1. The Tiger Woods Scandal
Does it really matter? Is it any of our business that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife? WHY do we have to keep hearing about it?
Yes, it matters. It matters because it was WRONG. We need to keep hearing about it, because the more we hear, the more likely we are to take it to heart.
Tiger Woods was held up as a role model. My 13 year old brother loved Tiger. Sure, he isn’t a pastor or priest, but he is the world’s greatest golfer, admired across the world, and he is responsible for his behavior.
We tend to live in this myth-full state that the things we do are our business. They’re our choices and they only affect us, so they’re only our concern. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nothing we do affects only ourselves. Everything we do affects those around us, too.
It effects our families, our friends, and in some cases, our country. I personally believe Tiger Woods’ life is never going to be the same. How can it be? He is no longer a role model. He can’t be. He’s losing endorsements and he’ll keep losing them.
Was it worth it? No. It was sin, it has already ripped apart his family, and it will destroy his career. He had a responsibility to his wife and his children. He failed.But, what about forgiveness? There’s been a lot of talk back and forth on whether or not his wife should leave him. Does she have legitimate, dare I say even Biblical, reason to leave him? I would say yes. Should she? I don’t know. It’s not my decision. Is he willing to change? Will he confess AND repent (CHANGE of thoughts and ACTIONS)? I’d think a lot depends on that factor alone. At the same time, let’s not forget that forgiveness does not mean the elimination of consequences.
My biggest question in this whole catastrophe (and it is a catastrophe – think of his family) is, do people just not have a conscience? Have they violated it so often that it no longer exists? How in the world do people live a lie for that long? How do they look their loved ones in the eye and flat out LIE to them?
So, why does it matter? It matters because Tiger Woods was held up as a role model. Let us learn what we can from his story. Let us remember that our sins will find us out. And may we not repeat his mistakes.
2. Health Care
What is the big deal about health care? Is it really so wrong to want everyone to have affordable access to doctors and medication? Does it really matter? Why, oh why, do we hear about it every time we turn on our tv’s, radios, or pull up a blog? Well… I’ve delved into why this issue is so CRUCIALLY important to our nation in several previous posts, so I won’t elaborate further here. (If you missed them and still want my opinion, you can search the archives. ;-)
What DOES currently matter about healthcare is that if we don’t pay attention, we’re going to miss some very important details which will affect us, our children, and our grandchildren for decades to come. For example, a mere days ago the Senate failed to approve an amendment to the health care bill which would have eliminated the possibility of our tax dollars paying for federally funded abortions...
Then, last night, after days and hours of secret meetings, Sen. Harry Reid said the Democrats have finally agreed on something. This scares me. There is speculation that they have actually DROPPED the public option, but I have my doubts on that… and if they did, why would they? (Very little is done in politics without sure deliberation on how to ultimately achieve your goal even while appearing to concede your point.) What scares me more is that they have supposedly agreed. On something. But they can’t tell us what it is yet. Uh-huh. That can’t be good. If Sen. Reid is happy, that is NOT good news for conservatives. Period. We were better off when he was comparing those of us who oppose the bill to slave holders… (he wasn’t happy then).
3. Approval ratings
Yes, approval ratings. We keep hearing about them. Do they matter? YES!! They are very, very telling. Way over half of Americans disapprove of Congress. This IS important. It means that in all likelihood, Republicans, if they continue to return to their conservative base, will take back the House and possibly even the Senate in the midterm elections of 2010!
In addition, while the White House parties on… yes, big Democratic donors get private White House parties… some of which even include use of the executive bowling alley and theatre… our President’s current approval rating of 47% is lower than ANY PAST PRESIDENT AT THIS POINT IN THEIR TERM.
So yesterday, as his approval ratings continue to plummet, our President gave a speech at the Brookings Institute (a non-profit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. for research and recommendations). In it, he said, “One of the central goals of the administration is restoring fiscal responsibility, even as we have had to spend our way out of this recession in the near term, we have begun to make the hard choices necessary to get our country on a more stable fiscal footing.” Restoring fiscal responsibility?!? Is that a joke? (Sean Hannity had a great response: “Earth to Obama – what universe are you living in?” Lol…)
Reminds me of what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to say on CNBC on October 21st, “It isn't a tax increase; it is eliminating a tax decrease that was there.”
Yeah, classic. I believe her… don’t you??? Or, does it just not matter to you?
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“It is well to remind ourselves, from time to time, that ‘Ethics’ is but another word for ‘righteousness,’ that for which many men and women of every generation have hungered and thirsted, and without which life becomes meaningless.”
~Jane Addams, Democracy and Social Ethics, 1902
