Is this behavior of people who are caring, Godly? It's my firm conviction that the closing of hearts to God in our society is creating people like those above who can actually ignore people in distress, even chronicling like ghouls the disasters for others. It's all about THEM and that kind of behavior and, sometimes, even THIS kind of result, could be biproducts of it being "ALL ABOUT ME!". When it's all about GOD, people come out of themselves, following His tenets, being more Christ-like, in essence, stepping in FOR HIM..........
God, help us to become better people...remind us that it's taking you OUT of America which is the cause of so many of the ills in our own lives and our communities from one end of this country to the other. Amen."If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 John 3:17
Help someone today.......make it a better Sunday for him..and for you!
xxx Z
42 comments:
You know I could see myself just sitting there because I thought it was apart of the show! But in that case, I wouldn't have twittered, "Oh look. Bill Nye passed out"
Obviously, they knew he had passed out for real. Wow. This makes me incredibly sad this morning.
We are a lost people, living in a selfish generation where we are having a hard time connecting to real people right it front of us.
Good reminder, Z.
Our earlier discussion about Christ likeness prompted me to spend time really considering what He revealed to us about the nature of God.
Genuine concern for someone else apart from "what I get out of it" is a completely foreign concept to the natural state of human beings, I think.
H
In the past few years, technology has "taken over" -- as in many Twilight Zone episodes.
Just the other day, I read in the newspaper that something like 50% of the drivers on the Beltway (our big freeway in the D.C. area) text and drive. It's as if they can't stop texting!
I see this kind of obsession as a loss of part of our humanity.
Okay, not to put too fine a point on it, I think that the people who "just sat there" did EXACTLY the right thing. If you can't help, stay the 'F out of the way and let those who can, DO.
And I'm speaking from the experience of "trying" to help someone I was unqualified to help... the result being his DEATH.
...of course, if there were people who witnessed his collapse and could have contributed to providing emergency medical care (off-duty doctors/EMTs), THEY should feel very ashamed of themselves for not offering help.
Ugh. Aide first, tweet later!
I remember watching Bill Nye as a kid. I hate to hear he's doing poorly!
P31, I had that same thought "this is part of the show!" but, after a minute or two........'what's going ON?' and run to help...as I know you would.
I'm sorry it makes you sad.
I just discussed the subject of my post with Ms Z, my stepdaughter, and totally flunked the WITNESSING test again. That is SO not my gift. I'm VERY VERY good at knowing my audience and what to say to whom, but to her, I SUCK. Actually, any long term discussion about CHristianity gets me in huge trouble and I plan on curtailing it every time in the future, especially after this experience five minutes ago over lunch. I just stink at it... Every time. I'm not blaming myself, I know this isn't about me, I don't need cheering up or platitudes from anybody (please!?!!) but that's my limitation and I ONLY tell you this because I am more 'incredibly sad this morning' than even you on this count!
THanks for coming by.
Heather, I get tired of the mystery of it...it's on FAITH ALONE and, as a Lutheran church goer, that makes perfect sense to me...SOLO FIDELIO, SOLO GRATIA, SOLO SCRIPTURA. Period. I'm just not darned smart enough for much else.
I have gifts of music, encouragement, teaching from text/curriculum, but don't get me in a witnessing situation where I REALLY CARE about the person who's listening and which lasts more than 3 minutes!
AOW, I see that as part of our inner loneliness; that we have to CONNECT with SOMEONE every moment or we fear drifting off tether or something. Another reason for God.
Speedy, I don't expect anyone to give CPR, but I think getting out of your chair and running for help might be in order? That didn't happen, by and large...
Brooke..aid first, exactly. I think Nye's okay now...or did you happen to hear differently? He is a good guy, isn't he!
I was really hoping to talk about if it's an absence in peoples' lives which you, too, think is causing the kinds of awful behavior I linked to.....anybody??
Z - The examples that you gave of people ignoring those in need of help are sad. But I know good stories too. Of people reaching out to help others.
As I look around me I see evidence of God everywhere. And if His name is not spoken, it seems that people are doing His will anyway.
God is not so easily put off, and He is still sovereign in this country.
Sue, of course there is plenty good in this country!
I think it's important to note that the faster who teach our people to be too sophisticated for Him, the faster we're getting groups like those in my links, which we all know are not rare.
I like your optimism, I appreciate that other point of view, I wish I shared it more wholeheartedly because, while I see amazingly wonderful things every day, I know we're sinking because WE have put HIM off.
Such despicable behavior, and sadly so entertaining to the masses. It's the exception to the rule anymore that someone will stick their neck out to help someone else in need. This could have been an episode of reality tv. "What Would You Do?" Reminds me of that Liberty Mutual commercial where the lady stops a pizza guy from wandering in front of a speeding truck only BECAUSE she first witnessed a stranger putting coin in someone else's meter. Whatever it takes I guess.
DaBlade, I haven't seen that one..wow.
Have you seen that commercial which I think is an ad for laundry detergent? The teen asks her mother where her green blouse is and the mother acts like she doesn't know.....lies...and then you see her wearing a green blouse at a bar with girlfriends and then she washes it and, I guess, returns it to her kid. Great message, huh?
And the way they dumb down fathers now? "Dad is SUCH a boring, incompetent JERK" in waaaay too many commercials. WHY? Art following life? Or.....
Just the other day, I read in the newspaper that something like 50% of the drivers on the Beltway (our big freeway in the D.C. area) text and drive.
--------------------
Yeah, but their immobile so it isn't as bad as it sounds.
Z,
This:
I know we're sinking because WE have put HIM off.
is more where my mind was when I commented. What used to be considered "common courtesy" seems to be less common than even 20 years ago. And there has also been a noticeable attempt to shove God out of the public view. I don't at all think it's a coincidence that we see fewer people interested in modeling concern for others.
You're right.
It is an absence in people's lives that leads to the type of behavior you linked to and it has left much of our culture feeling "dark" and cold.
H
I can't imagine just standing around while someone needs help. Perhaps the audience was just stunned and didn't know what to think.
Surely there was someone behind the stage who could have run out there to help him. It cost's nothing to cover someone to prevent shock. Or to call his name to help bring him out of it. What if he needed CPR?
Would they just leave him there to die? I remember seeing a video of an old man who was hit by a car, lying in the street and passers by just kept on walking. How awful.
Out in front of our house there were kids skateboarding across the street from our driveway to the one opposite ours.
I cautioned them not do that, and as I was walking back into the house they started right up continuing anyway. One of them fell, and hurt himself, sitting in the street, and I ran back to help him. I told him not to try to get up yet and to let me see his leg.
A couple of cars stopped, and one honked his horn, I yelled at him, "can't you wait a minute, what's the matter with you", not very nicely I admit.
I helped the boy up carefully, and got him to the sidewalk. He was ok, just shaken, and with a scraped leg. Needless to say there was no more skateboarding across the street.
However, the driver that honked his horn was an idiot. He didn't care. Just wanted to be on his merry way. I guess he would have pulled around the crying boy if he could've, and just kept going.
So, yes there are those people who just keep going, or stand there gawking, and do nothing. I just dont get it.
Pris
Was driving back to the neighborhood the other morning after one of my
'newspaper over breakfast @
local cafe' and noticed a
large 'biker' at the stop sign. His cylce was tipped over and he was struggling to right it. Pulled the truck over and went to help. Big guy, gray pony tail, frustrated....he was a disabled vet. But then,
I got no cellphone, I-pod
or other silly gizmos to distract me..whatever happened to caring, helping and simple politeness?
I don't think a generation that pretty much lives life and relationship via Facebook and Twitter can have compassion. A recent study was actually showing that young people had problem with it.
I was talking to a guy at a party last night and he was telling me his son pretty much maintains his friendship through Facebook and face to face time is rare. Kids also text each other while they're together at times instead of using their own mouth!
All of that makes me feel old because I am not interested at all in living this way. But my biggest concern is that they'll ask compassion to be provided by the State and anonymous collective organizations as they as individuals are not able to feel it and provide the support that goes with it.
It's true. People, or the younger generations have become completely engrossed in the "me" mentality that they have lost sight of what it means to have love and compassion.
They have, in a sense, become desensitized.
We need to keep praying for this to bring God back into our schools, our homes and our government.
I know for certain that my readers, most of them, WOULD help....
We all have stories of times we've been helped or helped others, I hope...and I loved reading these comments with them, thanks!
I think our KIDS are the problem.
FrogBurger, that's so distressing to hear about people who live lives thru FaceBook....and there's some kid's site (probably more that I don't know of, certainly more...I don't do FB or anything like that) called Club Penguin where WHOLE WORLDS are developed on line with other children...they have Club Penguin MONEY and Club Penguin SHOPS and stories, and...you 'fake' people...it's absolutely incredible. Setting a terrible precedent.
Also, FrogBurger, I had read that article on how compassion is missing from young people and had forgotten, thanks for the reminder (Sort of, thanks..it's so distressing you almost wish you could forget it, right?)...
Yes, tests show a decided lack of COMPASSION....well, where does COMPASSION come from? :-)
Wow...your statement about people having to go to the STATE for compassion is eerie and chilling.
Funny, I've met people who'd lived in Eastern Germany until the Wall came down and they're rather soul-less.....and some are still upset this happened; they practiced telling on their neighbors and family to the STASSI ....that certainly wasn't COMPASSION ....not in the SOcialist, Atheist society of E Germany.
So, Leticia suggests we pray.......yes, absolutely.
What else can we do? We can't turn clocks back and take away Facebook and Twitter and all the other things that isolate us and we can't give our kids hope anymore,or much compassion, as all they EVER see is adult politicians doing more to demolish others than help their country, there are no more heroes before the media takes care of that in their GOTCHA mentality.
Well, I could go on but you all know ....
SO .. CAN anything be done?
I remember a family vacation in my teens where we had stopped for gas in some place just east of bumf*ck and south of the middle of nowhere where we happened upon some Mexican man with a smashed in face and drenched in blood. Apparently he was drunk and just crashed out his truck. Somehow he wandered in delirium to the gas station.
His forehead was split down the middle, deep enough to see his skull. His nose was split open, and by that I mean the bridge of his nose was torn apart left to right, the bottom half of his nose was barely dangling by a thread of flesh, his sinus cavity fully exposed. Lips busted. Coughing up blood, obviously broken ribs and likely a punctured lung.
And nobody would help him because no one could speak Spanish in this little nowhere town.
No one but me, and my half-ass barely remembered two years of high school Spanish.
As people gawked at him, my family jumped into action. Dad ran in side and barely restrained himself from beating the hell out of the the gas station cashier.
There were no cell phones back then you could afford or would fit in anything smaller than a bowling ball bag, and no pay phone. The only phone there was was currently being used by the till jockey, and he wasn't calling an ambulance for the injured man. He was cutting up, laughing and telling someone to "come check out the Mexican with the ripped up face" like it was entertainment.
My brothers and I hoisted the Mexican man on top of a ice bag freezer and my mother tended to his wounds as best she could while my Dad finally got the idiot inside off the phone to call an ambulance.
And the Mexican man started going into shock. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to speak enough Spanish to get his name, the name of someone he knew and the place he worked, and to calmly reassure him that help was on the way.
I can barely remember how to ask for good beer in Tijuana, and here I was keeping this guy as lucid as I could with my less than inferior Spanish.
I don't know if that guy lived or ever recovered after the ambulance took him away, but the ambulance took a good hour and 45 minutes to get there, simply because we were out past where even people who live in the boonies are afraid to go. We're talking far enough away from civilization to stop hearing rock and roll on the radio.
Other people finally did pitch in to help this guy, but it took someone like my father barking orders to get it done.
We live in a sorry world.
Speedy, I don't expect anyone to give CPR, but I think getting out of your chair and running for help might be in order?
A tweet and/or a 9-1-1 call works FASTER for me. Running around makes it look like "help" is on the way. And if you're not help, then you're keeping REAL help from responding, as they think "someone else" will or is taking care of it. Little do THEY know that you're unskilled and useless and just running around like a headless chicken.
Z - Don't you think it makes a difference that you live in California, and I am in the Midwest. You are probably exposed to more of that type of thing.
My experience was on an international flight from Tokyo to San Francisco. I was being re-patriated after a shipboard accident. My right hand was completely bandaged, and I was scheduled for admission for surgery at the USPHS hospital there.
As I was deplaning the 747 and reached the end of the jetway, I noticed that people were stepping over a fellow passenger who had collapsed. I yelled for people to go get help, and stopped to feel his pulse and see if he was breathing. He wasn't. All of my training was as a Boy Scout and a First Aid merit badge. I did my best to do a 1 handed CPR and got a faceful of vomit for my trouble. But I kept going, too busy to ask for additional help and or do anything but keep trying to apply CPR. Meanwhile, people continued to deplane and walk around us. Paramedics showed up about 20 minutes later. The guy was dead as a doornail.
To this day, I wish I held just stepped over him like everyone else. At least then , the guy might have had a chance of getting some competent help. My presence and incompetence was his death sentence which prevented others from becoming involved.
Speedy G - please don't think like that, you tried and if someone who knew what they needed to do passed by and saw that you were bandaged, they would have known to stop and tell you they could take over. Obviously nobody else was qualified to do so, and you were at least trying.
Sue, no I don't. I know absolutely incredible people here and I'm sure there are some dogs in the Midwest.
There are more traditional, conservative values in the midwest, but people help here, many DO have good values, they're just as decent as the Midwesterners...
and some aren't...from both places.
I don't believe for a second, by the way, that our elections were not fraudulant, nor do I believe Harry Reid's was legal, not when his son's the registrar for Clark County, the busiest voting district..no way.
Whitman was ahead here until the libs produced that nanny who'd been let go ONE YEAR PREVIOUS for having BEEN ILLEGAL. And now that nanny's all smiles because she got $3K ?? ?Does that make sense to you? The nanny will be deported and is thrilled that she gets three thousand dollars anyway? And Allred's all smiles for her $2K fee, when she usually gets fees in the hundreds of thousands? I keep wondering how much Gov Brown's people will pay that nanny off after the dust has settled...
Easier to pay her off in Mexico, huh?
Speedy, if someone knew better how to save that man than what they saw you doing, they'd have mowed you over...that's what trained professionals are taught to do. "move away,I'm a doctor, or I'm a nurse...or I know CPR and you're screwing it up" And they didn't. YOu were the guy's only hope and he sounds like he was gone, anyway.
God bless you for even trying.
I hate that you'd live with that on your back for so long.
Z - Ok. I'll buy that. I've never been to California, so I don't know what the people are like.
We live in a town that is 34,000 - not that big. We have our share of crime and meth labs. And there's an overwhelming amount of churches, so there's both.
I just don't think you can pick out two examples of people not caring and helping others, and say that things are getting worse in this country.
However, there are things that are worse than they used to be - just because that is how the world goes round. The question is, when will it stop, and can it turn around.
thanks, Sue...but if I heard about these two things and hadn't heard of so many more in so many ways, I'd not have posted this; this was just the impetus I needed to illustrate this point about God and lack of God, etc.
I just got off the phone with a young girl from church, she's probably 18...she's a conservative and knew I was and wanted to ask me some questions for a paper she's writing about women in politics.
My heart bleeds for her as she tells me her teacher says she's not biased but the things she has them read and her interjections in conversations clearly show she is...I worry for our country if EITHER side does this, but it is so common now I honestly believe even good teachers don't realize what they're doing OR they think it's for the good of the country because they know better.
I HATE that our kids are being treated like this from EITHER SIDE.
just wanted to share that because the interview I just gave is fresh in my mind.......
One of her questions was for women I admire now and it didn't have to be a politician...I thought and thought, then answered HOME SCHOOLING MOMS. I was happy with that answer.
Z - I just think that it's better to put the emphasis on the positive rather that the negative things that we hear about - and there is no doubt that the media reports far more negative. On the other hand we watch the Evening News and almost every night they include something postive.
That would be a hard question to answer - the women you admire - without having a chance to think about it. I used to teach piano and have come to know homeschooling families. But I admire them as persons rather than connecting them to the homeschooling.
Sue, I picked this as an aspect of life! I think the comments here from others, sadly, do show that people DO feel that things are getting out of hand.
We can sweep it under the rug or we can examine it and try to do things better.
As for home schooling moms....I'm talking about them as a GROUP of people I"d admire, can't really say how I like each one of them.
Maybe tomorrow I'll do something on how good things are going in America....darned thing is, though, it'll take a lot more research.
:-)
Z - I need to put groceries away then get to bed.
I'm sure you can understand that I see your slant on all of this - that America is going out of control - and of course it is the fault of Liberals. I don't accept that. I have a slant on it too. And as long as I see it as one side blaming the other I cannot agree with that.
For tonight I'll sign off by saying I do like your blog - not always what it's about - but I look forward to checking it every day, several times a day.
Goodnight. Are you going to have a post on stuffing?
Sue, I'm not sure I agree that kicking God out is a liberal thing, do you?
But, I will say it's the more 'enlightened, elitist Harvard-type leftwingers' who are working the hardest to take him out of our public square, so to speak.
And I know ACORN, which has done such damage, hasn't Republicans in it, etc..that's just an example.
When I speak of the Left,I mostly don't mean people like you, Sue, I believe there still ARE good Democrats who love this country, though I can't personally understand a lot of how they show it. I'm talking about Obama, Ducky-types, people who see things go wrong and continue them, like the stimulus which has backfired us into terrible debt, bias at places like the ACLU which is so powerful, insults to Conservatives who ARE trying to straighten things out, not noticing the bias of the media, etc etc.....
I think I will do a stuffing blog...at my food blog..stay tuned, I'll post a notice here at geeeZ. Man, I haven't posted at the food blog since Gazpacho this summer! :-(
Z - I'm not for kicking God out at all. The funny thing is, no one is going to be kicking God out anywhere. He is everywhere and in control.
As far as left and right politics , there is truth to what you say on your blog about leftists, but there is a negative side to conservatives, too.
I have to avoid any discussion of politics from Wednesday to Sunday, since I am in the minority in the family - one leftist to five conservatives, and the little kids will probably grow up 'right' too.
I will be looking for the stuffing post today or tomorrow. After that I doubt I'll have access to the computer.
(Bill Maher is going to be within 30 minutes of here on Dec. 3, but chances are I won't get to go.):
No one to go with and tickets are from $100 - 270. Boo hoo.)
sue, the stuffing post is up at Mac 'n GeeeZ.
Of course God's in control....and he brings to an end things which get too out of control, ever noticed that in the Old Testament?
I'm the last one to say there's nothing negative in Conservatives......but it feels to me that left leaners fall for the "Conservatives don't want to help the poor, hate gays and illegals..etc etc" thing and that's just silly...unfounded, and unfair. There seems to be no nuance in that thinking and no close attention to the truth.
For instance, more Dems are very rich than Reps but the media paints Republicans as the FAT CATS as if Wall St has no liberals, when my wonderful cousin who does headhunting on Wall St says it's largely liberals..
see, the misconceptions and running with those misconceptions never seems to end..........
Maher is getting that much to appear? I wish you could go, I know you'd enjoy him.
Z - I'll check out the stuffing post!
I'm not sure that I would enjoy Bill Maher's show, which will be standup comedy. I like Real Time better. But it would have been a chance to just see him. Oh well.
I've actually never seen anyone - like you have.
Sue, you've got to come to LA to see people! :-) Saturday night, I was at an even with Gary Senise, Tom Dreeson, Patricia Heaton (EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND) and met Ed Ames at the bar.........we all went to hear (along with 250 others) the black conservative talkshow host, Larry Elder, who I got to meet cuz my friends Orson and ALley Bean were also there...(I ADORE THEM) Orson was always one of my favorite actors and late night show guests so knowing him now this well is even more a thrill than just knowing a really great guy, you know? And ALley is DIVINE!
I just found this at my buddy's blog and thought it REALLY goes along with my message in this post and wanted you to see it:
http://conservativeoutrage.blogspot.com/
BY the way, I used to love Maher's stand up!...maybe not so much anymore!?
Z - I especially liked the one that said:
Why not try rooting for our side for a change, You Liberal Moron.
Sue, think that meant YOU? REALLY?
I DO believe the far left is NOT ON OUR SIDE, it's evidenced everywhere.
Yes, they are morons and they should be erring on OUR SIDE, like the good ol' days when America was respected for its might and not backing away from it for political correctness sake.
I guess I'd better start qualifying..."start rooting for our side, you far left-leaning, moveon.org-reading, progressive, Obama-loving morons." ?!!
I hear insults to Conservatives all the time from the left and they rarely say FAR RIGHT...we get "rightwinger" as disgustingly said as "Born again".........or "Typhoid-bearing"..... watch Joy Beyhar...she positively twitches when a Conservative's name comes up. I swear, you will DIE LAUGHING now that I've pointed that out to you.
You think it's fun to be a Conservative these days, especially in far left-leaning, moveon.org-reading, progressive, Obama-loving, State-ruining-thru-big-spending California?"? If so, you're dreaming.
Z - You don't seem to realize that I am a Liberal. I am not in any way conservative. I read your blog and comment only to be friendly, but I don't like anything you say - at least that's related to politics. I should not even be doing this. It's like I'm betraying my own cause.
Have you checked out your food blog? You're not going to like that one.
Z - When did I say that I think it's fun being a Conservative these days? But at least you have plenty of people on your side.
I have absolutely NO ONE to talk to when it comes to politics. If I mention something to anyone in my family I get dead silence.
I literally know not one person who is not Conservative. And here I am hanging out on a Conservative blog. Go figure.
Maybe that's why I like Bill Maher so much. Here's someone who thinks the same as I do as far as politics go. And besides that, I just like him - politically, better than people close to me.
If you think being a Conservative is difficult, you ought to try being president...
(Speaking of presidents, I watched LKL tonight and he was interviewing the elder Bushes. Two things that stood out for me was that she talked more than he did, and he said he was going to jump out of an airplane in 2014 on his 90th birthday.)
Sue, I kind of feel like that here in LA..it's very tough to be a conservative..except most of my friends ARE conservatives because of our faith, studies, etc...we're together a lot and so that's easier.
Most people are liberals. My family's mostly conservative.
A doc I went to see today had a necklace with a diamond peace sign dangling from it. I like the juxtaposition of that (not!) Her husband runs a nonprofit getting old people housing in our area........ya, I'm pretty sure they're not conservatives, either :-) I liked her a LOT.
I guess I wish that you didn't have those preconceptions of Conservatives...we've gone thru this before a lot of times...
so it's silly to beat this dead horse. I hope you can meet some libs there........there must be SOME :-)
Z - Most of the time it doesn't matter to me that I'm the only one.
But when I'm around this one friend of mine, I feel compelled to talk politics to her, even though she wouldn't otherwise. She is conservative also mostly due to her faith. I may have told you before that she said that she and her friends find a candidate for president who is against abortion and they line up behind him (or her.) That turned me off.
Now with family coming tomorrow and Wednesday I have to watch myself about bringing up politics. It's mostly me, they don't say too much. If they do I feel surrounded!
It's odd that I'm so interested in politics because I'm really not that smart about it. Just have opinions on some issues -and I like the presidential raaces.
They always say - don't talk about politics or religion. Religion - now there's a subject I like to discuss. But again, my daughters and their husbands are pretty much Bible-beaters. I get in trouble for using that expression, but it seems to say what I want.
I wrote something on the stuffing post. Happy Thanksgiving.
Z,
It took me longer to get to the end of the comment line than it did to get over here from Conservative Outrage.
I believe it is "all about me" It's all about me and how I act in the presents of God. It's all about me and how I act when some less fortunate needs help. It's all about me when my children and grand children and fellow employees need an example of God's love and caring. It's all about me showing His caring and grace. I just hope I'm up to it.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Pops
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