"Christianity and the Survival of Creation" Berry

Going into this essay I was kind of skeptical on how it would go out seeing as it was discussing Christianity. But after reading this essay I realized that it was just a sort of bashing towards the religion all together. I myself grew up in the religion, but after having it forced upon me as a child I swayed away from it. I'm not saying I don't believe, the whole church and religion scene is not my type of thing. Berry made alot of good points that I strongly believe with. " The Bible is an inspired book written by human hands; as such it is certainly subject to criticism." (pg 306)I agree with this entirely people say that you can not saying thing about the Bible because it is the word or God. It was written by people so what makes it the word of God? But some people who are totally against the Bible criticizes it and don't realize that you need to the read the book to validly criticize it. Berry makes another interesting point in his essay about how people who call themselves Christians believe that God has created everything and that everything is his when in fact they are the ones that are hurting the wonderful things that God has created. Berry puts it as we are all holy creatures that live amongst other holy creatures, why do we feel the need to hurt the other holy creatures that God has created. "The holiness of life is obscured to modern Christians also by the idea that the only holy place is the built church." (pg. 308), this is so true, today everyone thinks that to worship God you need to go to church. I don't think this is true at all, didn't God create everything so isn't going out and sitting in nature worshiping him because you are amongst his work? Berry makes a good point that all the events that take place in the Bible don't take place in a temple or a church but in fact the most random places, such as fields and towns. Also in the people that all of things miracles and works of God happen to normal ordinary people like shepherds, housewives, and workers, these things never happened to priests and preachers. People seem to think that to be part of God you need to be some that is devoted to God like a preacher, but thats not the case at all. In the Bible people who aren't special like a priest, still had amazing things happen to them. 

After reading this essay Berry made me come to the realization that people who are Christians really don't live by that word of God as much as they say they do. I really found this essay very interesting and I agree with it what Berry described in it. 

"The Argument Culture" Tannen

This was a very interesting article that displayed the real culture that we live in today. Everything does have 2 sides and there is always going to be someone there to counter fit it or argue about it. I think that she is right when she says that everything has a argument about it, that is so true. It is also very important to fight for what you believe in. If you do not do this then your point of view will be lost and something no one will hear. I don't believe with her idea that the technology is pulling us apart. I think in a weird way has pulled us together. People can talk to other people completely across the world. I think that is more together. Yea kids may not be watching tv with their parents but that can be solved by having family time where everyone watches tv. It is not necessarily pulling us apart, because we are not watching tv together. I also do not agree with what she says about how the argument culture shapes who we are. I don't agree that it limits our thinking , in fact I think i expands our thinking and gives us our own voice. Yea, the government may put things in our minds about what we should believe in but that shouldn't change the way you think because you are your own person. I do believe that is a argument culture to a extent.  

"It's Time to Ban Handguns" Morrow

I strongly agree with Morrow and his essay. His essay showed me alot of things that I have never thought about regarding gun control. The rate of deaths by guns has gone up very much recently. Guns are made so easily to get, anyone can get a gun. In his essay he talks about how since 1963 guns have "finished off" more Americans than WWII did. This is a insane number, guns are killing more people than a actually war is. He also describes how guns have killed many important people this really made a impact of how important this gun problem really is. In Britain and Japan they have a much lower crime rate that America. The essay says how these countries are amazed how our guns are over the counter, which is the reason for all the crime. Guns are the most easiest way to kill someone. "Gins do not require much work. You do not have to get your hands bloody, as you would with a knife." (pg 402) This statement is so true, there is really nothing you have to do to shoot someone with a gun. You can stand far away and not do anything but pull the trigger. Bigger guns such as shot guns and riffles are really not as big as a problem because of their size. It is alot harder to carry around a a huge shot gun than it is to carry around a hang gun. Hand guns are very easy to get ahold of and to carry around making it easier for people to kill other people. I thought this essay was very interesting and opened my eyes to this world of crime. 

"Leave No Child Inside" Louv

This was a very interesting essay to read. I agree with the writer that there is not space for children to place in the wilderness. I think it is important for every child to get out there and to experience the world and to make it theirs. As i grew up I was always encouraged to go outside and run around so this essay hit close to home. I agree with him that the reason we have child obesity is because all the kids are sitting inside and playing with their electronics. Every child should get out and run around. He describes in the essay how the numbers for kids riding their bikes has gone down a lot. Louv also describes how being in nature and in the outdoors can calm you and bring you together. He tells the story of this boy who is very hyperactive and uncontrollable. When his parents start sending him outside this helps him a a lot and calms him down. He starts off his essay by describing his book that he wrote and the housing company that did not agree with it. I thought it was interesting how this huge development agency was coming up with ideas to involve everyone with nature, to bring it back into the neighbor. 

Through out the essay he goes on to describe how teachers are trying to get outdoor classes and field trips. When the real problem is the money that the schools don't have. I really enjoyed this essay and it really showed to me that nature is a important part of ourselves and that children should be more involved in it.