Religion: The Benefits of Following to a Possible Non-Believer

     


Today as I sat in church, listening to the sermon, I found myself engaging in a dialogue with myself trying to figure out what religion really is. Is God real? Is there an afterlife? Will we ever know? These questions raced through my mind as I sat and listened to a guest preacher go on and on about faith being the conviction of what we believe, rather than what we see. Isn't seeing believing though? How do we strongly believe in something or someone that we've never seen? What if the bible is really just a fairy tale? May God forgive me for these thoughts, but from a rational point of view, religion seems to be the first form of government, and the bible seems to be the first constitution.


Before civilization, mankind was free to do whatever they wanted. That obviously led to chaos (as listed in tales such as that of Sodom and Gomorrah). In order to bring about some form of structure and organization, a governing body of some sort had to be established. This is where I think religion comes in. Religion brought about a set of rules and regulations that if followed, would bring about peace and stability. But why would mankind follow these laws? Well, that is where the promise of the afterlife comes in.

Mankind is fond of the concept of reinforcement: if you do A and B, you will be rewarded with C and D. In other other words, if you follow these sets of laws established in the name of "God," you will be rewarded by getting to see him in the euphoric after life, and avoid the burning gates of hell. Sounds pretty appealing, right? So obviously mankind would be inclined to follow these laws simply on the basis of faith and not necessarily rationality. Now, I'm not here to condemn the concept of religion simply because I don't believe there is a God (I'm uncertain of what I believe, I'm torn on the subject), instead I'm here to explore why the concept of religion (whether rational or not) is beneficial to society.

Whether or not you believe in every word of the Bible or Quran or whatever book you follow, following some form of monotheistic religion seems to set you on a path to be successful in life. It keeps you grounded, and makes you a law abiding citizen, as religious texts typically expect more of you than the government ever will. For example, all religious texts preach the avoidance of the type of behavior that may be detrimental to oneself or another. The concept of killing, for example is frowned upon everywhere. Following such guarantees that you will stay away from any legal repercussions for homicides, etc. Avoiding taking what's not yours also guarantees that you will not be convicted of larceny or burglary, etc. These examples are just a few of the many guidelines of religion that cross paths with the laws of society. In sum, being religious pretty much guarantees that you'll be an outstanding law abiding citizen (for the most part, since religion never mentioned avoiding speeding and such).

Where I really disagree with religion, in particular Christianity, is on certain topics that are subjective to the generation that we are in. Take for example the concept of abstinence before marriage. I believe that this concept was practiced in the past because there was no means for contraception besides avoiding the act itself. With that being said, folk of those times wanted to avoid reproduction to the extent where proper care would escape some children; therefore they frowned upon the concept of sex as a source of pleasure, and considered it solely as a reproductive act. Premarital sex was then frowned upon because marriage was somewhat of an indicator that a newborn would be able to receive the proper care that he or she ought to receive. With the changes that we've experienced in modern society today, this practice or belief seems invalid, or at least on the basis of the logic being used here.

In sum, whether or not there is a God, or whether or not there is an afterlife, etc. is something that we may never know until we die; however one thing we do know is that following some form of monotheistic religion seems to mold us into being law abiding citizens who live a pretty prosperous life. For that reason, I encourage all people to adopt some form of religion and practice it to the best of your ability, even if you believe there is no God, as this will set you up to live a pretty disciplined life filled with good fortunes due to your good actions.

 

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Prostitution: The Economic and Criminal Justice Benefits of Legalization

Introduction 

The debate over whether or not prostitution should be legalized in this country is an on-going issue that is yet to be solved. The act of “offering one's self for hire to engage in sexual relations,” (thefreedictionary.com) is predominantly viewed as deviant, and is deemed illegal in most parts of this country. To be exact, prostitution is outlawed in all states except Nevada, where this “profession” is closely regulated at licensed brothels. According to Standley White of About.com, prostitutes in these brothels are tested monthly for HIV and syphilis, and weekly for other STDs (about.com). In addition, condom use is required, and street walking remains illegal, just like other parts of the country (White, about.com). Nevertheless, other parts of the country aren’t as accepting of this concept of sexual relations for monetary gain, for reasons stemming from a moral standpoint. Despite these reasons however, the success of prostitution in parts of Nevada serves as a great example of the fact that the legalization of prostitution could potentially be of greater benefit for this nation. With my current knowledge on the subject prior to research, I expect to make findings that suggest that the legalization of prostitution would in fact benefit this nation. The economic sector and the criminal justice sector are a few areas that could specifically benefit a lot from the legalization of prostitution; this paper will explain how the potential benefits of these sectors serve as a good enough reason as to why prostitution should be legalized.

Legalized Prostitution and the Economy

The struggle of the US economy is no unfamiliar news to residents or even informed foreign followers of this nation. During such a period of hardship, a spark to an economic boom is desperately being searched for, and the legalization of prostitution could possibly provide such a boost. The biggest impact that the legalization of prostitution can have on the economic sector is through the generation of revenue in the form of income taxes. As mentioned in the introduction, the success of Nevada’s prostitution regulation serves as evidence of the potential success that can be achieved by the nation as a whole; this success is heavily seen in the economic gains that have been generated by the profession. Findings by Chris Ayres of The Times indicate that based on the current rates of income of an employee at a Nevada brothel, the ability to generate tax revenue is bound to contribute at least $20,000 in federal income taxes per year per person (Ayres, 2003). Using the current estimate of over one million women prostituted in this nation, this industry is bound to raise at least $20 billion per year (Sonntag, 2009). It is needless to say that money generated from this industry can go a long way towards helping the nation, as it can be used to build homeless shelters, further education, fix highways, etc.

Legalized prostitution can also help address the problem of unemployment in this nation, ultimately helping the economy. As we all know, a direct impact of the economic struggles that this nation is enduring is the unemployment status being suffered by many. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012), five million Americans are currently unemployed long-term. This results in the inability for many to provide a comfortable living for themselves, as well as their families. The Prostitutes’ Education Network (2008) states that over one million Americans, which is about 1% of the population, have worked as prostitutes at one point or another in their lifetime. This goes to show that people are willing to part-take in this industry if necessary. In the midst of this current economic crisis, these one million people can potentially decrease the unemployment rate, as those who shy away from the industry simply because it is deemed illegal will be more accepting of the profession. In addition, those who are secretly involved would undoubtedly embrace the profession and perhaps encourage more individuals to join in as well. Lastly, law abiding citizens who are in desperate need of income will be provided with an opportunity to provide a living for their families. All these components can contribute to a decrease in the current unemployment rates, and ultimately benefit the economy.

Legalization of Prostitution and the Criminal Justice System

Another sector that is bound to benefit from the legalization of prostitution is the Criminal Justice System. The illegality of the concept of prostitution places the need for law enforcement to make a concerted effort to reduce the frequency or even potentially eliminate the occurrence of the act. According to findings by Howard N. Snyder of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2012), the state of California alone had a total number of 11,334 people arrested for prostitution in the year 2010. Considering a significant amount of time and effort is put into fighting prostitution and keeping prostitutes from the public streets, legalized prostitution would reduce the amount of street monitoring needed, as most prostitutes would be in brothels. The partial alleviation of these duties would allow for law enforcement officers to focus on more serious crimes and other issues such as community policing, securing national borders, fighting terrorism, etc.

In addition to the freedom to focus on other safety issues, the legalization of prostitution would help the Criminal Justice System to address the problem of overpopulation in correctional facilities, and help the process of prison reform. In the state of Texas for example, more than three hundred and fifty prostitutes occupy bunks in state prisons (Associated Press, 2012). Although this is not a significant amount, all it takes is an additional number of one hundred inmates to create overpopulation in a facility intended to house a thousand. Legalized prostitution would eliminate the need to add on to this growing problem of crowding in facilities. Also, money spent to accommodate, feed, and clothe these petty “criminals” can be attributed to other prisoners’ rehabilitation process, or saved for other criminal justice endeavors.

Lastly, the legalization of prostitution would ensure the protection of the prostitutes involved, eliminating the need for victimization cases related to the job. According to Linda Lowen of about.com (2002), a lot of prostitutes are abused by pimps, or even clients, yet fail to report the incidents to law enforcement due to fear of being arrested for prostituting in the first place. The legalization of prostitution would open the line of communication between prostitutes and law enforcement, ultimately resulting in their safety. Also, legalized prostitution would eliminate the need for the act to take place in discreet isolated environments where the safety of the prostitutes is in jeopardy. In brothels, the act will take place in a highly secured environment where victimization of a prostitute would be unlikely. This ultimately ensures the safety of all parties involved, which benefits the criminal justice sector and the nation as a whole.

Analysis

The research conducted reinforces my preexisting belief that the legalization of prostitution would be beneficiary to this country. Despite my prior assumption of legalized prostitution being beneficial, I was quite surprised to find out the extent to which it can actually benefit the nation. For example, I was shocked to find out that as much as 20 billion dollars can be generated through income taxes annually. I’m puzzled as to why prostitution hasn’t become a big business industry yet, when it has the potential to generate so much revenue. The finding that surprised me the most was the fact that one million people in this country have been prostitutes at one point or another in their lifetime. I had no idea that prostitution was that common, and that many people were open to it. It made me wonder what the main reasoning for entering the industry was; although I’d assume that monetary gain would be the answer.

In regards to whether or not these potential benefits outweigh the negatives, I think they certainly do. Although opposition state that it is morally wrong, it ruins marriages, and it degrades the human body, I am still in favor of legalizing prostitution because of the reasons listed throughout the paper, and because its illegal status will not prevent the act from occurring. It is inevitable that prostitution will continue to occur; therefore the nation might as well find a way to benefit from it. If an individual is fine with selling his/her body for money, who are we to stop him/her? After all, is it not a right to be able to express yourself however you may please? Wasn’t this nation built on the concept of freedom? Doesn’t this law somehow violate that freedom? It also baffles me that porn is legal yet prostitution isn’t. Aren’t the two practically the same, with the only different component being the presence of a camera? That is highly irrational in my opinion. For these reasons, prostitution should be legalized.

Summary

In conclusion, the legalization of prostitution, despite its current disapproval and deviant view, is bound to benefit the nation in many ways. It is likely to provide a much needed boost to our economy through the taxation of prostitutes and brothels, and through the creation of jobs. It is also going to aid our criminal justice system by presenting law enforcement officers with more freedom to focus on more serious matters, by helping to address the problem of overpopulation in correctional facilities, and by ensuring the safety of the individuals involved in prostitution. These reasons go to show the potential benefits of the legalization of prostitution and why it should be implemented. Prostitution has been around this nation for many years, and it doesn’t seem to be ready to make an exit yet; therefore instead of trying to fight it, we should regulate it and try to reap the benefits that the state of Nevada has been able to achieve. As the cliché saying goes, “you never know until try.” The legalization of prostitution is a calculated risk which is bound to however prove to be beneficial; therefore legalize prostitution, for what it’s worth!

References

Associated Press (2012, August 26). Texas May Reconsider Sending Prostitutes to Prison.Tulsa World [Tulsa]. Retrieved from http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=338&articleid=20120826_338_0_AUSTIN537516.

Ayres, C. (2003, September 19). Cathouses Find Sex is Taxing the Wild West. The Times. Retrieved from http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=7EH2898921096&db=nfh.

Employment Situation Summary. (2012, November 2). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved November 15, 2012, from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Lowen, L. (2002). Prostitution Statistics and Rape - Physical Abuse of Prostitutes - Prostitution and Childhood Sexual Abuse - Alieen Wuornos. Women's Issues - All About Women's Issues. Retrieved November 23, 2012, from http://womensissues.about.com/od/rapesexualassault/a/Wuornos.htm

Prostitutes' Education Network (2008). Prostitution in the United States - The Statistics.Prostitutes' Education Network. Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http://www.bayswan.org/stats.html

Prostitution legal definition of Prostitution. Prostitution synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary. (n.d.). In Legal Dictionary. Retrieved November 27, 2012, from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Prostitution

Snyder, H. N. (2012, October 31). Arrest in the United States, 1990-2010. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved November 27, 2012, from http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4515

Sonntag, T. P. (2009). Case for Legalizing Prostitution >> Tax Revenue. Case for Legalizing Prostitution. Retrieved October 17, 2012, from http://people.emich.edu/tsonntag/engl444/printtoweb/tax_revenue.

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Steve Nash Chronicles: The Perfect Fit

     

     Rumor has it that Steve Nash is most likely going to be on the way out of Phoenix before the start of next season.  The two time former MVP despite his loyalty to the Phoenix Suns has made it clear that he plans on going elsewhere unless the Suns improve vastly.  With the chances of the Suns vastly improving being rather slim, the question of "where to" arises.  Most people assume that Steve will join a title contender in hopes of finishing his career with that illusive championship ring.  I however believe that Steve, though probably too old to be the star of a team, still has a lot of game left and shouldn't settle for a small role on an already elite team. With that being said, I believe that Steve Nash will be taking his talents to a somewhat mediocre team and creating Magic with them (hint hint).
     Throughout his career, Steve Nash has established himself as arguably the best pick and roll point guard the league has seen since perhaps John Stockton.  His exceptional court vision, along with his adept shooting touch puts the defense at a disadvantage regardless of how they may chose to defend the pick and roll.  This ability ultimately transformed the Phoenix Suns into a championship contender after several years of failing to make the playoffs.  Obviously this dream was short lived, as that team was dispersed after a few failed experiments, however I believe that Steve Nash could re-live this dream if he decided to become a member of the Orlando Magic.
     The Orlando Magic is a perfect fit for Steve Nash for many reasons.  First off, the presence of Dwight Howard immediately makes the team a piece or two away from contending.  Howard, who is a much more dominant force than Amar'e Stoudamire was in Phoenix, will provide Steve Nash with a perfect pick and roll partner.  His mobility and ability to finish around the rim ferociously will be a gift to Steve Nash, as he will have met a Blake Griffin to compliment his Chris Paul.  As we all know, Dwight still has a long way to go in terms of becoming a prolific scorer in this league; I believe that Steve Nash could make this transition much easier for Howard by giving him many easy shots to boost his scoring average and ultimately his confidence.  As I mentioned earlier, Steve will not be in Orlando to become "the guy" but rather just a guy with enough abilities to make the Magic a contender.
     Another big reason why the Magic will be a good fit for Steve Nash is the fact that he will be surrounded by a variety of shooters.  It's no secret that the Magic are highly dependent on the three point shot; the addition of Steve Nash will make it much easier to get high percentage shots from three, due to his pick and roll abilities.  Ryan Anderson, JJ Reddick, Q-Richardson and Jason Richardson (both ex teammates of Steve back in Phoenix) are bound to make a living from the three point line if this move is to be made.  Despite the success that these players currently enjoy from long range, it's nothing close to what they will experience if Steve Nash was to become the commander-in-chief of the Magic attack.
     Finally, Steve Nash should become a member of the Orlando Magic due to the possibility of being reunited with the man who orchestrated the offense that made Steve a back-to-back MVP: Mike D'Antoni. It is a well known fact that Stan Van Gundy will not return to the Orlando Magic next season, which opens up a coaching vacancy that could very well be filled by Mike D'Antoni.  If Steve Nash was to become a member of the Magic organization, that would increase the chance of D'Antoni following in the same path.  This would benefit D'Antoni himself, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and the entire Magic franchise.  Overall, the addition of Steve Nash could be the change that may bring a championship to the city of Orlando.  It is bound to be the perfect fit, out of all other possible options, given the circumstances listed.

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What is Love?

Love is blind, love is irrational

Love is when you care about another as much as you care about yourself

Love is commitment, love is an investment

Love is giving it your all in hopes of getting the same in return

Love is unconditional, love is persistent

Love is fighting through the ups and downs and never giving up

Love is sympathetic, love is unselfish

Love is willing to make sacrifices just to make your significant other happy

Love is patience, love is passion

Love is fondling even after a heated altercation

Love is honesty, love is trust

Love is assurance that your significant other has your best interest at heart

Love is comforting, love is relaxing

Love is reliance on another individual for emotional support

Love is beautiful, love is indescribable

Love is a feeling that can't be sufficiently expressed even with the use of "I love you" 

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NBA MVP: And the Winner Is _________?

     

     This NBA season has been unique in many ways.  Besides being one of only four shortened seasons due to a lockout, this season has experienced lots of unusual stories, occurrences, records, etc.  From Linsanity, to Kobe becoming the all-time leading scorer in All-Star history, to Kevin Love's historic performances; this NBA season is one that will forever be remembered by loyal NBA fans.  With the regular season coming to a close, the question of who is this season's MVP is one that has become a hot topic.  Many players are deserving of this honor, however no one player has emerged as the clear-cut winner of this award.  For this reason, I wouldn't be surprised if NBA history was made in regards to this award as well.
     According to most people, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder should be this year's MVP.  Although very deserving, I don't think Durant is the obvious pick for this award.  My main argument against Durant winning this award is that his teammate, Russell Westbrook, is arguably the most valuable player on that Thunder team due to his all around play.  Durant, to me, is solely a scorer who happens to pull down many rebounds due to his 6'10 frame.  Despite his effort to be more of a team player this year, he still averages more turnovers than assists.  His impact on the defensive end is also mediocre at best.  Nevertheless, Durant is putting up about 28 points per game with over 50 percent shooting on the best team in the Western Conference.  That alone is good enough to make him very deserving of the MVP award.  His incredible performance against LeBron James in the first match-up between Miami and OKC this season also made a case for that MVP trophy, however as I mentioned before, I don't believe that all these achievements have made him the clear-cut pick for the honor.
     The other player who many consider a deserving candidate is LeBron James of the Miami Heat.  Statistically, LeBron has had the better season, as he averages as many points and rebounds as Durant (28 and 8 respectively) but with twice as many assists (close to 7).  LeBron's versatility on the defense end definitely adds to his campaign, as he is also a candidate to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.  Like Durant however, LeBron has another superstar in Dwayne Wade who many could argue is also deserving of the honor (though not as deserving as Westbrook).  Although Miami is 9-1 without Wade, his fourth quarter heroics in many games this season slightly devalues LeBron's impact.  That unfortunately hurts LeBron's chances of winning the award.  LeBron's tendency to disappear in some big games or even big moments has also hurt his chances of being named MVP.  His performance against OKC in the second meeting of their regular season battle made up for his sub-par performance in the first, along with other mediocre performances in big games; this however isn't enough to make him the clear-cut favorite for the award either.
      In most cases, the best way to break a tie is by flipping a coin; in this scenario however, I propose that this tie should be left knotted up.  I propose that for the first time in NBA History, Kevin Durant and LeBron James should be named co-MVPs for the 2011-2012 season.  I believe that it is the most fair decision to make in this case, because neither player has clearly separated himself from the rest this season.  One could argue that if anything Kevin Love is that one player who has had a remarkable season that separated himself from the other NBA Elites (based on statistics), though the record of his team eliminates him from contention in my opinion.  With that being said, why not make this NBA season even weirder than it already has been?  Instead of giving the MVP award to a player who isn't an obvious pick like Derrick Rose was last year, this award should go to the two players who deserve it the most: Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James of the Miami Heat.

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The Power of Words

     

     When considering the most powerful tools available to mankind, we primarily consider things such as hammers, or even rocks, knives etc.  These items are known to have the ability to effect many things, due to the fact that they can alter the state of being of an object.  As far as I'm concerned, having the ability to change the state of anything; whether in a physical or emotional manner, personifies power.  Power in this sense can be demonstrated in  many actions, ranging from the ability to start a fire to the ability to put a smile on someone's face.  In almost every situation, a physical action is triggered by the expression of an emotion which is usually demonstrated in the form of words.  The way an emotion is worded has the ability to provoke a reaction from another individual, whether good or bad.  For this reason, words (whether spoken, written, or signed) are the most powerful tools available to mankind.
     Let's start off by looking at the power of words in a positive context.  I'm sure all of us, at one point or another, have received a compliment praising something about us or something that we did.  A simple compilation of those words that were expressed by a kind soul uplifted our spirits and gave our morale a boost.  A gesture such as a compliment can go a long way toward making an individual feel better about themselves.  Through the expression of those words, the individual who complimented you has exerted power over you; not because they own you or have control over you, but simply because their spoken words were able to alter you emotional state of being and cause a reaction.   In this case, the reaction is in the form of morale uplifting which can go on to affect your entire day.  This goes on to show how powerful words can be in a positive context.
    Words don't always have to be in the form of a compliment in order for them to be considered powerful in a positive context.  One major way of exerting power positively in the form of words is through encouragement.  It isn't unusual to go through a day of feeling hopeless and alone, and feeling like nothing you do is right.  Times like these are when words are most influential on a person's life.  A simple word of encouragement, whether from the Bible or a fellow human can immediately alter your state of mind and give you the inspiration needed to strive to achieve whatever task is at hand.  Though those words might not physically move your arms and legs and push you toward one direction or another, they initiate the the impulsive reaction that do indeed cause you to push toward one direction or another.  For that reason, words can be a powerful tool of positivity in one's life.
     Despite its ability to impact life in a positive way, words are often used as a tool to put others down and inflict major damage to a psyche.  Words are arguably at their most powerful state when used in a negative context.  Depending on how condescending or torturous a group of words are, they can  lead to the infliction of physical harm to an individual.  Take for example bullying:  there have been many occurrences of bullying in this country that have been known to cause many problems in the lives of teenagers.  The continuous use of insults, name-calling, and taunting can go as far as causing an individual to commit suicide.  If that doesn't show how powerful words can be, I don't know what else could possibly demonstrate that! 
     The power of words in a negative context isn't limited to insults alone, as words can also be used to persuade an individual to believe falsified statements.  Though persuasion is sometimes good, it is often used in negative manner to alter a person's mindset on a specific subject.  Take for example that step-dad who constantly reminds you that your goals of becoming a professional baseball player is merely a fantasy that will never happen.  Through his words, he can get you to actually believe that you aren't capable of pursuing a career as a professional baseball player.  Though this isn't necessarily condescending or insulting, it can alter your state of mind and perception, and cause you to lose confidence in your ability as a base-ball player.  This can ultimately lead to you giving up your dream and pursing a normal 9-5 job, when you could have possibly became the next A-Rod or even Jeter.  Through his words, he has exerted power over you, due to the fact that he altered your perception and changed what you once believed was reality.
     To sum it up, words are very powerful and go a long way toward making or breaking an individual.  A simple compliment can cause an individual to smile for the rest of the day and relieve stress.  Conversely, an insult can be the reason why a young lady may feel the need to starve herself in order to reach the standard that your words seem to set.  We have all been given bits of power in the form of words that can alter an individual's state of mind and ultimately lead to physical reactions; therefore use these words wisely and be the reason why someone feels good about themselves and their abilities on earth.  Ask yourself, what impact have your words had on someone today?

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