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QUICKLINKS AND VIEW OPITONS
Psychiatric drugs can CAUSE psychiatric diseases, Peter Gotzsche, MD
Tuesday, December 23, 2014 12:05 pm Email this article
“[Antidepressants and psychiatric drugs] can have an effect in some patients, in the short-term, but if you continue using them, they create psychiatric diseases which is a disaster,” says Prof. Peter Gøtzsche, MD, author of Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime: How Big Pharma Has Corrupted Healthcare.
“My conclusion is that doctors can’t handle this duality, that they [antidepressants and psychiatric drugs] can be useful in the short term but harmful in the long-term.
“They [doctors] cannot handle it.
“Many doctors go on [giving psychiatric drugs] for months or years, harming their patients in this way.
“It is terribly sad that the psychiatrists… cannot see how much harm they are causing.
“After having studied this in some detail, I conclude in my book that it would be better for mankind if none of these drugs existed.”
His book won won first prize in the “Basis of Medicine” category of the British Medical Association’s annual book awards for 2014.
Articles on the same subject can be found here:
Please feel free to share your comments about this article.
© Copyright 2003-2021 - Larry Hobbs - All Rights Reserved.
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Update on Flood Risk Management
Like many other parts of the United Kingdom, West Lothian is experiencing the effects of a changing climate, one of the biggest contributors to increased future flooding.
As required by the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, West Lothian Council works together with its partners in the Forth Estuary Local Plan District (LPD) to manage flood risk in the council's area.
Cycle 2 (2022 to 2028)
The draft flood risk management plan (formerly known as the flood risk management strategy) and the draft local flood risk management plan are out for public consultation for the second cycle.
The consultation documents for the Forth Estuary LPD can be accessed at SEPA - Consultation, Flood Risk Management. The main consultation is open from 30 July 2021 to 31 October 2021. The attached Briefing Note and Question and Answer documents provide further information.
By responding to the consultation, you can have your say on how flood risk should be managed in West Lothian.
These flood risk management plans set out the objectives and actions for managing flood risk in target areas in each Potentially Vulnerable Area (PVA). They include draft implementation information, the proposed timescale for actions, funding mechanisms and identify who is responsible for carrying out the actions. West Lothian Council has four PVAs for the second cycle:
PVA 2/10/12 - Linlithgow
PVA 2/10/13 - Livingston, Broxburn & Bathgate
PVA 2/10/14 - Whitburn (and Blackburn)
PVA 2/10/15 - West Calder & Fauldhouse
Within these PVAs the target areas (known as Objective Target Areas or OTAs) for West Lothian include: Armadale, Bathgate, Blackburn, Blackridge, Broxburn, Fauldhouse, Linlithgow, Livingston & Mid Calder, West Calder and Whitburn.
Cycle 1 (2021 to 2022)
The first cycle flood risk management strategy was published by SEPA in Dec 2015. The strategy can be viewed at SEPA - Forth Estuary Local Plan District The first local flood risk management plan was published in 2016 by the then Lead Local Authority for the LPD - The City of Edinburgh Council. The first cycle plan can be viewed at Edinburgh Council - Flood Risk Management Plan
West Lothian's flood risk priority areas (known as potentially vulnerable areas or PVAs) for the first cycle included: Bathgate, Blackridge, Broxburn, Linlithgow, Livingston and Whitburn.
In 2019 the current Lead Local Authority for the LPD, Falkirk Council, published the interim report for the first cycle. The report can be viewed at Forth Estuary Flood Risk Management Plan Interim Report
Who can help?
You may believe that preparing for a flood isn't something that you need to think about. Perhaps you live or work in an area that hasn't flooded before or your home or business is located on higher ground.
Don't forget, however, that roads leading to and from your home or workplace may get blocked by floodwater. Power and water supplies may be cut and drains may not work. Also, if and when you need help so will lots of other people. The resources of the local authority and emergency responders will be severely stretched.
You are the first line of defence against flooding. No one can stop flooding from happening, but good preparation can limit the devastating impact that flooding can have on your home or business. It is important to know what actions you can take to reduce the impact of flooding on yourself and your property. There are a range of flood protection products that can be fitted to your property to prevent water entering though doorways, solum vents, and up though the drain in ground floor sinks, baths, showers and toilets.
For more details of flood protection products, please refer to The Scottish Flood Forum - Supporting Flood Risk Communities an independent Scottish Charity that supports individuals and communities at risk of flooding, including the provision of immediate support in the event of flooding and flood resilience advice.
How can West Lothian Council assist?
West Lothian Council's Flood Risk management team may also be able to assist in the following ways. You should be aware, however, that during periods of prolonged or heavy rainfall resources are at a stretch and our response needs to be prioritised to those in greatest need.
- We assess watercourses, including culverted watercourses, on a prioritised basis to determine the need for maintenance to reduce the risk of flooding.
- We inspect open watercourses and prioritise maintenance to any watercourse which is in a condition where deemed more likely to cause flooding in our communities.
- We provide advice to the Council's Planning Services team on matters relating to flood risk management, sustainable drainage and the water environment
- We investigate the cause of serious flooding and the feasibility of reducing the risk of re-occurrence, including, where appropriate, the possible promotion of a Flood Protection Scheme.
- Where homes and businesses may be susceptible to flooding, we can supply sandbags to help protect property and reduce the effects of damage. It should be noted that when demand for sandbags is at its height the council will be unable to meet demand. In these circumstances, we will prioritise provision of sandbags to properties considered at the greatest risk. Sandbags will not be provided to protect outbuildings or garden ground. Sandbags will not be uplifted when they are no longer required.
- To reduce peak demand and enable householders to help themselves, the Council can supply an appropriate number of filled sandbags or ' Aquasacs ' on request and in advance to those householders that live in properties with a history of flooding or are otherwise deemed at risk by the council.
- We provide support to emergency responders and undertake work to lessen the effects of flooding.
- In the aftermath of a significant flood we will co-ordinate clean-up operations in liaison with colleagues in other council services.
If you believe that your property may be at risk you should keep a copy of the Council'shandy and follows the advice it gives. If you have been affected by flooding, gives advice on what to do once the water subsides.
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I just wanted to take a look at some other quick and easy ways to add a little distinction to your patio. Let’s take a look at some small water feature ideas.
What to look for
The majority of these items are self-contained. All you have to do is add water and turn them on. So it is not a difficult item to set up. You will need a source of electrical power to plug into, in order to operate the pump. These smaller features do not take up a lot of room so you can place them about anywhere.
If you want to step it up a little, there are lots of features out there that incorporate vessels of descending height with water cascading from one to the other until it is either recirculated from the bottom vessel or runs into a small water collection area at the bottom, at ground level and is recirculated from here.
On a bit larger scale, are small ponds that incorporate waterfalls, fountains and other features. These need to be dug into the ground and landscaped to make them appear natural.
Most of these smallest features are purchased as a one piece plug and play item. They can be pumps, jugs, water cans, there is no limit to the imagination or creativity put into these items and they give you a quick bang for your buck.
Being that they are small, many folks create their very own features and it is not difficult. You can buy a pump just about anywhere for these things and tubing and other parts needed are easy to find too. You just need to have a high end for the water to flow from and a low end, big enough to collect enough water and keep the pump submerged in water. Two tubs, a small one placed above and slightly over the edge of the one underneath and set up to allow water to easily flow from the top is a common design.
Place some plants or rocks, or whatever you desire surrounding your creation and you will have your own unique feature.
A little bigger
When acting upon our small water feature ideas, it is not too difficult to come up with our own designed fountain type features. You can find small submersible pumps with fountain attachments just about anywhere that pond supplies are sold.
These small fountain kits and the like can be used in conjunction with pots, pails or any thing that holds water to make your self a nice little fountain. The fountain could be installed in a pot containing different sizes and colors of small river rocks. Two pots of different sizes could be stacked atop one another with a fountain coming up between the two through drilled holes to create a very interesting feature.
When you want to go even a little bigger on a fountain feature, you could create a buried fountain. To build this you first need to excavate enough earth from your site so that you may place a round plastic tub of at least 16″ diameter and around 8″ – 10″ deep. The top of the tub should be a little below the surrounding final grade, maybe 2 or 3 inches.
Bury this tub with some excavated earth to just about even with the top of the tub. Now excavate out from the tub at the level of the top of the tub to a diameter of around 4 feet. You could go a little deeper and than just add some masons sand to bring the level of the earth surrounding the tub up to the top of the tub.
Your fountain is placed in the tub and the tub is filled with water. Now is also the time to be sure your pump electrical cord is heading away from the site in the direction of where it will be plugged in. Now you should place some thick polyethylene sheeting or pond liner over the entire excavated area. Cut a small hole over the center of where the fountainhead will be. Now cut slits from the small hole out to the edge of the buried plastic tub. Cut enough slits so that the formed tabs, from the slit cutting will drape down into the buried plastic tub. This will allow any water that falls from the fountain outside of the buried tub to flow back in to the tub.
Place some galvanized metal screening over the entire excavated area on top of 1″ PVC tubing, bridging the buried tub on each side of the fountain. Also, place, at least two more pieces of the PVC tubing outside and parallel to the previous placed pieces. This whole construction will support river rocks placed in the next step above your tub of water and allow water to flow freely back into the tub.
Now just place small river rock, large enough to stay on top of the galvanized screen without falling through, all over the prepared area Get creative as you like here. All you have to do at this point is plug it in and enjoy.
The idea here is to have fun. When you think creating something like the buried water fountain from the last section seems like something you would enjoy giving a try, then you should by all means go for it. If not, then I’m sure with a little searching you can find an item that will bring you some satisfaction.
There are tons of small water feature ideas on the internet. You can start here and look for what you like in other folks features and decide what is the best for you. The joy is in the journey here, as I am sure you can get lost in the vast amount of eye pleasing projects you will come across.
I am sure you have seen the large ponds that some people have installed on their properties. Most of these are not a small undertaking and require a bit of skill to assemble and look natural. For that reason I will not bring them to this discussion. They warrant their own separate piece for another time.
Thanks and feel free to leave comment below.
Content goes here.
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At Cavendish Road SHS, the iCentre is a fundamental
part of the teaching and learning process. The iCentre has two main
roles, to promote reading for pleasure and to support teachers and students
with research-based learning across the curriculum.
iCentre Mission Statement
The Cavendish Road SHS iCentre engages with our
community, training capable researchers, critical thinkers, enthusiastic
readers, and ethical participants in the contemporary information landscape by
providing quality resources for both academic and personal endeavours and by
collaborating with faculty members to enhance instruction.
Dedicated staff in the iCentre help students develop
their capacity to locate, evaluate, and apply information. Classes frequently
visit the iCentre to conduct research or seek out materials for
pleasure reading. Students also use the library for individual and group study.
The iCentre’s mission is to train excellent student researchers, provide
high-quality library services, and develop collections that support academics
and independent reading.
The iCentre is popular with students who enjoy its
facilities. We provide an inclusive and supportive environment for students to
learn, explore, communicate, interact and relax. Our iCentre contains a
number of flexible learning spaces and facilities.
The iCentre has a comprehensive collection of over
10,000 up-to-date print resources. Access to these resources is provided
through a fully automated library management system (Infiniti) comprising the
library catalogue, which can be accessed by every student. Students can access
the library catalogue and the EQ eBook collection online 24 hours a day. Though
we have a 3-week borrowing period, loan conditions are flexible with students
being able to borrow a greater number of resources concurrently as they move
through the grades.
The iCentre is available to students for personal
and group study during all opening hours. As the iCentre is a shared
space we ask that all users conduct themselves in a manner that does not impact
on other patrons. Use may be restricted on some days due to hosting school
events. Hours may vary upon availability
8:00am – 3:30pm Monday to Friday
English Tutoring runs from 3:00 pm to 4:00pm on
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Worried about if the pandemic is affecting your credit? Here’s good news to help you monitor your credit status: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three major credit rating bureaus, are now offering free weekly online reports through April 2021. Normally, you are entitled to one report per year for free, so this is a great tool and it’s important that you take advantage of it.
Your credit report is a historical record of your credit activity and loan paying history. Lenders use this information when you look to open a credit card, borrow money to buy a house or a car, or take a loan for other purposes. Credit reports may affect your mortgage rates, credit card approvals, apartment requests, or even your job application. In some states, they can be a factor in your insurance premium. Reviewing your credit report helps you ensure that its accurate and may help you spot signs of identity theft early.
It’s particularly important that you review your reports now if the pandemic has caused any disruption in your finances or if you took advantage of any financial aid through the CARES Act, which allowed postponement of some federally backed mortgages and federal student loans through September 30. Your credit should not be affected by this, but Consumer Reports says that some people are experiencing problems. See: How to Protect Your Credit Score During the Coronavirus Pandemic
It’s not yet clear when stay-at-home restrictions might be lifted – they’ll vary by state. NPR maintains a handy state-by-state list of How Each State Is Responding To COVID-19 that talks about various restrictions. But one thing is clear – until there is a vaccine for the coronavirus, we won’t be going back to life as we knew it in the foreseeable future. It’s likely that restrictions on public places will be lifted gradually and that we will still be practicing advanced hygiene, and social distancing. And more and more of us will be wearing face masks or face coverings in public places to protect ourselves and others. The CDC has recommended this practice, and many communities and states are requiring them in all or some public places.
Whether they are required or not, many health experts point to the advantages in a pandemic. We know that the people can have coronavirus for a period of time before they show symptoms; in fact, the CDC says that up to 25% of people with coronavirus may not show any symptoms at all, but they can still be shedding the virus when they cough or sneeze. A face mask protects others against this. Plus, although face coverings aren’t a replacement for other protections, they offer an additional measure of safety for the wearer, particularly in places and situations where it may be difficult to maintain 6 feet of distance.
The New York Times has a handy User’s Guide to Face Masks (They are making coronavirus-related content freely available to all). The guide has many useful tips about the various types of masks, ideas for how to make masks and where to find patterns, and a brief video of how to make an easy no-cost, no-sew reusable face mask out of an old t-shirt. They also offer tips for how to put a mask on, how take it off, and how to clean it. It pretty much covers any questions you might have and offers links to other resources.
We’ve summarized some of their best-practice mask tips as well as tips from the CDC:
Wear a mask at all times in public spaces
Unless you have a health condition requiring it, don’t use a surgical mask or PPE intended for healthcare workers
Wash your hands before putting on a face mask and after taking it off
When removing it, avoid touching the front of the mask
A mask should cover your nose and mouth, going from near the bridge of your nose to down under your chin and stretch about halfway or more toward your ears.
Avoid touching your face while you are wearing the mask
Continue maintaining 6-feet of social distancing between you and others
Wash the mask after use
Children and masks
Your young children may be afraid to see their parents, loved ones – indeed, everyone, suddenly all covering their faces. Masks could provoke fear, sadness or just general anxiety about a stressful time. The New York Times talks about children who fear masks, noting that “One reason children may find masks disconcerting is that the ability to recognize — and read — faces is much weaker in young children than it will be by adolescence.” Children start developing facial identification skills around age 6, but it’s not until about age 14 that they have fully developed this skill. The article offers ideas for how to help children acclimate to face masks by explaining how they help others. Among their suggestions are to make the association between masks and superheroes.
The CDC says that children under 2 years of age should not wear masks. Should kids above that age wear masks? While children are less likely to become seriously ill from coronavirus, they still might be infected and therefore potentially infecting others. The New York Times talks about the issue of young children wearing face makes, noting that:
Masks are most useful in public places where your child is likely to come within six feet of another person (for example in a grocery store or pharmacy) and in areas where the virus has been spreading quickly, the C.D.C. said.
They offer tips for parents about when masks are advisable and ideas for how to persuade your children to use them.
If you are one of the millions who are confined to home during the Coronavirus outbreak, we have scoured the web for some of the best advice, tips and tools to help you make the most of things .. from working at home, keeping safe, stocking up, keeping kids safe and amused and dealing with anxiety and boredom.
Working from home
8 Tips To Make Working From Home Work For You – “Never before have workers telecommuted on such a broad scale. Millions of people are trying to work from home — if they can, of course. NPR’s Life Kit wants to help WFH work for you, especially if you’re doing so for the first time.”
Anxiety can be a general feeling of apprehension, fear, nervousness, or worry. It can also be a sudden attack of panicky feelings, or fear of a certain situation or object. Learn more about anxiety disorders and treatment options from Medline.
Reprinted from Renaissance Alliance – no usage without permission.
The coronavirus, also known as COVID19, originated in China, and has spread to at many other countries – the New York Times has an updated coronavirus tracking map where you can follow the outbreak across the globe. As of today, there are 60 identified cases in the U.S. – check the map for state breakdowns. We don’t yet know how we will be affected in the U.S. – we can only see that it spreads rapidly and viruses don’t respect borders.
As with many emerging illnesses, there’s a lot of fear about the potential impact. There’s also quite a bit of misinformation and many myths are circulating already. Fear and over-reaction create many additional problems. In times of health emergencies, it’s important to rely on trusted and authorized sources of information. Here in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has a dedicated coronavirus site with information for the public about how the illness spreads, symptoms, testing, FAQs, fact sheets and more. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, web resources from the World Health Organization (WHO), includes helpful, reputable information. Be careful about any information that you see posted on social media – make sure you know your source.
It’s important to keep perspective. From what we know now, coronavirus has high contagion but relatively low number of deaths in proportion to cases. Like influenza, it is of most concern to elderly and people with compromised immune systems. Remember, our usual flu season is still in progress, and the CDC estimates that between Oct. 1 and Feb. 15, seasonal influenza, aka “the flu.” has claimed the lives of 16,000 people.
This 10-minute video interviews two pathologists about the most common myths about the coronavirus, while presenting many facts about the disease and offering sensible advice for self protection.
CDC Coronavirus Prevention Guidance
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus, but the best way to prevent the disease includes the everyday prevention methods that help spread of respiratory diseases, influenza and other viruses. The CDC says:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.: CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Travel issues and travel insurance
One big issue that people are questioning is whether it’s safe to travel. Right now, the countries on highest alert for travel are China and South Korea. The CDC is also warning travelers to Italy, Iran, and Japan to “practice enhanced precautions.” Check the CDC travel health advisories and the State Department’s travel advisories for the current status of countries you may be planning to visit. For more information, see CDC Travel.
The next question people have is if they should reschedule travel, and whether travel insurance will cover them if they have to cancel or have travel disrupted due to coronavirus. The bad news is, not always – it depends. It’s important to know the extent of your travel coverage and understand what is and what isn’t covered. PropertyCasualty360 addresses this in their article: Will travel insurance cover coronavirus?
“Tour operators and travel insurance brokers are reporting an increasing number of requests from customers asking to change their travel plans. Meanwhile, many U.S. airlines, including United, America and Delta, have canceled several flights to China.
Consumers may be surprised to learn that in either situation, their travel policy probably wouldn’t cover them.”
Most travel insurance is designed to protect you in case you need to cancel a trip, lose belongings, or require medical attention. But for cancellations related to coronavirus, only certain reasons qualify.”
Right now, Santa is checking his lists, but don’t leave it all up to him. If you are a parent or give gifts to kids, we encourage you to learn about common toy hazards so that you can sort out the naughty from the nice when it comes to toys. In 2018, injuries related to toys sent an estimated 226,000 kids to hospital emergency rooms, according to data recently issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. While stronger safety standards have significantly reduced the number of dangerous toys for sale over recent years, there are still problem toys that can hurt kids. If you are shopping for children’s holiday gifts, it’s important to be aware of the risks – particularly when shopping online.
The 34th-annual Trouble in Toyland report from U.S. PIRG Education Fund helps identify dangerous products and provides tips for parents and gift-givers. These annual reports have led to more than 150 recalls of unsafe toys, inspired legislation to strengthen toy safety and empowered parents to take key actions to ensure toys are safe. We’re offering safety tips from the report but encourage you to visit the site at the link above and to download and read the full report. Also, check for toy recalls and follow Safety Alerts issued by the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission
Here are “What to watch for” tips from the Trouble in Toyland Report
Toys with sound – If a toy is too loud for you, it could be loud enough to damage your child’s hearing. Turn off the sound, remove the batteries or return the toy.
Slime – Some slimes contain high levels of toxic boron. Consider making homemade alternatives without borax, or monitor your children at all times. If your child ingests a slime product, call Poison Control.
Fidget spinners and toys marketed to adults – Some products, such as fidget spinners or children’s makeup, are not classified as toys and avoid certain safety standards. These products could contain higher levels of lead, choking risks and other hidden dangers. Avoid these “toys,” or watch your kids closely while they play.
Toys with small parts – Toys marketed to ages six and older may contain small parts that are choking hazards for younger children. Parents should check all toys for age guidelines. Before your child plays with a toy for the first time, see if smaller parts fit through a toilet paper roll — indicating they pose a choking hazard. Watch our video to learn how.
“Hatching” toys – Toys with break-apart packaging can become choking hazards for small children. Monitor your child while they open the packaging and promptly dispose of the pieces.
Balloons – Never let a child under three play with balloons, and monitor any child under 8, as balloons are the number one choking hazard for children.
Smart toys – Sites, apps, games and smart toys may be collecting private data from your child and exposing their information to hackers. Consider running these smart toys without connections to the internet, evaluating privacy policies when you first activate them, and monitoring your child’s use. Check out this guide for more info.
Makeup – We found asbestos in Claire’s makeup last year. Makeup lacks necessary safety standards, which is why we recommend avoiding these products for children, or at a minimum purchasing alternatives without talc, as it can be a source of asbestos.
Toys with small magnets -Swallowed magnets can cause serious internal damage by bunching together. Keep away from young children and monitor older children when they are playing with toys containing magnets.
Toy jewelry with toxic metals – Cadmium is a toxic metal that can be used as a substitute for precious metals in inexpensive jewelry, including dress-up jewelry marketed to young children. If your child is under six, watch them carefully to confirm that they don’t swallow a piece of jewelry, chew on the item, or put it in their mouths. Also, consider avoiding cheaper, metallic jewelry that is imported.
Recalled toys sold secondhand – Before using an old or pre-owned toy from an online marketplace, garage sale or passed down from a family member, parents should confirm that the product has not been recalled by visiting www.SaferProducts.gov.
Toys already in your home, school, or childcare facility – A survey earlier this year by U.S. PIRG Education Fund found 1 in 10 surveyed childcare facilities still using recalled inclined sleepers, despite a heavily publicized recall. The same problem exists in the toy market, potentially to a greater extent, since many recalls receive less attention in the media, regardless of their risk.
2019 Worst Toy Nominees
The World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.) recently released its 2019 Nominees for the 10 Worst Toys – check out the report for photos and descriptions so you can recognize the toys, some of which would definitely have appeal. The W.A.T.C.H. report also cautions about chopping online, which it has likened to the Wild West when it comes to outlawed toys.
Toys Marketed On The Internet, with product descriptions that may omit warnings and cautions or provide incomplete or misleading information
Battery Operated Toys For Children Under 8 Years Of Age since batteries may leak, overheat and explode.
Toys With “Fur” Or “Hair”, including dolls and stuffed animals, that can be ingested and aspirated by oral age children.
Toys With Small Removable Attachments at the end of laces and strings (e.g., bells, knobs, etc.).
Projectile Toys, including dart guns, sling shots, and pea-shooters which shoot objects and can cause eye injuries or blindness
Toys With Pointed Tips, And Blunt Or Sharp Edges that could crush, cut or puncture children’s skin.
Toys With Strings Longer Than 6 Inches which could strangle small children.
Any Crib Or Playpen Toys which are to be strung across cribs or playpens. This type of toy has resulted in strangulation deaths and injuries.
Toys Marketed With Other Product Lines, such as food, clothing, books, cassettes and videos which could have dangerous designs and are often sold with no warnings, instructions or age recommendations.
Toys Composed Of Flammable Material which will readily ignite when exposed to heat or flame.
Realistic Looking Toy Weapons including guns, dart guns, Ninja weaponry, swords, toy cleavers, knives, and crossbows which promote violence.
Toys Which Require Electricity to function and do not have step-down transformers to reduce risk of shock and electrocution.
Toys With Small Parts that can be swallowed or aspirated, causing choking.
Long Handled Toys For Children Up To 4 Years Of Age due to a tendency of such children to place these toys in their mouths and choke.
Toys With Toxic Surfaces Or Components that have the potential to be ingested or cause skin irritations (e.g., some children’s’ play makeup kits have components which contain ferrocyanide, a known poison).
Reprinted from Renaissance Alliance – no usage without permission.
Fast on the heels of Thanksgiving Thursday comes Frenetic Friday, better known as Black Friday – the busiest retail shopping day of the year. If throwing yourself into the fray is how you choose to work off your Thanksgiving calories, we have some tips to make the best of it (below), as well as a few shopping safety reminders. But if you’d rather pull out your fingernails one by one than brave the bargain-hunting hordes, you can choose to celebrate the day as Buy Nothing Day. Whether you choose to buy nothing out of conviction or laziness, it’s a good day to practice the fine art of relaxation with friends and family.
But Friday is just the start. What began as a single shopping day has spawned a series of themed days.
Saturday is the 10th annual Small Business Saturday – and we really like that idea. It’s less crowded and crazy and it focuses on small local businesses in your home community. Small businesses are the lifeblood and personality of every community so we encourage you to get out and support your neighbors. Find a Small Business near you.
Cyber Monday is a huge online shopping day. A little know alternate name for the day is Low Productivity Monday because employees everywhere are surreptitiously shopping for deals at their desks.
Our favorite day is Giving Tuesday, December 03, 2019, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on December 3, 2019 and every day. It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good, and since its founding, it has raised more than $1 billion in online donations in the U.S. alone. If you’d like to give something back after all that shopping, search for an organization near you to help you find organizations, events, and ways to give back in your own community. The Better Business Bureau has some Giving Tuesday tips to ensure you don’t fall for fake charities:
If you plan to shop online or off over the holiday weekend, here are a few pointers for getting the most out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
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<urn:uuid:c1539554-ba26-475b-af5c-bc6c66f6013d>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://divirgilioinsurance.com/category/consumer-protection/
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Adult Roles And Responsibilities
Strand 1 Standard 3
1 class periods of 90 minutes each
Goals help us achieve what we want in our lives. The goals we set should reflect the values we have.
Long rope, Paper Shredder, Box with the following items inside: Cloud (quilt batting), Elephant and feather, Purse, Bridge, Garbage can, Blindfold, Song: "I believe I can fly", Student worksheets: "Dreams do not just happen" , "Goal Contract"
Review lesson before class period to make sure you have all materials needed for the lesson.
Students should know basic knowledge about what a value is and how a person develops a set of values.
The student will set a long term goal and several short term goals that relate to the long term goal.
Follow lesson outline using powerpoint presentation to guide you through the lecture.
Utah State Adult Roles and Responsibility Curriculum guide
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<urn:uuid:c6df7f85-8932-4027-856b-4bfeecdb9fbf>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.uen.org/lessonplan/view/4611
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573876.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20220820012448-20220820042448-00064.warc.gz
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en
| 0.878287
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Any person who lives, studies or works in the district, including under 18s, can sign an existing petition or create one and submit it to Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) to assess.
- Petitions that are considered
- Petitions that are considered by the Council or Cabinet
- Petitions asking Senior Officers to provide evidence
- Petitions that are excluded
- Petitions on matters outside MVDC's remit
- Upon receiving a petition
- MVDC responding to a submitted petition
- Submitting or signing a petition
- Concerned about how a petition was dealt with
A petition is one which contains at least 50 eligible signatures and:
- is relevant to a matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the District in a material way
- does not relate to a planning or licensing application
- is not directed at an individual
Petitions submitted to MVDC must include:
- a clear and concise statement covering the subject of the petition
- it should state what action the petitioners wish the council to take
- the name and address and signature of any person supporting the petition
Petitions should be accompanied by contact details, including an address, for the petition organiser. This is the person MVDC will contact to explain how it will respond to the petition.
The contact details of the petition organiser will not be placed on the website. If the petition does not identify a petition organiser, the first five signatories of the petition will be contacted to agree who should act as the petition organiser.
In the period immediately before an election or referendum, MVDC may need to deal with your petition differently - if this is the case the reasons will be explained and the revised timescale which will apply discussed.
If a petition does not follow the guidelines set out above, MVDC may decide not to do anything further with it. In that case, you will be written to explain the reasons.
The type of response MVDC provides may be dependent on the number of signatories to the petition:
- Less than 50: Response from an officer (treated as a standard correspondence)
- 50-799: Dealt with by either Cabinet and/or an Officer using delegated authority
- at least 800: Debated at a meeting of the Council
Providing the petition meets the 50 signature threshold, the Executive Head of Service with responsibility for Democratic Services will decide if the subject matter falls within the delegated authority of the Cabinet or an Officer. In such a case, the petition will be considered by the Cabinet or an Officer. If the subject matter does not fall within the delegated authority of the Cabinet or an Officer, the Executive Head of Service with responsibility for Democratic Services will present the petition to the Council, which will consider the matter and may refer it to the Cabinet for consideration and determination.
Petitions that are considered
If the petition has more than 800 valid signatures, then it will be considered at a meeting of the Council.
If the petition to Council covers a matter within the remit of the Cabinet, then the Council will direct the Cabinet how it should respond
Where such a petition is to be considered by the Council or its Cabinet, it must be received by the Executive Head of Service with responsibility for Democratic Services not later than 10am on the seventh working day (excluding the day of the meeting, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) before the meeting at which it is to be presented.
If the matter falls within the remit of the Council or the Cabinet, one of the eligible signatories or a representative may address an appropriate meeting. He or she may speak for no longer than five minutes and the address must be confined to explaining the subject matter of the petition; it may not contain any allegation, accusation or similar statement which is not recorded in the petition or a written statement submitted with the petition.
If the eligible signatory or the nominated representative is not able to address the meeting when the petition is due to be presented, he or she may nominate a substitute to speak to the meeting.
If the subject matter of a petition falls within the delegated authority of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Leader or the appropriate Portfolio Holder may make a statement in response to a representative's address. This may not exceed two minutes, except with the agreement of the Council or Cabinet and must be confined to facts relevant to the petition.
Where the subject matter of the petition is included elsewhere on the agenda for that meeting, the petition will be considered with that item.
A petition containing at least 50 signatures may ask for a senior MVDC officer to give evidence at a meeting of the Scrutiny Committee about something for which the officer is responsible as part of their job. For example, your petition may ask a senior officer to explain progress on an issue, or to explain the advice given to elected members to enable them to make a particular decision.
If your petition requests such action, the relevant senior officer will give evidence at a public meeting of MVDC's Scrutiny Committee. The senior officers that can be called to give evidence are the Chief Cabinet, Directors and Corporate Heads of Service. Petitions requesting a senior officer to give evidence to the Scrutiny Committee are excluded if the grounds for such a request relate to an individual's private life, personal circumstances or character.
You should be aware that the Scrutiny Committee may decide that it would be more appropriate for another officer to give evidence instead of any officer named in the petition - for instance if the named officer has changed jobs.
The Scrutiny Committee Members will ask the questions at this meeting, but you will be able to suggest questions to the Chairman of the Committee by contacting Democratic Services up to ten working days before the meeting.
MVDC will not take action on any petition which we consider to be vexatious, abusive or otherwise inappropriate and will explain the reasons for this in acknowledgements sent regarding the petition. Other procedures apply if the petition applies to a planning or licensing application, is a statutory petition (for example requesting a referendum on having an elected mayor), or relates to a matter where there is already an existing right of appeal, such as council tax banding and non-domestic rates. Further information on all these procedures and how you can express your views is available on this website (Planning Applications, Licensing Applications), or by contacting Democratic Services.
Where a petition is received on the same or similar topic as one MVDC has received in the last six months, it will not be treated as a new petition. MVDC will acknowledge receipt of the petition within three working days and include details of its response to the previous petition on the topic.
Where MVDC is still considering a petition on the same or similar topic, the new petition will be amalgamated with the first received petition.
If your petition is about something over which MVDC has no direct control (for example the local railway or hospital), it will consider making representations on behalf of the community to the relevant body MVDC works with a large number of local partners and, where possible, will work with these partners to respond to your petition. If MVDC is not able to do this for any reason (for example if what the petition calls for conflicts with policy), then those reasons will be set out to you.
If your petition is about something that a different council is responsible for, consideration will be given as to the most appropriate method of responding to it. This might consist of simply forwarding the petition to the other council, but could involve other steps. In any event we will always notify you of the action we have taken.
An acknowledgement will be sent to the petition organiser within three working days of receiving the petition. Further correspondence confirming what MVDC plans to do with the petition and when that person can expect to be contacted again will be sent within ten working days. It will also be published on MVDC's website, except in cases where this would be inappropriate.
The petition's organiser will be written to at each stage of the petition's consideration. Whenever possible, MVDC will also publish all correspondence relating to the petition (all personal details will be removed). When you sign either a petition or an e-petition you can elect to receive this information by email. MVDC will not send you anything which is not relevant to the petition you have signed. Local Ward Councillors will be informed of all petitions received for their area.
MVDC's response to a petition will depend on what a petition asks for and how many people have signed it, but may include one or more of the following:
- taking the action requested in the petition
- Considering the petition at a meeting of the authority
- holding an enquiry
- holding a public meeting
- holding a consultation
- commissioning research
- holding a meeting with petitioners
- a written response to the petition organiser setting out the authority's views on the request in the petition
- referring the petition for consideration by MVDC's Scrutiny Committee
- calling a referendum
Paper petitions can be submitted to MVDC at the following address: Democratic and Electoral Services, Mole Valley District Council, Pippbrook, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SJ.
Petitions submitted across the county can be viewed by visiting the Surrey County Council petition's page (see 'Internet Links').
If you feel that MVDC has not dealt with your petition properly, the petition organiser has the right to request that its Scrutiny Committee review the steps that MVDC has taken in response to your petition. It is helpful to everyone, and can improve the prospects for a review, the petition organiser could give a short explanation of the reasons why MVDC's response is not considered to be adequate.
The Committee will endeavour to consider your request at its next meeting, although on some occasions this may not be possible and consideration will take place at the following meeting. Should the Committee determine we have not dealt with your petition adequately, it may investigate the matter, make recommendations to the Cabinet or arrange for the matter to be considered at a meeting of the Council.
In the situation where the petition was referred to the Scrutiny Committee in the first instance and the petition organiser is subsequently dissatisfied with the response to the petition, the review should be undertaken by MVDC.
Once the Committee has completed its review, the petition organiser will be informed of the results within five working days. The results of the review will also be published on this website.
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<urn:uuid:4948dd17-30ce-49e2-967e-097b802216dd>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.molevalley.gov.uk/home/council/feedback-complaints-fois/petitions
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.955738
| 2,187
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|
Background: In Banyumas District, Central Java, Indonesia the number of HIV / AIDS cases from 1993 to September 2015 was ranked 3rd in Central Java with 732 cases. At Health Community Center, there are 462 thousand pregnant women in 2016. From those figures, 247 people have undergone HIV / AIDS test while the rest of 215 pregnant women simply ignore the test.The Objective: The purpose of this study to determine the determinants of pregnant women's behavior to test HIV / AIDS.Method: The research was conducted at Health Community Center (in Indonesia is known Puskesmas) Baturaden I using cross-sectional approach. The study population is 56 pregnant women. The sampling technique uses total sampling, and the questionnaire is used to collect the data.Result: The result of the study showed that there was a correlation between knowledge of the behavior of pregnant women on HIV test (p = 0.008). Also, there was a correlation between attitude and the behavior of pregnant women on HIV test (p = 0.000), and there was a relationship of husband support with the conduct of the pregnant women on HIV test = 0.043). There is no relationship between age, education, employment, and officer support with the behavior of pregnant women on HIV testing.Conclusion: The results of the research can be used as an input material for the related officers to provide more information about HIV / AIDS to the wider community through health cadres, and for other researchers to extend the respondent characteristics.
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<urn:uuid:2d2195c6-d774-40a1-ae26-91a4bd1967fe>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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http://r2kn.litbang.kemkes.go.id:8080/handle/123456789/61151
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943188
| 302
| 2.171875
| 2
|
At the southeast part of the valley of Choiromandres extends a rocky ravine with a steep east-to-west gradient. In winter, rainwater flows down from the mountainous terrain extending on the east, causing soil erosion. In cases of severe storms, rainwater forms a torrent into the ravine, which then enters the lower part of the valley.
In the 2nd millennium BC it was attempted to regulate the flow of the torrent by means of a system of dams and barriers, aimed at protecting arable land from the onrush of rainwater, while improving the productivity of the soil by using the water to moisten its surface.
In the Old Palace period (1900 – 1700 BC), two walls were erected in the streambed at the upper end of the ravine (altitude: ca 120 meters above sea level), in an early attempt to keep the rushing water in check, as well as to support the surface soil and prevent its erosion. The walls survive to a height of only 0.70 meter, since they were used as a source of building material during the construction of a larger wall, a dam, that succeeded them.
This wall is stoutly built in megalithic masonry. It has a length of 27 meters, while its height currently reaches 3.10 meters. It was erected during the New Palace period (1750 – 1430 BC). The wall is traversing the streambed, bridging the gap between the protruding rocks that form the sides of the ravine. The position of the wall and its particularly strong construction imply that is was a dam, aiming to retain the swift flowing water. The wall is substantially thicker at its base, to ensure the necessary stability. To the east a channel is formed on the surface of the rock, which may have served as a funnel for diverting excess rainwater. The dam must have been built during the dry summer months, when the ravine was dry. The upper part of the wall was reconstructed during the late Classical or Hellenistic period.
To the east of the dam a catchment area is formed. The rainwater rushing down the steep ground would be retained by the dam. Excess water would be channeled into the ravine through the aforementioned funnel.
Inside the ravine, short walls were built between protrusions of the bedrock. They were set up parallel or perpendicular to the streambed, so as to channel the rainwater and slow down its flow. These walls aimed at protecting the structures lying at the mouth of the ravine and in the lower parts of the valley from the onrush of the rainwater. It is possible that at periods of mild flow, small-scale manufacturing units exploited the water that collected in the small hollows of the bedrock, which were defined by the aforementioned walls. Movement within the ravine was facilitated by means of ramps and carved or built steps, which extend along its southern side.
At the lower end of the ravine extended a megalithic enclosure. Being over 540 meters long and 1.20 meters wide, this wall marks out an area of about 35,000 m². The wall crosses the bed of the ravine at an altitude of ca 110 meters above sea level. This part of the wall, which is particularly stoutly built, formed the lowest boundary of the entire water retention system, providing the second line of defense against the swift flowing torrent. It served as a check dam, temporarily trapping the rainwater that had initially slowed down at the upper dam and further decelerated in its downward course within the ravine thanks to the barriers built therein.
Two megalithic retaining walls that converged to –and possibly joined – the check dam complemented the system of dams and barriers. The water that was temporarily retained by the lower dam was diffused to the agricultural terraces retained by the two walls, providing moisture to their soil and increasing their productive potential. Surplus water would seep through the aforementioned walls towards the stepped terraces that are lying lower down at the southeast part of the valley. These terraces are also retained by strong elongated walls. They were set on a slant to the contour lines, so as to improve moisture diffusion within the soil they retained or, possibly, for the irrigation of their surface through dug-out channels. This mechanism ensured the best possible exploitation of rainwater, maintaining the soil sufficiently moist for a prolonged period of the agricultural year.
The Minoan dams and land reclamation structures were again in use for a short period during the late Classical or Hellenistic period, as indicated by a carefully constructed rectangular building erected adjacently to the dam at the upper end of the ravine. The building was probably built in the course of the 4th century BC.
Τhe water management system at Choiromandres may be regarded as an example of a public work of the Aegean Bronze Age. So far, it is one of the few excavated examples of Minoan hydraulic and land reclamation structures. Advanced land reclamation techniques are mostly documented in the Mycenaean world. The case of Choiromandres could offer insight to other archaeological sites in Crete, contributing to a better understanding of the Bronze Age practices related to the management of the water resources.
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<urn:uuid:72eb2b73-4dfa-400f-a6a8-eccb3d06a533>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://hydriaproject.info/en/case-studies/greece-crete-water-management-in-zakros-area/waterworks
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.969891
| 1,083
| 4.1875
| 4
|
While breeding season may be a ways off, making sure our bulls are cared for throughout the winter and ready to go when it is time to turn out is critical. A sound and fertile bull can mean the difference between success or failure of next year’s calf crop. While AI is a valuable tool to use in breeding, across the U.S. 87% of operations still utilize bulls in some capacity.
Winter care for bulls can be broken down into two categories, body condition and fertility. Let’s look at body condition first. Bull condition going into breeding season is a major factor in the success of a bull’s breeding capacity. In general, a 1:20 ratio of bull to cows is a good starting point, but depending on pasture size, number of herds, and other factors, that number can vary significantly. However, even with a 1:20 ratio maintained, bull vigor and dominance will also play a role in breeding success. One study noted animals servicing anywhere from 4 to 80 females during the breeding season.
The energy required to meet the demands of breeding is substantial, and bulls can be expected to lose anywhere from 100 to 400 lbs. during the course of the breeding season. Getting animals back into condition for next year is one of the primary focuses we should have. So far this winter especially with a periods of warm temperatures and little snow cover, there has been a great opportunity to build back body condition. Typically we want animals back to a body condition score 6 before turn out next year.
To do this, take a body condition score now if you haven’t already done so and develop a plan for feeding. Remember that young animals may not yet be fully grown so will need additional energy and protein to continue growth and build condition. For this reason, depending on the number of bulls in a herd, separating mature and younger animals into separate herds can make meeting feed requirements for each group easier.
Meeting mineral requirements is also important. Research has shown that in particular selenium and zinc are key in maintaining fertility health and sperm production. Iodine in mineral can help with hoof issues and ensure sound feet going into the breeding season.
The second factor to consider with bulls during the winter is fertility. Major impacts on fertility in the winter months are cold and frostbite on the scrotum. Even minor injury can have some impact on fertility, but we really want to protect against major damage that will eventually result in blisters and scabbing. At this point, sperm production will be impacted. Spermatogenesis takes up to 61 days, so damage can have long term impact. Keep an eye out for possible damage when checking bulls and evaluate injured bulls after 45-60 days with a breeding soundness exam. It’s better to know early that a bull won’t be ready than scrambling for a replacement option last minute.
To keep cold damage to a minimum, do your best to protect animals from the wind and cold. Provide plenty of space for animals to find shelter and windbreaks to cut down on wind-chill impacts. A layer of bedding on the ground helps insulate animals from the cold and protect against freezing.
While bulls may not be our first focus this time of year, don’t forget to give there care some thought. Evaluate animal condition and have a plan to get body condition scores back to 6 before next year’s breeding season. Providing shelter from the cold with windbreaks and bedding will help safeguard fertility and prevent any unwanted surprises later on.
-Ben Beckman is a beef systems Extension Educator serving the counties of Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Madison and Pierce. He is based out of the Cedar County Extension office in Hartington. You can reach him by phone: (402) 254-6821 or email: email@example.com.
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<urn:uuid:e863a9b7-5a1c-442e-95a9-ee129f80d7b1>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/cedar/winter-bull-management/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572221.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816060335-20220816090335-00064.warc.gz
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en
| 0.933003
| 794
| 2.515625
| 3
|
Lower Back and Hip Flexor pain
Many sufferers try to reduce their pain levels by sitting. Sitting for extended periods every day weakens the muscles and increases pain. Trying to move causes so much pain and chronic stiffness that you tend to refrain from moving as much as possible.
I can’t express how important it is to keep moving. Your hip flexor muscles are the only two muscles that connect the top of the body with the bottom. They have a really important job to do. They are the muscles that help you sit, stand and walk, if they tighten due to lack of movement it is highly likely you will need weeks of physiotherapy and muscle strengthening exercises just to get you mobile again. Tai Chi, gentle walks and swimming are recommended to help with mobility.
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<urn:uuid:dd3710ea-d94a-4261-9482-152722781d13>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://fibroactive.co.uk/fibromyalgia-lower-back-and-hip-flexor-pain/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571246.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811073058-20220811103058-00264.warc.gz
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en
| 0.972899
| 158
| 2.28125
| 2
|
Theoharris Papadopoulos was born in Piraeus in 1978. He has published nine poetry books and a book of prose. He has participated in international writers’ conferences and his poems have been translated into English, Bulgarian, Spanish, Albanian, Pakistan and Swahili.
When I did military service, I went to the island of Samos in the winter. Every month I traveled back to Athens for a few days. But I always had to return. Samos is very melancholy in winter and it rains every day. Well, when I left Athens for the fifth time, I wrote this poem.
You are on your way again
You say goodbye to the harbor
You view the open sea in silence.
Deep away is the shore
Two tears pour down your cheeks,
Don’t you see?
Destiny makes you like the ship
Float always and never ever return.
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<urn:uuid:121798d8-b36b-4fb6-903f-7f22445ca6a8>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://wonderlusttravel.com/travel-poem-traveler/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.970772
| 189
| 1.679688
| 2
|
Malmö is a growing city in southern Sweden. Bit by bit, the city’s former industrial port area near the Öresund coast is being exploited into new modern residential and office areas. Originally one of Sweden’s large heavy industry cities dominated by Kockums shipyard both as an employer for a large part of the population and also as an identity marker for the working – class city of Malmö. Since the industrial downturn some forty years ago, Malmö has changed its face to become a city of knowledge with the new university in the hope of developing new innovative companies for the Malmö of the future. Since I moved to a district at the edge of the parts of the harbor that are currently undergoing these changes, I have documented the old structures and buildings as well as the process of change in the area that is intended to be the “New Harbor” within the next fifteen years.
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<urn:uuid:beded0a5-98f8-4c1a-a252-97c027c0afba>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
https://www.jareslatt.se/aruba_portfolio/harbour-works/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573399.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818185216-20220818215216-00064.warc.gz
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en
| 0.979583
| 188
| 1.742188
| 2
|
What's a Fire?
Components of Fire
FIRE, you need to have Three Key Elements:
FUEL- something to burn, such as wood, paper, grass, or clothing.
AIR- actually oxygen is needed, but that's part of the air.
HEAT- a catalyst to start the fuel and oxygen combustion.
fire triangleimage above, a forest is the fuel, gusts of wind provide the air, and a lightning strike supplies the heat. This results in a blazing forest fire.
For our campfires, we use the exact same elements but hopefully on a much smaller scale. Sticks and branches for fuel, your breath for air, and a match for heat - Presto!
If any one of the three elements is missing (or is purposely removed) the fire will go out. For example, pouring water on a fire removes the HEAT - there is still plenty of fuel and lots of oxygen, but the water reduces the temperature so much the fire sputters out. Read about extinguishing fires later.
When building a fire, you've got to keep FUEL, AIR, & HEAT in mind at all times. The most trouble people have in getting fires started is forgetting the importance of all three working together. And, the most common problem is not enough AIR. This shows up in two ways:
- Big Wood - you need tiny slivers of wood to start because there is lots of air space around them. Big chunks of wood do not allow air to reach the fuel.
- Flat Fire - stacking the small sticks of wood flat instead of standing them up with air space between.
Other common blunders are not paying attention to the wind direction and burning up your wood supply too fast, but you can read more about all that on the fire lighting page. Just remember the fire triangle - if you have adequate fuel, air, and heat, you'll have a fire and by regulating any of those three elements, you control your fire.
This fire triangle is also known as a fire tetrahedron, but that just doesn't roll off your tongue too well. And, for practical purposes, the 4th side of the fire tetrahedron does not pertain to campfires. It is Chemical Reaction, that is the chemical changes that occur during combustion. As far as campfires and other wood-burning fires go, we have control over fuel, air, and heat, but not the chemical reaction - it just happens.
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<urn:uuid:eea53233-bc94-4b96-b758-6883efdab51b>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
http://mail.campfiredude.com/campfire-physics.php
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943702
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| 3.96875
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|
« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »
THE GEOMETRY OF PLANE TRIANGLES,
FOUNDED ON SIMSON'S TEXT;
SHOWING THE USES OF THE PROPOSITIONS, &c.;
“ GEOMETRY IS, PERHAPS, OF ALL THE PARTS OF MATHEMATICS, TIIAT WHICH OUGHT
Essais par S. F. Lacroix, p. 306.
MANCHESTER : JOHN HEYWOOD, 143, DEANSGATE.
LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO.
» « that
“How many a Common Artificer is there, in these Realmes," dealeth with Numbers, Rule, & Cumpasses: Who, with their owne Skill and experience already had, will be hable (by these good helpes and informations) to finde out and deuise, new works, straunge Engines and Instrumentes; for sundry purposes in the Common Wealth ? or for private pleasure ? and for the better maintayning of their owne estate p”
JOHN DEE, His Mathematicall Preface, A.D. 1570
GEOMETRY, land-measuring, as the word denotes (from gee, earth, or land, and metron, a measure), was in its origin an Art and not a Science: it embraced a system of rules, more or less complete, for performing the simpler operations of land-surveying; but these rules rested on no regularly demonstrated principles,—they were the offspring rather of experiment and individual skill, than of scientific research.
The points and lines of such a Geometry were necessarily visible quantities. A mark, which men could see, would be their point ; measuring rod, or string, which they could handle, their line ; a wall, or a hedge, or a mound of earth, their boundary: The first advance beyond this would be to identify the instruments which they used in measuring, with the lines and boundaries themselves; the finger's breadth, the cubit, the foot, the pace, would become representatives of a certain length without reference to the shape. It was only as the ideas and perceptions of those who cultivated the art of measuring grew more refined and subtile, that an abstract Geometry would be evolved, such as Mathematicians understand by the term, in which a point marks only position; a line, extension from point to point; and a surface, space enclosed by mathematical lines.
Geometry thus understood, has been defined in general terms to be,the Science of Space.” It investigates the properties of lines, surfaces, and solids, and the relations which exist between them. Plane Geometry investigates the properties of space under the two aspects of length and breadth; Solid Geometry, under the three, of length, breadth, and thickness. It is the consideration of the Elements of Plane Geometry on which we are about to enter.
According to Proclus, EUCLID of Alexandria flourished in the reign of the first Ptolemy, B.C. 323-283. To him belongs the glory, for such it is, of having colleeted into a well-arranged system, the scattered principles and truths of Geometry, and of having produced a work, which, after the test of above twenty centuries, seems destined to remain the Standard Geometry for ages to come.
Euclid's work comprises thirteen books, of which the first four and the sixth treat of Plane Geometry; the fifth, of the Theory of Proportion, applicable to magnitude in general; the seventh, eighth, and ninth, are on Arithmetic; the tenth, on the Arithmetical Characteristics of the divisions of a straight line; the eleventh and twelfth, on the Elements of Solids; and the thirteenth, on the Regular Solids. To the thirteen books by Euclid, Hypsicles of Alexandria, about A.D. 170, added the fourteenth and fifteenth books,also on the Regular, or Platonic Solids.
Of the Six Books, the first may be described in general terms, as treating of the Geometry of Plane Triangles; the second, of Rectangles upon the parts into which a straight line may be divided ; the third book, of those Properties of the Circle which can be deduced from the preceding books; the fourth book, of such regular and straight-lined figures as can be described in or about a circle; the fifth, of Proportion with regard to magnitude in general; and the sixth, of Similar figures, and of Proportion as applied to Geometry.
For an outline of the origin and progress of the science of Geometry, the learner should consult the Introduction to the Elements of Euclid, edited by Robert Potts, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge.
It is of great advantage to have stored in the memory the very words of the Definitions, Postulates and Axioms, and of the more important Propositions ; and to associate with the words the numbers, as Definition 15, Axiom 8, Proposition 4, 8, 26 &c., of book I.
But in the construction of Geometrical figures, and in the demonstration and application of Geometrical Truths the Reasoning Faculty should be chiefly employed. A youth may repeat cleverly by rote, and yet be ignorant of the principles of the science. In the study of Geometry no aids are so effectual as the determination and the endeavour thoroughly to understand the process of reasoning, and the nature and force of the argument.
As an instance of the method recommended to the learner, let him take that important Proposition, the 32nd of book I. Having well considered the meaning of the words, let him, by reference to Prop. 31, and also to Prop. 29, Ax. 2, Prop. 13, and Ax. 1, recall to mind what is required for the construction of the figure, and what for the denonstration of the theorem. He will say to himself, here are several undoubted truths and facts ;-) have already proved them and accepted them as principles of Geometrical Reasoning ; and they are now given me that I may arrive at other truths. By using them, can I not demonstrate the inference or conclusion of the proposition?
He may rely that by thus exercising his judgment, he will do more than by any mere effort of memory, for really understanding and retaining Mathematical truths.
For fuller information learners are referred to the Author's larger work, Euclid's Plane Geometry, Books, I-VI., Practically Applied, Parts I-II.
Signs in Geometry possess equal accuracy with words, and far greater clearness than the undivided paragraphs of Simson, or even than the broken clauses of Potts. Besides, “ Cambridge has allowed the use of certain symbols in Geometry before forbidden by her;" and Lacroix long since declared, in 1805, “ The History of Mathematics proves, that it is the more and more extended use of arbitrary symbols, contrived with the purpose of abridging expressions, or of rendering their analogy evident, which has most contributed to the progress of the science, by relieving the memory, and by facilitating the combinations of the given relations and reasonings.” See “ Essais sur l' Enseignement &c.,' p. 227.
One strong recommendation of them has thus been pointed out; “It is quite possible, and, in fact, frequently happens, that a boy gets up his Euclid lesson by rote from the ordinary editions now in use;" but, “it is almost, if not quite impossible to bring the memory simply into play when a proposition of Euclid is set forth in symbolic language.” The reasoning powers must be exercised, or the work will not be accomplished.
I.-- Arbitrary Signs, common to Arithmetic and Algebra, and often used in Geometry. because. equals, or cqual.
by, divided by. therefore. + not equal to.
✓ root. greater than.
+ plus, more, increased by. ratio. not greater than minus, less, lessened by. :=: equality of ratios. less than.
difference between. ::: : proportion. not less than, X into, multiplied into. : : : progression.
II.- Representative, or Geometrical Signs. a point. L angle.
square. O rectangle. | straight line. I perpendicular to. O parallelogram. W parallel to. A triangle.
circle. Oce circumference. A single capital letter, as A, or B, in reference to a Diagram, denotes the point A, or the point B.
Two capital letters, as AB, or CD, also in reference to a Diagram, denote the straight line AB, or CD; but when the two letters indicate opposite angles, they denote a square, a rectangle, a parallelogram, or a polygon, as the figure will show.
A capital letter and numeral, as A2, or two capital letters and numeral, as AB?, denote the square on the straight line A, or on AB.
III.-Abbreviations. Add. Addendo, by adding. E. Exposition.
Sim. Similarly. App. Application. H. or Hyp. Hypothesis. S. or Sol. Solution. Ax. Axiom.
P. or Prop. Proposition. Sub. Subtrahendo, by Conc. Conclusion. Prob. Problem.
taking away. Cor. Corollary. Pst. Postulate.
Sup. Suppose. C. Construction. Quæs. Quæsitum, or-a. Superp. SuperponenDat. Datum, or data. Rec. Recapitulation. do, by superposition. Def. Definition. Remk. Remark,
Theor. Theorem. D. Demonstration. Sch. Scholium.
Q.E.D., quod erat demonstrandum, which was the thing to be proved.
ad imp. ad impossibile, reduced to an impossibility.
ex absurdo, by an absurdity.
rem. remaining. com. common. opp. opposite.
rt. right. con. sup. contrary sup- par. parallel
sq. square. position. quadrang. quadrangular. st. straight. equiang. equiangular. quadril. quadrilateral. uneq. unequal. equil. equilateral. rectil. rectilineal. vert. vertex. ext. exterior.
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An example of the capsule designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa is displayed in a park outside of the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, in Saitama, north of Tokyo on May 6, 2022. Kuro
There was a time when everyone in the world thought outer space was exciting–not just science types and “Star Wars” fans. Almost everybody loved the concept of space and the future. So,
12-year-olds can be jailed, four days can pass until a suspect sees a judge, hearings are held in a foreign language and laws change constantly. Inside Israel's military courts in the West
December 30, 2021 06:22 ET | Source: ReportLinker ReportLinker
It is a tricky situation, trying to identify whether the pandemic increased our need for isolated space/solitude or were we heading towards it beforehand and COVID gave us a chance to experience
In the wake of the 2018 Woolsey Fire that devastated Southern California, Malibu architect Doug Burdge and builder Nate Garnero sought to provide their clients with temporary housing by repurpos
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Elon Musk may be one of the world’s richest people, but he’s not living large.
After selling much of hi
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Northeast USA SeagrassNet Zm percent cover
Plaisted, Holly (2022), Northeast USA SeagrassNet Zm percent cover, Dryad, Dataset, https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.z34tmpggg
Sea surface temperature (SST) has increased worldwide since the beginning of the 20th century, a trend which is expected to continue. Changes in SST can have significant impacts on marine biota, including population-level shifts and alterations in community structure and diversity, and changes in the timing of ecosystem events. Seagrasses are a group of foundation species that grow in shallow coastal and estuarine systems, where they provide many ecosystem services. Eelgrass, Zostera marina L., is the dominant seagrass species in the Northeast United States of America (USA). Multiple factors have been cited for losses in this region, including light reduction, eutrophication, and physical disturbance. Warming has the potential to exacerbate seagrass loss. Here, we investigate regional changes in eelgrass presence and abundance in relation to local water temperature using monitoring data from eight sites in the Northeastern USA (New Hampshire to Maryland) where a consistent monitoring protocol, SeagrassNet, has been applied. We use a hurdle model consisting of a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) with binomial and beta response distributions for modeling eelgrass presence and abundance, respectively, in relation to the local summer average water temperature. We show that summer water temperature one year prior to monitoring is a significant predictor of eelgrass presence, but not abundance, on a regional scale. Above average summer temperatures correspond to a decrease in probability of eelgrass presence (and increased probability of eelgrass absence) the following year. Cooler than average temperatures in the preceding year, down to approximately 0.5°C below the site average, are associated with the highest predicted probability of eelgrass presence. Our findings suggest vulnerability in eelgrass meadows of the Northeast USA and emphasize the value of unified approaches to seagrass monitoring, conservation and management at the seascape scale.
United States National Park Service
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In his latest book ''Talking Straight,'' Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca says the only perfectly safe cars are in museums. Cars get safer every year, he argues, but as long as humans are behind the wheel there always will be traffic accidents. The trick is to minimize the risks of driving.
This philosophy may help explain Chrysler`s recent decision to make airbags standard equipment on the driver`s side of several car lines this year and to install them on all its new cars by 1990. The announcement both heartened and stunned safety advocates. Chrysler is the first American automaker to make such a commitment to the life-saving devices, yet it was Iacocca, then president of Ford Motor Co., who campaigned vigorously and successfully against mandating airbags in the early `70s.
For nearly two decades, Detroit argued that airbags were too expensive, the technology untested and the public unreceptive. Still, safety advocates and the insurance industry kept up the pressure, arguing the device could save 10,000 lives each year. Then in 1984 former Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole ordered automakers to phase in passive restraints for all front-seat passengers by September, 1989. The restraints could be either airbags or seat belts that automatically wrap around passengers.
The Transportation Department later extended the passive-restraint deadline for several years as long as the automakers agreed to step up efforts to install more driver-side airbags by 1989. In candor characteristic of the Iacocca regime, Chrysler said the federal regulations were the driving force behind its turnaround on airbags. But company market tests also showed that auto buyers now prefer airbags over motorized seat belts, which easily can be detached.
Whatever the reason, Chrysler deserves credit for leading the domestic industry on the airbag. In a collision, the nylon bag, which is stored in the steering column, inflates with nitrogen in a split-second. If it is used in combination with a seat belt, the technology offers protection superior to that of the standard lap-shoulder restraints.
Until now, airbags have been available only as options or only in expensive European cars. Ford and General Motors have offered airbags on some models as options, but they haven`t been pushed by dealers and consequently there aren`t many on the road. By all accounts, Chrysler`s airbag decision will begin saving lives almost immediately and will put pressure on the other automakers to install more of the devices.
Indeed, shortly after its announcement, Chrysler began running full-page newspaper ads trumpeting its airbag advantage. No one ever said that Iacocca couldn`t sell anything he wanted-even airbags. And no one ever said you can`t teach old anti-airbag dogs new pro-airbag tricks.
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Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, together with Dee Why RSL, have today launched a special commemorative ANZAC Day jersey featuring an image of a Lone Soldier paying respect at Dee Why Beach.
The image of the lone soldier featured on the front and back of the jersey was captured at the Dee Why Beach Anzac Day Dawn Service.
The jersey will be worn by the Sea Eagles in their ANZAC Day clash against Wests Tigers at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday, April 25.
The new Dee Why RSL logo features on the main front of the jersey with Sea Eagles Major Partner URM moving to the lower back of the jersey for this ANZAC Day game, providing the opportunity for Dee Why RSL on the main front.
A proud Corporate Partner of the Sea Eagles, Dee Why RSL’s annual ANZAC Day service attracts more than 12,000 Northern Beaches locals.
The photo was taken just as the sun rose over Dee Why Beach and those in attendance who were paying respects experienced the sky turning from black to a spectacular mix of red, orange, yellow and purple, which is featured on both sides of the jersey.
A single poppy appears on the front of the jersey along with poppies forming a band around each sleeve.
The meaning of the poppy was first captured by a poem ‘In Flanders Fields,’ which was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. This poem is recited at the Dee Why RSL Dawn Service each year.
The jersey is now available for purchase at our online shop.
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Cancer. It’s one word humans have learned to fear almost above all others.
But while this terrible disease may have given millions of people cause to be worried, it’s cancer itself that should truly be afraid.
Each year we come closer to solving the Gordian Knot, each year we get a little closer to the days when the world can proclaim that it has found a way to beat cancer.
According to researchers, one such day may come within the next eight years.
Scientists at the May Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, say a new vaccine has been developed that could not only stop the recurrence of breast and ovarian cancers, but may be able to prevent them developing in the first place.
A new cancer vaccine has given researchers hope after it removed cancer cells in a patient with breast cancer. https://t.co/xUWEqKj2W4
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 13, 2019
As per reports, the vaccine, which is undergoing testing, has helped to remove cancer cells in a breast cancer patient already.
Now, given that the research remains in its early stages, it will be at least three years before a phase three trial of the vaccine would be available to a larger number of patients.
Mayo Clinic investigator Keith L. Knutson, PhD, told Forbes: “It is reasonable to say that we could have a vaccine within eight years that may be available to patients through their pharmacy or their doctor.
“We know that they’re safe. We know that they stimulate the immune system. We know that they have had a positive impact on ovarian and breast cancer.
“We haven’t seen any adverse events that are causing problems other than irritation in the area similar to a flu vaccination. Now we have to convince the FDA, through solid, rigorous clinical trials that we’re seeing what we’re seeing.”
The vaccine has already helped kill cancer cells in a Florida woman, according to the clinic. This is ground-breaking ?
— UNILAD (@UNILAD) October 13, 2019
Naturally, carrying out the necessary trials is an expensive process. Knutson says a typical phase two clinical trial can cost between $12 million and $20 million, while phase three trials are even more expensive, sometimes doubly so.
According to sources, the vaccine works by stimulating the immune system in cancer patients to attach and kill cancer cells.
Lee Mercker was diagnosed with a type of breast cancer known as DCIS stage zero, and joined the clinical trial in March as her cancer had not yet spread to the rest of her body.
“They always took your blood, you had a physical, they’d make your shot right there on the spot for you,” Ms. Mercker said, as per the Washington Post. “It was three shots, all in a row, alternating arms, four shots, two weeks apart.”
Ms Mercker still had a mastectomy to make sure everything was removed as it should be, but her taking part in the trial allowed researchers to see how their vaccine would affect the body.
Dr. Saranya Chumsri hopes the vaccine will prevent cancer and went on record stating other trials have had positive results, including amongst patients with Stage Four cancer.
This is the sort of news I want to be reading every morning! A huge congratulations and thanks to the team behind this vaccine.
Share this article to spread some hopeful news today. Together, we can beat cancer.
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Are you looking for healthy, successful and easy ways to lose weight? Well, this is the place to find them! Try the ideas in this article to help with your weight loss and see what has been successful for others.
If you want to lose about five pounds quickly, increase your water intake. Drinking water helps you to eat less, and you will also drink fewer sugary, calorie-filled drinks. That is not the same as fat loss, but it is a jumpstart to a weight loss program and an easy way to cut off five pounds.
It is okay to not eat everything on your plate when you want to lose weight. Many children are told by their parents that they have to eat everything on their plate. However, many times this causes adults to have weight issues throughout their life. It is perfectly acceptable to take a doggy bag of leftovers home. Never stuff yourself simply because the food is there. If you feel full, stop eating.
If you are trying to lose weight opt for cardiovascular exercise over weight training. Cardio is better for slimming you and burning fat, while weight training is better for creating muscle tone. When your goal is weight loss, raising your heart rate is more efficient than building bigger muscles.
Keep healthy snacks in your house if you’re attempting to lose weight. Buy some handy storage containers. Purchase plenty of fresh veggies, such as radishes, celery, and carrots. Begin by prepping your veggies, then place them in a container filled with ice water. Store the container in your fridge. You can always have a healthy snack that is easy to take along with you!
Find an exercise buddy. This makes exercising feel more like an opportunity to socialize rather than a way to lose weight. You and your friend can encourage each other and share stories. This will help you look forward to your exercising sessions, which will be helpful in losing weight.
If your kid is struggling with weight, make sure that he or she sleeps enough during the night. A child does most of his or her growing when sleeping; this burns plenty of calories. Growing kids need to sleep about eight hours nightly. Speak with your children about their bodies growing and why sleep is so important.
Calm down and de-stress to lose weight. Stressed out bodies tend to keep ahold of calories and fat for a defense mechanism. Perhaps you know that stress will go away, but your body believes everything is on red-alert! Large amounts of stress can contribute to weight gain.
If you pair your meals with an activity that gets you moving, you will lose more weight. Planning on having a picnic? Schedule it in a local park or other green space and then walk to it. As time allows, including physical exercise in your mealtime routine will help you in the process of losing weight.
Many diets don’t work. Make sure that you sign up for a gym, or at least commit some kind of exercise program. You must complement any diet with exercise. These two things together will help you burn the right amount of calories.
Knowing how to make sense of what’s on food labels is important. Just because a food item is fat-free, it can still be unhealthy. An item like this could be packed with excess sugar, which packs on the pounds quickly. Read through the entire food label to get a sense of exactly what is going into your body.
As you walk through the supermarket, try to stay mainly on the store’s perimeter. Foods containing the most nutrients, including vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meats and dairy are generally in that area. Foods in the center aisles tend to be prepackaged, preservative, salt, and sugar-laden and frequently lacking the essential nutrients for a healthy diet. When you stay out of the inner aisles of the store, you will find it easier to not purchase the items that are found there.
Now, you are armed with all of the information you need. No doubt, you are inspired to begin a healthier lifestyle. Apply the suggestions given in this article to lose unwanted weight. After losing the weight, you must work hard to keep it off so you can remain healthy and fit.
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Nepal beyond mountain trekking and expedition destination is also popular for its diverse flora and fauna. The tiny state in the lap of Himalaya is a paradise for nature lovers. The different national parks in different geographical locations of Nepal reserve large numbers of endangered animal species, 750 species of birds and rare natural herbs. In making a tour in the national parks of Himalayas you will be traveling into the heart of nature’s sanctuaries. The joy of discovering the wild animal in their natural habitat, the thrill of jungle safari and roaming around national parks of Nepal really extend the ultimate spirit of Himalayas. Here are listed the 4 Topmost National Park Tours in the Himalayas.
1. Bardia National Park Tour provides you an opportunity for experiencing many wild species, including the rare the endangered flora and fauna of Nepal. The tour encompasses the jungle activities like bird-watching, jungle tour, elephant safari, etc. The Bardia National Park in the Western Terai of Nepal is a famous habitat for the wildlife in the region. The Park is the largest and least encroached upon wilderness in the Terai. The National Park which also includes the Babai River Valley preserves in its forest, grassland and river habitats. The region is home to many wild species, including the rare the endangered flora and fauna. The Park provides a number of well maintained domestic elephants, hence it’s also famous for elephant safari. The Elephant Safari inside the jungle provides both fun and safety. On an Elephant Safari, you enjoy the company of tall grass, forests, and wild animals. The Bardia National Park was declared a wildlife reserve in 1976 and a national park in 1988. Among the rare wild animals include rhinoceros, Wild elephants, The Royal Bengal Tiger, Swamp deer, Black buck, Gharial Crocodile, and Gangetic Dolphins. Just imagine the thrill and adventure of following the big cats in their own original habitat! Moreover, you will also enjoy the cultural programs by the Tharu people – the ethnic inhabitants of the jungle.
2. Kathmandu and Chitwan Tour, an amazingly interesting tour, includes nature, culture, and wildlife to make out the best of your Nepal holidays in the Himalayas. Stroll in the medieval streets of Kathmandu full of architectural wonders, swim in the local river with the elephants, make a canoe trip in the dense sub-tropical jungle, or learn to follow the wild-lives in their natural habitat. The tour has combined everything that you are wishing to squeeze out in your short Nepal Tour. Discover the most wonderful array of flora and fauna, and if you love bird-watching, here is a bird-watchers paradise with every type of imaginable bird from Kingfishers, to Serpent Eagles to Pheasants to Peacocks. Even if your wildest dream is to watch marsh crocodiles sunbathing or you feel like bathing with an elephant in a jungle river – you make it happen in reality. This assures you the best views of the wild animals in their natural habitat – monkeys, rhinos, deer, elephants and many more species. The tour starts from Kathmandu Valley, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Then you drive into the mountains to Chitwan Jungles along the cascading Trishuli River below. In Chitwan, you will discover, the National Park that holds an important place in preserving the wild lives which are rapidly getting extinct from this planet. The trip also encompasses some of the most spectaculars natural, cultural, and wildlife splendors of Nepal as well as provides an opportunity to mingle with the local people with their ethnic lifestyles.
3. Kathmandu Valley and Bardia National Park Tour has been designed to combine the cultural grandeur of the Kathmandu Valley along with the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the wild experience in the sub-tropical jungles of Bardia National Park. The mountains encircling the valley, historically as an important travel point for the traders and travelers from Tibet, Nepal, and other South Asian Region, surround three medieval cities – Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur – blending different culture and lifestyle practiced in the region in its own way. Similarly, the Bardia National Park in the Western Terai of Nepal is a famous habitat for the wildlife in the region. The National Park which also includes the Babai River Valley preserves in its forest, grassland and river habitats the rare species of flora and fauna – wildlife and birds – including rhinoceros, Wild elephants, The Royal Bengal Tiger, Swamp deer, Black buck, Gharial Crocodile, and Gangetic Dolphins. In overall, the tour encompasses both the cultural visits to Kathmandu valley’s ancient and medieval sites as well as activities like bird-watching, jungle tour, elephant safari, and cultural programs inside the Bardia National Park.
4. Wildlife, Lakes and Mountain Tour, another extravaganza in the Himalayas, begins from Kathmandu-a historical and cultural heart of Nepal. Kathmandu presents a wonderful mixture of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley. The ancient cities Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are the major attractions, with their evocative city squares and also represent an epitome of harmony in urban design, elegant architecture and refined culture. Hindu Temple Pashupatinath, Buddhist pilgrimage sites Boudhanath stupa and Swyambhunath are the major attractions in Kathmandu. And it would be a serious oversight for any travelers to Nepal to neglect visiting the lake city Pokhara and its beauty. Pokhara itself offer the excellent views of Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu, Mt. Fishtail , other sightseeing opportunities and outstanding Himalayan sunrise view from Sarangkot. Furthermore, Chitwan National Park is full of natural beauties and offers dense habitat for the wildlife such as Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, one horned Rhinoceros, wild Elephant, marsh Crocodile, wild Boar, sloth bear, and several species of deer including spotted, barking Samber and hog deer. The Park is also home to more than 450 species of birds and a great variety of flora. Besides the flora and fauna, the Park is also home to the local ethnic groups called Tharu people, who have their own unique culture and traditions.
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It's all bunk, of course. Liberals don't necessarily support change; conservatives don't necessarily favor the status quo; if liberals embraced all change, they'd backed Bush's substitution of "preemption" for the prior U.S. foreign policy of "containment," as well as his proposed Social Security reforms. Still, as Evan Coyne Maloney observed, this bias infects even apolitical reference materials:
- Definition of Liberal (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed 2000):
Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism. d. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
- Definition of Conservative (Id.):
Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
- Synonyms for Liberal (Roget’s New Millennium™ Thesaurus (1st ed. 2005):
advanced, avant-garde, big, broad, broad-minded, catholic, detached, disinterested, dispassionate, enlightened, flexible, free, general, high-minded, humanistic, humanitarian, impartial, indulgent, inexact, interested, latitudinarian, left, lenient, libertarian, loose, magnanimous, not close, not literal, not strict, permissive, pink, radical, rational, reasonable, receiving, receptive, reformist, tolerant, unbiased, unbigoted, unconventional, understanding, unorthodox, unprejudiced. . . altruistic, beneficent, benevolent, big, bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, casual, charitable, eleemosynary, exuberant, free, generous, good Joe, handsome, kind, lavish, loose, munificent, open-handed, open-hearted, philanthropic, prince, prodigal, profuse, Santa Claus, soft touch, softie, unselfish, unsparing
- Synonyms for Conservative (Id.):
bourgeois, cautious, constant, controlled, conventional, die-hard, fearful, firm, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, guarded, hard hat, hidebound, holding to, illiberal, inflexible, middle-of-the-road, not extreme, obstinate, old guard, old-line, orthodox, quiet, red-neck, right, right-wing, sober, stable, steady, timid, traditional, traditionalistic, unchangeable, unchanging, uncreative, undaring, unimaginative, unprogressive, white bread. . . bitter-ender, classicist, conserver, conventionalist, die-hard, fossil, hard hat, middle-of-the-roader, moderate, moderatist, obstructionist, old fogy, old guard, old liner, preserver, reactionary, red-neck, right, right-winger, rightist, silk-stocking, standpat, stick-in-the-mud, Tory, traditionalist, unprogressive.
Dictionary or not, this logic is the "root cause" of the gulf between liberal and conservative approaches to law. I'm not talking about forward looking policy making, about which reasonable people can disagree. The issue is hermeneutics: how we interpret and apply law.
MaxedOutMama's recent posts on the Nebraska gay-marriage decision sparked further study of the schism. The court essentially adopted the rationale of decisions in Massachusetts, California and New York that:
- Long-standing constitutional and statutory provisions can be re-interpreted to be more relevant to modern sensibilities;
- Re-interpretation is not limited by the provision's language or intended scope; and
- Judicial re-interpretation may ignore the people as expressed either directly or by the peoples' elected representatives.
This outlook is inconsistent with our Constitution and with democracy in general. and vitiates the role of the legislature. It's profoundly il-liberal:
- Inflexibility is strength: America was founded, as John Adams said, as "a government of laws not men." Meaning that meanings -- and justice -- depend on words, not the perceptions or prejudices of the decision maker. This is particularly true where the relevant legal principle derives from the Constitution. The Framers made our Constitution relatively hard to change -- amendments and alterations only through various super-majorities. Relatively immutable Constitutions promote continuity and protect the rights of the minority. In other words, the scheme fosters freedom.
The left's approach tramples these principles. Indeed, today's liberals seem to believe the Constitution teaches that the Founders were wise, implying that superior wisdom (theirs, of course) should prevail today. The Founders were indeed wise--but that's the wrong lesson. Instead, they recognized that:
- unanimity is impossible, and . . . [t]he Founding Fathers didn't have all the answers.
- Instead, they created a process to address disagreement--a relatively immutable Constitution, a Congress with limited Federal powers, separation of powers, a list of untouchable rights, and an expectation that state legislatures would reflect the will of their own citizens, without regard to those in other states.
- [Such limited] Federal power devolve[d] decision making to the lowest possible unit of government, such as states or municipalities. This tends to ensure that citizens have the maximum possible ability to monitor and participate in policy determinations, making law and regulation the responsibility of legislative and executive bodies most closely connected to those directly affected.
So the liberals' embrace of a "living Constitution" is a radical and wholly inconsistent departure from the principles on which America was founded. Moreover the left's hypocritical: if words and principles are elastic, how can any position -- abortion, gay marriage, etc. -- be a non-negotiable litmus test?
- Vagueness imperils freedom: Our Constitution was carefully drafted to be both durable and patently clear; legislative drafting aspires to the same goals. But if the meaning of words has wings, how can lawful be distinguished from forbidden? If Constitutional powers are murky, separation of powers is destroyed. With everything up for grabs, liberals trade the certain and consistent for the quixotic and volatile. This transforms Constitutional government into a Lewis Carroll character (Though the Looking Glass (Chap. 6):
`When _I_ use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'M_O_M correctly demolished such reasoning, and its underlying implications, which I've addressed elsewhere, as demoting the will of the people and elevating judges to a legal priesthood. M_O_M says it's "the vary definition of tyranny;" it's also anything but the "Republican Form of Government" guaranteed by Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution.*
`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you CAN make words mean so many different things.'
`The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master - - that's all.'
A profound change, says M_O_M:
There has been a definite change in jurisprudence. Many call it "judicial activism". When creating a new class of rights you do generate odd case law that is expansive and wobbly.Conservatives reject this approach -- even were we word "master" -- for reasons once crucial to, and celebrated by, liberals. See Lanzetta v. New Jersey, 306 U.S. 451, 453 (1939) ("[It] is a well- recognized requirement, consonant alike with ordinary notions of fair play and the settled rules of law; and a statute which either forbids or requires the doing of an act in terms so vague that men of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application violates the first essential of due process of law.").
If all laws are unconstitutional, then we have created a judicial tyranny in which those with the most money, determination and friendly judges win. Is that your idea of what our government should be?
- The death of democracy: The overall effect of the liberal theory of words is "the end of majority rule." The Constitution e established a legislature representing the people. Legislatures make laws, a process requiring study, debate and a vote. The principle check on legislators is the second Tuesday in November: the people vote to select their agent, and can revoke the agency at the election.
Modern liberals turn the Constitution on its head. Though the legislative process was codified in the very first Article, liberals attach little legitimacy to the vote. Though Congress (and state legislatures) were tailored to resolve disputed and controversial issues, liberal elitists are condescendingly contemptuous of popular opinion, certain they may and must substitute their judgment for the views of the (less "capable") majority. After all, opponents of progress are "hidebound, . . . inflexible, . . . obstinate, . . . red-neck, right, right-wing, . . . timid, . . . unchangeable, unchanging, uncreative, undaring, [and] unimaginative." Roget said so.
The result is to exalt courts over congress Blind to this redaction of the Constitution, today's liberals rarely seek voter or legislative majorities. Instead, the party of "one-man, one-vote":
push ever-expanding list of issues too important for debate, relying on judicial decrees imposed without regard to the will of the people. Ironically, therefore, the Democratic Party's notion of democracy is anything but democratic.And of course anything but liberal.
American representative democracy was founded by "the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty." Limited Federal government recognizes that one size won't fit all. It encourages diverse experimentation. And its no straight-jacket: The Constitution isn't permanent--it can be amended. Unlike diamonds, statutes aren't forever--they can be repealed. And administrative rules aren't everlasting--they can be (and usually are) modified at the next open meeting.
Today's liberals are certain their solutions are superior to the process established by the Founders. So certain that they discount, ignore and overrule general election and legislative votes with which they disagree. But American's are guaranteed the vote. If constistent with the Bill of Rights, the right to vote encompasses delay, confusion and flat-out error. That's because the Constitution enshrines the liberty of being wrong. As evidenced by Roe, Lawrence, Roper and the gay marriage cases, today's left is dedicated to eradicating that civil right.
The left may be "avant-garde, . . . unconventional, . . . unorthodox, [and] progressive." Just don't call them liberal.
MaxedOutMama unearths sanity at Democratic Underground. I'll concede the left still has a few good men (Hentoff for example). But as M_O_M acknowledges, the reasoned are a minority in the present progressive, Deaniac, anyone-who-disagrees=Hitler universe. As an example, DU recently polled its inmates about Al Qaeda. The results (small sample size): 19 percent thought it a "real terrorist organization;" 22 percent said it was a "once real terrorist organization that the administration is now using to get what they want;" and 59 percent insisted Al Qaeda was a "completely fictional organization." More evidence that lefty opinion on 9/11 and global terror stems from late-night cable re-runs of "Capricorn 1."
And, M_O_M, us neo-cons are gentle sorts; I'd never shoot you.
More from M_O_M: "can I claim that the liberal left is in control of the Democratic Party nationally? At this point, no. Carl has me crawling on my belly to avoid the overwhelming fusillade of link-fire whistling over my head. I think it's a temporary aberration, but only time will tell."
* The Supreme Court read this clause to be unenforcable, Luther v. Borden, 48 U.S. 1, 42 (1849), contributing to the elasticity of meaning.
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It has to be disconcerting to realize that your precious paintings are deteriorating day by day. In a June 22, 2017 posting titled ‘Art masterpieces are turning into soap‘,
This piece of research has made a winding trek through the online science world. First it was featured in an April 20, 2017 American Chemical Society news release on EurekAlert,
A good art dealer can really clean up in today’s market, but not when some weird chemistry wreaks havoc on masterpieces [emphasis mine]. Art conservators started to notice microscopic pockmarks forming on the surfaces of treasured oil paintings that cause the images to look hazy. It turns out the marks are eruptions of paint caused, weirdly, by soap that forms via chemical reactions. Since you have no time to watch paint dry, we explain how paintings from Rembrandts to O’Keefes are threatened by their own compositions — and we don’t mean the imagery.
Here’s the video,
Now, for the latest: canavases are deteriorating too. A May 23, 2018 news item on Nanowerk announces the latest research on the ‘canvas issue’ (Note: A link has been removed),
Paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Johannes Vermeer have been delighting art lovers for years. But it turns out that these works of art might be their own worst enemy — the canvases they were painted on can deteriorate over time.
In an effort to combat this aging process, one group is reporting in ACS Applied Nano Materials (“Combined Nanocellulose/Nanosilica Approach for Multiscale Consolidation of Painting Canvases”) that nanomaterials can provide multiple layers of reinforcement.
A May 23, 2018 American Chemical Society (ACS) news release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, expands on the theme,
One of the most important parts of a painting is the canvas, which is usually made from cellulose-based fibers. Over time, the canvas ages, resulting in discoloration, wrinkles, tears and moisture retention, all greatly affecting the artwork. To combat aging, painting conservators currently place a layer of adhesive and a lining on the back of a painting, but this treatment is invasive and difficult to reverse. In previous work, Romain Bordes and colleagues from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, investigated nanocellulose as a new way to strengthen painting canvases on their surfaces. In addition, together with Krzysztof Kolman, they showed that silica nanoparticles can strengthen individual paper and cotton fibers. So, they next wanted to combine these two methods to see if they could further strengthen aging canvas.
The team combined polyelectrolyte-treated silica nanoparticles (SNP) with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) for a one-step treatment. The researchers first treated canvases with acid and oxidizing conditions to simulate aging. When they applied the SNP-CNF treatment, the SNP penetrated and strengthened the individual fibers of the canvas, making it stiffer compared to untreated materials. The CNF strengthened the surface of the canvas and increased the canvas’s flexibility. The team notes that this treatment could be a good alternative to conventional methods.
Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,
Combined Nanocellulose/Nanosilica Approach for Multiscale Consolidation of Painting Canvases by Krzysztof Kolman, Oleksandr Nechyporchuk, Michael Persson, Krister Holmberg, and Romain Bordes. ACS Appl. Nano Mater., Article ASAP DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.8b00262 Publication Date (Web): April 26, 2018
Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society
This image illustrating the researchers’ solution accompanies the article,
The European Union’s NanoRestART project was mentioned here before they’d put together this introductory video, which provides a good overview of the research,
For more details about the problems with contemporary and modern art, there’s my April 4, 2016 posting when the NanoRestART project was first mentioned here and there’s my Jan. 10, 2017 posting which details research into 3D-printed art and some of the questions raised by the use of 3D printing and other emerging technologies in the field of contemporary art.
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The aim of the study was to investigate how many nights of measurement are needed for a reliable measure of sleep in a working population including adult women and men.
In all, 54 individuals participated in the study. Sleep was assessed for 7 consecutive nights using actigraphy as an objective measure, and the Karolinska sleep diary for a subjective measure of quality. Using intra-class correlation and the Spearman-Brown formula, calculations of how many nights of measurements were required for a reliable measure were performed. Differences in reliability according to whether or not weekend measurements were included were investigated. Further, the correlation between objectively (actigraphy) measured sleep and subjectively measured sleep quality was studied over the different days of the week.
The results concerning actigraphy sleep measures suggest that data from at least 2 nights are to be recommended when assessing sleep percent and at least 5 nights when assessing sleep efficiency. For actigraphy-measured total sleep time, more than 7 nights are needed. At least 6 nights of measurements are required for a reliable measure of self-reported sleep. Fewer nights (days) are required if measurements include only week nights. Overall, there was a low correlation between the investigated actigraphy sleep parameters and subjective sleep quality, suggesting that the two methods of measurement capture different dimensions of sleep.
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Winnipeg-based author and Universal Basic Income( UBI) advocate Evelyn Forget offered Rotary Club of Picton members an in-depth look on the concept that would give impoverished Canadians a step out of poverty with a guaranteed monthly income.
Speaking to the club via Zoom Tuesday, Forget, author of Basic Income for Canadians: From the COVID-19 Emergency to Financial Security, as well as other titles, spoke about a need for a UBI for Canadians and how such a program would positively benefit all segments of society.
Forget is a professor of Economics and Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Her research examines the health and social implications of poverty and inequality. Forget has worked with various governments, First Nations groups and international organizations to advise on those topics. Forget believes that a guaranteed income delivered with dignity will make a huge difference in many human lives, especially during these difficult times we’ve all been living in the past year or more and is actively working towards economic security for all Canadians.
Forget’s first introduction to basic income happened more than a decade ago.
“I’m actually a health economist, I work in the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and this is in the core of Winnipeg, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada and our clientele is made up largely of people from the surrounding neighbourhood and people from remote northern communities who are flown into Winnipeg for complex surgery for example.
The author noted that close proximity to the hospital and Winnipeg Harvest, the province’s largest food bank provided more than ample opportunity to delve into the root causes of client and patient visits.
“You don’t have to talk to many patients in the waiting room or to talk to the clinicians or to walk through the hallways to realize that were using the health care system to treat the consequences of poverty. People are in hospitals, not usually because their victims of a virus or victims of some unusual and complex circumstance, they’re there because in many cases they’ve lived really hard long lives, working in hard jobs, living in inadequate housing, living with poor diets,” Forget explained. “It’s very frustrating to work under those circumstances because when your a health economist the only question people ever ask for you is how are we going to pay for the healthcare system going forward? and you want to shake people sometimes and say we don’t need more money in the healthcare system, what we need is more money in peoples hands so they can make decisions and live reasonable lives and take care of themselves before the consequences of poverty come to bite.”
While the hospital and the food banks might provide tertiary fields of scope on issues like complex physical maladies and food insecurity, Forget believes there is an under current when it comes to the emotional toll of living in or on the edge of poverty and many Canadians are using pharmaceutical assistance to combat psychological effects.
“I was having lunch with a group of volunteers who were also clients of the food bank and all of us women were sitting around a table and one woman started to tell a long and complicated story that got more and more confused in the telling. She stopped mid way and laughed and blamed her confusion on brain fog that she attributed to a recent change in her medication,” Forget recalled. “What happened next shouldn’t have surprised me, people started to talk about their prescription drugs and they were reaching into knapsacks and into purses and pulling pill bottles out and comparing. And I realized with a bit of a shock that I was the only person at that table who didn’t have a prescription for an anti-depressant. I found that shocking but I shouldn’t have because I know that in Canada we medicate the consequences of poverty, we medicate poverty, we medicate the anger and the despair of parents who can’t feed their kids with out recourse to a food bank.”
Forget contends that mentally unburdening those that are living under the spectre of poverty will lead to a better life for all Canadians.
“Basic income is a guarantee that no one will have to live with out the resources necessary to live a modest but dignified life,” said Forget. “It’s not a replacement for necessary social services like health care or special supports for people with disabilities, but it is a guarantee that everybody will have the cash they need to put a roof over their heads, put clothes on their backs and food on the table. It will lead to richer and healthier societies.”
According to the author, UBI is a feasible and affordable policy in Canada that it doesn’t encourage people to work less and won’t lead to cuts in other social programs. But why would some Canadians need a basic income when every province in Canada has a program of last resort such as Ontario Works or in Manitoba the Employment and Income Assistance?
“Why isn’t that good enough?” Forget expressed. “For those of us who have been fortunate enough in our lives to have never dealt with that system, we would imagine it’s a fairly straight forward process. We call up our case worker, we go in, we talk about our needs and we somehow receive a certain amount of money thats based on our families size that allows us to live a reasonable life. In fact as soon as you apply for that program you discover that provincial income assistance is actually a complex array of different allowances. And two people in very similar circumstances can find themselves receiving different amounts of money depending on how helpful their caseworker is, depending on what they know to ask for, depending on how well they understand the system.”
In addition to be highly complex and unbalanced from applicant to applicant given the aforementioned situations, it’s extremely intrusive.
“When you apply, a caseworker can call your bank, can call your landlord, your employer and check any information you provide,” said Forget. “You’re required to provide whatever information is requested at any point on a penalty of losing your benefit or having your payments reduced. It’s a punitive system.”
If someone happens to secure a part-time job for example and make more money, the benefit would be reduced and that seems reasonable. However, for those families that rely heavily on Ontario Works benefits for drug plans, dental plans, etc, a part-time job is very much a losing proposition.
“We would expect that to happen but if you think about the way Ontario Work operates for example it does more than that. The program doesn’t just provide money to people it also provides a whole array of extended health benefits like dental care for example, and other supports. So if you take a part time job and make enough money to get off the system, you lose not only the monetary benefit you did receive but all kinds of other supports that make you much worse off if you’re working, than if you’re actually on the system.”
Forget also explained how your benefit can be reduced if the system thinks parents can support you in any way.
“Suppose you’re a 35 year old adult with a disability, if you receive a gift from your parents, perhaps they let you live in the family home or they provide groceries for you on a regular basis, your benefit will be reduced by the amount of that gift which makes it very difficult for people to get ahead. One example that’s currently part of a court case in Manitoba was an individual who worked previously and became disabled. As soon as he turned 60, Â the system cut him off and wanted to force hime to apply early for his Canada Pension Plan pension which meant a reduction of 30 per cent of what he would have gotten at age 65. That would virtually guarantee that the individual lives in poverty for the rest of his life. So you’re required to apply for any other system, any other amount of money that might be owing to you, to rely on family members when possible,” Forget said.
“The system is not there to help you get ahead, it’s there to maintain you in poverty. If, after all of that you do qualify for support, in every province in Canada you’ll receive an amount of money that is well below the poverty line.”
Forget pointed out even before the pandemic a third of Canadians were already employed in precarious jobs and how the Employment Insurance program is built for the kinds of jobs Canadians use to get. UBI would be able to bridge the new job market where temporary contracts for younger employees seem to be the new norm.
“Even before COVID-19 came along, a third of Canadians were already employed in precarious jobs- low wage jobs with insecure futures, with few benefits, no union support, no certainty, no guarantees that those jobs are going to exist going forward. A third of Canadians. When COVID-19 came along EI was there for the unusual circumstance, an unusual short term lay off or a period of ill health. But now people are graduating and entering a very different kind of a labor market. So when my students graduate for example, almost all of them spend years and years on temporary contracts, they work with no benefits, very often with low wages and with no certainty for a very long period of time. So a basic income can actually backfill, it can actually provide security in a market where we can’t rely on jobs to do that anymore.”
A UBI would allow greater participation into modern society, providing a precipitating uplift to physical and mental health.
“If you think back to the story I started with of medicating poverty,” said Forget. “I think that its not a surprise to people that mental health is affected by living in poverty, particularly in a high income country like Canada where you need a certain amount of money in order to participate in society. You need access to that and if you don’t have it your mental health tends to suffer. But the pandemic also showed us how poverty and infectious diseases are linked. We know some of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 happened in areas of the country where frontline workers were working in unsafe conditions- in Western Canada in the slaughter houses and meat packing plants and warehouses in Ontario.”
But whit a steady stream of base income, where will the encouragement to seek employment come from? Utilizing data from a pilot project launched in Manitoba in the late 1970’s called “Minicome”, Forget was able to drill down on employment rates and exactly who did and didn’t enter the work force.
“There is a lot of basic income experiments that have taken place all over the world- low, middle and high income countries and the results are very much the same,” said Forget “If you were working before UBI was introduced, people will typically continue working. People don’t stop working just because they can get money for nothing because people recognize work is important in their lives.”
But when Mincome came along there were two groups of people who did work less. The first were new mothers, and for those who can remember the 1970’s, this was a time when maternity leave was four weeks. Forget said in her research, a whole lot of new mothers thought a four week maternity leave when they gave birth was rather miserly and so they tended to use the Mincome stipend to buy themselves longer parental leaves.
“And that’s really a good thing because one of the things we know is families are better off, babies are better off, mothers are better off when parents can spend more time with newborns, and in fact we’ve implemented it by making a parental leave much more easily excess able now, much longer,” she said.
The second group of people who worked less are exactly the people everybody was worried about-young men. Data indicated to Forget young men worked up to 10 per cent less than their cohorts.
 Forget went looking for some of these young men who were no longer young men just to find out what happened. Why were they working less? What happened when Mincome came along? n
“The story the men told me is exactly what you might expect,” Forget said. “When were talking about young men, we’re talking about 15-24 year olds and what I found out speaking to them was that they were living in low income families who are under a fair amount of family pressure to become self supporting as quickly as they could. These were big families, farm families without a lot of money, and so the boys in particular would turn 16 and their families would encourage them to go get a job so that the family money could go to younger brothers and sisters.”
Instead of dropping out of school and going to work, Forget found eligible applicants were able to finish secondary school and that allowed them much more secure start to their adult life than if they dropped out to work a lower-skilled job.
Forget stated those results are very consistent with results found all over the world with two recent experiments, one in Finland and one in the Netherlands, in both cases they found people didn’t work less if they received a basic income but people who received a basic income when they were unemployed were more likely to move into regular permanent jobs than people who were unemployed and didn’t received a basic income.
“It allowed them the stability to find a job that matched their needs,” Forget expressed.
Another big question often asked is how can we afford a UBI? And especially after COVID-19 and after all the expenditures of the past year?
“Earlier in April the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) did an analysis of UBI,” said Forget. “And I should say that the PBO is peopled by really old school economists, there is not a radical in the bunch, they don’t hire Marxists, I mean these are mainstream economists. And they were asked what it would cost if we were to introduce a basic income for all of Canada. They found that the cost of a basic income might be as high as $85 billion dollars a year across Canada.”
Forget admitted that figure is a massive line item for the Government of Canada.
However, as a country, we are already spending $85 billion dollars and more on other programs to send money to people with low incomes.
“We are spending it on provincial income assistance which is about half that. We are spending it on a series of tax credits at the provincial and federal levels such as refundable tax credits. We are spending it on things like the GST credit and other programs. So what the PBO has discovered is they could take money we are already spending to send money to low-income people and spend that money smarter. And if we did it, we would reduce the poverty rate by 49 per cent. We could cut poverty in half with no new taxes, no cuts to existing programs, no increases in the tax rates. They weren’t even thinking about potential down stream savings and things like healthcare or criminal justice or any other programs, this is just taking money that is already being spent addressing poverty and spending it better, taking some of those dozens and dozens of different programs that don’t fit peoples needs and ensuring that it does.”
Forget ended the presentation by suggesting in her opinion it’s time for a UBI.
“I would like to suggest in my opinion it’s time for a basic income,” Forget declared. “I think the PBO has demonstrated that we can afford it, I think our families, our friends, our relatives deserve it and I think if COVID has taught us nothing else, it’s taught us that the resilience of society demands a system that will allow people to meet their needs when life goes awry.”
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4 edition of Oceans and Seas (Science Kids) found in the catalog.
November 15, 2007
Written in English
|The Physical Object|
|Number of Pages||48|
Choose a title from ““Seas, oceans and fish”” Usborne Children’s Books. Menu. Location. Basket. Search. For. Home Browse books Browse Usborne children's books Popular subjects Activity books Look inside seas and oceans. NewHardback: £ Buy or find out more. My first seas and oceans book. Apr 12, · Chris thoughtfully and lovingly owned and operated Sea Ocean Book Berth for 22 years. In April he sailed off to the next adventure leaving this - his “ship” - still intact but with a desire for all the books (if not the collection as a whole) to find good homes.
Callum Roberts’s book The Unnatural History of the Sea returns to the more destructive things happening to the ocean, tracing the roots of overfishing.. This book goes through the sequence of events that led us to today’s depleted ocean. It takes you back to a time when people believed the oceans were essentially inexhaustible. Get this from a library! Oceans and seas. [Stephen Savage] -- Helps the reader to explore rock pools, coral reefs and shipwrecks plus to meet the fascinating creatures that live in the world's oceans and seas.
Sea Life and the Ocean Scramble: Mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants are all a part of oceans and seas. Have fun with your class identifying some of them. On the left side is a brief description of a sea life. On the right side is the name of the sea life scrambled up. Aug 13, · The Big Book of Sea Creatures 🐳🦈 Usborne Books & More - Duration: A Look Inside the My Very First Seas and Oceans Book - Duration: .
Flume study of the effect of concentration and size of roughness elements on flow in high-gradient natural channels.
Opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 11 February 2004 on the proposal for a Council regulation on the establishment of a regime of local border traffic at the external land borders of the member states and the proposal for a Council regulation on the establishment of a regime of local border traffic at the temporary external land borders between the Member States.
Oceans and Seas - Books about true stories of the sea by Michael Krieger. Apr 05, · Books Advanced Search New Releases Best Sellers & More Children's Books Textbooks Textbook Rentals Sell Us Your Books Best Books of the Month Oceans & Seas of over 30, results for Books: Science & Math: Nature & Ecology: Oceans & Seas.
Discover the best Oceans & Seas in Best Sellers. Find the top most popular items in Amazon Books Best Sellers. Mar 15, · Oceans and Seas book. Read 4 reviews from the world's largest community for readers.
Start by marking “Oceans and Seas (Kingfisher Young Knowledge)” as Want to Read: We read several informational books about the ocean and this one was probably the most age appropriate for my Kindergartner.
It was a great introduction and we enjoyed it!/5. Feb 22, · Oceans and Seas (Bodies of Water) [Cassie Mayer] on festivous-ilonse.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
Through stunning photographs and simple text, books in this series introduce children to bodies of water and their characteristics. In 'Oceans and Seas'5/5(1). Ocean and Sea takes you on the history, biology, and Oceans and Seas book of the oceans and seas.
I would recommend this book to someone who has a interest in the oceans and seas/5. In Oceans and Seas. With 25 Science Projects for Kids readers 10 dive into the underwater world of some of the most amazing landscapes on Earth.
On this amazing underwater adventure, kids experience the ocean’s tropical reefs and spot crabs, sea sponges, and. Sep 13, · Ocean and Sea (Scholastic Discover More) [Steve Parker] on festivous-ilonse.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. OCEAN AND SEE unlocks a free page digital companion book, SHARK SPOTTER, offering even more information, photos/5(8).
Oct 25, · I have spent the latter half of my life interviewing fascinating people who, themselves, were involved with the sea. With this Oceans and Seas blog, I’m able to publish some of what are among the best stories I have come across in over thirty five years.
With essential facts and amazing artwork, Navigators: Oceans and Seas by Margaret Hynes explores the wonder of the world's waters. Inspire a love of reading with Prime Book Box for Kids Discover delightful children's books with Prime Book Box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months — new customers receive 15% off your Author: Margaret Hynes.
Get information about oceans and seas from the DK Find Out website for kids. Find out more about the five oceans of the world with fun facts from DK Find Out It is created by currents in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sargasso Sea › 'Dorling Kindersley', 'DK', 'Eyewitness' and the open book logo are trade marks of Dorling Kindersley Limited. Oceans and Seas Printable Books: rhymes, crafts, quizzes, information, coloring pages, and printouts related to the seas. Advertisement.
festivous-ilonse.com is a user-supported site. As a bonus, site members have access to a banner-ad-free version of the site, with print-friendly pages. This is a unique and thought-provoking picture book about a boy growing up in a seaside mining village during the s.
Deep down under the sea, the boy's father works in the mines digging for coal and the boy reflects that one day he will grow up and take on the same job. This picture book makes a good stimulus for discussions in KS2.
In Focus Ocean and Seas is a cool, new information book that's perfect for curious kids. These fun books feature modern, magazine-style pages, including top 10 lists, fast facts, quickfire quizzes, and more. With pages packed with vivid photography and fun facts, kids will have fun learning about the world around them.
Features a contents page, glossary, and index, plus front and end flaps on Brand: Kingfisher. Explore the oceans and deep blue seas with this Scholastic book list of fiction and nonfiction for grades K-8 about dolphins, sharks, fish, and seashores.
Exploring the world's oceans and the mysterious animals that live beneath their surfaces is a high-interest, engaging topic for young readers. Jan 03, · Here at Ocean Conservancy, we get countless requests for all things sea-related—including our best book recommendations for ocean lovers.
The beginning of January is the perfect time to curl up with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a start a new book (or three), and Ocean Conservancy’s staff has pitched in with their best recommendations, just in time for the new year. The Light Between Oceans is an incredibly moving novel about what happens when good people make bad decisions.
The story takes place in the town of Point Partageuse, Australia during the s. The story begins when a light house keeper and his wife find a life boat containing a live baby (and dead man) on the shore of their isolated island.4/5.
OCEANS & SEAS of the WORLD ABOUT - CLIMATE CHANGE - CONTACTS - FOUNDATION - PLASTIC OCEANS - HOME - A-Z INDEX. PACIFIC OCEAN GYRES MAP - The surface of the planet is approximately 71% water in five oceans, including the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern.
This book is a contribution to our understanding of the world's last wilderness. It introduces ocean water, geology, tides, waves, and coastlines then ocean lif Ocean and Sea.
By Steve Parker. Grades. microbes to the biggest whales. It even explores some newly discovered ocean plants and animals. Kids will discover how seas and oceans. Get this from a library. Oceans and seas. [Nicola Davies] -- Introduces readers to the fascinating underwater world, from the deepest oceans to the shallows, and the creatures and plants that make salt water their home.
Discover sea birds and meet the. Browse Nature > Oceans & Seas eBooks to read online or download in EPUB or PDF format on your mobile device and PC. guide to the wealth and variety of fish in Australia’s tropical waters — including the Great Barrier Reef — and south-east Asia has been updated and expanded.
The book has sold more than 20, copies in its previous.Teach your students about underwater life and the science of the world's oceans with this collection of resources. Books and Authors Top Teaching Blog Teacher's Tool Kit Student Activities The Teacher Store Book Clubs Book Fairs Scholastic Education Classroom Magazines Oceans.
Explore the world under the sea with these teaching.Terminology. Ocean – the four to seven largest named bodies of water in the World Ocean, all of which have "Ocean" in the name.
See Borders of the oceans for details.; Sea has several definitions. A marginal sea is a division of an ocean, partially enclosed by islands, archipelagos, or peninsulas, adjacent to or widely open to the open ocean at the surface, and/or bounded by submarine.
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My Hobby Tech spread continues in Issue 143 of Dennis Publishing’s Custom PC Magazine with two reviews and a review-slash-walkthrough: the Orange Pi Plus, the GrovePi+ Starter Kit, and the Kim Uno kit.
For me, the most interesting toy of the month was undoubtedly the Kim Uno. Designed by Oscar Vermeulen, the Kim Uno is a kit-form microcomputer designed to emulate the classic MOS Technologies KIM-1, designed by Chuck Peddle to showcase the company’s at-the-time cutting-edge 6502 microprocessor. Naturally, there’s no 6502 to be found in the Kim Uno: instead, an Arduino Pro Mini – based on one of Atmel’s popular microcontrollers – sits at the rear of a calculator-sized circuit-board and provides the grunt required to run any KIM-1 application you care to name, including the famous Microchess.
A simple solder-it-together kit – or pay extra to have one built by Oscar’s own fair hand – the Kim Uno is a great way to practice your skills even before you tackle the joys of 6502 machine-code programming. Oscar’s online documentation is thorough and detailed, and for anyone who knows 6502 the Kim Uno is a must-have especially at just £10 plus shipping.
The Kim Uno was the most fun project of the month, but it was closely followed by a GrovePi+ Starter Kit kindly supplied by Dexter Industries. Designed to bring Seeed’s Grove ‘smart module’ design to the Raspberry Pi, the kit includes a piggyback board which connects to the Pi’s GPIO port and a wealth of additional inputs and outputs, all of which connect via simple keyed wires. For newcomers to electronics, the Grove platform takes the complexity out of wiring up even relatively complex projects – and the GrovePi+ board itself makes using Grove hardware a cinch.
Finally, the Orange Pi Plus is one of the growing number of would-be Raspberry Pi beaters coming out of the technology markets of China. Using the AllWinner H3 system-on-chip processor the Orange Pi Plus can’t match the performance of the latest Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, but it does offer significantly more built-in capability: SATA, gigabit Ethernet, infra-red, even 802.11b/g/n wireless with bundled ultra-compact dipole antenna. The Orange Pi Plus, and the other members in the Orange Pi family, are clearly inspired by Lemaker’s Banana Pi and offer much of the same software compatibility, including platforms like Android not supported by the Raspberry Pi itself.
If you want to know my final opinion on all this hardware, or if you’re for some reason interested in things written by people who aren’t me, Custom PC Issue 143 is available now in print or digital form.
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Human resources specialists also referred to as HR specialists attempt to find the best person for the job. Human Resources specialists recruit, display screen, interview, and place staff in positions they’re most certified for and may excel in. Some schools and universities supply an MBA diploma in Human Resources, A Master diploma in Human Resources Management or a Master in Human Resources diploma. Depending on their particular title, monetary clerks can perform a broad variety of monetary and administrative tasks for many different industries. For example, billing and posting clerks work in areas such as healthcare and cope with billing invoices, healthcare insurance coverage policy issues, hospital information and different expenses. Insurance claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators closely review and settle insurance claims, figuring out how much of a claim the insurance coverage company should cover. In order to fully examine claims and avoid fraud, insurance coverage claims adjusters contact doctors, employers, and legal counsel for extra data and questions relating to claims.
The duties of monetary managers range with their specific titles, which include controller, treasurer or finance officer, credit score manager, money supervisor, threat and insurance coverage supervisor, and supervisor of international banking. Candidates for financial administration positions want many various skills. Interpersonal expertise are key as a end result of these jobs involve managing individuals and working as part of a staff to resolve problems.
Methods To Make Use Of Financial Reporting Services To Create A Extra Profitable Business
Investment-oriented college students can explore opportunities in brokerage, bank trust and establishment portfolio administration. Consideration and emphasis is given to the function performed by monetary markets, financial intermediaries, nonfinancial corporations, governments, and particular person buyers within the global economy. Finance is a broad subject that prepares students for positions in corporations, investment corporations, government, banks and entrepreneurship.
What is the purpose of finance?
The purpose of finance is to help people save, manage, and raise money. Finance needs to have its purpose enunciated and accepted. Students in finance should learn it in their business education.
Our robust curriculum, combined with our CFA® University Affiliation, fully prepares you to guide the method ahead for investment administration within the high-tech worldwide marketplace. Designed to additional the study of the monetary management of a firm’s present assets and current liabilities, this course completes the fundamental information and abilities required to be a cash manager Business & Finance in a contemporary business. Completion of this course is one of the requirements for a student to take part within the Certified Cash Management Associate Program. This course offers with banks and financial institutions everywhere in the world. Students have a glance at the roles of banks and lenders in business, commercial financial institution processes and banking or financial rules.
Business finance employees must be extremely detail oriented, taking notice of each piece of data they encounter when creating and reviewing monetary documents. Financial examiners sometimes have a bachelor’s diploma in accounting, finance or a related field. The Human Resources Organization supplies companies to help with the recruitment, development and retention of an excellent, various, and totally engaged workforce. Some of the HR areas include Payroll, Compensation, Employee Relations, Staffing and Benefits. The Budget Office supplies guidance and assists with the event of budget timelines, maintenance, and support, as nicely as other university responsibilities. The Smeal College of Business is a business school located on the Pennsylvania State University.
As a staffing company with fluctuating payrolls, we’ve never had to worry about money flow if we broaden or add more workers. As a non-traditional financing supply, Hitachi offers a big capital base with a competitive cost of funds. Asset-based lines of credit score present flexible short-term financing for your everyday wants, new contracts, payroll, and extra. We’re not just bragging on our folks Business and the service they provide to purchasers – we actually have the awards and data to back it up. They make selections based on who you are and how you operate, not just monetary statements. Here is a listing of actions you need to take when establishing any kind of business, but specifically a finance company.
Managing Your Cash Move: A Hundred And One
Professional, private and management skills type the backbone of successful careers. Blueprint, our award-winning sequence of lessons, is focused on skilled and management growth and financial literacy. With Blueprint, you’re on monitor to graduate on time, with the talents and community to choose your career, and the savvy to make the massive selections at the right time.
Keeping your data, books, and accounting in order will give you a clear image of your company’s financial health Finance and needs. This, in flip, will allow you to make the most effective selections on your company’s future.
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Upload Content Files
In your course’s Content area, you can upload content files (such as your syllabus, powerpoint slides) for your students. Every content file must be in a module. So you will first need to create a module (see Add Modules and Sub-modules). Then you can upload files into it.
Create a Module
Before you can add topics (i.e. documents, images, media files, URL links, etc.) to your course, you have to create a module to hold them.
1. Click on Content on the navigation bar.
2. When the Content page appears, on the left side of the screen under Table of Contents click on Add a module and type the name of the module. Then press Enter to create the module.
In the “Table of Contents” on the left of the Contents screen, click the module that you have created. Then click the blue button that says New and choose Upload Files.
On the screen that appears, select where you want to upload the file from and then continue the upload process.
The file you uploaded will now appear as a link in the Content module.
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Why and how often should I get a new CPAP mask cushion? how long it last, when to change mask
Like any piece of clothing or accessory, your mask cushion becomes worn out over time. Mask and supply replacement is important for optimal comfort.
The life of a mask cushion depends on various factors such as how much you use it, how often you clean it, and the oil from your skin. We highly recommend inspecting your mask according to the cleaning and maintenance routine outlined in your mask user guide. The user guide supplied with your mask contains guidelines to help you inspect, assess and replace your supplies. Check for small tears or pinholes and anything else that might cause a leak. Household pets (and children) have been known to damage cushions by playing with them, so it's a good idea to keep your mask out of reach. Also, be sure not to leave your mask somewhere that receives direct sunlight during the day.
Because the timing and reasons for replacing your mask cushion greatly depend on your mask, it's important to reference your mask user guide for specific details.
Masks cushions may need to be replaced about every 6 months or sooner and then completely replaced every 12 months or sooner as the parts become worn and stretched, leading to a poor fit.
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When it comes to overcoming a heat wave, every measurement counts. By taking some simple precautions, you will be able to avoid the negative effects of high temperatures and feel more comfortable.
Knowing how to overcome a heat wave is very important. Especially if we take into account that these sudden changes in temperature have become very common in recent years. In fact, steep climatic transitions lead to greater risks for our health.
Facing a heat wave is not so complicated. Just take a few basic steps so that these sudden temperature increases do not affect us significantly. These precautions must be applied with particular rigor in the case of children and the elderly who are more vulnerable to climate.
There are places where temperatures rise sharply up to 40 degrees or more. In this case, if we do not take the necessary measures to overcome this heat wave, we can suffer from many problems ranging from dehydration to sunstroke, through muscle spasms and dysfunction in certain organs.
Therefore, the best way to overcome a heat wave is to follow the advice we give you here.
PERMANENT HYDRATION AND ADEQUATE CLOTHING
During hot weather, constant hydration is a mandatory measure. It is strongly recommended to consume pure water, and it is even better if it comes out of the refrigerator. Other drinks, especially if they contain sugar, will only make you thirsty.
As for fruit juices, they are also recommended provided they do not contain added sugars. Alcohol, on the other hand, is not advisable. Moreover, it must be emphasized that even if you are not thirsty, it is better to hydrate constantly.
Similarly, it is essential to wear adequate clothing to withstand high temperatures. The best is to wear clothes made of natural fibers such as cotton, because they facilitate perspiration. Light colors are also better because they reflect the heat instead of concentrating it.
OVERCOMING A HEAT WAVE AT HOME
In these moments, it is best not to leave the house during the hottest hours. If this is not possible, then it is advisable to move in places in the shade. On the other hand, it is best to stay indoors with air conditioning systems.
Since we talk about air conditioning, it is an important ally to cope with a heat wave. Nevertheless, we must manage it properly. The best thing to do is to maintain a temperature between 22 and 25 degrees. Because below these temperatures, it can cause colds or other discomforts.
If you are at home, lower all the blinds during the hot hours and close the windows. This will prevent heat from being concentrated inside the house. From 21h or 22h, you can open the windows for a few hours to enjoy the cool of the night.
APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICITY
One of the benefits of summer is that it brings more hours of light compared to any other time of the year. Therefore, it is not advisable to turn on the lights before it is really necessary. Indeed, lights produce heat and this is precisely what we need to prevent.
Something similar happens with appliances. Even if they are not running, but they are connected to the electrical sector, they give off heat. Obviously, they do not generate high temperatures but if we add them up, the sensation of heat is multiplied. It is therefore more advisable to unplug them and use them only when strictly necessary.
HOME TIPS AGAINST A HEAT WAVE
There are several very simple steps that you can put in place to deal with a heat wave. Here are some tips that will be of great help to you:
Do not apply makeup: creams and body lotions contain elements that retain heat. That’s why it’s better not to use makeup or so in small quantities
Do not eat too much: large meals lead to metabolic heat and increase body temperature. Try to eat only light meals several times a day
Moisturize when necessary: If you are very hot, apply some cold water to your neck, wrists and forehead. These are points where it is easier to regulate the temperature
Protect yourself outside: if you go out, it is advisable to wear sunglasses and a hat or cap to protect your head. When the sun is very intense, it is advisable to bring an umbrella. In addition, wear fresh shoes that let in the air and do not prevent perspiration
Use aloe Vera: you can freeze some crystals of aloe Vera in the form of small cubes. And if you get burns on the skin, or you notice that it is very dry, rub it with aloe Vera. It will soothe and refresh you,
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SATURDAY CLASS - Year 4 - 9.15 am
To secure a place, please either pay in full now or part pay with a £50 deposit now and be invoiced for the rest during the course.
Use code: £50DEPOSIT4 at the checkout.
Join my creative writing course to ensure that your child achieves fantastic writing results!
Who this is suitable for
Children preparing for 11+ grammar and independent school exams, and those wishing to strengthen Key Stage 2 skills.
What we cover
- Fiction writing
- Non-fiction writing
- Critical writing techniques
What we achieve:
- Confidence to tackle key creative writing texts, no matter how challenging
- Stretched vocabulary and language application
- No more writing gaps!
Here’s what happens:
- Initial and final assessments with feedback.
- Lessons and weekly homework (marked with personalised, detailed feedback)
- Writing skills recap resources.
- Mini recap videos.
- Mid-term progress parent meeting.
Important details of our online classes:
- 11-week course, 1.25 hours a week, led by experienced and qualified teacher, Anna
- Maximum class size of 6 students
- Weekly lesson material emailed to you or accessible online
Dates and times:
Saturday 24th September to Saturday 10th December; Every Saturday from 9.15 am - 10.30 am
NO CLASS during the half-term break (Saturday 29th October)
Terms & Conditions:
- Once booked, places can be cancelled within 7 days and after that, places are non-refundable as per the Terms and Conditions.
- If your child is unable to attend a session, Anna will send out the PowerPoint class slides and the mini-recap video and work can still be submitted for marking.
- We do NOT record class sessions for safeguarding reasons (as children use video and sound).
- One learner per booking. If two children from the same household are joining, please use separate devices in separate rooms to maximise their individual learning.
- Cameras to remain on to help with interaction with others and teacher support and feedback.
<<button>> Ask me a question
Autumn - Year 4
£425.00 per child
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Workplace Fatal Accident
Firms are being advised to make sure that employees using quad bikes wear the proper protective clothing and receive the correct training after a worker died when he crashed into a tree.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought a prosecution against the owner of Kelloe Mains Farm, near Duns, in Berwickshire, following the death of Grant Shannon.
Mr Shannon sustained fatal head injuries when he lost control of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) while moving cattle from one part of a field to another.
The 34-year-old had only taken up employment on the farm as a dairy worker just three days before the accident and had never driven an ATV before. He had also been given no formal training on how to operate the vehicle and was not wearing any head protection.
Investigations by the HSE revealed that the quad bike had a number of defects, the most serious being incorrect tyre pressure which is critical for the safe operation of ATVs. Four worn tyres and ineffective rear brakes were also discovered.
The farm's owners, a partnership known as R & J McDonald, were fined £6,650 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court after admitting breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Specifically, they accepted they were guilty of a "failure to provide and maintain plant (ATV) that was, so far as reasonably practicable, safe".
Copyright © Press Association 2009
David Urpeth, a solicitor at law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "I welcome the fine imposed following this tragic yet avoidable work accident.
"Employers have a duty to provide employees with safe and suitable work equipment which is properly maintained.
"Employers are also under a duty to provide workers with suitable personal protective equipment designed to prevent injury in the event of an accident at work.
"Sadly, I regularly encounter cases where I have to help an injured or killed worker pursue a compensation claim following an industrial accident in circumstances that could easily have been avoided."
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Do you need to defrost frozen meat quickly?
Conversely, when you blink frozen meat, it freezes so quickly that no ice crystals form between the fibers of your meat. When you thaw frozen meat, you will be keeping all the nutrients and juices in the meat rather than down the drain!
Can you cook a frozen steak?
Not only can you make a frozen steak without thawing it, it’s tastier, too, writes the food magazine. Then fry the steaks in oil for 90 seconds on each side, then place them in the oven at 275 degrees Celsius until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees Celsius.
How to make a quick steak?
Heat a large, heavy skillet or grill until very hot. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for at least 2 minutes. Depending on thickness, cook steaks for a total of 2-3 minutes for rare; 3 to 4 minutes for medium cooking and 4 to 5 minutes for well done cooking.
Can you defrost beef at the seabass?
Raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products, as well as any perishable food, should be kept at a safe temperature during “severe thawing”. They are safe indefinitely when frozen. Perishable foods should never be thawed on the baking sheet or in hot water and should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
How long can a steak be thawed on the baking sheet?
However, as soon as they start to thaw and get hotter than 40 ° F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can start to multiply. Perishable foods should never be thawed on the baking sheet or in hot water and should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
How long do you cook a frozen steak in the oven?
After frying the steak in oil, you will finish it in the oven at a low temperature of 275 ° F. This indirect heat will prepare the middle of the steak. Since your steak is still frozen in the center, this will take a little longer than usual: around 45 minutes. Do not leave anything to chance.
Is frozen steak as good as it is fresh?
Cooking with fresh beef will always be the best way to make steak, but it turns out that using frozen steak is your best option. His team found that frozen steak not only loses less moisture and cooks more evenly, but also tastes better than its thawed counterpart.
How to quickly defrost a steak?
The best way to quickly thaw a steak is to simply fill a large container with cold water, place your steak in a resealable plastic bag, and soak it in water. If your steak is frozen separately in a vacuum bag, it’s a good idea to leave the steak in the bag when you soak it.
How to cook a frozen steak without thawing it?
The key is to set the fire on two levels by placing the frozen steaks directly over the main heat source for about 7 minutes per side until they are golden brown all over. Once they have a nice crust on them, it’s time to let the indirect heat handle the rest and move them 6 inches away from the heat source.
Can you cook frozen meat in the oven?
Finally, Meatsafety.org states, “It is safe to cook frozen meat or poultry in the oven, on the stovetop or on the grill without thawing; the cooking time can be approximately 50 percent longer. “Do not cook frozen meat or poultry in a slow cooker. So you are free to take off. Start cooking and freezing.
How long do you fry a 2 inch steak?
Grease a preheated pan with oil, then add the steaks. They should squeal loudly. Simmer, 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside and sparse on the inside. Leave the meat on a plate for at least 5 minutes after cooking.
How does Gordon Ramsey fry a steak?
Put the pan on the stove and heat it to medium temperature. Season the steak with salt and pepper and distribute it evenly. Put a little olive oil on the pan. Put your meat in the pan. After 30 seconds, use tongs and flip the steak. To add some flavor to the steak, add butter and garlic (and thyme).
How long do you cook a well-done steak on the stove?
Flip the steaks when they are easily released and the bottoms turn dark brown, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook the steaks for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the second side for rare to medium rare doneness. (For a medium level, cook 4 to 5 minutes on the second side; for a well done cooking, cook 5 to 6 minutes on the second side).
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Learn to Manage or work in a vineyard
Do you want to start your own vineyard?
- Increase your knowledge of viticulture
- Study horticulture to provide you with a greater depth of knowledge in growing and managing plants and crops.
- A course designed for people working, or intending to work, in grape production.
- The course is structured in two parts - the core units provide a detailed foundation of studies in horticulture, and these are then followed by specialist stream units focusing on the production of grapes for wine, drying, or fresh fruit.
- In addition to assignments throughout the course, to pass the Certificate In Horticulture (Viticulture) students are to sit and pass two exams for the core studies and two for the stream. (Course fees do not include exam fees).
- Options to spread course payments over 4 instalments - the single payment is discounted over the instalment options, in addition, a 5% discount is given for the online study method option.
Course Content and Structure
Half of the course (the Core) provides a broad based foundation that is relevant to both growing grapes or growing any other type of plant. This broad foundation is important in two respects:
- It will give you a broader perspective on the world in which we grow grapes, helping you to appreciate different climates, different techniques, and the science that underpins all good horticulture.
- It will give you the capacity to adapt and earn an income from more than just growing grapes, if your interests or needs change throughout your career.
The second half of the course (the Stream), is squarely focused on growing grapes and other aspects of working in Viticulture. It gives you a very sound foundation for a business or employment in this industry.
The Core Units comprise fifteen lessons and are divided into the following sections:
- Introduction to Plants
- Plant Culture
- Soils and Nutrition
- Plant Identification and Use
- Pests, Diseases and Weeds
Core lessons are grouped into the following units.
1. Introduction to Plants (40 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to explain the binomial system of plant classification and demonstrate identification of plant species through the ability of using botanical descriptions for leaf shapes and flowers.
- Describe the relevant identifying physical features of flowering ornamental plants.
- Demonstrate how to use prescribed reference books and other resources to gain relevant information.
- Dissect, draw and label two different flowers.
- Collect and identify the shapes of different leaves.
- Demonstrate how to identify between family, genus, species, variety and cultivar.
2. Plant Culture (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to demonstrate the ability to care for plants so as to maintain optimum growth and health while considering pruning, planting, and irrigation.
- Describe how to prune different plants.
- Demonstrate how to cut wood correctly, on the correct angle and section of the stem.
- Describe how to plant a plant.
- Demonstrate an awareness of different irrigation equipment, sprinklers, pumps and turf systems available by listing their comparative advantages and disadvantages.
- Demonstrate competence in selecting an appropriate irrigation system for a garden, explaining why that system would be preferred.
- Define water pressure and flow rate and how to calculate each.
- Explain the need for regular maintenance of garden tools and equipment.
- List factors that should be considered when comparing types of machinery for use in garden maintenance.
3. Soils and Plant Nutrition (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to identify, work with, and improve the soil condition and potting mixes, and to evaluate fertilisers for use in landscape jobs to maximise plant growth.
- Describe the soil types commonly found in plant culture in terms of texture, structure and water-holding and nutrient holding capacity.
- Describe methods of improving soil structure, infiltration rate, water holding capacity, drainage and aeration.
- List the elements essential for plant growth.
- Diagnose the major nutrient deficiencies that occur in ornamental plants and prescribe treatment practices.
- Describe soil pH and its importance in plant nutrition.
- Describe the process by which salting occurs and how to minimise its effect.
- Conduct simple inexpensive tests on three different potting mixes and report accordingly.
- Describe suitable soil mixes for container growing of five different types of plants.
- List a range of both natural and artificial fertilisers.
- Describe fertiliser programs to be used in five different situations with ornamental plants.
4. Introductory Propagation (40 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student's understanding of propagation techniques with particular emphasis on cuttings and seeds. Other industry techniques such as grafting and budding are also explained.
- Demonstrate propagation of six (6) different plants by cuttings and three from seed.
- Construct a simple inexpensive cold frame.
- Mix and use a propagation media suited to propagating both seed and cuttings.
- Describe the method and time of year used to propagate different plant varieties.
- Describe and demonstrate the steps in preparing and executing a variety of grafts and one budding technique.
- Explain the reasons why budding or grafting are sometimes preferred propagation methods.
5. Identification and Use of Plants (60 hours)
The purpose of this study area is to improve the student's range of plant knowledge and the plant use in landscaping and the ornamental garden, and the appreciation of the different optimum and preferred growing conditions for different plants.
- Select plants appropriate for growing in different climates.
- Select plants appropriate to use for shade, windbreaks, as a feature, and for various aesthetic effects.
- Categorise priorities which effect selection of plants for an ornamental garden.
- Explain the differences in the way plants perform in different microclimates within the same area.
- List and analyse the situations where plants are used.
6. Pests, Diseases and Weeds (50 hours)
The purpose of this study area is develop the student’s ability to identify, describe and control a variety of pests, diseases and weeds in ornamental situation, and to describe safety procedures when using agricultural chemicals.
- Explain in general terms the principles of pest, disease and weed control and the ecological (biological) approach to such control.
- Explain the host pathogen environment concept.
- Describe a variety of pesticides for control of pests, diseases and weeds of ornamental plants in terms of their active constituents, application methods, timing and rates, and safety procedures.
- Photograph or prepare specimens, identify and recommend control practices for at least five insect pests of ornamental plants.
- Photograph, sketch or prepare samples, identify and recommend control practices for three non insect ornamental plant health problems (e.g. fungal, viral, bacterial).
- Describe the major ways in which diseases (fungal, viral, bacterial and nematode) affect turf, the life cycle features that cause them to become a serious problem to turf culture and the methods available for their control.
- Identify, describe and recommend treatment for three different weed problems.
- Collect, press, mount and identify a collection of ten different weeds, and recommend chemical and non-chemical treatments which may be used to control each.
- List and compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of different weed control methods.
The Viticulture stream is divided into the following:
- Introduction to Viticulture
- Introduction to Grapevines
- Propagation of Grapevines
- Improving Grape Quality
- Climate and Other Factors In Siting Vineyards
- Grape Varieties and Selection
- Establishing a Vineyard
- Harvest and Post-harvest Handling
- Managing A Vineyard
- Machinery and Equipment
- Plant Nutrition
- Agricultural Chemicals
- Increasing Efficiency
Stream Unit Aims:
- Describe the nature and scope of the Viticulture industry throughout the world.
- Explain the physiology of the grape and the physiological processes of the plant.
- Outline propagation techniques used for grapevines.
- Describe the processes behind the improvement of grape quality (including pest and disease problems).
- Outline the climatic and other factors that should be considered in selecting a site for a vineyard.
- Describe commonly grown grape varieties that would and would not be suitable for growing in your area.
- Develop a procedure to establish a vineyard.
- Outline the harvesting and post handling procedures for grapes.
- Outline the management procedures and work program for a vineyard.
- Describe the type of equipment you will need to set and manage a vineyard.
- Outline irrigation equipment and procedures required in a vineyard.
- Explain plant nutritional requirements and outline a fertiliser program for a vineyard.
- Outline the characteristics of pesticides and herbicides and health and safety procedures for their use.
- Outline the supervisory structure in a vine yard.
- Outline methods of how to increase efficiency in a vineyard.
What is a Grape?
Grapes belong to the Vitaceae family. Within this family, only the genus Vitis is of any great interest to viticulture, although four of the nine genera in this family yield grapes. The Vitis genus includes some 60 to 80 evergreen and deciduous shrubs, mainly of a climbing habit, supporting themselves by tendrils.
Almost all commonly cultivated grapevines belong to the species Vitis vinifera, although other species have some use in viticulture: for rootstocks, materials for hybridisation and, in some circumstances, for actual grape production. The commonly grown grape vine (Vitis vinifera – also known as the European Grape) originated from Asia Minor and has been carried with civilisation for thousands of years throughout history. Vitis vinifera was taken to Mexico by the Spaniards. English settlers took Old World grapes with them and planted them along the Atlantic seaboard.
These however failed due to the presence of the insect phylloxera, and fungus diseases like Black Rot, Downy Mildew and Powdery Mildew, as well as deleterious effect of low winter temperatures and hot humid summers.
Vitis vinifera requires a warm temperate climate, with minimum temperatures of -2°C while dormant,
-1°C at bud burst and -0.5°C when in full flower. The root system is deep, and as such can draw water from lower levels of the soil; hence the need for high rainfall or irrigation is only moderate. Effective irrigation methods in suitable climates can, however, improve quality and quantity of yields.
The vine does not tolerate wet soils in summer but will tolerate some wetness in winter.
When on a trellis it will tolerate wind reasonably well, but not strong gale force winds. Though sandy soils are preferred, grapes will tolerate most soils provided they are deep and well drained.
Some other grape species that are of significance to viticulture include:
- Vitis amurensis
- Vitis labrusca
- Vitis riparia
- Vitis rupestris
- Vitis berlandeieri
- Vitis aestivalis
- Vitis cinerea
- Vitis rotundifolia
The Genera Vitis and Muscadinia
Plants from both of these genera are called “grapes”. The world viticulture industry concentrates on growing cultivars of Vitis vinifera. Cultivars of other species from both genera are however grown for edible fruit in various parts of the world.
Vitis has forked tendrils, sheds its bark, has a diaphragm (continuous pith) at the nodes, and elongated clusters with berries that stick to the pedicels at maturity.
Muscadinia has tight bark that does not shed, simple tendrils that do not fork, nodes without a diaphragm, and small clusterlets with berries that detach as they mature.
Vitis vinifera also have intermittent tendrils, thin, smooth shiny leaves with 3, 5, or 7 lobes. The berry size varies.
Species used for grape production
Vitis vinifera cultivars produce over 90% of the world's grapes, whether as pure vinifera or hybridised. The most important grape species used in North America are:
- Vitis labrusca - Concord, Niagara
- Vitis aestivalis - Norton, Delaware
- Vitis vulpina - Elvira, Clinton
- Vitis rotundifolia - Scuppernong, Eden, Muscadine
- Vitis rupestris - Rupestris St. George
The Concord variety makes about 80% of the total American production. Many grape varieties have been crossbred between species and even other hybrids to produce improved characteristics of the fruit, growth habit or even disease resistance.
Root stocks that exhibit resistance to phylloxera have become invaluable in the industry. Some of the American species used as root stock that have resistance are Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri, Vitis rupestris, Vitis aestivalis, Vitis cordifolia, and Vitis monticola.
Rootstocks that exhibit resistance to nematodes are also important. These include from America: Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis champini, Vitis candicans, and Vitis long.
An International Industry
The wine industry is truly international, with different countries recognised for certain grape varieties and styles of wine, to others aiming for particular value areas of the consumer market. Factors such as location, climate, environment, and soils will determine what types of grape variety are most appropriate for the vineyard.
Studying the Certificate In Horticulture (Viticulture) will provide you with a solid introduction to the wine industry, developing your knowledge of different grape varieties, how to grow them, how to manage them, and what processes you need to follow for harvesting your crop. Allied to this will be the valuable horticultural knowledge that you have developed in the first part of this course. This place you in a better position when managing your crops, but also provides you with the knowledge to consider other crop options in the future should you need to.
Our Students Say
"[The course] gave me extra knowledge of the industry that I am currently working in. It covered all aspects of the industry. I liked the way you had to work through each lesson/category I received excellent feedback from my tutor. I enjoyed the viticulture course, it has given me extra knowledge that I will use."James McKelvey, Vineyard Manager, Viticulture course.
Learn from Experts
The Certificate In Horticulture (Viticulture) has been developed by and is taught by highly knowledgeable experts. Students benefit from their support and guidance throughout their studies with us.
With ACS you also benefit from a very flexible approach to studies - our courses can be started at any time. They are self-paced meaning that you can fit your studies around your other work and life commitments. In addition, you have the options of eLearning or online studies - meaning you could even be studying in the middle of a vineyard if you so choose!
If you have any questions about the course, studying with ACSs, or you need help and guidance in selecting a plan of study to suit your goals, then get in touch using our Free Course Counselling Service. We will be pleased to help you.
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One of the methods aromatherapy operates is by scenting the air you breathe with therapeutic essences of the plants, bouquets, and trees. An Aromatherapy Diffuser assists transport the healing essences to your nose and respiratory program and can value minor or no money or hundreds of pounds. Below is a checklist of different types of diffusing techniques and products to aid you decide which aromatherapy diffuser or strategy is proper for your wants.
one) Aromatics: Simple and Cheap
Open up up your bottle of therapeutic crucial oils and sniff away. This is obviously low-cost and rapidly. You can also spot a couple of drops on a cotton ball and place it on your pillow when you are laying down, or on a tissue to preserve in your hand to smell. Use these techniques correct away, since the important oils will evaporate fairly quickly.
2) Lamp Rings
Lamp Rings are simple devises that are carefully laid on a common mild bulb. You very carefully add a pair drops of crucial oils into the ring and the warmth from the bulb releases the scent into the air.
3) Personal Aromatherapy Inhalers
These modest inhalers resemble a lipstick or lip balm tube. They have a small chamber that retains a unique wick. You include drops of your therapeutic essential oils into the chamber and seal it up. These can be carried in your pocket or purse and are a pretty and discreet way to inhale your favourite essences for therapeutic or emotional factors.
four) Candle Aromatherapy Diffusers: Also called Aroma Lamps or Essential Oil Burners
These varieties of aromatherapy diffusers use a water dish and tea mild candles for heat. They can come in 1, 2, or three-piece models. There is typically a stand that a reservoir sits on. Candle diffusers can be produced out of soapstone, glass, clay (pottery), or steel. Several are hand-carved and are very lovely. You area a tealight inside of the stand, or base, of the diffuser and add h2o to the dish on leading. You then location drops of your favored essential oils into the h2o and mild the candle. The warmth evaporates the scent into the air. These varieties of diffusers are sometimes utilized for ceremony or ritual reasons because the lights of the candle assists established intentions or generates sacred room.
five) Aromatherapy Jewelry
Aromatherapy Jewellery is a pretty way to appreciate the scent of pure important oils all through your working day. A single illustration is hand-created terra cotta pendants on which you place a fall or two of your favored essences. The terra cotta is porous and absorbs the oils to slowly and gradually release the scent into the air above time. They can be worn on a chain like a necklace or just put in a pocket or purse. There are also stunning lockets, pendants, or bottles that have specific wicks inside of that you location drops of important oils on. They are normally necklaces, important chains, or bracelets and can be fairly rather in silver and gold. Charges differ.
6) Electric powered Aromatherapy Diffusers, Enthusiast Blowers, Plug-Ins
These are very comparable to candle aromatherapy diffuser, other than that you plug them in instead of making use of a candle. The can be plugged immediately into an electrical outlet, while some makes are especially made for your car or USB port. They come in many distinct versions. Some use a supporter to blow the aromas into the air. Other folks use warmth evaporation. The two the electric and candle aromatherapy diffuser that use a drinking water dish are not able to be still left unattended.
seven) Aromatherapy (Spa) Misters
These models merge water, electricity, and a wonderful misting motion that diffuses the important oils into the air. They are chilly-drinking water programs and sometimes appear with soothing lights and appears. Individuals who do not want their vital oils heated, or who live in dry climates actually value these sorts of diffusers. Numerous of them shut off instantly when the drinking water level operates minimal.
Nebulizers are electrical units that ship micro-particles of important oils into the air. These are recommended for “ill rooms” or when coverage is necessary for a huge location. Utilizing www.zenix.ro -quality crucial oils for respiratory diseases with a nebulizer is really efficient. Only the pure important oil is diffused into the air as a quite fantastic mist. A lot more merchandise is typically used this way. Many nebulizers come with helpful timers and output controls. These can be the most high-priced aromatherapy diffusers and are employed in clinical, therapeutic massage, or healing settings.
An aromatherapy diffuser can support you take pleasure in the rewards of essential oils no matter whether they are for recreational or therapeutic reasons. You could find that you have a number of types at residence or perform for distinct scenarios.
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Samsung has released what it describes as the next generation of foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4,…
In news certain to buoy South African online retailers, a new research report released this week by independent technology research and strategy organisation, World Wide Worx has found that retail in South Africa has entered a phase of sustained acceleration.
‘The Online Retail in SA 2011’ study shows that the total spent on online retail goods in South Africa passed the R2 billion mark in 2010 for the first time. It reached R2,028 billion, a growth of over 30% with regard to the previous year.
With the industry consensus pointing to 40% growth this year, online retailers are even more bullish about 2011. This 40% growth would represent the highest rate of growth for online retail in South Africa in almost a decade.
“This dramatic rise in online retail comes in the wake of an ongoing increase in the number of experienced Internet users in South Africa”, says Arthur Goldstuck, managing director of World Wide Worx and principal analyst for the survey. “Last year there were 3.6-mlilion people who had been online for five years or more. By 2015, that figure will be 6.8-million — almost double the potential e-commerce market of today”.
According to Stats SA, 2010 saw traditional physical retail in South Africa reaching R561 billion. This means at a mere 0.36%, online retail still only makes up less than half a percent of total retail in South Africa. But at the same time, with the growth rate of online retail in South Africa in 2010 being four times that of physical retail — 30% vs 7% – this is rapidly changing.
Internationally, according to global online retail data analysed in the report, growth slowed in most regions during the global financial crisis, but did not turn negative. Industry estimates for the total value of global online retail in 2010 come to an average of about US$545 billion. The figure for 2009 was US$469 billion.
This indicates that whilst it still makes up a small proportion of total retail worldwide, globally, just as in South Africa, for now online retail is recession-proof.
“This shows us that online retail growth represents not a rise in shopping activity, but rather a shift in shopping activity, from the physical space to the online space”, says Goldstuck.
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Indian Pt. plant is a disaster in waiting
It's hard to believe that there is talk of keeping Indian Point open, considering the ongoing and out of control nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, which continually pours 80,000 gallons of highly radioactive water daily into the Pacific Ocean since the March 2011 meltdowns or the radioactive steam rising 24 hours a day from the sea water Japan pours on their three melted reactors to cool the molten radioactive fuel. Radioactive steam which rises and circles the globe comes down as rain. It is incomprehensible that we still have an aging nuclear plant so close to Manhattan, where some of the most populated and valuable real estate in the country exists when clean burning natural gas or even oil would be a far safer fuel, which has no such potential to make those areas forever uninhabitable.
We are playing with nuclear fire and the consequences of such foolishness has the potential of sending a new wave of refugees from those areas like the residents of Fukushima Japan experienced and who will never be able to return safely to their lands, businesses and homes which are contaminated with radioactive cancer-causing isotopes and cannot even be imagined by most Americans.
Surely we should no longer be thinking of this as clean energy when the potential radiological horrors which continue and shall continue in Japan indicate otherwise. It is time to shut it down and shut it down forever!
John Lynn Terry
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As you are through with the SSC’ Preliminary examination-2015 and must be anxiously waiting for the declaration of Preliminary examination held on 9th and 16th of August 2015 respectively, there are some common mistakes that many aspirants generally commit during this critical time period before the declaration of the pre result. Here are some SUTRAS that can help you immensely in ensuring your success in the ensuing SSC Mains examination.
- Please DONOT wait for Pre result to come out while starting the preparation for the mains examination.
- Start preparing for the mains examination quickly after you are through with the Pre examination (already 19 days have lapsed!!) as it is understood that you have really prepared hard for the Pre examination and you must be quite sure about succeeding the prelims.
- As you all know that in Mains ONLY English and Quant is tested, so the first thing that you must do is quickly go through the syllabus of these subjects as given in the notification, analyse very thoroughly as to what are your strong and what are your weak areas in both the subjects respectively.
- Be very clear as to what exactly is your weak areas of concern, do a microanalysis of these subjects, as soon as you arrive at the conclusion, please use all the resources to master the area by solving as many questions as possible available to you on that particular area / topic.
- In this process of mastering your weak areas , if you strongly feel the need to revisit the concept , please do that and use standard resources in doing that. Ensure that the so perceived ‘weak areas’ turns into ‘strong areas’. This is the real area of HARD WORK, so do your level best to convert ‘WEAK’ into ‘Strong’, areas. Take help of Faculty, Conceptual Books, Friends and Help from Internet, You tube and various other useful websites to master the areas of your concern.
- In order to strengthen your fundamentals, PRACTICE, as much as questions from standard sources , like Funda books , Class exercises, and other standard resources.
- Last but NOT the least, please start practicing quality mocks on daily basis once you are through with the building of Fundamentals and practicing questions as much as possible.
Kindly do take the mock(s) at the actual designated time of the actual Main examination so that you are acclimatised to the actual examination scenario and gradually you start performing at your best within that particular time period.
- Please solve mocks at your discretion, it can be 1 or 2 in a day depending upon your level of preparedness and willingness to do the mocks, but please ENSURE that you analyse the MOCKS You must see the solution of the mocks given at the answers and explanation section, see both the type of questions and their solutions , the ones you are able to solve easily and the ones which you could not solve , learn if there are any short cuts involved in solving the questions and internalise them .
In ensuring that you stick to achieve your goal , would like to quote Swami Vivekananda who said ‘Arise , Awake and Stop NOT till the goal is reached.’
At the end, we are very sure if you follow the above given advises thoroughly then, SUCCESS is bound to follow.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome!!
Wish You All The Very Best !!
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Francis Bacon’s London studio reconstructed in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin.
The artist in his studio has been a source of fascination at least since Velázquez painted himself paintingLas Meninas, his portrait of the Infanta Margarita of Spain and her companions. Painters (and, more rarely, photographers) have long depicted themselves hard at work—standing or seated at the easel, studying the model, or even entertaining collectors and dealers. Props and costumes, brushes and easels: all the accoutrements of the artist’s livelihood might find their way into the finished canvas.
“The raw materials of art are on view in the studio painting,” says Pepe Karmel, associate professor of art history at New York University. In canvases by Rembrandt or Delacroix, he says, “you get the sense of the studio as a place of the imagination, where people dress up in costumes and create fictive realities which are then recorded.”
The studio painting was also a way for an artist to let an audience into his (or, very occasionally, her) world. It was a window into the creative process. That’s why museums have organized shows around the theme of the artist’s workplace, like “Lucian Freud: L’Atelier,” for example, at the Pompidou Center in Paris (through July 19). It focuses on the artist at work, beginning and ending with photographs and films of Freud in his London studio.
Today museums are using the Internet to connect visitors with the artist’s interior world: point and click and you can pull up images, watch a video, or send comments. Even the nature of the studio visit has changed enormously in the online era. “Basically, you sit down with the artist, and out comes the laptop,” notes Harry Philbrick, director of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
Philbrick recalls meeting with the Copenhagen-based installation artist Ann Lislegaard before her exhibition at the museum six years ago. “Nine months before the show, I wanted to do a studio visit with Ann. She was living at the time in New York, and she said, ‘Come meet me in Brooklyn.’ And the address was a coffee shop. And there’s Ann with her Mac, and she opened it up and said, ‘This is how I do a studio visit. All the content is right here on the machine.’ She had sound files, she had animation, she had videos, she had still photos of previous installations, but also files that were in preparation for new pieces, so you really were engaging with both existing work and work in creation, all directly from the laptop.”
Nevertheless, in spite of our high-tech era, people still crave access to that very private physical space where art comes into being, and museums have gone to great lengths to make the studio available to the public in all its immediacy. In 1998, six years after Francis Bacon’s death, his sole heir, John Edwards, gave the painter’s studio to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, where Bacon was born and lived until the age of 16. The gallery assembled a team of conservators, archeologists, and curators to inventory and move the workspace from Reece Mews in London to Dublin. “This is not a facsimile,” Barbara Dawson, director of the Hugh Lane, emphasizes. “We divided the studio into hundreds of parts, and every single item was taken out for relocation. We took the walls, we took the door—the door is absolutely beautiful, because it was used as his palette. We took the skylights, the floorboards. We even took the dust.”
In all, some 7,000 items have been logged into a Bacon database, and the unfinished works from his studio are also available to the public. “It’s become one of our chief attractions,” says Dawson, “and a major attraction for Dublin.”
Other museums have taken similar steps to bring the artist’s milieu to the public. The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, moved the illustrator’s converted carriage barn and all of its contents from his home to the museum grounds in 1986. For a reinstallation last year, the curators restored the space to “reflect an actual moment in Rockwell’s work life,” says museum deputy director and chief curator Stephanie Plunkett. The half-finished painting on the easel is a facsimile on canvas of Golden Rule, which appeared on a 1961 Saturday Evening Post cover. Contemporary photos helped the curators determine exactly what the studio looked like in that year. Seeing “what was on the walls, what were Rockwell’s references, his sources of inspiration,” Plunkett says, gives visitors “the feeling that the artist has simply just left the room, and they can plunge into the world he lived in at a specific moment in time.” (The installation continues through October.)
When the actual studio has not been available, institutions have offered facsimiles, such as architect Renzo Piano’s 1996 reconstruction, at the Pompidou, of Brancusi’s white-walled atelier. Brancusi willed part of his collection to the French state on condition that his studio be reconstituted as it was on the day he died, with his works in progress and tools in place.
The Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College designed what head of collections Nancy Weekly calls an “evocation” of Charles Burchfield’s studio from contents donated by family members and a neighbor, with additional input from a colleague of Burchfield’s who had visited the artist many times.
“It was like putting puzzle pieces together,” Weekly says. While planning the installation, Weekly and her team visited other artist home-studios that are open to the public: Olana, Frederic Edwin Church’s estate in the Hudson River valley; Chesterwood, Daniel Chester French’s retreat in Stockbridge, Massachusetts; and the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in Springs, New York.
Seeing an artist’s studio helps people understand art’s origins in time and place. For the 1998–99 Jackson Pollock retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the organizers, Karmel and the museum’s late director of painting and sculpture Kirk Varnedoe, thought it was important to re-create Pollock’s workplace in the exhibition.
After visiting the artist’s modest shed-studio in Springs, both curators came to believe that his working quarters had a huge impact on his paintings. “One of the things that struck Kirk and me when we went out to Springs was how small the studio was, how the paintings filled up the entire floor,” Karmel recalls. “There must have been a tremendous sense of compression in working on them—not quite claustrophobia, but an intensity that comes from making something so big in such a small space. And we had the intuition that that factors into the density of the pictures themselves.”
They considered doing photomurals based on Hans Namuth’s famous pictures of Pollock flinging paint onto canvas, “but Kirk didn’t particularly like that idea. He felt the physical quality of the studio, the roughness of the boards, the flimsiness of the structure, the fact that the wind could blow through—all these were equally important to capture,” Karmel says. In the end, they rebuilt the studio as a bare space and exhibited Namuth’s photos as well.
At the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, visitors can see the real thing, a modest outbuilding only 23 feet square inside. Reactions, reports director Helen Harrison, are “all over the map. Some people think it’s a work of art, which it isn’t. They think of the floor as a painting. They look at it and they see Pollock’s work in it without appreciating the fact that his paintings are composed in a way the floor is not. They also see the energy, they feel the energy, and to me that is the most interesting aspect of it—the same colors and the gestures that are reflected in the work. From that point of view, it can be very invigorating. People who are familiar with his work can make out where individual paintings were lying when he was working on them.”
A dollhouse-size version of Pollock’s work space, meanwhile, was shown three years ago at the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, New York, in Joe Fig’s exhibition of his miniaturized versions of artists’ studios—scaled one inch to the foot—that meticulously re-create each detail of the originals. Fig, who chronicled his process in his book Inside the Painter’s Studio (Princeton Architectural Press), replicated the spaces of artists ranging from Johns and Rauschenberg to contemporary painters Ryan McGinness, Inka Essenhigh, and Dana Schutz.
Most museums, of course, can’t offer a renowned artist’s studio to the public, though many do offer space and residencies to qualified candidates. Few, however, incorporate the artist at work as a kind of “living exhibition,” as does the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, which turns over part of its sixth floor to artists who toil there a few days a week for three or four months. In planning the layout for the two-year-old institution, explains director Holly Hotchner, “we wanted to have process embedded in the whole museum. So if you start your visit on the sixth floor, as we recommend, and work your way downward, you’re likely to encounter art that’s related to activities you’ve just seen.” Of course, Hotchner adds, the artists chosen for the program must have a particular kind of temperament. “Many have been teachers or are people who like to interact with the public,” she says.
A similar artist-in-residence project will be tested this July, when Anthony Campuzano takes over the second floor of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania for four weeks. Campuzano, whose text-based images are generally on a small scale, will work at a desk and table, and has invited four friends and mentors to teach the public some of the lessons that were significant to him as an undergraduate. Campuzano calls the space “a little oasis in the museum,” but he adds that he usually works at night, “when there’s no one else around. This is going to be an adjustment.”
An institution’s Web site is another tool for connecting artists and the public. P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in New York, in the “Studio Visit” section of its site, invites artists to upload images or videos of their studios and work, plus a short statement and résumé. The only requirement for inclusion is residency in the New York area. As of this writing, more than 950 artists were featured on the site. The Drawing Center in New York has a similar program, although it is curated and does not display images of the studio or e-mail addresses. By contrast, P.S.1 has regular “curator’s picks,” about ten at a time, chosen by professionals not affiliated with the institution.
Philbrick, of the Aldrich Museum, says he is expanding the online presence for artists on his museum’s Web site this fall. “We’re planning to work with a small group of artists we’ve been following,” he says. “We’ll ask them to create something like a blog, but they’ll have a page showing what they’re up to, what’s informing their thinking and creative process. And we’re hoping to make it interactive so that people can go online and ask questions.”
If the online revolution is changing the nature of the studio visit, so too has the studio itself changed dramatically. As Dominic Molon, associate curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, points out, we’ve come a long way from the prop-heavy, intimate spaces of Vermeer or Courbet. Today, many high-profile artists, like Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami, follow the Factory model established in the ’60s by Andy Warhol. (Koons has 120 employees to help fabricate his art.) It’s a way of making art that “moves beyond the standard studio comprising a professional artist working with one or two assistants, functioning instead like a business with multiple divisions of labor and numerous employees,” Molon wrote in an introduction to the museum’s recent show “Production Site: The Artist’s Studio Inside-Out.”
The exhibition examined the studio as a subject, presenting the interpretations of 14 artists. William Kentridge’s films, for example, showed him in the studio drawing and painting, with the edited footage playing both backward and forward, negating any sense of temporal continuity. Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss painstakingly re-created various objects found in their work space, fabricating 105 different pots, bowls, and tools, as well as boots and pillows, from painted polyurethane. And Justin Cooper’s short video, made while he was a resident at the Skowhegan art colony in Maine, was a playful response to his stay there, to “being subjected to numerous studio visits throughout the summer,” as he puts it, enduring “the intensity of having people, strangers really, coming through in an endless parade of opinion giving.”
In his five-minute film Studio Visit (2007), an unidentified creature, grunting behind a shaky handheld camera, enters the artist’s peaceful rural shed and tries to draw a vase of daylilies. When he fails in his savage scribbling, he trashes the space and its contents.
“It plays off the idea of the clichéd tortured genius, the artist who tries to create but can’t quite capture reality,” Cooper explains. (The video is on the artist’s Web site, nessiecoop.com.)
With the exponential growth in technology, materials, and global communication, the nature of the artist’s studio seems destined to mutate in ever more compelling ways. But one thing will probably remain constant: the spectator’s boundless curiosity to know what goes on in the hearts, minds, and physical spaces of people who pursue the creative life.
Ann Landi is a contributing editor of ARTnews.
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'Extraordinary donation' boosts Martha's Task's efforts for low-income women
In 20 years of providing job training and emergency assistance for low-income women, the staff at Martha's Task has never been quite as surprised by a donation like the one the organization received recently.
B-Sew Inn Sewing and Software Center, which operates sewing machine stores in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri, dropped off 59 brand-new Baby Lock sewing machines at the Bartlesville nonprofit's door.
"Over the years, B-Sew Inn has sent many of their customers from other towns to Martha's Task to visit us and donate fabric and sewing items here for our use," said Laura Walton, director of Martha's Task. "They have been incredibly supportive to us always, though this latest generous act tops them all."
The Bartlesville nonprofit group teaches low-income women in Washington, Osage and Nowata counties to become seamstresses and craft items that can be sold in the organization's Sew Original Gift Shop downtown or on their own.
The group has had a long relationship with B-Sew Inn's Tulsa store, which has serviced sewing machines donated to Martha's Task free of charge over the years.
"As the holidays were beginning in late 2020, B-Sew Inn called our office and indicated they wanted to do something special for us this year. Little did we dream what the end result would be," Walton said.
The company promoted Martha's Task online and at all of their store locations, which include Tulsa, Muskogee, Oklahoma City, Fayetteville, Arkansas and Springfield, Missouri.
B-Sew Inn encouraged customers to purchase Baby Lock sewing machines for $99 each and donate them to the Bartlesville organization.
Walton said that because the nonprofit provides graduates of its classes with sewing machines to use when they leave the office, these seamstresses will eventually get to take home a Baby Lock and sew projects from the comfort of their homes.
"Having the ability to work on new machines with which they are familiar is going to be a huge benefit to these seamstresses as they begin to sew more contract items for their own customers," she said.
Walton said B-Sew Inn's donation is wonderful on so many levels, especially because the sewing machines were purchased for the benefit of the Bartlesville-area community by people who live and work elsewhere.
"This is such an extraordinary donation for our Bartlesville nonprofit because it benefits our seamstresses tremendously," she said. "And it also has provided a profile boost to our organization outside of this community."
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Oracle's acquisition of InnoBase, the guys who developed the InnoDB storage engine, is interesting because it shows how significant open source database technology has become in the industry. Oracle, along with IBM, helped legitimize Linux in the enterprise, and are now endorsing open source database technology. Previously Oracle has said "Open source is great... for your operating system, but not your database." Last year I predicted that sooner or later all of the database companies would go open source. Since then we saw IBM open source Cloudscape as Apache Derby. Then CA open sourced Ingres. Now finally Oracle is getting into open source databases through the back door. At any rate, I think open source and closed source technology are going to co-exist for many years to come and this announcement will facilitate the adoption of open source in the enterprise.
While the announcement could create a bit of confusion in the short term, it also clearly demonstrates the strength of the GPL license. MySQL and the open source community and its users are free to continue to use, deploy, modify and enhance InnoDB regardless of who owns it. That's the beauty of GPL. It gives users the freedom from lock-in. And of course, InnoDB is just one of many pluggable storage engines for MySQL. Many of our users have written their own storage engines, and we've added two new ones into MySQL 5.0. I expect that more people will begin exploring the InnoDB code and writing their own custom storage engines. After all, InnoBase is just 3 guys, and its not too hard to write a storage engine. That's a beautiful thing!
BTW, the photo above, is me with Oracle VP Ken Jacobs from the MySQL User's Conference back in April. So we'll no doubt continue to work with InnoBase guys (and also with Oracle) as we have with many other software companies in the valley and around the world.
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The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
STOUT, JUANITA LOUISE KIDD (1919–1998).
Juanita Kidd Stout has the distinction of being the first African American woman elected judge in the United States and the first African American woman to serve on a state supreme court. Born on March 7, 1919, in Wewoka, Oklahoma, she was the only child of Henry Maynard and Mary Alice Chandler Kidd. Because her mother was a teacher, Juanita Kidd learned to read and play the piano at a very young age. After graduating from Douglass High School in Wewoka, she moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, in order to attend an accredited African American college. She attended Lincoln University, in Jefferson City, for two years. She then transferred to the University of Iowa and earned a bachelor of arts degree in music in 1939. Returning to Oklahoma, she taught music at Seminole and Sand Springs high schools from 1939 to 1942.
Juanita Kidd met Charles Otis Stout in Wewoka, and they married on June 23, 1942, in Washington, D.C. While her husband served in the army during World War II, Juanita Stout accepted a secretarial position at the Houston, Houston, Hastie, and Waddy law firm in the capital. There she worked directly with attorney Charles Hamilton Houston, known for his work on desegregation. Already a skilled typist and stenographer, she learned to take legal dictation. Stout enjoyed law and made the decision to become a lawyer. She attended Howard University School of Law in the District of Columbia before attaining two law degrees at Indiana University. She earned a juris doctorate in 1948 and a master of laws in 1954.
The Stouts moved to Philadelphia where Juanita Stout practiced law for five years before joining the district attorney's office. She later worked in the Common Pleas Court before being elected a Philadelphia municipal judge in 1959. Stout was reelected in 1969 and 1979. In January 1988 Pennsylvania's governor appointed her to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. At age seventy she was asked to step down because she had reached the mandatory retirement age. Stout returned to the Common Pleas Court and worked until her death in 1998. During Pres. John F. Kennedy's administration she was a special ambassador to the Kenya Independence Celebration and served on the White House Conference on Children and Youth.
During her lifetime Stout received numerous awards and eleven honorary doctorate degrees. In 1965 the National Association of Women Lawyers named her Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year. Her alma mater, the University of Iowa, presented her a Distinguished Service Award in 1974. In 1980 she received the Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Service Award from Oklahoma State University. Stout was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1983. Five years later the National Association of Women Judges named her Justice of the Year. In 2012 the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center was renamed the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice. Articles about Juanita Stout's career and accomplishments have appeared in magazines such as Life (1965), Time (1965), Ebony (1989), and Jet (1998).
Juanita Stout was a Democrat and an Episcopalian. The Stouts had no children. They had been married forty-six years when her husband passed away in 1988. Juanita K. Stout died from leukemia on August 21, 1998, in Philadelphia. She and her husband are buried in Westwood Cemetery in Wewoka, Oklahoma.
Black Chronicle (Oklahoma City), 10 February 1983 and 21 January and 24 March 1988.
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), 30 June 1974 and 22 August 1998.
Darlene Clark Hine, ed. Black Women in America, 2d ed., Vol. 3 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005).
New York Times, 24 August 1998.
Juanita Kidd Stout Collection, Research Division, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City.
"Juanita Kidd Stout," Vertical File, Oklahoma Room, Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City.
"Juanita Kidd Stout," Vertical File, Research Division, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City.
Tulsa (Oklahoma) World, 27 August 1998 and 4 February 2007.
The following (as per The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition) is the preferred citation for articles:
Linda D. Wilson, “Stout, Juanita Louise Kidd,” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=ST062.
© Oklahoma Historical Society
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d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
The constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court, and the government generally observed these requirements.
On May 15, Bavaria’s parliament expanded police powers. The law now enables the police to take preventive actions against an “impending danger.” Critics argued this gives Bavarian police the power to intervene even before an offense has taken place and may expand their surveillance power. In May the Social Democratic Party (SPD) sued to block the law in federal and state courts. In September the Greens, the Left, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) formed an alliance and sued in the Federal Constitutional Court to block the law. The case was continuing at year’s end.
ROLE OF THE POLICE AND SECURITY APPARATUS
Responsibility for internal and border security is shared by the police forces of the 16 states, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and the federal police. The states’ police forces report to their respective interior ministries; the federal police forces report to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (FOPC) and the state offices for the protection of the constitution (OPCs) are responsible for gathering intelligence on threats to domestic order and certain other security functions. The FOPC reports to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, and the OPCs report to their respective state ministries of the interior. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the police forces in all 16 states, as well as the BKA, the federal police, and the OPCs. The government has effective mechanisms to investigate and punish abuse, and there was a review of police behavior in Bonn following the 2017 G20 protests in Hamburg. There were no reports of impunity involving security forces during the year. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Amnesty International Germany noted there is no nationwide requirement for police to wear identity badges. While police are not required to wear identity badges in North Rhine-Westphalia, they are required to wear badges in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, and Saxony-Anhalt, as are riot police in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, and Thuringia.
ARREST PROCEDURES AND TREATMENT OF DETAINEES
Authorities must have a warrant issued by a judicial authority to arrest an individual. Police may also arrest individuals they apprehend in the act of committing a crime or if they have strong reason to suspect the individual intends to commit a crime. The constitution requires authorities to bring a suspect before a judicial officer before the end of the day following the arrest. The judge must inform the suspect of the reasons for his or her detention and provide the suspect with an opportunity to object. The court must then either issue an arrest warrant stating the grounds for continued detention or order the individual’s release. Authorities generally respected these rights.
Although bail exists, judges usually released individuals awaiting trial without requiring bail. Bail is only required in cases where a court determines that the suspect poses a flight risk. In such cases authorities may deny bail and hold detainees for the duration of the investigation and subsequent trial, subject to judicial review. The courts credit time spent in pretrial custody toward any eventual sentence. If a court acquits an incarcerated defendant, the government must compensate the defendant for financial losses as well as for “moral prejudice” due to his or her incarceration.
Detainees have the right to consult with an attorney of their choice, and the government provides an attorney at public expense if detainees demonstrate financial need. The law entitles a detainee to request access to a lawyer at any time including prior to any police questioning, and authorities must inform suspects of their right to consult an attorney before questioning begins.
d. Freedom of Movement, Internally Displaced Persons, Protection of Refugees, and Stateless Persons
The constitution provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation; the government generally respected these rights. The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, refugees, returning refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, or other persons of concern.
Abuse of Migrants, Refugees, and Stateless Persons: Authorities in various states continued to detain for up to 18 months some asylum seekers whose applications were rejected pending their deportation. Courts permit authorities also to deport rejected asylum seekers without advance notification. Authorities could only detain asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants awaiting deportation to a country within the EU under the Dublin III regulation if there was evidence they posed a flight risk. In March authorities were holding 82 rejected asylum seekers pending deportation.
The government deported asylum seekers while their applications were pending review. One Uighur had an asylum hearing scheduled for the day he was returned to China, but state-level officials stated they did not receive a notification fax from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) (see below, Refoulement). On August 13-15, the Council of Europe’s Committee to Prevent Torture monitored treatment of unsuccessful asylum seekers during a charter flight returning them to Afghanistan.
Assaults on refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants; and attacks on government-provided asylum homes continued during the first half of the year. In February a man stabbed three refugees in the city of Heilbronn, Baden-Wuerttemberg. The attack severely injured a 25-year-old Iraqi man, and the other two men sustained minor injuries. In June prosecutors charged the suspect with attempted murder.
In-country Movement: Authorities issued three types of travel documents to stateless individuals, those with refugee and asylum status, and foreigners without travel documents. Stateless individuals received a “travel document for the stateless.” Those with recognized refugee and asylum status received a “travel document for refugees.” Foreigners from non-EU countries received a “travel document for foreigners” if they did not have a passport or identity document and could not obtain a passport from their country of origin.
Several states had an assigned residence rule requiring refugees with recognized asylum status to live within a specific city for a period of three years. As of April the states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt implemented the residence rule. Local authorities who supported the rule stated it facilitated integration and enabled authorities to plan for increased infrastructure needs, such as schools. In September the administrative court in Muenster, North Rhine-Westphalia, ruled that, while North Rhine-Westphalia could require those with recognized refugee status to live within the state, it could not require them to live in a specific city.
PROTECTION OF REFUGEES
Refoulement: In August, Bavarian authorities deported a 22-year-old Uighur man to China (see above Abuse of Refugees, Migrants, and Stateless Persons) prior to his asylum hearing. The asylum seeker’s lawyer was unable to establish contact with his client following his deportation and feared that Chinese authorities had detained him. In December the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the Uighur man had been arrested in China, and that they were working to have him returned to Germany.
In June the government lifted its deportation ban for Afghanistan, and three states began deportations to that country. Previous federal policy only permitted deportations of convicted criminals and those deemed a security risk. In August, 700 demonstrators in Munich protested the policy change. NGOs including Amnesty International criticized the policy as a breach of the principle of refoulement.
Access to Asylum: The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. The country faced the task of integrating approximately 1.3 million asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants who arrived between 2015 and 2017 as well as an additional 110,324 who requested asylum during the first six months of the year. The heavy influx of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants taxed the country’s infrastructure and resources.
The NGO Pro Asyl criticized the “airport procedure” for asylum seekers who arrive at the country’s airports. Authorities stated the airport procedure was used only in less complex cases, and that more complex asylum cases were referred for processing through regular BAMF channels. Authorities maintained that only persons coming from countries that the government identified as “safe”–the member states of the European Union, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ghana, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Senegal, and Serbia–and those without valid identification documents could be considered via the “fast track procedure.” The “fast track procedure” enabled BAMF to decide on asylum applications within a two-day period, during which asylum applicants were detained at the airport. If authorities denied the application, the applicant had the right to appeal. Appeals were processed within two weeks, during which the applicant was detained at the airport. If the appeal was denied, authorities deported the applicant. The NGO Fluechtlingsrat Berlin criticized a similar “fast track” or “direct” procedure applied to some asylum seekers in Berlin. The organization claimed asylum applicants were not provided with sufficient time and access to legal counsel.
In April, BAMF suspended the head of its Bremen branch amid allegations the official improperly approved up to 2,000 asylum applications. According to media reports, the official colluded with three lawyers and a translator between 2013 and 2017 to divert Yazidi applicants to Bremen. In May the Chief Public Prosecutor in Nuremberg announced an investigation of BAMF President Jutta Cordt for failing to prevent the practices in Bremen. The Federal Court of Auditors is currently auditing BAMF, and the allegations prompted a large-scale internal BAMF review of 2018 asylum cases.
In August the government resumed issuance of family reunification visas for those with subsidiary protection, a measure suspended in late 2016. The government is authorized to approve reunification visas for up to 1,000 family members per month–defined as spouses, minor children, or parents–of individuals who have subsidiary protection.
In February a Yazidi woman with refugee status living in Schwaebisch Gmuend (Baden-Wuerttemberg) reportedly encountered the ISIS member who tortured and raped her in Iraq in 2014. The case raised concerns about the government’s ability to protect refugees and screen migrants for ties to ISIS and other terror groups. The woman reported the case to the police, who opened an investigation. Police stated, however, that they were unable to locate the perpetrator, who was not registered as a refugee or resident in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The woman reported she felt unsafe, and she returned to Iraq. In June the federal attorney general’s office in Karlsruhe opened an investigation in the case, which continued at year’s end. The Baden-Wuerttemberg interior ministry’s spokesperson reported there were seven reports of Yazidi women encountering their attackers in Germany, one of which was found to be unsubstantiated.
Safe Country of Origin/Transit: The country adheres to the EU’s Dublin III regulation, which permits authorities to turn back or deport individuals who entered the country through the “safe countries of transit,” which include the EU member states, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The government did not return asylum seekers to Syria. The government defines “safe countries of origin” to include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ghana, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Senegal, Serbia, and EU states. The NGO Pro Asyl pointed out that refugees who under the Dublin III regulation fell into another EU state’s responsibility but could not be returned to that country, often remained in a legal grey zone. They were not allowed to work or participate in integration measures including German language classes.
Employment: Persons with recognized asylum status were able to access the labor market without restriction; asylum seekers whose applications were pending were generally not allowed to work during their first three months after applying for asylum. According to the Federal Employment Agency, approximately 482,000 refugees were unemployed as of July. Refugees and asylum seekers faced several hurdles in obtaining employment, including lengthy review times for previous qualifications, lack of official certificates and degrees, and limited German language skills.
The law excludes asylum seekers from countries considered “safe countries of origin” and unsuccessful asylum seekers who cannot be returned to the country through which they first entered the area covered by the Dublin III regulation from certain refugee integration measures, such as language courses and access to employment opportunities. The government did not permit asylum seekers and persons with a protected status from “safe countries of origin” to work if they applied for asylum after August 2015.
Access to Basic Services: State officials retain decision-making authority on how to house asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants, and whether to provide allowances or other benefits.
Pro Asyl criticized a refugee center in Manching, Bavaria, that was converted into a “transit center” in May. The center housed more than 1,000 refugees and could process asylum applicants in one location from start to finish. Critics claimed the center’s isolated location in an industrial area and a policy that did not allow NGOs to access the center made it difficult for refugees to seek legal counsel and enroll in education and language programs.
Several states, including Berlin, Brandenburg Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia, provided medical insurance cards for asylum seekers. The insurance cards allow asylum seekers to visit any doctor of their choice without prior approval by authorities. In other states asylum seekers received a card only after 15 months, and community authorities had to grant permits to asylum seekers before they could consult a doctor. The welfare organization Diakonie, however, criticized the medical insurance card system, which only enabled asylum seekers to access emergency treatment. Local communities and private groups sometimes provided supplemental health care.
Durable Solutions: The government accepted for resettlement and facilitated the local integration (including naturalization) of refugees who had already fled their countries of origin, particularly for refugees belonging to vulnerable groups. Such groups included women with children, refugees with disabilities, victims of trafficking in persons, and victims of torture or rape. Authorities granted residence permits to long-term migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants who could not return to their countries of origin.
The government assisted with the safe and voluntary return to their homes of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants. In the first half of the year, authorities provided financial assistance to 1,500 individuals to facilitate voluntary returns to their country of origin. Beneficiaries were either rejected asylum seekers or foreigners without valid identification. The number of voluntary return beneficiaries decreased during the year, which BAMF attributed to the overall decrease in asylum seekers in the country.
The government also offered a return bonus of 800 to 1,200 euros ($920 to $1,380) per person to asylum seekers whose applications are pending but who are unlikely to have their applications approved. Among others, refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan extensively used the program.
Temporary Protection: The government provides two forms of temporary protection–subsidiary and humanitarian–for individuals who may not qualify as refugees. In the first six months of the year, the government extended subsidiary protection to 15,542 persons. This status is usually granted if a person does not qualify for refugee or asylum status but might face severe danger in his or her country of origin due to war or conflict. During the same period, 6,639 individuals were granted humanitarian protection. Humanitarian protection is granted if a person does not qualify for any form of protected status, but there are other humanitarian reasons the person cannot return to his or her country of origin (for example, unavailability of medical treatment in their country of origin for a health condition). Both forms of temporary protection are granted for one year and may be extended. After five years a person under subsidiary or humanitarian protection can apply for an unlimited residency status if he or she earns enough money to be independent of public assistance and has a good command of German.
UNHCR reported 13,458 stateless persons in the country at the end of 2017. Some of these persons lost their previous citizenship when the Soviet Union collapsed or Yugoslavia disintegrated. Others were Palestinians from Lebanon and Syria whom the government registered as stateless.
Laws and policies provide stateless persons the opportunity to gain citizenship on a nondiscriminatory basis. Stateless persons may apply for citizenship after six years of residence. Producing sufficient evidence to establish statelessness could often be difficult, however, because the burden of proof is on the applicant. Authorities generally protected stateless persons from deportation to their country of origin or usual residence if they faced a threat of political persecution there.
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|The Thomas Factor:
Using Your Doubts to Draw Closer to God
| by Gary R. Habermas
Originally published by Broadman & Holman: Nashville, TN (1999)
This is an electronic copy of the entire book.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Defining Religious Doubt
Our newspaper headlines tell the story. We are winning the battle against many dreaded diseases, but new ones are taking their places. Instead of physical calamities like tuberculosis, polio, typhoid fever, and malaria, we have made a switch. Now we have traded for emotional sicknesses like anxiety disorders and various kinds of clinical depression. The latter may even be far worse than the former. Perhaps more common, especially on less severe scales, many think that the emotional sicknesses affect life far more, are more difficult to deal with, and are far more painful than their physical counterparts.
Some have called the last few decades the “Age of Anxiety.” It seems that few descriptions provide a better idea of what this generation is about. We are worriers. We are concerned about every conceivable sort of situation. Yes, almost gone are the days when Russia pushing the button is our chief distress. Gone, too, is the apprehension that I or some loved one might be drafted to fight in some foreign jungle.
But new problems have taken their places. Will I get AIDS? Can my children even be raised today without contacting many opportunities for drugs and pre-marital sex? What if they make the wrong decision, especially given contemporary forms of peer pressure? Will some crazed individual walk into our local school or restaurant and open fire? We have heard that so-called Generation X is the first generation to conclude that their world will be worse than that of their parents. What does that mean?
In some ways our questions have grown more philosophical, too. Are traditional values passé? Is anything always right or wrong, or does it depend on the situation? Is it even possible to find Truth today (with a capital “T”)? Can something be true for me and not for you?
Given our penchant to worry, is it any surprise that our fretting has moved over into the religious realm, too? Why should this be any different from the rest of our life? On the one hand, believers would like to think that, when it comes to their faith, they are rock-solid. Nothing should ever affect me there. But on the other hand, maybe I’ve never been particularly successful conquering worry wherever it rears its unwanted head. So why should my beliefs be any different? Thus, for many Christians today, few things seem to be more common than questions about one’s faith.
Reflecting a bit further on the topic, it might occur to us that, in some ways, religious doubt is not all that different from non-religious doubt. Both of these are concerned with topics that are very dear to us. After all, why would we waste time thinking about something that doesn’t really matter one way or the other? And both can also involve similar thinking patterns. “What if I get AIDS?” or “What if I get fired?” are not that much different from “What if I’m really not saved?” Of course, a difference lies in the fact that religious questions concern God, Who should be our chief concern (Matt. 22:37-38). But is this always the way it is in life? While convicting, it is just not the case that believers are always most concerned about the things of God.
Somehow it’s comforting to learn that other Christians almost always experience doubts about their own beliefs, too. The experts tell us that being worried by both religious and non-religious questions is simply a normal part of human life and development. In particular, religious questions of one sort or another have occurred to virtually everyone at some time.
This book is for Christians who doubt. It is addressed to those who are uneasy about their faith in any of several ways. But more specifically, we are chiefly interested in questions that take an emotional form. What happens when our faith somehow gets messed up with our anxieties? What do I do when worries about life shift to my most personal and cherished beliefs? Why must faith seem so difficult? Doesn’t God care that I am really hurting? But I have always heard that true Christians don’t have these thoughts, so am I not really saved, then? At the final Judgment, will Jesus say that He never knew me? I don’t seem to remember many of the saints in the Bible fighting these sorts of battles.
Our primary purpose is to address this emotional side of faith, as a symptom of the larger problem of worry. How do we overcome emotional hurdles to our belief? How do I keep believing what I know is true? Why can’t I just rest in my faith and enjoy the Christian life? Or conversely, when I’m worried, why can’t the solution be an easy one? Why can’t I just take two aspirins and go to bed? Why must it all be so complicated?
A Personal Quest
I am not a psychologist. This is not a psychology text. I have come to these issues from an intensely personal perspective. I questioned my own faith for ten straight years, then off and on for perhaps another five years. It got to the point where these matters were the predominant thoughts in my mind. They were the last thing I contemplated when I crawled, exhausted, into bed. They were the first items to greet me when I rose in the morning: “Where did I leave off the night before?” I hated (This may still not be a strong enough term!) my doubts with every fiber of my being. I wondered if I would ever overcome them, or if it was even possible to do so.
These questions pushed me on a personal quest. The area of apologetics (defending the faith) quickly became my favorite topic of study. I told myself repeatedly that a good dose of evidences would solve all of my doubts. What I found out, many years and thousands of books later, was that having a firm foundation was always helpful as a base. However, while it could certainly address certain sorts of questions, it was impotent against other forms of doubt. That was a shock. But that lesson came chiefly from listening to others and reflecting on what I had learned.
Another important personal discovery came during the time when I pastored a couple of churches. I realized that some kinds of uncertainty were also the most common questions I heard in pastoral counseling. I finished my doctorate and began teaching college and the lesson continued. Probably because they discovered a “fellow doubter,” as one student proclaimed, I started to attract others who were similarly plagued. More and more people called, and they surprisingly included both unbelievers as well as believers. It seemed that this was a subject that affected most people at some time.
Early in the process, I began to take notes. I kept a card file on each person, including their specific type of question, how it originated, and what approach seemed most to help. Each time, I sought to uncover and record a specific lesson. Surprisingly, the numbers mounted to over one hundred hurting persons. At several points, I was shocked. Doubt was becoming much more multi-faceted than I had ever imagined. And the same solution that helped one person was very frequently not what the next person needed. I had to be versatile!
I was intrigued by these differences. I tried to think through each aspect very carefully. Why were there different starting points? Why did doubt seem so emotionally-based on some occasions but not others? Why did some doubters barely seem to care that they were bothered? Some questions appeared to be rather simple, while others were compounded by multiple factors. The differences could not all be explained on the basis of the various personalities involved.
Theory very quickly became melded to practice. It had to be or I would soon have nothing to say to those who sought advice. It was one thing to lecture on the subject. It was another to go through it oneself. But it was different again to be asked by a hurting individual to help them quiet the pain. All these various aspects needed to be combined. Something needed to make sense of the loose ends. Where was a theory that was large enough that, like an umbrella, it could shield those who sat under it?
This book is a popular attempt to share what I found over these years of personal experience, study, lecturing, and sharing. It is written to Christians who are either suffering from doubt or who want to assist others who are hurting. It is not a technical text. It is written in a popular style with the hope that the lack of specialized jargon and references to dozens of other books will help those who struggle. For those who are interested, an earlier, different volume, contained in the bibliography, provides more of the theory involved.
Achieving our goal will involve accomplishing two major purposes. Initially, we will survey the subject in the first five chapters. Few topics involve so much confusion and so many mistaken beliefs. Frequently the truth is precisely the opposite of what we have been taught. Pain often results from trying to reconcile contradictory advice. That’s one reason why an overview is so important. Like a medical problem, unless the dilemma is correctly identified, it may never be properly treated.
There are also different species of doubt. We will zero in on the three major types, concentrating on emotional doubt, in particular. It is probably the most common, as well as the most painful, variety. It demands a remedy. In the second half of the book, our central theme is to address the more obvious side-effects of emotional doubt and attempt to provide some hints for its successful treatment. Achieving a workable solution is important in order to deal with the contorted thinking, as well as the amount of pain, that are sometimes involved.
While emotional doubt can still produce many positive consequences, it frequently also causes situations that demand attention. We want to profile its nature, as well as provide some hints for dealing with this common modern phenomenon.
Along the way, I will use many illustrations and stories about people who have dealt with religious uncertainty. In no case is a specific person being discussed, to avoid any identification. Rather, I have changed names, significant circumstances, and other details, or used composites that reproduce typical questions that I have heard in twenty years of listening and lecturing on this topic. Still, I have concentrated on the essence of the situation so the reader can benefit from it.
Varieties of Doubt
Have you ever questioned the existence of God? That the Bible is really God’s Word to us? What about difficult texts in Scripture, or the miracles that are recorded there? Do supernatural items like these seem difficult to believe for modern persons in the twenty-first century?
What about your own faith? Have you ever wondered if you were truly a Christian? Or questioned whether you said the right words when you trusted Christ as your Savior? How much repentance is enough? What if you’re pretty sure that you did the right thing, but you just want to be more sure?
How strong is your motivation to follow God? How about the strength of your faith--do you question God easily? Does your belief fluctuate, seemingly dependent on what is happening in your life or how you are doing on a particular day? Or do you think it would take a lot for you to doubt the truth of Christianity? Do you ever feel like you don’t want to follow Jesus any more?
Welcome to the subject of religious doubt! It comes in several forms and is far more common than most believers think. Later we will discuss three different species of uncertainty: factual, emotional, and volitional. I characterize them this way both because they seem to have three different root causes, as well as responding best to three sorts of solutions. But we will say more about all of this in chapter 4.
These three species of doubt can each be sub-divided into the most common categories of questions. To complicate things further, however, the same question does not always indicate the same root cause. Frequently it is the case that it is not what is being asked as much as it is why and how is it being asked. This is just another reason why the topic can be a maze of problems and proposed solutions.
One familiar category concerns whether certain aspects of Christianity are true. Another is the commonly expressed need of personal assurance of salvation: how do I know if I really am saved? Uncertainty also comes in the form of other common questions. Why do bad things happen to those who try their best to follow the Lord? Why aren’t our prayers answered? It would seem that most believers have wrestled at some time with notions such as these.
Cindy was a young believer who had been taught that doubt was merely a synonym for unbelief. While struggling with her own assurance of salvation, she met Sarah, a Christian who openly asked questions about several aspects of Christianity. Cindy became confused one day when she heard Sarah comment: “There’s really no difference, you know. One sort of question about God is the same an another.” Startled, Cindy never asked Sarah what she meant. Were both of them doing the same thing? Privately, Cindy began to worry that perhaps neither of them was truly saved.
In the New Testament there are at least a half dozen Greek words that describe the general condition that we have called doubt. They can also have other meanings, as well, such as puzzlement or wondering. When used in the sense that is relevant for us, key meanings include uncertainty or hesitation between two positions, but there are differences. Interestingly, they are applied to believers and unbelievers alike.
For example, using the most common word for doubt (diakrino), James describes the man who asks God for faith but who wavers concerning whether he thinks God will grant the request. This individual is described as being unsettled (Js. 1:5-8). Using the same term, Jude instructs believers to have mercy on doubters (Jude 22), who, in the context, were apparently affected by false teachers (vs. 17-23). Matthew mentions that Jesus’ followers doubted (distazo) Him on occasion (14:31; 28:17). In the former instance, Jesus identified Peter as having little faith, and asked him why he doubted. Unbelieving Jews are also described as doubting (psuchen airo) Jesus (Jn. 10:24).
Other terms with similar meanings are also used. Paul describes his own condition during times of persecution as being perplexed (aporeo), although he said he did not despair (II Cor. 4:8). Jesus uses still another word (meteorizo) when warning His listeners about anxious worry (Lk. 12:29).
Such words regularly indicate a state of vacillation or questioning, even of anxiety, despair, or unbelief. There is also much variety in the use of these terms, depending on the context. So doubt covers a fairly wide range of possible states of mind, with some diversity regarding the particular nuance. It can tend in the direction of unbelief. But it is commonly used of true believers who lack assurance. We will see a number of examples in the next chapter.
It is instructive that there are no hard lines of distinction here, either. Both believers and unbelievers doubted Jesus, for example. Both Jesus and James scolds those with weak faith. So we are not to take these states of mind lightly. Neither are we free to make comments implying that doubt is always a positive state or that it isn’t potentially dangerous. We do need to deal with it.
But the other side needs to be noted, too. Not all states of doubt are created equal, largely because doubt doesn’t always say the same thing. Even in Scripture, it is not always rebuked. Sometimes it even preceded victory.
For the purposes of this book, we will define doubt as the lack of certainty about the truthfulness of Christianity, one's own faith, or how it applies to real life situations. Except for occasional comments, especially in the next chapter, we will address ourselves only to believers.
In short, this book is addressed to Christians who question. The way we will use it, the term doubt is not necessarily the opposite of faith. Literally dozens of verses in Scripture tell us that true believers can and do suffer from this condition. It even ravaged their lives. And doubt can affect one's faith, at least eventually. But for others, it was a predicament that strengthened faith.
So do all Christians experience doubt at some time in their lives? Where are these biblical examples of doubting believers? What about unbelievers? This takes us to our next subject.
A Christian friend of mine once had dinner with a world-renowned atheist. During the meal, the believer asked the philosopher if he had ever doubted his atheism. To his surprise, the friend told me later, the atheist responded basically like this: “Oh yes, I question the truth of my atheism all the time.”
Does this episode surprise you, too? Have you ever wondered why it is sometimes so difficult to believe? Have you ever thought that non-Christians have it so much easier because they have nothing to doubt (or to believe, either)? How about an even tougher question? Have you ever (privately, of course!) scared yourself with the (hopefully!) fleeting thought that it might even be preferable to be a non-believer, since this would uncomplicate your life?
We have said that the subject of doubt involves many twists and turns, including some that are very much unexpected. Some Christians might think that doubt only affects believers, while others may conclude that only non-Christians should fit this description. Yet, both are described in the New Testament by the term.
It seems to me after talking to doubters for more than twenty years, that there are strong reasons to think that virtually all Christians raise questions about God or their faith at some time. Only on two occasions have I ever heard a Christian deny that this was the case in their own lives. The first time, I heard the comment during a lecture given by a nationally known professor and author of dozens of books. (He had also written an article on the subject of doubt.) He insisted that he had never even once questioned God or his faith. The statement was made so firmly, and seemingly with full knowledge of the nature of doubt, that it haunted me for a few years. Later, the professor and I were alone for a meal and I brought the subject up again.
“Oh, you misunderstood me,” he explained. “I was only referring to not having certain types of questions. I often wonder why God does things the way He does or doesn’t, when it appears to me it should happen some other way!”
I had learned another lesson that day. Once again, this topic defied expectations.
The other time someone told me they had never doubted, I had the opportunity to pursue the comment on the spot. The individual was the child of missionary parents and had been raised on the mission field. But after I spoke to her and to someone who knew her very well, the final response was that she had still never asked any such questions. While still somewhat skeptical of the assertion, even to this day, it is one more reason not to be overly dogmatic when speaking about what must always be the case.
Was it also true in biblical times that believers frequently experienced doubt of one sort or another? Did our heroes of the faith likewise struggle with some of these same issues? What about unbelievers--do they ever question their beliefs?
Old Testament Examples
Throughout the Bible there are literally dozens of verses where true believers express their uncertainties, often in very strong terms. Several examples may be helpful in both illustrating points that we have already made, as well as in providing grounds for further lessons.
The Case of Job. The book of Job presents enough material for an entire chapter (or a book) on the expression of doubts concerning God, so we must be brief here. The basic story is a familiar one. God allowed Satan to test Job, a righteous man and His servant, to see if his faith was strong (1:6-12; 2:1-7). His sons and daughters were killed in a tornado-like storm. Most of his servants and livestock were killed by robbers. Job himself was in pain, inflicted over his entire body by sores (1:13-19; 2:7-8). Even his wife suggested that he give up his integrity, curse God, and then die (2:9). At first, Job remained firm: he accepted the calamity and praised God. He rejected his wife’s advice and refused to sin (1:21-22; 2:10-11).
But during the middle chapters of the book, in the portions that seem seldom to be read and digested, Job posed heart-rending questions about his suffering, even blaming God for it. He seemed to gain momentum as he went. He expressed what today would be called a death-wish, stating his preference to have died in childbirth (3:11; 10:18-19). Then he requested that God would slay him (6:8-9). He charged God with oppressing him while approving the actions of the wicked (10:3). Further, he said that God was watching him, just waiting for him to make a mistake (10:14). Then he demanded that God just leave him alone (10:20-21) and stop trying to frighten him (13:21)! After all, he thought that God had destroyed any hope that he might have (14:19).
In a major sub-theme, Job asserted his prerogative to complain (7:11) and even challenged God to a debate (13:3)! He thought that he had a right to state his case and have God reply (13:22). Job wanted to offer his arguments in order to justify himself (23:4-5). But, as far as Job was concerned, God had not spoken to him; He remained silent (19:7; 30:20) and denied him the justice that he was due (27:2).
Interestingly, Job was not punished for all of these accusations against the God of the universe, as far as we know. Although he had sinned (34:37), he also repented (40:3-5; 42:6). God honored his response and blessed him with far more than he had before (42:10-17).
Through all of this, Job learned some tremendous lessons that were exceptionally valuable. Although he never found out why he suffered, he learned a greater truth: he realized that he knew enough about God to trust Him in those things that he did not understand (42:1-6). This information made him impregnable to the problem of why he suffered as he had. As long as he knew what he did about the nature of God, he also knew that there was a reason for the suffering, even if he did not know what it was. What greater lesson was there for him to learn? And it came at least partially through the doubt that he experienced.
The Case of Abraham. Next to Job, the best case of doubt in the Old Testament comes, paradoxically, from Abraham, whom Scripture calls a man of faith. In fact, perhaps no man in the Old Testament is better known for this attribute. Still, his trust in God did not come easily, and his struggles can assist us thousands of years later. Abraham learned to trust God, which would be a great lesson for us today.
Like Job, the general overview is well known. God spoke to Abraham (who was still called Abram) and told him to take his family and move from his homeland, traveling westward to the land of Canaan. He was given a special promise: a great nation would come from him in this new country and, through them, all the peoples of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). Abraham and his family obeyed the Lord and, after several incidents, settled in the land of Canaan, which God had given to him. He and his wife Sarah lived together for many years and later died in that country. God greatly blessed them and Abraham became the father of the Israelites through his son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob.
Many centuries later, the book of Hebrews showcased the life of Abraham. For the Jews, he was the Most Valuable Player from a long history of stars. All of these accomplishments were won by faith in the God Who called him. Abraham responded to God’s call and migrated to Canaan, even though he did not know where he was going (Heb. 11:8-10). Later, he believed God's promise that he and Sarah would have a child, even though there were two huge roadblocks: both of them were well beyond child bearing years, and Sarah was childless. But because Abraham believed that God was trustworthy, he became the father of a great nation (11:11-12).
Further, Abraham was even willing to sacrifice his own son Isaac, the child of promise, again because he believed God and trusted Him. God would raise Isaac from the dead if He had to do it that way (11:17-19). James captured the chief idea like this: Abraham lived his life by faith and God honored and blessed him (Js. 2:21-24).
At this point, we might wonder what’s the point of all of this? The history lesson is nice, you might think, but how can we really relate to Abraham? That’s tougher than trying to hit a home run just because we know that Babe Ruth was able to hit so many!
And didn’t Abraham have advantages that we, frankly, never have? Didn’t God speak directly to him? Couldn’t Abraham continue to talk directly to God whenever he wanted to do so? Didn’t God always respond? Those were simply far different times from today, right? It cannot be the same for us.
But if we go back and examine the texts more closely, we may find something quite different. What if Abraham also struggled with the question of God's silence? What if he didn’t hear from God on a regular basis? What if he, too, needed assurance that God was at work in his life?
For instance, at the close of Genesis 16, Abraham was 86 years old (16:16). As far as we are told, God didn’t speak to him until 13 years later when Abraham was 99 years old (Gen. 17:1)! We cannot be dogmatic here, but it is at least possible that God did not communicate with Abraham during these years. From the other chapters, it doesn’t seem that God conversed with Abraham on a weekly or even a yearly basis during the rest of his life, either. There may have been sizeable gaps. Wouldn’t most Christians today even say that God had communicated with them more than once in the last 13 years?
Yes, Abraham was certainly a man of great faith. And God did speak to him, although perhaps not anywhere near as much as what we might have thought. But this did not keep Abraham from asking God for the assurance of His promises. How could he be certain that Canaan would be given to him (Gen. 15:8)? The Lord allowed him to know this truth by the use of a supernatural manifestation in order to make a covenant with Abraham (15:13-21). Faith does not exclude asking good questions and receiving good answers!
Yet, all of this--God’s call and supernatural revelation--did not keep Abraham from undergoing several troublesome moments. Like Job, Abraham also struggled with his faith. On two occasions, Abraham purposely concealed the identity of Sarah in order to save his own life (12:10-20; 20:1-18). But we have to answer a tough question here: if Abraham really believed that God would raise up a great nation from him, why should he be so fearful for his life, as the texts tell us (12:12-13; 20:11)?
Then when Sarah still hadn't conceived the promised child, she convinced Abraham to bear a son (Ishmael) by her servant Hagar, in spite of God's promises (16:1-16). It seemed like she wanted to help God along. Yet, Abraham agreed with her. Then when the Lord repeated the promise that Sarah would bear a child, Abraham literally laughed at God (17:15-17), as Sarah did so later (18:10-15)! Where was that faith that made him so famous?
It would be wrong to malign Abraham's faith. These episodes were spread over twenty five years (cf. Gen. 12:4 with 21:5), and that provides many chances for slip-ups. No one has lived a perfectly consistent life except our Lord Jesus Christ. Overall, Abraham acted in faith, and never allowed unbelief to master him. Besides, we should understand Abraham very well. Haven’t we ever acted similarly, perhaps by attempting to rationalize our faith and help God along? We say, “Maybe what God really meant was . . . .” We can understand Abraham and be encouraged by his actions precisely because, just like us, he failed several times. We can relate to that!
How did Abraham overcome his doubts regarding God's promises? Paul used Abraham as his example, in spite of these momentary lapses. When he could have walked away and ignored God's call, Abraham chose to believe instead. When he was promised a child, he did not disbelieve, even though all the medical data opposed it. Rather than give up or cease to believe, Abraham’s faith was actually strengthened (Rom. 4:18-25). So here we find one of his secrets: Abraham not only exercised his faith, but it grew as he trusted God more and more, one step at a time, even after several failures.
Imagine having a faith that grows when life’s pressures are at their peak! Yet that was Abraham's experience. Like Job, the primary reason for this is that he concluded that God was trustworthy: what he already knew about God was enough to trust Him in unknown areas (Rom. 4:20-21). New steps were taken, based on what had already transpired. Abraham trusted God and was strengthened even during the toughest of times.
Other Texts. Another Old Testament book that contains open, honest questioning by believers is the Psalms. Like Job, one theme is also that of evil. Several psalms charge God with allowing the wicked to enjoy life (like 74:1), while the righteousness of the godly gained them nothing but punishment (73:12-14). It is said that God defended and showed favoritism towards the wicked (Ps. 82:2). These sorts of doubts are found elsewhere, too (Jer. 12:1-2; 15:18).
A second theme, as with both Job and Abraham, concerned God’s silence. David complained that his prayers went unanswered (35:13-14). Then, after sinning, he cried out to God to restore the assurance of his salvation, like he had once experienced it (Ps. 51:8-12). The Jews declared that they had not heard from God in quite awhile (74:9). This idea also occurs in other Old Testament books (Lam. 3:44; Isa. 57:11; 59:2). In Daniel 10:10-14, one of the prophet’s prayer requests had been delayed for three weeks by an attack on God’s angelic messenger by what appears to be demonic forces!
Perhaps the strongest complaints about God from a single text occur in Psalms 44. The writer, in very strong language, rebuked God for not fulfilling His promises even though Israel had done nothing wrong (44:17-26; cf. 89:38-39). Then, in a simply startling statement, the writer even blamed the God of the universe with sleeping on the job (44:23)!
A last example of God’s silence occurs at the close of the Old Testament. Before the birth of Jesus Christ, about four hundred years passed without a canonical prophet or book. Of course, this does not mean that God was not at work. But like the comment in Psalm 74:9, many may have wondered how long it would be before the Lord officially spoke. Was God angry with His people? Had He cast them away and rejected them? Was He done giving the inspired Scriptures? Would no prophet come forward and speak for Him? When would the silence end?
Another verse in the book of Psalms may give a little hint. Just as the darkest of nights is still followed by a new sunrise (Ps. 30:5), so the Jewish “dark ages” were officially ended when the Messiah entered human history, to die and rise in order to offer redemption to the world. What an incredible end to the Old Testament! God’s profound silence was broken by the most splendid turn of events in all of history.
New Testament Examples
Although much shorter and with significantly less narrative than its counterpart, the New Testament also presents some major cases of doubting believers. We can also learn from these examples.
In a startling but frequently overlooked text, while John the Baptist was in prison, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus. John had a question or two: was Jesus the Messiah or should John be looking for someone else (Matt. 11:1-11; Lk. 7:18-30)! On the surface, at least, wouldn’t this seem like an unnerving question to ask the Son of God? “Are you the true Messiah? If your aren’t, we may as well follow this other rabbi over here.”
It’s not just the question itself that’s so staggering. If it came from someone in the crowd, it would probably be dismissed by many readers as being from someone who lacked faith. What turns it into such a bombshell is because it comes from John the Baptist, God’s chosen forerunner for Jesus, predicted in the Old Testament (Isa. 40:1-3). Was John in danger of throwing his faith overboard?
First, let’s note Jesus’ immediate response. He didn’t react in a vindictive fashion, such as by telling John to shape up, or to live up to his reputation, or by quoting verses to him and reminding him of his special position as the chosen herald of the Lord’s coming. Neither did He, as some Christians would suggest, ignore evidences that might address John’s need. Rather, He cured a number of suffering people right there in front of the two messengers and then instructed them to go tell John what they just witnessed. Apparently, Jesus thought that there was some relevance between His healing miracles and John’s faith. That is a lesson in itself.
But the story doesn’t stop there. Notice a second development. As the two visitors left, Jesus addressed the crowd concerning John. He asked them if, when they went out in the wilderness to see John, they had expected to see someone who was easily shaken by the wind (somewhat reminiscent of James’ warning about weak faith in Js. 1:6-8). Or did they see a weakling in soft, comfortable clothes? Then Jesus told His listeners that John was not only a prophet, but He proclaimed that no greater man had ever been born! What makes this even more incredible is that John hadn’t yet received Jesus’ message, so Jesus was complementing John while he was still doubting! And while there was no rebuke for his lack of faith, Jesus did instruct John not to be offended because of Him (Matt. 11:6; Lk. 7:23). I take this to be like an encouragement that we often give someone today: “Hang in there! Don’t give up.”
I hesitate to mention another case from the Gospels, for fear that there be some misunderstanding. But what do we do with Jesus’ distress in the Garden of Gethsemane? We are told that his mental suffering was so intense that He was sweating drops of blood (Lk. 22:39-44; cf. Mk. 14:33-36; Matt. 26:36-43). This signals an exceptional amount of strain. Jesus prayed to His Father and requested that the coming events be bypassed, but only if it was God’s will. Certainly the portion of the prayer relating to God’s will was accomplished, but what about Jesus’ earlier request?
It is very difficult to address this incident. Taking the texts in a straightforward manner, Jesus undeniably suffered emotional anguish, brought about by the questions that He faced. We may agree that here is an example where Jesus encountered some of the same problems we face, yet without sinning (Heb. 4:15). We might even say that this was one of the times where we are told that Jesus learned obedience by His suffering (Heb. 5:8). That is why believers today can identify with Him. He personally experienced the reality of emotional pain.
The case of "Doubting Thomas" (Jn. 20:24-29) is probably the best known example of uncertainty in the New Testament. Thomas wanted to see the risen Jesus with his own eyes before he would believe. Although Jesus did provide the requested evidence, He also issued a mild rebuke to His apostle. It would have been better if Thomas had believed the testimony of the other apostles who reported to him that they had seen Jesus alive (Jn. 20:29), the same witness that we read in the New Testament. Once again, Jesus does not shy away from using evidence to answer doubts, but He didn’t think that Thomas’ version--a direct appearance--was the most desirable option. Besides Jesus’ prayer to His Father in Gethsemane, Paul specifically tells us that he prayed on three occasions concerning the removal of an apparent physical problem. Some think that he had problems with his eyes. After all, didn’t he need to be healthy in order to minister? But Paul was not answered as he had hoped (II Cor. 12:7-10). He learned what Jesus already knew, that God’s will was to be preferred above one’s own. What about unbelievers? In more than one place, we are told that they asked questions, too. Paul says that Jews ask for signs (I Cor. 1:22-23). Jesus rebuked those who wanted proof that He was from God (Matt. 12:38-45; 16:1-4). He offered His miracles to other Jews who accused Him of making them doubt by not telling them who He was, but they refused to believe anyway (Jn. 10:24-26, 37-39). He even healed a boy whose father confessed: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mk. 9:24).
Before we return to our task of deciphering the maze of Christian doubt, we need to pause long enough to point out some lessons that come strictly from the texts that we have just discussed. We can learn from the experiences of believers who have traveled this path before us.
(1) As we have already said in our opening discussion, doubt is multi-faceted. This should be even more obvious after a brief survey of its expression in the Scriptures. The presence of evil and the issue of God’s silence are two of the most common types. Assurance is another key issue, whether concerning the certainty of truth or of one’s own salvation. Other saints struggled with God’s guidance and His promises, especially as it impacted their expectations. At any rate, it is helpful just to see some of the various manifestations of this widespread phenomena.
(2) Some doubt is rebuked, as in the cases of Job and Thomas. And God honors repentance, as with Job. But not all doubt is reprimanded, and not all questions are deemed to be sinful (Abraham, Paul). Neither does doubt keep a person from being complimented for his righteousness (John the Baptist).
What about especially strong expressions of doubt that are uncensored, like Psalm 44? It seems that the Holy Spirit allowed the honest expression of feelings by true believers, even when it was not always appropriate or true. But this is certainly not an excuse for us to try the same thing, or to blame God for whatever happens to us. Honest, unpremeditated questions are one thing; constant preoccupation with strong statements that question God’s character may indicate something else altogether.
(3) Believers like Job, Abraham, and Paul grew during their times of doubt, even when their faith underwent the harshest attacks. Today, too, while uncertainty can certainly have negative results to be avoided, it can also help us to learn some indispensable lessons. Perhaps the main issue here is what Christians do about their struggles: to whom do we turn and what is our attitude towards what is happening? What applications do we make?
(4) One lesson is so crucial that it deserves mention by itself. Believers like Job and Abraham learned that God could, indeed, be trusted, even when they couldn’t figure everything out. They discovered that they already knew enough about God in order to have confidence in Him in those things that they didn’t know or understand.
Sometimes we, too, just need to trust Him more, in light of this truth. Few lessons are more valuable for us today, since we know far more than did these Old Testament saints. Just to be sure that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead should make us willing to trust Him in times when we don’t understand why things are happening as they are. After all, we don’t have to figure out everything in order to know that these truths insure heaven, where we will understand! This approach needs to be generously applied to all of our struggles.
(5) Many times in Scripture, doubt is simply expressed without any remedy being provided. But when relief does come, we get some hints about what helped to bring the comfort. While the use of evidences is not the remedy in most cases, it is certainly one of the most frequent means of treating doubt and was employed when appropriate. Abraham received a sign of God’s blessing, while John the Baptist’s disciples presumably told him about Jesus’ miracles. The risen Jesus appeared to Thomas. Other methods were also helpful. The psalmists suggested praise even when their circumstances hadn’t changed yet (Ps. 35:27-28; 89:52). Another recommendation was to remember and proclaim what God had already done in history (Ps. 105-106; Lam. 3:21-26). Job found comfort through dialogue. David and Paul discovered consolation in God’s truth.
(6) Concerning unbelievers, it appears that Jesus treated differently the various requests He received for a sign. John the Baptist wasn’t rebuked, while Thomas received a mild admonishment, but neither was refused. On the other hand, the unbelieving Jews were strongly chided after they demanded a sign, although they were told that Jesus’ resurrection would be a sign in their case, too (Matt. 12:39; 16:4). What was the distinction? Why were some shown miracles and others were denied? It seems that Jesus differentiated between His listeners, based on the state of their heart. The strongest reprimand was reserved for those who were closed to His work, no matter what He did.
But it cannot be said that He reserved His miracles for believers only. Not only did He heal the man’s son after the former’s confession of partial unbelief (Mk. 9:24), but it could even be argued that Thomas was not a Christian when he demanded to see the resurrected Jesus. Not only did Thomas refuse to believe the resurrection until Jesus appeared to him (and this event is an indispensable part of the gospel--I Cor. 15:3-4), but Jesus said that Thomas believed only after seeing Him (Jn. 20:25, 29). Lastly, as we mentioned, Jesus said that the sign of the resurrection would still be given even to the staunchest of His skeptics (Matt. 12:39; 16:4).
So the fact remains that some of Jesus’ unbelieving hearers had doubts, too, and frequently severe ones. Today, as well, skeptics tell us that they have asked very similar questions. We saw this in the opening lines of this chapter.
Another example is provided by C. S. Lewis, who was an ardent atheist during his early teaching at Oxford University. He confessed that he sometimes experienced doubts about his faith after he became a Christian. But, he added, in the days when he was an atheist, there were times when the Christian faith appeared to be "terribly probable." No matter what you believe, Lewis says, you will doubt at some time. The more important matter is, how will you deal with the doubt when it comes? (Mere Christianity, Macmillan, 1952, pp. 123-124).
These statements by Lewis provide the opportunity for a reassessment of some of our earlier comments. Sure, Christians can certainly have some rough times. God has certainly not promised us anything different. Yet, how would it be to walk a mile in the atheist’s shoes? How would you like to be an unbeliever and secretly fear that Christianity may, in fact, be true? How long would it take you to move from that thought to the petrifying realization that Hell might just await you?
In the passages we looked at, Scripture plainly reveals the presence of doubt in the lives of believers and unbelievers alike. Why should we think that unbelievers are exempt from religious uncertainty? People doubt for a very basic reason--all of us are human beings and we share a sin nature. This is the root cause of our uncertainty. In other words, our sinful human nature is the state from which all of this questioning springs. But this is not to say that all doubt is necessarily sin.
Randy was a believer who kept his questions concerning his faith to himself. But the more he did so, the more they bothered him. He never heard the subject discussed in sermons, so he concluded that very few Christians struggled with it. One day when it seemed to nag him a little more than usual, he took a chance and dropped some hints to a knowledgeable friend. It would be an understatement to say that Randy was surprised to find that it could be a very normal problem, and that even his friend was not exempt! Further, when his friend turned to one Scripture passage after another to illustrate his point, Randy grew more and more relieved. Just to know that other Christians struggled with this subject seemed to relieve much of his concern.
We conclude that religious doubt is very common and affects almost everyone at some time. It is not necessarily sin, nor must it be the opposite of faith. It can even produce some good results. But it can also lead to serious situations that need to be treated. Along the way, however, there are many misconceptions concerning this topic. It just seems that doubt has an image problem!
Have you ever been sick and purchased the medicine that you thought you needed, only to discover that you did not get any better? Perhaps after a trip to your physician, you got different medicine, and began to feel well. The key was obviously getting the proper diagnosis and treatment. If either is incorrect, one may never get rid of the symptoms.
So it is with doubt, too. Getting the correct diagnosis and remedy are crucial to overcoming the problem and finding relief. While we will deal more directly with these two topics in coming chapters, we will begin by noting many of the common myths concerning religious uncertainty. As in our story above, beginning with the correct information gives one a much more likely chance to cure the hurt.
Few topics are subject to more misconceptions than that of doubt. Since starting with truth is critical, we want to continue laying a foundation on which to build as we move along. Here are a few examples of how misbeliefs about religious uncertainty create problems:
Dave reasoned that since doubt was the opposite of faith, his continued questions must mean that he had committed the unpardonable sin. While he longed more than anything for forgiveness and fellowship with God, he believed he had forfeited both by his objections, which he thought of as canceling his faith. This conclusion caused him incredible amounts of emotional torment, including thinking that he would never be able to find what he wanted most of all in life: lasting assurance and peace.
Alicia thought that biblical characters never doubted because God was in constant and regular contact with them, unlike today. But she also knew that she and many of her believing friends did have questions about Christianity, including the feeling that the Creator had been silent towards them. Her incorrect beliefs led her to draw faulty conclusions about the nature of God. These, in turn, were detrimental to her spiritual growth.
John was an unbeliever who thought that doubts generally occurred only to conservative Christians, as a direct result of their strict social standards. It seemed that all he ever heard from them was, “Do this . . . . Don’t do that.” This largely accounted for his choice to avoid orthodox Christianity in all of its forms, including those persons who believed it, for fear that he might also become "contaminated."
Each of these individuals was suffering in one way or another due to believing and acting upon false information. You may recall my own testimony. I can understand these sorts of mistakes because I was also badly misinformed, even though I would have professed a long-standing interest in the topic. Let’s investigate some of these misbeliefs that one frequently hears about the subject of religious uncertainty. Some of our assertions will make use of the Scripture passages that we viewed in the last chapter.
Doubt never occurs to heroes in the Bible. We devoted the last chapter to show that there are plenty of reasons to reject this contention. But because it is commonly thought to be true, we mention it again. Job, Abraham, David, other writers of the inspired Psalms, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and the apostle Paul are all witnesses against this charge. Although all these men were biblical superheroes, they were also human beings and sinners. They followed God, but they struggled at times, too. This is one reason why they can be such examples for us, even today. It would seem that anyone who takes the Bible at face value would have to agree.
We also saw that these biblical champions grappled with matters like the presence of evil in the world and the silence of God. Contrary to Alicia’s belief in the story above, they were not in unbroken communication with God. They had many of the same questions as we do in our generation. Alicia needs to correct her false impressions so that she does not compromise her view of God’s nature and stunt her spiritual growth.
Doubt only affects Christians, but never atheists or other unbelievers. We have also addressed this assertion in some detail and found it to be incorrect. Some unbelievers in Scripture were open to God, while others hardened their hearts against Him. Some didn’t believe even after they saw Jesus’ miracles. Hence, Jesus responded differently to each of them.
Not only do we have the witness of Scripture that non-Christians can live in a state of doubt, but contemporary writers like C. S. Lewis have given their own testimonies to this fact, as well. The biblical heroes we just mentioned even have something in common with these unbelievers: they are all human beings, existing in a fallen, sinful state. This is the root cause for the problem we have been discussing and the chief reason why doubt is not a respecter of persons. One related charge is that only conservative Christians are regular doubters, like John’s complaint in our story above. Granted, the excessive following of rules can, without question, contribute to uncertainty at any of several levels. But we have already seen that far more than conservatives are involved; people from all walks of life question their religious beliefs. So John’s complaint was itself too selective in not recognizing the pervasiveness of doubt. He had rejected orthodox Christianity for illegitimate reasons.
Doubt is relatively rare. Admittedly, just because both believers and unbelievers experience religious uncertainty, this does not mean that it is common. Neither does the Bible appear to answer this question, except by implication. Even so, since this phenomenon is so common throughout Scripture, involving so many persons, the thought that it is at least fairly frequent would seem to follow. One might offer two further biblical points, too: that so many of those who experienced doubt were spiritual giants only adds to the contention that it probably happens to many who are not so spiritually attuned. Further, since everyone shares a common human, sinful thread, we might even expect that this experience would be a regular occurrence. To these biblical considerations, we can add countless testimonies from people today--believers and unbelievers alike. I have already said that dozens of my own interviews have led me to suspect that it is exceptionally common. At least to me, it is obvious enough that I suspect it to be a very common experience. Of course, I don’t claim scientific data for this conclusion.
Doubt is the opposite of faith; it is actually unbelief. This is another protest that we have already addressed. While doubt can tend in the direction of unbelief, and while it is expressed by unbelievers, this is certainly not the case with the majority of examples in the Bible. Most of the time, it is believers themselves who ask the questions and pose the problems. (Of course, Scripture chiefly addresses believers, so we cannot use this to say that more Christians than non-Christians doubt.) In our definition, we saw that doubt more frequently contains the idea of being caught in between two positions. There is a Greek noun for belief (pistis) and another one for unbelief (apistia). Doubt is neither: it more commonly expresses ideas such as perplexity, worry, uncertainty, or perhaps weak faith.
To see if doubt is really unbelief, recalling a few of the instances that we have already looked at might be helpful. In the Old Testament, Job was not only a righteous servant of God when Satan began to tempt him, but he was vindicated in the end, too. Never was he addressed by God as an unbeliever. This was even more the case with Abraham, the man of faith. To call his questions the result of his unbelief is simply to miss the point of his entire story. While David sinned, he was also one of the chief examples of a man of God. Sure, he struggled with his faith on occasion, but he was unquestionably a believer.
In the New Testament, we dare not say that John the Baptist’s doubt was unbelief, or we would be close to contradicting our Lord’s assertion that he was the most righteous man ever born of a woman. Neither could it be properly claimed that Paul’s unanswered prayers were unbelief. And what about Jesus’ emotional struggles in the Garden of Gethsemane? It seems that we would have to do some fast talking here!
Therefore we conclude that doubt can be negative and does, on occasion, incline towards unbelief. However, its normal biblical use is to describe believers who struggle with various aspects of their faith. We even have cases where strong charges are made against God, but where the individual is definitely a believer.
Doubt always indicates that something serious is wrong; perhaps it is even the unpardonable sin. This is the first of several charges that, while not totally wrong, are half truths. But since part of the notion is correct, sometimes half truths are more hurtful than total misbeliefs.
So we might begin here by noting a certain amount of general agreement with the assertion. Yes, the presence of ongoing doubt that is more than a passing mood or momentary pressure may well be a signal that something is wrong. That is why this book is being written. It doesn’t follow, however, that this “wrongness” is something that is seriously, or necessarily spiritual, although it may certainly be these. It could also signal the presence of medical or emotional factors that need to be dealt with. But while emotional doubt, in particular, can be very painful, it doesn’t always follow that the level of hurt indicates that something is terribly wrong. This frequent incommensurability between pain and seriousness is one of the many false alarms about doubt.
In contrast, the portion about the unpardonable sin would appear to be quite mistaken. Commentators usually agree that his condition is an ongoing state of mind, not the result of a momentary lapse. It generally proceeds from a settled attitude that rejects (and continues to reject) God, not from a brief, angry outburst(s). This is not to overlook the latter, because it can be serious, too, but only to say that it doesn’t seem to qualify as a unforgivable condition. Most scholars say that Dave’s attitude in the illustration above shows that he certainly didn’t commit the unpardonable sin. His desire for repentance and his longing for God, along with the fact that questions about God do not automatically cause one to enact this dreaded sin, are the best indications of this.
Further, if normal doubts qualify one for the unforgivable sin, then why was it not committed by the writer in Psalm 44? Don’t many of the other Psalms that challenge God end in thanksgiving and praise, without any indication that the authors are now unbelievers? Wouldn’t Job’s thirty chapters of constant and even excessive challenges against God show that he was in an unforgivable state? But God allows his repentance at the end of the book! How many strikes does Abraham get before he would have been called out? Could he ever be known as the man of faith and figure so prominently in Hebrews 11 if this objection were true? When David committed the double sin of murder and adultery with Bathsheba, causing his questions of assurance, why could he later repent, recover, and become a man after God’s heart? What about John the Baptist’s seeming readiness to turn to another “messiah”? If he had crossed the line to the unpardonable sin, could Jesus have paid him the tremendous compliment that He did?
It would seem that the biblical material, over and over again, causes us to reject the second part of this charge against religious uncertainty. To be sure, the unpardonable sin is real and to be avoided at all costs. But raising questions such as those we have been considering do not appear to qualify.
Doubt shouldn't be admitted or discussed since it is basically a character flaw. In a sense, religious uncertainty does come from a character flaw--we have been calling it sin! But it doesn’t follow that it is therefore something that should be shut up and kept away from others, like a rabid dog, or some highly contagious disease! Here we have another half-truth. True, questioning one’s faith can and has spread to others. But so does finding biblical, godly solutions. In fact, this is precisely one of the reasons why it should be both admitted and discussed. This is a subject where public examination can be one of the surest ways to find relief and healing.
There is another sense in which doubt is a character trait. It most frequently follows personality types, as we will see later, making it important that we recognize our personal tendencies and understand ahead of time where they very well might end up. Frequently, all we may need to say to ourselves during a period of religious vacillation is: ”That’s just me again! Calm down.“ Recognizing and reading our dispositions is an indispensable part of handling doubt. But this is a topic that comes later.
Doubt is usually factual in nature; it is always satisfied by studying the evidence. I said earlier that this was my initial thought back in my early days of doubting. Actually this conviction lasted through years of study. But I found myself wondering on many occasions why a careful marshaling of the facts, even in cases where this basis was almost overwhelmingly strong, did not always calm the uncertainty. This was especially so when the questioning took on emotional or volitional dimensions. In fact, I am understating the problem here. It was immensely frustrating to find that the doubt barely budged during passionate moments.
This led to additional struggles. Why weren’t the facts working? Could this also be a problem? Had I not studied something correctly? Here I was faced with a secondary level of uncertainty. Sometimes I just wanted to walk away from the subject altogether, but I knew that wouldn’t solve my quandary.
After years more of study I concluded that although there were often factual components involved, and answers ultimately returned to the issue of whether Christianity had a solid foundation, few doubts were solved by straightforward citations of the relevant facts. This often seemed to help in the short run, sometimes substantially, but it generally lasted for only a few days. Here I am reminded of the words spoken to me years ago by a colleague: “Faith is weak when it fluctuates according to the latest archaeological discovery.” I had to admit: a faith that seems to need almost daily bolstering by the facts was also in need of something else to deal with the underlying issue, something more permanent.
So the facts by themselves fail to satisfy the emotional and volitional elements of doubt. One major reason for this conclusion is that humans are whole entities--we are more than data alone. As whole persons, we need to satisfy the other components of our being, as well. Doubt is rarely a problem in the realm of facts alone. So the solution, not surprisingly, spills beyond that narrow range.
Doubt chiefly occurs to those who are intellectually gifted. It may be the case that many doubters are highly intelligent people, but that is beside the point of how it is healed. Strangely enough, this makes it more dangerous for some doubters who are used to attacking problems head-on, with a good dose of “smarts.” It figures that they will once again turn to what has always worked for them, but religious uncertainty usually arises for less than intellectual reasons. Unless the person goes beyond this approach for their answer, it will most likely remain impervious to correction, since they will not look for an emotional basis to their problem. When you don’t think your emotions are a problem, it is not shocking if you don’t look there for your answers.
Once again, digging out Christianity’s strong foundation is quite valuable, since it is needed at so many junctures. But we must work forward from there to other areas in order to solve many of the most common problems of uncertainty. Dealing with the issues will push one quickly enough beyond the point of the facts alone. I have tested this principle probably hundreds of times, which accounts for my practical assurance that it really works.
But we cannot overemphasize the point about the intellectual capacities of doubters, since many of them are not overly intellectual. This could even be a help, since they are more likely to admit that they frequently struggle with their emotions. Thus they are closer to some solutions.
Doubt generally follows similar patterns. If this misconception sees religious doubt as a fairly one-dimensional or single-faceted phenomenon, proceeding along uniform lines, then few things about the subject are more mistaken. Uncertainty is as varied as are the people who experience it. And as we have said, it comes through at least three major avenues: factual, emotional, and volitional. So it certainly differs from person to person.
Having said this, however, it is also true that, once one properly identifies the species of doubt, it may follow a generally similar sequence. Of course there are personal twists and turns as varied as the personal experiences of those who venture down these paths. But the adviser who understands well the various facets and how they develop in each of their chief variations can often predict the trail it is taking in the individual.
Once I determine where the person stands, I generally use the route of predicting what he or she is saying to themselves, how they feel, and so on. Usually, the person wonders how I know all this. (If they only knew the years of painful steps that led me to this point!) I think such a process often instills confidence in the doubter, because it tells them that you understand their dilemma. It also lets them know that others have traveled this way before them. It is almost always a comfort to know that you are not a loner when you work through a problem area. If the prediction was inaccurate, I simply back up to the previous point, listen some more, and then try again.
Doubt can generally be solved by the same remedy or response. This is another half-truth, so it can have a good point to make. If it means that there is one step that all must apply, after which they will get relief, then I am very skeptical. For example, if it is suggested that all a person needs to do is to confess their sins, or pray, or get more spiritual, I am willing to listen. But this sounds a bit like Job’s friends, who thought that they were giving good, spiritual advice, too, but God was not pleased with what they said (Job 42:7-10). To be sure, the recommendation could well work, depending on the particulars, but I think Scripture also varies its advice for different maladies, and with good reason.
If the point of the assertion is that, once a workable solution is found, it can often be applied across the board, then this is potentially very positive. Once again, it depends on the particulars, but in principle it is possible. Sometimes more than one solution is very helpful. Different and even unconventional patterns work for various people. This is why we will provide a variety of suggestions. By analogy, physicians frequently prescribe two or more medicines for the same sickness, including varying the type or doses for different cases.
Doubt never produces positive results. We have already said many times that religious skepticism can do harm, and the word itself can lean in the direction of unbelief or despair. But just because negative results can result, doesn’t mean they will. And it certainly doesn’t mean that blessings cannot result. We will even take a chapter to outline some of the positive results that can and have followed from the dark nights of doubt.
We need to keep in mind that believers are not asking permission in order to indulge in a pastime here. They seemingly don’t want to question their faith. They desire fellowship with God. So, given that doubt is a reality in their lives, its resulting in their growth and development is beneficial.
Doubt always gets worse as one grows older, especially as one gets closer to death. This would seem to be a very fruitful area of research that might yield some fascinating results. Perhaps contrary to popular conceptions, however, this assertion at least appears on the surface not to be the case. According to at least one massive survey (Faith Development and Your Ministry, Gallup, 1986) along with some other publications, older adults paradoxically seem to be more settled in their beliefs and thus experience less doubt.
There may be some good reasons why this is the case, too. Perhaps foremost on the list, developmental theory indicates that the elderly could well have moved past the formative stages of growth and come to rest in a settled sense of who they are, what life is about, and what they believe. Other considerations include the likelihood that they no longer have the immediate worries of providing for their children, there is less responsibility in general, and some have already experienced the death of their mate. Reasons like these could well ease the tension of questions that were more frequent earlier in life.
Once I had the privilege of interviewing an elderly Christian couple in their eighties who had always seemed to express a quiet, mature faith. I inquired concerning their beliefs, their worries, and their fear of death. I asked very frank questions, pushing for “behind the scenes” sorts of answers. They impressed me ever so much with this settled quality of life that I just mentioned. They appeared to be firm in their faith and not to be afraid to die. In fact, they rather strongly and confidently affirmed both. Further, they indicated that, while they had been worriers earlier in life, their present state had lasted for about the past twenty years or so. True, this is only one couple. But all I can say is that I was exceptionally impressed with their forthright answers.
The falsehoods presented in this chapter were chosen because they are frequent Christian reactions to the subject of doubt. Singling them out and correcting them is crucial, but too seldom done. It is precisely because of such misbeliefs that many find their own conditions so difficult to unravel. After all, if we cannot identify and locate physical problems, we won’t know what to treat.
This leads us to one of the most important principles of this book. To misidentify the specific nature of doubt is frequently to look in the wrong direction for the cure. We need something specific at which to take careful aim. But if I cannot determine the nature of the problem, it is certainly questionable if I will discover the surest route to healing, except by accident. Knowing the specific nature of the doubt allows me to see it in its clearest light and attack it from the best angle.
Just to know, for instance, that religious doubt plagues virtually everyone at some time is comforting in itself. Realizing that it is a common human condition is heartening; it at least reveals that I am not alone in my dilemma.
Further, to realize that the devastating affects of uncertainty can usually be cured and that the entire experience can even lead to very positive results can be equally liberating. All of this means that we need to learn more about the nature of doubt. This will be one of our upcoming goals.
We also need to be able to recognize the specific species of doubt and its general characteristics. All doubt is not created equal. It may follow various patterns and require more than one strategy before healing will take place. We have said that there are at least three distinct types (or species) of doubt. To understand the differences between each is to begin to zero in on some specific strategies with which to combat them.
Secrets come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes they are nice, and sometimes they are not. Once in a while, what they seem to be is not what they, in fact, are. But sometimes they are something special--they lead to valuable discoveries. Like keys, they unlock doors to hidden treasures.
One of the best-kept secrets about religious doubt is that it comes in several forms. We have said that these variations can generally be characterized into three major species: factual, emotional, and volitional. It is crucial to understand the difference between these varieties of uncertainty. To be aware of the general characteristics and some of the root causes of each type is to get a good start in formulating a strategy for confronting it.
In this chapter, we will address the first and third types. Chapter 5 will begin our in-depth study of type two, which is the specific focus of this book. After definitions of factual and volitional doubt, we will explore a few of the underlying situations that seem to give rise to each.
Identifying Factual Doubt
Factual doubt is chiefly concerned with the foundations of religious belief and whether they are well-grounded. Are there reasons for faith? Evidence for Christianity can come from many areas, for examples: biblical, logical, metaphysical, historical, scientific, or even moral. The central issue concerns the warrant for religious claims, as well as giving answers to others who pose various objections.
Confronting factual doubt, then, might involve bolstering a belief by providing reasons for it. Of course, having a number of strong evidences is preferable. But strangely enough, not all reasons to believe involve producing the cold, hard facts in a scientific laboratory or in a courtroom. Sometimes reasons come from seemingly unconventional arguments or sources, like the knowledge that all humans share, or the deepest longings of one’s heart. Other times, counterstrikes are necessary against potential challenges to faith. This is the area of defending the Christian faith, or apologetics.
Factual doubt, then, might come in the form of questions about the truthfulness of the Christian faith. It could pertain to biblical topics (like concerns about conflicting teachings), logical items (such as issues involving the nature of God), or other areas of philosophy (including the existence of God or the problem of evil). Still more questions could come from historical areas (like verifying the resurrection of Jesus), or scientific enterprises (such as evidence for design in the universe or the origin of life).
One earmark of factual doubt is that, if this is the sole or primary component, it should be satisfied by the various data. This assumes that such evidences and explanations are available and that they are accessible to the individual. During and after many years of doubting, I’ve spent my entire professional life pursuing such avenues. I can testify that there is simply a staggering amount of confirmation of theism in general and Christianity in particular. But having received sufficient information, including possible follow-up issues, the doubter should then be satisfied.
Of course, apologetics shouldn’t be left just to the professionals. The apostle Peter commands all believers to always be ready to give an answer or defense (Greek, apologia) for their hope to anyone who asks (I Pet. 3:15). This assumes that we have such answers at our disposal and that we know how to communicate them.
Karen was shocked by her college roommate's forceful challenge that all religious belief was simply a psychological crutch. “I have plenty of personal reasons for being a Christian,” Karen responded.
“Personal reasons are not enough,” her friend replied. “Unless you can point to things in the world that can be verified by science, your belief is no more than wish fulfillment.”
What could she say? Since childhood, Karen had always been taught that all one could do was believe--no factual reasons were possible. She began a study of Christian evidences.
In the meantime, she spoke to a Christian friend who was a philosophy major. She learned that the demand for scientific corroboration was itself not scientifically grounded. In other words, the requirement that one produce scientific evidence is itself not scientific--so it fails its own test. Here the shoe was on the other foot. Why should Karen submit to the charge to produce scientific data when her friend could give no such reason for requiring that particular demand? On what grounds should this challenge itself be feared when it had flunked its own test?
Days later, her friend admitted rather sheepishly that she had no scientific reasons to require science as a test for truth. It had cost some time and energy, but Karen had learned that the challenge had been an empty one. Although she didn’t react like she had won a battle, Karen was greatly relieved. She may not have realized it at the time, but she was also learning two more important lessons: not all challenges that refer to the facts are themselves factual. Further, one’s faith might grow stronger if one is willing to take the time to answer questions.
What seems to be a factual question, then, is sometimes argued on faulty grounds. Granted, many issues cannot be dismissed so easily. Honestly assessing challenges and providing real answers is the domain of apologetics. We will return to the topic of factual support of faith in Chapter 6, although we will not be able to provide the actual evidence in this book. While facts don’t always cure doubt, they are a necessary starting point--a foundation on which to build.
Aggravations to Factual Doubt
Several conditions may intensify factual doubt. There is not a strict causal relation between these situations and the uncertainty, however, since we have the ability to short-circuit the process and not allow the doubt to gain a foothold. We will have more to say about this later.
Still, we will list a few problem areas that can contribute to a distressed state of mind. While there may be some overlap between the categories, each has its own distinctions. It is hoped that understanding some of the root aggravations may help us to better grasp the nature of the doubt. This is a subject where knowledge is potentially the beginning of the victory.
1) Factual questions. Being asked challenging objections to one’s faith is often the fastest way to experience factual doubts. The latter is probably more difficult because of the assumed confrontation of the moment. One often feels that it is “Put-up-or-shut-up” time! After all, if we cannot be sure of the underpinnings of Christianity, what’s left? If a lack of knowledge keeps one from answering critical accusations, whatever the source, factual uncertainty is a distinct possibility.
2) Questioning intellect. A source for many worries comes from those who enjoy asking questions and doing their own research. While it may be a hobby that the person really enjoys, this may backfire for any of a number of reasons: we may get too busy and have less time to spend with the problems, or come up against someone who challenges them more than normal. Sometimes a mind that works like this outgrows the interest in perpetual curiosity, but the questions still remain. Thus, this sort of person may gain both strengths and challenges from their intellectual pursuit.
3) Sidetracked by pseudo problems. This is another very common variety of this species of doubt. But unlike the first two, this one occurs when a believer is confronted by seeming problems that are not central to the truthfulness of Christianity. In fact, these issues don’t make any substantial difference no matter which view is correct! In other words, whoever is right or wrong, Christianity need not change a single iota! I have in mind questions pertaining to subjects like the age of the earth, the sign gifts, eternal security, various issues in eschatology, or differing convictions concerning separation from the world. True, these are all important and the Bible does say something about them. But the possible positions generally have nothing to say about the overall facticity of Christianity. Yet, it might be argued that these topics get the most heated attention among believers. The combatants will frequently argue that unless their position is true, Christianity suffers in some grotesque fashion!
But this is not to say that this sort of question only surfaces among believers. Unbelievers also challenge Christians with seeming problems that don’t threaten the classic truths of orthodox Christianity. Yet, as if no one noticed this, believers respond as if their spiritual lives depended on the outcome.
So why do we experience this consternation? I think the chief reason for the doubt, in addition to factors like pride and ignorance, is that believers far too seldom distinguish between absolutely crucial and non-crucial issues. It is often thought that everything Christians believe (whether theological, ethical, social, or political) is of equal importance. But since it is obvious to all that there are different expressions of orthodox Christianity (Is your church Calvinistic?), these sorts of problems are bound to arise. In short, given the differences, believing that everything in Christianity is of equal weight will lead some to doubt.
Ben had been raised in the same church all of his life, as well as attending its Christian school. After marriage, he moved across the country and began attending a different church. It was not long before he noticed some differences. In particular, his new pastor seemed to be far more open on issues of separation that Ben’s previous pastor had forbidden to true Christians. Being a layman and having relied all of his life on his pastor’s opinions, Ben wondered if a complaint that he had sometimes heard was really true after all: “The Bible totally depends on how it is interpreted. There are no objective teachings in it.” Over the months, he began to struggle concerning which of his former beliefs could be trusted and which ones could not.
4) World view commitments. Some doubts are related to struggles over issues that are only as sound as the world view in which the position is held. In other words, some rival ideas are inadequate by themselves, but can only meaningfully exist as part of a larger ideology. The Christian may reject the non-Christian system but not realize that there is no problem apart from that world view. The doubt may come from attempting to answer the challenge in a vacuum.
For example, earlier we saw that Karen was initially challenged by the contention that all religious experiences were psychological crutches. But if her friend’s own world view is mistaken, and especially if some reasons could be cited against the positions that make such charges, then the point about all personal religious experience being only subjective would seem to be questionable itself. Then whose position was really wish fulfillment? It all depended on who is correct in their total outlook.
In fact, as a well-known atheist once said to me, the knife cuts both ways here--it could be the unbeliever who has a psychological crutch because they do not wish to believe. This sort of critique gets us nowhere unless we anchor it to a system.
Knowing where the enemy is coming from is half the battle. If believers know what sorts of conditions are likely to lead to factual doubt, it would make sense that they would be more able to prepare for them.
Identifying Volitional Doubt
Volitional religious doubt is chiefly concerned with one's will. It is perhaps most frequently revealed in matters such as whether an individual is willing to believe, to grow in faith, to forsake sin, or to be motivated to live the Christian life. Many times it concerns the “fire” we have to continue our ultimate commitment to the Lord.
At each of these points, the issue of decision making should be apparent. Volitional uncertainty, at its very heart, has to do with one's willingness to implement a choice regarding one's faith.
Ironically enough, the problem might even be the unwillingness to apply certain healing techniques to the problem. In this sense, volitional aspects are present in all types of uncertainty.
Years ago Jason had several factual questions about the truthfulness of Christianity. When no one answered these to his satisfaction, it began to affect him emotionally: "What if the Bible isn't true, after all?" Following a number of unsolved bouts with his emotions, he slowly concluded that his beliefs just were not as important to him as they once had been. He was no longer motivated concerning his previous religious commitment.
Unfortunately, doubt sometimes appears to follow just such a pattern. It can progress from fairly simple (but unanswered) factual questions, through emotional quandaries, to a "deadened" level where the entire issue no longer appears crucial to the individual. Believers can get here through other kinds of hurts, too, like losing a loved one or being rebuffed by someone who matters to them. But when the results affect one’s will in regards to one’s faith, it becomes a volitional issue.
This stage is probably the most serious time of all for the person who questions, since they just may not care that they are struggling and, therefore, may not wish to do anything to stop it, including talking about the subject. The reverse of emotional doubt, this species may hurt the least, but be the most dangerous.
The key to volitional matters is to gain a new angle on our life--to view it from God's perspective. These doubters need to get "fired up" about those things that are of prime importance to us (Matt. 6:21). Jesus said that we need to get excited most of all about God and His Kingdom (Matt. 6:19-33). After all, eternal life lasts longer and is of far better quality than our earthly existence. Further, directing our minds towards eternity improves the quality of life here on earth, as well. Jesus' message should excite the believer, since it affects both our present, as well as our future. But this is also another matter. (Chapter 12 includes some suggested readings.)
Understanding volitional doubt helps us not only on its own grounds, but it provides insights into the other species, too. All doubt has a willful aspect. Now we will look at some conditions that tend to irritate our resolve.
Aggravations to Volitional Doubt
As we did with factual doubt, we will state several circumstances that may contribute to and intensify volitional doubt. Again, one doesn’t cause the other, but these problems can contribute to the distressed condition.
1) Weak Faith. Frequently a doubting believer has the sense of wishing they could increase their faith, but concludes that it is too difficult to believe any further. In James’ terms, they see themselves as wavering between two positions (Js. 1:6-8). During my own struggles I well remember thinking that this was a chief issue for me: how could I help my faith to grow?
2) Immature faith. Sometimes faith suffers from a lack of development, perhaps from factors stemming from the time when a person first committed her life to Christ, or from wrong ideas afterwards. Perhaps the individual was very young at the time of conversion and simply doesn’t remember exactly what happened. Did I do the right thing? Was I pressured in making my decision? Was I totally committed to Christ?
While there could be emotional or other factors present, the chief issue here is one of the will: did the person truly commit herself to Christ? Whether immaturity was present is not of prime importance. We are discussing the surrender of the will.
At this point someone will blurt out: “But that’s precisely my problem. I’m not sure whether or not I trusted Christ.” In cases of real uncertainty as to whether a person trusted Christ, I usually encourage them to pray and express their trust in the Lord once again. They can pray the same “sinners prayer,” reciting the facts of the gospel, and tell the Lord, “If I’m already a Christian, then this is simply a prayer of further commitment. But if not, I’m trusting you right now.” This usually solves the problem of being unsure. Some may disagree with this practice, but I personally find nothing here that disagrees with Scripture.
3) Lack of growth. Doubt can result from the believer's failure to grow in the Christian life. Some even seem to shun the idea of getting serious with the Lord, as if getting too close to Him will somehow hurt, as in being sent to Africa as a missionary. Whatever the reason, not growing is a decision that can lead to uncertainty. Adding to this dilemma is that maturing in faith, in itself, is one of the chief means to stem the tide of doubt. As in human relationships, a lack of growth can lead to drifting apart. Conversely, growing commitment is itself a doubt preventative.
4) Self-sufficiency. Arrogance towards God creates its own brand of uncertainty. But it should be plain that this sort of rebellion that places self above God is not the biblical breeding ground for a meaningful relationship with the heavenly Father. Unless the situation is corrected by repentance and God’s grace, it would seem that this sort of situation, humanly speaking, will only get worse.
5) Lack of repentance. Unforgiven sin certainly contributes to a sense of separation from God, thereby encouraging doubts. The decision not to repent can be made either implicitly or explicitly, but just as this sort of situation affects the relationship between a husband and wife, it also militates against having peace.
Emily, a young woman with an outstanding Christian testimony, began experiencing some rather severe doubts after deciding that her marriage relationship was too binding. She spoke to a close Christian friend who wouldn’t agree with her evaluation. Sadly, as long as Emily remained in her rebellious state, the doubts also remained. Yet, she refused to repent.
An older Christian man, Frank, was obviously depressed and hardly wanted to discuss his questions of assurance with his pastor. During their counseling, Frank admitted his years of indulging in sin and admitted that this was very possibly the reason for his lack of certainty. But he was unwilling to change. Neither did his uncertainty diminish.
6) Difficulty of application. I have saved for last one of the most common (and inexplicable) causes why volitional doubters don’t get relief. Shockingly, there is often a reluctance to apply the biblical steps for healing, even when they are known. Since it is sometimes difficult to concentrate on the application during the doubt, some conclude that it is easier to apply the steps only sporadically, or not at all. Just like pulling weeds is not fun, sometimes it is also difficult to deal with these problems in one's life. But one of the most frequent comments I’ve ever heard is that, when biblical steps are applied, the doubt diminishes or disappears. Conversely, when these steps are not taken, the uncertainty returns.
This sounds similar to something we frequently hear people say: “When I take my medicine, I feel better. When I don’t, I fail to get relief.” Do you ever wonder what you’re missing when you hear these things?
We have said many times that the root cause of religious certainty is sin. Beyond that, we are finite beings who have imperfect grasps on reality. The result is that we mess things up. Sometimes we get them so twisted up that it is exceptionally difficult to unravel them.
In this chapter we tried to identify some of the characteristic marks of factual and volitional doubt, along with some of the conditions that often aggravate them considerably. These are not exhaustive lists. Hopefully these items will still show some of the inner workings of these two species of doubt, contributing later to their healing.
Emotional uncertainty is the major focus of this booklet. But before we investigate it in more detail, it should be carefully noted that the species of doubt are seldom as clearly delineated as our illustrations may indicate. We are whole human beings and factual, emotional, and volitional elements overlap. Doubt is no exception: it often reveals a combination of traits.
Medical doctors are often confronted by a similar phenomenon. They must also view multiple symptoms and treat the major one(s) causing the discomfort. So we must endeavor to do the same. The prominent, painful elements of doubt should be located and identified as closely as possible so they can be treated, whatever the species.
Listen to people talk about it. Emotional pain can be the very worst hurt of all. Once I heard a person say, “I would literally give my right arm if I could stop doubting. No, I’m really serious. I would give it up without even thinking about it!” Unquestionably, emotional uncertainty can be painful. We have called it the most common and distressing of the three species of doubt. This combination means that it affects many believers who want real relief. Beginning in this chapter we will turn most of our attention to this variety of questioning.
Identifying Emotional Doubt
Emotional religious uncertainty is the most common variety. It is also the most painful. Its chief cause is one's moods and passions, which explains its more subjective nature. But it very frequently masquerades as factual doubt by attempting to address the same issues. Following our major emphasis in this book, we need to concentrate further on the nature of this frequent state of mind.
This species can be identified when the individual is actually judging by how she feels about the subject, rather than the particulars of the subject itself. The most important item is not the bothersome issue, whatever it is, but how the person is responding to it. Distraught psychological states are sometimes evident.
The single most revealing ingredient in identifying emotional struggles is the "What if . . . ?" element. Sometimes this question is asked directly. On other occasions, it is implied. Rather than accepting the data in a straightforward manner, this response is made in spite of the available facts.
Allison frequently proclaimed her uncertainty about many aspects of her Christian faith. But those who listened carefully knew that she did not question the actual gospel facts of the deity, atoning death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rather, when asked why she always seemed to be in so much unrest regarding her beliefs, Allison responded, "Yes, the gospel facts are strong, but what if Christianity just isn’t true? What if, in the end, believers are simply mistaken?"
It is in her response to the gospel that the true nature of Allison's doubt is identified. She did not object to the facts themselves, as some had originally thought. She was bothered by the unlikely scenario that her faith could just somehow be wrong, in spite of all the evidence.
Strangely enough, it appeared that no amount of facts (even those that Allison fully accepted) could cause her to stop wondering if it was still just possible that Christianity might still be false. Here the emotional content of her doubt was evident.
Emotional doubt frequently poses as its factual sister. It has some of the same concerns and raises some of the same questions. Yet, the issues are determined and the evidence is judged by how one feels about them. Conclusions come from one's moods or feelings.
The emotional doubter is often very intelligent and appears to be raising serious objections to the truthfulness of Christianity. But, in reality, the uncertainty is not primarily factual and the questions are far more subjective.
So what distinguishes emotional from factual doubt? In the former species of uncertainty, the major factor is not the actual issues that are raised, but what is being said and thought about them. In typical cases, the individual's attention is not centered on the specific facts themselves, but on certain unlikely possibilities surrounding them.
Melissa was in constant turmoil as to whether she was really a Christian. She clearly remembered surrendering her life to Christ in faith, trusting Him to forgive her sins. Yet, she still repeatedly wondered if she had really said the right words and really meant them.
Bill was a believer who was regularly nagged by a fear of Hell and judgment. He sometimes pictured standing before Jesus’ throne and being told to depart to the fires of Hell. This usually happened as he was trying to sleep at night. In order to deal with the pain, he started questioning whether there was, in fact, any such place as Hell.
It is important to notice the main cause of Melissa's and Bill's worries. They both accepted the facts of Christianity. They both knew that there was a time when they tried, with all their heart, to trust Christ. However, their secret fear was that, for some unaccountable reason, they had unconsciously overlooked something crucial. In both cases, their doubt actually focused on the unlikely possibility that they had responded incorrectly to the Lord.
These are very typical responses for emotional doubters. This phenomenon is not so much affected by the results of careful study, but by the improbability that something has fallen between the cracks.
As a result, no amount of factual evidence brings final peace. When his friend gave him reasons to believe in Hell, Bill's fears came back. In fact, they sometimes grew worse.
Often the emotional doubter comes to the conclusion that the search has finally ended and that all is well, only to realize a few days later that something is still amiss. This is a vicious cycle that actually wages war against the peace that periodically comes. Oddly enough, that peace is often shattered by the thought, “Why am I feeling so well today? I’ve still not solved problem X.” Not surprisingly, the peace doesn’t stay around for long!
We have said that, in a very intense sense, much of emotional doubt is actually of the "What if . . . ?" variety. It is perhaps even chiefly characterized not by what all the facts point to, but rather what minimal possibilities may yet be true.
Melissa and Bill suffered from just such questioning. It was almost as if they asked themselves: what’s the worst possible thing that could happen to me? And Jason in the last chapter also went through this stage after he thought his questions were not being answered.
Human beings are able to conjure up all kinds of fears. The questions, "What if Christianity is not true after all?" or, "What if I am not a Christian, in spite of everything I have done?" are really no different than the “What ifs” of our society at large. “What if I get AIDS?” or “What if I flunk next week’s big exam?” take the same form. Only the subject matter differs.
Who hasn't experienced these and similar worries? Why should such fears--both religious and secular--surprise us? Doesn't it make sense that we just want to be doubly sure of our most treasured values? But the problem is that this normal desire may be pushed too far, causing our emotional struggles.
At any rate, it is not difficult to get emotionally distraught by the ceaseless questioning of our most cherished beliefs. This is especially so if the focus is on bare possibilities that cannot be touched by the evidence. This is one frequently forgotten aspect of these sorts of concerns: they are almost immune to the facts. A person can always counter, “Yes, I know, but just WHAT IF. . . ?”
One thing is for sure. The pain of emotional doubt is generally worse than that of its two sister species. It sometimes cries out for immediate help.
Emotional uncertainty can be a part of larger issues, too. Irritations lie at the root of these problems, often in diverse and difficult areas that span a large range: psychological or medical problems, child abuse, or the death of a loved one.
Aggravations to Emotional Doubt
As we did in the last chapter with factual and volitional questioning, we need to explore several conditions that, while they don’t exactly cause emotional doubts, do tend to escalate them. Several situations can reinforce an outlook that already has a tendency towards an anxious, worried state. Again, there may be some overlap between these categories, but each represents a unique angle. Our purpose is to provide you with information that will encourage a better grasp of this painful topic, hopefully leading to significant growth and healing.
1) Psychological states. The most common irritant of emotional doubts (and perhaps even all types of uncertainty) is probably psychological states like anxiety or depression. It doesn’t take long for agitated moods and feelings to move over to issues regarding our faith. Our concern most frequently centers on those items that are the most meaningful to us. I have spoken to many individuals who assumed that their problem had to do with evidence for faith, only to discover that their brand of questioning had to be dealt with in a different manner. The true focus had to be their attitude towards the subject, rather than the topic itself.
2) Judging by feelings. Another very common problem, especially with Christians who lack assurance of salvation, comes from reacting to situations based on one's feelings. "I don't feel the same way that I used to," or "Sometimes I don't think I’m saved," are regular fare for the counselor. The feeling that Christianity might not be true after all may plague all believers at some time. One is reminded of C. S. Lewis’ fictional character Uncle Screwtape, who challenged the young demon Wormwood on how to tempt Christians: “But there is a sort of attack on the emotions which can still be tried. It turns on making him feel . . . that all his religion has been a fantasy” (The Screwtape Letters, Macmillan, 1961).
A pastor of a prominent southern church, George called a close friend who was also a pastor and explained that his Christian walk was not as vibrant as when he first became a Christian. Although trained well in a major seminary, he had fallen into some of the same pitfalls that he had helped others through many times over the years of his ministry. After a few discussions, he realized that his questions were caused by his emotions, and not by his failing faith, as he had thought. Once able to identify the area on which he most needed to work, he began to experience relief.
3) Medical states. A number of medical factors can also contribute heavily to religious doubt, including internal conditions like manic depression or diabetes, as well as externally prompted conditions caused by the consumption of alcohol or other types of drugs. To be sure, it is frequently not easy to decide which factors are most to blame. Still, while the origin is medical, doubts that grow in this manner show up in chiefly emotional patterns.
Todd was a young graduate student who was constantly in need of counseling and tended to dominate one of his faculty member’s offices. Almost on a whim, the professor noticed a certain pattern of thinking and referred him to the university clinic. Todd was diagnosed as being manic depressive and was given a prescription for appropriate medicine. After he knew the nature of his problem, he also took additional steps, making tremendous strides regarding his doubt. The process took a few months, but he learned that the input of the medical community was imperative on certain issues related to the treatment of doubts.
4) Childhood problems. I am far from buying into Freudian principles, but it is still the case that experiences from our younger years can have a profound affect on our doubt. For example, child abuse in various forms can make it very difficult for one to accept God's love, or to trust Him.
Jill and Megan were two intelligent young women who had been abused as children, one sexually and the other physically. Megan still had a scar on her face that witnessed to this fact. Both were willing and eager to discuss their problems, but they had many sessions of discussion before beginning to get control of the situation. Both women struggled with how God could ever love them when they thought that their parents never had. Their counselors found it very difficult to convince them otherwise. Jill, a student, found great relief through the love of a man she eventually married, along with that of other family members and close friends. Megan experienced substantial healing by practicing some principles that her counselor taught her.
5) More recent wounds. Painful situations throughout life can also influence religious doubt. The death of a loved one, breaking up with a lover, or the betrayal by a special friend are instances of wounds that could sway a person to wonder if he can fully trust God. In this sense, the situations and results are similar to those related to childhood trauma.
6) Need for attention. In some cases, the expression of doubt is due to the need for friendship and love, often from one who feels a lack in their own life. This is one of the conditions that is commonly expressed by a person who wishes to dominate the counselor's time and grows to depend on the interaction. The person in need is frequently the opposite gender of the counselor, so discernment is needed here. The doubt could certainly be real, but the need for companionship, attention, and love is perhaps a greater need. If so, the problem might appear never to get solved.
7) Lack of sleep and adequate diet. A regularly overlooked aggravation of a doubting condition can sometimes be remedied as simply as getting a normal amount of sleep and healthy food. A biblical example of this is Elijah, who, when he experienced depression, laid down to sleep. After Elijah had rested, an angel recommended food (I Kings 19:4-6).
Travis came to see me, experiencing some rather troubling questions. He was a leader in the Christian community. After a little discussion we pinpointed the type of doubt as emotional and then pushed a little further for the variety. Among other things, it became obvious that he was suffering from a lack of sleep. In fact, soon after we spoke, he went to bed one day and woke up two days later! He decided to make an effort to get more sleep on a regular basis. Along with practicing some other principles, he began doing much better.
Soon afterwards Travis left the area for a new ministry but kept contact with me over many years. Every time we talked, I asked how his doubts were coming and he reported that everything was "back to normal." This just illustrates how cures for doubt are not always the typical ones!
8) Peer pressure. I have long thought that one difficult pressure that is exerted on believers is to be more moderate in their views. This assault is not a frontal attack, but is one that continues to build up to quite a level in its call to trade in old "wives tales" in favor of "modern" approaches. To be more like “normal” people is a desire that is difficult not to heed. Let’s be honest. Doesn’t it hurt to think that others may think we are stupid? If we believe that only a few intelligent people hold our position, this can produce devastating results, especially over time. Often the change occurs in the form of a slightly modified position on the issue in question. Our emotions are particularly vulnerable to this. This pressure produces no new facts, just the same old temptation to change.
9) Imagination versus reality. Reading fictional writings can affect us more than we might ever think. Even more influential are graphic movie and television impersonations that bring us face to face with people and ideas. Here we meet a subtle temptation to identify with the problems of the characters and view issues of good and evil through their eyes, instead of through our own world view.
Years ago I personally recall watching a popular science fiction movie where I was so caught up with the plot that I found myself despairing because of the evil in the world. I am embarrassed to say that for about half an hour my own perception was colored until I realized the obvious: I was witnessing someone else's unreal conception of the issues! But if such subtleties are allowed to go unchecked, one could experience emotional doubts simply by identifying with others.
10) Christian hypocrisy. Doubt sometimes skyrockets after an observation of the beliefs and actions of fellow Christians. Unjust wars, tortures, persecutions, and other crimes have all unquestionably been carried out in the name of Jesus Christ. And this is not to mention secret sins that periodically have been made public and splashed across our headlines. While these are horrors that certainly need to be corrected, they do not touch the truthfulness of the Christian world view at all. Christianity is not affected by what others have done in its name. These are two differing trails that do not intersect. But we perhaps need to be frequently confronted with our failures, as a reminder of both the sin from which God has rescued us, as well as providing impetus for further action against it. The latter includes insuring that they will not happen again.
What is the affect on the lay person when their pastor or another spiritual leader falls? Unfortunately, among the sorts of fallout from these and other sinful actions is the uncertainty of Christians who think that, if Christianity is true, then believers should be more faithful. While there is no direction connection between truth and Christians who sin, it is still sad that these actions, have been hurtful to fellow believers.
11) Forgiven sin. The fear that one's sins have never really been forgiven has always been a prominent reason for many believers to doubt. But the idea that one has committed the unpardonable sin so that one cannot be forgiven strikes even more fear in some believer’s hearts. Could anything seem worse to the sensitive Christian?
Fred shocked his adult Sunday School class one day by expressing a horrifying fear. He believed that the very fact that he had asked questions about God from time to time, sometimes a bit passionately, might mean that he had finally committed the unpardonable sin.
The teacher pointed out the implied but highly emotional “What if . . . .” in Fred’s announcement, and reminded the class that we could raise this question about any scary thing. Then wisely, the leader remarked that this popular conception about doubt was mistaken. Many well-known Bible characters had challenged God and are today known as heroes of the faith. Doubt needed to be dealt with, and could lead to negative results, so Fred should not take it lightly. But this was not the same as having committed the unpardonable sin.
12) Anxiety about the future. It is not enough for Christians to be worried about the present. Anxiety concerning the unknown future has probably been a cause for fear in most believers at some time or another. For some, it might be the uncertainty that their faith can really "hold out" until the end, perhaps in the context of persecution. But God never asks us to hold out by the sheer force of our wills. A study of Scripture is certainly needed, but this alone will probably not solve the problem, once the emotional element is involved. The latter obstacle needs to be addressed.
13) Faulty view of God. To have a wrong concept of God can be a germ that flowers into a case of full-blown emotional doubt. While no believer has a perfect view of God, some errors are more harmful than others. For instance, to believe that God does not answer prayers, especially during times of stress, or that He is morally responsible for pain can lead to a personal crisis. To say that bad theology can have this kind of influence on our walk with God will surprise some believers, but it is a subject that deserves our constant inspection and correction.
14) Judgment and Hell. Even in believers one frequently encounters the fear that, after all, perhaps it is still the case that one could have done everything that the Bible requires for salvation (as far as one knows) but still be sent to Hell. Needless to say, this makes the prospect of Judgment a rather “iffy” situation!
Over the years, I have asked dozens of adult groups this question: “How many of you have, after salvation, ever considered the possibility of being sent to Hell?” If these informal surveys can be trusted, this fear is very widely experienced by many Christians at some time. Here we find another misbelief raising its head: Jesus Christ may send true believers to Hell. We need to forcefully confront and contradict the thought when it enters our minds.
There are probably more potential aggravations to emotional doubt than to any other species. This should not be surprising, since it is so common and comes in so many forms. The “What if . . . ” format allows for so much variation! Yet, there is a crucial need to deal with this uncertainty, too.
Here we have a good news-bad news scenario. The negative tidings involve the very nature of emotional doubt--how many believers are affected by it and how painful it can be when it enters our lives.
The good news is that gaining relief from the pain of emotional doubt is often easier than we might think. The majority of cases can be substantially relieved with less effort than it takes to combat other sorts of problems. But it may have to be treated regularly and systematically. There are a number of specific strategies for healing that can be employed, even if you, like me, are neither a medical doctor, psychologist, or professional counselor. We will spend the rest of this volume working on various aspects of this subject.
Years ago I spoke at Stanford University on the subject of religious doubt. I addressed most of my comments that evening to the topic of emotional questions about faith. During the discussion afterwards, a student offered an especially penetrating protest that I have repeated in many of my lectures since.
As I recall, he said: “Of course these techniques you are suggesting will work--they are based on sound psychological principles. But this amounts to nothing but mind-bending. We may change our perspective on the subject, yet that’s all that changes.” He was objecting that, while we may alter our thinking in order to avoid the accompanying pain in our lives, it was all simply a cerebral exercise. True, we may thereby eliminate the mental anguish, but what additional benefit was there in the “real world”? I had to admit that it was an impressive complaint, indeed.
I responded, “Your charge is totally correct--if Christianity is not true. If the Christian faith is not true to reality, then, yes, all we can hope for is the quieting of the emotional pain in our lives. Let’s just note in passing that this would still be a very positive affect in itself. Yet, as helpful as that might be, you have put it rather succinctly--we would only be mind bending.”
But, I continued, “The entire issue rests on whether Christianity is true--out in the `real world.’ If it is correct, it now becomes a more direct issue of whether we will apply that truth to our thinking.
other words, if reality is shaped along the lines of the
Christian faith, we have a twofold truth here. We have the
truth of the message itself. But we are then left with the
challenge of whether we will employ it in our lives. Will we
personally fill the prescription and apply the remedy? And
here’s the crunch: if we fail to apply it, we are not living
in accord with the real world! The tables have completely
turned on us!”
This is nothing short of an astounding realization for us. If Christianity is not true, all we can hope for by applying our approach is to still the emotional pain. This would still be a noteworthy goal in itself, especially since this is what caused the person to seek help in the first place. After all, when we go to a physician, we want healing, not the answer to all of our philosophical questions!
On the other hand, if Christianity is true, we have two trophies for the price of one. Not only do we have this present reality of salve for our emotional pains, but we also have the proper background that guarantees a more lasting, eternal balm. Then both the truth and the application could be ours for the taking. We have our cake and we can eat it, too! What more could we possibly ask for?
Still, we have to choose both to believe the truth and to apply the emotional ointment. If I decide to forego either one, I receive much less benefit than I otherwise could. What a surprising benefit--both facts and healing are mine for the asking! Has there ever been a better offer? Medicine for my deepest emotional hurts in the present and eternal reality for the future are at my fingertips! Even winning the lottery doesn’t compare!
Years ago, I had begun to discover this wonderful truth in my own life, during my own times of doubt. But it didn’t come without years of intense struggle. And when it did come, it was in a disguised form. I was surprised--and a little angry, I admit--that knowing the facts alone didn’t totally heal the hurt. I had spent years on this factual aspect. Sometimes it didn’t even take very much of the pain away. How dare it not work? How could it not be the answer I was seeking? Back I would go to my studies. But at least the facts usually kept the infection from spreading!
The point here is that, unless a solid basis exists, any effort to solve doubts might be viewed as a mind game. Thankfully, it may still be the aspirin we need to take for the pain of the moment, but as the student had forcefully pointed out, we want something that is true in the “real world,” too. If Christianity is true, then strategies that are based on this foundation are well-grounded. We do want more than temporary relief.
So that We might Know
So is Christianity true? Do we have the basis that we need in order to build the best possible emotional base throughout the remainder of this book?
This is not an apologetics textbook. So we will not provide here any of these arguments. Evangelicalism is privileged, however, to have literally dozens of such volumes at its fingertips. At least an introductory treatment of many of these items will be provided by the sources listed in Chapter 12, "For More Study." Topic divisions along with a brief annotation of each volume may provide some tips concerning where one might look for specific answers.
In this chapter, we will have to be content with the briefest of overviews of some of the avenues at our disposal. Christianity does have a solid, factual foundation that exists at two levels. It can be shown, first of all, that theism is true. This means that a personal God exists who is the Creator of the universe, but who remains separate from the creation. This Being has a relation to the limited, changing persons who live in the world. At this first level, we cannot differentiate between the religions, but we can learn several crucial truths. Naturalism, which teaches that there is no supernatural realm whatsoever, is the “odd man out” if theism is true. Interestingly, Scripture makes some of these same claims.
That such a God exists is evident from the existence of the world (Heb. 3:4). Anything that is finite, beginning to exist at a point in time, needs a cause. Contemporary astrophysics clearly teaches that the universe came into being about 15 billion or so years ago. Regardless of how old the universe actually is, if it began to exist at a certain time, then it is finite. As such, it needs a cause for its existence.
The presence of life in the universe also needs an adequate explanation (Acts 17:28). Even a lowly amoeba depends for its existence on the presence of DNA, the building block of life. Yet, the DNA of the amoeba, which makes the organism what it is, contains more information than exists in many scholarly volumes of books! Since DNA is absolutely required in order for life as we know it to exist, the DNA could not have evolved after the first of earth’s organisms. We’re not talking here about a spark of light or bolt of lightning somehow mysteriously causing the first one-celled creature in a primeval sea, with the DNA coming along later. We must explain the DNA as a fact that guides the beginning of life. This needs to be adequately explained. But how can this incredible complexity, containing more information than what is found in several volumes, originate by chance? How could this burst of information co-exist with the initial, one-celled life? Does this appear, at face value, to be the work of a mindless universe, or one that is heading in a specific direction (cf. Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:19-20)?
There are many other building blocks of life, too. A single enzyme requires the line-up of a number of amino acids. These amino acids must come in a specific order, without even a single exception. To use the Arabic alphabet as an example, an enzyme requiring 15 amino acids would have to have a line up in A-B-C . . . M-N-O order. If even a single amino acid was out of line or in another order, the enzyme would not result! And yet, there are some who would have us believe that the existence of every single enzyme is due to random ordering that just happened to be right, rather than what it more clearly points toward--the work of a Creator who has a specific plan for creation.
Morality is not just a list of dos and don’ts that someone invented to keep order in our society, or just because things seem to work better that way. There is an intrinsic right and wrong in the universe that is far different from man-made laws such as driving through the green light and stopping for the red one (Rom. 2:14-15). The major examples of such moral prescriptions hold not only cross-culturally, but even as grounds for judgment between nations and cultures. The Hitlers of society can be held to an ethical standard of truth. To hold that there are good reasons to reject these objective ethical grounds even appears to be contradictory. The presence of morality is an indicator not only that God has created more than just the physical components of the universe, but also more personal truths, such as our relationships to each other.
The evidence for life after death is especially strong. For example, near-death experiences that are independently verifiable are powerful indicators that some component of our personality survives the death of the physical body. Like morality, this would be another sign that God is interested in us personally. And like the other pointers here, it is a major roadblock for naturalism.
Indications like the finite universe, the prerequisites for life, signs of objective morality, and verified accounts of consciousness after death all argue that persons are not accidents in an impersonal universe. The truthfulness of theism is a far better explanation for all these, as well as other, facts.
The second level of response is that Christianity is the specific form of theism that best accounts for additional data available to us. This can be seen from several more lines of evidence, each of which is both more specific and more personal than the general indicators for theism that we just mentioned. As with theism, Scripture also uses arguments like these in order to show the truth of Christianity.
Fulfilled prophecy argues that God is intricately involved in the march of human history. God even proposes prophecy as a test that He is Lord (Isa. 41:21-24; 45:20-22). Three areas that need to be investigated are those of distinctive city and nation predictions, specifications concerning Israel, and details pertaining to the coming of God’s chosen Messiah. I think the best overall case is one that is constructed of a few quality predictions in each category, rather than using larger numbers of less-verifiable instances. The choices would be those that were plainly given beforehand and clearly pertained only to the events in question, in order to rule out vagueness and manipulation. In such instances, the more specific these prophetic details are, the stronger the predictive value that results.
Jesus’ miracles are seldom used today in Christian apologetics, but are still a worthwhile evidence in an overall case for Christian theism. Jesus claimed several times that His miracles indicated that His message was true (for examples, Mk. 2:10-12; Lk. 7:20-22). His followers agreed (Jn. 20:30-31; Acts 2:22). These events are exceptionally well-attested, being found in every level of strata in the four Gospels, and are even admitted by Jesus’ enemies. Several of them are either attended by intriguing historical details that can be otherwise verified, or offer other marks of authenticity. Certain examples from recent medical literature reveal some fascinating, evidenced parallels that may argue that God is similarly active today. For reasons like these, contemporary critics treat very seriously these aspects of the Gospels narratives.
Without question, the chief verification of Christian theism comes from the resurrection of Jesus. This extraordinary event can be shown to be historical even when only a bare minimum of historical facts is used, each of which is both admitted by unbelieving critical scholars today, as well as being strongly attested by the known data. Further, alternative attempts to dismiss the resurrection on natural grounds have failed to account for the same data, as even these same critics generally admit. In the New Testament, both Jesus (Matt. 12:39-40; 16:4) and His apostles (Acts 2:22-24; 17:31) pointed to the resurrection as the chief sign that He was God’s messenger.
That the Bible is a trustworthy document can be shown through a variety of avenues: manuscript number, copying accuracy, archeology, geography, extrabiblical confirmation, ancient legal and other customs, as well as studies concerning the dates and authorship of the writers of the various books. The inspiration of Scripture is also a crucial truth. Fulfilled prophecy points to at least portions of the Bible being God’s words (cf. Deut. 18:17-22). Jesus’ miracles are helpful in this regard, too (Jn. 14:11). But the strongest argument for inspiration is that this was the testimony of Jesus, whose teachings were confirmed by His resurrection from the dead.
A crucial component of Christianity concerns the deity of Jesus Christ. Not only are Jesus’ claims concerning Himself (especially as indicated by His titles Son of Man and Son of God) established on very strong textual grounds. They are vindicated by the prophecy He fulfilled, the miracles that He performed, and especially by His resurrection. The latter was the chief indication that God confirmed Jesus’ teachings (Acts 2:22-24; 17:31), and His deity, in particular (Rom. 1:3-4). After all, God would not raise a heretic from the dead.
On the other hand, there are extremely potent answers to the objections that are raised by the critics of Christianity. Each challenge has been thoroughly researched and explained by competent scholars.
The result has been a large body of data arguing that Christianity is both self-consistent and true. Further, believers have found that their belief makes sense out of life like no other system does, making life worthwhile.
A wide range of fulfilled prophecies, Jesus’ miracles, His resurrection from the dead, the nature of Scripture, and the deity of Jesus Christ are formidable arguments for the truth of Christianity. Each plays a key role in showing that this is the proper approach to God. The conclusion is that Christian theism is true.
While witnessing, Richard was asked a question that he couldn’t answer adequately. Even though he sensed that he fumbled with the answer, the person to whom he was speaking seemed to be satisfied. Still, Richard grew more bothered about the subject. So he visited with a friend who was well read in the area of apologetics. Amazingly, Richard’s question was answered thoroughly in just a matter of minutes.
“Thanks so much,” Richard called out lightheartedly as he waved and left his friend’s house. His satisfaction on the issue, even in the days ahead, showed that his doubt was factual in nature.
What about the World Religions?
We live in strange times. In an age where the earth has seemed to grow smaller and the world religions have broken beyond their traditional boundaries, rival religious claims are more commonly heard today. Many Americans know non-Christians, such as the Hindus living in our neighborhoods or the Muslims who work with us side by side. Without much question, these situations have compounded Christian doubt. How can Christianity still be considered to be unique, as it teaches?
But perhaps the answer is even stranger. Surprisingly, Jesus has no real challengers among the founders of the major religious faiths. None of the others even claimed to be God, let alone teaching that they were a unique, one-of-a-kind, divine manifestation of the Almighty. Buddha was very possibly an atheist! Confucius and Lao Tzu were teachers of ethics, not theologians. Abraham, Moses, and David never came close to teaching that they were deity. Neither did Mohammed, who is believed by the Muslim faithful to be Allah’s chief prophet, but under no condition to be compared to deity.
Neither do the orthodox followers of the major non-Christian world religions believe that their founders rose from the dead. There is no credible evidence that anything like this ever happened in any case other than that of Jesus Christ. In fact, there is very little that might even be called historical evidences in these belief systems, either. All of this is certainly significant.
At the college that Aimee attended, she often heard that other religions made very similar claims to those made by her Christian friends. It made sense to her that this was the case. Wouldn’t believers in other faiths view their founders as being similar to Jesus? She assumed that this applied to her Buddhist roommate, too. But this conclusion led to questions whenever her pastor preached that Christianity was unique. She decided to do a study in this area for an upcoming research paper that was due in a few weeks.
She was both relieved and amazed to discover that Buddhists do not claim that Buddha was God. Her roommate didn’t even know whether or not she was a theist. Further, claims that Buddha performed miracles were taken from religious texts that dated from literally hundreds of years after the wise man lived. Lastly, she discovered no contentions that he was ever raised from the dead. Her friend simply shrugged off the disparities, without further comment.
“I guess there are some major differences, then, and in some central areas, too,” Aimee concluded. She was very careful not to sound haughty when talking to her friend. But she was still very pleasantly surprised at the results of her research.
Seeking and Finding God
However, our brief look at some of the arguments for Christianity is only one side of the coin. Judging from the literature, we might get the impression that many Christians don’t really care that there is so much evidence for their faith. It is often said that the present generation is searching for experience of God rather than arguments. Far from wanting more intellectual ammunition, they might ask how they can encounter God more fully.
This question is also relevant to doubt. The issue of whether God interacts with us today haunts many, even as it did in biblical times. Is He active in our lives? Why doesn’t He reach out to us even more than He does? If personal experience is as important as we are led to believe, then this is a central concern for many believers.
Some scholars think that God respects our freedom enough that He doesn’t force Himself on us. He is content to lure us to Himself by various means, sharing some brief glimpses of what more fellowship with Him would be like, without obliging us to seek Him. Those who wish to turn from their sin and believe may do so (Rom. 6:20-23) by the power of the Holy Spirit, while those who, for whatever reasons, are content not to do so will remain separated from God (Rom. 1:18-32).
Why would this be God’s approach? Perhaps He desires our love and fellowship without coercion. As the old saying goes, God may have decided that it was better to have loved everyone and lost some than never to have loved any of us at all. But He wants those who come to Him to do so by their own choice, not because they must. This is how much He respects the free will with which He created us.
There might be an analogy here to finding a spouse. If we had the ability to force someone to love us merely by making a private decision, we might momentarily entertain the possibility of activating that choice. I think that, as enticing as it might appear, most of us would concede that such forced love is ultimately not worth pursuing. Regardless, there is hardly any question that love that is freely given is better by far. Judging by how He created us, it seems that God apparently thinks so, too.
On this thesis, evidence like that we have mentioned in this chapter is enough to convince those who look for God with an open mind, but not enough to absolutely prove the truth to those who prefer to ignore Him. Those who respond to the wooing of the Holy Spirit find God (Acts 17:1-4; I Cor. 2:11-15; II Cor. 5:16-21), while those who freely reject Him get their will, too.
So where do we go from here? God has provided far more than enough evidence for those who are open to it. The question is not why there isn’t more data. The real question is whether we will believe and follow Him. Like little children who tire of one toy after another on Christmas day, we throw aside God’s gifts, demanding that He give us even more. But there are already far more than enough presents to make us eternally happy. We just need to slow down and see what He has already done.
One way to follow God and cultivate our relationship with Him is to practice regularly the so-called spiritual disciplines. The main idea here is that Scripture teaches a variety of ways for the believer who wishes to seek God further, and while we pursue some of them, we neglect the majority of avenues that He has provided for ongoing fellowship with Him. Studying the Bible, witnessing, fellowship, and prayer are more popular among believers. But we usually avoid many other practices such as Christian meditation, true worship, fasting, simplicity, service, getting alone with God for times of silence, and so on. This is a very large subject and many recent books have been written on this topic. We will make some reading suggestions in Chapter 12.
What does all of this have to do with the subject of doubt? It is precisely because Christianity has such a firm foundation that strategies dealing with religious uncertainty that are based on this truth are well-established. Not only is the Christian faith true, bringing eternal life to those who trust in God’s path, but it is also practical--it still changes lives today and points the way to a meaningful, lasting relationship with Him. Like the answer to the Stanford University student, since Christianity is true, we are making the wrong move if we don’t take the proper steps of application.
Having a firm foundation that is grounded in the facts can help deal with problems pertaining to the truth of Christianity. While it seldom calms the more raging sorts of worries that come from our emotions or volition, it provides the sort of grounding that is necessary in order to move to these other areas. In the next chapter we will explain that the primary answer to emotional doubt is not to provide more evidence. But it is still crucial that there be such a backdrop of truth.
Yes, believers can experience God more fully and have greater fellowship with Him than they have previously had. It costs us our commitment to Him, however. How dare we expect God to fill our desires for Him at no cost to ourselves? How much time do we reserve for God each day? After all, if we gave our spouse or best friend the same time that we regularly give our Lord, how long would it take our human relationships to crumble?
Emotional dilemmas occur to all of us. No matter who we are, everyone gets bothered from time to time, some of us more frequently than others. But it is especially convicting when you have written and lectured so frequently on similar topics!
Once I was fretting about something that was so serious that I no longer even remember the subject, though I’ve tried. (Isn’t that so typical?) My wife, who had often heard me lecture on emotional doubt, walked through the room while I fumed about the long-forgotten scenario. As she passed me, rolling her eyes in mock frustration, I heard her say, “What if . . . ?, What if . . . ?, What if . . . ?” Her voice trailed off as she passed around the corner and out of sight.
How convicting! I had been caught! I can assure you that I stopped my worrying on the spot.
Precisely because Christianity has a solid foundation, we can launch out into well-grounded strategies that address the problem of emotional doubt. In dealing with such feeling-oriented dilemmas, we must progress beyond the facts themselves, to the truth that comes from them.
We need to be very clear that the approach we will favor in this chapter is not the only way to deal with emotional uncertainty. Neither is our specific listing of steps necessary for healing. Combining strategies can be very helpful. In fact, we will turn to some other options in the next two chapters.
We are concentrating chiefly on those doubts that seem to come from anxious worry, as opposed to other emotional struggles. This focus is deserved because these doubts may well be the most common variety, as well as being among the most painful. They cry out for a remedy.
It should be carefully noted before we begin that the biblical approach is not a "self-help" scenario. We do not act by the sheer force of our willpower. The power to change a Christian's emotional doubt is of the Lord; the weapons are His (II Cor. 10:3-4). Our personal efforts and the application of certain techniques are commanded, but these are not the Source of the healing.
A Strategy for Healing Emotional Doubt
How do we begin the process of conquering emotional doubt? We will stretch the process out over three chapters in order to give you plenty of ammunition from which to pick and choose a remedy that meets your needs. In this chapter, we will look briefly at a crucial biblical passage that deals with worry. Then we will present some further strategies to help implement this biblical advice.
A Biblical Pattern
The Bible contains various kinds of instruction for those who suffer distress. So we do not pretend to offer advice from a single passage as if to say it's the only possible technique to use with hurting people. At the same time, one text, in particular, is very helpful in dealing with anxiety.
The apostle Paul addresses the subject of anxious worry in Philippians 4:6-9. Although doubt is not his chief target, questioning that comes from an anxious spirit can still be treated this way. This variety of uncertainty is perhaps the most common sort, and Paul’s advice is quite applicable. Rather than exegeting the text, we want to draw some specific conclusions concerning religious doubt. This is a very profound passage that promises God’s peace to those who apply the principles to life.
After telling the Philippian believers to rejoice (vs. 4), Paul addresses the issue of anxiety (4:6). His language indicates that these Christians were currently in a state of worry (meden merimnate), which is an encouragement to us when we suffer from similar symptoms in relation to doubt. Paul's initial advice is to pray and petition God with our needs.
While Paul doesn’t give us many details here (cf. I Thes. 5:16-18), Peter provides some advice on the same subject in I Peter 5:7. The apostle tells us to give our anxieties to the Lord, which is probably what Paul meant by petitioning God. These burdens are not for us to carry. So this is our starting point.
During my time of doubt, I once heard a speaker ask, “Why worry when you can pray?”
I distinctly remember my caustic response: “The only person that this advice will help is one who isn’t worrying in the first place! The minute you give something to the Lord, it comes right back!”
But we ought not stop here, since Paul makes some further suggestions. After mentioning the initial step, he encourages the believer to thank the Lord (v. 6). Later he mentions praising God (v. 8b). While thanksgiving and praise are not the same, I think they combine to make a powerful, but too seldom practiced, technique for the treatment of doubt.
In order to test this hypothesis, I very frequently ask a question of my audience when I lecture on this subject. “How many of you have ever, either intentionally or unintentionally, spent at least ten minutes thanking God for a blessing and/or praising Him precisely during a time of doubt?” Without fail, hands shoot up across the room. “What happens when you respond to your mood in this manner?”
Without ever rehearsing or hinting at the reply I am seeking, without exception, here’s the answer that someone calls out: “Whenever I do this, my mood changes. My doubt subsides.” Although this is admittedly an informal survey, to say the least, many believers have testified that Paul's advice about thanksgiving and praise is worth its weight in gold. It is difficult to experience anxiety during concentrated efforts to honor and worship God.
Pausing for a moment, Paul says that the result is being kept by the peace of God (4:7). The word sometimes translated "keep" (phroureo) is a military term indicating to "guard" or to "garrison." God's peace acts as a fortress that protects the believer's mind.
Besides praying, thanksgiving, and praise, Paul goes on to explain that believers need to occupy their minds with God’s thoughts (4:8). They ought to concentrate, respectively, on those things that are true (alethes), honorable or holy (semnos), righteous (dikaios), clean or pure (hagnos), on that which provokes love (prosphiles), or whatever has a good reputation (euphema). Two other possible categories for concentration are those thoughts that are excellent in virtue or moral quality (arete) and whatever deserves praise (epainos).
The Christian ought to focus on truths such as these. Paul’s last verb, "think" (logizomai), indicates a stronger action than simply casual attention. It refers to the process of habitually dwelling or reflecting on a topic. This is the biblical practice of meditation--filling our minds deeply and single-mindedly with God’s truth.
Jeremy was a believer who regularly wondered if Christianity could just possibly be false. This uncertainty gnawed at him continually, in spite of his having no reasons to support his fear. He did not solve this dilemma until he first learned to constantly remind himself that anything could be questioned by such untrue feelings--his finances, his health, or even his exam next week. Then he began informing himself of the truth: he was a believer. He rehearsed these things every time he began to worry, until he achieved substantial relief.
The single minded meditation on proper thoughts that Paul calls for here needs to be practiced (prasso) until it becomes a habit (4:9). Christian "modeling" is also evident in this verse, as Paul, the mature believer, serves as a guide for other Christians. Lastly, the believer is again promised peace (4:9b).
This passage provides at least four biblical steps for treating anxiety like that which might accompany emotional doubt. These teachings may be listed as follows:
prayer of petition
In the last chapter we mentioned the exercise of the classic Christian disciplines as a means of increasing our fellowship with God. It should be noted that each of these steps denotes separate regimens for the believer to develop and practice. Alone they represent powerful means of seeking God. But together, they are nothing short of an awesome array of four weapons that we are to employ during our emotional struggles.
In short, the problem should be committed to God in prayer, with thanksgiving and praise, with believers exchanging their old, anxious thoughts for God’s truth. This ought to be practiced until it becomes a habit, or even a way of life. Paul attests that the application of these truths promotes healing and peace to those who follow the prescription. His overall teaching is that Christians need to stop worrying, by changing their anxious thoughts, including doubts, for wholesome ones.
Exchanging our Anxious Thoughts for God’s Truth
I am not a psychologist. I realize that many believers are suspicious that the theories and techniques used by Christian psychologists are not based on Scripture, and sometimes with good reason. Yet, I don’t think that this justifies “throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” as the saying goes. After years of personal research on many related subjects, I think the better approach is to make use of those psychological techniques that are true to Scripture. Some teachings of Christian psychologists frankly do not conform to God’s Word, while other counselors utilize excellent techniques that make the most of exceptionally helpful insights gleaned from Scripture. Since any truth we find in creation ultimately goes back to the Creator, we should not avoid it when it meets the scriptural standard.
I have come to the conclusion that forms of the “cognitive method” are the closest to Scripture, with certain behavioral techniques providing follow-up application. The cognitive method is based on the principle that change begins in our thinking, working out into our emotions and will. In other words, clear, biblical thinking must be applied to our whole lives: to how we feel, to the things we tell ourselves, and what we decide to do. In this book, we are chiefly interested in applying biblical truth and thinking to our painful emotions.
Doesn’t this sound like Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:8? We have seen that the apostle exhorts believers to exchange their worrisome thoughts for God’s truth. We must meditate on God’s instructions instead of our own. He emphasizes edifying thinking patterns, rather than the faulty ones that led to the anxiety that he describes in verse 6.
But this can be a very difficult assignment, especially in the middle of our times of anxiety. I have seen many doubters who understand the principles, but who just do not seem to be able to apply them when they are most needed. Is this really surprising? We’ve already said that Paul’s readers were also currently in a state of anxiety. That’s why he wrote these things to them. It’s not that these techniques fail to work; in fact, I have never been told that by the sufferers themselves. Rather, as paradoxical as this sounds, believers just seem at times to be impotent to make the application, even though they readily admit that, when they apply the instructions, they do work. Paul commands that we change our thinking. Some additional pointers on how to apply his teaching might be helpful here.
Many recent books have encouraged believers to think differently, in keeping with God’s truth. Chapter 12 contains an annotated list of some of these volumes. Two Christian psychologists who support such an effort are William Backus and Marie Chapian. One of their co-authored volumes, Telling Yourself the Truth (Bethany, 1980), is not specifically addressed to the issue of religious doubt, but presents some sound techniques for dealing with emotional struggles of different sorts. So their particular method, termed Misbelief Therapy, is applicable to emotional doubts. In this section, I will present some of their ideas, making specific application to those who question their faith. Page numbers in parentheses can be traced to the above book.
Backus and Chapian explain that our feelings are largely caused by the things that we say to ourselves. So if we tell ourselves untruths or lies, they can certainly cause us harm. These misbeliefs "are the direct cause of emotional turmoil, maladaptive behavior and most so-called `mental illness'." (p. 17) Even those things that we fear (like embarrassments or failures) do not usually cause us as much havoc as do our misbeliefs about them. "What you think and believe determines how you feel and what you do." (their emphasis, p. 22)
For example, if a Christian repeatedly tells him or herself that Christianity may not be true, or that they are probably going to Hell, it should not be surprising if they begin to believe it after a while. At this point, what the Christian is saying is contrary to his deepest desires. Conflict is sure to be the result unless there is a change in these unbiblical thoughts. Later, improper behavior may also reflects these untrue thoughts.
and Chapian assert that the correct response to these
misbeliefs is a threefold strategy that is reminiscent of the
last two steps of our biblical pattern from Phil. 4:6-9. They
outline their approach in the following steps (their emphasis,
So we need to listen to ourselves in order to pick out the lies that we say to ourselves every day. These misbeliefs need to be removed, which is done by arguing against them. Here we need to respond to ourselves forcefully: "No, that is not true, because . . . ." Lastly, God’s truth is supplied in the place of the lies. We do not simply dismiss the anxious thoughts, but replace them with truths like those Paul mentions in Philippians 4:8. We think godly thoughts instead of the anxious ones.
Backus and Chapian challenge the hurting person that they can control their own emotions. God has even told us to do so. The real issue is whether or not they will follow God's prescription (their emphasis, p. 24):
. . . you can change your emotions . . . no matter what you have experienced in you life and no matter what your circumstances are.
The first time Tracey heard that she controlled her emotions, she objected: “Maybe others can be healed like that, but it won’t work with me. I’ve already tried everything, but nothing works.” The battle was over for her before it even started--precisely because, ironically enough, she had made a choice not to use her own choice! In other words, she didn’t believe that she could control her thoughts by simply choosing to do so, thus her choice to do nothing ruled out the possibility of healing.
Hold it right there! This is as good a place to begin as any other. What is the nature of Tracey’s complaints? She was basically telling God that the prescriptions in His Word against worry don’t really work, after all! Her comments need to be directly identified for what they are: lies!
Whenever we catch ourselves thinking that our misbeliefs are true, we must stop ourselves immediately and correct the thoughts. How is that done? We need to work through each of Paul’s four steps in Philippians 4:6-9. Then we can apply the three rules suggested by Backus and Chapian in order to implement Paul’s command in verse 8 that we change our thinking. We can get so used to this total sequence that we can quickly identify our lies on the spot and perform the entire exercise in just a minute or two. It can be done almost anywhere. As we get better at it, we progress to the point where we seldom think the lies in the first place. That is, indeed, a happy realization and victory!
So now we see where the blame for the faulty thinking is to be placed: squarely on the shoulders of the one who is suffering! There are few more profound truths on the subject than this one: people and events around us can't force us to doubt or worry. We can’t blame our emotions on them. The key is how we respond and how we interpret the occurrences in our lives. Changing our wrong beliefs really does alter both our feelings and our actions.
While our outward circumstances may not change immediately, what we tell ourselves about them can change right away. The change in ourselves may be gradual, but it can happen; our problems can be remedied (pp. 14, 17, 24-27, 75).
How does all of this apply to emotional doubts? The first time I ever heard this last assertion, I missed the point completely. “So what if what I tell myself changes immediately?” I asked often. “The problems that are causing my grief have not gone away yet.”
This just proved that I had not internalized this last truth. External problems do not and cannot force me to doubt. The doubt doesn’t come until I give myself permission to question. The uncertainty, then, is caused by my own, private thought life! I was clearly disobeying Paul’s commands. Therefore, if what I am telling myself can change immediately, then I am already on my way to healing my doubt with the truth! What a bombshell!
Instead of believing the misbeliefs we tell ourselves, we need to locate them, argue forcefully against them, and cite the truth. Instead of thinking that believers may be sent to Hell or that Christ may someday abandon us, Christians need to object, replacing these lies with the truth: "Jesus does not send saved persons to Hell. I know this to be true based on the authority of the resurrected Jesus Himself. Besides, the Lord of the universe loves me and I have a unique place with Him" (Jn. 3:16-18; Rom. 8:28-39; Eph. 1:3-14).
Or instead of Jeremy’s earlier wondering concerning whether Christianity could just possibly be false, he learned to stop questioning immediately and point out the misbeliefs. He could doubt anything on the grounds of mere possibility alone, but wise persons don't base their lives on this “What iffing.” A review of Christian evidences helped Jeremy a bit, too. He learned that he needed to strengthen his faith by daily practice, rather than by allowing emotional questions to trample him underfoot.
Shannon often had times when her moods were troublesome. Particularly during these moments she was prone to "feel" unsaved. This bothered her for years: “It’s like denying what is most important in my life,” she frequently told her mom. “This is incredibly painful.”
Then one of her pastor’s sermons helped her to see what she was doing to herself. She began to react to her moods by directly confronting them. "Feelings are irrelevant to my salvation," she forcefully declared. Then she reinforced this truth with some appropriate biblical texts that she wrote down and kept with her at all times. She even memorized verses that described her true condition and blessings in Christ. The more practiced she became at reciting these truths, the better she felt. That was all the encouragement she needed to continue preaching to herself.
When we do not "feel" saved we must not allow a frequent course of events to take place: an emotional letdown and further “What iffing,” followed later by a "Who cares?" attitude. Like a cold splash of water in the face, we could jolt ourselves with the question, "Who cares how I feel? Since when do my feelings determine whether or not I am saved?" Like Shannon learned, reinforcements can come from follow-up truth statements composed of relevant biblical texts.
Dana wondered why God did not answer very many prayers today, as He clearly did in biblical times. After months of frustration, he finally decided to seek the counsel of a friend. Challenged by his wise Sunday School teacher, they got together a few times and shared a Bible study. As Dana later declared their surprise discoveries to the class: “We found that many Bible heroes asked this very same question, usually without answers. Job, David, John the Baptist, and Paul all reported similar frustrations.”
Then, over a period of one year, the class began keeping a list of all their prayer requests, which led them to another discovery. The majority of their petitions were answered! “I guess I overemphasized the ones that I thought God was ignoring, while forgetting the others,” Dana concluded with a shrug. His circumstances were never his chief problem. The real issue was what he told himself about them.
What about emotional complications that frequently accompany doubts, such as depression and anxiety? Again, I am not a psychologist. But Backus and Chapian address these concerns from their professional expertise, extending Misbelief Therapy to each topic.
They explain that depression is almost always provoked by a loss of some sort (such as a person, health, or finances), after which the individual devalues him or herself, their surroundings, and/or their prospects for the future. Perhaps this is the triggering mechanism for doubting their faith, or maybe it is their faith that they think they have lost. This condition is also reported in Scripture, such as the psalmist who is "cast down" (Ps. 42:5,6; 43:5).
Each situation must be placed in the proper perspective by identifying the misbeliefs. Lies might consist of telling ourselves that we cannot go on after the loss, or that the emotion itself is the worst thing in the world. Yet, many others have faced both similar losses and the accompanying feelings, while still leading successful lives (p. 43):
Experience bears out the deception here. Many of us have told ourselves we "cannot live without" some person, object, scheme or notion. Then this adored "whatever" is removed from our lives and wonder of wonders, we recover.
The one who responds like Tracey did above, "Yes, but it's the other guy who recovers, not me," is likewise stating a misbelief. This vicious cycle must be broken. The lies need to be identified and rejected. A proper response might be, "Okay, I feel very bad, but this is not the end of the world" or "I've felt horrible before and, with God's assistance, I've always recovered." When a person continues reacting to a loss past a normal period of time, it is no longer the loss but the misbelief that is crippling them.
The greatest truth we can substitute in place of depression’s lies is that Christians are already both loved by God and will receive eternal blessings from Him (their emphasis, p. 40):
Christians don't have to base their work on achievements or attributes. Even without any achievements and without any special merit or attractiveness, the Christian can know for certain he/she is important and loved. Our lives have been bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ and that means we're free from the pressure to be something, do something, own something, achieve something or prove something in order to be important and loved. We can do all these things or not do them and still be loved and important. Jesus loved [us] so much that He was willing to die on the cross so [we] could have eternal life with Him one day, as well as a fulfilling life here and now.
Can you think of something that brings more freedom or peace than this truth? We don’t have to be the best looking, the best dressed, have the best personality, or the most friends. Neither do we have to own the nicest house or car, be the best salesman or the best athlete in order to have these blessings. They belong to the believer, and they are free!
Further, no circumstances, pain, or loss can ever change these truths (Rom. 8:31-39). What an incredible blessing! Relying on God, we can never be ultimately disappointed, no matter how we feel now. It is simply a fact that eternal life with the God of the universe not only outweighs all our present suffering and pain (Rom. 8:18), but it gives us a tremendous perspective from which to view all of our problems (II Cor. 4:16-18).
Besides, virtually all depressed persons will recover (p. 45). So disheartened Christians can gain both probable recovery now, as well as God's riches throughout eternity.
Anxiety, on the other hand, "is ordinarily defined as fear in the absence of actual danger." (p. 68) It is overestimating the likelihood of peril and exaggerating how horrible it would be. Anxiety’s recurring theme is that what others think about me is of "crucial importance" to my thinking (p. 68).
Like other emotional struggles, we teach ourselves to be anxious. It is not our circumstances that create the fear--it’s our own doing. The lies we tell ourselves are the chief culprits here. One misbelief is that something "terrible" is going to happen (p. 76):
What does "terrible" mean? Usually it means something far worse than you think you can endure. You tell yourself the "terrible" is beyond human endurance, worse than anything on earth. Truly, nothing of this sort exists.
Another falsehood concerns the likelihood of our fears. Anxiety by its very nature generally involves imagining an evil that is actually very unlikely to occur. (How many of our worst fears throughout life have actually come to pass?) Still, the anxious person tells him or herself that this evil is unavoidable or inevitable.
We need to forcefully challenge such false beliefs with the truth that, although we may be feeling very bad, what we are imagining has not occurred. Even if something horrible has already happened, it's not the end of a meaningful life, for believers still have the Lord, His love, and eternal life. So nothing is as terrible as we thought and, while painful things do happen, believers still possess their ultimate hope. Others have lived through the same pain, and so can we, with God’s help. Still, the object of most anxieties never occurs anyway. These are the sorts of truths that we must constantly tell ourselves.
The improvement and healing of these emotional conditions frequently takes time. I have seen numerous cases where doubting individuals have been significantly helped after just one (usually lengthy) meeting. But more often, healing the most painful affects of doubt takes practice, especially so the more it is ingrained in the person. Most of us have misrepresented reality to ourselves for so long that it should not surprise us that it also takes some time to cure the dilemma. Sometimes the condition is tied so closely to our personality that, rather than a complete cure, we should be thankful for a significant lessening of the condition.
A key here, as Paul tells us in Philippians 4:9, is repetition. We need to practice the biblical remedy until it is our predominant habit. We need to be transformed by truth. The best time to fight doubt is during the suffering itself. Beyond that, we need to continue to rehearse truth as a preventative measure, even when it is not directly needed. Thus, working through our thoughts and applying truth always produces good results, even when things already seem to be going well.
Yet, we have made no claims that these methods are the only healing remedies. In fact, such a claim would be far from the truth. Other researchers have presented additional biblical remedies which can also lead to healing. Besides, our next two chapters will develop other procedures.
Before we began, we were careful to note that Scripture does not promote a "self-help" scenario, as is so popularly declared today. Believers do not act in their own power or by the force of their own wills. The power to change our emotional doubts comes from the Lord. Paul explains at length that he had to personally learn this difficult lesson (Rom. 7:21-8:11). Yes, we are commanded to change by applying certain techniques. Yet, God is the Source of our healing; true change comes by His power (Zech. 4:6). We will discuss this in more detail in the next chapter.
Lastly, I do not conclude that the various treatments will always work on each type of doubt, largely because the personal factors vary so much. But I cannot remember ever having anyone tell me, after applying the truth of Scripture, that these techniques did not either ease or heal the problem.
Did you ever go through a real tough emotional time in your life while being thankful that you had already learned some major lessons that had suddenly become very helpful? It’s like having the right tools in your trunk when the car breaks down. We do seem to get ample opportunities to deal with (and hopefully control) our emotions. During the years when I went through the various species of doubt, I never really had to face any serious emotional trauma at the same time. Even when I wrote my first book on doubt, I was able to do so from the intense personal experience of questioning seriously my faith for many years and of subsequently talking to dozens of others who had done the same. But I always wondered how my faith would fare in a real emergency. I got that chance a few years later.
My entire life came to a screeching halt, almost like a slow motion movie, one sunny spring morning. After days of testing and comparing results, my dear wife was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Four months later, almost to the day, she died. It was one month after our twenty-third wedding anniversary. We celebrated it while she lay in bed. Except for two weeks in the hospital, she spent all of her last days at home, with our four children, myself, and many loving relatives.
To say that it was a trying time would be the greatest of understatements. My wife and I had been exceptionally close. Amid the multiple rounds per day of feedings and medicines that had to be put through a tube, I was forced to deal not only with my own raging emotions, but also with those of my children. Friends and loved ones wanted to know how things were going, and, during daily updates, I told the story perhaps hundreds of times.
Do biblical strategies really work at “crunch time,” when the going is at its toughest? Can our beliefs hold firmly when what seems to be the worst possible scenarios in life are thrown at us? I always wanted to know these answers. I thought for sure that my darkest doubts would certainly return after years of dormancy, and I said so to my closest friends.
But God was good and the questioning never returned. I discovered great comfort from many of the same techniques that are found in this book, especially those in the last chapter. I used them again and again, just as they are presented here. Reading and meditating on the story of Job was a special help, as I’ve pointed out in Forever Loved (College Press, 1997). I always knew these methods worked, because I had seen them in action, in both my life and with others.
But now I had forcibly discovered their real power. God’s prescriptions had sustained me precisely during the time when I could hardly even imagine my life being any more strenuous. It was an incomparably valuable lesson, taught to me under the most grueling of circumstances. God promised that no temptation would be more than we could bear (I Cor. 10:13), and I learned that truth in a first-hand manner.
By Whose Power?
Before recommending a number of other helpful hints for dealing with emotional uncertainty, we need to repeat an important lesson from the last chapter and spend a little time explaining it further. The believer does not conquer doubt by his or her own power. Biblical suggestions for conquering worry are not to be carried out in our own strength, by somehow "hyping" ourselves to do a task by our own energy and skill. We do not pull ourselves up by our own boot straps, so-to-speak. These would be self-help scenarios, but they are not what we find in Scripture.
Pete was a popular guy who was always viewed by his friends as an upbeat, optimistic person. A long-time advocate of positive thinking techniques, he seemed to have his life together. After he became a Christian, however, he reached a time of conflict. Attempting to have a consistent testimony, he began to get the impression that everything depended on his own ability to “hang in there.” Always having to appear on top of the world, avoiding sin by his own efforts and abilities wore him down. While he was definitely glad that he gave his life to the Lord, he often wondered why his quality of life seemed to go down hill after his conversion. He simply grew tired of the constant fight and effort it took him to behave like a Christian.
It is true that the Bible very frequently exhorts Christians to change their unbiblical behavior and embrace God’s truth. The apostle James assumes that his readers have enough free choice to decide either for God or for Satan. He encourages them to submit themselves to God and resist the Devil (Js. 4:4-10). Similarly, Peter warns us to beware of the Devil’s tricks, so that we might resist him and stand firmly in our faith (I Pet. 5:8-9). Persevering in the Christian faith is a popular theme in the New Testament (Heb. 10:36; II Jn. 9; Rev. 22:7).
In a classic text, Paul begs his readers to offer themselves to God by revitalizing their minds, so that they will be able to know God’s will (Rom. 12:1-2). Peter encourages believers to turn from sin and crave God’s path of spiritual growth (I Pet. 2:1-3; II Pet. 3:18). Believers are to check themselves regularly in order to ascertain whether they are still following the Lord (I Cor. 10:12; 11:28, 31; Gal. 6:4-5). John tells Christians that they need to obey God and walk as Jesus did (I Jn. 2:3-6).
In each of these passages, it is assumed that believers are capable of making the appropriate decisions to turn from sin and follow God with all their hearts (Matt. 22:35-37). Accordingly, we are exhorted to give ourselves wholeheartedly to God.
But it is also clear that this ability comes through God's presence in the believer's life. Paul plainly states several times that the power to conquer evil is God’s, not ours (II Cor. 4:7; 12:9-10; Eph. 6:10). Further, the weapons are God’s, too (I Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:11-18). It is God’s life at work within us (Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:13). If the power, weapons, and life come from God, victory in the Christian life certainly requires His interaction with us!
Several passages include both the believer’s responsibility to be committed to God, as well as the divine action that is involved. One of the best known texts here is Philippians 2:12-13, where Paul tells Christians that they are take part in working out their own salvation, only to conclude that God is the One who works in us. While we are saved totally by God’s work in us rather than by our own actions, we are saved in order to do good works afterwards (Eph. 2:8-10). We shun sin by the leading of the Holy Spirit within us (Gal. 5:16-26). John exhorts his readers to obey God and love each other, while explaining that God lives in us (I Jn. 3:23-24).
Paul leads us through the perhaps painful lesson that he learned on this subject. He had been a Pharisee with a noteworthy pedigree, even referring to himself as “a Hebrew of the Hebrews” (NIV) (Phil. 3:4-6; cf. Acts 22:3-5; 26:4-11). It would probably have been very difficult for him not to think that, due to his holiness, he had the means at his disposal to conquer sin in his life. But he learned that this was simply beyond his power. The things that he didn’t want to do, he did. The things he wanted to do, he didn’t (Rom. 7:14-25). Although there is some controversy as to whether Paul was saved during this period of failure that he describes, there is no debate that he found his victory not in his own strength, skill, and self-control, but in the victory provided by Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:1-4). And it was the Holy Spirit who infused Paul with the power to defeat sin (8:5-11).
We conclude that believers are required to think and act in a responsible manner that chooses God over sin and our personal desires. We are called to radically commit our lives to our Lord. Yet, the power, weapons, and life itself come from God. He provides all that we need to get the job done, but God doesn’t force us to do His will.
How does all of this work itself out in practical terms? It seems that we are back again at our key text in Philippians 4:6-9. While Paul calls upon his readers to yield to God’s truth and to practice obedience, the prayers, praise, and thanksgiving are directed to God, both for who He is and for what He has done. He effects the changes. He is clearly the focus of Paul’s treatment, since it is through God’s strength and power that the victory comes (4:13).
Christians need not be able to figure out all the fine lines between our responsible acting and God’s power. This is part of a larger theological issue that has plagued theologians for centuries. We obviously won’t solve the issues here. But even if we think that we could, objections could always be raised by other well-meaning believers who think differently.
We have said enough for our present purposes. That both human and divine interaction is necessary at this point is well grounded in Scripture. Christians must decide to follow God, while all the time relying on His weapons and power. The best way to do this is to apply the techniques taught in God’s Word, without laboring under the illusion (another lie!) that we are responsible for the positive changes that occur in our lives.
In this chapter we will offer eight additional techniques that may also be applied during times of emotional doubt. Each is cognitive in nature, meaning that, like Philippians 4:6-9, these are items to be integrated into our thinking. They are truths that need to be constantly considered, remembered, and meditated on, especially in worrisome times. In the next chapter, we will introduce several behavioral ingredients to fulfill Paul’s exhortation that we practice God’s truth. In short, biblical principles need to be both carefully thought through and applied.
There is no special order to the suggestions in these two chapters. The reader can pick and apply whichever recommendations are most helpful. This “mixing and matching” can be used in addition to the techniques in the last chapter, or developed into their own pattern of thinking and acting.
(1) We need to constantly remind ourselves that emotional doubts do not constitute any evidence against Christianity. No matter how great our inner turmoil may be, this particular species of doubt is not chiefly due to our questioning of the facts. So the truth of the matter is that Christianity does not hang in the balances here. This is certainly a fact that needs to be learned and used in personal times of crisis, since the doubter often tells him or herself that the Christian faith is in question. We have seen that this is due to the very nature of emotional uncertainty’s mood-relativity and orientation toward feelings.
In the last chapter, Shannon found this out for herself. She experienced a great victory when she realized that her moods had nothing to do with the actual state of her salvation, as she had originally feared. She had learned to concentrate instead on what God’s Word told her was true.
(2) Our unedifying thoughts are often accompanied by worries and other unwanted emotions. But these reactions usually do not indicate the absence of faith. Here is one of doubt’s real paradoxes: our emotions most frequently point precisely to our true faith!
How can that possibly be? Just think about it for a minute. Unless our faith was crucially important to us, we would not react at the thought that we were not believers! If we didn’t really care, we wouldn’t be upset at all!
So what are our emotions saying to us? They are telling us to stop thinking the way we are! Believe it or not, they are actually dictating that we cease what we’re doing to ourselves because it hurts. Isn’t that incredible? Not only has God told us in Scripture how to deal with emotional uncertainty, but He has also provided us with an early warning system that screams for attention when we disobey Him!
Here is something on which we should meditate deeply. Instead of the anxiety that we are not saved, or that Christianity is not true, we should substitute the real truth: emotional doubt usually indicates the presence of true faith. We care about our belief! We want to live with God for eternity.
Initially, Shannon panicked when it seemed that her horrible feelings might mean that she was not really saved. But later she actually rejoiced in the realization that the exact opposite was true: these emotions were being disturbed precisely because her thoughts were so contrary to her own strong Christian convictions! She was reacting, not to the true state of her heart, but to the lies she was feeding herself! This was the final nail in the coffin of her emotional doubt. She was saved--and cured!
(3) When suffering through emotional doubt, a very helpful technique is to minimize the problem without neglecting its correction. In other words, it is beneficial to remember and concentrate on the fact that many others have faced what you have and suffered similar obstacles (I Cor. 10:13). You are not alone in this. Doubt is common to human beings in general. This is not an excuse to treat religious uncertainty lightly, but knowing that others are also struggling with it somehow has the affect of allowing us to relax a bit.
Years ago I was teaching a seminary class that attempted to apply apologetic principles to ministry. One of the assignments required the students to find someone who was doubting and attempt to counsel them through it.
One student discovered an example of how truth telling can heal. He reported that the doubter he worked with (a fellow seminary student) was so amazed to find that Christians frequently questioned their faith that this single fact alone brought him substantial relief. This realization minimized the force of the problem. It led, in turn, to another liberating thought: the original problem was emotional in nature, and needed to be treated as such, and not as some deep-seated spiritual dilemma.
(4) Anxiety during doubt is frequently short-lived. In these cases, one technique is to remind ourselves that the fear or other negative feelings need not last very long. Where the pain lasts longer, applying techniques like those we discussed in the last chapter usually lessons the time element considerately.
Once Philip realized this truth, he confronted his customary fear by forcefully declaring to himself: “Just calm down. Relax! This will only last a few minutes.” Then he projected his thoughts to an hour or so in the future, and pictured being calm and restful. He experienced peace almost immediately. Each time he did this, he was able to sit back and watch as the levels on his “doubt barometer” dropped. Like some medical prescriptions, he repeated the dose whenever needed. He found that once he had taken the edge off his unruly emotions, it became much easier to deal with the fear itself, which was now declining even more quickly.
(5) When suffering in the grips of acute emotional doubt, another remedy will perhaps give the fastest relief: Change the subject quickly, forcefully, and completely. The sufferer needs to concentrate his or her attention on another topic altogether. One of the methods we’ve already mentioned should suffice, such as prayer, thanksgiving, praise, or addressing our lies directly.
Or you might wish to try a “secular” behavioral alternative like calling a friend on the phone, jogging, walking, biking, or swimming. The latter methods are best seen as band-aides in the sense that, while they don’t heal the problem, they will temporarily ease the pain, and often quite quickly.
Alexis was close to a panic attack. Those uncontrollable thoughts were attacking her faith once again. Would she ever get a handle on these doubts? And they hurt so much! Absolutely anything was preferable to these awful feelings! She was now pacing, spinning rapidly on her heel, and starting back in the other direction. Her pulse and breathing had both picked up considerately. If it would only stop!
When the telephone rang Alexis ran to pick up the receiver. It was her best friend with news about last night’s blind date. Two minutes into the conversation, Alexis rather absent-mindedly remembered that she had not been feeling well. But now she felt fine!
Later reflection brought a flood of lessons to Alexis’ mind. She was simply amazed at how quickly the panic had subsided. Literally, one minute it was there, and the next minute it wasn’t! “I’ll have to remember that trick next time,” she told herself light-heartedly, cringing slightly at the thought that the feeling might return. Additionally, she realized rather sheepishly that she wasn’t dying, like she was beginning to think during the attack.
Other conclusions dawned on her some time afterwards. She realized that the intruding thoughts were not as uncontrollable as she had thought. After all, a rather minor interruption was all it took! And the worries weren’t the unbearable horrors she had thought they were at the time. She had lived to tell about it, hadn’t she? All of this came from a simple phone call! But unfortunately, she knew that the feeling would return as they had always done before, and she desired a longer-lasting remedy.
(6) Don’t argue with yourself concerning the factual grounds for Christianity during an attack of anxious doubt. Commonly, when one mistakenly identifies emotional questioning as being factual in nature, the doubter often resorts to arguing the evidential basis for Christianity, concluding that this will cause the emotions to retreat. But as we’ve said many times, emotional doubts are not usually corrected by factual recitations. Thus, pulling the facts out at this point will allow them to be colored in one’s mind by the emotional element. Although it may be tough to admit, when our emotions go to war against our reason, the emotions usually win. So why invite disaster?
Here someone may raise a question: “Hey, wait a minute. We’ve said many times that we should argue during our episodes of doubt. So why shouldn’t we do it here?”
This observation is correct, but the distinction lies in the nature of the arguing, as we’ve carefully pointed out. Facts are used with factual doubts, while cognitive and behavioral techniques are used with emotional questioning. These latter grounds should be argued immediately. But since facts seldom end the emotional doubt, we shouldn’t cross that line. There is plenty of time to return later to the facts for Christianity, after one is calm, but not before then.
(7) During attacks of emotional doubt, it is helpful to continue affirming our belief in the foundations of the Christian truth. When our faith is being assailed, we should concentrate on trusting God, regardless of the circumstances.
Is a man considered a good friend or a poor one if he gives up on his best buddy as soon as a stranger challenges him or her? How about our ongoing commitment to a faithful spouse during a tough time? In the same way, why should we deny Jesus when someone questions Him? Persons are not the same as ideas, and the former require greater allegiance. Christians need to affirm their allegiance to their Lord.
(8) Pick a biblical hero who went through tough times--like Job, Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, John the Baptist, or Paul. Study their life carefully and recall both their struggles and their victories. Why was Job satisfied without ever learning why he suffered? How did Abraham overcome his lack of faith so that he became known as the man of faith? Why were the psalmists content even when God was silent? How did Jesus treat John the Baptist’s emotional doubts that he suffered while he was isolated in prison?
Think through their struggles once again. What other problems were faced by these saints? How did they deal with them? Did they achieve victory immediately? What did they learn from these conflicts?
Then consider what you can learn today from their past struggles. What are the parallels? Do we suffer pain today? Is our faith sometimes weak? Do we wonder why our prayers are not always answered the way we think they should be? Are we ever isolated, without Christian fellowship? Do our emotions rage, too?
How can we draw strength from these biblical testimonies? Can we also make a similar move from the problem to the solution? Concentrate on these issues and take note of some biblical lessons that might be learned and applied.
At least a few of these eight additional suggestions should be beneficial in combating emotional uncertainty. I would suggest trying each one during worrisome moments and utilizing those that show the most promise. The “Helpful List” can then be reviewed periodically in order to see if any others might be added.
Christians are continually exhorted throughout Scripture to resist the Devil and sin. We are also told to follow God with all of our hearts. All of this only makes sense if we have some responsibility in the process. But we are additionally told that it is God’s power, weapons, and His indwelling of believers that produces the victory. We must decide to follow Him and apply the techniques that He commands, but we do so in His strength.
So how did Pete resolve his dilemma about reacting to life in his own strength? It took a while, but he learned that Christianity was not about working oneself up into a frenzy in order to obey a list of negatives. Rather, it was an integrated lifestyle that allowed God to work through the believer so that they actually preferred to make the choices they did. Thus, Pete felt liberated when he learned that the Christian faith is more about exuberant, committed living in light of eternity than it is about always having a burden to react against everything.
But for some believers, the problem does not come from any lack of conviction that they need to do something. After all, they are in pain! They desire remedies that work. The question concerns which techniques best treat their specific form of doubt and how they should be exercised, especially during their struggles. Applying the truth they know is perhaps the most crucial decision they will make on this subject. Hopefully, the suggested cognitive procedures in the last two chapters will provide some thoughtful sorts of consolation. In the next chapter we will turn to behavioral changes that also address our emotional struggles with faith.
Seldom have I seen anything more marvelous than watching the appropriate techniques “catch on” with someone who has suffered grievously from the affects of religious doubt. I have often said that the good feelings are not unlike watching someone come to the Lord. Fantastic blessings can be the result for those who learn and continually practice the biblical prescriptions, even when the situations looked so bleak at the beginning, and involved an exceptional amount of work. Two cases, in particular, come to my mind.
When Missy came to talk with me, she seemed to be suffering from more than the ordinary sort of emotional doubt. I sent her to a counseling clinic, where she was diagnosed with a potentially serious psychological disorder. She was treated with medicine and released. But she still had to deal with what she was telling herself concerning her salvation.
We met many times while she attempted to grasp the essentials of assurance. Many other painful things were going on in Missy’s life, too. There were multiple symptoms with which to deal. For several months there were ups and downs. Sometimes things were better, other times they were not. But she began to progress very slowly. The more she practiced, the stronger she got.
Due to the complicated nature of her situation, far beyond the emotional doubt alone, Missy needed some time to work everything through. At first, she failed to apply the principles in Philippians 4:6-9 in any consistent manner. But later it was these very precepts, in particular, that really changed her life.
The change has lasted for the long term, as well. Twelve years later, a few conversations showed that she no longer struggled with the issues that had dominated her life. She indicated that they were not even a factor. Although her path didn’t always travel straight upwards, and there were trials along the way, the trip ended with a fantastic victory. The principles she had learned affected more than just her doubt. They became beacons for her life, as she applied them to other subjects, too. Today, Missy is a missionary in Eastern Europe, sharing her testimony with other hurting people.
The second case came fairly early in my growing number of instruction sessions with doubters. It involved a graduate student, James, who repeatedly and sometimes rather belligerently charged God with not loving him. No amount of discussion would cause him to think otherwise. Some rather serious child abuse, along with some even more dangerous medical problems that altered moods, added much to his doubts.
We talked often about his questioning, but the meetings more often seemed to take the form of his challenging me to convince him that the biblical methods would work. Many a morning I would round the last corner to my office, only to find him sitting there without an appointment, wanting me to address his needs right then and there. Calls at home, or meeting me at sporting events for more discussions, were commonplace. But all during this time, James steadfastly refused to even try to apply the biblical principles. To this day, I have perhaps never seen a case where there was consistently so little effort in application. In short order, I was worn out!
One night James came to a college game to talk because he knew I would be there. I had finally had enough, and it had taken a long time for me to get to that place. I told him that he and I were going to duck into the first place we could find after the game ended. I was going to repeat the principles to him one more time, and if he didn’t make any more effort to apply them than he had done in the previous few weeks, we were done talking. That meeting after the game seemed to be the turning point! He was a very intelligent man and he certainly knew the proper responses to his doubt. Now he began to practice them. And he made very rapid progress.
Once, a few months later, James and I were having lunch and he was telling me how well he was doing. A young lady came over to our table and asked if she could sit and talk for a few minutes about her problems with doubt. Imagine my surprise when, before I could respond to the problem she had outlined, James held up his hand.
“May I handle this one?” he asked me. Dumbfounded, I wanted to see what he would say, realizing that I might have to jump in at any moment in order to rescue the woman from who-knew-what-kind of advice! But to my utter astonishment, James made a flawless case for beating emotional doubt! She walked away encouraged!
James’ changed life has also been proven over the long haul. He, too, had some tough times ahead, largely due to the outside factors mentioned above. In fact, he even needed surgery to correct some of the damage of the child abuse he had withstood. But fourteen years later, he is doing magnificently. There are no traces of the radical version of emotional doubt that had afflicted him. He just recently told me that it was all due to his finally beginning to practice principles like Paul’s in Philippians 4:6-9. He has since matured into a strong Christian leader, and is today pastoring a thriving church.
What else can we say? God changes the lives of those who practice His principles!
Why Do We Resist the Practice of God’s Truth?
Why did both Missy and James drag their heels so much when provided with a remedy to their emotional doubt? Both were suffering a significant amount of pain. Their problems were affecting every aspect of their lives. Doesn’t it seem that they would jump at the opportunity to get some relief? So why did they basically refuse to act, and for such a long time, too? For that matter, why does anyone fail to apply God’s truth when they have come to the end of themselves? There are few more intriguing sub-plots involved in this topic.
In my experience, the two most difficult points in the entire process of dealing with emotional doubt is discovering the falsehoods we tell ourselves and implementing God’s truth. It seems especially tough to do the latter precisely during the time in which we are most in need. These are the subjects for this chapter.
Of course, the bottom line for not applying truth is always the same: we prefer our ways to God’s ways. We more readily admit this in cases involving unbelievers (Rom. 1:18-32). But we also saw in the last chapter that believers, too, struggle with disobeying God even after we know His will (Js. 4:1-10; I Pet. 2:1-3).
Given that even believers ignore God’s teachings and disobey Him, why, more specifically, might a Christian fail to apply God’s directives concerning their emotional doubt, even when they are so obviously hurting? One reason it is difficult to pinpoint our unedifying thoughts in the first place is that doubters sometimes reject the view that they would ever lie to ourselves at all. But the emotional doubter needs to face the fact that they are obviously telling themselves something that is out of whack, or they wouldn’t be experiencing the emotional difficulties in the first place!
God has forewarned us that it is very difficult to know our hearts and why we do the things we do (Jer. 17:9). It would seem that we are all candidates for misdirecting even ourselves.
A major justification for ignoring the untruths we tell ourselves is that some Christians think that there actually is some truth in their anxious thoughts. I hear this one quite frequently. “Well, didn’t I just flunk my big exam?” or “Isn’t it true that I was just diagnosed with a very serious illness?” When you hear it for the first time, this complaint really does sound like a show-stopper. What if the worst thing has just happened to them?
When truth is mixed along with the untruth, the doubting individual is often tempted to wonder if this procedure really works at all. This sort of case is more difficult to work through, but only because the person is less likely to see that they are still repeating untruths. And since the misbeliefs are present along with the truth, the former must be corrected if we are to achieve victory over our emotional questions. After all, it is the mistaken portion of the belief that causes the harm.
The hidden lies that often rear their heads in these circumstances are more devious, due to the fact that the negative things have already occurred. The misbeliefs sometimes abound: "Because of these horrible things, my life is forever ruined. I’ll never be the same." Or, "My anxiety is completely justified, due to the hurt in my life. My circumstances have caused all of this." Or, "The worst things possible have just happened to me."
But our lives should not revolve around half-truths or temporary truths. Even though something has happened here, the unnoticed misbelief causes the anxiety. In cases like these, the half-truth hurts more than the outright lie.
Once after lecturing on this subject, Chuck came up to me to talk. He had just lost his job and was in a state of turmoil. He discovered that he was more prone to question God’s goodness now. “How could God really love me?” Granted, this was a serious predicament for he and his family. But Chuck never realized that, while losing his job was definitely significant, it was also temporary. In no sense was it the worse thing that could possibly happen to him. Unfortunately, he told himself that it was just that: unbearable.
In situations like Chuck’s, it’s not the lost job that trips people up and causes the pain. If you still question this statement, then think about it: how can losing a job make us jump to the conclusion that God has done something to us, unless we’re drawing conclusions from the event? The problem is what we tell themselves about losing the job: “I’ll probably never be happy again.” Or: “We’ll have to move and the kids will hate it.” Or: ”Even if I do get a job, it’ll be for less money. We’ll have to change our lifestyle.“ Or: “I won’t like the job as much, either.” After giving him a list like this one, I asked Chuck if he was saying things like these to himself. He admitted that he had been.
In other words, the chief obstacle with half-true statements is that the false portion will work on us, frequently causing anxious doubt. Like an undetected physical sickness, the lie stays hidden behind the truth until it is strong enough to produce some harm. Then it is much more troublesome to remove.
Still another reason that we fail to apply God’s truth to our doubt is that it may not be pleasant. Like pulling weeds, losing weight, or having a cavity filled, the final results might be quite nice, but we can never quite get around to performing the difficult procedure. Ridding our lives of doubt is admittedly not as simple as taking two aspirins and going to bed. God has told us that we must be willing to follow the instructions. Especially since the remedy is best applied during the problem (like medicine), this adds to the uncomfortable nature of the clean-up. Anxiety is tough enough on us itself without us having to do something else amid the turmoil. It’s like we’re crying out: “Just leave me alone with my worry!” We would rather procrastinate than face the music.
There are still other reasons that sometimes figure in when someone exhibits a problem with emotional doubt, but fails to join the program. Some just don’t get the point and, in spite of all indications to the contrary, still think that circumstances cause the emotions. Other doubters prefer the process of counseling more than they wish to be healed. Perhaps craving either attention or friendship, curing the uncertainty would effectively cut the water supply. Others cannot admit that they have a problem because that would militate against their sense of spiritual well-being or personal worth. It is far easier to deny the problem altogether or to place the blame elsewhere--probably on the offending events.
At any rate, there comes a time when doubters must make a choice. No one else can tackle their questioning for them. But the good news is that there is a remedy that works. As difficult as it may be for them, it just needs to be applied.
When should We Practice?
Therefore, there is no substitute for practice. With all diligence, we should exchange our anxious doubts for God's glorious truths. God’s peace has been promised to us.
We have said that the most difficult instance in which to implement God's instructions is during the time of the doubting, since it sometimes takes a extraordinary effort to change subjects when our thinking is dominated by the painful dilemma itself. But this is also when we most need to apply one of God's strategies. It is precisely because we are changing the subject that the quandary subsides. It is like taking medicine: it might not taste good, but we require it most when we are sick. Like digging for splinters in a child’s hand, temporary pain is the way to gain lasting relief!
So the onset of the condition is the signal for action. Load the canons and begin the assault! If healing and spiritual growth are desired, then we have to be willing to pay the price. Who knows? The solution may even be easier than expected, especially when some healing occurs. Like going home, when familiar territory comes into view, we are more willing to push ourselves.
I think the application comes much more easily to those who are willing to force their way doggedly toward the finish line. In this chapter, I’ve used examples from those who had lengthy healing processes. But it need not be that way. I’ve seen far more cases where the individual was almost completely healed of the more painful elements of their doubt by a concentrated application over a short period of time.
The chief idea here is to practice God's truths, and to do so particularly during the roughest times. The truth should be applied whether we feel like it or not. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:9 that rehearsing proper thinking until it becomes a habit is one of the keys to achieving peace.
We have already said that preventative therapy is also important. Like taking vitamins or participating in an excise program, preparation ahead of time can be very helpful. As we get vaccinated during healthy times, so doubt prevention furnishes the necessary means to equip us for future needs, perhaps even keeping that rough time from coming altogether. Certainly, it often lessens the force of the emotional storm.
The main target for this strategy is those who know they have a tendency towards doubting. Remember that minimizing doubt is very helpful. Thinking through the options ahead of time allows us to greet the presence of questioning with the response, “Oh, you again. I’ve been waiting for you!”
What should We Practice?
In the last two chapters, we concentrated on a number of cognitive practices that provided us with ammunition against doubt. Here we will provide some behavioral techniques that address Paul’s command to continually rehearse truth until it becomes a way of life (Phil. 4:9). Once again, the doubter may pick and choose methods that best meet their particular needs. Since each of the suggestions is biblical, applying any of them will be a positive step.
(1) Pray through the doubt. Paul (Phil. 4:6) and Peter (I Pet. 5:7) both command prayer during troubled times. Our petitions should be specific. While this is a great privilege, Scripture speaks of conditions for God’s answers. We are told to confess our sins beforehand (Ps. 66:18), to exercise faith (MK. 11:24; Js. 1:5-8), to be obedient to Him (Jn. 15:7; I Jn. 3:22), and to pray according to God’s will (I Jn. 5:14-15), and in Jesus’ name (Jn. 14:13-14; 15:16). In ancient Israel, prayers sometimes went unanswered when God’s people lived in a state of unrepentant sin (Lam. 3:42-44; Isa. 57:11).
To turn the cognitive exercise of prayer into a behavioral one, several things could be done. We could write out our prayer requests, as well as the results. One helpful way is to list the specific requests in the left-hand margin, the results in a middle column, and any special notations on the right side of the sheet. Like Dana and his Sunday School Class in Chapter 7, this exercise could even be done with others. Answers would be an encouragement to faith and serve as a preventative against the common form of doubt that questions God’s involvement in our lives.
I kept a list of prayer requests and answers over a period of about two years. Approximately two of three prayers were answered. Some of these were of the very difficult (even “impossible”) variety, and most of those received positive responses, too. Later, a seminary student told me that, like Dana, his Sunday School class also made a record of their classroom requests, and interestingly, they came up with a very similar result--about 70% of the prayers were answered.
We could also share with others in corporate prayer times, not only praying aloud, but rejoicing in the answers, too. I have often said that one of the main things I would emphasize if I ever returned to the pastorate would be to highlight the answers God sends, as well as the prayer requests. This is a tremendous encouragement to believers, but seems often to be neglected.
(2) Meditate through the doubt. Many times in Scripture, believers are told to meditate on God’s truth (about a dozen times in Ps. 119 alone). As opposed to the Eastern view of emptying the mind, biblical meditation is thinking deeply and single-mindedly on God’s truth. We’ve already mentioned briefly some examples of content in discussing Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4:8.
Meditation is a wonderful avenue by which to both deal with particular cases of doubt, as well as practicing doubt prevention. During many of my years doubting, I made more use of this method than any other. Usually sitting on my porch on a dark, starry evening, I worked through various problematic issues, one by one. Usually, my chief methods were going through either Philippians 4:6-9 or Backus and Chapian's three stages, step by step. It’s a great way to think about God’s truth, as Paul commands.
But meditation can also be practiced corporately (Ps. 48:9;63:2). It can be a public exercise for believers who, together, concentrate on the Lord’s truths, perhaps centered around a certain theme. Strength could be drawn from the aspect of sharing these thoughts together.
(3) Worship through the doubt. We’ve discussed Paul’s exhortation to practice both thanksgiving for God's blessings and praise for His character. These two methods are especially helpful during times of uncertainty. Thanking and praising, in a very special way, liberate the believer to look beyond their immediate problems to God. It is very difficult to practice either one and yet remain engulfed in one's troubles.
A behavioral component can be easily constructed here. We could compose our own psalm unto the Lord. Whether or not you consider yourself a poet, share your deepest words of adoration with your God. Say them aloud. Or sit on your porch on a still morning during sunset and sing praises to God. What is your favorite hymn or praise chorus? Perhaps you would prefer to go for a walk and say or sing your words of praise.
Further, it is crucial to attend a Bible-believing church that takes worship seriously, where the emphasis is on meeting with God in fellowship with other of like mind. The corporate element adds a spark to our personal adoration.
(4) Memorize through the doubt. Take note of your most bothersome doubts. Which verses best apply to them? Write or type each text on a note card, arrange them in a meaningful order, and keep them together. Which biblical truths most apply to your misbeliefs? How can you think more clearly about them?
For years I carried with me everywhere I went a small container of business cards on which I wrote the truths that I most needed to be reminded of. I read them so much that the edge of every card was tattered and worn. I got tired of seeing the same things as I flipped through them, so I repeatedly told myself, “Yes, I know that.” But then my efforts against the doubts would stagnate. On one of the days when I thought I was making too little progress, I wrote across the bottom of one card: “If you know it, then do it!” I wanted more action! Less knowledge, more practice!
(5) Journal through the doubt. Keep a diary of your daily spiritual walk with the Lord. What doubts plagued you today? What things happened to you that might have interpreted negatively, providing the stimulus for these thoughts? How did you respond to them? What methods worked? Which ones did not work so well? Could you have reacted in ways that would have been more profitable? What did you learn about God’s truth and its application?
Then periodically go back through previous days and see if you have made any progress. Do you notice any trends? Overall, do you find yourself returning to certain methods rather than others? Many believers have gained major insights into their walk with the Lord by taking the time to record thoughts and ideas like these.
(6) Recall through the doubt. Many biblical texts encourage believers to review past history in order to see what God has done (Ps. 105, 106, 114). In the last chapter, we suggested an exercise of picking a biblical hero or two who underwent doubt, in order to learn from his trials. As an additional exercise, make a list of their problems, their circumstances, how they responded, and how it turned out.
Another sort of recall is to count the answers to prayer that we have received over a specific period of time. Write them down. Meditate on the things God has done in your life. How many times have you triumphed due to His goodness? How does this show how He is active in your life today? During times when I have questioned God’s involvement, this method has never failed to be a ready antidote.
(7) Talk through the doubt. With emotional doubts, few things are as helpful as having a close friend or relative assist us in picking out our misbeliefs. Of course, the helper has to understand the “system,” so clue them in and watch this technique work. Loved ones often see the improper things we tell ourselves, even when we do not. Time and time again I’ve known the informed friend to notice what the doubter didn’t. Additionally, not only is the method readily available, but it can be a forceful change of subject, as we saw with Alexis in Chapter 8.
Wendy discovered that it was quite difficult for her to recognize her own distortions of the truth, since she had been believing these unedifying thoughts for so long. She frequently let things pass that she should have caught. Besides, it was hard to think that she would actually deceive herself. But on one occasion, her close friend Amber happened to ask her why she had just made a certain comment.
Recognizing that this was one of the things she had been working on, but had missed, Wendy explained the basic ideas of Philippians 4 to her roommate. After that, Amber began to help Wendy discover her falsehoods. Together they labored to weed out these untruths. Wendy even found a few of Amber’s problem areas, too!
Through all of our cognitive tools and behavior changes, we need to remember that victory rests chiefly on God’s power, weapons, and indwelling. Explaining our predicament to God and giving it over to Him, while at the same time expressing our faith in Him regardless of whether or not we obtain immediate answers, are moves in the right direction. They all help us to reaffirm our reliance on God, even when the way ahead is not clear. This is one way to strengthen our faith.
Unfortunately, when we believe our own lies, we also fail to look beyond our immediate circumstances. But temporal matters, even when truthful, are different from ultimate truth.
In contrast, Christians should be most concerned about ultimate truth (Matt. 6:19-34): we need to obey our Lord and lay up treasures in heaven, just like Jesus instructed us. One truth to continually drive home is that, even when Christians flunk big exams or think that God did not answer their prayer, they still have eternal life. They should view the present in light of their eternal future. If believers cannot appreciate the force of this, it could be because they have not really struggled with their salvation.
Here is the major point: Christians do not have to pass exams, keep their jobs, or even have the most successful prayer lives in order to be saved. Neither do they have to be the most popular, the best dressed, or the best athletes in the world. They don’t even have to be able to handle their doubt well! In fact, they do not have to do or be anything, except believers in Jesus Christ, in order to have the ultimate blessing of eternal life.
It is from this eternal perspective that all other problems should be viewed. Even death itself is not the definitive issue; that distinction belongs to the priority of God and His Kingdom (Matt. 6:33). This is the ultimate truth to be practiced.
In the process of addressing emotional doubt, we have raised another question that is so large that it demands a separate treatment. Actually, few subjects raise more doubts than this one. To get over this problem would bring relief to many believers. How can we be content in our Christian lives even though we may still have many unanswered questions, some of them rather major? And how do we face the fact that many brothers and sisters in Christ differ from us in some rather important areas of theology?
Ken was obviously flustered by this whole issue. No, this is a rather glaring understatement. He was absolutely at his wits end when he called me from his midwest church where he had become a very successful pastor. Even though he had never been my student, I was lumped in with his seminary professors.
“You guys taught us theology,” Ken accused, “as if all evangelicals believe the same thing. But I’ve discovered that they don’t. In fact, they’re quite different.” Then he dropped the bombshell: “I’ve just come to think that theology is all a matter of interpretation.” Although he didn’t say it, he then implied that he was considering leaving the pastorate because of this conclusion!
“Wow!” I said. “All this comes simply from discovering different expressions of theology among believers?”
Ken and I talked for some time. I was reminded that an area that had never really been a concern to me in my doubting days did plague many Christians. But why would they take the conclusion in the direction of Ken’s radical stance? I couldn’t fathom how he could get where he was for those reasons.
A second example came some years later. I had spent considerable time making several theological distinctions in a doctoral class. One of the students, Gene, was a pastor who had struggled with some similar issues. He came up to me privately and thanked me profusely for the discussion. For years he had been bothered by a particular doctrinal attitude that was not even taught in the Bible! His consternation had come from feeling that he needed to take the company line on a perspective that he never believed. But his questions caused him to have doubts, wondering if he was some sort of hypocrite because he didn’t support the status quo of his denomination.
What do these two cases have in common? Why do Christians seem so puzzled when they find other believers from a slightly different perspective than their own? How should we handle the special sort of doubt that often results?
Why are there Theological Differences?
Why are there major distinctions between religious denominations? Why do Bible-believing theologians down through the centuries struggle over enduring questions like the sovereignty of God and the free will of created persons, the perseverance of the saints, the sign gifts, or the age of the earth? How should we respond when we think that we have solved one of these issues for ourselves, only to discover that there are equally well-meaning Christians who do not agree?
I think one reason these scenarios especially plague Christians is that many of our leaders constantly teach that all truth can be known absolutely. We’re also so bold as to imply (if not directly teach) that my interpretation of a particular doctrine is the only possible position on the topic. In short, truth is what I say it is.
This at least adds to the confusion, if not being a chief reason for it. Obviously, if I (along with a few buddies who agree with me) am the sole arbiter of truth, but there are other true believers who disagree, then someone is clearly wrong. Unfortunately, the issue is often solved by imperial edict: “I am your leader and I am right. If you want the truth you’ll listen to me.” This sort of attitude just adds to the conflict, as well as to the sensitive believer’s doubt.
If the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then why should you believe one thing, while I believe another? Is Ken right--is it all just a matter of interpretation? Why are there so many denominations--and differences? Let’s begin by noting a few reasons why this may be the case.
Some denominational differences are not theological, but political, social, and even geographical. Historical surveys will show that theologically similar groups were formed either before they came to America, or originated many years ago in different areas of the country. Others share similar theological stances, but tend toward varying political and social views. Social status can account for other differences. Unfortunately, too many deviations from each other are more related to power struggles, church splits, and leadership influence than to biblical interpretation.
Closely aligned with these reasons, changes in the earthly body of Christ over two thousand years have developed doctrinal discussions to levels beyond what is encountered in Scripture. In other words, dozens of cultural, racial, world religious, missionary, and theological situations have pushed Christians to make distinctions that sometimes, frankly, go beyond what we are told about these issues in Scripture. As such, they add to the confusion.
Further, virtually everyone experiences some sort of doubt simply because they are human beings. We have said throughout that the root cause of our uncertainty is our sin nature. While this does not mean that all doubt is necessarily sin, it does imply that many of our differences are due to the fact that we are finite persons. Questions arise simply because, by nature, we don’t know all the answers. Yet, we sometimes respond by dogmatically asserting what we don’t know.
These initial responses can explain a fair amount of the theological differences among believers. But they do not explain them all. Our last answer will probably shock many readers. Maybe the Bible Itself does not always clarify all these answers.
Who says Scripture has to clear up every doctrinal matter? Is it possible that there are many items that God simply didn’t want to tell us? If this is so, much of our confusion would then come from our attempting to force issues and place God’s truth within boundaries. We need to admit that it is inviting, to say the least, to think that we have been given the keys to all theological truth. That would be just like humans, wouldn’t it--to take dogmatic stands on subjects where we don’t have enough data to make these judgments?
I think there is clear biblical precedent for this view. Job concluded that he knew enough about God to trust Him in those things that he didn’t know (Job 42:1-6). Remember that Job never received an answer from the Lord concerning the reason for his suffering, yet he was blessed. Why? Scripture tells us that God’s ways are not the same as ours, but are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). How many times throughout history has God not explained a similar question to a hurting believer?
Let me take a further step--and perhaps a startling one. I think the New Testament provides other examples where certain areas were purposely left unresolved. One excellent instance comes from a topic that is still in the forefront of current discussions today--the time of Jesus Christ’s return for His church. In answer to His disciples’ question (Mk. 13:3-4), our Lord warned us that He didn’t even know the time for this event and that we always needed to remain alert and ready (13:32-37). Later the disciples asked again, and again they heard the same answer--God was the sole Authority on this subject and He alone knew the time of the end (Acts 1:6-7).
But Christians today repeatedly qualify Jesus’ remarks so that, while we don’t know the exact moment of His return, we presume to know at least the decade! Believers have been responding this way for centuries, in distinction to Jesus’ admonitions to make sure that we are looking for His return without worrying about the timing. That knowledge has simply not been given to us.
There is another sort of example where clear direction is not given to believers. We are even told that it is permissible for different Christians to hold more than one view on certain personal, ethical, or theological subjects, without the writer resolving the differences for us.
To begin, take the personal argument between Paul and Barnabas. The quarrel was so sharp that the two missionaries split up (Acts 15:36-41). It would seem from Luke’s choice of words in verse 39 that the matter was rather heated. Of course, it might just be concluded that this was a clash of personalities that is inevitable whenever human beings work together long enough, and that would be fair. But we still don’t want to miss the obvious point: either Paul or Barnabas was ultimately right or wrong. But Luke never tells us the answer. Apparently, that was not his purpose. And neither do we have to jump in and decide, as we attempt to do with so many other issues!
There were other times when there were clashes between early Christians, with verdicts being given. The dispute between the two apostles, Paul and Peter, contained theological roots, as well as a personal element. Paul states that Peter was wrong (Gal. 2:11-14). Scholars are not sure whether Acts 15:1-35 and Galatians 2:1-10 are the same occasion. So we have either one or two situations where unnamed Christians who pushed the issue of Law observance brought about an early apostolic assembly to decide the nature of the gospel. In both texts, Paul was vindicated.
In Romans 14:1-4, the same apostle Paul who disagreed with Barnabas and announced Peter’s error turns to ethical differences between early believers without casting any blame. In fact, he specifically tells his readers not to pass judgment in certain disputes like that of diet. Both he who eats meat and he who does not is accepted by God (14:4b, 6b, 10). Similarly, Paul addresses the question of eating meat offered to idols by declaring that the one who refuses to eat is no better off than the one who eats (I Cor. 8:7-8; cf. I Cor. 10:25-30).
But personal and ethical issues are not the only ones on which Paul fails to take sides. He also addresses a topic of crucial theological significance in the early church--that of the observance of special days. Paul probably has in mind here the earth-shaking subject of Sabbath observance, that split Gentile and Jewish believers. Once again, he judges that there is room for different convictions. Paul was perhaps at least open to Jewish believers who wished to observe the Sabbath (Rom. 14:5-6, 10).
This is really an incredible conclusion in light of Paul’s comments elsewhere that the observance of special days may indicate that a person is no longer following the path of God’s grace (Gal. 4:10-11; cf. 3:1-3). Sabbaths were shadows of future realities fulfilled by Christ (Col. 2:16-17).
Perhaps the key is that Paul thought Jewish believers had an option that Gentile believers, who don’t obey the Jewish Law, didn’t have. But in Romans 14:5b, he allows everyone to be persuaded by their own convictions, without any absolute commands.
But amid the freedom that believers have on such matters (Gal. 2:4; I Cor. 10:30), Paul still cautions us not to be stumbling blocks to weaker believers. If others are bothered by our actions, we should refrain from pursuing our will when we are with them (I Cor. 8:9-13; 10:23-33). All believers work for the same purposes, to bring people to Christ and to edify believers (I Cor. 3:1-9, 22-23; 10:23-24, 31-33). So we may have to subject our freedom to our ministry objectives.
In sum, our last reason for the presence of differences among believers is that Scripture seems to teach that not all issues--personal, ethical, or even doctrinal--can be figured out (as with Job’s lesson or the time of Jesus’ return), or decided in strict terms (as with the various issues in Paul). But we will variously ignore the biblical teaching on some topics, plunge in where we have not been given full instruction on others, or force rules of various sorts on all Christians.
Our conclusion is that we have created yet another false belief here! While some Christians seem to think that biblical areas are always knowable in concrete terms, this is plainly not the case. Often we allow external, non-biblical reasons to create turmoil, forcing answers beyond the clear data in Scripture. We also ignore the facts that the Bible specifically tells us both that we will not always know certain things, and even that more than one view on a subject is not necessarily bad. So why do we finite beings think that we can always figure out all theological matters?
Since we are human beings, questioning to one extent or another will probably be a lifelong experience. So get used to it! We should not attempt to reach some sort of utopia in this life where there are no more uncertainties. They will always be present with us. But these need not be the same as doubts. One important question, then, is how we should differentiate those matters that we will not always know from those that we must know in order to be orthodox believers. This is a crucial distinction. Maybe we will find some concealed blessings along the way--some personal freedom and a new appreciation of others in the body of Christ with whom we do not agree on 100% of all issues.
One way to answer the critical question concerning Christianity’s nonnegotiable areas of theology is to distinguish between beliefs that are absolutely indispensable and those that demand further research. But how do we do this? What are the parameters for such a study?
There are several ways to help us establish our fundamental beliefs. Crucial doctrines that are foundational to Christianity have at least four earmarks that set them apart. They are clearly taught in Scripture, as well as being identified as centrally important. There are also strong evidential reasons to accept each one. (Some of these reasons were mentioned ever so briefly in Chapter 6.) Lastly, they occur prominently in classic Christian statements of faith down through the ages. In sum, the fundamental doctrines not only figure both clearly and prominently in Scripture, but are also supported strongly in terms of both apologetics and church history.
At the head of the list belongs the content of the gospel. What is the absolute minimum of data that makes up the heart of the Christian faith? When Paul defines his central message, there are three doctrines that are repeated each time: the Deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus. One is saved by exercising faith in the Person of Jesus Christ, in light of these truths (Rom. 10:9; I Cor. 15:3-4; II Tim. 2:8-9). Other items are also mentioned, but it appears that these are the only ones always included without exception.
Besides faith in the gospel, other fundamental doctrines that fulfill our four criteria include the belief in one God (Deut. 6:4), in three separate Persons (Eph. 4:4-6), creation (Gen. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16), the inspiration of Scripture (II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:21), the virgin birth (Matt. 1:18-23) and incarnation of Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:14), His Second Coming (Acts1:9-11; Rev. 1:7), the sinful nature of human beings (Rom. 3:23; 6:23), eternal life for believers (Jn. 6:47; 14:1-4), and eternal judgment for unbelievers (Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:41-46).
Actually, there is widespread agreement among orthodox believers on at least the general contours of these doctrines, and especially concerning faith in the Jesus Christ of the gospel facts. This is the case whatever the specific denomination. Disagreements and distinctives usually come in less crucial areas.
One way to discern the difference between absolutely crucial matters of theology and secondary ones is to ask whether one’s beliefs on either side of that issue would threaten the essence of the Christian faith. The vast majority of the heated disputes among Christians would cause absolutely no adjustment to ultimate truth. They are lesser problems that we must not allow to prey on our emotions because they do not actually affect our faith whatever the view taken, within reason. (Obviously, someone could still take one these non-fundamental options to a ridiculous point. We’re not addressing that.)
There are numerous examples of hot issues that do not affect the central truth of Christianity. They include such major controversies as the specific date of creation, the time of the rapture, the present existence of the "sign" spiritual gifts, perseverance of the saints, Dispensationalism, or the varieties of church worship and government.
So that we are not misunderstood here, we need to quickly add that discussions on such issues are still needed. It is important that we formulate our own views concerning them. This is especially the case with preaching in local churches or when teaching theology. So the outcome of these questions is important. Non-fundamental theology is just that--not insignificant or inconsequential theology. Pastors and other teachers can both be clear about their own position, as well as pointing out that other believers hold alternate views. This should help situations like Ken’s above.
However, since answers to secondary theological matters do not affect the truthfulness of the Christian faith, regardless of their outcome, differences on these subjects should not cause Christians to doubt. In other words, emotional theological quandaries should not result from topics that do not affect our eternal destiny.
Then we can move a step further. Not only should such differences not bother us, but we should actually celebrate them. It is nothing short of a great blessing to have the freedom in the body of Christ to hold divergent opinions on secondary matters. Differences of various sorts were present in the New Testament and are even more the case today. We should encourage believers to sit down with one another amicably, open up Scripture, and learn from each other. To share this common basis over a cup of coffee should be exhilarating.
Making such theological distinctions is crucial for our discussion of doubt. We must be able to give our attention to any number of theological matters, and enjoy doing it, but without causing any anxiety.
is roughly what I explained to Ken that night he called. Once
he distinguished primary from secondary doctrine, he
recognized that his objection no longer had the force that he
thought it did. So what if all evangelicals don’t agree on all
the specifics of secondary doctrine? Further, he realized that
the firm basis for the fundamental doctrines, with as many as
four types of checks and balances, certainly disproved his
claim that these beliefs were just a matter of interpretation.
Ken was not only significantly relieved, but in the many
conversations we’ve had in the ten years or so since that
evening, he has never struggled again with this issue. Today,
he just smiles and shakes his head when the topic comes up.
Kelly used to feel uncomfortable whenever her pastor prefaced a discussion by indicating that sincere Christians were divided over a certain issue. And it even troubled her when he explained that he just wanted to be honest about tough portions of Scripture. But she was especially relieved when, during a private conversation, he pointed out that none of these matters had any affect on the truthfulness of Christianity or her salvation. In fact, he explained how such an honest attitude allowed Christians to both take a personal view on the doctrine, as well as actually being excited about the continuing opportunity to study the matter.
Jarrod had a question about the doctrine of creation, which he rightly thought was one of Christianity’s central tenets. Doing some research on the topic, he developed his own list of reasons for believing it. As a result, he was assured that this doctrine was both central and well evidenced.
Believers often experience doubt simply because they do not agree with each other concerning doctrinal issues that do not ultimately affect their faith either way, although these are still important areas of theology. We can live with questions like these, just as Christians did in the earliest church. Making distinctions like we have made here can keep us from unneeded uncertainty. Far from allowing difficult issues to cause us anxiety, this subject should actually even encourage us in that God has allowed freedom in the body of Christ.
Emotional doubt can sometimes lead to dire consequences. Or it can help to produce believers who are vibrant and growing. It all depends on our response to it.
When Jennifer first called, she was a bit combative. Having read my earlier book on doubt, she wanted to argue about what kind of uncertainty she was experiencing. I listened to her description of the problem. Then I asked the same questions that we’ve discussed throughout this book.
“Don’t tell me it’s emotional,” she responded.
“Why not?” I countered, sure that this was the nature of her unrest. “What would be wrong with that?”
“I just have an image in my mind of men in white coats,” she answered.
It took a while to work through that misconception. Then, after realizing that I was probably correct in my identification, she issued her next challenge.
“And don’t tell me to just pray and be spiritual. Everyone tells me that,” she sputtered.
Over several lengthy phone calls, I understood more of where she was coming from. Fitting the description of the typical high powered executive, Jennifer was a Vice President in a large corporation. A good thinker with good people-skills, she was moving quickly up the ladder. A single woman and a believer with a strong family background, she also possessed a fine grasp of Christian truth. But somehow her faith and her business skills were not working out. It was her faith that was suffering. She had prayed to trust Christ literally hundreds of times, but somehow she still questioned her salvation so thoroughly that she didn’t even consider herself to be a believer.
After many talks, including speaking at length about Philippians 4:6-9, she decided not to pursue a remedy for her doubt. Somehow, she just wasn’t ready to apply the procedure. “I’m going to let it go for a little while and see what happens,” she reported.
About three years later, she called back. I was quite surprised to hear from her, given the way she had called off the earlier discussions. At the time, I had felt like a salesman who couldn’t close the deal!
In the meantime, she had changed jobs and, as judged by the business world, she was a raging success. But her private world was crumbling around her.
“My boss would think I was going nuts if he knew what I was calling about. He thinks I’m at the top of my career, but I’m completely miserable. What I most want, I can’t have,” she complained. “I don’t care about money or success. I only want the Lord, but I don’t think He wants me. It’s affecting everything I do. I have to do something about it.”
Jennifer’s uncertainty had affected negatively every aspect of her life, including her business and her personal life. She testified that not a day went by that it didn’t cause her exceptional grief. When she began the second round of calls, she told me that she had been brought to an all-time low point. She had a choice of either turning to the Lord or watching her life fall apart due to questioning her relationship with the Lord. This time around, she did not even question the identification of her struggles as emotional. She knew it to be the case.
Over the next few months we talked regularly, making a weekly appointment for a call. Jennifer started very slowly, still exceptionally leery of applying the biblical steps, or even admitting that they would be helpful at all. But once she began, she went at it tenaciously. The walls of emotional doubt crumbled around her very quickly, given the depth of her inner turmoil.
Jennifer developed into a textbook case of what can happen once the application of biblical principles takes place. In the next few months, she began to grow in her walk with the Lord. Having attended a biblical church all of her life, she had always been a worker. In the days to come, she began leading a woman’s Bible study, as well as talking to other women about their struggles with emotional doubt. In my twenty-five years of giving advice on this subject, I’ve very seldom seen this drastic of a change. But the Lord turned all of that around when she decided to get serious in the application of His principles.
We saw similar patterns in earlier chapters. Missy found that even suffering from a psychological disorder did not keep her from gaining victory over her need for assurance (Chapter 9). James decided that the only way to conquer the severe childhood hurt in his life was to make the decision to apply biblical precepts (Chapter 9). Ken’s changed perspective on the nature of theology led to a corresponding modification of his views on Christianity as a whole (Chapter 10). All three had changed from believers whose questioning dominated their lives. As the old saying goes, doubt can either make you or break you.
Throughout this volume we have seen examples of changed lives that have come as a result of dealing with religious doubt. Yet, many persons suffered significantly until they made the decision to change. We’ve also seen some cases where people chose not to do anything about their doubt, accepting those consequences, as well.
In this chapter, we will look first at five unfortunate consequences to which religious doubt can lead. While there may be some overlap here, each presents a different angle on the problem. Notice the progression between the stages of reaction. Doubt frequently moves similarly.
1) Doubt often leads to a degrading view of God. The doubter almost always thinks that God has in some way abandoned him or her, or otherwise hurt them in some way. After all, shouldn’t God, who can do anything, want to help us to feel better? Then why don’t I have more peace and less pain? Somehow, it is surmised that God is at fault here. He must not care about me or want to help. This generally makes the emotional situation even worse, pushing the individual further from God and His truth.
Sadly, the bad theology keeps the sufferer from pursuing the truth: his own faulty thinking has produced this situation. As we have seen over and over again, our doubt arises, not from the circumstances around us, but from the things we tell ourselves about what happens. So not only is the doubter suffering, but he or she is likely compounding the uncertainty with bad thoughts about God.
2) Bad theology often encourages bad habits. The murkiness moves further. Habits like thanklessness also develop. When children learn traits like this one, adults are quick to point out: “You kids would complain even if you got every last thing you wanted.” Or, “Children are so ungrateful. I wished I got everything you have when I was small.”
But as adults, are we any more thankful? We respond: “Well, that’s different, I didn’t get everything I wanted.” How dissimilar is this? We are just as quick to blame God for all of our frustration and even our shortcomings!
Cynicism develops, too. Once we’ve crossed the line to blaming God, everything can be laid at His doorstep. How convenient! We are no longer responsible for our thoughts and actions. God is supposed to kiss it and make it all better! If He doesn’t do so, He’s obviously let us down. Sometimes we sneer at thoughts about Him. But if an answer to prayer is sandwiched in there some place, God is a Hero again. We can be such fickle people!
We could go on and continue to name more bad habits. But these are sufficient to make our point. Bad theology affects our attitudes. More seriously, sometimes there is no recovery from unthankfulness and especially cynicism. Once these attitudes are ingrained deeply into our psyches, it’s hard to remove them. Did you ever start to really not like someone and notice what happens whenever you see them? Even when they’re doing something positive, it’s too late. Once we label someone a loser, it takes a lot to change that designation. It’s just a short step to despising them. And when believers who suffer from this sort of doubt hear about God, they can begin to despise Him, too, if they are not careful.
3) Bad theology and poor attitudes affect our motivation. Why should someone follow God when they think that He has wronged them? And what if He doesn’t care about us at all? Does that make us want to follow Him more?
When a believer loses his or her will to continue on the heavenly path, passivity sets in, like spiritual rigor mortis. Suffering a reversal of direction in our commitment to God can similarly be devastating. How do you get a dead person to move? There’s the problem! It’s so difficult to move what is no longer in motion toward a goal.
4) Now we reach the flip side of apathy. When we don’t think and do the things we should, we lose momentum. Sometimes it’s easier to do the things we shouldn’t. Sin always seems like an easier move. Sin is also contagious. One sin often leads to another.
Maybe the person will keep the flood gates from opening--maybe they won’t. But once we’ve crossed the line and let our defenses down, it is so much easier to do it again. Most of us know the feeling that comes when, after losing weight and gaining most of it back again, we reach a place where we feel like we really don’t care whether or not we eat every cake and bowl of ice cream in the world! At that point, short of a major change of direction, we’ve lost the battle.
I will always remember one person who came to talk. While passing through the area, Lee came to see me about her doubt. A college graduate and a believer, she was concerned about her motivation to follow the Lord. She determined that she was lagging in her commitment to the Lord, due to the presence of regular sin in her life. But try as I might, she was no longer willing to turn to God. I will always remember the end of the meeting, knowing that nothing had changed and that she would not repent and commit herself to Him. It was a chilling departure that afternoon.
5) The most serious of the repercussions of religious doubt comes to the one who seemingly abandons all or part of their faith and hardens their heart against the Lord. Sometimes this comes as a result of a long struggle that started as factual questioning, moving on to emotional issues. Old wounds yield scars and perhaps a “Who cares?” attitude. It follows for many that if God isn’t on my side, why should I have anything to do with Him?
This sort of believer has continued down his or her path and refused to benefit from all the many blessings of the Christian faith. Their decision comes in spite of all the evidences for faith, the emotional remedies provided by wonderfully healing texts like Philippians 4:6-9, and the possibility of victorious living in light of eternal life.
What are the possible signs that may indicate that someone is in danger? This is an exceptionally difficult question because we can never be sure of another’s heart, or when someone has crossed the line. Neither should we presume to announce our opinions to or about such persons. But due to the seriousness of the situation, and out of sensitivity to our suffering brother or sister, we might still venture a humble, cautious response.
Perhaps the clearest indication is that the person is no longer thinking, acting, and talking in a biblical manner, or in keeping with their previous commitment. Maybe references to the Lord bring sneers or derogatory remarks. Or their own language about God may betray them--especially if it is flippant or callous. Another possible indication is the inability to make spiritual decisions. Like Israel, perhaps there is an insensitivity to spiritual things, as the writer of Hebrews warns (Heb. 3:1-15). Possibly there is a lack of fruit in their lives (Matt. 7:18-23; Heb 6:7-8). They have probably abandoned Christian fellowship (Heb. 10:25).
What characteristics are necessary in the spiritual counselor? Sensitivity is absolutely required. The person must first be sensitive to the Lord, then to the hurting individual. The latter must never be given an excuse to think that we are responding for any reason other than out of love and concern for God, His Word, and them. Humility is also an essential. There must be absolutely no sign of haughtiness or arrogance, which are condemned by our Lord (Lk. 18:9-14). Pray for discernment in these matters, for much may depend on the words of the adviser. Boldness may even be necessary here, if the situation demands it. The potential that a brother or sister in Christ may be in danger outweighs one’s personal desire not to be involved in the situation.
How should the concerned person respond? What steps might be taken? Where do we begin? The best place to start is with ourselves. Spend time with the Lord in prayer. We need to search our own hearts in order to test our motives. Why are we getting involved? Is there any desire whatsoever just to meddle in someone else’s life or see if we can uncover some tidbit about them? Do we feel like we “owe” them one? What about our own relationship to the Lord? Have we examined ourselves (I Cor. 10:12; 11:31)? Have we repented of all known sins? As far as we know, is there anything between us and the Lord or between us and another believer?
Next, seek the advice of mature Christians. This is not a decision that should be made lightly, or by the judgment of a single individual. Pray together and seek the Lord’s will. Pray for the leading and intervention of the Holy Spirit. The work is His.
When meeting with the doubter, listen to his or her concerns. Ask good questions. Where are they now with the Lord? Be aware of any progression of the doubt. At what stage does it seem to be? Are they sensitive to the Lord? In what areas? How do they respond to the overall situation? Are they concerned? Remorseful? Where do they think their doubt might take them if they pursue their present course of action? Do you agree with their assessment? If necessary, be prepared to confront them lovingly, but firmly.
Some believers who are otherwise close to a serious problem may still respond, due to the work of the Holy Spirit. They may also be touched by your love and show of concern. If they are open to assistance, begin by suggesting repentance.
Then be prepared to suggest appropriate biblical steps that address the particular issue. We have made many such suggestions. Assist them in applying these principles or make immediate arrangements to do so. Regular follow-up and fellowship are also necessary.
Steve was a college graduate, a very committed Christian, and a very intelligent young man who was well versed in philosophy and apologetics. But a few of his close friends told me that he had recently become an agnostic while finishing his Ph.D. I called Steve one night and asked him about his shift of allegiance. Imagine my surprise when he admitted that what I had heard about his agnosticism was true!
We had several lengthy conversations during which he admitted the chief reason for his change, which was not factual, but a problem with sin. As is very common, he had concluded that those who would point out his problem were themselves the difficulty. It was almost as if he thought that rejecting his faith would still his conscience (and the convicting of the Holy Spirit).
I was firm in my comments, while still trying to speak in a compassionate manner. Convicted, he repented a couple of discussions later. I also addressed a few philosophical questions. Steve seemed serious about his return to the Lord. In fact, even a few years later when we talked again, he was holding fast to Christian theism.
Emotional doubt can also be the instigator that brings about positive results in the believer's life. We will list here seven of these advantageous side-effects in the hope that such will encourage the individual to both work on their uncertainty and continue to mature in their Christian walk, in spite of their questions.
1) Initially, we may learn how to study and discover answers for ourselves. Especially with factual questions, few habits are more useful or gratifying for their own sake. Some report that this is one of the most gratifying results of tangling with their religious quandary. This knowledge should be helpful in future situations or in assisting others who have similar questions.
2) Having worked through uncertainty, we grow as persons. Some researchers have even concluded that we do not grow as individuals unless we experience doubts and personally labor through various sorts of questions.
3) We learn that emotions are not our enemies. Contrary to the impression given by some researchers, emotions are not bad. They are God-given. Think of all the fantastic memories and other experiences that are ours because of this wonderful gift from God. More than this, we have seen that these same emotions can be trained to behave! They can be brought into agreement with our thinking. Why not have the best of both gifts? This is a key emphasis in this book.
4) In addition to achieving a new appreciation for our emotions, thinking properly also teaches us to love the life that God has given to us. Personal conflict helps us to appreciate existence without the problems. The only time pain feels good is when it subsides and finally stops. When we struggle with doubt, we value a life where the questioning has calmed down enough so that we can stop and smell the roses.
5) Emotional doubt extends an extra, rather shocking benefit. Some doubters talk about their doubt as an “It,” a monster that grips them with fear at its every bidding. It chases and pursues them, scaring them almost to death. But additional reflection shows that this is certainly not the case. Rather than being some sort of ogre that sneaks up on us and attacks, our emotions are obviously part of us. And we want the best for ourselves, don’t we? So our feelings are like guard dogs, sitting by our side and watching out for us! They are not growling at us, but at the bad, unedifying thoughts that are approaching up the walkway towards us, as well as the ones we have already invited into our lives!
So emotions are spiritual alarm clocks, buzzing loudly when we are entertaining thoughts that we have no business contemplating. We may not like being awakened in the morning from a blissful sleep, but we’re still happy for the availability of a wake-up call. This is what our emotions do for us. They are our alarm clock that sounds off when we cross the line into unedifying territory. We simply misinterpret its blessings, thinking we’re being attacked! Chalk up one more misbelief on the subject.
Upon reflection, Terry discovered that her unwanted emotions were not evidence of her having "fallen away" from Christianity or some other dastardly thing. Rather, she surprised herself by discovering that her feelings occurred precisely because she had entertained thoughts that were contrary to her Christian beliefs. So she decided to make the most of her passions. Learning to relax whenever the feelings popped up, she allowed her emotions to become an early warning system, sounding off whenever she began to think in a nonbiblical manner! This was her signal to begin one of the biblical strategies that she found so helpful. The fear subsided substantially.
So the emotions that we thought were so negative have taken yet another ironic twist. Our feelings are on our side. They support our struggles. In a strange sort of way, God has spoken to us through them!
6) Not to miss the forest for the trees, the experience of doubt can actually lead to its own death! By dealing properly with our emotions, we can quiet at least the most painful side-effects of such questioning, as well. Assurance and peace can actually be its conclusion (Phil. 4:7, 9).
In other words, learning to apply God’s truth to our emotional struggles of all types, our feelings can be trained in all its aspects. The application can be made in such a way that we learn to deal with all emotional matters, including emotional doubt, teaching us how to manage our most trying times in life.
When my doubt reached the emotional stage, it came on with such fury that all my canons had to be trained specifically on the painful elements in order to get any relief. But when the smoke cleared away and I learned to control the feelings, I realized an even more wonderful truth. The emotional species of doubt that had plagued me for so many years could be handled in roughly the same way. How many unforeseen twists were there to this topic? Doubt certainly was not everything it was supposed to be! And most of the revelations were positive, too.
7) Lastly, doubt helps our faith to mature. Our new thinking should contribute to a deeper spirituality. We should come away from these trying times of uncertainty with a deeper desire to come to know better the God whose truth we believe. In this sense, Christian growth is taking place.
Having actually grown in the midst of our suffering, thankfulness and praise to God are the natural results. We develop a new appreciation for how He works in our life. Just like Job, although we may have started out by questioning Him, we may end up actually being a living example of just how God works such a process out. How many ironies can come from this one subject? Paul calls us God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10) and adds that God will finish the work He has begun in us (Phil. 1:6). Being obedient through the process of doubt can aid in that process.
Dealing with emotional doubt has taken us to the practice of biblical disciplines like prayer, thanksgiving, praise, meditation, and personal study. In working through our questioning, we may have been pursuing the path of increased spirituality without even realizing it. The last thing we should do is stop this process of growth when our pain begins to subside. This is the very time we should be increasing our spiritual progress, not only as preventative therapy, but also as a means of continued growth.
The resulting maturation continues to push us in the direction of practicing the other Christian disciplines, too. If, with the Psalmist, we desire God and long for Him with all of our hearts, then we should seek Him (Ps. 42:1-2). We can pursue those practices that can increase our intimacy and fellowship with Him.
Some may now ask a great question that has perhaps been building throughout the book. Since religious doubt produces so many positive consequences, why do we emphasize corrective thinking and try to change the feelings?
Such healing is needed for at least three reasons. First, we have also seen that, perhaps because of the many surprises on this topic, believers draw many false conclusions. But failing to deal with doubt in the correct manner can also lead to serious harm. We would like to stop this sort of problem before it gets a chance to develop. Second, the emotional element is frequently so painful that the person at least feels like they need immediate treatment. It is normal for human beings to want to avoid pain, even if it produces some positive results. Third, the benefits that come from doubt generally come only after the uncertainty is treated. The blessings, then, are largely manifest only in retrospect.
Over a period of 25 years, I have dealt with approximately 100 individual cases of doubting persons, keeping records on almost every one of them. The vast majority of these (about three quarters), both male and female, were emotional in nature. About three quarters of the total were followed up in subsequent talks, with well over half of these coming more than one full year later. I have had long-term contacts over the years with more than one-third of these persons.
The vast majority of individuals improved significantly. Almost without any exceptions, the emotional doubters, in particular, reported marked improvement, as judged by their own testimony. Since I never charged anyone or otherwise received pay from any of them, all they had to do if they were still hurting was to contact me again. As part of a very unofficial survey, their satisfaction was judged primarily by their follow-up testimony to me, but also by their not returning beyond the last contact, even though I always left that option open. This would seem to be a fair, twofold indication of a decent amount of ongoing contentment.
The bad news is that some refuse to follow biblical instructions. Rejecting God’s warnings and failing to follow His recipe for peace, they continue in their pain and uncertainty. Often, they blame God and/or their circumstances, when their chief problem is what they tell themselves and how they respond to what happens.
In contrast, the great news is that emotional doubt is usually treatable. We may have victory through God's power, weapons, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is an added benefit of God's grace that something seemingly so painful and otherwise negative may be turned around (often quite quickly) to produce so many positive affects.
Selected Bibliography (PDF 2.4 MB)
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Lessons from our nation's border
The America I grew up in was seen as the shining light on a hill. We took pride in the inscription on the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Instead of decimating our enemies after World War II, we helped them rebuild. Germany and Japan embraced freedom and prosperity and became two of our strongest allies.
We fought and died in the jungles of Vietnam, not for ourselves, but for other. In its aftermath, we welcomed Vietnamese and Hmong refugees who integrated into our cities.
Christian churches sprang up among various groups: Vietnamese, Chinese, Laotian, Thai, Korean, Liberian, Nigerian and many others Spanish-speaking churches exploded and continue to thrive. The Christian faith swept across South Korea until it became the second largest mission sending nation in the world.
When I visited Brazil, I was welcomed as a celebrity because I was an American. Children ran through the streets and people crowded in the windows to see someone from the United States. When I served briefly as pastor of an English-speaking church in Nuremburg, Germany, older Germans often expressed their gratitude for GIs who helped them rebuild their nation.
We thought of ourselves as a generous and welcoming nation, blessed by God to bless the nations of the world.
But all of that seems to be changing. We are well down the road of putting “America first.” The question is no longer,what is best for mankind, for the world and for posterity, but what is best for us.
MAGA has transitioned into a “me first” mentality.
Instead of asking, how can we help out neighbor nations fight the gang violence and corruption that causes families to flee to our borders, we ask only, “how can we keep these people out?” Children are torn from the arms of their desperate parents as punishment for seeking a safe asylum in the United States.
In our efforts to “make American great again” we seem to be losing the values that made America great in the first place.
Our movies, our media and our politics portray us as a covetous people. We seem to have adopted Gordon Gekko’s maxim that “greed is good.” We have turned a deaf ear to the 10th commandment: “You shall not covet.” (Exodus 20:17).
The Apostle Paul confessed that this commandment was his undoing. “I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting.’” Romans 7:7-8).
When we start down this self-centered path we sow the seeds of future calamity in our communities, our nation and the world. “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” (James 4:1-2).
Paul’s conclusion is applicable for all of us: “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” You shall not steal, “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Romans 13:9).
Email Bill Tinsley, formerly of Waco and now living in Fort Collins, Colorado, at email@example.com.
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At its meeting, the Energy and water regulatory commission (EWRC) adopted a decision by which it urgently demanded information from the state-owned companies regarding the measures they are undertaking to prevent a crisis with natural gas supplies during the winter season.
The Commission obliged the Public Supplier “Bulgargaz” to publish information on the necessary monthly quantities of natural gas, as well as the necessary capacities through cross-border transmission facilities to the Bulgarian market to cover consumption for the period of the next 12 months. The aim is all market participants to have the necessary information and enough time to submit their best supply offers to Bulgargaz. The public supplier should keep this information up-to-date on its website and on the information platform of Balkan Gas Hub.
In compliance with the decision of EWRC, Bulgargaz published the quantities of natural gas it requires by month:
|Year||Month||Quantities of natural gas [MWh/month]|
Bulgargaz urges: “In case you have available quantities of natural gas, please send a binding offer to e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org”
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the most effective method to utilize it
We incorporate items that we believe are helpful to our perusers. In the event that you purchase through the connection on this page, we might procure a little commission. Here is our interaction.
It has a long history of purpose in customary medication.
The name “Ashwagandha” portrays the smell of its root, and that signifies “like that of a pony.” By definition, Ashwa implies horse.
Healers utilize this spice as an overall tonic to help energy and diminish pressure and tension. Some additionally guarantee that the spice might be valuable for specific sorts of malignant growth, Alzheimer’s sickness, and nervousness.
More examination is required; until now, encouraging investigations into the medical advantages of ashwagandha have mostly happened in creatures.
This article takes a gander at the proof behind the customary purposes of ashwagandha, how to take it, and its potential medical advantages and dangers.
What In All Actuality Do Individuals Utilize Ashwagandha For?
Picture credit: Eugenius Dudzinski/Getty Images
Ashwagandha is a significant spice in Ayurvedic medication. It is quite possibly of the most established clinical framework on the planet and one of the medical care frameworks of India.
In Ayurvedic medication, ashwagandha is considered a Rasayana. This implies that it helps in keeping up with youth both intellectually and actually.
There is proof to propose that the spice might make neuroprotective and mitigating impacts. Irritation underlies numerous medical issues, and decreasing aggravation can safeguard the body from different circumstances.
For Instance, Individuals Use Ashwagandha To Assist With Treating The Accompanying:
Different cures utilize various pieces of the plant, including the leaves, seeds, and natural products.
This spice is acquiring prominence in the West. Today, individuals can purchase ashwagandha as an enhancement in the United States.
What Are Its Medical Advantages?
Logical examinations have proposed that ashwagandha might be gainful for various circumstances.
All things considered, specialists have barely any insight into how the spice responds inside the human body. A large portion of the examinations to date have utilized creature or cell models, and that implies researchers don’t know whether similar outcomes will happen in people.
There is proof to help the utilization of ashwagandha for the accompanying:
Stress And Nervousness
Ashwagandha might affect nervousness side effects when contrasted and the medication lorazepam, a narcotic and tension medicine.
A recent report recommended that the spice had equivalent tension diminishing impacts with lorazepam, proposing that ashwagandha might be similarly as powerful for decreasing uneasiness. In any case, the analysts this concentrate on rodents, not people.
In a recent report in people, specialists tracked down that taking a day-to-day portion of 240 milligrams (mg) of ashwagandha fundamentally diminished individuals’ feelings of anxiety contrasted with a fake treatment. This included lower levels of cortisol, which is a pressure chemical.
In one more 2019 concentrate people, taking 250 mg or 600 mg of ashwagandha each day diminished feelings of anxiety, as well as brought down cortisol levels.
Albeit this exploration is promising, more information should be gathered before researchers can prescribe the spice to treat tension.
Ashwagandha might go about as a pain killer, forestalling torment signals from going along the focal sensory system. Click here
Hence, some examination has demonstrated it to be successful in treating types of joint pain, including rheumatoid joint inflammation.
A little 2015 concentrate on 125 individuals with joint torment found that the spice has potential as a treatment choice for rheumatoid joint inflammation.
Certain individuals use ashwagandha to help their heart well-being, including:
lower elevated cholesterol
lessen chest torment
forestall coronary illness
Be that as it may, there is a little examination to help these advantages.
A recent report in people proposed that ashwagandha root concentrate might expand an individual’s cardiorespiratory perseverance, which might further develop heart wellbeing. Notwithstanding, more exploration is vital.
As per a 2011 survey, a few examinations have inspected ashwagandha’s capacity to slow or stop mind capability in individuals with neurodegenerative circumstances like Alzheimer’s sickness, Huntington’s illness, and Parkinson’s illness.
As these circumstances progress, portions of the mind and its connective parcels become harmed, prompting loss of memory and capability. This audit recommends that when rodents and mice get ashwagandha during the beginning phases of the infection, giving protection might be capable.
How To Utilize Ashwagandha?
Significant definitions of Ashwagandha include:
Ashwagandhadyarishta (syrup structure)
Ashwagandha Leha (powdered structure)
Ashwagandha Lakshdi oil (oil form)7
It is likewise accessible as tea, tablets, sticky, or color. The roots, seeds, leaves, and blossoms of Ashwagandha can be utilized for restorative purposes. 1,7,8
Ashwagandha Incidental Effects:
The well-being of long-haul utilization of ashwagandha has not been completely archived. In any case, the most well-known symptoms of ashwagandha are:
More uncommon aftereffects are:
hack and blockage
Ashwagandha can likewise cause liver harm. It is vital to call your medical care supplier when you experience any incidental effect, particularly irritated skin or one predictable with liver harm, for example, jaundice.7
Additionally read: Bakuchi: Uses, Benefits, Dosage and Side Effects
Insurances To Take With Ashwagandha:
Ashwagandha ought to be stayed away from in specific circumstances, for example,
Taking care of The Beast
Immune system illnesses (conditions where the resistant framework goes after the body’s own tissues)
An ongoing medical procedure or forthcoming surgery
Cooperation with different medications:
Safeguards to be taken while utilizing Ashwagandha:
Barbiturates (a gathering of drugs that cause unwinding or drowsiness): Ashwagandha could expand the impacts of barbiturates. Consequently, wariness ought to be practiced while taking this blend.
Liquor: Ashwagandha isn’t prescribed to be taken with liquor.
Narcotic: Ashwagandha ought not to be taken with well-being items with narcotic properties.
It is fundamental to talk with your primary care physician to guarantee that ashwagandha doesn’t obstruct different meds.
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I recommend this video made by my friend Michael Schidlowsky. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bftZwpBCKnI&t=1269s
In it, he summarizes many studies, from 1930s to recent years, that conclude that the act of trying to recall helps you remember, even better than repeatedly reviewing. Somehow the act of trying to recall sends a signal to your brain that this information should be stored in your memory, especially in your long-term memory.
If you want to remember something that you have read or learned, recapping it to yourself or to a friend (or several friends) can help you retain it in your long-term memory.
Some people may question the value of keeping information in your memory when you can find all the information online. Michael argues that to analyze information and create new ideas, you first need to have some information in your brain. -Yan
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About Tecnostrutture Academy
Training, updating, sharing. Tecnostrutture Academy is the new reference for updating and sharing your knowledge in the field of steel-concrete composite structures. It is a rich container, in which to find different tools and training sessions precisely tailored to the needs of technical personnel.
Resources to read, to watch, events, IT tools to be used independently or online. Tecnostrutture Academy offers technicians knowledge and ideas with which to enrich their personal and professional skillset.
The topic of mixed structures is intertwined with other strategic contents such as seismic safety, building over existing structures or the need to design in BIM. For this reason, Tecnostrutture Academy offers both a basic seminar to learn about the design of mixed structures, and events to further explore the aspects of sustainability, SismaBonus, renovation and much more. The goal is to provide useful and practical insights allowing the designer to operate in an effective and informed way.
Who is Tecnostrutture Academy designed for
Tecnostrutture Academy is tailored for all those who work in the world of design and construction, both experts and students who are starting to approach new building technologies.
Who is behind Tecnostrutture Academy
Tecnostrutture Academy has been created by its founder and is the result of the work the Communication, R&D and Technical teams, who make their knowledge available to the community we are creating. However, we are not know-all people, and for this reason we rely on qualified collaborations that can provide in-depth contents and – it is our great hope – useful to the reader.
Tecnostrutture is a company founded in 1983, based in Noventa di Piave, Italy.
We offer the structural skeleton of a building, composed of beams, columns and self-supporting NPS® slabs, an innovative solution that makes the construction process faster and safer.
Tecnostrutture aims at offering its customers cutting-edge construction solutions in terms of performance, safety and aesthetics. The company is motivated by an innate forward vision and the courage to be ahead of the times. These values translate into a substantial technological and aesthetic research and development activity.
Our commitment to being culture builders
We firmly believe that sharing knowledge is the best way to move the construction industry forward. In the last 50 years, the productivity of the manufacturing sector has increased by 40%, while that of the construction market is still the same. Nothing has changed. We at Tecnostrutture believe that the time for innovation has come. Switching from traditional construction to the industrialization of the construction site. This is why since 2001 we have organized over one hundred training events at universities, professional associations and construction sites.
Our path of growth continues thanks to the support of numerous universities and the contribution that each designer provides in presenting us with new structural challenges and in suggesting innovative solutions.
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BEIJING/SINGAPORE — A tanker carrying around one million barrels of bitumen mix was involved in a collision near the Chinese port city of Qingdao during heavy fog, spilling oil into the Yellow Sea, Chinese maritime officials and tanker representatives said on Tuesday.
The collision involving the anchored Liberia-flagged tanker A Symphony and the bulk vessel Sea Justice took place at 0850 local time (0050 GMT), A Symphony’s manager Goodwood Ship Management said in an e-mail.
“The force of the impact on the forward port side caused a breach in cargo tanks and ballast tanks, with a quantity of oil lost into the ocean,” Goodwood said, adding all of the crew had been accounted for and there were no injuries.
It was not immediately possible to contact the owner of the Sea Justice and the extent of the spill was also unclear as operations to contain it were hindered by the fog.
“The oil spill came after a clash between two vessels,” an official for China’s Shandong Maritime Safety Administration told Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirming that no one was injured.
Heavy fog, which has hampered navigation off the Qingdao coast since Monday, led to poor visibility at the time of the collision, Goodwood said.
It said emergency procedures on board the vessel were instigated to limit any spill and the vessel’s oil spill response team was mobilized.
The incident was reported to local authorities and a clean up operation has begun, although it was hindered by the port’s closure because of “zero visibility,” Goodwood said.
The Shandong Maritime Safety Administration has instructed other ships to stay at least 10 nautical miles from the A Symphony, but did not provide details on how much oil has leaked.
Oil tanker safety has improved in recent decades – partly due to the introduction of double-hulled ships – and major spills are rare, although there are still risks with the transport of oil by sea, which has the potential to cause major environmental damage.
The A Symphony, a Suezmax tanker, was last seen near the Qingdao port, live shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon showed.
The tanker called at Linggi International Transhipment Hub, near Malacca in peninsular Malaysia, earlier this month, where it fully loaded with oil and set sail for China, the data showed.
Contacted by Reuters, an executive at Run Cheng International Resource (HK) Co said the company owned the 150,000-tonne cargo of bitumen blend on board A Symphony.
Bitumen, a mixture of hydrocarbons from residue in refining, is used for road surfacing and roofing. However, shipping sources said bitumen is typically moved in smaller vessels with specialized heating rather than suezmaxes.
The 272 meter-long and 46 meter-wide oil tanker was sold in May 2019 to its new owners Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy, Equasis data showed.
Symphony Shipholding SA and NGM Energy could not be immediately reached for comment.
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Mr & Mrs P
Earlier on this month Battery Technologies were able to visit Mr and Mrs P, in Bath. They have been busy building their new home using our batteries, with our product they have been able to power the whole house. The home is not connected to the grid, so this means that they have no electricity bill and they also source their water from the ground below them. Ultimately their home costs very little to run and means they have a much smaller environmental footprint. Being off grid also means that they don’t experience the power outages that can occur with being on grid. This system can also be installed anywhere as long as there is sun.
Our batteries are at the heart of off grid systems that use solar panels to capture energy from the sun and convert to electrical energy. The electrical energy is fed into the batteries via the charge controller for energy storage and converted on demand into AC power via the inverter circuit. The DC power from the batteries is inverted to AC power and is used to power the electrical circuit in the home, power for life.
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One point I have learned since I have remained in internet marketing is that you need to “brand name on your own” in purchase to become effective. Branding on your own means to earn on your own stand apart from the rest. Be the one individuals remember and most likely to when they need your items and/or solutions. Develop your reputation as the most likely to individual in your area.
Branding on your own will take work, time and dedication but it’s essential for your business success. Listed below are some points you can begin doing to begin the branding process Kingw88
- Have a Motto – Choose a motto to obey directly and expertly. This will stick in people’s minds and help you focus as well. My motto is to treat others as I would certainly want them to treat me. I attempt to live daily by the Gold Guideline!
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- Professional Networking – Sign up with some great networking websites, teams and clubs. Make on your own available for advice, help, and assistance. Be certain to take part often.
- Constantly Be Honest and In advance – Be honest with individuals. Do not use misleading lines and tricks to obtain individuals to purchase from you. Let individuals know, truthfully, what you can provide for them. If you cannot satisfy their needs, point them to someone that can. They’ll remember your determination to assist and return to you when you can satisfy their needs.
- Body Language – Using body movement effectively can have a genuine effect on how individuals view you. Constantly make direct eye contact. Let your eyes show friendliness and rate of passion. Use your brows to show visibility and understanding. Do not scrunch them disapprovingly. Maintain your brow relaxed. Grin and do not handbag your lips or tighten up your mouth. Maintain your arms unravelled and being in an unwinded manner with great position. Do not slouch or fidget. The art of using proper body movement is quite real so do some research and learn all you can.
- Go the Extra Mile – Help individuals whenever you can also if you do not see a sale happening. By offering extra help and support you’re sending out a message about what kind of individual you’re and what type of business you run.
- Count on On your own – If you do not count on on your own, how can you anticipate others to. Constantly declare in mind, spirit and attitude. Be professional, and constantly produce a favorable picture as well. This will be a big consider what individuals think about you.
- E-mail and Telephone Rules – Write your e-mails with proper punctuation and grammar. Be polite, pleasant and helpful. Don’t use offending words or expressions. This opts for talking on the telephone as well. Using repulsive, offending or less than professional language will definitely be something individuals will not forget!
- Be On your own – Do not attempt to put on a façade. Unwind and let the individual know how unique and genuine you’re.
Branding on your own will help develop your business success but it will help you in various other ways as well. You’ll form enduring and beneficial connections with others – both directly and expertly. You’ll find out more from the experiences of others and you’ll also find out more about on your own and how unique and unique you truly are. Which, my friend, could be the greatest reward of all!
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French advertisers display a healthy disregard for linguistic and orthographic purity
By S.P. | PARIS
SPOTTED this morning on an advertising hoarding in the Paris metro: the most extravagant mix of phoneticised French and franglais I have yet come across. It was an ad for Keljob (quel job), a recruitment agency, promising “le speed recrutement” and “des ateliers coaching” (atelier meaning workshop in French).
The number of French firms using phonetic spelling is proliferating. Alongside Keljob there is Kiloutou (qui loue tout, or who rents everything), a machinery-rental company, or Kelcoo (quel cout, or what price), a price-comparison internet service. Then there is Meetic (mythique) an online dating site, Sajoo (ça joue, or it's playing), a web gambling site, and Amagiz (à ma guise, in my own way), an insurer. The phonetic shorthand of text-messaging in French—kdo for cadeau (present) and so forth—has certainly helped to overturn the traditional rules of the language, particularly for companies whose brand is all about upending conventions.
The intrusion of franglais into French advertising also continues apace. Examples that spring to mind include Livret BforBank, Crédit Agricole's new online private bank, or Freebox, the digital television decoder from Free, a French telecoms firm. Many companies simply splash a slogan in English on their ads, and then translate it in small print on the bottom as is required by French law.
What makes Keljob's ad stand out is the brazen mix of all of the above. The French have a body whose job it is to defend the purity of the French language. Article 24 of the statutes of the Académie Française state that “The principal function of the Académie is to work, with all possible care and diligence, to give clear rules to our language and to render it pure, eloquent and capable of treating arts and science.” While the académiciens toil away, the creatives of the French advertising world seem to be busy throwing out their rules with abandon.
A pun is a pun is a pun but is not always fun
For three years, we've blogged about language. We now (re)turn Johnson to a weekly column format
Timothy Doner, an enormously accomplished language learner at age 17, talks with us in French, Mandarin and Russian, explains how each language "feels" to him, and shares some of his tips
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Don’t worry, we are not looking for marriage proposals this week, we are going to learn all about acceptance. I imagine your eyes rolled then, but before you close the web page on this site I want you to understand that the simple act of self-acceptance is way more important in peoples lives than you might think. Acceptance in human psychology is a person’s assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it or protest it. The concept is close in meaning to acquiescence, derived from the Latin acquiēscere (to find rest in). The more you learn to rest inside a world full of acceptance the better your life will be…
I promise you, that I do understand that some people think all this ‘acceptance’ and ‘well-being’ stuff is a little bit pointless, but there really is a massive point to them, especially when you suffer from BPD. A lot of the darkness of BPD comes from all the self-hate and past regrets people have in life (most of the time for good reasons), but you can’t go back in time to fix things, you can’t learn to forget about them because your mind will replay them over and over again. When you start to realise that the only path left to take is the path of acceptance it should make the walk through life a little easier.
To ‘accept’ something is not to forget it, not to justify it, not even to accept that what happened happened. It is just to acknowledge that something bad or negative happened. I accept that I was late to my job, I accept that the course work set for me is harder than normal, I accept that I beat myself up all day long because of my BPD. When used in the right way acceptance can be a powerful, life-changing tool that you will use on a daily basis.
If it is ‘low self-acceptance’ that results from or causes mental health illness then it only stands to reason that higher self-acceptance can counteract that. Remember last week when we talked about how not sharing our feelings and emotions results in us not getting validated in feeling them? Well, that is also part of acceptance! Acceptance of oneself and one’s reality are essential building blocks of many therapy recovery programs. There is freedom and happiness to be found in accepting however you feel at any given moment. You thrive and move forward with the moment if you wholeheartedly accept the way you are.
This Week’s Homework: I know this has been a tough week, so no homework this week. Just try and put into practice what you have learned today. Notice your feelings, not react to them and let the bad ones wash over you like water over a pebble. Yes, you might feel sad about something, a memory or an error you have made, but feeling sad isn’t going to change what happened, but accepting it and trying to be a better “you” is something that can happen if you are willing to work on it.
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“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
In these Creation Moments, I have sometimes criticized the search for life on Mars by the various space expeditions conducted on the red planet. This might lead listeners to suppose that I disagree with space missions to Mars. I do not. David insisted that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). So many things found in these current explorations are fascinating.
The InSight mission has landed “a seismometer for detecting quakes, sensors for gauging wind and air pressure, a magnetometer, and a heat flow probe designed to take the planet’s temperature” on the planet’s surface. These have all delivered a huge amount of information about the surface conditions and structure of Mars.
The magnetometer is particularly interesting. Mars has no appreciable magnetic field, yet there is detectable, though small, magnetism on the surface.
Mars does have a detectable atmosphere. While much less than that on Earth, its atmosphere nevertheless undergoes weather conditions. InSight’s instruments measure this. Perhaps seismology and radio signals will help us to understand what the core of the planet is like.
And, elsewhere, the famous Mars Rovers yield beautiful, though bleak, photographs of the surface of Mars, which I, for one, find interesting.
You don’t have to agree with me on this. But in my opinion, I believe God is pleased with our voyages of discovery. Correctly founded, new discoveries in space cause us to praise Him all the more.
Prayer: Everything in the heavens, as on the Earth, was made by You, Lord God. We praise You for the beauty of Your design and the greatness of Your power. Amen.
Author: Paul F. Taylor
Ref: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “A year of surprising science from NASA’s InSight Mars mission: New papers summarize the lander’s findings above and below the surface of the Red Planet.” ScienceDaily, 24 February 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200224151502.htm>. Image: NASA, Public Domain.
© 2021 Creation Moments. All rights reserved.
Click here for our featured book: The Expanse of Heaven
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Manitoba Photographers: Cecil Heppenstall Reeves (1883-1969)
Born in England on 14 July 1883, son of Henry Reeves (?-?) and Lucy Sykes (1849-1928), he came to Canada in 1913 and settled at Dauphin where he purchased the photography studio of Alfred John Rawson. He worked there until 1927 when he sold the studio back to Rawson and moved to New Westminister, British Columbia. He continued to work as a photographer there until retirement in 1960.
On 25 October 1913, he married Emma Jane Davies (1889-1964) at Winnipeg and they had three children: Nora Davies Reeves (1916-?), Thomas Henry Reeves (1918-?), and Vera Frances Reeves (1919-?). He died at new Westminster, British Columbia on 17 April 1969.
“Change in business,” Dauphin Herald, 7 August 1913, page 7.
“Reeves - Davies,” Dauphin Herald, 30 October 1913, page 12.
Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1921 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.
“Ritz Studio to change management, A. J. Rawson retiring from business,” Dauphin Herald, 17 February 1944, page 5.
Death registrations [Lucy Flora Reeves, Emma Janes Reeves, Cecil Heppenstal Reeves], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
Cecil Heppenstall Reeves, Geni.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 August 2021
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http://mhs.mb.ca/docs/photographers/reeves_ch.shtml
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While a personal invitation to give blood is always the most effective donor recruitment tool, there are many ways to recruit and promote your blood drive, including:
Ask, Face to Face with a Chance to Save Lives
One of the most common reasons people give for not donating blood is, “No one ever asked me.” In our experience, nothing is more effective than face-to-face recruitment. An individual and personalized appeal is often all it takes.
Be prepared to answer questions about the donation process and remind prospective donors that a single donation has the potential to help save the up to three patient lives. When people are sick or injured and they need blood, there is one one place it can come from and that is a volunteer blood donor.
Want to learn more about recruitment strategies?
Reach out today!
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https://www.inovablood.org/get-involved/host-a-blood-drive/recruitment-strategies/
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Whether you have hearing loss or not, some situations are more challenging than others to hear well. Noisy restaurants, city streets, and large social gatherings are just a couple of examples. In these situations, you’ll want a complete arsenal of tools to understand as much of the conversation as possible.
So remember you don’t just hear with your ears… your eyes and brain are critical to understanding what people are saying, too. Now that you can hear better with hearing aids, it’s important not to neglect the role of your eyes and brain to increase your understanding.
Research shows that as much as 80% of communication happens non-verbally. With hearing loss, you’ve probably honed many of these non-verbal skills by taking into consideration posture, gesturing, and lip-reading. To hear better with your eyes…
- Look at the person speaking
- Make sure you can see their face
- Take notice of their gestures
Your brain also plays a big part in understanding what’s being said by using context cues and concentrating. Since speech is often redundant, you can fill in the missing words with relative ease using your brainpower. To hear better with your brain…
- Concentrate on what you want to hear
- Pay attention to the conversation
- Ask for clarification when you don’t understand
- Try to tune-out background noise with reverse eavesdropping
Before you needed hearing aids, do you remember how you used to eavesdrop on conversations? You could magically “tune out” the person sitting right in front of you in order to hear the conversation next to you. You did this with the power of concentration.
Now that you have hearing aids, you’ll start to hear these side conversations again (and some background noise). But whatever you do, don’t adjust your volume, as it’s not going to help. You need to employ what we call “reverse eavesdropping” to concentrate on the conversation in front of you and “tune out” the side conversations or background noise. Just like any other skill, the more you practice, the easier and better you will get at it over time.
But the most important thing is to relax and remember that even people with perfect hearing have trouble understanding conversations in noisy settings. If you have any questions or need additional support to improve your ability to hear in challenging situations, we’re always here to help.
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.hear.com/ca/resources/hearing-aid-success/how-to-hear-your-best-in-challenging-situations/
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Calculate customs duty for product covering 100+ countries! Customs Duty is a tariff or tax imposed on goods when transported across international borders. The purpose of Customs Duty is to protect each country’s economy, residents, jobs, environment, etc., by controlling the flow of goods, especially restrictive and prohibited goods, into and out of the country.
Search either through product description or HS-Code here!
The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonized System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products.
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https://customsdutyfree.com/
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The truth is not always pleasant to hear. Those in a position to do so may simply refuse to participate in uncomfortable conversations. Others may even go so far as to prohibit the teaching of information they consider “divisive” simply because it makes them or others like them uncomfortable.
However, it is a privilege that is not granted to everyone, and especially not to our families in Kentucky whose lived experiences do not match what is currently taught in our public schools. Additionally, schools that refuse to embrace concepts of equity, diversity and inclusion add to the trauma that many students who feel bullied, isolated, and even abused, simply because they are the best of themselves.
And now, a disinformation campaign that promotes the feelings of the privileged few, while rejecting the lived experiences of our most marginalized students, is sweeping the nation. Some lawmakers, who want to push this imbalance of representation in our classrooms even further, have proposed unnecessary and unconstitutional legislation that would completely ban the teaching of exact history in our public schools.
In doing so, they are the ones who are spreading hatred and fear, which they claim their bills would prevent. A quick demographic check of those in favor of this archaic legislation are mostly white, while the majority of stakeholders in JCPS, a predominantly non-white neighborhood, oppose it. Clearly, those who characterize the teaching of concepts related to equity, diversity and inclusion as “divisional” or even “discriminatory” are those who benefit most from rejecting these truths in favor of retention. of the status quo.
Our state’s curriculum, activities, and textbooks are already slanted in a way that predominantly dominates the outlook of white, predominantly heterosexual, and predominantly Christian males. By specifically targeting issues related to race, gender and religion, this bill would curb any effort to encourage critical reflection on the roles these factors may have played in our country’s history and pave the way to make some of the same horrible acts and avoidable mistakes all over again.
For years grassroots organizations, educators, parents / guardians and students have raised the REAL concerns that our lawmakers need to address in our public schools, NOT lean more towards windmills, NOT create witch hunts for pursue our best teachers, and NOT come with more reason to stifle the last breath that our public schools and teachers have left in them.
The bills would ban teachers from teaching (and prevent students from learning!) Exact history and, due to their emergency provision, immediately wreak havoc in districts with diverse populations. These proposed laws are unnecessary, unconstitutional, and would unfairly and unfairly tie the hands of more diverse districts such as Jefferson and Fayette County, and end up wasting more precious time and resources that our students and schools do not have.
The quote from former President Eisenhower, which is inscribed on the wall of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, reminds us:
“I made the visit deliberately, in order to be able to give first-hand evidence of these things, if ever in the future there develops a tendency to attribute these allegations to propaganda.”
The Kentucky General Assembly began this week. The two bills that would suppress the teaching of collective truths from our nation, no matter how well intentioned, should move quickly. We must demand of our legislators STOP HB14 and HB18 before they go any further. Instead, they should SUPPORT HB67 and HB88, which would require teaching the rich and precise history of racism in our country and state, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us, and strengthen the decision-making advice based on the site, not weakening them as SB1. tries to do.
The future of our humanity depends on it.
Gay Adelmann is the co-founder of Dear JCPS and Save Our Schools Kentucky. She has also been a board member of the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression since 2020 and is a 2014 member of the GCIPL.
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https://www.elmirachristianacademy.com/gay-adelmann-two-bills-considered-by-ky-house-reject-states-most-marginalized-students/
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Memories of Kristallnacht
The sounds of broken glass, on the eve of November 9, 1938, will be forever etched in the collective memory. It was the night that the Nazis publicly and blatantly announced to the world that they had declared open war on the Jewish people. Through archival footage, photographs and first hand interviews with witnesses, this video forms a sharp portrait of the time and the events. 57 mins. VHS.
- Germany and the Holocaust
- Nazism, Nazi Germany, and Fascism
- Racism, Antisemitism, and Prejudice
- Survivors, Children of Survivors, and Witnesses
Cohen Center materials are available for school libraries to borrow for classroom use. If your school would like to borrow any of these materials, please contact Mason Library Interlibrary Loan at firstname.lastname@example.org to register for a Lending Web account.
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.keene.edu/academics/cchgs/collections/media/detail/memories-of-kristallnacht/
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Is everyone capable of redemption? Does everyone deserve a second chance? A second chance at friendship, a second chance at home, a second chance at work, a second chance at love… a second chance at life. Are some actions so unforgivable that someone can never redeem themselves? Do we all have it in our hearts to forgive those who have wronged us? Do we all have the courage to apologize to and make amends with the people we have wronged? These questions and more were provoked by a movie I recently watched called A Silent Voice.
A Silent Voice, also known as The Shape of Voice, is an anime film that tells the story of Shouya Ishida, a boy who used to bully and torment the recently transferred deaf girl Shouko Nishimiya. In his teen years, Shouya’s life has become unbearable for him, leading him to thoughts of suicide. In an attempt to right his wrongs from the past, he seeks out to make up with and befriend Shouko. The film is based on the award-winning manga of the same name by Yoshitoki Oima.
I was scrolling through Netflix aimlessly one day. I was just bored I guess. I came across this movie called A Silent Voice. I read the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting, but I looked at the runtime, which is two hours and ten minutes, and was put off. Later that day, however, I found myself drawn to it and before I knew it I was watching it, and I am so glad I did. The music evokes emotion and the visuals are warm and terrific. The voice acting is so amazing. There were moments where I felt uncomfortable, but that was the point. There were also moments that, as a depressed person, hit too close to home. Again, that was the point. The fact that I felt these things is testament to how well-crafted this story was. There were points were there were tears in my eyes, and by the end of the movie I was crying. The fact that I felt these things is testament to how well-crafted this story was.
A Silent Voice is something special. It tells a moving tale of hate, love, regret, sadness, acceptance, and redemption. As soon as I finished it I began writing this blog post. I could go on and on but I don’t want to ruin anything, and to be honest I am at a loss for words. This movie must be experienced by as many people as possible. I will, however, give a few warnings. Although it’s age restriction is PG-13, it deals with heavy topics like depression, bullying and suicide which may be triggering for a lot of people. I will leave the trailer below. Please check it out.
That is all from me. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you all in the next blog post.
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Volcanic volumes associated with the Kenya Rift: recognition and correction of preservation biases
New eruptive volume estimates have been calculated for the Kenyan segment of the East African Rift. Since the initial publications of volume estimates for the Kenyan Rift, numerous age dates have been obtained for the region allowing for temporal analysis of eruptive volumes. Additionally, more recent available datasets allow for the independent testing of map-derived volumes. Newly calculated volumes from available seismic data indicate a total volume of c. 310 000 km3, which is significantly more than map-derived volumes found here or published previously. It is suggested that the map-based estimates are likely affected by biases against recognizing small volume events in the older record. Such events have been, however, the main driver of erupted volume over the last 5 Ma. A simple ratio-adjustment technique was developed to counter these biases and results in convergence of the volume estimates from the two independent datasets examined.
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https://geolsoc.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Volcanic_volumes_associated_with_the_Kenya_Rift_recognition_and_correction_of_preservation_biases/3453875/1
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- This is called habit stacking. Habit stacking is a special form of an implementation intention. Rather than pairing your new habit with a particular time and location, you pair it with a current habit. This method, which was created by BJ Fogg as part of his Tiny Habits program, can be used to design an obvious cue for nearly any habit.
- 1 What is an example of stacking your habit?
- 2 How do you use habit stacking?
- 3 Why do habits stack?
- 4 What is stacking in psychology?
- 5 Who is SJ Scott?
- 6 Who coined the term habit stacking?
- 7 What is the habit loop?
- 8 What is habit bundling?
- 9 How do you make good habit James clear?
- 10 How do habits work?
- 11 Does habit stacking work?
- 12 What is trigger stacking?
- 13 How do you develop a better habit of atomic habits?
What is an example of stacking your habit?
It’s about Habit Stacking: taking advantage of an already well-established habit by pairing it with a new habit. “After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].” Example: After [my first sip of coffee], I will [read 10 pages of my book].
How do you use habit stacking?
How to habit stack
- have the glass of water next to your bed.
- then go straight to the bathroom.
- take the vitamin pill because you’ve put the vitamin next to your toothbrush.
- use a 2-minute buzz toothbrush to brush your teeth.
- make sure your floss is next to the vitamin jar.
Why do habits stack?
The purpose of habit-stacking is to create simple and repeatable routines (managed by a checklist). The goal is to get this out of the cognitive load, “because all you have to remember to do is follow the checklist,” and not each individual habit.
What is stacking in psychology?
Habit Stacking: How to Build New Habits by Taking Advantage of Old Ones. You have patterns and behaviors that have been strengthened over years. By linking your new habits to a cycle that is already built into your brain, you make it more likely that you’ll stick to the new behavior.
Who is SJ Scott?
Steve “SJ ” Scott was born and raised in New Jersey. After finishing college with a degree in psychology he knew he needed to further his education or work on his latte making skills. During a short stint in US Air Force, Scott was able to get his Master’s in business and then moved on to conquer the business world.
Who coined the term habit stacking?
The term ‘Habit Stacking’ was coined by S.J Scott in his book Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less. In the book he proposes you, “build routines around habits that don’t require effort” because “small wins build momentum because they’re easy to remember and complete.”
What is the habit loop?
The Habit Loop. “The Habit Loop is a neurological loop that governs any habit. The habit loop consists of three elements: a cue, a routine, and a reward. Understanding these elements can help in understanding how to change bad habits or form better ones.” – Duhigg, C.
What is habit bundling?
Here’s how it works: Basically, you “bundle” a source of instant gratification (like checking Instagram or watching an addictive show) with a beneficial but less fun “should” activity (like running on the treadmill or working on a spreadsheet).
How do you make good habit James clear?
Use the law of motion to your advantage The two minute rule: Clear says that when you start a new habit it should take you less than two minutes to do. Habits must be established before they can be improved, he says, so when you’re starting out, give yourself permission to show up in the smallest possible way.
How do habits work?
All habits proceed through four stages in the same order: cue, craving, response, and reward. This four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit, and your brain runs through these steps in the same order each time. First, there is the cue. The cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior.
Does habit stacking work?
Again, the reason habit stacking works so well is that your current habits are already built into your brain. By linking your new habits to a cycle that is already built into your brain, you make it more likely that you’ll stick to the new behavior.
What is trigger stacking?
Trigger Stacking is the combination of multiple stressful events in a short period of time, leading to an extreme reaction to a small stimulus. A stressful or scary situation has a physiological effect on a dog.
How do you develop a better habit of atomic habits?
Even more detailed information is available in my book, Atomic Habits.
- Start with an incredibly small habit. Make it so easy you can’t say no.
- Increase your habit in very small ways.
- As you build up, break habits into chunks.
- When you slip, get back on track quickly.
- Be patient.
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ALBANY — The state government’s debt has topped $63.3 billion, with New York on track to approach its borrowing limit in early 2014, the comptroller’s office reported Monday.
That debt burden, averaging $3,253 per resident, is almost three times the national median, according to the report. New York’s state-funded debt is second only to California’s $96.4 billion and 80 percent higher than New Jersey, which is third.
New York paid $6.8 billion on its loans in 2011-2012, though borrowing has continued to outpace payoffs. The $63.3 billion debt as of last March 31 was $1.6 billion higher than a year earlier.
“At this point, 95 percent of the borrowing over the past 10 years has been without voter approval,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said. Most came from public authorities, avoiding the general prohibition in the state constitution against issuing debt without the approval of voters and the Legislature.
Those entities created by the state Legislature, like the Thruway Authority, develop and maintain infrastructure like roads, bridges and schools.
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[Chimera-users] How to get random velocities?
meng at cgl.ucsf.edu
Wed Aug 11 08:06:04 PDT 2021
> On Aug 11, 2021, at 8:02 AM, Elaine Meng via Chimera-users <chimera-users at cgl.ucsf.edu> wrote:
> Hi Surya,
> This e-mail address is for Chimera questions... we are not experts in other programs.
> For Gromacs, see its own documentation, help archive, etc.
Sorry, I put the wrong link there. Instead it should be the following (but you could just use Google to find it, like I did):
> I can only say that molecular dynamics (MD) means that the atoms are moving, so they have velocities. There are several methods for assigning and adjusting the velocities in MD.
> In the Gromacs MD documentation try searching for "velocity generation" and "velocity" to see all those parameters.
> Elaine C. Meng, Ph.D.
> UCSF Chimera(X) team
> Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
> University of California, San Francisco
>> On Aug 11, 2021, at 2:58 AM, Seera Suryanarayana via Chimera-users <chimera-users at cgl.ucsf.edu> wrote:
>> Dear chimera users,
>> Dear VMD users,
>> I was asked to do simulations five times with the same starting structure and number of processors. But the velocities should be different. Here my query is "How do you generate velocities in the gromacs?".
>> I request you to guide me how to do it.
>> Thanks in advance
>> Graduate student
> Chimera-users mailing list: Chimera-users at cgl.ucsf.edu
> Manage subscription: https://plato.cgl.ucsf.edu/mailman/listinfo/chimera-users
More information about the Chimera-users
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Today’s opening of the San Francisco Bay Area bikeshare brings the combined fleet of shared bikes in the United States above 18,000, more than a doubling since the start of the year. The United States is now home to 34 modern bike-sharing programs that allow riders to easily make short trips on two wheels without having to own a bicycle. With a number of new programs in the works and planned expansions of existing programs, the U.S. fleet is set to double again by the end of 2014, at which point nearly 37,000 publicly shared bicycles will roll the streets.
The largest bikeshare in the United States is in New York City, where some 6,000 bicycles are available at 332 stations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program opened at the end of May 2013, and in less than three months hit 2 million trips. On busy days, each bike gets checked out seven times or more, a remarkably high borrowing rate. The city ultimately hopes to expand the program to other boroughs and grow to 10,000 bikes.
The other large bike-sharing debut in 2013 was in Chicago, where 1,500 Divvy bikes now grace the streets. The program hopes to double to 3,000 cycles by the end of the year, ultimately growing to 4,000 strong — reinforcing the city’s efforts to dramatically boost biking. In addition to making shared bikes readily accessible transit, Chicago plans to extend the path and trail network to within a half-mile of all residences.
Before New York and Chicago came on the bike-sharing scene, Washington, D.C., held America’s top spot. Its program has grown to over 2,000 bikes, spreading into neighboring communities. Transport planners from cities around the country have made the pilgrimage to Washington to ride one of the cherry-red Capital Bikeshare bikes and see firsthand how the popular program works. Since 2007, biking in the nation’s capital doubled to 3.5 percent of all commuter trips, and bike sharing has made it more convenient to travel the expanding web of marked cycle lanes.
Other large bikeshares include Nice Ride in Minneapolis and St. Paul (1,550 bikes), Hubway in the Boston area (1,100 bikes), and DecoBike Miami Beach (1,000 bikes). Aspen, Columbus, Fort Worth, and Salt Lake City are among the more than a dozen programs that opened in 2013, joining a list of cities that have enjoyed bike sharing for longer, including Denver, San Antonio, Chattanooga, Madison, and Fort Lauderdale.
On the international scene, the United States is just catching Europe and Asia’s bike-sharing tailwind. Worldwide, more than half a million cycles can be picked up in well over 500 cities in 51 countries. Italy and Spain have the greatest number of programs, while China is home to two-thirds of the global shared bike fleet.
New York is the only American city to make it onto the list of the world’s 20 largest bike-sharing programs. In fact, five cities have more shared bikes than the entire U.S. fleet. Four of them are in China, where Wuhan reportedly has some 90,000 shared bikes for its 9 million people. Hangzhou has 69,750 bikes that are well-integrated with that city’s mass transit.
The world’s third largest bikeshare is Vélib’ in Paris, the first large-scale program to gain worldwide attention. Since its 2007 launch, riders have taken 173 million trips. According to the program, one of the nearly 24,000 Vélib’ bikes gets checked out every second of the day. Vélib’ claims to have the highest bike density among the world’s top programs, with one bike available for every 97 city residents.
Within the next year, the U.S. bike-sharing fleet will have caught up with Paris. New entries in Florida could push the country past that mark, with launches expected in Miami (500 bikes, an expansion from Miami Beach), St. Petersburg (300 bikes), and Tampa (300 bikes). Phoenix is also hoping to launch a 500-bike program that will double in size as neighboring cities join in. Rollouts hoped for in 2014 include large offerings in Los Angeles (some 4,000 bikes) and San Diego (1,800 bikes), as well as 500+ bike programs in Portland (Oregon), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Seattle, along with a number of smaller markets.
The new San Francisco Bay Area scheme is starting out relatively diffuse, with 700 bicycles split between San Francisco and other cities along the 50-mile rail line south to San Jose. Planners note that it ultimately could grow to a network of 10,000 bikes, better allowing rail riders to travel the first and last mile or so of their commute on two wheels. As communities continue to improve their biking infrastructure and as enthusiasm for an efficient, environmentally friendly, healthy, and enjoyable form of transportation grows, bike sharing has a bright future in the United States.
(For full list of current and planned U.S. bike-sharing programs, click here.)
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Training for a better tomorrow – GROHE rolls out its GIVE program for young students to become installers across the EMENA region
Within the “GROHE Installer Vocational Training and Education” (GIVE) program, the brand is already collaborating with 26 institutions offering plumbing training across EMENA
Over the next two years, the network is to be expanded to over 50 technical schools and colleges, granting more than 5,000 students per year a better future
With hands-on training according to the latest industry standards, GROHE also wants to have a positive impact on sustainable social transformation
Düsseldorf, July 13th, 2021 – Given the shortage of skilled installers in the sanitary industry, it is more important than ever to offer an attractive training program that helps young people build the foundation for a prosperous future. This is why GROHE, a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, initiated its “GROHE Installer Vocational Training and Education” (GIVE) program.
GROHE is already collaborating with 26 institutions offering plumbing training across the EMENA region. To help improve training facilities, GROHE will set up a fully functioning training environment where students can benefit from the brand’s vast expertise. GIVE supports schools in creating a uniform approach with modern equipment, training material and a written examination that will set new industry standards. Even after students have completed their GROHE training, they will receive assistance - with job placements or even a work experience program at one of GROHE’s industry partners.
“The GIVE program will unite all our professional training efforts and help young people from all backgrounds by improving the quality of life for themselves and their families. We offer students a training and education program which will prepare them to become skilled plumbers and guide them further in their careers,” states Jonas Brennwald, Leader, LIXIL EMENA. “Besides initiatives like ‘LIXIL goes ZERO’ and ‘Less Plastic,’ where we advocate resource conservation and sustainable consumption, the social dimension is an integral part of our sustainability strategy. As the program’s name implies, giving back to society is vital for us at GROHE.”
Offering young professionals the best start to their careers
As part of the GIVE program, GROHE will support plumbing schools in creating a state-of-theart training framework by installing modern training facilities and providing learning material and experienced technical trainers. Students will complete a specific product training designed by GROHE, for which they will receive a recognized international certificate.
“Our program offers young talents hands-on training that eases their start into professional life. The students will gain knowledge of the latest technologies and sanitary innovations. This will ensure that they are capable of installing and maintaining our expanding product range before they embark on their future careers in the plumbing industry,” says Christopher Penney, Leader, GIVE Program, LIXIL EMENA. “We are excited to offer our internationally accredited training program to more plumbing students across the EMENA region by opening up twelve additional schools in 2021 and another twelve in 2022.”
Counteracting the sanitation crisis
The integration and continuation of the Dual Tech training program, which was initiated together with the German non-governmental organization Don Bosco Mondo, means that GIVE also helps socially disadvantaged people between the ages of 17 and 25 in the Philippines and in Mumbai and Delhi, India, become sanitary specialists. By providing young people with access to market-oriented training, GIVE offers graduates secure prospects for the future and also counters the shortage of skilled workers. As a result, the living conditions of many local people improve: The experts trained in sanitary technology create a basic supply, especially where fresh water pipes, sanitary facilities, hygiene measures and healthcare are needed most. By enabling access to basic sanitation, the project also contributes to the fulfillment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) - in particular Goal 6, "Clean Water and Sanitation" - and also to the first pillar of LIXIL's sustainability strategy - “Global Sanitation & Hygiene” - which aims to improve the livelihood of 100 million people through sanitation and hygiene initiatives by 2025.
Media & Download
Please find the pictures and further material for download below.
Senior Communications Manager Sustainability
+49 211/9130 3030
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Summer camps 2022
Early Childhood Summer Camp (Ages 3-6)
Located at BVWS’s EC with 38 acres to play!
Jun 6th – Aug 12th (No camp week of July 4th)
With practical play-based activities indoors and outside in nature on our 38-acre campus, BVWS teachers are emphasizing movement and sensory-integration. Designed for enrolled BVWS students, we have a small session of camp implementing all health best practices and guidelines!
- Camp is held in our sheltered child’s play yard with sun and shade, trees and flowers
- Fun in nature with old and new friends
- Stories, songs, games and puppet shows
- Outdoor play with sand and water
- Hand crafts: woodworking, woolen felting and more
- Creative play that nurtures the imagination
Grades Storycamp (Ages 7-12)
Located at BVWS’s amazing outdoor classrooms with 38 acres to explore!
Grades Entering 1st – 7th (Ages 7-12)
June 6 – July 22 (No camp July 4 – July 8)
Monday – Friday, 9 – 3
Storycamp is an open classroom, a project-based approach to education that is implicitly child-directed and welcomes teachers as co-creators of summer adventure. We provide opportunities to overcome physical and intellectual challenges so that kids build confidence. Open to BVWS students and public. Ms Pratt, camp director, is former BVWS games teacher and has been working with BVWS for many years.
While each session has a specific theme, we always offer lots of time outside, circus arts, visual art and space to work on a collaborative performance at the end of the week. Storycamp is a child-directed program; when kids are especially excited about something, their interest helps shape the curriculum.
A minimum of 5 campers needed to hold a session. NO REFUNDS, or exchange of days, available after April 15th, 2022
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In view of the massive demonstrations in America’s Heartland, and especially Michelle Rhee’s CNN article about breaking the iron grip of seniority on teacher hiring and retention, I’d like to repost this 2006 piece (which I wrote while on a superintendent search committee) on the role of the trade union in public education.
No discussion of American state education would be complete without placing the role of the National Education Association (NEA) and its affiliates at the centre of the conversation, even though most discussions don’t. The organisation’s political activities are well known and documented, but our main purpose is to focus on the NEA as a trade union, because our own labour relations experience suggests that one will learn a good deal more about them in this way.
Trade unions and the labour movement in general have always loomed large for me. Our family business was unionised for most of its incorporated existence, both in Chicago and in Chattanooga. I have sat across the table from both shop stewards and representatives from the local (and a federal mediator at one point) through three contract cycles and a good number of grievances as well, some of which went to arbitration.
But growing up in a world where the “dictatorship of the proletariat” seemed headed for triumph put special focus on the activities of organised working people. Reading works such as Émile Zola’s Germinal (and later Mao Dun’s Midnight) gave the impression of a militant labour force, prepared to use violence to get their way. Such presentations both inspired fear and to some extent romanticised trade unions.
The one and only strike against our family business took place before I came back full time, but I was in town to witness it. To see it was a shocking experience; instead of full picket lines and vandalised cars and property, what I saw was lawn chairs, makeshift awnings and barbecue pits, a pattern pretty typical with strikes in our area, at least. They didn’t even stand up with their signs! Such a sight was deceiving to some degree, because inducing the workforce to decertify the union was beyond our grasp, as is the case in many other companies.
The ostensible purpose of a trade union is to secure higher wages/benefits and better working conditions for their members. To a large extent unions have thrown away the latter through their political activities, something that has cost unions in the long run. But anyone who has dealt with a trade union will tell you that it is very difficult to “buy” one out through higher wages. The reason for this goes to the heart of the “non-economic” rationale of American trade unions. Beyond more money, there are two related reasons why organised American workers stick with trade unions.
The first is to eliminate “employment at will” from the workplace. In an “employment at will” situation, an employer can terminate an employee without cause. Getting rid of this is an obvious protection for the employees, and the trade union enforces this through the grievance process.
An important corollary to this is that no “self-respecting” (to use a favourite expression) union will voluntarily concede any form of merit in promotion and compensation in the workplace. This is shocking on its face, but the union’s logic behind this is simple: any form of merit contains subjective judgement of employee performance, and this leads in turn to favouritism. In addition to producing an unhappy workforce (and one vulnerable to being organised,) consistent favouritism and “politics” in promotion and compensation will kill a private company through degraded performance. In government situations, however, favouritism and politics are very much evident in the process, and the government is insulated from the effects of this by its coercive powers of taxation. This is the central reason why public sector unions are the largest constituent of trade unions in the US today: public employees are (or at least feel) more vulnerable to favouritism, and this in turn is a stronger motivation to organisation.
Unions, left to themselves, will always favour seniority and classification/job description as the method of choice in promotion and compensation. Over time, this turns the union into an advocate for its members with the higher seniority at the expense of those with less. This trend tends to run unions down as it becomes difficult to attract younger workers into the union.
We would be remiss if we did not mention some of the mitigating factors to this picture. Police and fire fighters, for example, will think long and hard if going strictly on seniority leads to having a partner who will let you down when life and death are on the table. Construction trade unions mitigate this through their worker training programs which seek to add the value of their members to their employers. (Their employment situation tends to be more unstable than other industries due to the cyclic nature of construction.) We simply want to identify the ideal goal of the unions and its rationale, all other things being equal.
The second goal is related to the first: the union wants to control the workplace, or the “shop floor” as we say in manufacturing. Doing so makes enforcement of the first goal considerably simpler. This is also designed to insulate the workforce from changes induced by the employer, which unions generally assume to the inimical to the interest of the membership. It is generally done through classification/job description and workplace rules.
With this goal the NEA has succeeded more than any other trade union in American history. To begin with they have not only organised the workers (teachers) but the “management” (principals and superintendents) as well. This is why, for example, the Tennessee Education Association lists on their website the salaries of not only the teachers but the principals and superintendents as well; they want to show how far these people have come with the union and to inspire them to go further. Experience teaches that union sympathies in supervision will always weaken management’s position vis a vis the union; having the membership this far up the hierarchy only accentuates this.
The NEA has been working on this a long time:
In his Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Richard Hofstadter shows that the abandonment of this philosophy (that education was to train the mind) and the substitution of a very different set of guiding principles (early in the nineteen-hundreds) coincided with a change in the leadership of the N.E.A. In the eighteen-nineties, college presidents and professors and headmasters of the élite private academies had more or less dominated the N.E.A. committees. But by the end of the eighteen-nineties the accelerating growth of the high-school population had brought the number of high-school teachers and administrators to a critical mass. Following the example of the university professors, the teachers organised their own, subject-related associations; they formed their own teacher-training colleges outside the regular university systems; and they took control of the secondary-school associations that existed. By 1910, the teachers and administrators had taken over the N.E.A. from the professors. The chairman of the 1893 Committee of Ten was, for example, Charles William Eliot, the President of Harvard; the chairmen of the later committees were, typically, teachers at manual training high schools. (Frances FitzGerald, America Revised New York: Vintage Books, 1980, pp. 170-171)
This quote—hardly from a right-wing partisan—shows that the NEA has not only managed to implant its membership from classroom to central office, but also has been able to establish its primacy in the educational (and ultimately the certification) process of state school teachers. This is why we consistently refer to the whole system of state school educators as a “closed circle,” one that not even university academics who are not “in the loop” themselves can penetrate.
All of this leads us to the obvious conclusion that no solution to the weaknesses of American state schools can take place without the involvement and cooperation of the trade union. The NEA is simply too well positioned in the system to be ignored or marginalised. This leads us to two important observations which will serve as our conclusions.
The first is that “workarounds” are only palliative in nature. This is based on experience as much as anything, but should be evident from the basic “union principles” outlined above. Magnet and charter schools (especially the latter) are not just for students with special interests and talents; they serve to upgrade merit in the teacher system. This is why the NEA and its affiliates oppose charter schools. Unfortunately workarounds like these will eventually be absorbed into the general system, and we will be “back to square one” in a few years.
The second is that the NEA needs to come to grips with the fact that it is facing a challenge as significant as their manufacturing counterparts faced with foreign competition. Although there is little danger that Americans will turn to foreign schools to educate their children, the long-term effects of inadequately prepared students will lead to the progress of other countries at the expense of the US. This will in turn lead to a lowering of our standard of living, which will reduce the effects of the hard-won gains of the trade union at the bargaining table.
The challenge is on the table. Will the NEA and other educational trade unions rise to the challenge? Their answer affects all of us. But the most important move is ultimately theirs.
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Matt 14:27 “…do not be afraid.”
You’ve probably heard the Bible says “fear not” 365 times – one for each day.
That’s not exactly true.
While the Bible is full of phrases instructing you to not fear, the exact phrase “fear not” is not listed that many times.
Plus there are variations of the term like today’s scripture.
It’s difficult not to fear when you have no hope.
If you know Jesus as savior, then you have the only hope, so why fear?
Fear says, “I do not trust God with my future.”
I admit I have been afraid in my life.
I fear because of the unknown.
I also admit God is faithful in helping me every day.
The only reason I am afraid is that I forget God.
For God, there is no unknown.
So I need to trust in His knowledge for me.
All in all, God does not want us to fear and it does not matter how many times it says it in the Bible.
Once should be enough.
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Your body’s immune system is supposed to keep a record of every microbe it has ever defeated with its memory cells. This means it can recognize and destroy the microbe quickly if it re-enters the body (1). You shouldn’t ever know that it came-a-knocking again. What happens if a new virus or new strain of an old virus, like COVID19, enters your system, and you have no memory cells for it?
Well, that depends on quite a few factors—some of those factors you have no control over, like age and pre-existing conditions.
….but GREAT NEWS
There are simple proactive steps that you can do to toughen-up your immune system and raise your overall health status (just in case).
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” —Ben Franklin
Your immune system consists of
- white blood cells
- complement system
- lymphatic system
- bone marrow
Sometimes the fluids in your lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels, and interstitial fluid (lymph between cells) get congested due to inflammation or injury. This allows toxins and cellular waste to accumulate in your body(2). This is what we call an acidic environment (lots of free-radicals). It can weaken your body’s ability to distribute killer cells and move dangerous bacteria and viruses to safer, more flushable areas.
Bottom line (pardon the pun)……you have to have a clean, high functioning Lymphatic System to recover from nasty invaders. So how do we get these fluids moving?
4 Steps to Improve the lymphatic flow
- Joint movement
- Dry Brushing the skin
- Far Infrared Sauna
Joint movement may seem like a no-brainer, but you’ve got to be intentional about it. Exercising moderately for approximately 150 minutes per week helps your immune cells regenerate regularly. Prolonged intense exercise, however, can suppress your immune system(3). I always encourage my massage clients to do a little three-minute lymph-workout as soon as they get out of the shower (warmed fluid moves better).
Move each joint section for 5 seconds in all directions, starting with…
- fingers (5 sec)⤑wrists (5 sec)⤑elbows (5 sec)⤑shoulders (big circles 5 sec)⤑elbows (5 sec)⤑wrists (5 sec)⤑fingers (5 sec)
- toes⤑ankles⤑knees⤑hips (big circles)⤑knees⤑ankles⤑toes
- neck (chin to chest and back up), neck (ear to shoulder on one side and back up – then do other side). Do not rotate the neck in circles.
Massage doesn’t have to be elaborate to work on your lymph; it just has to be done in the correct direction. Flushing lymph with your hands from the extremities to the heart is always best unless your massage therapist is performing specialized lymphatic work like MediCupping™. In this case, lymph would be directed towards the closest lymph node, and the lymph nodes gently milked out.
A lot of your lymph channels lie just under the skin, so a very light massage can also be useful to stimulate the flow of superficial lymph. Swedish Massage & Lymphatic massage are standard examples of this type of light massage. Most massage therapists can perform Swedish, and it tends to be the least expensive way to address lymph. Lymphatic massage tends to be very pricey and difficult to find.
MassageFIX®’s New York Style Signature Massage is designed to address the Circulatory System, Lymphatic System, and all three layers of fascia. We put a heavy focus on range-of-motion at the joints to move deep fluids and use specialized techniques that work the soft tissue layers in the proper sequence for optimal lymphatic flow. This type of massage comes from James Mannell’s Theory, called Uncorking-the-Bottle.
Dry brushing the skin is a do-it-yourself treatment that can help you to move superficial lymph by brushing the skin. This is usually done upon rising (before a shower) using a natural, soft-bristled brush on dry skin. Amazon has a great selection of brushes for sale. For a great instructional video, check out this YouTube video.
Far Infrared Saunas are an incredible new technology, and MassageFIX has an awesome 2-seater for you and your family to use. Scientific studies, looking at saunas in Finland and how they can raise your white blood cells to fight germs.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also include this fantastic checklist of 14 other great things that expert sources say may improve your immune system and protect your health.
- Eat fermented foods – gives you significant amounts of good bacteria that help immune cells differentiate between healthy cells and harmful invader organisms.
- Eat more fruits and veggies – may reduce the duration of the common cold(4).
- Eat more fiber – may keep harmful pathogens from entering your body via your digestive tract(5).
- Reduce sugar intake – to reduce inflammation(6)
- Eat healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3s to reduce inflammation(7).
- Decrease inflammatory foods(8) – to avoid swelling and congestion of lymph and other bodily fluids.
- Increase anti-inflammatory foods(9)
- Drink plenty of water – complications of dehydration can increase your susceptibility to illness(10).
- Proper sleep(11) – at least 7 hours per night reduces illnesses
- Limit screen time because of “blue light” circadian rhythm disruption, which may reduce immune function.
- Have your Vitamin D levels checked – Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity and increased susceptibility to infection(12). Your body makes Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun(13).
- Avoid excessive alcohol – people who drink in excess are more susceptible to respiratory illness and pneumonia and recover from infection and wounds more slowly(14).
- Some supplements may fight viral infections. However, none have been proven to be effective against COVID-19. But hey, if you like these items in your diet……all the better right?
- Prioritize relaxation – Long-term stress promotes inflammation, as well as imbalances in immune cell function(15)
There is a lot that you and your massage therapist can do to promote a more robust immune system. Please pass this information on to your friends and loved ones and then touch base with us and let us know what successes you’re having during this interesting and challenging time. #teamkentucky
Melissa Strautman, LMT, CKTP
Disclaimer: No supplement, diet, or lifestyle modification — aside from social distancing and practicing proper hygiene — can protect you from developing COVID-19. The strategies outlined in this post may boost your immune health, but they don’t protect specifically against COVID-19.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21527855 & https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html
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Credit: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty Images
Miss art museums? The Louvre just put its entire art collection online
There is nothing like spending a rainy afternoon at a museum, soaking in the beauty and wonder of art and history. Now the Louvre, the world's most visited museum, is letting you do that right from home.
The French museum has released an online platform featuring all of the museum's artworks, consisting of more than 480,000 pieces, the Louvre announced Friday in a press release.
Art lovers and researchers alike will now be able to view the entire Louvre collection online for free.
The website showcases artworks from collections at the museum's eight departments, ranging from Islamic art and Renaissance sculptures to Egyptian antiquities and paintings from artists all over the world.
"Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known," Jean-Luc Martinez, the president and director of the Louvre, said in a statement. "For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage."
"The Louvre's stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away!" he added. "I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person."
Visitors can search through the museum's massive collections through simple or advanced searches, entries by curatorial department, or themed albums, the release said.
The website has an interactive map that allows people to explore the museum and every one of its artworks room by room.
The website will be updated regularly by museum experts as the museum's collection slowly expands, according to the release.
Lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the Louvre in late October, leaving world-famous artworks like "Venus de Milo," "Liberty Leading the People" and the "Mona Lisa" without their usual crowds of admirers.
While the museum is still closed to visitors, the Louvre is now undergoing long-planned renovations.
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Trinity’s Key Players
In 1942, Colonel Leslie Groves, who had just completed building the Pentagon under budget and ahead of schedule was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned to command the Manhattan Project’s nation-wide effort – build the Los Alamos lab, the Oakridge TN and Hanford WA enrichment sites, and, when it was needed, Trinity. Knowing Germany was working on a fission bomb, he was also responsible for atomic intelligence gathering and Army special operations soldiers trained to attack German atomic assets. Groves was an unpopular, blunt and hot-tempered officer who knew little about physics, but he was an engineer and a dedicated and gifted career soldier who got things done. He appointed the brilliant J. Robert Oppenheimer as his Los Alamos Lab Director responsible for the development of the bomb that would be tested at Trinity.
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Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews today engaged his colleague, Valerie Strauss, on the merits of Congressional pressure and school reform. While today’s Class Struggle headline may lead the casual reader to wonder if Mathews has now come to advocate for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship — he has not — the more cogent argument is a response to Strauss’ charge that Sen. Joseph Lieberman is “making a mockery of thoughtful school reform” by threatening to cut funds for D.C. schools if Congress fails to revive the Opportunity Scholarship.
Strauss quotes a study saying the voucher program, as it is called, has not raised student achievement. But she ignores the fact that another program imposed on the District by Congress 15 years ago, public charter schools, has had marked benefits for D.C. students. Two separate studies by the Washington Post, and other studies by independent scholars, have shown that D.C. public school students with the same backgrounds have done better in charters than in regular public schools.
That is not the case nationally. The results throughout the country show charters and regular schools making similar progress after you average out the many studies of the subject. But we are talking about D.C. schools. If Congress had not pressured a very reluctant D.C. school board to allow charters, the city’s overall achievement level would likely be worse now than it is.
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On net, central banks globally have been adding gold to their reserves. Through the first half of 2022, central banks expanded gold holdings by 270 tons.
National Bank of Poland Governor Adam Glapiński summed up the reason central banks hold gold.
After increasing gold holdings by 84 tons in the first quarter of this year, central banks continued to be net gold buyers in April.
Globally, central banks added a net 19.4 tons of gold to their holdings in April.
Despite a number of big sales, global central bank gold demand remained brisk as net holdings increased by 83.8 tons in the first quarter of 2022.
That more than doubled the 41.2-ton expansion of central bank gold reserves in the last quarter of 2021 but was 29% lower than the first quarter of last year.
In 2018, the National Bank of Poland began aggressively adding gold to its reserves. Through the first half of 2019, the Polish central bank added more than 100 tons of gold, nearly doubling its reserves.
Central banks globally added a net 199.2 tons of gold in the second quarter of 2021. That was the highest level of quarterly net purchases since Q2 2019 and 73% above the five-year quarterly average, according to data compiled by the World Gold Council.
Central banks added gold to their reserves in record amounts in 2018 and 2019, but buying slowed last year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The slower pace has continued into 2021, but buying is ahead of last year as many countries continue to load up on the yellow metal. The World Gold Council projects gold will continue to play an important role in central bank reserves in the coming year.
Well-known management consultant Peter Drucker perfectly described the predicament faced by central bankers.
You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”
So why do we put so much faith in central bankers?
Central banks globally added another net 46.1 tons of gold to their reserves in March with the usual suspects making big purchases, according to the latest data released by the World Gold Council.
The pace of central bank purchases seems to be increasing, although a few banks are doing the bulk of the buying. Globally, central banks upped purchases in March by about 10 tons over February’s total, which was 33% higher than January’s buying.
Central banks continued their gold-buying spree in February, although the pace of gold purchases has slowed compared to last year’s near-record purchases.
On net, central banks globally added another 36 tons of gold to their reserves in February, according to the latest data released by the World Gold Council. That was about 33% higher than January’s total.
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The problem with Caitlin Flanagan’s The Hell with All That: Loving and Loathing your Inner Housewife is Flanagan demonizes both working and stay-at-home mothers. She wants to be considered fulfilled and important by being a working mother, but she also wants to create a home atmosphere where she stays to cook dinners and be there for her family. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have it all. The problem lies that she holds working mothers in contempt because they miss that close bond with their children and believes stay-at-home moms are selfishly demanding me-time from their families, not caring to do the housework or even the mother work. She believes in a simpler time when housewives were competent, content women who knew how to make a house a home. This time never existed.
Her first look at the culture of marriage is through the bridal magazines, and she sees a world of inflated dreams crushing the very union of marriage. She’s right. But she tends to blame feminism for killing the wedding ceremony, leaving the American culture without any understanding of what the ceremony actually means. Feminism did not kill weddings. Materialism did. Watch just one episode of Bridezilla, and you’ll understand that there is something very wrong with the institute of marriage. Flip through a bridal magazine, and it will whisper of elegant dresses, extravagant dishes, and exotic locals. The wedding industry cajoles, seduces, pushes weddings to be ever bigger because that is their business, to make weddings a significant occasion with a very significant price tag. It is the savvy marketing that appeals to the very selfish, self-centered, greedy part of our society. It is the dream that every girl is a princess, and every bride should have her dream. Flanagan is right is laughable to see these women walk down the aisle in white dresses, forgetting that this is to symbolize virginity, but Flanagan forgets the white wedding dress only came to popularity with Queen Victoria’s wedding, when before any beautiful dress would do. We are losing our bridal rituals, but we aren’t losing it to feminism.
While I have already discussed Flanagan’s views on the sexless marriage, I will just touch on them briefly. Flanagan believes women are refusing sex in a passive aggressive way because they are doing all the work. Because it’s the women’s fault for doing all the work, it is her problem to fix and mend. I don’t agree at all. I think it’s a two person problem; therefore, it should be fixed by two people. Another problem with this chapter is her first mention that if men started doing the housework like we women would like (cleaning up the crumbs after the dishes, putting notes in with the kid’s lunches, ironing curtains), men would be demasculinized in our eyes. Ha. I know plenty of men that help out with the housework, and they are still very much men. I would almost bet they are getting more sex than the men I know who don’t help around the house. Not only can we not keep our men satisfies, we apparently can’t keep a clean, orderly house either.
While Flanagan assumed stay-at-home moms could satisfy their men more than working mothers, she believes both women fail miserably when it comes to making a house a home. Working mothers just pass on these chores to cleaning women, and so does the average stay-at-home mom. Well, that was news to me. I can’t even think of another stay-at-home mom that hired a cleaning person (well, except me, for three months after Tornado E’s birth at the insistence of my husband and his administrative assistant. I fired her as soon as I could figure out how to run the household with a baby). It is here that I realized the Flanagan is not an average stay-at-home mom, but that she had the means to do more and that she didn’t actually understand the plight of ordinary women. According the Flanagan, stay-at-home moms go to the movies, the spa, to book clubs, leaving the house work to others, not even knowing the price of milk. I am certain that most women, especially those who stay at home, do their own house cleaning, do the shopping with a budget, mend shirts, and all the other day to day things that Flanagan loves but never does. She doesn’t understand the tedium of housework because she never did it. She NEVER did it. At this point, Flanagan should be fired as a sage for housewives.
Then Flanagan moves on to discussing child rearing. After a chapter discussing the use of nannies in Victorian England, she then has a chapter about her nanny hired to take care of her sons because all the other stay-at-home moms have one. Really? Another interesting fact. From the look of the blogs out there, most of us can’t find a decent sitter for a measly night out with or without a husband much less another set of hands to take care of the children five days a week. In this chapter she talks about how inadequate she feels with her babies, and thank god her nanny is so good. The rest of us mothers out there have felt our moments of inadequacy deep to the soul, and we dealt with it and moved on. We were the ones that took care of the sick child, changing the sheets, bathing the child, calming the child, not someone else. Flanagan also mentions how she wanted someone in the house to make it loving and warm, like her mother used to do. That’s your job now, Mrs. Housewife. We all miss our mothers taking care of us. We make the bed so that we can return to it feeling warm and clean. We cook cookies to eat the dough and have the smell run through the house because it reminds us of home. Flanagan does not understand the desperate act of mothering.
Flanagan is looking for a reason why she feels incompetent. She finds it in the fact the feminism robbed women of home ec and the knowledge that we would be homemakers, important and loved. She sees that mothers run after their children, taking them to every activity that can be crammed into their children’s lives, paying homage to the domestic goddess of Martha Stewart, and becoming addicted to organizing and decluttering. Again I see these as symptoms of materialism and advertising. Nothing can sell a parent better than the threat that their children may not be using their full potential; hence why many kids have several activities on their plate. But this has been happening for some time. My brothers and I were in scouts, volleyball, basketball, softball or baseball, swimming lessons. If we could have afforded it we would have had music lessons. My father and his siblings all took various music lessons and did various sports. The fact that Americans have raised this to a new level of fanaticism is just yet another marketing scheme, trying to take money from parents who are trying to make prodigies or at least make them well-rounded enough to get into a good college. As long as these activities are done to moderation, then why not schlep a kid around because we are yearning for a better life for that child.
As for Martha Stewart and organization, I feel that Flanagan is right to believe this is a call for a simpler time. Martha Stewart shows off peace and beauty as unattainable as that is in a house full of kids. We yearn for a more organized home that runs efficiently leaving us time to redecorate, bake, or just plain relax. It just makes sense that a busy mother would want this. But I doubt that every household in those bygone days looked like the Cleaver’s or the Nelson’s. Kids back then were much like kids today, tornadoes. I think we set the bar too high to expect a perfectly manicured house while raising sweet, smart, clean kids. Even my grandma didn’t believe in keeping an immaculate house unless company demands it. Really Flanagan is living in a different world than what the rest of us live in, one with hired help.
The vary essence of this book is Caitlin Flanagan not realizing that housewives back then felt the same way as stay-at-home mothers today. She even quotes Erma Bombeck as saying she went to see Betty Friedan just to get out of the day’s house work, but Flanagan fails to realize what Bombeck said. To get out of the house work. In Flanagan’s mind those fifties and sixties were a time where women were competent and confident in their roles of housewife, not minding the tediousness of the chores that had to be done and redone every day. Flanagan is looking to understand why she isn’t like that, and because she lost her mother before her boys were older than five, Flanagan never had the same talks that I had with my mom, where my mom admits to being just as confused and anxious as I am. Flanagan wants to be like her mom but fails because she doesn’t understand her “inner housewife.” Maybe she doesn’t understand it because she’s never done it. She instead vilifies all women in what they are trying to do, encouraging them to give up on their dreams of having it all and sending their children to private universities. I guess Susan Jane Gilman is right. We’re all the fashion police.
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April is always celebrated as the month for National Cannabis Awareness. In case, you didn't know, the date is usually April 20th each year and that is why they call it 4/20. The marijuana culture has certainly taken a turn for the better because years ago, this would not be tolerated by law enforcement, but as more states pile on to join others in legalizing weed, it has become a mind blowing phenomenon. Here we go over the best activities for National Cannabis Awareness month. In the cannabis industry and community, advocates are making it easy for people to become aware of the benefits of marijuana and have shed a positive light on Mary Jane so more people can reap the benefits of consumption.
Advocates use the entire month of April to shine light on the positive aspects related to weed, but they also do this all year round. However, April is the National Cannabis Awareness month and so more effort is placed on education and information through events, blogs, word of mouth and discussions. During all the 4/20 events that take place around the world, there are many attendees that come from far and wide to be enlightened about the National Cannabis Awareness movement. In fact, people have become quite interested in the movement and go out of their way to become more aware and to celebrate the progress that is being made in the cannabis industry. You might now know how the National Cannabis Awareness really begun, so let us mention a few things to further educate you.
The 4/20 jargon became popular in the 1990s and since then it has become even more popular in the marijuana culture. The California legislative marijuana bill passed in 2003 was labeled SB 420 as well. So there has been some National Cannabis Awareness in the most recent past. However, things have gotten really eye opening since more states have passed their own legislation. Awareness has now moved into the mainstream of society and the world is also taking notice. For this reason, the stigma is no longer there. More people are accepting its value. Every day, it gets better and better.
The Month of April
The month for National Cannabis Awareness was chosen for various reason; some of which we don't yet know. One of the reasons is to celebrate the history and to celebrate the accomplishments that the industry has made so far. The month of April is the designated month for National Cannabis Awareness and during that month, advocates do more than just celebrate the movement, but also spread word on the awareness of the marijuana plant. So, in other words, you learn a lot more than you do by attending events and checking out their workshops. However, event with all the progress already made, advocates think that there is a lot more work to be done.
If you are not able to celebrate the National Cannabis Awareness month when it comes around, you can at least observe it by learning more and by telling others about it and supporting those who use marijuana to improve their health. You could also volunteer in reform organizations. You could also use that time to introduce weed to a first timer and contact lawmakers to encourage cannabis reform support. If you are unable to attend any cannabis events, you could use your social media presence to spread the word.
The objective of the National Cannabis Awareness month is to educate and inform so that more people can become knowledgeable about the marijuana plant. Cannabis is not going anywhere and it is only a matter of time before the entire nation understands the value and benefits in such as a way to embrace it more.
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2022-07-25 23:45:36|已帮助：0 人
1.Some people say that students should study many lessons during a semester, but others say that it is better for students to just take three or four lessons. Which do you think is better?
Nowadays, schools are offeringstudents a large range of courses, from traditional literacy torecently created courses, such as foreign language studies, financialmanagement, and risk management, to name a few. Some people believethat students should choose as many courses as they could, whereasothers argue that taking three or four courses one semester isenough. To my understanding, it is more appropriate to take three orfour courses a semester.
Taking three or four courses onesemester could enable students to develop their own interests andbuild their social network during leisure time, so that students willbecome more versatile and outgoing in the future. Generally speaking,it is not extremely difficult for students to complete assignments ofthree or four courses a semester. Therefore, most of the studentscould have sufficient time to participate in some beneficialactivities, such as volunteering in the community, hanging out withfriends, or working out at the gym, among others. Those activities,unlike study, enable students to do things that they like and tocommunicate with people who share the same interests with them.During this process, students will enjoy developing their owninterests and build their social network, which will definitelybenefit them in the future.
Moreover, choosing three or fourcourses instead of too many courses per semester could help studentsrelax and maintain a positive attitude towards life. According to arecent survey, more and more children today are suffering fromdepression because they are forced to study extremely hard. In orderto avoid this type of mental disease, students should not spend toomany efforts on academic study. In this sense, by taking three orfour courses a semester, students could have time to play and relaxduring their leisure time, so to relieve the stress caused byacademic requirements.
Admittedly, taking many courses asemester, students might have the opportunity to learn moreknowledge, including useful skills and practices that are beneficialto students’ future. However, once students become tired and feelstressful, they will become less motivated in learning, which willnegatively influence their academic performance in all classes as aresult.
based on the above discussion, itis obvious that students should not sign up too many courses asemester. Taking three or four courses is more appropriate andbeneficial from the perspectives of developing students’ interestsand keeping a positive mental status.
2.Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology designed to make our life simpler actually makes our life more complicated.
It cannot be denied thattechnology enables people to live a better and more convenient lifetoday. People have been enjoying high-tech products such as smartphones, car navigation system, and laptops, to name a few. However,it does not mean that those high-tech tools make our life easier nowthan in the past. In fact, technology makes our life far morecomplicated today as illustrated in the following parts.
High-tech tools can save lotsof labor work, but sometimes they are not as “smart” as weexpect. I would like to use car navigation system as an example. Inthe past, people could only refer to printed maps to find ways totheir destinations. Nowadays, car navigation system can automaticallyfind the right path for us. It seems that car navigation system isfar more convenient than printed maps. However, in order to installthe system, we need to download the digital maps before ahead andmake sure that our destinations are recognizable. If the system failsto recognize the destination, it sometimes does not stop navigating,but lead us to somewhere else. once I was driving from California toa Native American Reservation in Arizona, the car navigation failedto find the right path and led me to a small town that I had neverheard of. Fortunately, I found a gas station and the employees thereshowed me the correct way. My own experience shows that high-techproducts might not be always as reliable as we expect.
Another example of how technologyhas made our life more complicated is online shopping. Nowadays, moreand more people choose to shop clothes online, so to save time andefforts. Admittedly, shopping online is convenient to some extentcompared with going to a shopping mall, because we could stay at homeand check out with several clicks. All we need to do then is to waituntil our new clothes are delivered to us. However, many people hadterrible shopping experience in that the colors and designs of thoseclothes are not exactly the same as they are described online.Moreover, the size might not fit us, which is not expected either. Inthis case, we need to follow a complicated returning process,completing forms needed for returning and going to the local expressservice to send the clothes back. The process of returning isextremely daunting, which usually takes a long time for us to get ourmoney back.
based on the abovediscussion, it could be concluded that sometimes technology is not asconvenient as we expect. Should we just refuse to use high-techproducts? I do not think so. I believe that modern technology isstill developing, and it will definitely make our life more and morecomfortable and convenient in the future.
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On August 3, 2015, President Barack Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the biggest plan to reduce CO2 emissions in American history. Labeled as the Clean Power Plan, the initiative is designed to reduce carbon pollution by 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, as well as accelerating the fast-growing trend towards clean-energy sources. Moreover, under a series of executive orders and actions, the Obama administration is set on showing venture capitalists that moving towards a path of energy efficiency and sustainability is not only good for the environment, but also a great opportunity to get involved in clean-energy projects. These are some of the initiatives:
Renewable-Energy Projects on Public Lands
Since President Obama took office, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved over 50 renewable-energy projects on public and tribal lands, including wind, solar and geothermal utility-scale projects . Together, these projects can support more than 20,000 jobs and generate enough electricity to power 4.8 million homes. In population numbers, that means more than twice the size of Houston, TX.
Expanding The Clean Energy Economy
The Obama administration has made the largest investment in clean energy generation in American history. It has increased more than twenty times the generation of solar energy and tripled the generation from wind power sources. Following in that line (and with the clear intention of attracting the private sector towards clean energy) the administration has also secured more than $4 billion in commitments and actions from the private sector to increase clean-energy innovation projects.
Expanding and Modernizing The Electric Grid
As President Obama stated: “Expanding and modernizing the grid provides improved access to remote sources of solar and wind energy”. Under that principle, the Obama administration has put forth efforts to establish energy corridors. It has constantly encouraged venture capitalists to use designated energy corridors in western states; expedited the review of electric transmission projects in non-western states and improved the overall transmission, permitting, and reviewing processes. By expanding and modernizing the electric grid, the government is aiming to draw investors to compete under a clearly demarked set of rules.
Creation of ARPA-E
In 2009, the Obama administration created the Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy. This Agency is intended to help advance high-impact energy projects with the potential to transform the way the U.S. generates, stores and uses energy. It is opening the door for thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators to get economic funding for clean-energy initiatives, and also bringing entirely new technologies to the market.
The Better Buildings Challenge
Through the Better Buildings challenge, the Obama administration is partnering with the private sector to develop energy-efficient building spaces. The better building challenge aims to make commercial, public,industrial, and residential buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade. This will result in saving hundreds of billions of dollars on energy bills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and allowing public and private organizations to work together in order to replicate energy-efficient projects. Since the launch of the program in 2011, it has saved 94 trillion units of energy and $840 million.
A great example of success regarding energy-efficient building is the city of Chicago. For more than a decade now, Chicago has been the epicenter for LEED-certified buildings in the U.S. In this time, the city has focused on green architecture with initiatives such as the Green Permit Program, which offers reduced fees and expedited processes for investors developing green projects of infrastructure.
Advancing Towards a Sustainable Federal Government
In 2009, President Obama set an ambitious energy goal for the federal government (the largest energy consumer in the U.S.). He instructed federal agencies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2020, as well as ordering them to increase the contracting of renewable energy sources. Thanks to this effort, the federal government expanded energy performance contracts from $2 billion to $4 billion for energy efficiency upgrades in Federal buildings. Additionally, in 2013 President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the federal government to buy at least 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Access To Solar Energy
The Obama administration created a new initiative to increase the access to solar energy for low- and moderate-income households. Because of this, citizens can now apply for the “Residential Renewable Tax Credit,” which offers a 30 percent credit of qualified expenditures for a solar system from the federal government.
These and many other initiatives being adopted by the Obama Administration are intended, not only to strengthen the U.S. government’s protagonist role in fighting climate change, but also to attract vendor capitalists to take a chance and invest in clean energy solutions.
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Nothing gives off the spooky chills of the season quite like a rotten egg. Make this whimsical version with food dye and fill it with a brownie for a special Halloween sweet. Perfect for October gatherings or to bring for school treats.
To make the rotten brownie eggs begin by piercing a hole in each shell and draining the insides (save the eggs for future use). Carefully rinse out each egg and soak in salt water for thirty minutes, then dry. Use a mixture of food dye to make black dip and then dye the eggs to achieve this “rotten” look. Once dry, fill each egg 3/4 full with your favorite brownie mixture. Use a cupcake tray, lined with aluminum foil, to help the eggs stand upright during baking. Bake according to brownie directions.
Once the brownies are finished and cooled, use a knife to remove any excess mixture that may be popping out of the top. Filling them only 3/4 of the way fill should prevent most of this. Serve with a smirk and enjoy a new spooky tradition.
Photography in collaboration with Erin Holland.
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Business Leader meets Terra Motion – a star in the UK space sector
Terra Motion is a leading provider of ground motion products – and its pioneering work is being used to help tackle some of the world’s major challenges, including combating climate change and human slavery, and supporting renewable energy deployment.
Based in Nottingham, Terra Motion has a global customer base with clients in North America, Asia and Europe.
After winning the prestigious Copernicus Masters prize, also known as the ‘Space Oscars’ in 2014, the business was last year chosen as one of the 15 star companies in the UK space sector by Business Leader Magazine.
At the forefront of technology and innovation, Terra Motion uses data gathered by Earth observation satellites to map the motion of the Earth’s surface to millimetric accuracy.
Uniquely, the technology the firm has developed can map this movement over a complete set of natural and vegetated surfaces, as well as urban areas.
This has opened completely new markets for the business, addressing key challenges such as monitoring and combating the effects of climate change, supporting renewable energy deployment and improving carbon accounting, as well as providing a more comprehensive service for clients in established sectors such as planning, insurance and infrastructure risk monitoring.
This novel solution to the problem of monitoring ground motion in rural areas was developed by Dr Andy Sowter when at the University of Nottingham.
Dr Sowter retains strong links with academic colleagues, who are continuing to develop, test and publish new research findings based on this revolutionary approach.
As an example, collaborations with a number of universities across the UK are showing that the technology can be used to quantify the success of peatland restoration, an important way to fight climate change and address the nation’s carbon balance.
Terra Motion is also currently involved in demonstrating the use of its unique approach to find evidence of modern slavery and in the monitoring of renewable energy sites.
The basic products offered by Terra Motion are maps of the rise and fall of the land surface over time. These maps can cover anything from an area the size of a private allotment to an entire country.
The company recently completed a number of surveys of the entire Netherlands for the Dutch Ministry of Water Management and Infrastructure to help model climate change resilience and has provided detailed baseline profiles of land motion over a number of brownfield sites across the UK to support commercial planning applications.
As these new applications emerge, the company is finding a niche in the support of sustainable markets, far away from the more traditional engineering geology applications addressed by their competitors.
Terra Motion has a mission to further consolidate its role in climate change, renewable energy and carbon capture and storage and to establish the company as a key provider at local, regional, national and global scales to help restore and preserve major ecosystem services.
Business Leader caught up with Terra Motion Chief Technical Officer Dr Andrew Sowter to learn more…
Can you talk us through the origins of Terra Motion?
The key technology that underpins our novel solution to measure earth surface movement was invented in 2012 while I was a Lecturer at the University of Nottingham. Although we recognised the very real research potential this could enable, we could see the huge commercial possibilities and user benefits the technology offered, too.
We entered a major European commercial innovation competition in 2014, won it, and shortly after, received grant funding from the UK government. We began trading in 2015 as Geomatic Ventures Limited and only recently re-branded as Terra Motion Limited to raise investment and also to focus on the green agenda.
It’s a major venture to get off the ground – where did you get the support and financial backing to make this vision a reality?
Winning the Copernicus Masters in 2014 was a major boost and gave us huge confidence when we applied for financial support. We were almost immediately successful in gaining Launchpad funding from Innovate UK, with the support of the university, and were part of the ESA Business Incubation Centre in Harwell for a year. This was a brilliant start that allowed us to employ staff to turn a research capability into a commercially viable production line.
How has TerraMotion grown since its inception?
The most dramatic change in the company has been the operating capability. Back in 2015, it would take as much as three weeks to survey the area of a single satellite image frame, some 250km square. Now we can complete a survey of the entire UK, comprising around 28 image frames, in about six weeks. This would not be possible without the two Senior Technical Officers that we employ, David and Ahmed, who really should take some credit. We’ve also built up a considerable, and growing, portfolio of commercial clients across sectors such as consulting engineering, mining, property planning and conveyancing and transport network management.
TerraMotion is today supporting efforts to combat a number of major global issues, such as climate change and modern slavery. How important is this to you?
It is fantastic, I have to say, and was not foreseen when we started the company. Traditionally, the satellite technology we use has been the preserve of engineering surveyors and geologists so to now be around the table with ecologists, environmentalists and human geographers is quite extraordinary. To be able to contribute, and to contribute significantly, by providing new types of data that could impact on people’s quality of life and on the future of the planet is something we all aspire to, isn’t it?
Your work has been celebrated through a number of prestigious awards – how much does that recognition mean to you?
Starting a company can be very daunting and it can be very hard to establish yourselves as an innovative company in a highly competitive field. But we have weathered the storm, proven our worth, and are now really breaking the mould with what we have done. Awards are a massive indication that, somewhere out there, someone recognises you are doing a good job and it’s an encouragement to keep going.
How much further can your tech evolve? What are your ambitions for the future?
Oh, there are always improvements to our processing capability that need to be done. Mapping is great but we are seeing a growing demand for regular monitoring services, which has big implications for processing, storage and organisation. It is also changing our perspective on how to deliver such high-volume and specialised products in a way that a client will find easy to use. However, this is only the start. If we are to get a grip on climate change then we will need to do this sort of monitoring everywhere from the tundras of the high Arctic to the peat swamp forests on the equator. A challenging prospect in many ways but oh so very thrilling, too!
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I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided.
Are you familiar with palm oil? Maybe you’ve heard about the rich nutrients or the bright color of it? It is an oil unlike any other. I admit, initially it was shocking to use because of the deep orange color. But don’t let the color throw you off, it is an awesome oil all around!
There are numerous reasons to use palm oil. Palm oil is great for high temperature cooking, is non GMO, doesn’t breakdown like other oils, and has less environmental impact.
My Top 5 Benefits of Using Palm Oil –>
1. Variety of Recipes
I’ve been using Carotino Malaysian Red Palm Oil to make popcorn, fried rice, corn on the cob and more. There are so many recipes that are delicious and nutritional using palm oil – check out the Back To Basics Cookbook or palmoilhealth.org/recipes for a great selection of recipes.
2. Non-GMO and Chemical Breakdown
Palm oil is non-GMO and naturally free of trans-fatty acids. It acts as a healthy replacement for partially hydrogenated oils. You’ll also worry less when cooking with palm oil because unlike other oils that can break down into harmful chemicals, this oil has a much higher smoke point and the risk is less.
3. Nutrient Dense
Red palm oil is loaded with nutrients like carotenoids and potent phytonutrients also found in squash, carrots, oranges, and apricots. Red palm oil contains 15 times more provitamin A carotenes than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes!
4. High Temperature Cooking
Palm oil is a natural tropical oil, similar to coconut oil, and has a higher melting point than other vegetable oils. Simply put, it’s a great cooking oil option because of it’s high temperature smoking point in excess of 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Sustainability – Malaysia
Malaysia is a very progressive, environmentally friendly country. It was the first country to produce sustainable oil. Thanks to Malaysia’s groundbreaking national certification program, 100% of its palm oil will be certified sustainable by the end of 2019.
My Experience with Palm Oil
I have had a great experience with Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil. It took some time to get used to the color and the food color change, but I love the palm oil benefits. A high smoke point and nutrient benefits like a carrot or tomato, helped relieve my mind.
I can for sure get on board when I know it is sustainable, filled with nutrients and doesn’t break down into harmful chemicals like canola, vegetable or olive oil does! It also makes the best popcorn ever!
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So I am working on some audio processing software and I’m kinda confused on some of the ASIO audio processing. From what I’m reading, It seems like when the buffer switch callback is made, I need to process the “input” into the “output” vivavideomaker. But what if I have a different number of input and output channels? And I’m guessing I need to do the format conversions if my input and output format do not match right?
I think you’re in the wrong forum.
I also think you might confuse ASIO and VST.
VST is for writing plug-ins that for example provide audio effects or instruments. These plug-ins are hosted by Digital Audio Workstations like e.g. Cubase.
ASIO on the other hand deals with shuffling audio data between a Digital Audio Workstation and the audio interface. So ASIO is just a transport mechanism that does no processing on the audio data as such.
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Orthodontic treatment is all about improving your oral functions and aesthetics. Maybe you had an accident that resulted in your teeth misalignment, or perhaps some teeth were displaced as you grew. Orthodontic treatment can bring your mouth back to normal. Typically, an orthodontist will recommend braces that you can wear for up to two years.
However, the period can decrease depending on the gravity of the matter. If your orthodontist has recommended orthodontic treatment, it is good to know the procedure and the outcomes. What should you expect once the braces are off? Apart from a beautiful smile, there are other things you must keep in mind, as explained below.
It Is Not Over Just Yet
First of all, the removal process is usually painless. After your dentist removes the braces, you might be excited to see the results. But while the braces are off, your orthodontists must perform one last step to help you get on with life. You will be required to wear retainers. This final procedure is for helping your teeth stay in position. You may either end up with fixed or removable retainers. It is good to note that retainers don't affect your teeth brushing routine.
Eating Might Feel Strange
Once the orthodontic treatment is over and the braces are off, the first bite might feel strange. Your teeth have been 'under confinement' for a long time. The good part is that you can freely bite into your apple or nibble your crisps without worry: no more food prying off the rackets and certainly no more choosy diets.
You Might Need Teeth Whitening
A lack of proper brushing is likely to cause teeth discoloration. When you still had your braces, you could not reach areas under the braces. Now that they are off, the results will be quite evident. Some even notice some calcification. The latter is not bad and is enough sign that you have sufficient calcium levels in your body. However, the look might be unattractive, so you may have to seek teeth whitening services at a local dental office.
You Might Notice Calluses
Prolonged orthodontic treatment can also lead to calluses. They might feel strange at the very beginning. However, the symptoms eventually disappear themselves. However, you should not ignore them if they are painful. Check if there are any scars, and ask your dentist for guidance.
Orthodontic treatments have helped save the smiles of many. After your treatment is over, you should keep up with your dentist appointments to ensure everything is okay. Remember to watch your oral hygiene to prevent other dental problems.
Contact a local orthodontist to learn more about available orthodontic treatment.
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Rajasthan Public Service Commission
Syllabus For Post of College Lecturer: Business
- Development of Management Thoughts
- Strategic Management Process
- Organisation change and Resistance - Management of Change.
- Organisation Development, Culture, Ethos and Climate.
- Management Effectiveness.
- Total Quality Management (TQM)
- Emerging dimensions of Management.
- Marketing Concept and Environment.
- Brand name, trade mark, Patents and Copyright.
- Price Management.
- Distribution Channels , Components of Promotion Mix.
- Marketing Organisations, Social, legal and ethical aspects of marketing.
- Service Marketing.
- Industrial Marketing.
- Consumer Behavior and Buying motives.
- Influence on Consumer behavior.
- Marketing Analysis and Research.
- Role of Advertising in marketing and Advertising strategies.
- Advertising Organisations.
- Media Management.
- Economic environment of International Marketing.
- Human Resource Management.
- HRD Systems.
- Carrier and Succession Planning
- Performance Appraisal.
- Trade Union, Worker's Participation in Management.
- Grievances and Discipline.
- Managing Industrial Relations and Collective Bargaining.
- Socio Cultural Environment of Business.
- Business and Corporate Ethics.
- Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility.
- Legal Environment of Corporate Business.
- Production Planning and Control.
- Finance functions and Investment Decisions.
- Public Enterprises and small scale Industries in India.
Note :- Pattern of Question Paper
- Objective type paper
- Maximum Marks : 100
- Number of Questions : 100
- Duration of Paper : Two Hours
- All questions carry equal marks.
- There will be Negative Marking.
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A multi-agent simulation is used to explore the relationship between the micro and the macro levels in small-scale societies. The simulation demonstrates, using an African hunter-gatherer group (the !Kung san) as a case study, the way in which population stability may arise from culturally framed, micro-level decision making by women about spacing of births. According to the simulation, population stability as an emergent property has different implications, depending on resource density. Data on Australian hunter-gatherer groups are presented that support the implications of the simulation. !Kung san micro-level cultural rules on incestuous marriages are shown to have macro-level consequences in the form of marriages between residential camps. Between-camp marriages have significant implications for access to resources and thereby for population dynamics of the group as a whole.
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The idea of an international day for women was first tabled in 1910 by a German female political activist whose views on gender equality were ahead of her time.
In the vision proposed by Clara Zetkin at the 1910 International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, women around the world would gather on the same day in solidarity to further amplify their demands.
The United Nations proclaimed March 8 International Women’s Day in 1977, a date that had already long since been marked by women around the world. Over a century since Zetkin’s call, women have won many battles but many are still to be fought.
Four women from different walks of life in Lebanese society spoke to The Daily Star about future and past challenges, what it means to them to be a woman and whether International Women’s Day plays a role in their struggle for gender equality.
I was born in the Nabatieh refugee camp in 1958 and was the oldest of six siblings. When I was 16, the camp was bombed by Israel. Like my parents in 1948, we were forced to move from the second place we called home. Women go through many hardships in life, but Palestinian women in particular face mountains of issues. Living during the war as a Palestinian woman was difficult, to say the least. There were rumors that girls were being kidnapped when moving between camps, but for my family it was my father who was taken. He disappeared and never came back. We never heard what his fate was.
This happened to so many of us that women became the center of the community. In many ways, this made us stronger, it made me stronger.
I was forced to stay strong or my family would fall apart. In our Palestinian society in Lebanon women are the foundation. Our contributions are not only financial, but spiritual. In many ways my childhood was short.
I had to work and I felt that this made me equal to men in many ways, but I was always reminded what it meant to be a woman when I was forced to confront culture and traditions. It forces you to question what your role is in society.
One time, I had planned to go on a trip with some friends. I had already paid and returned home to tell my brother. Even though I was older, he refused to let me go. He didn’t say it explicitly, but he was angry I had decided to go without asking his permission. International Women’s Day is good, but it shouldn’t just be one day of the year.
Women should be appreciated for all our work, sacrifices and the inequality we face. We contribute a lot to society. Sometimes people come up to me on the street and thank me for helping them to learn and that’s a big source of happiness. I feel accomplished that I have helped create change.
Fatima Abdel al-Hadi, 58-years-old, is a community leader and a manager of a technical school for computer literacy in the Burj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp.
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We bring school children to the museum from all over Virginia and neighboring states to learn how our ancestors were drawn to the American colonies and how they contributed to the success of the colonies and what would become the United States.meet our board & staff
Families from all over the world come to the Frontier Culture Museum to see this important living history museum.
The Museum is always expanding with new exhibits and programs. Donors to the American Frontier Culture Foundation make this possible!
Our supporters are crucial to sustaining the traditional rural settlements from England, Germany, Ireland, West Africa, and the many early American pioneer life exhibits at the Museum.
In conjunction with the celebration of American independence, in 1975 a group of ambitious individuals proposed the creation of an expansive outdoor museum that would interpret the contributions made by settlers from backcountry communities of England, Germany, Ireland, and West Africa that pioneered our Western frontier in the 1700s.
In 1978, the Virginia General Assembly authorized the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation to prepare a feasibility study for the land at the junction of I-64 and I-81 as the potential museum site.
The study concluded that the site was exceedingly well suited for what would be become the celebrated Frontier Culture Museum. To obtain the necessary capital funds, the American Frontier Culture Foundation was incorporated in 1982 as a tax-exempt, 501(c)3 organization to accept all private donations for the museum.
The Foundation raised funds to acquire, move and reassemble the historic buildings and acquire the artifacts and furnishings and interpret them.
Today, the Foundation continues to support current and new permanent and temporary exhibits, the acquisition and reconstruction of historic buildings, the reproduction of historic buildings and furnishings, and the preservation of historic buildings and artifacts at the Frontier Culture Museum.
The Foundation also provides the Museum with resources for illuminating teacher education programs, entertaining lectures, workshops, special programs and much needed school fieldtrips to the Museum.
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Solapur sō´ləpo͝or, sōləpo͝or´ [key], city (1991 pop. 620,846), Maharashtra state, W central India, on the Deccan plateau. Once a fortress town, Solapur is now a district administrative center, a great textile-manufacturing city, and a market for oilseeds and tobacco. It passed to the Mughals in 1668, to Hyderabad in 1723, to the Marathas in 1795, and to the British in 1818. A 14th-century Muslim fort is in the city.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Indian Political Geography
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Check out these recent Hot Topic articles! Visit this page regularly to find links to new articles that will keep you informed and engaged.
Forgiveness Is the Answer to (Almost) All of Our Ills
Why should anyone forgive? There is no single reason, but this much is clear: harboring anger and resentment is physically, mentally, relationally and spiritually unhealthy.
Leveling Up: Moving Beyond Rejection
Being in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same can be a devastating experience, especially if you’ve struggled with rejection before.
Can Feeling Insecure Predict Obesity?
A new meta-analysis suggests that attachment quality can play a role in obesity.
What Is Your Sense Of Peace?
“Peace” can sound sentimental or clichéd but it’s what most of us long for.
Parental Attachment Problems
Recent reports reveal that a shocking high number of children are not securely attached to their parents.
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| 202
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It is totally rational to be worried about the future once you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In the Rio Grande Valley, you’ll have the support of not only exceptional medical professionals but an entire community devoted to taking care of individuals diagnosed with the condition.
If you’ve been newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there are a number of ways that you can take action to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle! These helpful strategies are also effective in preventing diabetes and can help those with prediabetes.
The First Steps To Take
The most important first step to take after being diagnosed is to work out a quality care plan with your primary physician, which should include guidance for the medications you will be taking.
Because type 2 diabetes affects the production of insulin in your body, you’ll likely need to take some form of insulin as prescribed by your physician. In certain cases, individuals may need to take supplemental medications.
If glucose stays in your blood for too long, it can cause blood sugar problems, which is why medical regimens are so important to follow for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Healthy Eating and Fit Living
In addition to medication, there are other health changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle. Some of the best tips we can offer include:
- Eat a Healthy Diet – If you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you’ll have to make changes to your diet, which may include limiting the types of foods you eat, especially those that are sugary. However, you’ll have the opportunity to eat plenty of veggies, fruits, healthy fats, lean meats, and whole grains!
- Be Sure to Exercise – No matter what kind, physical activity helps to lower blood sugar levels and improve your overall health. Additionally, exercise will result in more energy, less stress, and a lower chance of heart health issues.
It’s also important to note that type 2 diabetes can affect your mental health. Never feel ashamed to talk to a mental health professional as well as your primary care physician when you feel like you need support.
Continue Forward After a Pre or Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
Understandably, being diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes can be a scary ordeal. However, there is plenty you can do to best protect your health and your quality of life.
Unidos Contra La Diabetes in the Rio Grande Valley is here to help inform our community about the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
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A creek, by definition, is a waterway that winds down into a marsh. But it is so much more than what meets the eye. A creek is a home; a home to fish, insects, snakes, and birds. When I think of a creek, I think about how it sounds. Water trickling over rocks and brush trying to find its place in the world. I hear the hum of the insects that thrive off it’s marshland. I can smell that boggy wetland smell that reminds me of home. I feel my feet sinking into the ground beneath the moving water and I wonder where this will take me. Although the creek is connected to a larger river, the creek itself is all its own. The creek is hidden from the route of the river and gives privacy to all that live there. It’s like a private community; quiet and reserved on the outside, bustling and wild on the inside. It’s like finding the secret door to a club you’ve been trying to get into for weeks; exclusive and exciting. Kayaking Salt Creek by USFSP this semester showed me how a creek will go anywhere it can, underneath thickets and bridges just to find it’s forever home, a ditch.
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January 1, 2013
By Maggie Wolff Peterson
Sleeping is a dynamic enterprise. As much as it is rest for the body and mind, it is also a time of activity for both. The brain refreshes. The body moves and rearranges itself, stretching muscles and engaging joints. During a normal night’s sleep, a person loses about a quart of fluid through sweat.
So bedding matters. Natural materials that are “breathable and open” conduct body heat and evaporation better than chemically made fillers for pillows and bedclothes, says Cheryl Hahn, CEO of Virginia company CozyPure. And a pillow that properly supports the head reduces neck pressure.
CozyPure makes organic bedding and pillows filled with bits of natural latex known as “noodles.” Organic pillows can also be filled with wool or cotton, or even the fluff of kapok pods or grains of buckwheat or millet hull. The choice of fill depends on whether the user wants a firmer or softer feel, more loft or a flatter profile and hypoallergenic qualities.
Soft and Soothing
Valerie Stranix, chief marketing officer of Ontario-based Natura World (naturaworld.com), says organic wool carries natural temperature-control qualities that lead to a better night’s sleep. The company’s New Zealand-raised, pesticide-free, washable wool is “temperature neutral,” she says
“It keeps you really comfortable,” she adds. “It’s just a soothing material.” According to Stranix, wool bedding naturally lowers a sleeper’s heart rate. “It will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer,” she says. “Babies actually cry less.”
But for some people, the origin of the fill carries philosophical import. Kapok fill, according to Rachel Button at the Clean Bedroom, based in Maine, is similar to wool in feel, but involves no animals. “It’s a good vegan choice,” Button says.
Customers like to know that their bedding choices are cruelty-free and come from sustainable sources. At CozyPure, much of the latex fill comes from material recycled from the production of other bedding. Noodles are made when latex mattress toppers are perforated as part of their production process. Instead of being discarded, they become pillow fill.
They’re “basically a byproduct when they punch a hole in the natural latex,” Hahn says. “The whole idea is that all the bedding is renewable, sustainable, natural and comfortable.”
Additionally, CozyPure products are U.S.-made, in a facility that maximizes green production. Named by the U.S. Department of Energy as a zero-energy building, the plant uses wind, solar and geothermal sources onsite to create the energy it needs.
Time for New Pillows
The inexpensive pillows sold at most retailers are made with non-natural fills and covers, and “dipped in undisclosed chemicals,” Hahn says. “You don’t even know, and you’re putting your head right up in it.”
Additionally, the older the pillow, the more it has accumulated dead skin cells, dust mites, mold, mildew and fungal spores. Experts say it’s best to replace your pillow every 12 to 18 months.
Consumer awareness of healthy bedding began increasing about 15 years ago, says Stranix, as people started to evaluate what they put in and around their bodies. In addition to its organic pillows, NaturaWorld offers non-organic pillows scented with ylang ylang or lavender that provide gentle herbal relaxation, as well as pillow covers treated with aloe for softness. Some consumer experts suggest having a wardrobe of pillows, so you can rotate use. A pillow with firm support might be the choice for a sleeper with a sore neck who on another day might choose a flatter pillow for side or stomach sleeping.
Among organic selections, pillows with latex fill, Stranix says, provide “the closest thing to zero gravity for your head. Your head has pressure points just like your body.”
Like many companies, the Clean Bedroom tries to match customers to their ideal pillow. Consultants in showrooms, on the telephone and online take into account the buyer’s weight and height, the width of their shoulders, and whether they are back, stomach or side sleepers. They even ask whether the customer prefers his pillow “huggable or flat,” Button says, adding: “We ask a lot of questions.”
Selecting an organic pillow is an economical first step toward going organic entirely. “It’s the first and easiest thing to replace, and it’s what you directly put your face on,” Button says. “If you can’t change everything, change your pillow.”MAGGIE WOLFF PETERSON is a writer in Virginia whose pieces have appeared in Women’s Day and Newsweek.
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Rivals fear the president’s plan to ‘correct the course of the revolution’ will dismantle democracy.
Protesters in Tunisia say Monday’s referendum on constitutional reforms is illegal.
The proposed changes would sideline parliament and remove most checks on the president’s power.
Opposition groups say it is a return to autocracy.
If approved, the new constitution would end the hybrid presidential-parliamentary system blamed for the political infighting that paralyzed Tunisia’s post-revolution governments.
What kind of political system does the new constitution propose?
Presenter: Bernard Smith
Amine Snoussi – Political analyst and journalist
Mohamed-Dhia Hammami – Researcher at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School
Zaid al-Ali – Founder of the Arab Association of Constitutional Law
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Sternberg’s Diagnostic Surgical Pathology Review, 2nd Edition
Based on the sixth edition of Sternberg’s Diagnostic Surgical Pathology, this multiple choice question and answer resource covers all aspects of Surgical Pathology and is an ideal review tool for board preparation, recertification exams or just brushing up. Now significantly revised, it includes more than 1,000 questions and answers that emphasize differential diagnostic aspects of problem solving, accompanied by more than 600 full-color illustrations.
- Offers a systematic review of Surgical Pathology, including skin, soft tissue, bone and joints, breast, central nervous system, endocrine system, hematopoietic and lymphatic systems, head and neck, intrathoracic organs and blood vessels, alimentary canal and associated organs, urinary tract and male genital system and female reproductive system and peritoneum.
- Each question focuses on a specific disease entity or diagnostic problem as presented in Sternberg’s Diagnostic Surgical Pathology, Sixth Edition.
- Questions are followed by answers and succinct explanations.
- More than 600 full-color illustrations highlight key visual aspects of diagnosis
Online Resources are housed in one robust, easy-to-access website. ThePoint provides flexible learning solutions and resources to practitioners using Sternberg’s Diagnostic Surgical Pathology Review
- Test yourself with 1,000+ questions and answers that include explanations
- 600+ full-color illustrations
Διαθέσιμο κατόπιν παραγγελίας
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On any given summer’s day in Door County, someone is enjoying a silent sport, and with endless miles of shoreline, inland lakes and rivers, Door County is a fitting home for kayakers. Even without searching for them, kayaks are everywhere – stores, brochures, beachfronts, atop cars, leaning against garages, etc.
There is only one place in the county, however, to get clear bottom kayaks – Lakeshore Adventures, Inc. in Baileys Harbor. Todd Haleen, who also owns First Choice Charters, set up shop in 2012 and thought clear bottom kayaks were something unique to bring to the area.
Haleen says the idea came about because he “always wanted a glass bottom tour boat – a large boat for salmon fishing and scuba diving.” He further explains, “With water levels receding, the [shrinking] depths of the marinas and the overall cost, it wasn’t cost-effective at this point [to have a clear bottom boat]. Kayaks are relatively inexpensive and don’t need a lot of water. For our first year, it was really, really good.”
Clear bottom kayaks haven’t swept across the county, yet, probably from a misconception that our water isn’t crystal clear. Haleen is quick to counter this misconception: “Because you’re pushing the kayak down in the water, it becomes clearer, it’s a much better view. The polycarbonate bottom magnifies [the view], to some extent.”
There is also more incentive to use clear bottom kayaks on the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula. According to Haleen, “the water is actually pretty clear on [the Lake Michigan side], there isn’t a large algae bloom because we have colder water for most of the year …that’s why it’s good on this side.”
Lakeshore Adventures offers three clear bottom kayak tours: shipwreck, Cave Point and a Kangaroo Lake eco tour. With all the tours, knowledgeable guides narrate what kayakers see beneath their seats.
Joe and Patty Barrick, from the Wausau area, met Haleen through his charter fishing business and led the tours in July and August of last year. Their experience includes paddling 2,600 miles on Lakes Michigan and Superior. In 2007, the Barricks even circumnavigated Lake Superior on kayaks; they went about 700 miles in two days. The Barricks will not lead tours this year (instead, the busy pair will bike across the country), but they were on hand to train the next crop of guides in May.
Haleen and the Barricks agree the shipwreck tour is the most popular, most likely because it allows kayakers to see what is often inaccessible to the eye. The shipwreck tour leaves from Anclam Park and follows the Baileys Harbor shoreline to the outer reef (near the old Baileys Harbor “Bird Cage” lighthouse).
The Emeline and Christina Nilsson shipwrecks are featured, but 14 wrecks can be seen in relatively shallow (less than 15 feet) water.
Joe says the maritime history was a real draw for these tours. “The kayakers were fascinated with the stories behind the wrecks, like the details of what the ships were carrying, and where they were coming and going.”
[To learn more about these shipwrecks read “The Shipwrecks of Baileys Harbor” by Patty Williamson in Door County Living volume 10, issue 4.]
The Cave Point tour leaves from Schauer Park; kayakers paddle along the Lake Michigan shoreline and get up close to the caves. Kayakers can go into the caves and see the rock formations underneath them. This is a unique opportunity for all who are in awe of Cave Point on land – viewing them on the water only magnifies their awesomeness.
New for this year, Lakeshore Adventures partnered with The Ridges Sanctuary for eco tours on Kangaroo Lake in Baileys Harbor. This tour allows kayakers to glimpse a variety of wildlife, and learn about the conservation efforts in the watershed.
While explaining the collaboration, Haleen said, “I need a spot when the weather’s bad. It’s just one tour, but we may do it more when we can’t go out on the lake.”
Marne Kaeske, stewardship coordinator at The Ridges, will lead these tours. She explains, “Kangaroo Lake is ecologically significant because of its wildlife habitats and water quality.” There’s an incredible array of species in and around Kangaroo Lake; Kaeske even mentions a resident Bald Eagle. The Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly is another protected species spotted around Kangaroo Lake. This dragonfly is federally endangered, and its largest populations are found in Door County.
The Kangaroo Lake tour is the most mild-mannered since this lake is more sheltered from the elements than the harbor, but Haleen is emphatic about the safety of all the tours.
“This side, ‘the quiet side,’ doesn’t have a whole lot going on, as far as water recreation goes, compared to the bay side. It’s a more quiet area with not a lot of boat traffic – meaning a safer environment.”
Lakeshore Adventure’s clear bottom kayak tours are safe, informative and perfect for novices, experts, families, couples and individuals. Haleen succinctly sums up the tours, “It’s the whole paddling experience, but with a little extra.”
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