Suicide: My View (Part 2 - Unforgivable Sin)

   In part one, I spoke on an actual incident of suicide and how I feel along with a quick opinion on mental health. For this post, part 2,  I want to focus on my personal experience and a belief that is very important to me.
   I am not sure where this started, but I remember growing up and hearing that, "those that commit suicide will not go to Heaven!" So, naturally I believed it until I had someone close actually commit suicide. My world fell apart because like I had always heard, they could not go to Heaven. I was both heartbroken and mortified to be young and wrestle with this belief. Well, again, this statement came up as I read comments posted to Facebook about this students suicide. Once I read that, all this emotion came rushing back. The difference is now I know that statement is untrue. How do I know this? Because the ones that say that people who commit suicide don't go to Heaven have no biblical proof to back them up. Heaven is a biblical and spiritual place that a lot who are called followers of Christ believe they will end up. So why do they believe is someone takes their own life, that the person will not end up in Heaven? The answer I have received is that "Suicide is an unforgivable sin." To which I say, "I have to disagree, and here is why."

- How are we to know what happens once we die? Sure, the belief that we go before our creator who sits in a judgment seat is backed by scripture. But have any of us ever been there before? The account that John gives in the Book of Revelation is astounding (Here).

- Jesus himself spoke of only one eternal sin. Mark 3:28-29 says, "I tell you the truth, all sins that people do and all the things people say against God can be forgiven.  But anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of a sin that continues forever.” No where in this passage does it include suicide.

- But suicide is the ultimate act of defiance against God! True. To waste the life that God gave you is a HUGE act of defiance and selfishness. But let me ask you this. Did you ever defy your parents? What would have been a HUGE example of defiance to our parents? Would they still love us even though they may have been very hurt or disappointed? Now multiply that level of love by infinity and you have the love of God and his forgiveness. 1John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

   So, can someone who commits suicide enter into Heaven? I would like to think so. I believe that once we see the greatness of God on that throne. We lose ourselves in his awesomeness and have no choice but feel the full weight of our mistakes. At that point we cannot deny that this is our last choice. I would like to think that Jesus loves us enough to give us that one last chance before we choose to go north or south. But I implore you not to wait until you are at deaths door. Make a choice now to take the road that leads to our eternal life with our divine creator.

   No matter what you have done in the past, you have a spotless future. Do all you can to keep your present and future as clean as possible. Believe it or not, in all of our mistakes God has been there watching us. Are you dead now? Nope, that's because God has plans for you. Don't waste this time that we have.

  Oh, and if you are worried that you have sinned the unforgivable sin. Let me tell you, that if you ARE worried about it, you haven't.
  “Fear that one has done so is probably a good sign that one hasn’t, for full-fledged apostasy is a defiant rejection of everything Christian and lacks the tender conscience that would be worried about such an action.” - Apologetics Study Bible

One final link "What is the Unforgivable Sin?"

Suicide: My View (Part 1)

   Yesterday a tragic story unfolded in what we now know as the courtyard of Lanier High School (not shown) during lunch. A student took his own life while many students looked on in horror. These students had no idea what they were in for when they left for school that morning. Nor will their lives ever be the same now that they have witnessed such a horrible event.
   Let me say this in before I go further. No matter what your age, situation, problem, gender, orientation, religion, color, ethnicity, or any other identifying factor. There are always people willing to help. Ending your life is not the answer. The lasting effects on people you leave behind are far greater than you can imagine. You may feel like you have no one, but believe me, everyone has someone. A family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor. Even people you would never guess thought of you still think highly of you. So again, there is help. Please seek it out.
   First topic I want to tackle is on of the most common media covered ways that people commit suicide, by firearm. Now, anyone who knows me knows my thoughts on firearms. But I don't want to get into that discussion at this point. The avenue that I want to explore is the actual taking of ones own life by firearm. I have heard many people say, "it is the quickest way to go. BANG! done." Unfortunately, that is not the case. A while back I saw a Law Enforcement training video of a detective that did not properly pat down his suspect that he brought into the interrogation room. The man that was about to be interrogated pulled a handgun from his waistband when the detective left the room and shot himself in the head. Contrary to popular belief, it take a lot longer for the body to die even from a traumatic experience like that. As I watched, I saw his body convulse in what had to be excruciating pain before finally becoming completely still. Now I can't say I am any better off now that I have seen that. But it does give me a whole new perspective on the adage that suicide is "the easy way out". In this instance, and probably every instance, I do not see the decision being easy. There has to be some deep deep emotional hurt and pain to even consider this ultimate option. This pain leads me to my next point; mental health.
   Mental health in this time that we live in seems to either be a bigger issue than before, or we are just seeing the issue more because of the light that can be cast upon it through lightning fast media outlets like facebook and twitter. Whichever one it is, we have a problem. From what I see, the students of today have an insurmountable amount of pressure to both be unique yet fit into the status quo socially. With cyber-bullying becoming more rampant, the outcomes are becoming more and more disturbing as we learn more as to why these kids do what they do. Do we blame video games? The media? Parents? I don't see one direction that we can point our fingers. Maybe we need to begin with who Michael Jackson called "The man in the mirror".

    Please read part 2 of this blog post. It deals with a subject very close to my heart.

Continuous flow intersections at Oak Hill Y under construction

This was taken directly from the Austin Mobility E-mail I received this morning.

The new design of the intersection at the Y in Oak Hill is expected to improve traffic flow and travel times by 30 to 50 percent, according to the TxDOT. The agency broke ground on the redesign last month, and it is the second of two projects that are intended to improve area mobility and travel time through the intersection. The City of Austin seeded the funding for the redesign projects with 2010 bond monies.

The innovative design features continuous flow intersections between SH 71 and Joe Tanner Lane that will keep cars moving longer, and stopped at lights less. When complete, the intersection will be the first of its kind in Texas.  

In addition to the construction, work on new turn lanes on US 290 began earlier this year. These improvements will include pedestrian-accessible crossings and bicycle through-lanes at the intersections. Both projects are expected to be completed in 2015, said TxDOT.

TxDOT and the City continue to work together to identify potential long-term improvements for the intersection.

See the continuous flow intersection animation here.

Happy July 5th!

I am the only one in my area of the office that is actually here. Everyone else was smart enough to take off today, being that it is Friday and the day after July 4th. So today, I am cleaning my office and completeing paperwork that needs to be done. But even doing these tasks is becoming more difficult. It is just too quiet to really concentrate. I have already made a full armada of paper airplanes. Maybe now I should make an aircraft carrier out of cardboard. Anyway, have a good weekend.

What's wrong here?

Let me start out by saying that I have A LOT of respect for the Israelis. How can you not respect a people that share a border with another country that is constantly trying to kill them? And I also love the ease at which Krav Maga has been adapted and embraced by the United States. But in this video, they claim to depict "Israeli Tactical Shooting". What is shown is commonly known as the "Israeli Instictive Shooting Method". So what is so wrong in this video? 

Well for one, the Israeli Method, was developed because many pistols used back when were not drop safe and could engage the firing pin if rattled. With today's modern pistols, this has become a thing of the past.

Secondly, and I can not stress this enough, NEVER STAND IN FRONT OF A FIRING LINE!!!! I don't care how good your training or method is. You NEVER STAND IN FRONT OF A FIRING LINE!!!

Rules for firearm safety:

1. Always assume the firearms is loaded!!!

Good, I think we have it now. Enjoy the video by the way.

In Defense Of The .22 Rimfire (Part 1-1/2)

In my post yesterday, "In Defense Of The .22 Rimfire", I went through why the small .22 was not an impossible choice for a defense round. Since then, I have continued my searching for others that might have some insight on this topic.

Enter, Kirsten Weiss. Kirsten is a competetive shooter in the small bore division for Lapua originally from Pennsylvania (WE ARE... PENN STATE!!!) and a  three-time All-American in smallbore. Kirsten led the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. From there she has gone on to do many great things in the shooting sports arena. So, you could say she knows a thing or two about the .22 round.

Now, getting back to the .22 as a defensive round.The question was posed on a very popular website, The Truth About Guns. Her answer was pretty cool. Here is the question and answer:

Q: Would you use .22 for self-defense?

A: It depends on the context really. Is the .22 worth a “damn” as a defense round? One big fat absolutely! Is something bigger more suited for the task...it depends. Again, context is important. The .22 has its place as a defense weapon.

For example. Say you’ve somehow gotten yourself into a shady scenario (Robert, this means you), you’re cornered by a “bad guy”, yet the sound of a round echoing in the air would just alert more baddies to you. The .22 is perfect here. Not only can you easily silence them if needed, the un-silenced shot is often softer than common traffic noises, construction sites, etc. One or two pops from a .22 would hardly sound the alarm. [and on a more sordid note, there’s a reason why the Savage Mark II is one of the most commonly used assassin rounds. Look it up]

As far as effectiveness as a “stopping” round. Well, not to get gore-y, but the .22 is a very effective, damaging round. It tends to enter, but not have enough energy to exit. The bullet breaks apart, and bounces around, damaging bone and tissue on its pin ball-like journey. A well placed shot will be lethal.

According to videos I’ve seen, .22 rifle round will also penetrate deep enough to be effective, even at 300 yards. Whether one can shoot that distance accurately with a .22? That is the responsibility of the marksman to know his skills and his gun’s limits. Guns are tools. And tools are only as effective as their quality and the person wielding them.

.22s are also much easier to conceal than the bigger guns (especially for we puny women...haha! *eye roll*), so you’re more likely to have one on your person, when the time is needed. Or not fatigue if you have to carry it and its ammo for miles to the nearest safety point.

The most important factors in self defense though, are confidence and skill under stress. Lack either one, and you’re in for panic mode. So its important to train and know your defense tool of choice, under multiple scenarios. Get the heart rate up, get the mind working, induce as much stress response as possible. You want to train to be focused and ideally on auto-pilot, during the inevitable sensory overload.

I think its important to be comfortable with multiple self-defense tools. Including your own bare hands. So I’d encourage men and women alike, to train many tools, but know a few intimately. Knowing the .22 intimately gives you versatility with firearms. So it would be a top choice. Its good to be prepared for various scenarios, so other calibers are worth considering in addition to the .22 depending on the context (a long range shot, a thick steel penetrating shot, etc)

So, yes. I would be relieved if there was a .22 in my hands and I had to defend myself. Especially a rifle.

So, I leave you with that. Have a good day and keep firing!!!

In Defense Of The .22 Rimfire

Let me start off by giving an example of a conversation I have both heard and have had before.

Me: Sir, why do you carry a 45cal 1911?
45 Guy: Because they don't make a 46!
Me: Yeah, they do. (S&W .460)

Most of the time, like in the example above, the reasoning for owning/carrying a .45 for defense is stopping power. Stopping power is the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, whether human or animal, enough to incapacitate the target where it stands. And I would have to mostly agree with that argument. A .45 cartridge will produce more force to the target than that of a comparable smaller caliber. But putting aside stopping power of a single shot, what of the other factors? Recoil, muzzle rise, and control are ones that immediately come to mind. What if the person needing to protect themselves from a threat is of a smaller frame? What then?

There are some guys I know that say, "Unless it starts with a 4, don't waste your time!". I on the other hand believe that anything can be used as a tool of defense. Or in the case of some crafty inmates, an offensive weapon. So, back to bullets, what is an effective cartridge for those ranging from small to extra large stature (OK, maybe not Andre the Giant)? What about the very small .22lr? I fully expect the typical response shown here, but hear me out. The .22 cartridge is the one that a lot of us started with. So why is it such a stretch to think of it for defense. Again, putting aside stopping power of one shot, the .22 is much easier on recoil (practically has none) and recovery times for follow up shots are non-existent. Both these two factors help in muzzle rise, proper shot placement, and even apprehension.

No matter what you use to defend yourself, I think we can all agree that, you must practice the motions for when SHTF so you will be ready physically, emotionally, and most important mentally. With that being said, I wouldn't advise giving a small framed person a Glock G36 as their first, out the gate, firearm. Not because it is a bad weapon, but because the probability of them practicing becomes slim due to apprehension, fear of recoil, and the fact that they probably won't be that accurate. This is the reason many of us started with the extremely modest .22lr then worked our way up. Now, what does someone the size of Snooki (Why the hell do I know this!), who measures a towering 4'8" in height do if they have limited time, limited budget, and need to defend herself NOW do?

(Side Note: I referenced Snooki. If for some reason you do not know who Snooki is, look her up on Google... On second thought, don't Google her! Your life is better not knowing.)

Why not the .22lr rimfire? Because it has no stopping power? Because it does not start with the number 4? Because you are just going to piss off the attacker/criminal? Because it has never been used effectively for a defense round? If all this is true why then, have some of the most high profile, and low profile for that matter, used the small "ineffective" round to cause rifts in our history. Let me give you a few examples...

1. June 5, 1968 - 22-year-old Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan, shot Robert Kennedy with a .22 after he had just won the Presidential primary. Robert Kennedy died a day later.
2. March 30, 1981 - John Hinckley, Jr., attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was hit once lodging the bullet 1" from his heart. White House press secretary James Brady, was paralyzed in the attack along with member of the Secret Service being injured. Hinckley used a .22.
3. Between 1968 - 1985, The Monster of Florence terrorized Italy by killing 16 victims. Many were couples. All killed with a .22.
4. 1989 - 1990 - Aileen Wuornos killed 7 men in Florida. Her weapon of choice? A .22 pistol.

Now, I know what can be said, all of these were at close range. And you are correct, but most personal defense is close range. Forbes magazine did an article based on a case study done of randomly picked incidents between 2003 and 2011 (link here). In this study, many were home invasions and close quarter confrontations. Unless you live in a Beverly Hills mansion, your home is not an open space palace. So again, this raises the question; why not a .22 as a possible defensive round?

I, for one, have never been shot at. I hope I never am shot at. But if a person IS shot at, will their mind say, "Is that the sound of a Desert Eagle or a Ruger Mark II?" Or will they think, "OH S**T, I'M BEING SHOT AT!!!!" Unless the criminal has had extensive training in knowing the sounds of specific firearms, I believe the latter thinking would prevail. So why not a .22 for defense? It's lighter, quicker, more accessible, less intimidating for the shooter, smaller frame gun, good for all ages, better accuracy, faster recovery, etc., etc., etc.

In closing, I don't believe the .22 is the end all be all when it comes to a defense round. There are plenty of bigger, more robust rounds that can stop an attacker in his tracks. But using a .22 isn't inconceivable either. It may have less, one hit, stopping power (odds are you are going to keep firing until the threat is stopped, as well you should). But isn't the power to stop the attack what we are looking for, and not the power to kill. No sane person wants to kill another human being; but will if forced to. Protection of yourself and your loved ones is key. Why not do it with the best weapon you have at the time? Even if it is a little pipsqueak .22.

JC

*P.S. Here is a defense story. since I posted a few criminal cases, I thought a good use of the .22 was in order (Link Here). Also, another great article on the ".22lr for self-defense".