So, a friend of mine who lives in another state, we'll call her Kelly (I promise this story is not about me) currently has the issue of figuring out what she is going to do next year as far as housing situations go. She is currently living with two other girls( uh, Melanie and Sara) in this really nice house. Melanie is graduating and moving back home at the end of their lease in August. The other girl, Sara, wants to move to another place with Kelly. Well, Kelly doesn't exactly want to live with Sara anymore, but just doesn't have the heart to tell her because she doesn't want to hurt their friendship. Living together just didn't work for Kelly as well as she would have liked it to. So what to do?? Should Kelly lie to Sara? Should Kelly tell Sara the truth and risk hurting her and possilby their friendship? Or should Kelly suck it up and just move again with Sara?
I was thinking a lot about her situation. Is it okay to lie to Sara to protect her feelings and salvage their relationship? I guess the ethical thing to do in this situation is to tell the truth. If I was in this situation I would hope that my friend would respect my decision and try and understand I am doing this to maintain our friendship. My friend has come to me for advice and now I come to you. I don't know what she should do. If Sara is sensitive, she might not understand Kelly's good intentions and respect her honesty. This is definatley a difficult situation and makes me wonder why it is so hard to tell the truth when it is the right thing to do. Lying seems more appealing in this situation but Kelly hopes not to go that way. Any Advice?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Today in class we discussed the framers of the Constitution addressing the highly debated issues of whether or not this is a Christian Nation, the separation of church and state, the freedom of religion and its relevance to freedom of speech. Our group was very invested in these topic. One underlying theme I saw in the book "Founding Faith" was that many of the Framers i.e. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson, had their own belief and religion they belonged to, but each one seemed to pick and chose what they wanted to believe and practice within their religion. We began sharing with one another how we have treated religion in our own lives.
I was raised Catholic. I was baptized when I was a baby, made my First Holy Communion in first or second grade, was Confirmed when i was in High School. I grew up going to church every Sunday with my family, prayed before bed and had prayers hanging on my wall. I had church memorized :) Church was always something that was a part of my life in some way. That was true until my parents got a divorce. My dad and my mom continued going to church separately. It was not an ugly divorce, it was civil, no one cheated, they just grew apart. My mom and dad tried to continue the way of life they knew. As many know, getting a divorce is not looked very highly upon in the Catholic faith. People at church, who we thought were our friends, began being incredibly rude to my mother. Not sitting next to her, calling her names, not talking to her, and i'm sure if they could, they would have liked her to stay out of the church all together.
Seeing the way these people treat someone, my mother, mad me ashamed to be a part of this church and religion! I can't imagine that that is how God wants us to treat one another. It made me start thinking about my relationship with God and my religion.
I have stopped going to church and began creating a relationship with God on my own terms. I don't believe there is only one way or a right way to have a relationship with God or any religion. I feel confident with the relationship I now have with God, I feel like we understand each other. So I don't appreciate when people who call themselves my friends or people who don't even know me tell me I am wrong or going to Hell or I can't do this. I have chose to practice what i believe in my religion. There is no one right answer. If it makes you feel good, gives you faith, hope, love, peace, whatever!!! Then it's right for you and keep doing what you are doing.
I was raised Catholic. I was baptized when I was a baby, made my First Holy Communion in first or second grade, was Confirmed when i was in High School. I grew up going to church every Sunday with my family, prayed before bed and had prayers hanging on my wall. I had church memorized :) Church was always something that was a part of my life in some way. That was true until my parents got a divorce. My dad and my mom continued going to church separately. It was not an ugly divorce, it was civil, no one cheated, they just grew apart. My mom and dad tried to continue the way of life they knew. As many know, getting a divorce is not looked very highly upon in the Catholic faith. People at church, who we thought were our friends, began being incredibly rude to my mother. Not sitting next to her, calling her names, not talking to her, and i'm sure if they could, they would have liked her to stay out of the church all together.
Seeing the way these people treat someone, my mother, mad me ashamed to be a part of this church and religion! I can't imagine that that is how God wants us to treat one another. It made me start thinking about my relationship with God and my religion.
I have stopped going to church and began creating a relationship with God on my own terms. I don't believe there is only one way or a right way to have a relationship with God or any religion. I feel confident with the relationship I now have with God, I feel like we understand each other. So I don't appreciate when people who call themselves my friends or people who don't even know me tell me I am wrong or going to Hell or I can't do this. I have chose to practice what i believe in my religion. There is no one right answer. If it makes you feel good, gives you faith, hope, love, peace, whatever!!! Then it's right for you and keep doing what you are doing.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Group work
So a recent incident with a school assignment, has left me pondering group work. Here, at CSUMB, there are many assignments that call for group work. Assignments where you are either placed in groups or you choose your group partners. This dependency on other people makes me cringe. I understand the importance of being able to work well with others and in "the real world" there are many times when group work is necessary. I get it! I have found it extremely frustrating when I am partnered with someone who does not have the same work ethic that I do, or just doesn't work at all. I respect the teachers who understand there are students out there just waiting for a group project so they can sit back, let others do the work and get the grade. Those teachers provide group member evaluations :)
Group work is not just frustrating because of the free riders (those who don't work but get the grade), but say we all get lucky and get put into a group with hard workers, A+ students, it is almost impossible to schedule a time when everyone can meet outside of class. My grade should not be dependent on someone else and someone else's grade should not be dependent on me.
Again, don't get me wrong, I know the reason teachers do group work, sometimes, like in my Free Speech and Responsibility class, there is a good reason for group work, discussion. To hear other perspectives, to learn to problem solve, to learn to collaborate, to learn to work well with others, etc. Sometimes group work is good. Other times, just let us do the work on our own! Give us a choice at least.
Thanks for letting me vent, how do you feel about group work??
Group work is not just frustrating because of the free riders (those who don't work but get the grade), but say we all get lucky and get put into a group with hard workers, A+ students, it is almost impossible to schedule a time when everyone can meet outside of class. My grade should not be dependent on someone else and someone else's grade should not be dependent on me.
Again, don't get me wrong, I know the reason teachers do group work, sometimes, like in my Free Speech and Responsibility class, there is a good reason for group work, discussion. To hear other perspectives, to learn to problem solve, to learn to collaborate, to learn to work well with others, etc. Sometimes group work is good. Other times, just let us do the work on our own! Give us a choice at least.
Thanks for letting me vent, how do you feel about group work??
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