# 2 journal Modern American Themes: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (DUE FRIDAY MAY 8)
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” is a multi-layered story, which, in addition to possessing a fascinating plot, calls to mind many important ideas and issues. The author, Joyce Carol Oates, admitted that she had a partiality during this time in her career for writing "allegory," and after all, good allegory invites us to think about and apply the story to our own lives. Respond to one of the five (5) prompts in 250 words or more and post your response before Friday, May 8.
1. Fall from innocence into experience
Share with us an incident in which you lost a little of your childhood innocence and you learned the ropes of the real world.
2. The disappearance of religion and the acceptance of the easy values of the modern world
Share with us parts of your “faith life.” Do you attend Church weekly? Read the Bible? Belong to a Church group? Etc. Discuss how this has benefited you and others.
3. Rock and roll is the Devil's tool: Arnold Friend is the Devil (Ellie Oscar as Elvis)
Talk about a musical artist or group that promotes aberrant or immoral behavior for followers of that group. Why do you think that teens and young adults attracted to that group?
4. The story is a feminist parable of the sad situation for women in the 60s—they lose their beauty, youthful innocence, and romantic dreams or become hopeless old maids like Connie’s sister.
Write about a (somewhat modern) famous woman who resisted and won against this stereotype.
5. Bob Dylan was a “new” realistic voice of reason and experience in 1965
Tell me about a current musical artist or group whose songs promote meaningful thought or messages, especially ones that promote new ideas.
posted by JTF @ 8:42 AM
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3. Justin Bieber has had a roller coaster of a career. When he came out with his first single, it was an overnight sensation and he became a teenage heartthrob in a matter of minutes. Justin Bieber stayed on this upward moving roller coaster for the next three years before it took a turn for the worst. JB’s fame got to his head and he began thinking that he ruled the world, and he kind of did. He was one of the most popular and talented teenagers of this era and was being compared to entertainers like Michael Jackson and Prince, even at such a young age. He had the prettiest girlfriend, over 7 million followers on Twitter, and a loyal fanbase like no other. But what no one expected from the ever so perfect JB, was his wild side. By the time he was 18, Justin Bieber was caught smoking marijuana, doing drugs, bringing foreign animals into different countries, peeing in buckets, spitting at fans, and drag racing, among others. Yet what was most surprising of his outburst, were that his fans stood behind him the whole time. They all participated in crazy things like cutting themselves for Justin so that he would notice them. What I think attracts young girls, including myself, to Justin Bieber is that they all fell in love with the original JB. They all want Justin to go back to the sweet little teen heartthrob he was when he released “One Time”. But the biggest thing of all is that Justin Bieber is still viewed by many of his fans as the same boy he was 6 years ago, when in reality he has grown up and is becoming his own man, and as loyal Beliebers, his fans need to accept the fact that Justin Bieber is not an innocent teen heartthrob anymore.
Women have faced many struggles in the past and the present. In the 1960s, women who were no longer young and pretty either became hopeless old maids or nagging housewives. The worth of women was dependent upon if she could find a good husband. Today, although women still face different struggles, there are many more opportunities for women to be independent. An example of a woman breaking the stereotype of women in the 60s is Oprah Winfrey. Today Oprah is regarded, as one of the most influential people in the world is the only black billionaire. She had a turbulent childhood, often moving and living with different family members. Until she was six, Oprah lived with her grandmother in a rural area. She then lived with her mother in Milwaukee, before being sent to live with her father in Tennessee. Despite her rough childhood, Winfrey worked part-time for a radio station in her senior year of high school and earned a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. Oprah was the youngest and first black news anchor at Nashville’s WLAC-TV. Then Winfrey took over the talk show AM Chicago and made it the highest rated talk show in Chicago. It was then renamed the Oprah Winfrey Show and has become the number one talk show in America. She now has her own television network called the Oprah Winfrey Network. Oprah is credited with revolutionizing the tabloid talk show genre and has created a confession culture. Oprah Winfrey overcame incredible adversity in her life to become one of the most influential people in the world. She did fall prey to the stereotype of women in the 60s and became great.
3. A musical artist that promotes aberrant or immoral behavior is rapper Wiz Khalifa. His song lyrics and lifestyle promote dangerous activities like drug use and and alcohol consumption. He also disrespects women and police officers, referring to them in a derogatory manor. A verse from his hit song “Young, Wild & Free” reads “So what we get drunk? So what we smoke weed? Were just having fun, we don’t care who sees.” Another famous song of his, “Molly”, is all about the drug ecstasy. These songs are played on the radio for people of all ages to hear. Teenagers and even younger children listen to Wiz Khalifa’s music and hear all the explicit lyrics. I think that teens and young adults are attracted to artists like Khalifa because they feel “cool” and rebellious. They know that everything he raps about is either illegal or immoral and that excites them in some way. They like the fact that adults do not like his music so maybe they listen to his music as an escape from authority and the commands of their elders. The fans that listen to his music but do not do drugs or drink alcohol may do so because they want people to think that they engage in these behaviors. Those fans that do use drugs and drink listen to him because they feel that they can relate to his lifestyle and lyrics. Just as some feel a connection or relation to love songs, his fans feel a connection to his raps and his partier/stoner lifestyle.
1) As a child, you are much more likely to see the good in all people, and you are much more likely to see what you want to see as opposed to what is really there. When you wake up from this ignorant bliss that is childhood innocence, you realize that the world is not all good like you first believed. About two weeks before I turned sixteen, my dad told my sister and me that he wanted to speak with us. We sat down, and he proceeded to tell us that he was moving out and going to divorce our mother. Many children whose parents got divorced can see the divide between the parents leading up to the actual separation. Many times they see through the fights that their parents have. My family was different. There was never any fighting. So here, on one June day, my life changed completely out of the blue. I realized that the perfect family I always saw us as was actually an illusion that I had dreamt up, and I realized that my parents were not the soulmates that I thought they were.
Having something like this happen to you is really like waking up from a dream. After my dad moved out, my sister left a couple weeks later for college, so in a matter of two months the people living in my house went from four to two. Because my mother had also been blindsided by the separation, I felt as if I had to take care of her to help lighten her burden, and to do something to ease the pain that she felt. I began to do all of our grocery shopping, running errands, cleaning the house, and taking care of whatever I thought she needed from me.
That summer I lost my innocence because the person I was before I found out is a completely different person than who I am after. I can no longer be that carefree, one hundred percent believer in true love that I used to be. I became more of an adult, as I wanted to take care of my mother, rather than allow her to take care of me. And while losing this childhood innocence was incredibly difficult, and still is sometimes, I know I am a stronger person for having experienced this pain and heartbreak in my family. While reality is much more difficult than we anticipate as children, one thing I have learned is that all wounds will eventually heal if you let them, and sometimes wounds are necessary to find happiness again.
2. All too often I get lost in the hustle and bustle of life and lose sight of some of the most important things in life. Instead of worrying about those truly in need of both my spiritual and physical support I am fixated on grades, prom dates, or the nearing graduation. In moments when I feel overburdened and stressed I fail to remember the burden Jesus carried on his way to Golgotha or the problems facing many throughout the world. It has become all too easy for me to become solely focused on me and simply silence and ignore the rest of the world continuing to turn around me. So how is one supposed to break from this cycle of looking in on only himself or herself and branch out to see all that happens in the world? It is in continuing to strengthen my faith that I remember to take the time to stop and look at the world around me. My faith is measured marginally by attending Mass on Sunday mornings. Of the 168 hours in a week, I should always be able to find the time to sacrifice one hour to support my faith. At Mass I am forced to forget all of the petty drama, put on pause all of the impending assignments, and silence the noises from the world that distract and overwhelm every day. It is in taking that hour away from the secularized world and retreating to my faith that I feel at peace. Before Mass there is silence in the Church. How often do we encounter that simple silence in the everyday? It is in that silence that I am able to think and open my mind to the possibilities that God has laid before me. Taking this time to silence the world around you, whether it be for faith or not, is pivotal to thinking about the choices you have made and what effect they have had. Am I proud of what I have done and what I plan to do? In silence and prayer, I am able to delve into my own spiritual journey and what my morals and values have become. In Mass, I am also reminded of Christ’s sacrifice in the Eucharist. Would I be willing to give up my life for my friend? We live in a power-hungry, self-centered, and greedy society that has started to lose the values of selflessness, charity, and sacrifice. That weekly reminder in the consecration, though small and seemingly insignificant to some, helps me to continue to grow as a person of faith and not be sucked into the ever-growing faithless and moral-less society that is evolving. There is also the list of intentions offered for prayer at each Mass. There are so many people in need of my love, prayer, and support. I cannot forget about those people, yet sometimes we, as a society, get caught up in the problems that only directly affect us and forgot about everyone else. Where are the charity, compassion, and forgiveness that have been pillars of morality for hundreds of years? It is through my faith, namely attending Mass, that I am reminded of the importance of maintaining my morals and values and looking at the world from more than just one angle and perspective but rather seeing all that happens around me. My faith helps open my eyes to the ever dwindling loss of religion and certain values in our world so I will use that faith to help keep me focused on more than just me and do my part to help those I can.
I consider one of my favorite bands, All Time Low, to be a musical group whose songs promote meaningful thoughts and messages. Although every single one of their songs might not promote these thoughts and messages, I can certainly name a few that do. One of their older songs – I Feel Like Dancin’ – contains the lyrics “It doesn’t matter where, I don’t care if people stare, because I feel like dancing tonight”. These lyrics encourage people to not care or worry about what others might think because the only approval you need is from yourself. Two of All Time Low’s newer songs – Kids in the Dark and Missing You – also promote meaningful thoughts and messages. The lyrics “We come together, state of the art, we’ll never surrender, the kids in the dark” portray the idea that the outcasts or the neglected children in society are not alone, and they should not surrender to anyone. Missing You is my personal favorite song by All Time Low because the entire song promotes meaningful thoughts and messages. It includes lyrics such as “I heard that you’ve been having some trouble finding your place in the world. I know how much that hurts, but if you need a friend, then please just say the word” and “Now don’t lose your fight, kid, it only takes a little push to pull on through, with so much left to do”. The first set of lyrics lets a listener know that they are not alone in the world, and that there are other people who felt just like them at one point. The second set of lyrics reminds a listener to keep going and to not give up no matter how hard life gets. Life can be rough at times, but you have so much to look forward to and things will get better.
2. In our hectic world the idea of faith and religion has been useless piece of paper, wrinkled up and tossed in the trash. Now a days people have come up with the motto, “Do whatever it takes” to get to the top of our man eat man food chain of an economy this country has. This means they don’t care what it takes to get rich and live a luxorious life. In this constant battle to riches people are stripped of their faith and morals of their religion. They try so hard to become the best person possible and make this great life when in reality they are doing the opposite by destroying themselves. I have never actually been to church, I am not particularly religious, but I do attend a catholic high school. As a catholic student I have learned morals and ways of life that I will always live by, things such as respect and compassion that others just don’t have. This is just a small way that in today’s world people cares more about paper with a value rather than respecting one another and being a decent human being. This is terrible because what really matters in a persons life is the legacy they have left for others to remember them by, not the money they’ve made in their years on earth. If I didn’t attend this catholic high school I think id be more like these people but instead I focus on the more important things in life.
One of the biggest turning points in my life was the year I went to camp as a Counselor in Training instead of a camper. Now, I know that this does not sound like a big deal, but to me it was. I had always gone to camp as a camper, not having to worry about anything and just enjoying my time there. However, this past summer, I was a counselor and things changed a lot. I was in a cabin with two other counselors and nine campers. My co-counselors and I were responsible for these kids and although I didn’t realize it at the time, it’s a big responsibility. The parents of these children expect me to take care of their kids for a couple of weeks. I dealt with a lot of crazy things this summer, too. I always looked up to my counselors as role models and older sisters, but I never truly understood the things they did until I was in their shoes. Some campers can just be downright unpleasant to deal with, and to be completely honest, I was probably one of those campers sometimes. I had a lot more authority this summer and I wasn’t really sure what to do with it. I was able to pass on my knowledge and skills to other young girls, just as my counselors did for me. This was one of the first times I felt like I moved from the world of childhood to the world of responsibility and adulthood.
I consider my faith to be a very integral part of my life. I was born and raised a Catholic. I have grown up in a family where going to church every Sunday is expected of everyone. I haven’t gone to Catholic school for my entire life, only the past four years, but I have gone to Sunday school every year since kindergarten. Almost everyone in my family participates in church ministry in some way as well. My grandmother is a Eucharistic minister and a catechist. My mother is a catechist, and my step dad is an usher. I have played many different roles. When I was in eighth grade I became a lector. In tenth grade I became an assistant teacher for religious education, and in eleventh grade I became a cantor. So the life of the church has been a big part of my life. My faith has also been something on which I have always relied. Around my neck I always wear a cross my mother gave me. On the front is a set of footprints, and on the back is the last thought from the famous reflection “Footprints.” The reflection talks about how through the hard times in your life, God carries you through if you just have faith. That’s something that I have always kept close to me, and it has gotten me through a lot of rough patches. My faith has brought a lot of wonderful people into my life, including friends and adults who help to guide me. My faith is something that I hope to continue through college. I have already have a friend from my parish who is going to the same college as me, and we already talked about being each other’s “church buddies.” It’s something in my life that I don’t want to lose.
2. The rock and roll music of the seventies was full of bands moving away from gentle rock towards a harder rock that promoted immorality. The innocent songs gave way to albums full of songs with lyrics about sex and drugs. One of the most infamous bands for such lyrics was Van Halen, especially with lead singer David Lee Roth. The band has been criticized for only writing songs about sex and drugs across multiple albums. In various interviews, Roth said the inspiration for many of his songs comes from strippers, including his most famous songs “Jump” and “Panama.” The band members themselves, notably Roth, were known for their personal immorality and outrageous behavior. They drank excessively on most days, some even suffered from the effects of alcoholism later in life. The band trashed dressing rooms and hotel rooms when they went on tour. In general, the members lived without fear of consequences because they could buy their way out of their problems. There are believed to have hired someone whose job it was to specifically ensure that they did not misbehave in public or drive a car while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. David Lee Roth is especially known for his sexual promiscuousness. He is famously quoted saying, “I slept with every pretty girl with two legs in her pants.” There are also stories from other rock stars at the time who say he had bowls of cocaine that he would use all day if he wasn’t singing. This type of behavior made some of the fans of this band believe that they didn’t have to be responsible either. Van Halen essentially condoned being unaccountable for one’s actions while also promoting sex and drugs. People looked up to these kinds of rock bands, who epitomized a self-centered, pleasure seeking lifestyle.
3) Miley Cyrus is a prime example of an artist who promotes aberrant and immoral behavior for her followers. She parades around stage in skimpy outfits “twerking” all over the place and making a general fool of herself. She sings about sex and drugs and living in the moment, all while modeling terrible habits and behaviors. Sounds like the puritan's worst nightmare huh? She used to be a wholesome family oriented singer/actress, but now she managed to break free from those shackles. Like many child actors or actresses smothered by fame, once they get a chance to be “free” they act like spoiled children. One reckless decision after another leads to some very risky behavior and poor role modeling. “Why would someone like this attract a crowd or a following?” one might ask. The answer is simple though: It’s entertaining, it’s exciting, it’s almost like an adventure. Teens and young adults see her doing all sorts of crazy things and think that it’s funny or entertaining. They see her as a large social star or public figure and think to themselves, “If I act like her or follow her maybe I’ll be like her.” People want to be liked or known, and the quickest way to do that is to copy people who seem to have it all. Followers of an artist do just what their name implies, they “follow” the leader so to say. Thats what makes artists like Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber sought after. They have some sort of artistic talent that initially attracts viewers, but their actions make them bad role models. In the end artists like her only end up promoting bad habits and behaviors for the sake of being cool and young. Who doesn’t want to be cool and young?
2. Faith should be a very important part of every person’s life. I grew up in a Catholic household and have gone to Catholic school since I was five years old. Yet, for a long time I took my faith for granted. I attended mass almost every Sunday but I would not listen very closely and it always felt like a chore to me. I would just go to mass and sit there quietly to please my parents who dragged me out of the house every Sunday. However, as I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate my faith more and realize that it is something that is very important and necessary. I still attend Church regularly and I try to get something out of every mass that I go to. If I am unable to get to mass, I try to make sure that a say a few prayers instead. Praying silently and reflecting on other’s and my own experiences has helped me learn to slow down and realize what is important in life. My faith has helped me because it has made me realize that I do not have to go through things alone. It is comforting to know that God is there to help me through the tough times and this has made me a better person. My faith has helped me grow as a person. So many people could benefit from their faith if they would trust in God and realize they are not alone. The loss of faith that many people have today is because many people just see faith and an obligation rather than something positive that can benefit them. My faith has benefited me through my life so far and I realize that this will help me to become the best person that I can be.
Prompt 2.
I have been going to Catholic school my entire life. From the time I was about three years old I was brought up on the Catholic values introduced to me by my parents and continually drilled into my head by the sisters at mount aviat academy. I never went to church every week, but I still went a good number of weekends. When I got the high school I was confirm my freshman year and it was a decision that I felt like I was forced to me. I feel like many highschooler's are pressured into this decision even though there still a young age and not able to make the decision by their selves. When I got the high school I was confirm my freshman year and it was a decision that I felt like I was forced to me. I feel like many highschooler's are pressured into this decision even though there still a young age and not able to make the decision by their selves. Throughout high school my religious views and values have changed. I want used to believe all the messages and stories in miracles that we were told it happened in the Bible. Throughout high school my religious views and values have changed. I want used to believe all the messages and stories in miracles that we were told it happened in the Bible. I don't know when my mind changed on my views, but I no longer believe the Catholic ways. This doesn't mean I don't believe in God but I think some of the ideas are far-fetched. I believe personally that we should be the best people we can and as a Catholic religion does state follow the Golden rule treat others as you can treat yourself. This doesn't mean I don't believe in God but I think some of the ideas are far-fetched. I believe personally that we should be the best people we can and as a Catholic religion does state follow the Golden rule treat others as you can treat yourself I never really belong to any religious group besides my confirmation group, but I realize now that sometimes we are almost forced to conform into the religion we are brought up t I never really belong to any religious group besides my confirmation group, but I realize now that sometimes we are almost forced to conform into the religion we are brought up in. Although the Catholic religion does have many morals and values that I do support I just feel like there's more to the story and a lot of it was made up by profits trying to send a message. Although the Catholic religion does have many morals and values that I do support I just feel like there's more to the story and a lot of it was made up by prophets trying to send a message. This is my first real view into the real world. God is someone I believe in but not necessarily in the Catholic ways I've been brought up in. I believe the weather wi God is someone I believe in but not necessarily in the Catholic ways I've been brought up in. I believe The way to live for filling life is to be the best person you can be. Religion does not define who you are or are yo The way to live for filling life is to be the best person you can be. Religion does not define who you are or Who you can be. there are many ways to make a positive difference in the world the religion does not have to be a part of it. Striving to be kind and be the best person you can be is one way to live a great life. Not the only way, but it is what I believe personally after seeing the real world.
1. Most would say that childhood is the easiest time in a persons life. Your best friends are your parents, the most frightening thing is being in the dark, and a scrapped knee might be the worst pain you know. Life is simple, care-free, and for the most part, extremely happy. This makes adolescence a difficult transition and often times you have to learn the ropes of the real world through trying situations. The first viewing and funeral I attended was one of those extremely trying situations that made me lose a great deal of my innocence. I didn't know Alex Markward well, but he was the boyfriend of one of my closest friends. I was with her when she got the news that Alex had been killed in a serious car accident, and the reaction on her face was one that I will never forget. I stayed with her and her family over the course of the next few days and although I didn't know him well, seeing how upset she and her family were really got to me. When she asked if I would attend the viewing and funeral for support, I said "yes" without hesitation. I had never been to a funeral before, but I figured that since I didn't know Alex too well, I would be able to hold myself together and be there for all of those who were close to him. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After giving my condolences to his family, I walked up to the casket to pay my respects. Alex no longer looked like himself, but like a wax figure. In that moment I couldn't do anything but cry. Lying before me was a man just three years older than me in a perfectly pressed United States Air Force uniform. It was by far the hardest thing I had ever witnessed. As a child, you think that people don't die until they are old. Realizing that this was not true while looking down at a nineteen year old boy absolutely destroyed me. You hear stories on the news all the time of young people dying, but it doesn't feel real until it's someone you know. It's hard to lose your innocence and find out what the real world is like, but we all have to grow up sometime. It's part of life.
2) My faith life has become what I would consider the norm amongst the majority of people worldwide nowadays. I am a confirmed Roman Catholic, but I'm pretty bad at being one. I'm the type of Catholic who goes to Mass only on Easter and Christmas. But now that I think about it, I don't go then either because, you know, crowds (the horror). I don't read the Bible unless I have to for school and I'm not in any church youth groups. My participation in my faith has diminished tremendously throughout my life. I think my cousin, who is also my godmother, blames herself, but I don't think she should. I for one do not believe I am a bad person because I am not the pinnacle of Catholicism. I might not participate in the community aspect of the Catholic Church, but I personally like that. I would much rather have a private relationship with God than myself in my parish with God. I pray alone, and I know a fair amount of "religious trivia", if you will, from 14 years of Catholic education. My pen pal is a devout Christian. Every letter I receive from her has a scripture verse and she always tells me that she is praying for me. I feel bad for finding her talk of Jesus so awkward and forced, but I still appreciate people like her even if I am not like her in the least. I know I'm not the best Catholic in the world and I'm certainly not the best person, but there is so much more that matters in a person besides religion.
Growing up we are taught the golden rule as early as our kindergarten years: “Treat people the way you would like to be treated.” We have it displayed in our classrooms, our agendas, even on stickers, but what does this saying really teach us at such a young age? As a child, we all simply thought “oh easy! I’ll just share my crayons with so and so and I’ll be set.” But as we got older, and reality set in, we realized that no matter how nice or good you treat someone, there is no guarantee that the kindness or treatment you deserve will be returned. You could go into a job interview, completely blow the people away, get the job and remain loyal to the company for years, but when the time comes to choose between you or the gorgeous inexperienced employee, there is no guarantee that your loyalty to the company will even come up into consideration. That’s life I guess, losing innocent thoughts of your childhood and getting slapped with a load of reality. Realizing that although treating people the way you would like to be treated is a great way to live your life, not everyone seems to care or think so. So for those individuals, who don’t seem to care much about following such a saying, just know that you are the reason for the loss of childhood innocence.
In the summer of 2013, right after the end of sophomore year, my friends and I decided to go to Firefly Music Festival. We had already attended a few concerts throughout the past year and were hooked. We thought that the chance to see some of our favorite bands—Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, Foster the People—all at one venue just a short ride from our houses was just too good a chance to pass up. Of course, we all expected Firefly to be a little crazy. But being the young naïve Catholic schoolgirl I was, who knows what I really had expected. The first two concerts we went to were relatively calm because the bands were less well-known. However, for our third concert, we decided to wait so that we could get really close to the stage. By the time the concert actually started, we were up close but packed so tight with everyone else that we could barely move. Let me tell you the truth. In movies and on TV, crowd-surfing seems like a great idea. In real life, for the first time, it was mildly terrifying. I saw a girl get thrown onto the gravel. Every time I saw people around me flinch or look behind them, I would swing around with my hands up, ready to push the next person away from me. And I cannot pretend that the sight of a grown man being pushed through the air haphazardly toward the spot I was standing was fun. This is probably due to the fact that the upper arm strength I possess is seriously lacking. After we decided that we needed a break from the pushing, the shoving, and the people falling on your heads, we started to make our way through the crowd of thousands and thousands of packed people. In the process, we lost my one friend. And in the masses of people, where your cell service next to never works, I like to say now that it was like losing my child in a supermarket times a thousand. So when people ask me what Firefly is like, I always say that it is an experience. It is not for everyone, but I sure would not have missed it for the world.
All of my life i have been raised to believe in God and follow catholicism until the past couple of years. They would always say "its your choice believe what you want" then drag me to church every sunday. I think my parents understood that i didn't believe a word that was coming out of the church and didn't want to wake up and listen every sunday. Every theology class i have taken in school has made me believe and want to be faithful less and less, it annoyed me. If i had been able to search on my own and formulate my own views instead of the church throwing it in my face, i could have turned out differently.Not that i am unhappy with the way i turned out, i just don't think i was given a fair chance to choose is all. I am one who bases his thinking on fact and i understand the entire premise of religion is faith but i refuse to place faith in something that i have no proof of. I have even had the near death experience and i saw no light, i felt no angel save me. I was lucky. I place much more faith in the fact that our world was started by something scientific rather than spiritual. The Bible was written by men and say that God made our world, but what about our solar system? What about the billions of other solar systems? Does God control each of those as well or just focus on us? I have too many questions that can be answered by the same couple of phrases like you have to have faith or god can do anything. That sounds like a cop out for the things people do not have the answer for. In the end, i feel like going to Sunday school and catholic school for high school has actually driven me away from catholicism and God. I more i read and learn, the less i believe. For those who have something to believe in, i am envious. I wish my faith was not tainted by doubt and disbelief but thats the way the cookie crumbles.
Driving a car was always something that I took for granted as a child. I could sit in the back, tuned into my Walkman or iPod, and stare out the window with my thoughts wandering. I always felt safe, knowing that control of the car was out of my hands, and I always had blind trust that the driver of the car would take me safely to where I needed to go. It was not until I turned sixteen and received my driver’s license that I fully realized all of the responsibilities that come with driving a car. No longer could I doze off and daydream in the back seat, eating and passing time on my phone. Now I had to check the mirrors, watch my spacing, and anticipate what other cars would do. On top of that, I had to make sure that any passengers in my car wore their seatbelts, that they were not too distracting, and that my music was not too loud. I also had to pay attention to road names and locations for the first time, and I realized that knowing how to drive is not very useful if you don’t know where to drive.
Learning how to drive and receiving a license were clear wake-up calls from childhood innocence to adulthood. At first, I did not want to drive. I wanted to cling to my childlike state of no responsibilities and worries while I was in the car. Having a license meant that I would now have to transport myself to places. While this brought an exciting sense of independence, it also brought a wave of nervousness. I was exposed to the terrifying reality that whenever I drove, I had my life and the lives of those around me under my control. Receiving my license was an event that forced me to leave behind my childhood innocence and assume responsibilities, and although I have gotten used to driving and have come to enjoy it, I still miss the days when I could sit in the back of the car and stare out the window with my music blasting.
4 Connie’s sister was only a few years older than her but Connie considered her life to be boring because she had become a hopeless old maid that was fat, ugly, and would never get married. As women get older, the question about when they are getting married is asked quite often. The Friends actress, Jennifer Aniston, got married to Brad Pitt while still on the show. One year after the show finished airing, there were speculations that Brad had cheated on her with Angelina Jolie and they got divorced. Only being married for five years, people speculated that she would be able to find someone new in no time because she was gorgeous and an all around great person. Instead of letting this minor set back ruin everything she had worked hard for, Aniston focused on her career and less on her personal life. Aniston has been in many number one box office movies since such as He’s just not that into you, Marley&Me, Horrible Bosses, and We’re the Millers. Throughout the years, Aniston does not look like she has aged much from her days on her hit TV series compared to some of her other co-stars. The whole world speculated each time she had a new boyfriend questioning if she was finally going to get married and each time it didn’t work out there would be an article about it in People magazine. Jennifer Aniston never let any of these breakups hold her back from pursuing her career and now in her forties she most definitely isn’t considered an old maid. Finally, in 2012 she met her now fiancé, Justin Theroux, who she has been engaged to since 2013. Jennifer Aniston is not concerned at all with getting married right away and will some day in the future fulfill her romantic dreams of being a wife again. For now, they are more concerned with their careers and just being in each other’s lives. Jennifer Aniston does not care what anyone thinks, has her own style, and isn’t afraid of aging and I think that she is one of the women that has resisted the “old maid” stereotype.
Prompt #1
I believe that the day I lost a good portion of my childhood innocence was the day I began high school sports. Sure little league baseball was fun and CYM wrestling was enjoyable too as the coaches used more of a relaxed attitude and their main goal was for you to enjoy the sport. Even middle school sports were relaxed and meant for you to have a good time. There was no weekend practices or games and there wasn't even playoffs. So in the scheme of things did your team’s end result really mean anything? High School sports are a whole other breed. They include offseason mandatory workouts, coaches giving you workouts and meal plans for home, and who are constantly in contact with you. Not to mention that during the season your entire social life is stolen from you. Especially in high school wrestling where every weekend I was traveling to tournaments hours and hours away from Delaware. Coaches yell and scream and you are considered dead to some coaches for missing even one practice. These coaches want to succeed. They want to win. But then again who doesn’t. They want to win and they are going to do everything in their power to help you or the team become winners. Yeah, the coaches may be hard on you at times and the sport and its practices may take its toll on you but in the end they are ultimately teaching you how to succeed in life. The real world isn't all sunshine and rainbows, its a mean nasty place and it will beat you down if you let it (one of my favorite Rocky Balboa quotes). These coaches and sports are teaching you that you must endure the pain, sacrifice, and long hours to achieve your goals whatever they may be. Sure, the inner child in me wants to think that my future will be all fun and games and relaxing but I know better than that now. I know it will not be an easy road. I’ve said a thousand times that I wish I’d never wrestled but in the end I am proud to have been a wrestler and participated in the sport, because I will carry lessons learned from it with me for the rest of my life. And those lessons will serve me well in the real world and enable me to succeed as I manage my way through the obstacles of everyday life.
While going through the motions of life we all encounter difficult situations and trying times. But as a child your view of the world is pretty much what meets the eye. Children aren't able to fully grasp intense and emotional situation. But as a child grows they encounter new situations that shape who they are as a person. A time when I felt as if I lost a bit of my innocence was when my grandmother passed away. I was in fifth grade, which I still consider to be young. Before this I had never really had to deal with the idea of death. I had to be strong for those around me especially my parents and siblings. We were all so close to her and her death still leaves an empty place in my heart. My brother is now 27 and has always been sort of the rock for my sister and I when things get tough. The day of the funeral I watched him cry, and this was something I had never seen before. In that moment I knew I had to gather whatever strength I had left and be there for him. Life is so fragile and can be taken at anytime and this was a major lesson I took away from that situation. We are gradually exposed to more and more of the world and more of the negative things it has to offer. While death is my primary example, the four years of high school can also be added to the list of a time when innocence is lost. High school is a time for new experiences and finding what you are truly passionate about. But personally, high school has been an eye opening experience. You meet people you never thought you would have and deal with increasingly difficult situations. You acquire a new sense of freedom and are expected to do things on your own. You have to learn how to balance all different activities and school work and this is also something that requires a little bit more maturity and growing up.
2. My generation has been raised to question. We have been taught to value individualism in our Western society. This value has fostered new ideas and beliefs starting from the young people of America. As an extremely inquiring and curious person, I raise a lot of questions in simple everyday life. Although teachers may not appreciate me scrutinizing their lessons, I feel it’s best to know as much as you can about something before you believe it. Because of this questioning nature, I feel many young people have begun to question their religion. Why are here? Is there a God? Why do bad things happen to good people? All these questions go unresolved, which is something we don’t understand since we’re so used to demanding answers. Being raised as a Presbyterian, and attending a Catholic school has raised many questions about religion in my personal life. When I first attended Catholic school I thought it was great. All my friends were Catholic and I felt like I was finally fitting in. At one point I even considered being Confirmed in the Catholic church and converting. However, as I aged I learned more about the religion and my personal faith. To me God is a personal friend and father deserving of our thanksgiving, praise, and love. I look to God for guidance in all aspects of my life. Whether there is a serious issue I need help with or simply a prayer before a big game I feel as though God always listens. Like most young people I have questioned the structured mass and adoration of Catholicism. I feel as though God understands how we each personally chose to worship. For me, it’s a private daily prayer and constant knowledge of his presence. I do not believe that God is offended that I do attend a structured service where I would simply be stating lines which I am required to memorize. Like many aspects of my life, my faith is very personal and unique to me. I fully support everyone’s personal faiths and feel as though they should have the right to worship in whatever way they please.
1.Growing up, I was blind to the harsh realities of the adult world, believing that nothing wrong could ever happen to me or my family. Maybe it was just that I didn't want to think that anything bad could ever happen, but either way, I would always drive negative thoughts out of my head, doubting the possibility of them ever becoming actuality. It wasn't until one of my good friend's parents got a divorce that the thought of my own parents separating crossed my mind, and even then I quickly brushed off the idea. Living in the same house for sixteen years and overall having a relatively routine life got me pretty accustomed to tradition and left me unfamiliar with change as a child. This is what made the news of my parents’ divorce so shocking for me. My parents were high school sweethearts, and never once did they yell or fight in front of me. It seemed surreal when they sat me down and explained to me that they no longer shared the bond that they once had, and that they were soon going to separate. From this moment forward, my life changed in an abundance of ways, most importantly in how I’d no longer have the luxury of seeing both parents every day, but would rather have to travel back and forth between houses. My sister was midway through her freshman year of college, leaving me to deal with this situation at home seemingly by myself. This traumatic experience was augmented by the transition of high school and the overload of change that was happening right before my eyes. The house I once loved and felt most content in began to seem foreign and corrupt, and I soon moved out of it. Moving away from this house felt like leaving behind the memories and traditions that my family had made and developed. It marked the inauguration of a more independent lifestyle for myself accompanied by many more responsibilities and obstacles to face. It showed me that bad things could really happen to me, but also that things will always work out in the end. I have come to realize that change is not always bad and that this experience has also changed me for the better, making me a stronger person and more adept in the real world. Although it took away a little of my childhood innocence, everyone must undergo some experience at some point that opens their eyes to the realities of life and prepares them for it, and mine just so happened to be the divorce of my parents.
When I was growing up one of the things I remember most was the music my mom played in the car. It would range from Pink Floyd to Coldplay to The Police. I really enjoyed all the music she played. One that always stuck out to me was John Mayer. Over the years John Mayer has released very touching songs, many that I affiliate with fond memories. One of his famous songs is “Waiting On the World to Change.” It makes you think that somethings in life just aren’t gonna change on their own. We have to be the ones to initiate the difference we want to see. The world won’t become a better place if we just sit back and hope for someone else to take charge. It makes me think about trying to make an impact on someone’s life. Even if that is just holding the door or giving a stranger a smile. Sometimes it’s the little things that could help another person’s day. Like “Waiting on the World to Change”, “Vultures” is about standing out and making a difference. When the world tries to bring you down, how will you react? It’s about overcoming the obstacles and never giving up. I feel like John Mayer’s music is underrated because he truly does have great songs. Along with the inspirational lyrics Mayer also has made many beautiful love songs. They’re quite touching and I never get sick of listening to his music.
As I sit in my room tonight with Bob Dylan’s distinctive wail blaring from my sub-par computer speakers, I listen closely for the characteristics that make Dylan the iconic musician that he is. “There's a battle outside, and it is ragin'. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls, for the times they are a-changin',” comes Dylan’s “sand and glue” voice; and I realize that there is one band that has stood out to me as having similar qualities to the trailblazing depth that Dylan’s lyrics contain. Zoom out from Bob Dylan on the music spectrum, sail far, far away to the complete other end, and zoom back in: here, we find Twenty One Pilots. This modern, somewhat dark, and sometimes harsh duo of rappers, as un-Annie like as they may seem at first glance, have become one of my favorite bands. Growing up as a innocent Catholic school girl has not often lead me to liking the rap genre of music, but Twenty One Pilots caught my attention not for the music, but for the themes which their songs contain. Dylan’s aforementioned lyrics demonstrate the fact that his songs contained deeper and darker underlying meanings. As a new concept to the generation unto which his music was born, his songs resonated among the audience, and thus, he is now a well-known historical figure. Ever since Twenty One Pilots made an appearance, more and more people are becoming fascinated with their harsh-sounding tunes for one reason: their lyrics make tangible, and even personify, some thoughts that most people in the modern age tend to keep to themselves, and they make these dark thoughts into catchy melodies. This style of writing is unparalleled to me; Twenty One Pilots has taken the darker thoughts that cross everyone’s mind, thoughts which are often Taboo to discuss, and placed them into harmless songs. I find their music comforting, as do many teenagers that have experienced the confusion that is often mentioned in the lyrics. “Am I the only one I know,” the lead singer pleads, “waging my war behind my face and above my throat? Shadows may scream that I’m alone, but I know we’ve made it this far.” Bob Dylan’s aforementioned lyrics are quite nearly a reply to this question, or a gentle reassurance. Like Bob Dylan, Twenty One Pilots hides their deeper meanings behind metaphors, a technique which drew an audience of those who are discovering the deeper, darker themes that come with growing up.
Growing up, for as long as I can remember, my parents took my 3 siblings and me to church every Sunday morning. My mom would teach me my prayers before bed and I went to bible school once a week up until the 5th grade. I guess you could say that my parents were pretty religious people. Now, with so much going on in our lives, it isn’t always possible for us to all go to church together every Sunday. Nevertheless, each of us still makes it a priority to attend mass every Saturday or Sunday, even if it’s not together. Going to church has become like second nature to me. I just know that whatever I have going on, I still need to make time to go to church. It is important for me to make time for God because I feel like my faith grounds me. My favorite saying is, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” –Matthew 7:7. This bible verse is something I strongly believe in. Although faith is not something you can see, I believe in the power of prayer and that God will answer your prayers if you open up to Him and ask. No matter what my worries may be, I find comfort in talking to God. Prayer has helped me through things like my college decision process, which I was terribly afraid of because I don’t know what the future holds. I do believe that with my faith, God will steer me in the right direction and I will be okay. My faith has helped me through the hardest times and I have seen how it has benefitted others. When someone hears that they are in your prayers, his or her spirits may be lifted and I have seen this play out in Billy Phillips. I believe faith and the prayers and support Billy is receiving from the community is helping him through his battle with cancer. Faith is a powerful thing and I am grateful for my parents for teaching me the importance of faith with God and sending me to a Catholic school so I can continue my faith journey.
1. Fall from innocence into experience
Luckily for me, one of my falls from innocence was not a traumatic life experience as per say, but a series of stories told to me by my parents as I grew older and hopefully a little more mature. Like most American children who were born from immigrant parents, their past seemed very far away and perhaps irrelevant to modern American life. After all, why worry about what you ran away from? One day, my parents asked me if I wanted to know a little about my family’s past. As an eager armchair historian, I responded “yes.” Previously, they only responded with a vague “I’ll tell you when you’re ready,” or a “the communists chased us out.” Finally, they told me the stories of my people from the greater people of China and Southeast Asia in the twentieth century to their own experiences with the history. The kind happy people I knew suddenly transformed to a bittersweet expression over the dislike of the past plagues upon China. They told me about the Japanese assault on Northern China and the Rape of Nanking (which my family were fortunately absent from, as they lived in the southern provinces). I found it strange and mildly frightening to see their disgust on their faces as they talked about the Japanese soldiers and Imperial government switch from their admiration of the modern Japanese people. They told me how Mao’s troops decimation of the “old ways.” Family records were systematically destroyed to create a new family in the State. To this day none of my family members knew my ancestors past my great grandparents. They told me of the fall of Saigon to the Vietcong and the helilift of American troops in Vietnam. They told me the rags to “riches” story of my grandparents in the United States. Life was no longer crystal clear. Good guys weren’t as good anymore and bad guys weren't as bad. The world was not a safe place. I realized that in a way I owe my existence thanks to the destruction of the past. However, I also learned that every problem must be overcome for the generations that followed. If they didn't lose hope facing death, why should I lose hope over a simple test?
2) I was born into a Catholic family and have been raised in that faith since I was born. I’ve also gone to Catholic schools my entire life. Being raised in the Catholic faith, it just seems normal to go along with the beliefs that your parents tell you even if you don’t fully understand them to believe in them yourself. Faith is something that has been pushed in my face by my schools and my parents ever since I was little. So as I’ve grown older I’ve begun to challenge and question my faith more. One of the things that has annoyed me ever since I was little was feeling pressured/forced to go to Church. I never really liked going to Church because I felt like it wasn’t geared toward me. I couldn’t relate what they were saying to my own life as most of the time they are geared towards the adults and to be completely honest I was bored for most of the time. My family doesn’t go to Church as often as we used to anymore since events and other commitments have seemed to get in the way. When my family does decide to drag me to Church I get upset. It’s not because I don’t believe in God or because I don’t like my faith, it’s because at this point I can’t see my faith clearly and forcing me to do something doesn’t help me figure out what my faith actually means to me. Faith is something that changes throughout people’s lifetime. As we enter each chapter of our lives our faith changes too whether it’s in a small way or a drastic way depends on each individual. At this point in my life as one chapter is ending and another is beginning my faith is mixed. I know for a fact that they one thing that will always stay with me from my faith no matter what is that I believe in God and I believe that he will always be there for me. I don’t regret being raised the way I was because I like that I’ve always had something to believe in no matter how hectic my life becomes. I just wish that people would understand that faith isn’t the same for everyone even if you share the same religion.
Prompt 1.
When I was younger, it was easy for me to place my trust in everyone and everything— especially adults. I felt that being an adult meant that you could do no wrong. I probably felt this way because the adults in my life (like my mother, father, and older siblings) were such good role-models. These adults in my life raised me to be respectful of other adults and to be obedient because the adult always knows best. In cases with the adults in my family, this statement was always true. The adults in my life would always act responsibly and would never do anything that might hurt me or jeopardize our relationship. The problem with all of this is that I began to generalize these characteristics to all grownups in the world. This view all changed when my sister began dating a guy named Daniel after she graduated from college. At first, Daniel was great. When my sister brought him over to our house, everyone really loved him— especially me. I was about ten years old at the time and I really liked Daniel because he was nice to me, he played with me, and he he always brought me candy whenever he saw me. He also made my sister very happy. In my mind, he was another adult that could do no wrong. I trusted him not only with my sister's happiness, but with mine. But my opinion of Daniel changed the day that I overheard the reason for why he and my sister had broken up. He cheated on my sister. When I overheard my sister talking to my mom about it over the phone, I was stunned. At that point in my life I had never heard such pain and despair in my sister's voice before. If Daniel hurt her, then he hurt me too. How could someone so sweet and nice, cause so much chaos in the hearts of others? From here, it became obvious that some adults are simply not worthy of my respect,obedience, and trust. It was this experience that taught me an important lesson about the real world: never be too quick to put your faith in another human being.
2. Faith is a very important aspect of life. Faith in a particular religion has the purpose of keeping us grounded and humble through successes and failures. I have attended Catholic school ever since kindergarten. My mom would make me attend church every Sunday, regardless of how tired and unwilling I was. We were regulars at the St. John the Beloved parish. The priests and members of the congregation recognized us and knew us well. Somewhere along the way we lost touch. As my sister and I moved on to St. Mark’s, the last in my family to graduate from St. John’s, we began to loose contact with old friends and our faith. No longer was there this social need to go to church. We may see those people once a year now. Therefore, on those Sundays when we are tired and unwilling, nothing restrains us from hitting the snooze button and sleeping right through Mass. I do believe that religion and otherwise faith are very important to not only have, but also practice. Although it is my choice to skip Mass every Sunday, I do feel regret and sorrowful each time that I do. However, there is a larger problem that I must address before I go back to Mass. I am strong believer in that participation in mass is essential to fulfilling one’s Sunday obligation. Just showing up and sitting mindlessly through the 45-minute production cannot be acceptable, although, this is exactly what I do. Despite my best efforts to pay attention, I find myself loosing interest before the First Reading, and looking forward to the Sign of Peace because it is a rare moment when very brief conversing is condoned. I believe that involvement in the service to at least the extant of listening and processing the words being spoken is vital. Simply getting dressed up (Which, believe it or not, many people don’t even bother doing anymore) and relaxing on a bench for an hour just to solidify your social reputation as a “Person of Faith” does not cut it in my opinion. Instead, I find in necessary to figure out what I actually believe, and decide how I can further my involvement in my faith instead of posing as a “Holy churchgoer” for past friends and ancient middle school teachers.
Whenever I used to watch the local news I never really take it seriously. I usually just watched and listen to the stories and then think to myself “huh, that could never ever happen to me”. I always felt like the just news reported the same old stories over and over again. Everyday there’s always a story about a person getting shot, everyday there’s a story about a random house fire, and everyday there’s some story about how bad the government is. Day after day the same old blah “news stuff”. However, this past December all of that changed for me. I had just returned from an agonizing day at school and I was in a crappy mood. My crappy mood changed when my mom called me into the kitchen and broke some important news to me. She told me that my twenty-three year old cousin had been shot the night before and that he was now dead. I couldn’t believe it. It just didn’t feel like real life to me. It was like I was just watching the news but now the news was actually my own real life. It’s something that I couldn’t ever imagine happening to anyone in my life. I thought of my cousin. I thought of his parents, who loved him so much and how they would never ever get to see him again. I thought of his siblings, his sisters who had been so close to him and how they must have felt. I thought of his two year old daughter, and how she would never get to see her daddy ever again. The whole story just broke my heart. I wasn’t actually able to go to the funeral out in California and its okay because I don't think I would have been able to handle it. The death of my cousin helped me realize that all these local news stories are real. It helped me come to understand that I need to grow up and realize that life is actually really serious, that could all be taken away in a second.
Throughout my childhood, I would say that I was a very innocent child. I went to Christian school up until eighth grade and then I came to St. Marks. To say that I lived a sheltered life was probably an accurate statement. It may seem a bit naive but for some reason I always believed that good things happened to good people and bad things happened to bad people. But it took one bad event for me to change my entire view of how the world works. In the winter of my junior year, I found out that my grandmother had a brain tumor. The initial news came as a complete shock to me and my family, but I believed that she could pull through anything. My grandmother was probably one of the most religious people I had ever met and I believed that because she had a strong foundation in the Church that she would be okay. Well, two months after her surgery she passed away. She was the first person that I was ever extremely close with that had died. From that point on, I think that I began to look at the world a bit differently. Good things don't always happen to good people. And after the death of my grandmother, it seemed like everything was just going wrong. I began to doubt everything that I had been taught from a young age. My faith was tested tremendously. It was very difficult for me to try and accept the fact that a God who loves me could do something like this. It took a very terrible event in my life to change my view of the world. From this point on it was as if I was no longer a kid. I had to deal with many new things that I had never thought of dealing with. But through this tragic event, I began to see growth in myself. In this past year, I have grown mentally and spiritually and I think that it has made me a better person. I would still like to believe that good things happen to good people, but unfortunately the world doesn't always work like that.
Throughout my childhood, I would say that I was a very innocent child. I went to Christian school up until eighth grade and then I came to St. Marks. To say that I lived a sheltered life was probably an accurate statement. It may seem a bit naive but for some reason I always believed that good things happened to good people and bad things happened to bad people. But it took one bad event for me to change my entire view of how the world works. In the winter of my junior year, I found out that my grandmother had a brain tumor. The initial news came as a complete shock to me and my family, but I believed that she could pull through anything. My grandmother was probably one of the most religious people I had ever met and I believed that because she had a strong foundation in the Church that she would be okay. Well, two months after her surgery she passed away. She was the first person that I was ever extremely close with that had died. From that point on, I think that I began to look at the world a bit differently. Good things don't always happen to good people. And after the death of my grandmother, it seemed like everything was just going wrong. I began to doubt everything that I knew including my religion. I had a sense of doubt about everything. It took this sad event to change my view of everything. I wish I could still believe in the innocence of this world. Good things don't always happen to good people and bad things don't always happen to bad people, but unfortunately that's just the way that life works some times.
I was originally baptized in the Presbyterian church when I was a baby. Since I was baby it was my parents choice and there was not much I could do about it. As I grew up my family continued to go to the Presbyterian church where I was baptized at because that was where my grandparents went. We were pretty good about going to church every Sunday, but when we got a new pastor the church really went down hill. So when I was twelve we switched churches and began going to Ogletown Baptist and have been going there ever since. We now go to church almost every Sunday because we like our pastor so much. He is a young southern man with two kids and a nice wife and makes the Sunday services very fun. We have a very young congregation and have around thirty college kids come every Sunday because we are so close to UD. My faith has evolved over time from doing it because my parents wanted me to, to it becoming very personal. I would say I have a close relationship with God and I pray every day. My faith has helped me stay grounded and keep my morals in check and I would not be who I am right now with out it.
We live the lives of “Holiday” Christians. Every Christmas and Easter my family and I are most likely to be the people that steal your usual spot at Mass. However, just because we don’t go to mass doesn’t mean we aren’t religious. My mother grew up in a giant Irish Catholic family- my great grandmother had nine children. Every Sunday until my great grandfather died all one hundred of us- probably even more than that- would go to mass and then meet at their house later on to pray together. Packed living rooms and God were actually pretty normal in the Bacon-McHugh family. Time changes all, unfortunately, and as the family kept growing it was just getting too hard for us all to fix our schedules by the end of the week. So by the time Grandpop Bacon passed, the family was just too busy to pray. We still get together, of course, but rarely for a religious reason. Each brother and sister of the original nine keep the faith alive in their own way. My great aunts- all of whom went to Saint Mark’s- now have children either attending Catholic school or going to be. Every family party seems to invite God in as we pray just before eating together like we did years ago. My immediate family shares this same faith and belief towards God but unfortunately we always seem to have trouble fixing our schedule every Sunday. If we tried we probably could, but I think the effect gets lost when you sit on those wooden benches for an hour. I live in a big family, and really the most religious times are when we get together to pray as one.
One musical artist that spread meaningful ideas through his work is Lupe Fiasco. He is a rapper/ hip-hop artist. He is also a Muslim. While he has a lot of more simple songs quite a few of his most popular works deal with issues like social mobility in our current society, the influence of government on our daily lives, political issues, and general anti-war messages. In what is likely the song he is most famous for “Words I Never Said”, Lupe talks about many of these issues. The opening line of this song is “I really think the war on terror is a bunch of bull****. Just a bad excuse for you to use up all your bullets.” However, this isn't him supporting the terrorists. In another line he criticizes the terrorists calling them fake muslims who try to justify their actions in the name of religion. Another line in this song has him stating that for there to be change in the world we have to be that change ourselves,and that we should not complain about things that we aren't willing to work towards changing ourselves. what is also a popular song by him “Little Weapon” he talks about how kids can become killers whether it is as child soldiers or thugs in a gang. He describes the circumstances that may lead to a child becoming a killer, and how it perpetuates a cycle of violence. These ideas may not be really new, but they are still quite meaningful. One cannot say that there are no longer artists that do not promote good messages with their music. One only needs to look a little to find such artists.
The term “faith life” can vary in meaning from person to person. Some could explain their lengthy lists of doctrine practices or habitual prayer rituals. Others may simply say that they practice their faith occasionally or maybe never. I believe that I fall in between these two types of people. I attend church every weekend, sometimes because my parents make me, but mostly because I want to attend. I pray and give thanks often. I would not say that I read scripture every day or have an allotted time specifically for God, but I do make sure I somehow practice my faith daily. I strongly believe in the morals and values of the Catholic faith especially practicing charity and selflessness. I think that I practice much of my faith through service to others. Service allows me to share my faith and also strengthen it by showing others Jesus’ teachings. If I have a desire to be like Jesus and to be selfless when I am put in a situation that involves helping others, I will have a stronger connection to God. My faith will grow spiritually if I show compassion and generosity to others in need. If I put others before myself, it will be easier to put God before other things. Even though I will not be able to emulate exactly what Jesus did, if I try my best to help out others in my own special ways, it will make a difference. In society today, there are many temptations and situations which can lead me away from God. There are many times in life when I may question God or blame him for deaths or other tragic occurrences. These situations can act as barriers to a good relationship with God, resulting in a weak connection to God’s love for me. God’s love is unconditional and it will comfort me in hard times. As I am going through high school, God’s love is especially important to me because of the many challenges. I know my connection to God will be tested at times, but I plan to never lose my faith as it is a crucial element of my life and will continue to be.
When I was twelve, my grandfather (on my fathers side) died. Everyone in my family knew his death was near because he had lung cancer and the final stages of his life were deteriorating. Since he was in Korea, my parents left to Korea for a month and stayed by his side and after his death, prepared his funeral. I was left with my grandparents (my mother’s side) in Pennsylvania. Around this time, my little brother was two and he was still at the age where he needed to get his diaper changed and needed my mother by his side. Unfortunately, my brother was not comfortable with my grandparents so he was always stuck to me. In the middle of the night, he woke up several times crying. He started to sleep with me because he needed my comfort. I would wake up in the middle of the night, and hold him so he would not wake up my grandparents. I think that is when I lost a little bit of my innocence. I was always the one getting taken care of by my parents but I became the one taking care of my little brother. Strangely, I felt the mother’s heart as I held him, changed his diaper, and fed him. At the age of twelve, I felt something that an adult should feel. Even though a little bit of my innocence was taken away, the experience of taking care of my brother was pretty sweet. I learned that even though there were so many struggles in taking care of my little brother, the unconditional love that I can pour onto to my little brother was greater than all the struggles.
Religion is a weird thing. Not the actual establishment itself, but the societal view of religion. It is extremely skewed. In today’s world, if you are religious, you are immediately viewed as a fun sucking, bible thumping, prayer praising, evangelical professing weirdo. But that’s not true whatsoever. My mother is head of liturgy at my parish Saint John the Beloved and has been since I was a kid. So, needless to say, going to church on weekends was not an option; it was a requirement. However as we grew older, my mom started to become less strict. It started with her giving us the occasional exception a couple times a year, but it soon grew to letting us make our own decision of when and when not to go to mass. Sure we would get the disapproving glare or scolding from my mother, but by my sophomore year of high school, she never really made any of us go to mass. That is when things took a turn for the worse.
By junior year of high school, there were more weekends I spent at home than at church. I would skip mass often and not think twice about it. Did anything drastically bad happen to my life because I was missing these weekly experiences? No. But something was missing. A substance, a stability, a purpose.
The beginning of summer after Junior year I began to pick up the tradition of going to church on the weekends. I gained what was missing. I can’t describe to you what it was that was missing and what it was that I gained, but I gained it. Now, why am I writing all of this? Because in the current world today, most kids aren’t as lucky as I was. Most kids’ parents didn’t make them go to mass when they were young. They don’t know what they’re missing. They don’t know what they have to gain. I feel for them.
If you ask a kid today what they think a teenager who goes to church every weekend looks like, you would probably get a description like this: a quiet, reserved kid who wears crosses and prayer beads, singing hymns to themselves and carrying around their rosary and bible everywhere they go. And to me, that’s so sad. People think that being a devout Catholic means you must fit into that stereotype. In reality, being a devout Catholic is just incorporating religion into your independent and unique life. Just because you’re loud and boisterous and like to party, doesn’t mean you can’t be religious. Be those things and simply make time for God too. Its hard to do, but its worth it. You’ll pick up what you were missing. You’ll pick up what you can’t get anywhere else. You’ll pick up faith.
Throughout the music industry, there are bands known for promoting immoral behavior from their fans. One of these bands is heavy metal band Slayer. In their music, they talk about death, murder, serial killers, necrophilia, anti-religion, and other actions deemed evil by the community. In one of their songs “Angel of Death”, they speak about in a praise type of way, how the doctor of the holocaust known as the Angel of Death committed murder and hints at actions this man performed. Teens these days are attracted to this lifestyle and love this kind of stuff. They are at the age of rebellion. Teens search out this kind of music and listen to it because they know that their parents do not like it. Slayer’s logo is part of an old Nazi symbol, the eagle, and it is said that this band supports Nazism. If you even go to their band website page, pictures of crosses with corpses and blood appears as the background. Rebelling teens eat this kind of stuff up. They only want to get more of it. This band truly is the Devil’s music.
Popular female rapper, Nicki Minaj, has become a world sensation. She is considered a sex icon, and almost all of her songs contain aspects of the world of sex drug and rock and roll. Nicki Minaj is one of the first very successful female rappers, and many young teens and young adults look up to her for her independence, large curves, and bold personality. Regular listening of her lyrics and music makes it seem more acceptable to use drugs and alcohol for recreational use and just to have a good time. She sings about sex and other immoral actions as an act of pleasure rather then love. Before woman were expected to be held to a higher expectation and to be much more classy. Only men were rappers. Only men sung about using sex for pleasure. Only men sung about hard use of drugs and alcohol. A new age of feminism has sprung up around us, and perhaps that's why many are infatuated with Nicki. She has done something only men had done before and proved that females too can be successful rappers. Many applaud her for doing something that no one else has done, and her catchy music has captured the hearts of many. Her curves, which she sings about a lot, show girls that you don't need to be super skinny. The allure to Nicki Minaj are caused by many aspects, but it is very clear that she has many fans yet preaches such immoral values and actions.
Music has the power to portray new ideas and provoke feelings among those who tune in to listen. It has the ability to sway the listener’s mood from melancholy to joyful or vice versa. Music is even more powerful when the lyrics send a message. The Rascal Flatts are an American country pop musical group comprised of Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, and Jay DeMarcus. Their lyrics speak volumes on the topics of life and relationships. One of their more famous songs, “Life is a Highway,” has a more upbeat feel to it. The lyrics, "There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door- Where blues won't haunt you anymore," sheds some light to those who are going through a tough time. It gives hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or darkness where they currently are struggling. Life is a journey that has many different exits where you must make decisions just like on a highway. There are many other cars on the road that could speed you up or slow you down on that journey to your destination, so you have to choose who in your life helps or hinders you. "Rewind" is another song from this musical group that sends the message that one should live in the moment and be grateful for all that he or she has because one cannot get that moment back. "My Wish For You" shows the group's compassion for other people because one should care about others in life as well as himself or herself. Part of the chorus, "My wish for you- Is that this life becomes all that you want it to- Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small," sends the important message to not be selfish and enjoy life. The Rascal Flatts are an example of a band that use their fame to send good messages through music as opposed to the rising popular bands who exploit the corrupted themes of drugs, sex, and rock and roll in their lyrics.
My "faith life" is that of a typical Catholic; I got to Mass every Sunday, I pray every day (or try to), and I try to make time to read parts of the Bible on occasion. I belong to the Good Shepherd parish, although I frequent Immaculate Conception Church more often due to its close proximity to my house. My faith life has helped me overcome many of my problems in life. Back in the fall, I was having anxiety problems because of my family's impeding move to Texas. I've never moved so far away from home, and the thought of losing all of my friends and family caused me to have anxiety problems for a good portion of the remainder of the year. To seek help, I turned to my faith and asked for consolation. My many prayers, spiritual discussions with my parents, and the support of my loved ones helped me overcome my anxiety problems.
When reading this prompt, number three immediately stuck out to me, and I knew I wanted to write about Miley Cyrus. As I continued to read the other prompts, I realized that I could also use a different angle to approach prompts four and five while still writing about Miley Cyrus. This is because Miley promotes aberrant behavior for her followers, defies youthful innocence, and promotes meaningful thought through her songs. For those people who only faintly recognize her name, their opinions or conceptions of her are probably out-dated or false. She is no longer the sweet, young actress playing Hannah Montana, and she actually defies the youthful innocence that she once had while playing the pop star by wearing a “RIP Hannah Montana” shirt during her concerts. For those who realize that she is past this stage in her life, she is probably viewed as an out-of-control and eccentric star. She is, undeniably, eccentric, and her followers are attracted to her humor and creativity, which are very apparent on her Instagram. Although her fans do not have a brand or a defining feature, the effect that she has on teenagers who are in the process of discovering herself is undeniable. Authority figures may very well regard the effect as aberrant. Lastly, to those who view media frequently or follow her, she is recognized most recently for the creation of the Happy Hippie Foundation, which supports LGBTQ and homeless youth. Miley is very devoted to these two causes, and recently dedicated her song “No Freedom” to Leelah Alcorn, a transgender who ended her life last fall. It has been one of her most empowering and influential songs. Miley Cyrus is obviously a very free-spirited woman who attracts those who want to try the wild side, but her less apparent side is one that passionately fights for those of differing sexualities and of poverty.
When I was growing up, Disney channel's shows always starred young, innocent kids who were looked up to by children across the country. Miley Cyrus began her career as a popstar on Disney channel's Hannah Montana. Young girls everywhere looked up to her and wanted to be her. She was an sweet and innocent country girl. Then Hannah Montana aired their last episode, and this is where Miley's road to fame got a bit bumpy. She did a photo shoot where she was covered only by a blanket and took somewhat provocative photos. This alarmed some parents who had children with Miley Cyrus as their role model. Miley seemed to level off after this event, starring in movies such as Nicholas Sparks' The Last Song and got engaged to her costar, Liam Hemsworth. Though her life seemed to be going positively, her albums progressively got more rebellious. With her albums Can't Be Tamed and Breakout, she was attempting to breakout of her role as Hannah Montana. She and Liam Hemsworth eventually broke off their engagement as she decided one day while she was in Philly, she would put her hair in a ponytail, chop it off, and die it blonde. This is when her feelings about Hannah Montana became public, and she would be photographed partying all the time and would say things like "R.I.P Hannah Montana." She posts instagram pictures naked and supports the Happy Hippie Foundation. The image that kids once adored was gone. Yet, her fanbase remained huge across teenagers worldwide. Some who adored Hannah Montana learned to adore her as just Miley Cyrus. Some who didn't learned to adore Miley for breaking out of that role and being herself. Though the image she was worshipped for has diminished, she is still praised for who she is today by all different people around the world.
5. Today’s musical world is full of people singing songs about sex, drugs, and violence. Sometimes it’s hard to find an artist or group that promotes meaningful thoughts and good messages in their music. One such group is Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Their song “Same Love” promotes marriage equality in today’s ongoing struggle about same sex marriage. The song talks about the harsh treatment of gays and lesbians in society and how problems like this need to be stopped. From heinous slurs on the internet to acts of violence on the streets the song advises all of us to love each other. Macklemore compares the struggle gays and lesbians face today to that of African Americans in the 1960’s. One line reads, “Its human rights for everyone, there is no difference.” Even though we may not be the same or share similar ideas or values we are all human beings who deserve each other’s compassion. Another one of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s songs is titled “Otherside.” The issues addressed in the song include Macklemore’s past addiction problems and how he recovered and became sober. He advises teenagers and young adults to never get involved with drugs because they can seriously impact your life. Now that he has gotten clean, Macklemore wants to use his popularity as an artist to spread his story. He addresses the issues of today’s music and how people like him can severely affect kid’s lives. Instead of following the classic formula of a hip hop artist, Macklemore is going against the mainstream ideas and preaching meaningful messages through his songs.
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