Matthew Axelson

All individuals have the right to express themselves in whatever ways they desire, as long as it is done in a sane, humane, and harmless way. All individuals have their own unique identity; people have their own likes, dislikes, and preferences which set them apart from others. Using these different preferences and uniqueness can allow governments, universities, and other institutions to become successful by creating diverse environments with people who all have different talents and…

1.How do the statements of Jesus in texts such as Matthew 5:17-20, 6:14-15, and 7:1-2 align with the Christian doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ? There are multiple ways the texts from the sermon on the mount align with Christian doctrine and salvation through Christ. Jesus’ messages from the sermon on the mount model the need of grace to be saved. According to Jesus in one of the passages listed above, “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the…

These past 8 years, Obama has been a champion for LGBTQ+ Americans. Victories under his presidency include the signing of the Matthew Shepard Act and Marriage Equality becoming the law of the land. Obama’s legacy, motivates me, in my work in the…

comes down to the laws created. The Legislative Branch has changed the course of history through their power of creating laws. Three examples of how they have created social and economic change are The Fugitive Slave Act, The Civil Rights Act and the Matthew Shepard Act. When the United States first began, the Americans feared their new country turning into a monarchy like Great Britain and in an attempt to stop one leader from becoming too…

On October 6,1998, Matthew Shepard was left to die after accepting a ride home from two Caucasian males who beat and tortured him in Laramie, Wyoming. These two men assumed Matthew Shepard was gay and decided it was their duty to rid him of his existence. The two men who inflicted this gruesome act on Matthew Shepard weren’t prosecuted because of the law from 1969. About 35,000 hate crimes go unreported every year and this is for the LGBT communities alone, (LGBT Foundation, 2015). So many hate…

A Trump supporting Facebook friend told Scott Mednick, "We suffered for eight years. Now it’s your turn.” Scott wrote a brilliant response asking how exactly his friend had suffered under Obama: "I am surprised you would wish suffering upon me. That of course is your right, I suppose. I do not wish harm on anyone. Your statement seems to continue the ‘US v THEM’ mentality. The election is over. It is important to get past campaigning and campaign rhetoric and get down to what is uniting, not…

Andrea Palpant Diley in the start of her book focuses a lot on the concept of what I call a dependent child 's faith. She shares many stories from her childhood that shaped her life and the one about the hitchhiker really drew my attention. She about talked how embarrassed she was as her father preached to the young hitchhiker in the car. This reminded of a lot of times in my childhood when I would travel around with my grandmother. She always would find a person to preach to, wither we were in…

The well known words “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" were once said by the beloved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These words have sent chills down the spines of many generations. As the years passed, Dr. King’s dream had become a reality but there were still ways to go. The fact that decades after Dr. King’s times, one’s skin color or ethnicity is still an issue…

From the very beginnings of our existence, humans have created and sung songs. Music is used for entertainment, for celebration, for mood setting, even to go to sleep. The standards for music have changed as well, especially with the onset of technology like auto-tune. Each of the 5 songs appealed to me in one way or another. I’ll admit, I am a bit arrogant sometimes, and simply annoying other times. At home, I’ll learn extra if I’m interested in a topic, but otherwise I slack off. Following my…

confidence and efficiency at the same time. Exemplifying mercy will show others how to be merciful when the times come, also serving as a positive role-model and Child of God. Sixth Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8) As with all things, we should do them with the best of intentions. In the workplace if a promotion was given to someone who does not have much of the education behind him or her, but their work ethic speaks for them, we are to…