Looking back on the last century, I can’t help but imagine what life will be like during the coming century. I wonder what advancements will be made technologically, politically and religiously.

We’ve come a long way since the Industrial Revolution. Automobiles are far more efficient than ever. Planes have gone from unstable gliders to space shuttles taking man to places we previously only dreamed of.

Advancements in genetics, like those of the transportation industry, are very promising. Soon we will be able to maintain our bodies in a similar fashion to interchangeable parts. When a body part goes bad, it’ll be easy to simply replace it and keep running. In the near future, we should be able to order custom-made organs and tissues engineered specifically for our bodies.

Opponents of the genetic breakthroughs argue that such an application of human discovery is “playing God.” I would beg to differ.

“I know what you do; I know that you have power; you have followed my teaching and have been faithful to me. I have opened a door in front of you, which no one can close,” Revelation 3:8.

In my opinion, the door the writer was referring to is our opportunity to make use of the tools that God has given us to try to make life better for ourselves. Yes, certainly there are boundaries, but where do we draw the line and who will draw it? Should we look up to the self-interest politicians to make pertinent decisions on our behalf, or should we take an active part in democracy? I’m left with two inquiries: do we really want change or do we want to stay comfortable with a deadlocked political culture?

I am writing in response to David Cook’s column, “Vouchers take money away from public schools,” in the April 11 edition of The Lancaster News.

 

How selfish must you be to block financial aid to parents who wish to send their kids to a conducive place to learn. Last time I checked, there were parents who had to transfer their kids from public to private schools because of disciplinary problems. And there are parents who want a clean Christian education, sheltered from the ungodliness in our local schools.

 

You also have those who are sick and tired of the truncated and rushed education that public schools provide.

 

If there is any other way to be “pro-choice” for education, let us know, rather than spoiling the opportunity to help us who are having a hard time paying for gas, rising food costs, all on top of trying to raise our children.

 

Stop labeling people who want the best for their children as elitists.

I have a problem with people who oppose a package that will help offset the financial burden in the coming days.

 

I wonder what would happen if our schools didn’t wastefully spend money on useless and nonproductive programs.

 

If I was a parent, all I would want is the satisfaction that my hard-earned taxes are going toward something that would make life better for my children, rather than sending them to a rough school.

Our schools need to invest in protecting our students. It's as if Columbine, Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois were not a clear indication.

 

Lancaster County School District and Superintendent Gene Moore need to take action to prevent another scare like what happened at Lancaster High on April 4.

 

I am not suggesting we turn our schools into an Orwellian police state but there are ways to try to prevent a school shooting in our area. Most metropolitan schools have implemented metal detectors as a primary defense. Some of these schools also have a policy regarding the compulsory usage of clear backpacks. Some urban schools also ban the baggy clothing that some subcultures are identified with.

 

The time to act is now; school violence is preventable. Action. Change. Results. That is what I am looking for in the school district and local law enforcement.

Critics of social networking Web sites better get used it; they're here to stay. The youth are using them to keep in touch with one another.

 

Telecommuters from HP are using them to connect with their development teams. Even military officers are using Facebook to organize their squadrons.

 

Social networks are a part of a larger schema that is oft called Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is the catalyst for the culture clash between those who embrace these tools and those who are just fine with the conventional methods.

 

Something that has been able to fuel the rising indifference to race, ethnicity, or age.

 

The current millennial generation is going to expect these collaborative tools in the workforce. How we work today will be very different in the future.

 

Job centers like Bangalore and Dubai have shown major job growth primarily because they have embraced the digital counter-culture that is far more efficient than the archaic methods of how things are currently managed.

 

Online education tools like BBC's Bitesize are shifting education in a new, positive and more interesting direction.

 

Our students are hungry for a media rich educational experience that will help them actually prepare for the future of the workforce rather than how it was a couple decades ago.

 

Even while we are learning to understand valuable lessons like how people are people and how immigrants have mouths to feed too, there are those who try to be a little too overprotective.

 

Every time I hear someone criticize the concerns for safety on sites like MySpace I am continually reminded of those who would rather stash money under their mattresses than to put it in a bank.

 

It is simply illogical to be an expert on something that you have not been acquainted with.

 

Certainly there are those who will find ways to abuse these tools, but something can be done about this problem.

 

Helicopter parents tend to overlook the features built into sites like MySpace that help sever the possibility of communication with someone who is significantly older than them.

 

Despite the controversy, the future of our lifestyles and workforce are right here right now.

 

While we are working, studying and occupying our boredom, we are progressing into the next millennium after eight years of setbacks. All while we are reporting sketchy individuals whose abuse is detrimental to our community and culture.

Feb. 6 marked the beginning of Lent this year. As many often regard this as an archaic tradition, I would beg to differ.

This tradition is as relevant today as it was when Moses spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai.

A colleague once brought up the concept that we tend to put God in our pocket, only pulling him out when we need them.

Fellow Christians, we should not set a bad example by turning to God when we need him and simply forgetting about him when times get rough.

Life will certainly present many distractions every time you turn around.

From the struggles of keeping up with a failing economy to the world we all like to demonize and use as our scapegoat of why things have gotten so bad. There's no one to blame except ourselves.

The only groups that have effectively put God first is the pilgrims and, as much as I hate to say it, the Muslim extremists.

If we were as dedicated to our servitude to God as they are imagine the possibilities.

There is an enormous need for domestic missionaries to share the good news with our neighbors. But we are too occupied with our own self-interest.

What if we did not spend all of our time mindlessly entertaining ourselves and actually going out and witnessing to the lost we tend to ignore.

Maybe the time has come for us all to give up something for the better good.

With our busy lives maybe taking a breather may be a good thing for us to contemplate on our faith.

I have one question, what have you sacrificed, not necessarily during this time of Lent, that allows you to focus on the main thing?

Feb. 6 marked the beginning of Lent this year. As many often regard this as an archaic tradition, I would beg to differ.

This tradition is as relevant today as it was when Moses spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai.

A colleague once brought up the concept that we tend to put God in our pocket, only pulling him out when we need them.

Fellow Christians, we should not set a bad example by turning to God when we need him and simply forgetting about him when times get rough.

Life will certainly present many distractions every time you turn around.

From the struggles of keeping up with a failing economy to the world we all like to demonize and use as our scapegoat of why things have gotten so bad. There's no one to blame except ourselves.

The only groups that have effectively put God first is the pilgrims and, as much as I hate to say it, the Muslim extremists.

If we were as dedicated to our servitude to God as they are imagine the possibilities.

There is an enormous need for domestic missionaries to share the good news with our neighbors. But we are too occupied with our own self-interest.

What if we did not spend all of our time mindlessly entertaining ourselves and actually going out and witnessing to the lost we tend to ignore.

Maybe the time has come for us all to give up something for the better good.

With our busy lives maybe taking a breather may be a good thing for us to contemplate on our faith.

I have one question, what have you sacrificed, not necessarily during this time of Lent, that allows you to focus on the main thing?

If I could change one thing in the world I would most certainly make people more understanding toward others. I’m shocked by what happened recently in Tennessee.
A shop owner who desperately needed his business property to be zoned as “commercial” killed himself right in front of the City Council who voted against helping him in his time of need.
Immigrants, illegal or not, are people. Although they may come across as leeches to the taxpayers, they, too, are pursuing the American dream.
At one time, I, too, wasn’t understanding to the conditions that illegal immigrants have come from. They need a job, and I haven’t heard anyone complain about their low-paying jobs other than the spoiled-rotten brats that were raised right here in the USA.
People are quick to judge, and I, too, have issues with being critical. If going to a public school and befriending people from various backgrounds has taught me anything, it’s that everyone has a story to tell.
Over the summer my church’s youth group went on a mission trip to Kentucky to help out the less fortunate in Williamsburg. Many of the people we helped out were affected by the closing of the local mines. As people lost their jobs, they experienced financial hardships, that I’d imagine would be very stressful. But if you were to see them on the side of the road or walking around the local Wal-Mart, many would judge them based on their looks. “Oh, I feel bad for the poor people. They need to go out and get a job rather than leeching off the tax payers.” And that’s a fool’s mentality. At this point in their life, they need all the help they can get.
What are you doing to give your fellow Americans a helping hand in their time of need?