JosephM

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Yes, they do impact our society as you have noted. I encourage all to do what is in their power to make it a better place. As you imply, ignoring problems don't make them go away. I agree At the same time with my first thought i ask myself if there is anything i can do about these extreme examples right now and if i can i do. If it is beyond that which is currently in my power then i don't give it a second thought. Who knows perhaps tomorrow i will be in a position to make some contribution to change and it will not come out of anger or hate or a feeling of guilt. It takes wisdom to know the things you can change and how and wisdom to accept the things you can't. I have found it sufficient sometimes to allow myself to change. It is the one thing i have the most control over. I'll PM you a story the best i can recall.

It's possible, in my view, that praying does change things. Prayer can strengthen ones resolve so that one can step up from a depressed state to a more positive outlook that finds opportunities that may be missed in a depressed state. Heck, perhaps it may even attract opportunities as does positive thinking. The mind may be more powerful than we think? Prayer ( a talk with our source) in my view can change the prayer. A changed prayer brings about different choices. Different choices bring about different consequences. The universe is always responding to choices with consequences , howbeit not always instantly ... and in that sense ... one could say God intervenes. Sometimes it appears as miraculous. That is my experience.. If you get bored, i'll share one of my more dramatic ones with you. As far as the extreme examples you mention.... i hardly give it a second thought. There is little i can do at the moment for any delusions they may have. I have enough of my own.

Perhaps it is a phase we all must pass through ? For now i personally don't presume what people should or shouldn't be praying for. Nice You Tube video concerning how we create our sense of self through the brain. The Matrix was one of my all time favorite movies. Thanks.

Paul, It seems to me it is the way of many dealing with a situation that they feel totally helpless in. I think while many may not really believe God will intervene they feel like asking (praying) is the least they can do and that it is the acceptable norm. If nothing else it helps one feel better about oneself for acting or sacrificing some of their time in hopes it will have some effect. Concerning prayer specifically for those who are suffering, It seems to me, typically, when told that people have been praying for them, it makes them feel better knowing that someone else cares enough to take the time to petition on their behalf. Joseph

The editing period was 30 minutes. I just increased it to 60 minutes since activity is so low. That should be sufficient. Anything over that if it is serious can be edited by a PM request to a moderator. Once a post is quoted by someone else i usually hesitate to make any changes. We won't hold any grammar errors against you.

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I agree Soma. We need to protect those who appear different than ourselves. But you have not answered the question... Is America ready for this solution to the issue or is there a better current solution than the directive in your opinion?

Soma, Do you think America is really ready to allow both children and adults to choose whatever bathroom or locker room they say they feel more comfortable in (identify with regardless of physical sex) ? The directive includes all school activities. The actual directive is HERE

OH... THEY ARE CONCERNED ALRIGHT. NONE OF THEM HAVE REPORTED A WILLINGNESS TO IMPLEMENT FROM MY RESEARCH.

PAUL, 11 STATES ARE SUING AND IT SEEMS THE REST ARE IGNORING THE DIRECTIVE OR WAITING FOR RESULTS OF THE SUIT. IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF MONEY FOR ALL STATES TO SUE. IT ONLY TAKES 1 TO WIN. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY STATE THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING IT AS DIRECTED THOUGH SOME ARE ACCOMMODATING TRANSGENDER USING THE NURSES RESTROOM OR OTHER OPTIONS. PS IF I WERE A BETTING MAN , MY MONEY SAYS SCHOOLS WILL NOT COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIVE AND OBAMA WILL NOT FORCE THE ISSUE IF HE IS AS INTELLIGENT AS ROM THINKS HE IS. .

Rom Typically our presidents in their last year are called "lame ducks". they do all kinds of things like pardon all their friends that may be in prison or are Being indicted etc. There is a good possibility that the FBI will recommend indictment for Hillarys email scandal and her foundation investigation that appears to have broken some laws and there is a good possibility that he will pardon her if she is indeed indicted. This is not uncommon in the US. I don,t know why Obama did what he did ( perhaps he is indebted to the Gay community ) but there is indeed much corruption in our government. People are so fed up that even Trump looks like a better option to them. yes they are intelligent people but sometimes their motives are questionable.

Paul, This is Obama's last year. He is out in Jan so he has nothing to lose and people are taking action.. Target sales ...Target Corp. said consumers pulled back on spending in the first quarter and warned that sales at existing stores could fall in the second quarter--the first such decline in two years. Of course they might attribute it to other factors

Paul to you it may be a small or insignificant sacrifice but here in the US many women see it quite differently and reasoning with them or telling them it is a small sacrifice they have to make doesn't change the way they feel. Men and women are not the same ... men are from Mars and women are from Venus. The present bathroom problem which to the great majority (99+%) was non-existent, and to the small minority of transgenders to which it did pose a problem or at the least an uncomfortable feeling, to me is solvable without directives or laws forcing a ONE change fits ALL. Nobody i know opposes a unisex or family bathroom for transgender or family use as long as people still have a choice of an exclusive bathroom limited to their physical gender. Frankly, i don't see why you would have a problem with that. Incidentally, Target Stores which is the 2nd largest retailer in the US announced that people could use the bathroom of their choice in their stores and immediately social media got over 700,000 signatures and then later another 400,000 signatures of people pledging to boycott them. Their stock dropped dramatically and so did their sales. People take this seriously for whatever reasons. IMO it was a poor business choice for them to take . They already had a Unisex/Family bathroom without any problems and they irritated more people with their new policy than they appeased.

Paul, First of all when i ask my wife she says #1 in public restrooms mens rooms are dirtier than womens as we tend to urinate on the floor more and other things. Women are in general cleaner and more odor conscious... Second she says there are always large cracks around the cubicle doors that men could peak through. Last she doesn't feel comfortable in a bathroom knowing there are other men near she doesn't know or them watching her doing makeup or whatever in the mirror. Likes privacy and is only comfortable in bathroom around other women. I can't change her but i can tell you she is not alone in her feelings. PS We got a lot of perverts here in the US.

The transgender population makes up far less than 1 % of the population. I don't think they are even the slightest danger to the rest of the population in the bathroom. The real concern that people have Paul is that a directive that essentially allows boys/men in the womens bathrooms based on choice or a claim that one is more comfortable there opens up the bathroom to more than true transgender folks.

I think that society is addressing these issues and they take time. It seems to me in this modern day, Government can't force these things on people before they are ready to receive without some violence or revolution. To your last question... i don't know.

Actually the Federal government sent out the directive to schools which only means they can hold back funds for non-compliance. Obama says its based on the law. In defiance the states are the ones passing laws to the contrary.such as Mississippi and North Carolina which will allow people to use only public bathrooms that correspond to their biological sex at birth. The Federal government is suing those states. Other states have similar referendums that are being considered for law but perhaps many will wait to see what comes of the Federal governments suing those states first. You can imagine the strong feelings the mainstream church people are having at this time. They see the directive as insanity.

I think the problem is that there is no real criteria for transgender other than the self identity clause. Any male (adult or child) could technically go in the girls restroom dressed anyway they like and if challenged say they are transgender and feel more comfortable using this restroom. It opens a real can of worms with teenagers and beyond. An additional Unisex/Family bathroom choice for those who prefer not to enter one matching their physical organs presents to me the best option. They already exist in many stores/places and people don't seem to have a problem with them as long as there is still an option for a mens or ladies bathroom. What do you think?

Yes the original issue was for bathrooms only and many parents are concerned about the safety of their children since anyone could then go in any bathroom and claim they are transgender. And of course many parents have been brought up and expect separation of the physical sexes when using bathrooms. It may work out okay in the long run but there is extreme resistance at this time to the push by transgender people to allow such. Then there is the fear by some that the push will also be brought into change rooms and showers. Here is the original Washington report story that triggered the uproar.... the directive did go out..... WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is planning to issue a sweeping directive telling every public school district in the country to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity. A letter to school districts will go out Friday, adding to a highly charged debate over transgender rights in the middle of the administration’s legal fight with North Carolina over the issue. The declaration — signed by Justice and Education department officials — will describe what schools should do to ensure that none of their students are discriminated against. It does not have the force of law, but it contains an implicit threat: Schools that do not abide by the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law could face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid. The move is certain to draw fresh criticism, particularly from Republicans, that the federal government is wading into local matters and imposing its own values on communities across the country that may not agree.

Good point Paul and perhaps we will evolve past the present taboos yet it seems to me it is unwise to force it on a majority of the American people before they are ready. Evolution needs time to undo that which has been ingrained or programmed into many. Education and reason may be the key but what religion has done for centuries is difficult to change in a day with simple logic.

Rom, The blocks on words were done long before i arrived and i have felt no compelling need to change them as i haven't had any complaints with them being there so far.

Rom, It seems to me that the analogy you used in context to the issue is not fairly represented. In the case of Rosa Parks it was a clear issue of prejudice, disdain or a feeling of one being inferior to another. In the issue of transgender, I have none of these feelings for the transgender and would think there are more alternatives to relieving an uncomfortableness for a transgender than allowing a transgender as defined in the first post to force the majority that do not wish to share privacy with others that have body parts that do not align with their stated or perceived sex. In my opinion It opens up a bag of worms that Americans are not ready for whereby its societal privacy rights in locker rooms, showers, bathrooms and the like are being dictated by a minority that in my view can be accommodated otherwise without causing uncomfortableness to the many..

This Weeks PC Weekly Recap ----- HERE Last Week At ProgressiveChristianity.org ...We delved into the topics of: Religion as an Organization, Sainthood, Divine Violence and Compassion.

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