Sheila's Dribs 'n Drabs

For all the times we misuse statistics and call them truth For all the times we quote fake science and call it truth For all the times we cling to political ideals and call them truth For all the times we sanitize history and call it truth For all the times we preach interpretation and call it truth For all the times we lead our neighbors to equate our truth with lies Oh Lord forgive us For you are the way, the truth, and the life; We are not; And you are love.

"I'm not a mathematician but these numbers speak for themselves..." How many posts and articles have you seen that begin this way? And how many times have you been encouraged to believe what the author says, as if that were truly what "infallible" numbers decreed? The richest 10% pay over 50% of the taxes, therefore the rich pay too much. If you self-publish you'll earn as much from 20 sales as you would from 200 traditionally published sales, therefore you'll earn more by self-publishing. The Bible tells us people's ages when they died, therefore we can work out the age of the earth. Of course, if three people each pay 10% in taxes, two of whom earn ten cents a day, and one earns $10,000 per day, then one who earns more will pay a long way over 50% of the total taxes, not because they're paying too much, but because the other two aren't earning enough to live on. Context changes everything. When it comes to publishing, if you can't sell

  A Christian asked what it  would take for me to give up my belief in evolution and accept the Biblical Truth that the earth was created 6000 years ago. Should I argue their definition of Biblical Truth? Should I offer the evidence from science refuting their 6000 year conclusion? Should I get into an argument with them? Or should I simply tell them the truth about me... To "give up" my acceptance of science and the scientific method, I would first have to give up my belief in a faithful creator, at which point I would no longer care about the Bible. Not going to happen.

A friend’s post says, “ If you ever wondered what side of the fence you sit on, this is a great test! ” It seemed kind of a sad test to me, filled with assumptions and misconceptions. But she challenged her friends with the header: NOT OPEN FOR DEBATE. IF YOU ARE OFFENDED EASILY THEN DON'T READ THIS . So this is me, not being offended, and hopefully also not giving offense. She starts with: If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one. If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed . If I’m aware of the dangers cause by careless use of guns, I: a) don’t buy one, and b) wish those who do buy them would all be well-trained, socially responsible, careful, and properly insured. So what does that make me? If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone. And if I’m concerned about the environment and the treatment of animals, I might buy and eat meat from w

 So God created humankind, Male and female, said to them, “Be fruitful; multiply,”   “Care for the fish and birds,” he said, But can we swim, and can we fly? “Care for the animals as well,” Care for the land, the sea, the sky. Now we, failing at human-kind, How did we let things die?   But God will not reject us for Our failure and our brokenness. God created humankind And loves us while we cry.   And so God gave two arms and legs, One voice to speak, two ears to hear, For seeing, gave two eyes. But if I cannot speak or hear Or if I cannot see, still I Am part of humankind.   God gave us gifts of milk and wheat And wine. But some of us can’t eat Or drink these. Ask him why.   God made us so to multiply But some can not and some won’t try They too are humankind.   God made us male and female; some Don’t fit the mold, aren’t quite the same But all are humankind.   God made, and loves us just the same Not mother, fema

 You tell your sons, “Be good, be kind, And if they threaten you, don’t mind Or else they’ll find a cause to hurt or kill you.”   Tell your daughters, “Please take care, Don’t let them catch you unaware, Or bear forever that with which they fill you.”   Tell your fathers, “Don’t complain At life, the world will give no gain, Just strife to stain the path you tread unwilling.”   Tell the mothers, “Only weep For only time will tell where we Like sheep will now be herded for their ‘shilling.’”   Tell the proud and powerful, “Pay The price. Pretend no more to pray, But stay and see the broken lives fulfilling All your lies” – destroying love, Denying hope in God above, Defining law, a gunshot, done… …Unstill me.