Fathers Rights Opinion Paper

Charles Walker
Intro to Philosophy
Professor Tim Erdel
Bethel College


The currents laws regarding Fathers rights are unfair
A look at my own personal experience.


I was 22 when I was married, the wedding took on October 16th 1999 in
Coon Rapids MN. About four months later, we had some exciting news to share
with our families. We were expecting! My son made his entrance into this world
on October 2nd 2000. I had become a father! But three years later, events would
unfold that almost caused me to lose that. The current laws regarding fathers
rights are unfair.

My marriage began to unravel. It started in 2001. I had accepted a sales
position with a company located in Omaha NE. I was only with the company for a couple of weeks when I was called into the office and was told, I was being laid off. They had hired more employees then they could afford to pay, I was the one with the least amount of experience and had to go. I tried to find a new job however I was not successful and the decision was made to move back to Minnesota. Unfortunately, things got worse. We separated in 2003, and the divorce went final less then a year later.

The original divorce decree was to award my ex-wife full physical custody and
joint legal. She wanted full physical custody because when we separated, I had no where else to go and had no choice but to move back in with my parents who live in Michigan. She changed the decree when she found out that I had suffered a mental breakdown. She now wanted full physical and full legal custody. I had suffered the mental breakdown due to the stress I was dealing with from the divorce and the fact she was not letting me talk to or see my son. She had no legal reasoning for that. I believe she was being vindictive. She was attempting to enact some sort of childish revenge.

The Strongest Contrary Arguments

There were numerous arguments that were used against me; here are a few of them:

Children Need Stability

This argument revolves around the false notion that children need unvarying
sameness (stability) above all else, to the exclusion of the other parent's involvement if necessary. The classic refrain is that the child "won't be able to manage" (cope) with two different caretakers, two different homes, etc. This argument makes it seem as though having both parents involved will somehow "upset" to the child or that the child will become "confused" when going back and forth between the parents. In the "Stability" argument, emphasis is placed on geographic location, rather than parenting skills or involvement. There are other variations on this theme, but they all center on the child being unable to deal with two homes. (Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center)

The "Parents Won't Cooperate" Argument

In this argument the unspoken assumption is that because one or both of the
parents won't cooperate with the other or one parent won't agree to joint custody, any form of joint custody is impossible. This presumption allows either spouse to decide to "not cooperate" and thereby ensure that no form of shared parenting is ordered by the court. This tactic is often used by mothers, since they are overwhelmingly more likely to gain custody. (Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center)

Her argument that I wouldn’t cooperate simply wasn’t true, my response to that
was “How do you know that I wont cooperate if you wont even talk to me?” If she was
willing to talk, she would have known that I agreed with her on the stability argument and was willing to let her have full physical custody. I was also accused of not caring and being lazy which was also not true. When we were married, I was the only one that worked and I always went out of my way to make sure my son was safe and happy.

The situation has since been resolved. I signed the decree because I felt it was best for all for the circus to be over. She has full physical and full legal custody but I have liberal visitation rights and see him and talk to him as often as I can.

The laws involving a fathers rights in a divorce are unfair. A child needs a father in its life! Before my son and I were reunited, I was informed that he was having serious behavior problems. Since we have been reunited the problems are no more. My mental status has even improved a great deal since I have my son back in my life.

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever. ~Author Unknown
(Father's Love - The Importance of a Dad)

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! ~Lydia M. Child, Philothea: A Romance, 1836 (Father's Love - The Importance of a Dad)

Bibliography
Father's Love - The Importance of a Dad. 6 2 2010 .
Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center. 6 2 2010 .

Process Analysis Essay

An Essay I wrote for Written Com 2 Class

How to do your own Oil Change
Charles Walker
Written Com 2
Professor Staples


In todays world it seems like everything is expensive especially when it comes to maintaining a working car. If you were able to do some of the maintenance yourself, you could save some money. In this essay, I am going to explain how to do your own oil change.

Before you get started it’s a good idea to gather up everything that you will need to get the job done.

What You'll Need
• Ratchet or open end wrench
• Oil filter wrench
• Oil recycle container
• Funnel
• New oil filter
• New Oil
• Clean rag

The first step in an oil change is to remove the old oil. The oil drains out of the oil pan at the very bottom of your engine, it is held in by a drain plug that looks like a big bolt at the bottom of the pan. Before you remove the drain plug, make sure that the oil recycle container is positioned underneath the oil drain.

When you remove the drain plug, let it drop into the top of the recycling
container. There should be a screen on top that will keep it from dropping into the used oil. Let all of the oil drain out, then replace the drain plug. Put the cap on the oil recycling container so you can drop it of at a location that accepts used oil, then remove the container from underneath the vehicle.

It is now time to remove the old oil filter. Using an oil filter wrench, turn the filter counterclockwise until it's free. Please handle the used filter with care, there will be used oil still in it and it can spill and make a mess. Some oil filters can be reached from the top, but for most you'll have to be under the car. You are now ready to install the new oil filter.

Before you install the new filter, you will need to prep it. Lubricate the rubber
gasket on the end of the filter with some new oil then pour a little oil into the filter. Only fill it about two-thirds of the way, it’s ok if you go a little over but it may spill as you are installing the new filter. Carefully screw the new oil filter into place.

You will not need a wrench to install the new filter as in can be done by hand. Be
carefull, over tightening the oil filter can strip its threads and cause a leak. Of course, not tightening it enough can cause a leak. So screw it on as tight as it will go with one hand,but no more. It is now time to fill the engine with new oil.

Locate the oil fill cap, unscrew it and insert your funnel. Check your owner's
manual to find out what kind of oil you will need and how much the engine will hold. It is a good idea to only put about ¾ of the recommended amount of oil into the engine. For example, if your car only holds 4 quarts of oil, add 3 ½. There should be something on the side of the container of oil that will help determine how much you have poured into the engine. The reason why you shouldn’t add all of the oil from the container is because there may still be oil in the engine even after you drained it. When finished, check the oil level in the engine to make sure you are at the right level. Don’t forget to put the oil cap back on! An oil spray can cause a fire!

You are done! Congratulations! You have just changed the oil in your car! It
really is a lot easier then it looks and can save you a lot of money!

A paper I wrote for New Testament Literature

Charles Walker

New Testament Literature

BIBL 216

Prof McCabe

When I started my freshman year in high school, I also started my first

Year participating in a group that went by the name His Witness. We were a group of high

school students from around the thumb area of Michigan that toured different churches and we

gave testimonies and performed different songs. My first deep experience with the New

Testament came from writing testimonies for these concerts. I always tried to link them with

whatever I was going thru at the time. I have always looked towards the New Testament for

words of comfort and hope. The last five years of my life have been the most challenging that I

have ever experienced and the words in the New Testament have always helped me get through.

It’s difficult to single out one single part of the New Testament that I can

say is my most favorite. I have heard a lot of people say that the Sermon on the Mount is their

favorite, while I do like the Sermon on the Mount I would have to say that John 10:1-21 is

favorite part. It talks about how Jesus was telling his followers about a shepherd who knew each

one of his sheep by name. When the shepherd called his sheep by name, they stopped being

afraid and even followed him away from the safety of their fenced in yard. Of course this meant

that they could get lost or hurt, but because the shepherd knew their names, they trusted him. The

sheep knew and trusted their shepherd’s voice even when they couldn’t see him. Its comforting

to know that even know they are billions of people on this planet, God knows my name and is

there for me.

I am not sure of the impact the New Testament has on our current culture.

I can’t help but think that many people today don’t want to take the time to open up the Bible

themselves and actually read it. We have become so consumed by our busy lifestyle that we

would rather have someone tell us what to think in regards to God and the afterlife then actually

open up the Bible and discover it ourselves. So I suppose the argument can be made that it’s not

making as much of an impact as it did back when my great grandparents were alive and well. I

have to admit I am troubled by that. Before I moved to this area, I lived in Vassar Mi. The pastor

at the church I attended would give his sermon on Sunday morning but after he was done would

always remind us that what we just heard was his interpretation and would encourage us to open

up our Bibles and read it ourselves. I wish more pastors would do that.

I have been to numerous churches during my thirty two years on this

planet. I have heard numerous interpretations of different passages out of the Bible. I have been

to churches that I have felt feed at and those that I haven’t. The ones that I haven’t felt fed at are

ones that focus mainly on the fact that we are all sinners and deserve our punishment. These

churches seem to fill their attendees full of so much anger. I use to live with all that anger and

sadness inside of me and it nearly destroyed me. I have always thought of the writings in the

New Testament as intended to be inspiring. I have been through some very dark times in my life.

Its comforting to know that I have a risen savior to guide me out of those dark times.

It is my prayer that those who proclaim themselves to be Christian would

provide a better witness to those that do not. There are two people in my life right now that

proclaim themselves to be Christian but have been acting very ugly to me lately. I believe that

we need to be a good witness in what we say and how we conduct ourselves. But I will admit

that I don’t always adhere to that myself but I do try. Some people try to project themselves as

perfect Christians but deep down inside they need help. It reminds me of a play that I saw. It

takes place when Christ has returned and is placing judgment on people. This one person comes

before God and she believes that she will get into Heaven because she was a perfect Christian.

but come to find out she was just going thru the motions and didn’t truly believe. She in the end

didn’t get into Heaven. I can’t help but think that some people are missing the point of the New

Testament.

I would think that the Hellenization movement had to have been a huge

challenge to the early Christians. The two people that I spoke of earlier think that I should

believe and act a different way than I do now. They are trying to force there way on me through

making me fell bad and making threats and calling me names. But I cant imagine a way of life

being forced upon you by the edge of a sword.

Its important to remain truthful to who you are and what you believe. That

is something my Grandmother taught me. I graduated from high school in 1996 and moved to

minneasota to start college. I went for a degree in computer networking even though that wasn’t

what I wanted to do. I chose that degree because I was told that was where the money was. I was

there for only a year and then dropped out. I got married and was involved in a lifestyle that

really wasn’t me and it nearly destroyed me. So I have decided that from now in I need to remain

truthful to who I am as that is how God Made me.

Widespread immorality is a huge problem today as it was back then. It is a

huge challenge for us Christians today as it was also back then. That way of life is being forced

on all of us today thru mass media and also through, as I spoke of before, people missing the

point of not only the New Testament but the Old Testament also. It seems that today’s mass

media is our version of the edge of the sword. It seems as if sensualism is alive and well in

todays society. It is alarming to me what is being allowed on TV and to attend a movie at the

theaters that a young child shouldn’t be allowed to see and notice that a parent has brought their

children with them.

Out of the first three chapters, I would pick the start of the Second Temple

Judaism out of which Christianity arose as an important development for the beginning of

Christianity. A typical synagogue service consisted of many of the practices that are used at a

church service today; Examples are prayer, singing of the psalms, the sermon and the

benediction. There was a freedom in the wording of the liturgy. Qualified visitors were invited to

speak, a practice that opened many opportunities for Jesus and Paul to preach the gospel in

many synagogues .Not only was the synagogue a center for religious worship every Sabbath.

During the week it also became a center for funeral services and the study of the Old Testament.

Very similar to how todays church works.

I have been very much looking forward to this class. It looks to be a

challenging yet exciting class. As I mentioned earlier the past five years of my life have been the

most difficult of my life. I had indeed gotten involved in a lifestyle that wasn’t me and in doing

so I had fallen way from God. The group that I was involved in high school was a rewarding

experience but I think I could honestly say that I was only going thru the motions and was

projecting the image of a perfect Christian on stage but in my private life I was in trouble. When

I was in Minnesota that trouble became worse.

Lately I have been on the rebound, I have found comfort in the words in

the not only the New Testament but in the Old Testament as well. I look forward to what I will

learn in this class.

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