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Simple Observation

I'm sitting here pondering a statement I just read. "Anytime you read your Bible and don't understand just text me or call me. I have a way with words and I promise I can break it down so that you can understand." Why should we have to depend on someone else to understand the Bible? If we are all created equal then shouldn't we ALL be able to understand it equally? And I know that comprehension is easier for some than for others, that's not what I mean. Why is it that a moderately educated person has to have someone explain to the what the Bible is saying? If it were truely written by God, and was something that God wanted us to know, then we wouldn't need that sort of assistance. When God wants us to know something, he makes it known to us correct?   
So I stand by my belief that the Bible was written by simple men that wanted a change in their community and their government. And before I get a lashing from people telling me that I'm going to hell, let me remind you of something. My destination in the afterlife is not for you to decide nor to judge, that duty is for God and God alone. Not being a Christian does NOT mean that I do not believe in God. Not agreeing with organized religion does NOT mean that I do not believe in God. It also does not make me a heretic. I believe in God, and I pray a lot more than what some people would believe. What I do not believe is the writings of a few, possible senile, men. To me that would be the same thing as taking Anne Rice's Memnoch The Devil  for 100% truth and claiming that as my Bible.
My biggest issue with the Bible is how much it contradicts itself, almost like it was to intentionally confuse people. Is it "an eye for an eye" or turn the other cheek? Who am I to condemn a gay man for wanting to marry the man he loves. Is divorce not just as much of a sin as homosexuality? Is not adultery? And Greed? And Lust? And Gluttony? I don't see anyone throwing a fit about the people on the show Hoarders, condemning all of them to hell. They are commiting 2 sins at once! But no, no one says anything. Why? Because there is no controversy in it. The only time we as Americans have a "set in stone opinion" about something is if we think it can start an argument.

    To get back, to my original subject, I don't need a book to tell me there is a God, or Gaia, or a higher power, or however you choose to put it. I don't need a book to tell me what is right and what is wrong. Those are called morals, and they aren't something that can be learned. You either have them or you don't. The same as common sense. Sadly, there are way to many people suffering from a lack of commom sense. Even if it could be taught, they wouldn't have the sense enough to learn it.

The Loss of Common Sense, The Great American Tragedy

I seen this posted on someone's wall and I felt compelled to point out a few things.

"So they want to stick gruesome images on cigarette packs?
Why not pictures of starving children on McDonald's packaging?
Why not tortured animals on cosmetics products?
Why not put the photos of the victims of drunken drivers, on beer and wine bottles?
Why not pictures of dishonest, thieving Politicians enjoying our money, on tax returns?"

Ok, first of all,  they wouldn't put pictures of starving children on McDonald's packaging because fast food doesn't cause starvation. It causes obesity, so the images should be of morbidly obese children not starving ones.
Second, not all cosmetics come from animal testing. That's actually pretty uncommon in todays society.
Third alcohol isn't the cause of drunk drivers killing and injuring people, the idiot people driving drunk do that. Believe it or not there actually ARE mature adults out there that know when they have had to much to drink and hand over their keys. Those who support gun control say the same things about guns. How about we actually blame the person breaking the law instead of blaming what they used to break it. Or do they need to paint pictures on all firearms of people and/or animals that have been shot?
Fourth, there are already photos of politicians on our money. Every coin and bill has the photo of a President on it, and none of them were 100% completely honest, so that covers the last phrase.
Cigarettes, on the other hand, are guaranteed to kill you. There is no 'safe' cigarette. Do I agree with them putting the graphic images on cigarette packs? Absolutely not, it implies that we are not capable of making educated decisions for ourselves. Do they really think there is anyone left on the planet that thinks smoking is good for you? Their lack of faith in us as mature adults is far more disturbing to me than the images being on packs of cigarettes.

And for the record, yes I am a smoker, have been for close to 17 years now. It's not something that I am proud of, but I do it. I wish I could stop, and I'm slowely getting there. I've got myself down to about 5 cigarettes a day and I'm pretty proud of that progress. That being said, if it takes putting images of cancer infested lungs on cigarette packs to make our youth think twice about lighting up then so be it. If their parents can't get through to them someone needs to.

That being said, when utilizing the copy & paste function, use some common sense people. If you are going to say (or type) something, make sure you know what it is you are putting out there. Otherwise you just make yourself look like you are lacking in the intelligence department.