Predictive Parenting

In Dueling Madonna’s, I touched on the idea that the accumulation of incremental bad-influences acquired through negative role modeling can inversely damage our Christian walk. Based on this realization, it allows us to be cognizant and defensively proactive in regard to who we choose to admire, and why. These principles are of particular importance to the impressionable minds of children, and should be considered in our parenting strategies. However, I would like to expand beyond the constraints of only discussing role models and start to include the contemporary culture around us. It shouldn’t be a surprise that a sinful culture is a stumbling block to a godly family. Yet the `barely sinful’ aspects within the ungodly spectrum can like-wise accumulate and, given years of exposure, lead us into an acceptance of the `overtly sinful’ aspects. Sitcoms with sexual innuendo, while not overt, start to influence one into an unhealthy preoccupation with sexuality. We see this come to the forefront in later teen years with a blatant over fixation with virginity. And given societies diminishing morality, that fixation has shifted from admiring the virgin a couple of generations ago, to stigmatizing them today. I was once a teenage boy and I can attest that their minds are overly preoccupied with thoughts of sex. And these thoughts are actively uploaded into their minds via sitcoms, movies, MTV music videos, and questionable friends. Now don’t misunderstand me, sex and sexuality are a gift from God. The tensions between male and female interactions as one struggles to find a marital partner are indeed an important part to enjoying ones limited time on earth. But as our society pushes to sexualize our children, they are replacing our kids’ mindset from wanting to play playground games, for the sake of fun, to a perverted understanding of youngins engaging in adult interaction.

The Dueling Madonnas - Saint verses Sinner ... And How it Affects us.

We all have role models, even when we don’t realize it. Influences from what we’ve seen and admired subliminally exert a gentle pull on our souls. An undetected yearning to be like `that person’ or like a particular quality `that person’ has. After watching Schwarzenegger or Stallone I feel an heightened manliness. Their testosterone pumps mine up. I think my chest even get hairier after I watch their movies. I had to stop watching Jackie Chan after I ripped all my pants. You girls may admire the style or attractiveness of some lady, and wish to copy her makeup, hairstyle, or the way she carries herself. If you put a child before the tube with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on, within an hour they’ll be kicking holes in your walls. They want to be a ninja turtle. I’m not talking about idol worship, puppy love crushes, or deification. I’m articulating a principle in humanity where we actively shape ourselves and are shaped by what we see and feed on. And whether good or bad, we are pumped when we see things we wish to identify within ourselves. This when recognized, can be a source of immeasurable spiritual strength. Or when ignored, the means of our destruction. And it is a powerful ingredient in a parent’s cookbook for the development of Godly children.

Windows 10 is Linux

I don’t know if anyone’s been paying attention, but I think there’s been a code merger between those old rivals, Microsoft and Linux. I can hear all you Linux adherents say, “What the heck are you talking about”? And, in some secret backroom in Microsoft headquarters, quiet whispers can be heard, “Oh oh, someone noticed”. Whether a merger, appropriation, or sale, it is fairly obvious that Microsoft Windows 10 has adopted much of that which is Linux (which I will document below). To be clear, it was Windows 8 that first adopted Linux, and this has now been refined into Windows 10. I failed to see it in Windows 8, however. But with the advent of 10, it became glaringly obvious.