Effects of the Internet Harming Users

Here is the rest of my paper on Technology. If you missed one you can view it on previous posts.

The effects of using the internet for ghastly things guides the way for a countless number of lives falling victim to the crude cold world. Cyber bullying has escalated in the last few years and it shows no sign of stopping. We have lost an innumerable number of children, teens, and adults that have committed suicide because of the cyber bullies. We can never get those people back! But we can do something to stop it now. How many more kids will have to die before we see that technology has put us in a very tough position? Bullying isn’t stopping in schools. It is now coming home with the victims to continue to harass and torment them some more. Human trafficking, in particular, has increased rapidly with predators selling little children and women by using Classified ads on the internet. Predators make a lot of money off these victims, where they are trapped and held against their will. Victims are made to perform sexual intercourse in order for the predators to make money off them. Technology has permitted prostitution to amplify where hookers can make money easier than before. Hookers can be found on classified ads that are near you without you having to go out and find them. The internet has turned into a way to communicate with our friends and post updates on popular social media sites. We are constantly updating and telling all kinds of information that our friends really don’t need to know. Houses can be broken into easier if users were to update and tell people when they aren’t at home. Technology might have caused the world to learn more about each other in our daily lives, but is technology really a good tool to have? We are in continuous communication everywhere we go. But lives are being lost daily because of the World Wide Web and the harm it causes people to have to endure.


My mother and father brought me a CD for Christmas. The CD was entitled “Freedom: Artists United for International Justice Mission” and it is available at Family Christian Stores and their online store. Every CD purchased helps to rescue a victim of human trafficking. The CD includes a total of three CDs. The CD features 26 songs from Christian artists on two CDs. On the third CD, it has a DVD to watch on human trafficking. The CD includes songs from artists: Natalie Grant, Third Day, TobyMac, Tenth Avenue North, Brandon Heath, Jon Foreman, MercyMe, Phil Wickham, Jars of Clay, Sara Groves, Relient K, Sixpence None the Richer, and many more artists. You can help someone that has fallen victim to human trafficking get rescue and at the same time you get a wonderful CD to enjoy.

This CD has a song called “Arise” that I am praying and hoping people will arise and help one another out.

Here is a user made video to the song “Arise” By Third Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2-2XMIKmvI



If you would like to purchase a copy of the Freedom CD from Family Christian Stores check it out below:

http://www.familychristian.com/shop/product.asp?prodID=133165&name=Various+Artists-Freedom

Let's all come together and help put an end to human trafficking, bullying, and let's be a little bit smarter about what kinds of information we share on the internet.

Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson Book Review

Life, In Spite of Me Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice by Kristen Jane Anderson was a story about having hope in God always. Kristen went through a dark tunnel in her life and she made a dramatic choice that forever changed our entire life and the lives of the people around her. Kristen was determined that she had no place in life and that there was no hope for her. Kristen was run over by a long freight train and the doctors didn’t know how she survived the impact. Kristen tells the whole story about what lead her to lay down on the railroad tracks and why she tried to commit suicide. Kristen shares how to overcome depression and she explains in her book about how much God loves you. God can use anybody who will continue to let him.


I love the book and it has helped me to overcome depression in my own life. The book has helped me realize that God loves me. The book has taught me that what his word says about me is what is most important. We have all been placed on this Earth of a reason. God is always with us through whatever we have to endure and encounter if our lifetime on Earth. God is the one who holds the future we don’t. We can’t change our past but God is always there for us.

Kristen also adds encouragement notes throughout the book to let you know you are not alone in your struggles in life. God was with her and he still is! God is also with you! You are never alone!

One of the things, I adore is how Kristen has started a ministry called “Reaching You Ministries”. On her ministry’s official website, she allows people to email trained counselors if they are struggling with depression and they need someone to talk to.

This book will help you if you are dealing with suicide thoughts and you’re going through a depression. But if you need help I advise you to get help. Please make sure you find professions who know how to deal with depression. Please don’t ever take your life. Your life matters! God loves you!

Check out Chapter One from Life, In Spite of Me.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36311584/Life-in-Spite-of-Me-by-Kristen-Jane-Anderson-Chapter-1

If you would like to learn more about Reaching You Ministers. Check out the link below:

http://www.reachingyouministries.com/

Kristen Jane Anderson talks about her new book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiaO-URnbsc



Life, In Spite of Me is available on Amazon.com for purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601422520/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Please rate my review on Waterbrook Multnomah.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/702

Cyber Bullying Leading Factor to Our Children’s Deaths

Cyber bulling, for example, is leading many children, teenagers and young adults to an endless pit of depression. Most teens are falling victim to bullies online, and they have no idea what to do about the harassment. We are in unremitting cycle of watching what our friends are doing online and what they are saying on popular social media sites. You can get a text message or check your social media account during class or at home from your cell phone. The cyber bullies can start groups or fan pages about the person to make fun of another person. Bullies can also post hate messages and sexual comments about someone else. Peers can sometimes gang up on a person online and they make the person feel like are worth nothing. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube have a hard time monitoring every single comment, group, fan page, or video that users create to share with one another. The website Formspring, for instance, permits users to create an account that allows users to ask any variety of questions anonymously. The questions are not censored so bullies can ask the victim anything they choose. The questions are not shown publicly unless the victim tries to answer the question. If the bully were to ask an inappropriate question, for example, “Why are you gay, weird, and stupid?” The victim could feel like they must answer the question. Failure to answer the question makes the bully think the questioned asked might be true. But the damage is already done when the victim reads the question; they are scared forever. The victims of cyber bulling are feeling like there is no hope out there for them. The teens feel that they are all alone in their battle against the bully. Technology has permitted the teenagers that get bullied in school to take the bullies home with them too! The problem is that most schools don’t even know how to handle cyber bulling because the bullying happens online. Schools can’t watch every student’s accounts on social media sites for cyber bulling or suicide threats. Cyber bulling is a leading cause of suicide deaths from teenagers and kids. Tyler Clementi, Phoebe Prince, Hope Whitsell, and Megan Meier committed suicide from being cyber bullied. Tougher laws will have to be in place in order to stop cyber bullying from happening to a countless number of our children, teens, and adults. We have the power to save lives and give these kids hope if we chose to.


So won’t you stand up and fight for change and for what is right. It only takes one to stand up and make a difference in someone else’s life. The question is will you be that one? Will you stand up? Would you stand up for someone else? Or will you join in with the bullies? It’s your decision.


Here is an inspiring video to encourage you to do just that “Stand Up”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARkxnRbyR1c



Some of the lyrics of Sugarland – “Stand Up” are:

“All the lonely people cryin’ It could change if we just get started Life the darkness, light a fire For the silent and the broken hearted Won’t you stand up Stand Up Stand Up Won’t you stand up you girls and boys? Won’t you stand up Stand Up Stand Up Won’t you stand up and use your voice?”

Losing Ourselves in Our Technology Affairs

This semester in College, I had to write a paper for an English Class about the effects of technology. I have decided to share the paper, in hope that people will stand up for what is right. We all have a voice and can help make a difference in someone else’s life. I will be sharing my story over the next 5 weeks.

Technology was once a good tool to use, but it is turning into something bad. When the internet was invented, everyone thought the internet would be a wonderful asset to use once in a while. You could look up any kind of information you wanted to know about online. Now we have the internet available everywhere for us to use twenty four hours a day. You can access the internet from any mobile phone. We are in a constant connection with the whole wide world. We can look at our friends' Facebook status updates all day long. Users can even subscribe to get SMS updates from Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace that are texted to your mobile phone, when a friend status is updated. Some users on these sites tend to distribute all kinds of information with their friends. By having a constant communication with the world, technology has led to a number of people committing suicide. Cyber bullying is spreading all over the world and is happening in our very neighborhoods. Predators have even gotten the idea to start trying to sell human beings for sexual experiences, where the predators can make easy money off victims.

Stop Bullying! Speaking Up! My Survivor Story

I submitted my story on bullying to The Bully Suicide Project. They have accepted it and posted it on their Facebook page. So check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4481396&id=221347206120

Andrew Smith, 20, College Student

1. Tell Me About Yourself (What are you hobbies, beliefs, likes, etc... )

My name is Andrew Smith. I am 20 years old. My favorite hobbies are reading, riding four-wheelers, listening to music, writing, playing guitar, watching TV, hanging out with my family and friends, and just being myself. I am a Christian who believes in God. My faith has helped me through my life. I also like to play video games with my friends. I love to sing karaoke on the Wii console.

I am attending college and loving every minute of it. I hope to become a writer and maybe a Bible teacher one day. I hope my story can impact kids, who are being bullied. I love listening to Joyce Meyer every single day.


2. Tell Me About Your Personality

My personality is I am quiet and straight to the point. I have been born and raised country. I talk when I have something to say. I like to laugh and have some fun.


3. Tell Me About the First Time you remember being bullied (where, how you felt, the names, you were called, how you dealt with it)

I remember being bullied in Elementary School. I was a very quiet and shy kid in school. I wouldn’t talk to my teachers at all. They would try to convince me to open up and talk. But I wouldn’t. The teachers had no idea that I was being bullied by a girl. This girl would pick on me daily like clockwork. She was relentless in her pursuit in controlling me. She would take my things like my pens, pencils, and anything she could get her hands on in class. I remember one day, two girls started picking on me during recess. It started when the main girl got another girl to join in kicking me in the shin. They both pushed and kicked me. I was on a hill and both of the girls continually kicked me over and over again. The teachers didn’t even see them kicking me. I don’t know if the hill was too high and the teachers didn’t see it or what happened. I wouldn’t talk to them. My parents knew about most of the bullying, but since I wouldn’t open up my mouth in school. The teachers couldn’t do anything, since they didn’t see anything happening. I was so afraid to speak out of fear of being harmed.

Another way is I had a high girly voice during Elementary, Middle, and even some High School. My voice didn’t change until the second year of high school. I was called names like gay and fag. I am straight. One guy posted and told me online that it was because of the way I talked and acted.


4. Names you have been called

Gay, Fat, Fag, Bi, Handwriting messy, Walk Funny, Weird, Never talk, Random


5. Tell Me About how bullying has effected you

Bullying and name calling made me not to be able to trust other people. I was afraid to stand up to them and tell someone. Why get close to them, if they are only going to tell me how to be. People wanted me to be a certain way all the time. It was never enough for them to approve of me. I believed that lie and their lies. It was hard for me to make friends at school. It made me want to be “safe”. It was a longing to be liked by my peers. I would also try to be someone I wasn’t to be accepted.


6. Have you thought about suicide? If so, what did you do about it.

I have thought about suicide. I thought I was worth nothing. I didn’t know what love was. I had a false sense of love in me. I didn’t like myself for a lot of years. I had a deep shame base in me. I didn’t try to ever kill myself, but I have thought it.


7. What are ways you have dealt with suicidal thoughts?

I had to learn to heal from my wounds. My pain has become my message. God always loves me and always approves of me no matter what I do. I can’t change his love for me. I may not always perform perfectly, but he always forgives me.


8. What makes you a survivor?

I am a survivor who was picked on throughout his life. I was always in fear and afraid to speak up, and this is a huge honor and accomplishment that I am able to share my story with you. I didn’t let their comments and abuse control and define me. I didn’t let them change who I am. I had to not let them tear me down anymore. My life was worth living freely. I have a right to stand up and open my mouth. I don’t have to live in fear or being rejected or abused.


9. What is your message of hope to the person just like yourself?

I want to tell kids, teens, and adults to love who they are. Don’t let people’s comments and approvable define and change who you were meant to be. God made you to be special the way you’re meant to be. It doesn’t matter if people say hurtful things about you. They don’t make it the truth about you. You are; who you are. Don’t change because someone thinks you’re too big or too small. If you can’t play sports like they can. If they call you gay because you’re voice is different and high and you’re a guy. Maybe you’re a girl and they make fun of you because of your weight. Their comments don’t make you; who you are. Be the way; you want to be! Being yourself is good enough; don’t let anyone tell you different. Don’t you dare believe their lies, not for a second, or a day, or even a minute! If you are being kicked or picked on stand up and tell someone! If that person doesn’t listen, hold your head up high and tell someone who will listen. Parents, school professions, and bullying hotline numbers are a great start. Just stand up for yourself and tell someone please.


10. The quote that you live by today because of your experience is....

“Difficult situations, ones that are hard to bear, are the ones that give you strength to soar, so do not run away from them. “ Joyce Meyer

“I don't wanna spend the rest of my life And wonder why the world passed me by While I wasn't lookin' or laughing Gonna cut loose from all these chains Turn 'em into a fist full of reigns And ride out cause now there's no doubt Everyday I'm alive you can bet that I’m gonna shine.” Jo Dee Messina - Shine

Here is a CBS Video showing The Bully Suicide Project :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De89lMG7pOM