Being a Saturday's Warrior

I grew up being called a "Saturday's Warrior". A Saturday's Warrior meant someone born in the last days who would "fight" against evil and (hopefully) be alive at the Savior's second coming. A musical called "Saturday's Warrior" was made and to this day I can sing all of the songs. (The musical was written as a college project and the writers never intended for it to become as popular as it became.)

I'm 45 now and my youth has come and gone. Was I a Saturday's Warrior? Yes. How? Well, the Savior hasn't come yet. I'm a "warrior" because I stand up against evil. It really doesn't matter who's alive when the Savior comes again. The real thing that matters is getting eternal life. I'm still a Saturday's Warrior because I choose the right. I have taught my children to choose the right, I hope they will teach their children to do the same thing, and on and on and on.

One thing I can share with my kids is how I remember a truly peaceful time. Back when the play was written, the writers thought times were bad - they didn't know that times would get worse. (They must have thought that times were pretty bad because they hoped for the second coming. The musical was first performed in 1973 - that's 40 years ago! If they thought things were bad then, imagine how bad they are today.)

No matter how bad things are, I always have the choice as to how to be myself. Having a morally bad world is kind of a blessing because something really bad makes it easy to choose the good. I will forever and always be a Saturday's Warrior even if I'm not alive at the second coming.

Saturday's Warrior (a song written in the 70's for the musical)

Who are these children coming down, coming down.

Like gentle rain though darken skies.

With glory trailing from their feet as they go.

And endless promise in their eyes!

Who are these young ones growing tall, growing tall.

Like silver trees against the storm.

Who will not bend with the wind or the change,

But stand to fight the world alone!

These are the few, the warriors

Saved for Saturday, to come

The last day of the world

These are they, on Saturday.

These are the strong, the warriors

Rising in their might to win

The battle raging in

The hearts of men, on Saturday.

Strangers from a realm of light

Who have forgotten all.

The memory of their former life.

The purpose of their call.

And so they must learn why they're here

And who they really are.

They must learn why they're here

And who they are!

These are the few, the warriors

Saved for Saturday, to come

The last day of the world

These are they, on Saturday.

History Repeats Itself

Parents, PLEASE read what I said before and take it seriously. Kids, PLEASE listen to your conscience and do what's right. What I said before.

Defending My Beliefs

Recently (in the last year or so) it seems like many people and TV shows are pushing society to accept a behavior in which a lot of people don't believe. People in the media and on TV refer to this behavior as okay, and many people have change their beliefs. If I said, "That's wrong," some people would call me a name. Name calling is an intimidation and bullying tactic to get me to change my views. Those tactics won't work on me. I see them for what they are and don't feel scared. I stand firmly for my beliefs instead of changing them when I get bullied. I truly believe this, "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything."

I will defend my beliefs. Cunning ways are employed when trying to convince me to change. I don't blindly do what I hear, but research and think about it first. Therefore, when someone says, "Believe this, not that," I don't automatically do it. A while ago, I heard a TV producer say, "The best way to get people to change their beliefs is to make them like or pity the thing they think is wrong." That seems true. 

For example, look at the show "Sister Wives." When asking most people about their views on polygamy, they'll say, "It's wrong." Then they'll watch the show (probably out of curiosity,) and over time fall in love with the wives, the husband, and the children. The next time they're asked about their views on polygamy (what they once considered wrong,) they'll think of the wives, or the husband, or the children, or all of them and soften their views. If bombarded to accept polygamy they'll eventually change. This example could be said for many shows. Bottom line: I'm not willing to watch something that challenges my beliefs, and possibly changes them. I stand up for what I believe.

I love this poem that I've heard more than once:

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien

As to be hated remains to be seen;

Yet seen to oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace."

I don't want to embrace anything that I consider wrong, therefore I won't keep myself in any situation that causes me to endure or pity it. I'm willing to stand for what I think is right even if I'm the only one.