So, I discussed with my Mom the events and plot of Rebel Without a Cause and she thought that it was a tad outrageous. There wasn’t much to talk about in the plot so I brought up how she resembled the parents in the movie. To say the least, she was a little offended and made sure that I knew that she was the most up to date parent around. It is somewhat true though, I have seen many parents that have no idea how to use technology and it is kind of funny and I do realize that my mom tries really hard to stay up to date with the times. I guess I have realized the great gap between generations and how technology seems to make it larger every day.

Myself, Erik, and Pete all thought that Rebel without a cause was very similar to Ferris Bueller’s Day off and so we decided to watch it again. Ferris is a great example of a rebel without a cause, he skips school just because he doesn’t want to go. He has no reason, no cause, he’s just skipping because he doesn’t ‘feel’ like it (funny how we were talking about ‘feeling’ on Thursday.) The speaker for this though tends to be Bueller because the movie breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience. The audience is different though as the movie is a comedy and isn’t meant to be taken seriously, so the audience can be anyone in school or anyone who went to school and knows what it’s like. The purpose is just for entertainment and nothing else.

So, to me, Rebel without a cause was mostly about parents that don’t understand what high school is like. Jim’s parents didn’t really have a clue what was going on in his life, let alone understand it. I actually think that this is quite relevant, my mom thinks that whenever I go out, that I’m probably going to go drinking. Another thing she does is decide what I’m wearing is “queer”, I’m not even joking, she will say what I am wearing is queer some times and I usually would just ignore it but now that I actually think about it, it happens a lot. In regards to the rhetorical triangle, I believe the speaker is just the writer of the movie, the audience is parents who don’t know what the school their kids are going to is like and even some middle schoolers, and the purpose is to show what high school is supposedly like.

I can’t say that I really notice stereotypes in our school. I mean, from the teen movies Denby describes, I don’t think that the ‘cliques’ we have at Avondale. People within in them don’t all follow specific roles and do specific things. The “popular” people who play sorts and such aren’t all dumb. There are many people in our own class that play sports that I believe are very smart. Then there’s also no barriers between groups, you can hang out with multiple groups of people, you’re not limited to just one group. I guess you would call it a sort of hybrid, you can be a jock, but also love to play video games. Overall, I think that the stereotypes established by the teen movies are generally inconsistent with our home of Avondale.

the-original-adammorton:

Jesus Wasn’t a Jerk

I was born in a Christian home, accepted Christ as my Savior at age five, and went to a Christian school until fifth grade. In other words, I knew how to pass as a Christian really well; but the sad thing is: I was thoroughly convinced I was one. After all, I had memorized countless verses, spent hundreds of hours listening about God, and prayed at least three times a day for all ten years of my life, what else was there? I was about to find out. To the dark, gloomy, and sinful public school I went. I was not just your average fifth-grader; I was a full-fledged missionary, going into an evil place as their only beacon of hope. I was a brave kid alright. Needless to say, this didn’t work out so well. Nobody really liked me, I knew a lot about Christianity didn’t put it into practice, and I spent a lot of “sick days” at home because it wasn’t working out so well. Sixth-grade really wasn’t any better. “What is wrong with these kids?” I thought, “Why do they hate me so much?” The biggest problem was that I didn’t feel like I could change at all. I felt like my personality and outlook on school was perfect and everybody else was screwed up. Finally, I was in for a wake-up call and it came at a Christian camp up north called Lake Ann (http://www.lakeanncamp.com/). From my previous Christian camp experiences, my expectations were pretty well-set; we would wake up, eat breakfast, do an activity, eat lunch, nap, another activity, free time, sermon, discussion time, bed, and wake up and do it all again. The sermons would normally be something you heard in Sunday school a million times; but, hold on, these sermons were different. Not only that, but the people were different too. What’s going on here? “Is it really possible to be likable and be a Christian at the same time? It can’t be!” My seventh-grade mind was blown. While sitting around a giant campfire after hearing Friday night’s sermon, I realized that I was called, not to be everybody’s priest, but to be a leader by example and to be the kind of person people want to be around. Jesus wasn’t a jerk; He was actually a pretty cool guy. I had been doing it all wrong. I always knew I needed to stick out like a sore thumb; little did I know that I was actually being a sore thumb. This realization completely changed the way I looked at my life and, dare I say it, was a huge part in making me a cooler person to be around. Instead of being stuck up and feeling perfect, I realized that I have my faults too and, more than anything, we’re all just struggling through life trying to figure out what it’s all about. I realized that I needed to show love to others and that was how I should stick out. 

I guess I don’t understand how this was a moment of change in your life. You were born into a strongly Christian family and the idea was obviously imprinted in your head. I don’t really want to say that you never changed, that you are still the same person and that your religion limits you to it, because that’s not true. I guess I wanted to hear a different story from you, and I completely respect your beliefs, but saying that something that you have kept with you since you’re five doesn’t really seem like a change to me.

If the change is you beginning to love others, then I am still confused. In school, you told us that you believe that homosexuality was wrong no matter what. So, does that mean that you can’t love someone if they don’t have your beliefs? I understand that it says in Corinthians that homosexuals won’t “inherit the kingdom of God.”, but does that really mean you can’t extend your own love and tolerance towards them? If you leave the Bible to strict interpretation then everyone is a sinner, there must be some application of tolerance towards others for there to be any change. It’s a very touchy subject but I’m sure you understand what I mean, but I wish the best to you and spreading your beliefs to others, I prefer to keep mine to myself. <3 <3 <3 

I guess it all began when I was around ten years old. It was a Sunday morning at the Kirk in the Hills, the Presbyterian church my family attended. While there, I started to think of how I knew that what I had been told was true. I had only been told that it was truth but had never personally experienced anything, no divine messages or anything. But, I really didn’t want to stand out or anything, so I just kept believing what I was told.  Then, during the summer after my 8th grade year, the thought came back to me and I really thought about it this time. Trying to consider all the things i had been taught and tried to bring the pieces of the puzzle together. But, they wouldn’t fit, they could never fit for me, how could all the terrible things happen in the world if God was supposed to protect us? There was no logical explanation for it either, it was just a story, a myth, a fairytale. My religion was only true because I wanted it to be true, not because of anything else.  Ironically, once I gave up my religion, I actually became more charitable and overall, more helpful. I went to the Grace Centers of Hope and volunteered, I became a volunteer for the Michigan Humane Society, as well as other volunteer opportunities. Being a volunteer made me realize even more of why I had given up my faith, because honestly, every time I got done volunteering, I felt worse. Not because I didn’t feel as though I didn’t help enough, it was that I didn’t deserve the position I was in. Why did others become so unfortunate, they were religious and repented daily, while I stood aside and did not even show one ounce of faith in God. But, I do no hate those who worship a God, it is their way of coping with life and it gives them moral guidelines to follow. I am not blessed with my life and the things I have, I am fortunate; nothing will ever have control over me and I shall continue to live my life in my own light, not in the shadow of something higher.  

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/no-2-religion-yes-2-faith/2011/jul/9/giving-religion-individual-faith-there-difference/

had to repost

I guess it all began when I was around ten years old. It was a Sunday morning at the Kirk in the Hills, the Presbyterian church my family attended. While there, I started to think of how I knew that what I had been told was true. I had only been told that it was truth but had never personally experienced anything, no divine messages or anything. But, I really didn’t want to stand out or anything, so I just kept believing what I was told.

Then, during the summer after my 8th grade year, the thought came back to me and I really thought about it this time. Trying to consider all the things i had been taught and tried to bring the pieces of the puzzle together. But, they wouldn’t fit, they could never fit for me, how could all the terrible things happen in the world if God was supposed to protect us? There was no logical explanation for it either, it was just a story, a myth, a fairytale. My religion was only true because I wanted it to be true, not because of anything else.

Ironically, once I gave up my religion, I actually became more charitable and overall, more helpful. I went to the Grace Centers of Hope and volunteered, I became a volunteer for the Michigan Humane Society, as well as other volunteer opportunities. Being a volunteer made me realize even more of why I had given up my faith, because honestly, every time I got done volunteering, I felt worse. Not because I didn’t feel as though I didn’t help enough, it was that I didn’t deserve the position I was in. Why did others become so unfortunate, they were religious and repented daily, while I stood aside and did not even show one ounce of faith in God. But, I do no hate those who worship a God, it is their way of coping with life and it gives them moral guidelines to follow. I am not blessed with my life and the things I have, I am fortunate; nothing will ever have control over me and I shall continue to live my life in my own light, not in the shadow of something higher. 

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/no-2-religion-yes-2-faith/2011/jul/9/giving-religion-individual-faith-there-difference/

Cough Cough

In our modern society, we tend to characterize certain people by what they wear. We do it at workplaces, at school, even at the local restaurant. If you see a man dressed with raggedy clothes, you automatically assume that he’s homeless. You would never take in to mind any sort of circumstances of maybe why his clothes are raggedy, you just make the assumption and go forward with it.  When it comes to my roles with clothes, I think I just wear what is expected of me. For example, when I go out golfing, I simply wear a polo and some khaki shorts along with a belt. I don’t go to any extremes to look better. I choose to just stick with the basics and although it may sound bland, it tends to work out.