Opinions

The English philosopher Bertrand Russell (18701972) was once asked what he would do if, upon his death, he were to immediately find himself in the presence of God. What would he say to the God whom he had actively and vehemently denied during his entire life?

Would you knowingly hesitate to find shelter until you saw a huge tornado was only thirty feet from you? Would you wait until your three-year-old was bitten in the face by a rattlesnake, to finally take it away from him? How about your house mortgage?

Through the past 30-40 years I’ve been involved in nursing home ministries. I’ve sat at bedsides and listened as residents reminisced about their lives. Many don’t get visitors and feel like they don’t matter to anyone anymore. Just a few minutes would brighten their day.

DEAR ABBY: Twenty-six years ago, I began what was supposed to be an affair with my current girlfriend, “Lacey.” I was married at the time, and when my then-wife caught me, I was told we needed only to figure out who got what out of the marriage.

DEAR ABBY: I got permission from my estranged brother to invite his 17-year-old daughter, “Ella,” to spend a month with my family this summer. We live on the East Coast, and she lives on the West Coast.

DEAR ABBY: I am a 63-year-old man. My fiancee (57) and I have been dating exclusively, or so I thought, for four years. I just found out she has a male friend she has been seeing without my knowledge. They go to lunch and dinner and other activities. She says they are just friends.

DEAR ABBY: After nearly 18 years of marriage, I left my wife. Our daughters were 10 and 12. We had married quickly, and only later did I realize how deeply judgmental her “born-again” beliefs were -- so much so that she gradually cut off my entire side of the family.

DEAR ABBY: My best friend and I got pregnant, each with our first child, with our due dates a week apart. We felt blessed to be going through this amazing experience at the same time. Our babies are now 2 months old. I am adjusting well to motherhood. I feel it’s coming naturally to me.

In the first of his “Five Ways,” philosopher Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) presents an argument for the existence of God based upon a simple concept: motion. His “Argument from Motion” follows the simple logic that things in the world move about and change.

Any parent knows kids are born without knowledge of how to act, not knowing right from wrong until they are taught. And, teaching this principle is not easy but consistency is most important. In the Book of Proverbs, advice for all ages about peaceful living are written clearly.