Symbols Exercise - Responses

• The Ten Commandments is a dominant culture because they are the universal laws for morality around the world--Mangum.
  
• The Bible is a gift given to us from God. I definitely don't think it should be changed. I can understand some people not agreeing with exat words of the Bible but just let the Bible be! People still will have something bad to say about the Bible rather it stays the same or changes!--Jag2419
  
• The Conflicting Cross
  I can identify with the cross because I consider myself a christian. It is very important to be the believer itself. With that said, I see a conflict going on with some religious groups. Even though they are considered to be the dominant culture. They refer to themselves as the emergent culture since they claim the dominant culture disagrees with their belief system. Looking for an example turn on TBN on any good day. Also in some references they ight make an argument thatrefers to a reactionary culture (i.e 50's lifestyle, pryaer in public schols) which I find kind of weird considering myself being African-American. If I were a Christian living during that time period, I mostly like would not have the same opportunties as those that are Christian but of a different skin tone.--Angela Langster
  
• The cross and the bible are very important parts of this world, but they should not be publicly displayed in places like courthouses, public schools etc. People have the right not to have to see it. Why aren't other religious symbols publicly displayed?--Alexander White
  
• The bible is very important to this society because our country was based on God and his rule. The bible represents us as a country. Just like other countries they are based on their preferred religion, so are we. That's why I believe our country is so successful and wealthy because anything that starts with God always ends in VICTORY!--Jeanell Calhoun
  
• I don't think that the Ten Commandments should change b/c it provides structure...without some kind of structure comes chaos. People are naturally destructive and extremely violent and the Ten Commandments gives us a criteria to follow--Joseph Hainsworth
  
• I wouldn't change any of the symbols. The cross, Bible, and the Ten Commandments represent the belief in God, who created the Earth which we live in and us...the U.S. Flag and Pledge represent our unwavering pride in our country--which is part of the world God created.--Alice Taylor.
  
• I grew up believing and saying everthing like the pledge. People have a choice to choose whether or not they want to say or believe things...symbols were created for a reason, so we should leave it alone, but if they changed the symbols, I wouldn't lose sleep.--Soupbone4
  
• The bible could be changed a bit so that the baptist don't take everything so extreme--the commandments say thou shall ot kill! Yet if you are being attacked is it O.K to fight back?--Deleisha Jensen
  
• I don't think any of them need to be changed, so long as none of them are forced on anyone...One nation under God" may need to be changed since students are forced to recite it. I am unlike most conservatives because I am open to emergent, but not emergent myself. What culture would an open-minded person fit?--Brian Jones
  
• Cross & Bible: This symbol should not be changed because Jesus died so that we could have life..Our country was founded on the symbols of Christianity.
  U.S. Flag & Pledge: This symbol brings two reactions out of me. This first is that of freedom, liberty, and justice. My second reaction sees this symbol as restrictive symbol. People say that we are free, but are we really free. A young poet once quoted, "America is a rich man's vision, but a poor man's prison."--Edward Robinson
  
• It's good if people have only one religion so that people can share the same values and thoughts. More than one religion would make misunderstanding between people--Stephanie Sam Say Mei
  
• Growing up around the Keesler AF Base, I had many friends whose parents were in the military. When I was younger, I really did not have more respect for military personel then anyone else. After a while of growing up around all these military people, my respect for them grew...I now realize the importance of the flag and the pledge, esp., to people who are patriotic.--Jason Erbe
  
• I believe in the United States of America and wht the flag stands for: Justice, God, and the people that stand together. Because together we stand, divided we fall, no matter what ethnic background. Even though I am speaking from a dominant stand point, we must look at the emergent culture. We are a melting pot.--Kendra McDuffie
  
• Minority (Name of Song)
  I pledge allegiance to the under world, one nation under Dog, of which I stand alone...
  
  Chorus
  I want to be the minority
  I don't want need your authority
  Down with the moral majority
  I want to be the minority
  - Greenday
  
  I belong to an emergent culture, a culture of personal responsiblity. I question authority and the information an authority gives. I don't always show disrespect to authority, but I choose what information I find credible. I think for myself.
  
  (Symbols) are just things. They are not people. Symbols are opinions. I enjoy my right to find a symbold sacred, and suppor the right to deface it.--Radar
  
• Cross & Bible
  These should not be changed b/c it gives me hope and life and it is truth and God-breathed--Jillian Odgers
  
• I don't think these things should be changed, but where they're put shoud be rethought. Like the Bible, having liars swear on it in court seems stupid because they may not believe in God and don't care about his commandments...Randy

• "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your god am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me..."

What, so if my mother worshipped a different but I only worshipped (the true god) i will still be punshed & so would my children, their children and so on? This makes no sense in tht case, there would be no reason for me to lead a christian life, what happened to forgiveness.

The bible is a man written text. I'm sure a lot is lost in translation. On D day no one religion is going to be completely right. Each scripture can be taken out of context---Moonlight.