...The reason for the season

As another Holiday Season commences, our attention is again drawn to the many interpretations surrounding the “freedom of religion” extended to all Americans in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Each year, the many opinions surrounding the interpretation of this statement seem to multiply. I was specifically drawn to this topic because of an Associated Press article I stumbled across recently (http://www.mail.com/news/us/909150-atheist-messages-displace-park-nativity-scenes.html#.7518-stage-hero1-6). The article highlighted Santa Monica, California. Apparently in Santa Monica, there is a series of several areas designated for various Holiday displays designed to adequately showcase the displays while keeping them safe from vandalism and the elements. This year in particular, the city received so many bids for the areas that they decided to use a lottery system to assign the spaces. I agree with city halls decision to use this system to assign the plots. I feel that the lottery was a fair, and that the results were based fully on chance. The article states that 18 of the available 21 spaces went to members of various atheist groups, two spaces were allotted to a coalition of 13 churches in the Santa Monica Area, and one space went to a member of the group Chabad Channukah Menorah. Churches are “crying conspiracy”. As I stated earlier, I feel that the spaces were assigned in a just manner and I therefore disagree that this is a conspiracy. It is simply a matter of luck of the draw. I believe that these atheist groups, because of “freedom of religion” have the right and the privilege of publicly celebrating the winter solstice, or anything else they choose to celebrate during the Holiday Season. However, I am uneasy about some of the things that the atheist groups have chosen to display in their allotted areas. The article specifically mentions these: "Religions are all alike — founded upon fables and mythologies. — Thomas Jefferson." and “a display with photographs depicting King Neptune, Jesus Christ, Santa Claus and Satan reads, "Million Americans know MYTHS when they see them. What myths do you see? American Atheists. Since 1963. athiests.org."’ I feel that these displays, instead of promoting the feelings of cheer and love that seem to surround the Holiday season seek to criticize those who share views that differ from the opinions of the American Atheists and other atheist groups. In “The Articles of Faith”, written by Joseph Smith and canonized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it states “We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” I believe that this privilege is not limited to those who believe in a god or practice a religion, but extends to those who do not believe in God and do not practice a religion. The article also discusses activism surrounding religion and mentions a man who previously displayed signs with “selections on U.S. Supreme Court decisions about the importance of separating church and state.” I agree that it is important that we keep church and state separate in order to protect our right to believe what we want to believe. But, I also think that it is important to remember that we are given freedom OF religion, which takes account of those who do not desire to practice a religion, but it does not mean freedom FROM religion. If there were freedom from religion, I, and many others would be denied the privilege of worshipping “how, what, or where, or what [I] may.” So this Holiday season, whether you prefer to display “Jesus is the reason for the season”, “The Miracle of the Oil that lasted Eight Days is the reason for the season”, “the Season is the reason for the season”, or any other reason you have to celebrate this season, I ask that we remember that the Holidays are a time of love, kindness, and charity, when we should not view each other as Christian, or Atheist, or Muslim, or Jewish, or Hindu, or Buddhist, or the array of other belief systems around the world, but as brothers and sisters of the human race.


See the article at: http://www.mail.com/news/us/909150-atheist-messages-displace-park-nativity-scenes.html#.7518-stage-
hero1-6

View "The Articles of Faith" at: http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,106-1-2-1,FF.html

Call Me Ishmael... or something...

I have noticed that lately, every time I introduce myself to someone, they ask me if I go by Kenzie for short. I don't know what this new obsession with Kenzie is, but I am not a fan. It is not that there is anything wrong with Kenzie in general, it's just, if you know me, you know that the name Kenzie does not fit my personality whatsoever! You know, I think I would even rather that people called me just Z before they called me Kenzie. I guess some people are more into nick names than I am. Usually if someone introduces themselves to me by a certain name, I call them that name even if they tell me I can call them by a shorter version of that name. I think it is just because that is how I know them, and I put that name with their personality, so shortening it would be weird unless I had known them for a very long time. And when I say a very long time I mean like years and years. I don't know. It just seems like, well, my name has been Mackenzie my whole entire life, but it is just this school year that everyone has been asking me if I go by Kenzie. So, the answer is no. Unless you are my three year old cousin, no. You can call me Mackenzie, or Mackie, or Mack, or Z, or even Ishmael, but please do not call me Kenzie.

Hello Again

Okay so I most definitely do not write on this thing enough. My life has changed quite a bit since I was a freshman in college. I am now a Junior and, of course, I have changed my major from Communications with an emphasis in Journalism to Media Music. Although it may seem crazy to some, I love the spontaneity of it. I have not gotten in to the music program yet, so I am basically hanging out in Limbo with nothing to do with my life except sing and write music. So I decided to take up a few fun things in the meantime. I have been studying French! Talk about an awesome language! I have also been taking private piano and voice lessons. That is always fun. I have even taken up guitar! Basically, I think I am just taking this year to renew my love of music. It left for a while, but now it is back. All in all, though, I know for sure that I am where I need to be and I am doing what I am supposed to do. I better love music because I will be doing for the rest of my life. And, like a typical musician/writer... I have yet to find a job. I have had plenty of experience interviewing in the past few months, but I haven't found anything. I have a job interview tomorrow that I am looking forward to. I hope I get the job. I hope I get a job. Anyways. I will have to keep updating this thing to get it all up to speed. I think tonight, though, I will just start with updating my profile picture.

"My Favorite Song"

- Put your Itunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
- For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
- YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.

1.) IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY?', YOU SAY?
"I'm Ok"--- MIndy Gledhill
2.) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"She Said, I Said (Time We Let Go)"---NLT
3.) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Color of Truth"--- Greg Simpson
4.) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Clear"---Miley Cyrus
5.) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"I'll Take My Chances"--- The Click 5
6.) WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
"Crush"--- David Archuleta
7.) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Headphones On"--- Miranda Cosgrove
8.) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Like I Am"--- Rascal Flatts
9.) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"We Will Rock You"--- Queen
10.) WHAT IS 2+2?
"Time of Your Life"--- Green Day
11.) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Shadow of the Day"--- Linkin Park
12.) WHAT IS YOUR STORY?
"Take My Life"--- Scott McLean
13.) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"The Pretender"---Foo Fighters
14.) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Mad"---Ne-Yo
15.) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Wedding Dress"---Matt Nathanson
16.) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Dare You To Move"---Switchfoot
17.) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Baby, It's You"--- JoJo
18.) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"Everything Changes"--- Stained
19.) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"I Don't Love You"---My Chemical Romance
20.) WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
"Pretend"--- Secondhand Serenade
21.) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Here Comes Trouble"---Honors Society
22.) WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS NOTE?
"My Favorite Song"--- NIk Day