Date: October 6, 2012
Author: JC Gardner
Title: Are Standards a Thing of the Past?
I wonder if there is such a thing in this day and time as “crossing the line.” Seems folks just say and do just about anything and God forbid if someone doesn’t agree with it. Then there are protests, boycotts, legal action, just for someone stating their opinion.
I know I’m old skool. I am a mid-sixties baby, raised in the seventies. There were several taboos during my upbringing, and my parents ran a tight ship of rules, regulations, and uncompromising policies. Basically, it was a dictatorship!
I thought my parents, well really my mother, was touched – some sort of warden in her past life. I thought I was in prison. I didn’t understand why so-and-so could hang out all hours of the night, come to school dressed any kind of way and go on dates at an early age. Why couldn’t I stay up late and watch the late shows? Heck, I couldn’t even hang out unless I was with an approved group of kids! My behavior in school had to be on point and disrespecting adults was out of the question. It’s true that I walked around in fear of her wrath and at the time, I surely did not understand the whys and wherefores behind her cracking that whip. It wasn’t until years later that I appreciated what she instilled in me, and I’ve told her so time and time again. My mother had standards. She had a set of values and principles that she was serious about upholding and most of all, we’d better not make her look like no fool!
Recently, I went out of state alone on a plane trip. Once I had exhausted the use of my gadgets on the plane, I started to observe my surroundings. The person sitting across from me had on pajamas. Since I tend to have a creative mind, I wondered if that meant her teeth weren’t brushed and her underwear wasn’t changed. She looked disheveled. Did she just roll out of bed, grab her luggage and get on the plane? I’ve seen this trend many times, fearing that it is the new “in” thing to do -- wear bed clothes in the streets. It seemed no one noticed or has it just become acceptable?
I landed late in the evening and went to a restaurant. It was actually 11 PM at night by the time I sat down. My food arrived around 11:30 PM. A young couple walked in at that time for dinner -- with a three-year-old. Yeah, I know. Everyone doesn’t have childcare for “date night.” There’s a much bigger issue here, but I’m sure no one cares any more.
Speaking of that, I have a problem with very young people in rated R movies seeing all the sexy scenes and absorbing all kinds of expletives. But I guess that’s cool in 2012.
Today’s children can have different kinds of parents. They may have a mama and a daddy; they may just have a mama; maybe just a daddy; maybe two mamas married to each other or the same for two daddies! What about all of the single parent homes today? It used to be frowned upon to be unmarried and pregnant.
Matter of fact, it was shameful, but it’s pretty much the norm now.
Pastors used to be held in high esteem, but over the past few years, I have seen adulterous pastors, “down low” pastors and pedophile pastors. And they’re still preaching in the pulpit with people in the pews. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
You’re probably thinking, Who am I to judge? I’m not judging. Believe me, I have skeletons in my closet and that’s where they’re going to stay. I’m just playing devil’s advocate and at the same time, highlighting some societal changes that have evolved over the past few years that used to be loathed but is now tolerated. It seems we’ve become a society where we say “yes” to everything just to be popular, or this is the way of the world now, so we might as well flow with the program.
And what does it mean exactly: One Nation UNDER GOD, indivisible, for liberty and justice FOR ALL? Did you know under God wasn’t added until the 1950’s? Should make you wonder.
Do you have a moral compass? Is there something inside you that gauges what is and is not acceptable for you or for your children? Where have you set the bar? It would be wise to “Set Your Mind on Things of Above, Not on Things of the Earth.” - Colossians 3: 1-2
A couple of clichés come to mind that ring true more often than not:
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything
If you don’t control your mind, someone else will.
I’m done sounding off. I’m going to change into my PJ’s and head to the store!
Author: JC Gardner
Title: Are Standards a Thing of the Past?
I wonder if there is such a thing in this day and time as “crossing the line.” Seems folks just say and do just about anything and God forbid if someone doesn’t agree with it. Then there are protests, boycotts, legal action, just for someone stating their opinion.
I know I’m old skool. I am a mid-sixties baby, raised in the seventies. There were several taboos during my upbringing, and my parents ran a tight ship of rules, regulations, and uncompromising policies. Basically, it was a dictatorship!
I thought my parents, well really my mother, was touched – some sort of warden in her past life. I thought I was in prison. I didn’t understand why so-and-so could hang out all hours of the night, come to school dressed any kind of way and go on dates at an early age. Why couldn’t I stay up late and watch the late shows? Heck, I couldn’t even hang out unless I was with an approved group of kids! My behavior in school had to be on point and disrespecting adults was out of the question. It’s true that I walked around in fear of her wrath and at the time, I surely did not understand the whys and wherefores behind her cracking that whip. It wasn’t until years later that I appreciated what she instilled in me, and I’ve told her so time and time again. My mother had standards. She had a set of values and principles that she was serious about upholding and most of all, we’d better not make her look like no fool!
Recently, I went out of state alone on a plane trip. Once I had exhausted the use of my gadgets on the plane, I started to observe my surroundings. The person sitting across from me had on pajamas. Since I tend to have a creative mind, I wondered if that meant her teeth weren’t brushed and her underwear wasn’t changed. She looked disheveled. Did she just roll out of bed, grab her luggage and get on the plane? I’ve seen this trend many times, fearing that it is the new “in” thing to do -- wear bed clothes in the streets. It seemed no one noticed or has it just become acceptable?
I landed late in the evening and went to a restaurant. It was actually 11 PM at night by the time I sat down. My food arrived around 11:30 PM. A young couple walked in at that time for dinner -- with a three-year-old. Yeah, I know. Everyone doesn’t have childcare for “date night.” There’s a much bigger issue here, but I’m sure no one cares any more.
Speaking of that, I have a problem with very young people in rated R movies seeing all the sexy scenes and absorbing all kinds of expletives. But I guess that’s cool in 2012.
Today’s children can have different kinds of parents. They may have a mama and a daddy; they may just have a mama; maybe just a daddy; maybe two mamas married to each other or the same for two daddies! What about all of the single parent homes today? It used to be frowned upon to be unmarried and pregnant.
Matter of fact, it was shameful, but it’s pretty much the norm now.
Pastors used to be held in high esteem, but over the past few years, I have seen adulterous pastors, “down low” pastors and pedophile pastors. And they’re still preaching in the pulpit with people in the pews. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
You’re probably thinking, Who am I to judge? I’m not judging. Believe me, I have skeletons in my closet and that’s where they’re going to stay. I’m just playing devil’s advocate and at the same time, highlighting some societal changes that have evolved over the past few years that used to be loathed but is now tolerated. It seems we’ve become a society where we say “yes” to everything just to be popular, or this is the way of the world now, so we might as well flow with the program.
And what does it mean exactly: One Nation UNDER GOD, indivisible, for liberty and justice FOR ALL? Did you know under God wasn’t added until the 1950’s? Should make you wonder.
Do you have a moral compass? Is there something inside you that gauges what is and is not acceptable for you or for your children? Where have you set the bar? It would be wise to “Set Your Mind on Things of Above, Not on Things of the Earth.” - Colossians 3: 1-2
A couple of clichés come to mind that ring true more often than not:
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything
If you don’t control your mind, someone else will.
I’m done sounding off. I’m going to change into my PJ’s and head to the store!
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