amendment, which as you know, restricted use of public funds from free religious or parochial schooling.
To be accurate… you are absolutely correct that because the states are to provide the bulk of the funding that there’s a hodge-podge of taxing bodies and municipalities and townships that have established school districts to receive the funding, with only a smaller portion coming from the federal government. That being said.. and corrected on my part… that the Fed, while holding some regulation of what can be taught (and how), really has minimal financial obligation. Hence, seems to me then the states have control of the purse in how they want to tax and spend for education. Again.. the restrictions of the Blain Amendment against parochial/religious school funding have in many cases been adopted into the various state constitutions. I’m sure you already know all this since this has been one of your bailiwicks for a while now.
So, given the school vouchers idea has passed SCOTUS, this whole thing has been passed on to the states. The interesting aspect is that the Court used the “Lemon” test to decide the issue. Essentially, as long as the funding is administered neutrally.. then all parochial institutions have an equal chance.
So, Rudy.. given it’s a state issue and if Springfield isn’t paying any attention… it’s a political issue, is it not?
But I am thinking here that your greater concern all along is that you want to see religion have more of an influence in education.. and if people can’t pay for it then it should be free.. somehow. This still assumes a basic pretext… parents caring enough about their kids having a greater religious influence in their lives, and likely having to become more involved in their kids’ education in general. Having traversed the periphery of Maine Township back in the day I am here to tell ya.. lucky to get 50% parental cooperation. Is that worth all the effort? Not for me to judge.
But here’s to the finer point… how many residents of the State of Illinois are going to sign on for a higher education tax so kids get better religion? I can’t answer that one either.
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To clarify.. I know school vouchers are an attempt to moderate the need for any tax increases given it’s essentially a money swap. But the real world is usually farther ahead in financial need than government can respond to rapidly. If parochial school expenses go up.. and they are… taxes to create the impetus for higher vouchers will not go up as quickly.
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@Scatterwisdom
Good post!
@Doug
The Bible is actually quite clear that the commandment is: thou shalt not murder.
Translations of the Bible did use the word “kill” instead of “murder,” but the confusion began mainly because some people insist upon being pacifists.
When we interpret the Bible, we have to remember that no part of it stands alone. That is why most Christians will kill in self-defense and serve in the military. Unfortunately, we tend to be a bit myopic. So we can take a verse out of context and make it say something it does not.
Consider Matthew 5:38-48. Then read Matthew 7:6. Because some people are evil, there is a point we have to defend ourselves. Nevertheless, as much as it up to us, we should seek peace.
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I understand the “accommodations” we make to make the Biblical pieces all fit into our lives. Been there, done that myself.
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@Doug
Accommodations? You accommodated God? Sigh!
Have you considered the possibility you don’t know what you are talking about? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not an idol. We can please an imaginary god, one of our own making, but God needs nothing from us. We cannot begin to meet His standards.
As you have used the word, please consider the meaning of accommodate.
Jesus died on the cross for us because we do not have the capacity to reconcile ourselves with God. All we can do is to try to show our love for Him and gratitude to Him by trying to obey His commands. Therefore, we interpret the Bible as best we can, and we try to obey His commands. As imperfect human beings, we do that imperfectly. Some of us don’t even know where to start, and some, because we are to busy scoffing, don’t even get to first base.
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Point 1 – My reference to “accommodation” was pertaining to the seemingly fluctuating interpretations of the Bible to meet a specific needs of life… in particular, explaining this “thing” between murder-is-not-really-killing, or vice versa.
Point 2 – Your Webster definition of accommodation seems to fit perfectly when one chooses to allow God into their lives (it’s better than that proverbial “surrendering”, which is itself not accurate as far as my opinion goes on the matter. Ugh.. why am I being drawn into this.). To your definition.. one is bringing God into their lives free of personal” conflicts, inconsistencies, and differences” to obstruct His message. “Surrendering” implies that someone has to lose something and it seems to me God is a win-win once you “accommodate” Him into your life. Am I correct? Then again… I am not seeking affirmation of my belief. I don’t need to quote Bible and verse.
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@Doug
Point 1 — So, you misused the word “accommodation”? Point 2 suggests otherwise.
Point 2 — There is nothing new under the sun. Your take on this borrows from someone.
Accommodation is better than surrendering? Accommodation with God? When the choice is being in God’s favor and being on your own?
The greatest sin is pride. Pride leads us to sin. Pride demands that we believes “it” is all about “me.” Pride demands that we deceive ourselves.
God is our Creator. He is the Creator of everything. We do — we think — nothing that He has not ordained. Is He worthy of our love and obedience?
Nothing I can say will convince you. So, I quote the Bible.
God draws us to Him. We spread His Gospel because He has told us to do so, but the work of redemption is His.
So, I ask you to read the Bible. Do it for me? No. Yourself. To save your soul? That should be a good enough reason, but there is a more obvious one. If you are going to talk about the Bible, you may as well know what you are talking about.
Start with the books that are easiest to read, and make use of multiple translations and commentaries. There are plenty of them online. In addition, you may find this book helpful => https://www.christianbook.com/bible-worth-fourth-edition-special-edition/gordon-fee/9780310517825/pd/517825?event=ESRCN
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Let’s keep in mind that the vast majority of people who have been “forced” to take another life carry some sort of guilt around with them… and that guilt more often than not arises from a basic spiritual morality that comes with terminating another human being’s life.. regardless of any “permissive” pretense. My momentary lapse of judgement behind the wheel (ie, negligence) led to my sis-in-law’s death and I’ve carried that around for 30+ years and I’ve adapted to it, compensated for it.. and it doesn’t affect my quality of life… but the guilt lingers nonetheless… in spite of the fact that morally “it was ok cause it was just an accident” (the odd idea that we shift the “blame” over to fate, which is just another name for God without saying the usual “God works in mysterious ways.” disclaimer.). So.. my point.. semantics only goes so far… but guilt goes to eternity.
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@Doug
When we drive a vehicle, we put ourselves in charge of a machine we can inadvertently use to kill someone in an instant. We drive nevertheless because the benefits of driving outweigh the risk of causing an accidental injury or killing someone.
What happens when we do have an accident? Since most accidents are “preventable,” we tend to feel guilty, but should we? Yes and no. There are some instances, perhaps many, when our negligence is “inexcusable,” at least by man. However, we will always have accidents. People are imperfect, and because we are imperfect we carry both the guilt of true sins and our imperfections.
So, what do we do with our guilt? We give it to God. We seek forgiveness from God.
Forgiveness from God is the mystery of the cross. Jesus did not die so we could sin. He died because we do sin. Jesus died so we could repent of our sins and turn to Him for our salvation from sin. He died so we can stop sinning and be freed from our slavery to sin and our guilt.
Because of Jesus’ death on that cross, our guilt does not have to go on to eternity. In fact, that is why people become followers of Jesus Christ, for His forgiveness.
Only God, the One True God, can forgive us for our sins. If we repent and turn to Him, He does.
Read the Bible. Read the story of our redemption — your redemption — by Jesus Christ. Stop the scoffing. Unload your guilt at the cross of our Savior.
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We absolutely need school choice and vouchers. Parents should be able to choose where to send their children with their tax dollars.
Thanks for keeping this front and center.
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Michae
l
Thanks for your spot on comment.
“Parents should be able to choose where to send their children with their tax dollars.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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