Six Degrees of Separation

By Zeke Flores

In 1929 Hungarian author, Frigyes Karinthy wrote a short story titled “Chain-Links” in which he postulated that any two people on earth are connected through, at most, six degrees of separation. The idea is that anyone can be connected to anyone else through acquaintances or someone connected to an acquaintance by a separation of only six steps or lower. The process has come to be known as the “Six Degrees of Separation” and was further popularized by a 1990 play written by John Guare. Then came the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” in which the concept is to link actors to Bacon by six connections or less where the connection is whether any actor has appeared in a movie or commercial with Bacon. The search site Google even has an algorithm which when you type in “Bacon number” and an actor’s name in the search box, the site will return a “Bacon number,” that is, the degrees of separation between the actor and Bacon. Other popular sites such as Facebook and Twitter have also developed their own version to get in on the act.

It’s an unproven theory, of course, and all done in fun but the thought that we are all somehow connected to one another through such few connections is a dynamic that should cause us to pause and ponder: “How is my connection being used for good?”

Some 400 years ago Englishman John Donne wrote, “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind” What was true for Donne is true for you and me and everyone else on Earth. We are all joined, however loosely, to one another and what you do matters to someone else.

We recognize this as influence, we all have it to some degree or another, and none of us is exempt from whether we want to exert it. Before he retired, basketball player Charles Barkley said, “I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.” Too late! He had already begun to influence a generation of fans who wanted to play like him, dress like him and - unfortunately - act like him.

The idea that anyone can live their life without influencing someone else - even a little - is not just naive, it’s also un-Biblical. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Prov. 13:20). Or, as another version puts it: “Be friends with those who are wise, and you will become wise. Choose fools to be your friends, and you will have trouble.”

Influence can reach far beyond established relationships. Some people buy a product because they liked or trusted the pitchman they saw in the commercial for that product. Others watch certain news programs because they trust the newscaster to give them the news truthfully. That’s why TV commercial producers and actors (as well as TV newscasters) work hard to present a persona on camera that will be liked and trusted. They know that will influence your habits.

Influence is a powerful thing and can be used for good or bad. It can be manipulated, exerted, accepted, and resisted. A person can influence others and be influenced himself - all for good or bad. So, the Bible warns about both aspects of it. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus reminds that our influence can be used to illuminate and preserve just as light and salt does (Matt 5:13-16). Conversely, the Bible also reminds us that we each have the responsibility to be aware of who/what will influence us. “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the works of those who fall away; it shall not fasten its grip on me ... My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me.” (Psalm 101:3, 6) Why? Because we’re all connected somehow even if only by six or fewer degrees.

If we want to connect with someone - and be connected by someone - in a positive way, shouldn’t we fill ourselves with God’s will and pass it on to others with the prayer that God will use it for His intended purpose? &

“Parent 1” And “Parent 2”

By Tim Haile

Perhaps you are familiar with Dr Seuss’ “Thing 1 and Thing 2” of Cat In The Hat fame. Well, France’s new socialist government is proposing something similar. In order to accommodate new legislation legalizing same-sex marriage and gay adoption, France plans to replace the terms “mother” and “father” with the terms “parent 1” and “parent 2” on all legal documents, including birth certificates. Obviously, when two females marry, there are no “fathers,” and when two males marry, there are no “mothers.” The French government hopes to avoid any legal issues by using gender-neutral terms in their legal documents.

Sadly, the United States is not far behind France in its pro-gay agenda. Efforts to normalize homosexuality are intensifying. In 2009, the State of California established May 22nd as “Harvey Milk Day.” People, including public school students (K-12) are to use this day to celebrate the acceptance of homosexuality. This year in California, a State Senator has crafted a bill that would prohibit what is known as “gay therapy.” Gay therapy is any religious or other instruction or effort that is intended to discourage the practice of homosexuality. It even prohibits parents from teaching their own children against the gay lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Bible teaching has not changed with respect to homosexuality and gay marriage. Paul told the saints at Rome, “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are against nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26-27). For those who claim that only “the gospels” of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John constitute moral and spiritual law, let me point out that Paul claimed to preach “the gospel” to the saints at Rome (Romans 1:15). The Roman letter was a part of “the gospel” of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Paul claimed to speak on behalf of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:37). God condemns homosexuality today just as He did under previous spiritual administrations. Homosexuality was condemned under Patriarchal Law (Genesis 19:5 + Jude 7), Mosaic Law (Leviticus 20:13), and it is condemned today under Gospel Law today (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). Like bestiality, adultery and unmarried heterosexual sex, homosexuality violates God’s plan for man and His purpose for human sexuality.

Obviously, “gay marriage” cannot be authorized if gay sex is not authorized, but we have more than just this inference to learn from. Jesus authorized marriage only between a “male” and a “female” (Matthew 19:4-5). There is no Bible authority for “gay” or “same-sex marriage.” The courts of men may allow it as a part of “non-discrimination” laws, and the people of a state or country might uphold it in some referendum, but God does not approve of gay marriage. People have a tendency to gradually accept what those around them accept. However, we must not accept what God condemns.

It should be observed that God does not even approve of all heterosexual marriages. Though human courts may grant marriages to about anyone, a person has no right to marry another while God holds him bound to his original mate. Romans 7:2-3 teaches that marriage is a life-long contract. People must not “sunder” what God has joined together (Matthew 19:6). One commits adultery by “marrying another” while his mate lives. The only exception to this rule is given by Jesus in Matthew 19:9: One may divorce his mate “for fornication” and marry another. “Fornication” includes all types of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality and bestiality.

France may change “mothers and fathers” to “parents 1 and 2” and the United States may continue to embrace and celebrate gay marriage. However, God’s word remains unchanged - His Law is “forever settled in Heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Let us respect the free agency of others, but let us not accept their sinful behavior. Let us not become desensitized to unnatural and evil practices. Let us “abhor that which is evil” (Romans 12:9). &