Peace Opportunity for Iran and U.S. Comes from Ukrainian Jet Tragedy

Iran’s accidental destruction of a Ukrainian passenger jet offers an opportunity to achieve peace between the United States and Iran.

Iran’s acknowledgement of the mistake is a step in the correct direction. Reuters[1], the Washington Post,[2] and other news sources reported that Iran’s government invited Boeing to send someone to help study the plane’s black box recorders. This is another step in the correct direction.

July 3, 1988 U.S. Accidental Destruction of Iranian Passenger Jet 

Furthermore, as numerous news stories have mentioned, there are parallels between Iran’s mistake and the United States military accidentally shooting down an Iranian passenger jet that was flying in Iranian air space on July 3, 1988.

In that case the U.S. initially claimed that the United States Navy vessel USS Vincennes was in international waters when it fired on the Iranian passenger jet, then later acknowledged the ship was in Iranian waters.  The U.S. also initially claimed the Iranian passenger jet was descending toward the USS Vincennes, but “a U.S. Navy report” stated that the Iranian passenger jet was actually ascending “within the established air route” according to Britannica.com.[3]

All 290 on board the aircraft died. Iran sued the United States government in the International Court of Justice. A settlement reached between Iran and the United States resulted in the U.S. paying millions of dollars to victims’ families according to CNN[4] and other news sources.

The U.S. has an excellent opportunity to offer empathy and sympathy.   

Opportunity for Peace

Both Iran and the United States have extra incentive to end the conflict between the two nations.

Protests by many Iranians furious at initial denials by Iran’s leaders of culpability in the disaster as well as at the disaster itself put pressure on Iran’s leadership. “Riot police have been deployed in Tehran after tear gas was used to clear the streets of protesters” according to the Guardian.[5]

Western nations (including the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain) had reported the likelihood of an accidental shoot down by Iran’s military days before Iran did. This delay by Iran in acknowledging the error infuriates many Iranians.

Some Iranian protesters are even urging the resignation of Iran’s leaders according to various news sources including AlJazeera.[6]

France24[7] and other news sources cited “many chanting ‘Death to the dictator’ ” in a reference to Iran’s leader Khamenei. In addition to protesters against Iran’s government, there were Iranian protesters against the United States and Great Britain according to CBSNews[8] and other sources.

Iran’s economy and thus its residents face difficulties partially due to U.S. economic sanctions. If Iran and the U.S. can work out a solution to their conflict that allows both sides to save face, it will be great. Perhaps an intermediary can help with this. The Swiss embassy in Iran has helped resolve conflicts between the U.S. and Iran in the past by relaying messages between the countries, including in the aftermath of the recent U.S. assassination of Iranian general Soleimani according to a Wall Street Journal article.[9]

Iran’s leadership is under pressure to improve the economy and take corrective action for this terrible accident. The United States under Trump prefers to avoid war as well.

The biggest obstacle to peace may be the perception by the United States (and Israel) that Iran seeks nuclear weaponry. While Iran denies it, it seems common sense that Iran would seek such weapons as a way to stop United States interference in its country. The UN Security Council’s permanent members, arguably the UN’s most influential members, are nations with nuclear weapons. Sadly, military weaponry is what leads to peace too often. And the United States is hypocritical in condemning what it perceives as Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons while maintaining its own huge arsenal of them.

If the United States succeeds in convincing Iran it will cease seeking to interfere in selfish ways in the Middle East, and Iran sincerely seeks to avoid its alleged support for various so-called terrorist groups, peace is possible.

How Iran responds to the protesters, and how both nations respond to the recent military actions of the two nations, remains to be seen. But cooperation in investigating the Ukrainian aircraft’s black box recorders can be a step toward cooperation in other areas.

Will Iran and the United States take advantage of this opportunity to seek a just and lasting peace? Time will tell. 

ENDNOTES:

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[1] Alexander Cornwell, Parisa Hafezi; “Iran to probe black boxes after missile blamed for plane crash”; Reuters; January 10, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-crash/iran-to-probe-black-boxes-after-missile-blamed-for-plane-crash-idUSKBN1Z9250

[2] Isabelle Khurshudyan and Erin Cunningham; “Iran admits to shooting down Ukrainian passenger jet because of ‘human error’ ”; Washington Post; January 10, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-crash/iran-to-probe-black-boxes-after-missile-blamed-for-plane-crash-idUSKBN1Z9250

[3] “Iran Air flight 655”; Britanica.com; last updated January 8, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.britannica.com/event/Iran-Air-flight-655

[4] Brad Lendon; “In 1988, a US Navy warship shot down an Iranian passenger plane in the heat of battle”; CNN; updated January 10, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/10/middleeast/iran-air-flight-655-us-military-intl-hnk/index.html

[5] Michael Safi; “Iran deploys riot police as backlash against government grows”; The Guardian; January 12, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/12/iran-riot-police-anti-government-backlash-ukraine

[6] “Anger after Iran admits downing plane: All the latest updates”;  AlJazeera; January 12, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/protests-iran-admits-downing-plane-latest-updates-200112055030204.html

[7] “Furious protesters call for Iran’s Supreme Leader to step down in wake of downed Ukrainian plane”; France24; January 12, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.france24.com/en/20200112-students-gather-tehran-mourn-victims-protest-iran-officials-response-downed-plane 

[8] “Protests continue into second day in Tehran after Iran admits it mistakenly shot down plane”; CBSNews; January 12, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-plane-crash-tehran-protesters-defy-police-in-second-day-of-demonstrations-live-updates-2020-01-12/

[9] Drew Hinshaw, Joe Parkinson and Benoit Faucon; “Swiss Back Channel Helped Defuse U.S.-Iran Crisis”; Wall Street Journal; January 12, 2020; webpage accessed January 12, 2020; https://www.wsj.com/articles/swiss-back-channel-helped-defuse-u-s-iran-crisis-11578702290

NOTE:

This article being submitted to Google Blogger on January 12, 2020 is virtually identical to one submitted earlier the same day to Craft News Report, a website operated by the author’s friend Paul Craft.

The World and the United States Are Getting Better--Despite What You Read in the News

Both the world and the United States are getting better, despite what you read in the news. Certainly many problems exist, and I’ll briefly discuss a few of those at the end of this article. But, overall, things are improving. I want to focus on that.

Life Expectancies Are Increasing

The average life expectancy for a person in every country in the world was estimated to be under 40 years in the late 1700s and beginning of the 1800s by OurWorldInData.org[1]. According to the United Nations World Mortality 2019 Data Book[2], “worldwide, life expectancy at birth . . . reached 73 years in 2019.” This 2019 figure is apparently a record since statistics began being kept.

In the last few years the life expectancy in the United States has decreased, but this is attributed primarily to preventable deaths from suicides and drug abuse according to a Centers for Disease Control report discussed in a CNBC article[3] and other news sources.

Future projections are subject to change, but the United Nations projects life expectancies to continue to increase through the year 2100, the last year mentioned in a chart in its “World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights[4]” publication.

Fewer Abortions in the United States

Abortion became legal nationwide in the United States in 1973. Guttmacher.org reports[5] that in 2017 (the most recent year with available statistics) there were “13.5 abortions performed per 1,000 women aged 15-44. . . . This is the lowest rate ever observed in the United States.”

This decline in abortions is great news for pro-life persons like myself. And even pro-choice persons would prefer to avoid the pain, expense, and health risks of an abortion.

With increased practice of sexual abstinence, more consistent and effective use of contraceptives, and potentially reversing the United States Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the number of abortions is likely to continue decreasing.

Fewer U.S. Combat Deaths in Recent U.S. Wars and No New World War

I hate war and would love for all conflicts to be resolved peacefully. But recent United States wars have resulted in far fewer U.S. deaths than past wars, as indicated by data on Statista.com.[6] This is a step in the correct direction.

Furthermore, there has not been a world war since the end of World War II in 1945.

Steps Are Being Taken to Reduce Pollution

The air and water are cleaner and safer to breathe and drink in the United States than during my childhood in the 1950s-1970s.

Progress toward renewable energy sources and electric motor vehicles indicate to me that air quality improvements will occur worldwide in the future. Countries like Norway are ahead of the United States on this issue, but even big polluters like China[7] and India[8] are taking corrective steps that should pay dividends in the future.

There is evidence that in recent years United States air quality has declined some though, based on EPA data the Associated Press analyzed.[9] And much remains to be done worldwide to improve air quality and water quality for all. But big steps are being taken worldwide than weren’t decades ago.

Overall Worldwide Poverty Is Declining According to a UN Measurement

While poverty rates are not declining everywhere or as fast as in past years, the United Nations reports[10] that “global poverty rates, measured as the proportion of people living below the $1.90 a day international poverty line, have continued to decline.”  Admittedly much remains to be done and that dollar figure must be adjusted for various economic conditions, but progress is being made.

Communication Improvements Are Occurring

Cheaper phone rates locally, nationally, and internationally, combined with email, Facebook, Twitter, etc., make it cheaper, easier, and faster to communicate with others. It’s easier to keep in contact with friends, relatives, neighbors, business associates, etc.

Language Barriers Are Being Overcome

Language translation devices available online that work with numerous languages enable one to translate material in seconds from one language to another. And this works on cell phones, too, which helps tourists, immigrants, international businesspersons, etc.

There’s Much Room for Improvement

Though I’m confident world conditions are improving overall, there remains much room for improvement. Conflicts remain between countries, political parties, and religious groups. Too many people remain in poverty, and pollution remains far too high.

Plans for the United Methodist Church to split, the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, and various other issues indicate divisions and problems that will I hope be resolved at some point.

We can and should work to correct the problems that we can in a reasonable way, but let’s recognize that we are better off than past generations. I certainly appreciate my cell phone, computer, air conditioning, radio, television, buses, rental cars, the Internet, word processing software, an abundant variety of quality food at reasonable prices in supermarkets near me, etc.

ENDNOTES:           

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[1] Max Roser, Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, and Hannah Ritchie; “Life Expectancy”; OurWorldInData.org; First published in 2013, last revised in October 2019; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://ourworldindata.org/life-expectancy

[2] “World Mortality 2019, Data Book”; United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs; 2019; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/mortality/WMR2019/WorldMortality2019DataBooklet.pdf

[3] Upton Saiidi; “US life expectancy has been declining. Here’s why”; CNBC.com; July 9, 2019; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/09/us-life-expectancy-has-been-declining-heres-why.html

[4] “World Population Prospects 2019 Highlights”; United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs; 2019; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf

[5] “September 2019 Fact Sheet, Induced Abortion in the United States”; Guttmacher Institute; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states

[6] “Number of killed soldiers in U.S. wars since World War I as of November 2019”; Statista.com; webpage accessed January 5, 2020: https://www.statista.com/statistics/265977/us-wars-number-of-casualties/

[7] Jack Guy; “China has saved hundreds of thousands of lives by reducing air pollution, study says”; CNN; November 19, 2010; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/19/asia/china-air-pollution-study-scli-intl-scn/index.html

[8] Anjali Jaiswal and Kim Knowlton and Vijay Limaye; “Highlighting City Actions to Reduce Air Pollution in India”; NRDC.org; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.nrdc.org/experts/vijay-limaye/highlighting-city-actions-reduce-air-pollution-india

[9] Seth Borenstein and Nicky Forster; “US air quality is slipping after years of improvement”; Associated Press; June 18, 2019; https://apnews.com/d3515b79af1246d08f7978f026c9092b

[10] “World Economic Situation and Prospects: October 2019 Briefing, No. 131”; United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Economic Analysis; October 1, 2019; webpage accessed January 5, 2020; https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-october-2019-briefing-no-131/

NOTE:

This article being submitted to Google Blogger on January 6, 2020 is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report (a website operated by his friend Paul Craft) on January 5, 2020.

Preparing for a Winter Weather Emergency

Winter officially arrives December 21, 2019 in the northern hemisphere. It’s time to prepare for a potential winter weather emergency if you haven’t already.

God can protect us from disasters. However, I am confident God wants us to do our part to prepare for potential disasters, too.

If an emergency causes your home to lose electrical power, phone service, and safe tap water, what can you do? What if the emergency also makes your local roads unsafe due to downed power lines and trees?

One key is preparing in advance. Seek to protect water pipes from freezing and take other actions to plan ahead. Your survival may depend on it. One step in this preparation is assembling an emergency kit.

What to Include in Your Emergency Kit

Keeping a supply of essential items on hand is important. Two important things to have are water and food.

Water: I normally keep about seven 24 packs of ½ liter containers of bottled water on hand and replace it about every two years (the recommended shelf life on the bottles). That water could last me three weeks if I use about one gallon per day. I am single and live alone. Add additional quantities if your household contains more than one person.

Do you think you lack adequate space for this? If so, you are probably wrong. Since I fit it in my studio efficiency apartment of less than 300 square feet, I think most others (in the U.S. at least) can, too.

Food: Unless you have alternative means to cook food (and wash utensils) when your electrical power and natural gas and water are off, I urge you to stock only prepared food and disposable eating utensils for emergencies. This means foods like canned vegetables, canned and dried fruits, nuts, dry cereals that are ready to eat, crackers, etc. Keep a manual can opener on hand for use when electrical power is unavailable, too.

Other items to include in your survival kits: Also include flashlights, a battery-powered radio, batteries, a First Aid kit, any medications you need, and suitable clothing. For a more complete list, I recommend consulting a webpage on the U.S. government website, Ready.gov which provides a list of items for an emergency kit. Their list provides excellent advice as a starting point on what to include in an emergency kit. But you may desire additional items not on their list for your personal situation.

The Ready.gov website also provides much other information about coping with winter weather emergencies, as well as other emergencies.

Keep at Least a Three Week Supply of Essentials

Ready.gov recommends keeping at least a three days’ supply of water, food, and other items. However, I recommend a three week supply (or more) of food, water, medicine, and all the other essentials mentioned on the government websites that apply to your particular situation.

Why so much? If a major disaster occurs, it may take a few weeks for help to arrive. Even after a winter storm hits in a city in the United States, it frequently takes a week or more to restore electrical power to everyone. For example, in Lexington, Kentucky where I live, a February 2003 ice storm left about 2/3 of the city without electrical power, many for days, some for over a week, a few for a couple of weeks or longer.

Furthermore, in response to that 2003 Lexington winter storm, numerous utility-line repair people from states far away from Kentucky assisted, because their states were not affected. Also, the homes, stores, and other businesses in about 1/3 of Lexington were affected little. What if the outages had been more widespread?

If a major winter storm, earthquake, flood, or other disaster knocked out electrical power to much of the United States, there are not enough electrical line repair people to repair all those downed lines in a few days—or even a few weeks (or several weeks) in a very severe case. Depending on the type of disaster, roads may be damaged or flooded, trees may be down, hazardous chemicals may be released in the area, and all utilities (water, electricity, natural gas, phone service, etc.) may be cut off. Please prepare to shelter in your home for at least three weeks in case of an emergency. Board up windows if extremely high winds are expected.

If you haven’t read the list on Ready.gov, I urge you to do so. Even if you’ve read that list or a similar one before, do you remember it, and do you have it stocked? Most of the items on the list are good for a wide variety of emergencies, not just relatively common ones like a winter storm, flood, hurricane, or earthquake.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Generators

Buy a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector. Several have died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper use of heating sources (generators, charcoal grills, kerosene heaters, gas heaters, etc.)

Remember, diesel-powered and gas-powered generators (as well as charcoal grills) must operate outside your residence. If you have a generator and fuel for it, please place it outside and ventilate it away from all dwellings. The American Red Cross website is one of many sources providing more details on safely using generators.

Please don’t underestimate the danger of generators. Here in Lexington, Kentucky radio station WVLK reported some years ago about one family that was smart enough to put their generator outside and vent it away from their home—but they vented it toward a neighbor’s house. Fortunately, the neighbors felt ill effects and got medical attention. They lived.  But a spokesperson for the Lexington Fire Department stated that the carbon monoxide level in the neighbor’s home was several times the fatal limit, according to the WVLK news report.

Alternative Heating Source and Alternative Communication Methods

Try to have an alternative heating source that requires neither electricity nor natural gas, especially if you live in an isolated, rural area where a shelter is not available in case of a winter emergency. A wood stove, coal stove, oil stove, kerosene heater, fireplace, etc., can work.

Automobile exhaust is one major source of carbon monoxide, so please do not leave your car running in a garage or other enclosed area either.

Do seek to stay warm in cold weather though. If all else fails, putting everyone in one small room that is isolated from other areas and lighting a couple of oil lamps and candles will generate some heat. But, please be careful with fire. Provide at least a little ventilation to avoid either carbon monoxide poisoning or lack of oxygen due to the oil lamps and candles. And take steps to prevent a fire hazard. Standard safety procedures—but does anyone always follow all safety procedures? If we did, many accidents would be prevented. Bundle up in several layers of clothing to hold in warmth, too. Use blankets, sleeping bags, etc.

Try to plan in advance for some way to communicate with others without using a land-line phone, a cell phone, the Internet, a car, etc. Perhaps a satellite phone will be available nearby in an emergency center. An amateur radio operator may also be nearby. But even if such resources exist, you must be able to contact them. Downed power lines, felled trees, flooded streams, chemical fumes, and newly opened holes in the earth (in the case of an earthquake) may all impede your movement. The types of problems depend on the specific disaster.

Evacuation Plans

In addition, be prepared to evacuate your home if necessary. Keep the most essential items of your emergency supply kit handy in backpacks, the trunk of your car, or ready to put on your bicycle rack with short notice. Include appropriate clothing.

A three day supply (or less) of needed items may be all you can manage under these circumstances, especially if you must walk carrying the load.

If authorities urge you to evacuate due to weather or some other disaster, be ready and willing to do so when necessary. Keep your emergency kit packed and ready to go. If you wait, you may face enormous traffic jams and gas stations out of fuel—as New Orleans residents did with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Your evacuation plans need to consider various transportation methods. If airports, trains, and roads are so damaged (or overcrowded) that you can’t use them to evacuate, you may need to carry your emergency kit a long distance on a bicycle rack while bicycling—or in a backpack while walking.

Be willing to bicycle or walk if necessary, as long as your physical condition allows it. If those who are physically fit leave on their own, it will free up emergency response personnel and equipment for the truly needy, such as the elderly and disabled living alone.

I own a bicycle with a metal rack on the back and a few backpacks. I keep two backpacks stocked with emergency supplies that I try to replace if necessary (due to food close to the expiration date, etc.) once or twice a year. I hope I never encounter a major disaster, but if I ever do these resources may be very useful.

Conclusion

I hope what I’ve written helps you prepare for an emergency if you face one. Please consider doing further research on this topic, too. For example, additional advance planning may be especially necessary for disasters like chemical spills and biological disasters that may require you to seal yourself in an airtight room for a period. Obviously, due to the limited air supply, this would hopefully only be for a few hours.

You can access lots of helpful emergency preparedness resources online, in bookstores, at the library, via phone, etc.,—if you plan in advance. In fact, the Ready.gov and FEMA websites contain a wealth of disaster preparedness information.

If you haven't already done so, please take action now or soon to prepare for possible disasters. Please do plan ahead! And help others plan ahead, too. Please urge others to take the steps advocated in this article, too.

NOTES: This article being submitted to Google Blogger on December 16, 2019 is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report (a website operated by his friend Paul Craft) on December 14, 2019. That article was adapted from a chapter in a book the author wrote.

Remain Single Instead of Marrying? Maybe Best, Especially for Christians

The Christmas season (and Thanksgiving) often focus attention on family activities. Persons who remain single may sometimes feel out of place. However, singles can still enjoy getting together with friends and relatives—as well as fun time alone.

Enjoy singleness. All humans are single during childhood. Furthermore, even those who marry often become single again due to divorce or the death of a spouse. A study discussed in an article on PsychologyToday.com[1] indicated that those who remained single throughout their lives coped better during their later years than those who were widowed or divorced.

I agree. Some divorced or widowed persons seem to never really recover from the loss of their spouse. Perhaps their life often was excessively wrapped up in that other person. I don’t know.     

Personally, I have been single all my life and feel that I am blessed immeasurably. The New Testament cites both Jesus (Matthew 19:10-12) and Paul (I Corinthians 7) as stating it is better to remain single if one has the discipline to do so.

For some Christians, it may be the right decision to remain single throughout life.

Famous Persons Who Remained Single

The Bible records no spouse for Jesus. Can you even imagine Jesus married to a human being? The Apostle Paul apparently was single during his ministry.

Many famous and successful people remained single. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who has accomplished much for many causes, likely could not have accomplished all he has if he had a spouse. Wilbur and Orville Wright might not have successfully flown an airplane if they’d been devoted to a spouse.

Other famous lifelong single persons include Leonardo da Vinci, Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Isaac Newton, Florence Nightingale, George Eastman, Henry David Thoreau, Meriwether Lewis, and Mother Teresa.   

Singleness Permits Focus

Singleness offers an opportunity to dedicate and devote oneself fully to a particular calling or purpose, as indicated by Paul’s words in I Corinthians 7:32-34 (KJV):

^“32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

³³ But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

³⁴ There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.”

(King James Version, public domain; quoted from BibleGateway.com[2])

A single person typically doesn't need to budget as much time for family commitments. Also, a single person doesn't need to consider his or her spouse when contemplating career changes, moves to other locations, or when and where to eat meals.

If Married

However, if a Christian is already married, it is generally best to remain married unless one's spouse commits adultery or the spouse seeks a divorce. Even when a spouse commits adultery or seeks a divorce, sometimes the marriage can be saved.

If a couple experiences major problems in its marriage, prayer, marital counseling, a temporary separation, etc., can often help save the marriage. Also, seeking to resolve minor problems before they escalate into big ones is a key.

If Single

If persons are single when they become Christians, it may be better to remain single and celibate if they have the discipline to do so.

Typically, I think a single person who does not have responsibilities to a spouse or to children can devote more time to serving God and others. Still, choosing singleness is a personal choice.

For persons deciding to remain single, it is important to develop and maintain a network of friends to fellowship with at least occasionally and to help one another when necessary. Also, remember that singles living alone take total responsibility for their household cleaning, cooking, dishwashing, shopping, laundry, etc.

But often singles (including me) live in relatively small apartments rather than large houses, which reduces cleaning duties. Cooking big batches of beans and vegetable soup then refrigerating or freezing leftovers for later saves cooking and dishwashing time, too. And it is easier to shop and do laundry for oneself than for an entire family.

Personally, I think it may be God's calling for me to remain single throughout my life. Furthermore, some of my closest friends remain single.

I enjoy being single. I like being able to cook my own food the way I want it (especially nice since I try to adhere to a vegan diet). In addition, I can make my own decisions about my time and my activities.

Closing Thoughts

Of course, Christians may choose to get married. But I urge Christians to prayerfully consider the impact before getting married. Try to ensure that your relationship with that spouse-to-be will draw you both closer to God's will for your lives if you become a married couple than would be the case if you remained single and celibate.

By seeking God's perfect will, I am confident we will all be happier. For some (including me) that may include remaining single for one's entire life.

ENDNOTES:

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[1] Bella DePaulo; “How Life Turns Out for Lifelong Singles”; PsychologyToday.com; April 7, 2019; webpage accessed December 1, 2019; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-single/201904/how-life-turns-out-lifelong-singles

[2] Bible, King James Version, I Corinthians 7; BibleGateway.com; webpage accessed December 1, 2019; https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7&version=KJV

NOTE:

This article being submitted to Google Blogger on December 2, 2019 is virtually identical to one the author submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft, on December 1, 2019. That article was adapted from a chapter in a book the author wrote, a chapter which was adapted from an earlier article the author wrote.