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Awareness Wednesday :: Unintended Consequences — Ban the Box
It is no secret that an individual with a criminal background will struggle to find employment. It goes without saying that the majority of employers do not want to hire ex-convicts. Learning that a future employee once attempted murder, committed a string of robberies, or even sold drugs is an unsettling feeling for any employer. The stigma of a conviction and time served is not an easy obstacle to overcome. In order to lower the barriers faced by those who have been convicted of a crime to being offered a job, fair-chance policies or “ban the box” laws have been introduced. Ban the box is legislation that restricts employers from…
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Awareness Wednesday :: Unintended Consequences — Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
The Old Testament is a fascinating read. The first five books, known as the Torah, lay out the Mosaic Law. There are various punishments prescribed for all types of offenses, the most severe being death. For instance, if there were a dispute between two men, and one of them was judged to be in the wrong, that man could be beaten. Or, if a woman intervened in an argument between her husband and another man in an unseemly way, her hand could be cut off (Deuteronomy 25). Did you know that according to the Law of Moses, a person could be put to death for the following offenses? • Hitting,…
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Awareness Wednesday :: Unintended Consequences — The Castle Doctrine
When I was a child I dreamed of having a castle. As I got older I realized a more realistic goal would be an English Tudor. Today I am happy to have a comfortable, small house of my own. Houses — our homes — are the symbol of our prosperity and comfort. The symbol of the good life. The Bible gives us an indication of the emotional connection we often have to our houses. The promise of a wonderful future is described in this way: “And they shall build houses, and inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another…
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Awareness Wednesday :: Are You Aware of Water?
Water is the essential compound that sustains our lives. Our bodies are 60% water, but without replenishment of water we die in about three or four days. We rely on water to clean our homes and bodies. Water is so vital that in the scriptures we find it used to represent ideas such as salvation and eternal life. The Bible contains many powerful images of water. “With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3). “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). Water signifies remission of sins through baptism…
