The Great Debate

 

A) the cat can't get to it.

B) you can make cool fancy designs

C) I can get married and let my wife decide

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Dress Trashy on Haloween

My firend Liese posted this on her blog and I thought it was so amazing! Hope you enjoy.

In Mean Girls, it was said that, "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."

Well, I think that is a false statement because I am a girl and I have PLENTY to say about it!

Why is it that girls think that this is the one night of the year that they can do and look like whatever they want and that no one notices/cares? SO NOT TRUE!

Here are my reasons why you are an idiot if you dress skanky on Halloween

1) You really don't look cute... you look trashy
2) Boys are not looking at your face and you are perfectly aware of that
3) IT IS OCTOBER!!! You are wearing less than you did in August when at least then there was heat
4) You are getting what you're asking for. If you wanna date a tool then you are doing all that is necessary to attract one. So don't complain when he doesn't want to actually date you
5) You are an idiot for posting those pictures on Facebook. 90% of you are friends with your bishop!
6) Most of you are not in shape to be rocking outfits that only people who don't eat can wear
7) Somewhere in the back of your mind you heard your mother's voice of disapproval and you ignored it
8) You feel guilty when you get ready for church that Sunday and realize that the night before you were out in your underwear
9) You do not care/remember what boy grabbed your butt while you were at that huge dance party
10) You have no class

So to all of you who plan on letting it all hang out over the next week for the upcoming Halloween parties, just remember that you're an idiot and that Lindsay Lohan lied to you.

Hide Erbody.

I wish i could fully explain how happy this song makes me.

Or this one.

My Final Word

I am not against gay people.
I am against gay marriage.

I am against gay marriage because I believe in the family and I have a right to cast my morals into this governmental debate. For like I have said, this is about my “morals” vs. gays’ “perceived rights.”

Robert P. George, a professor at Princeton, said, "The obligations and purposes of law and government are to protect public health, safety, and morals, and to advance the general welfare--including, preeminently, protecting people's fundamental rights and basic liberties."

Some may read this as the liberty for gays to marry. I read this as my liberty to teach and uphold proper morals and allow that same right to my children and family. And I assure you, if gay marriage was to be passed, the onslaught on the fundamental unit of society will be bastardized and demised to a series of tax breaks and signed papers. It is at that moment that this society will seal its fate for the worst. These last few days of posting my views on gay marriage have been met with some very harsh words, terrible emails and ridiculous accusations. Think not that this will change if gay marriage is legalized! Those preaching religious morals will be accused of hypocrisy and intolerance. In schools it will no longer be permissible to raise a voice against anti-Christian morals, as pertaining to this battle ground. (And, YES, this is a battle ground.) Some don’t fear the “gay days” in public schools and other pro-gay-marriage events and educational pieces that will follow legislation, as they have in MA, if gay marriage is legalized—but I do. We cannot teach religion or morals, but we can teach secularism and immorality to our children? And people say this is FREEDOM? NO! That is prison. I ask, why do we fear “Christian days?” Why can’t we have “God-believer days?” Because we don’t believe that religion should be pushed on students…? Well likewise, I don’t want my children celebrating an immoral lifestyle. Yes, teach them ABOUT homosexuality, but don’t teach them that it is right. If gay marriage is legalized, it will be taught as such.

So don’t tell me that gay marriage “rights” have nothing to do with me. They have everything to do with me.

They have everything to do with you, too.

And many of you ask for statistics and numbers, but I want to requite something that Nick posted in the comments. Nick urged us not to be guilty of Andrew Lang's accusation: "He used statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts; for support rather than illumination." Morals are not DICTATED by statistics, they are PROVEN by true statistics. I’ve shown two independent studies on the deterioration of the “family” and “marriage” after the legalization of gay marriage. I have appealed to the historical evidence of MA post-legislation events. I can cite many more sources as well…but the moral issue does not change. Gay marriage is wrong and I will never support anything or anyone who believes otherwise (I fully can love and support gays and gay-supporters in many other aspects of their lives, but not this point).

If this is about “marriage” I will never support. If the conversation is about equal rights as pertaining to hospital visits, taxes, etc…then call it something else. And it should be based on living situation—not be based on sexual preference or relationship status. To preclude couples such as roommates, friends living with each other and different forms of possible non-sexual unions must be under the same umbrella as gay unions. It is ridiculous to assume that gay couples should get rights that individuals in these other situations would not be afforded. I want it drastically clear in our legislation that government-approved-gay-couples are NOT the same thing as a man and a woman getting married. …that is all, of course, if this is about the specific privileges. Again, if this is about gay “marriage,” then no need to even consider this paragraph.

This debate can continue on this blog forever. But my stance has been made known. Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to the conversation.

So while I issue this to be my "final word" (for which many are very relieved, I'm sure), as God and all those who believe in Him as my witness, that my voice shall not be silenced on issues of government instituted moral issues! 

So hide your wife, hide your kids and hide your husbands, 'cuase everybody's getting to hear the truth.

If you really REALLY want to know exactly how I feel, President Packer’s talk says beautifully why I am so against gay marriage. His talk is the one that sparked all of this controversy, so might as well end it. I agree with every word spoken in this video. http://broadcast2.lds.org/general-conference/2010-october/2010-10-4020-president-boyd-k-packer-768k-eng.mp4?download=true or read his talk http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-23,00.html

To all of the "Anonymous"ers:

For some reason, so many have chosen to hide behind the cloak of anonymous animosity with this debate. Perhaps you think I will change my opinion of you, or perhaps you are afraid to declare your beliefs openly or perhaps you are in a situation where you cannot disclose your name (which i understand). There are just a few points i have to you few who have contributed so little besides snide and belittling remarks: I have gay friends whom I love and respect and support in many other aspects of their lives. I don't think they are evil people anymore than I think I am an evil person when I sin. Who am I to judge another? (Besides, this isn't about gay people. This is about the perceived "right" of GAY MARRIAGE.) I am not claiming to be perfect, nor am i claiming to have all the answers. I simply felt impressed to share my opinions on this blog (click on that if you are confused as to the purposes of a blog).

If everyone who tried to uphold their morals was cast out and considered "ignorant" and "narrow minded," as so many of you have me these last few days, that would undermine the ultimate original intent of the founding fathers of this country. You can disagree with my points, you can question my sources you can wonder about my purposes...but no, narrow-minded i am not--unless you consider that the same thing as morally-minded.

I am not saying that people who disagree with me are stupid or wicked or gay (necessarily) or anything of the sort. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. All I am saying is this is what I believe because I have studied it out, considered both sides, prayed about it and come up with a conclusion.

I urge all to do the same on a topic to poignant and important.

For truly, as Goethe said, "There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action." 

so to ANYONE who thinks, 'just let gays marry! it has nothing to do with me!' Please read this article about THE EFFECTS OF GAY MARRIAGE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

My Letter to Scott--Uncomprimising Respect

Dear Scott,

(to the readers, Scott is a gay friend of mine living and WORKING (and paying taxes) in California who posted an interesting comment on my facebook wall regarding gay marriage.)

Let me just say first, that I really do appreciate your comment. AND let me say how much I love and respect you. I take no offense in anything you have said and hope that we can continue this debate in the same fashion. I would like to address your post (which is posted in the comment section below). So thank you for being honest in owning up to your views. 

Know this, if gay marriage is passed, you can bet your last tax dollar that it will be taught in schools! It has been such a hot topic that law/government/history/current affairs/humanities/sex ed…etc, all will find a connection to talk about it…and talk about it being legal. And talk about it being the same as a man and a woman getting married. And I’m not saying that man woman relationships are perfect. I completely understand that there are a lot of dirt bags (and dirt baggets) that cheat on their spouses. What I’m talking about it a continuing degradation of family, not the start of it. 

Now as far as the whole inter-racial marriage debate—that is a perfect example PROVING that the law does, indeed, uphold the general population’s morals! It was wrong to the general population (however silly that may seem to us now), but then times changed. But as far as gay marriage goes, I will be a voice against it as a part of the body dictating what morals are upheld through legal recourse. And this is a principle that will not change. Blacks receiving the priesthood in the LDS church was something of a grievously different nature. That was a matter of doctrine. This is a matter of morals. And while church and state must remain separate, that doesn’t prevent church from rallying against laws that would permit state to trample on church. I’m all for gays having legal rights similar to marriage, but I don’t want my children to grow up in a society where it is considered proper and where my tax dollars are going to fund programs and institutions to which I am so morally opposed. Gay marriage might not be wrong to you, but the ramifications for me if the government says that it is are frightening.

And just to clarify this is WAAAAAAAAAAAY different than civil rights and women’s rights. Don’t even start to go there. Blacks and women were fighting FOR the right of voice; you are fighting WITH a voice for "rights" (see below more on why it is not a right, but a "right"). 

Regarding my ‘fallible’ argument of antiquity—while the people and their blood lines may continue today, the culture and civilizations do not. And that point was to not delve into a historical debate, but to express the fact that the eventuality of a people desiring wrong morals above right morals is demise and destruction. People practicing forbearance and peace and self control (see many Asian cultures) yet remain.

Also, you said that no one is asking me to surrender my right to live by my moral standards. I disagree. The government of a democratic society is a reflection of the people and vice versa. I am not going to move out of America and I am not going to stay in America without adequate fight for my morals.

SummAry (thank you for the spelling correction):

Let’s get one thing “straight:” gay marriage is not a right. People are fighting for it to become a right. I am fighting for it to remain as is. I hold no hostility towards gays. None.  I hate gays as much as I hate people who smoke and drink and are immoral and abort children and look at porn. My best friends in the world, whom I am proud to call my friends, do those things. But no one is campaigning right now to have the government come out and say those things are right. The second there is legislation to take off warning from cigarette cartons or not make alcohol companies warn people to drink responsibly or say that adultery is not cause for divorce or that abortion is okay—I will be right on this blog saying I disagree. But we are talking about gay marriage. 

Scott, I think you are a great person regardless of our different opinions. In the end, you feel it is your right to marry--I feel it is my right to defend marriage. I respect your beliefs and I respect you. But there is no middle ground in this debate. And although we stand on completely opposite sides of this debate, and while there is no room for compromise, I feel at peace that there is room for love.

Sincerely,

Zack 

p.s. Whoever you are anonymous(ES)…I would be more than happy to engage in a discussion, but a faceless voice is mute to me.

p.p.s. Except for you girl with the gay roommate friend. All I have to say to you is that while it is completely fine for you to love and support your roommate in his homosexuality—don’t ever think that this is just about straights denying gays rights. It is about straights defending the fundamental unit of society.

4 Specific Reasons WHY I disagree with Gay Marriage

To understand why I feel so vehemently passionate about this topic, it is paramount to comprehend to the root of my beliefs: family. Family is fundamental to society. If you eliminate the family, you destroy a community, a culture, a country.

POINT 1: Gay marriage will destroy "The Family"
Marriage is between a man and woman to creating and rearing a family. Gay marriage changes that. Those advocating the legalization of gay marriage are underestimating the ramifications of such actions. Civil programs, governmental grants, (my) tax dollars, (my kid's) public schools, church's rights will all be undermined by laws permitting opposing morals of those involved. When it is taught in public schools that gay marriage is okay, then begins the whole new demise of a society away from the family (father, mother, children) and closer to destruction. And i am not being over dramatic. The family has been ruthlessly attacked for years now. Think of the 1960s when cohabitation and out of wedlock children were nearly nonexistent. Now, it is portrayed in movies, on TV and occurring next door. This downward spiral will only take a steep decline if gay marriage is approved. Take Scandinavia for example. After the legalization of gay "unions," marriage rates declined and the number of babies born out of wedlock and to cohabiting couple rose. (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,114697,00.html) Not only that, but monogamy in the gay community is almost taboo. Even in gay marriages in the Netherlands, it was found that "even among homosexual partnerships, men have an average of eight partners per year outside their 'monogamous' relationship."(http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/februaryweb-only/2-16-41.0.html) Gay marriage teaches that a family is not commitment, family is not father and mother and family is not sacred. I will not have my children learning that in public schools. I will not tolerate that moral opinion to be accepted under the flag i love so much. That is why i write. To raise one more voice to the cheers of "FAMILY!"

POINT 2: The law is the moral voice of the people
The law has two purposes: to protect the common good and to uphold the general populations morals. Anyone who would disagree with the latter is not very familiar with original intent in any degree. I hate to bring this up, being Mormon and all, but why is polygamy illegal? I would dare anyone supporting gay marriage to give me one good reason why. You can't. There isn't one (unless you are going to be terribly hypocritical)--other than the fact that the American people agreed that it is morally wrong and hence, utilized one of the fundamental purposes of law and had their beliefs institutionalized through governmental regulations. I am acting as a citizen of this country and likewise hoist my flag in support of the LDS Church's stance on gay marriage.

POINT 3: Sinful civilizations that disagreed with "POINT 1" to the demise of "POINT 2" are...well, gone
Now, as to the historical significance of leading a life outside of the judeo-christian morals, I turn your attention to the civilizations of antiquity. Homosexuality, bestiality, rapes, fixations on torture and murder, and all types of sexual indulgences were more than common among those in babylon, sodom and gomorra, ancient greece, ancient rome and on and on. They do not exist anymore. Now you can say that there are many reasons why--but find me a civilization of antiquity that participated is such debauchery and survived. Neither am i going to sit idly by and watch our country slip into the same dark pages of history.


POINT 4: This is about MORALS, not MINORITIES
And one final point...let's not turn this into a debate about minorities. This is not civil rights. This is not women's rights. This is not workers' rights. This is moral rights. I'M NOT saying gay's are bad people and they don't deserve to vote and they don't deserve to have similar rights as a married couple; i AM saying that i will not surrender my right to live my morals and have my government reflect proper morals. Homosexuality does not fall under either of those umbrellas.

SUMMERY: If it ain't good...it's bad
Anything that does not bring the families of a society closer together will tear them apart--and again, if you eliminate the family, you destroy the country. There is nothing--nothing--about gay marriages that supports the family and so i will not support gay marriage. There are mounds and mounds of evidence proving that it DOES, in fact, destroy families. People will criticize because they say that there is no backing against gay marriage and that it is a "right"--well where is your backing FOR gay marriage? You say that it is so wrong that we deny the "rights" of gays, but what makes it "right"? Tell me, what makes gay marriage right? Just because that is what they feel like? Because we are denying a "minority" privileges? I am not ready to rest my countries future on doing what people want just because they want it. Well I want a country resting on judeo-christian morals. And why does everyone give such a hard time for gay marriage? Why not rail on me for my other beliefs too?!

I am against pre marital sex.
I am against adultery.
I am against pornography.
I am against smoking and drinking.
I am against anything that is against the family.
And, it just so happens, i am against gay marriage.

NOW, do i love dearly and have friends who have sex before marriage and after with other women and look at porn and smoke and drink? YES! I have dear dear friends, who are gay, for whom i would travel to the ends of the earth to help...and perhaps, in the long run, that is what i am doing by not supporting gay marriage.  For why is gay marriage so diabolically wrong? Because it undermines the primary unit of society and all will reap the consequences--me, my children...and you.

This debate requires deep consideration and personal reflection to understand what truth is beyond mere irresponsible speculations and spiritual regurgitation. Have you really put enough thought to put in a voice?

For as the babylonian tide slowly rises on the shores of morality, there comes a point where we can sit and drown--or do all we can to dam the damning...until it is too late.


Then it's onto the ark we go (and i can tell you one thing: regardless of how big the rainbow, we sure aren't bringing two males of every kind).

I Believe Gay Marriage to be Wrong

In light of recent events, i feel the need to stray from the typical pithily superfluous to wax political regarding gay (LGBT) rights. I acknoledge that my views are considered, by many, to be insensitive, narrow-minded and taboo--but they are nonetheless what I believe to be right, and for that I do not apologize. Now...

Contextual relevance is the key in this great debate. (not bi-contextual or trans-contextual...just straight contextual)

Many feel that the talk given by Boyd K Packer (acting president of the quorum of the 12 apostles) against gay marriage was ill-timed and heartless due to recent suicides stemming from depression caused by a lack of acceptance from the community regarding the involved parties' sexual orientation. Such tragedies could have been avoided had tolerance been understood. But that does not change the fact that gay marriage is wrong. Timing does not dictate opinion and truth is not filtered through popular opinion.

Now as to why I feel that gay marriage is wrong--I don't want you to misunderstand me...so let me be clear and qualify that statement: I believe gay marriage to be wrong. (period)

I would love to give legal rights and allow a life partner to go into the hospital when their loved one is sick and dying...but I would also love to stand up to my right to allow my morals to be permeated through governmental expression. I would love to be able to teach my children what a family is (father, mother, children) and not have that diluted by societal norms or scholastic bastardization. I would love to have my rights secure from imposing legalities by forcing marriages in sacred edifices. I would love to stand up for my beliefs.

And that is exactly what scares people...the terrible word "beliefs." The cry is shouted, 'separate church and state! Your morals are from church and so they must not be applicable in state!' To those who find themselves casting this opinion, I would say: beware of hypocrisy. All morals have their birth from Mother Heart and Father Experience. The genesis of morals does not stem from a blind vagrant who appeals to a particular school of thought for mere morsels of bread. No, morals are learned, tried, tested, adapted and then...advocated. They can be learned from parents, teachers, friends, TV, or (hell permit) talk radio...but if these sources stand alone and deny the heart and experience, those philosophies will squander and die. So my morals learned in church are no different than yours learned outside of it.

In my final analysis though, this is all about people and context. My context is that history has proven all-too-often that the acceptance of anti-judeo-christian morals leads to an ultimate downfall.

Do I have friends that are gay? Yes! Do I love them as if they were not? Yes! Do I support them? No...I love them too much to support my friends on this point. Call me a monster, call me terrible...but I call it truth.

So speak out against morals degrading others. Speak out against violence. Speak out against intolerance. Speak out against my opinion on gay marriage. Speak out against the LDS church's stance on gay marriage.

Speak out against all that you feel is wrong...

but allow me to do the same. 

And I wish to echo President Boyd K Packer's statement,"To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day."

to read the talk in full, click here

On the Self-Serving Nature of this Blog

"i should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom i knew as well" henry david thoreau

give me a girl who will give me a chance and i will give you a girl who is worth my time. I look forward to the day that there is a girl who knows me better than i know myself and then i can change my blog title to "Everyday Is Easter in My Girlfriend's Closet." Until then, i am stuck with a limited topic of commentary: my dating life.

So to all you haters out there who spend an inordinate amount time reading this blog just to simply post some unwittingly stupid comment that has to get deleted:

''jou don know meh!'

You Made the List...But That's About It.

You know when you really are done for...?

When you are sitting in the passenger seat of the girl's car (don't ask how i got there(...not saying this is exactly what happened to me--because this is just a general post not about similar situations that may or may not have happened this way...but i'm just saying...don't ask)) and you see the girl's "To Do" list dated a week prior sitting on the center console. 

Since she is on the phone (ya...you can already realize you're done for since you heard a boy's voice on the other end and she didn't do what silently over-exaggerated whisper ("it's my d-a-d") right when she picked up), you decide to pick up the list and start skimming it. Your eyes are drawn immediately to somewhere in the middle of the list and your heart leaps when you see, "Call [insert your name]"!

Your heart quickly drops...no check mark. 

'H'm,' you rationalize, 'Perhaps she just doesn't check things off of her list.' (the devil laughs at your arrogance and fate smirks at your ignorance) 

It is then you see that you are right below "laundry" [check] and two above "get extra garlic for next sunday's dinner" [check].

(not just garlic..."EXTRA garlic.")

It is at that moment my friend, that you can safely, yes...very safely assume that no matter how much longer you sit in that car with an idling engine, the date has been over for days. 

But hey, at least she had good intentions to call you before getting that garlic. It's just too bad the road to heaven ain't paved with those.

My First Date

I just had my first dried date ever (granted i've had a lot of "dry dates"...[insert elbow nudge-elbow nudge] [insert dodgy eye glance around the room seeking for verbal affirmation that everyone gets the joke] [insert future kids rolling eyes]).

one word: gross.

Like i just sucked on an old man's face that has been using tanning oil gross.

i now have another question to my list of great life questions to ask on the other side:"WHY WOULD ANYONE MAKE DRIED DATES?! WHY?!"

and then i will ask how many spoonfulls of sugar it really does take to get to china.

And THEN i'll ask if the pope really is catholic (i seem to get people asking me that a lot...like the other day when i said, "Do you think i should stop wearing my eurosuit" and my date responded, "Is the pope catholic?"...i didn't quite get it, but now i'm super curious)

Main point of this post--to prove that i write about things other than dates...like, for example--dates.