Is it okay to tell a lie?

The lyrics of “Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac comes to mind as I penned the title down. You know, that song where the singer begs to be told sweet little lies?

Tell me lies
Tell me sweet little lies
(Tell me lies, tell me, tell me lies)
Oh, no, no you can’t disguise
(You can’t disguise, no you can’t disguise)

If love is unrequited, then why would you beg to be told that you’re loved when you’re not? Does being deceived makes you happy? Unfortunately, some of us just roll with it even though we know it’s wrong to hold onto false hopes.

The Bible on lies:

In the Bible, we clearly see that lying is a sin and yes, very displeasing to God. In the Ten Commandments, we are warned to not bear false witness against our neighbors (Exodus 20:16) for lying lips are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 12:22). If you go way back to when sin first entered the world, it was based on a lie told to Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4). Ananias and Sapphira got called out for lying to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:3.

There are a few instances in the Bible where white lies are told to save lives (see Exodus 1:15-21 & Joshua 2:5), but nowhere in the Bible does God gave His approval of these lies.

Nowhere in the Bible praises lies for saving lives.  

God expects His children to follow Him in truth (John 14:6) for He never lies (Titus 1:2) and liars will be among those judged at the end (Revelation 21:8). 

Putting away lies no matter how small they are cause us to have healthy and truthful relationships with our neighbors. 

Some lies we hear every day:

* When you’re asked “Do you have any questions?” and you answer no when in fact you may have lots of questions. Don’t feign ignorant knowledge. Even if you have to ask the same question 3 times until you have the right answer or to know that you’re carrying out your work accordingly, do it. 

* When your friend invites you to a little get-together, and you lie about having something at church or at home. Own your truth. If you don’t feel like attending, say so.

* When Youtubers tell you that they’re putting 1000 donuts in a pool when in reality, it’s like 800. Youtubers think it’s okay to exaggerate numbers, but it’s click bait and not to mention, a lie at the end of the day. If you’re going to put 1000 donuts in the pool, I want to see 1000 donuts.

* When someone gets caught in a lie and they try to justify it by asking you to stop hating and try to reason with their lie in the first place.

I’ve told white lies over the years to cover my tracks, but in the end, I’ve come to realize that even little white lies are wrong, no matter how sweet they may taste.

Remember, the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). We worship God in truth so it’s obvious that honestly is the best policy regardless of the situation.

***Dobre brothers GIFs via Google Search

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Tell a hater later!

Tackling cyberbullying.

WE Day is an annual youth event that celebrates everyday heroes. This year, it was held on September 20th and although many issues were tackled, I was interested in the #LaterHaters campaign because they were tackling online bullying. So it was a pleasant surprise when I saw these boys repping the campaign.

But I was disappointed because enough light was not shed on cyberbullying. Pre-teens and teenagers are not the only victims of cyberbullying; adults also suffer from this electronic type abuse, but the media tends to focus on the teens. 

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying takes place by the unfair usage of electronic technology to humiliate, target, threaten, embarrass or harass someone. Electronic technology may include devices such as computers, tablets and cell phones. Cyberbullies can also use communication tools such as websites, social media and text messages. 

Here are a few examples of cyberbullying:

Impersonation: This is the act of taking someone else’s identity for the purpose of damaging the person’s reputation. Some impersonators carry the act further by creating a false online profile. 

Cyberstalking: The use of electronic communications to persistently harass someone. Simply put, this is online stalking. The person receiving the threatening messages may eventually begin to question his/her safety and even mental being.

Proxy attacks: These kinds of attacks happen when the bully install a proxy onto the victim’s computer. The bully will then be able to access the victim’s information through the proxy; they’ll then use this information to threaten, humiliate and sometimes even blackmail the victim.

Photos: Bullies tend to upload private/embarrassing images of their victims on the internet to humiliate them. The images may be altered/photoshopped to embarrass the victim. I’ll also advise teenagers to not send nudes online to anyone. 

It does not matter the example, the bully’s main aim is to torment the victim making his/her life miserable for the fun of it.

Later Haters!! Don’t let online trolls stop you from making the difference you know you can make.

Everything bullies say is not true, ignore it and laugh at it, be the stronger person 💪

— Cyrus Dobre (@CyrusDobre) September 13, 2017

But is it that simple? Cyberbullying can hurt as much as physical bullying for most people that are bullied online are also bullied in real life. This can cause the victim to become traumatized, have lower self-esteem, turn to alcohol and drugs, question their mental health, and in some cases, even take their lives. 

You might ask what causes a human being to do this cruel act to another human being. Well, most of these bullies are insecure and in harming someone else’s life for the fun of it makes them feel superior. There may not always be a reason for cyberbullying.

How to prevent/stop cyberbullying?

While cyberbullying is not going to go away anytime soon, there are ways you can prevent being bullied online.

* Don’t empower a bully. By responding to bullies, you empower them because your reaction is exactly what they want.

* Block the bully. If you’re using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or even a blog, use the security settings or privacy tools to block the person. Change your account settings by making sure you don’t reveal your address and phone number. If you think someone is impersonating you, create a new account and notify your friends and family.

* Save the evidence. Yes, this means every text message, email and even fake profile account/s in your name. Make sure to file and record the time and date each message was sent just in case you have to go to the police.

* If you’re a child or a teenager, do not be afraid to ask for help. Go to someone you can trust (parents, older siblings, teacher, school counselor etc.) and ask them for help.

* Don’t become a cyberbully. If you witness your friend/s teasing someone online, ask them to stop and let them know that cyberbullying has the same consequences as bullying someone in person. Do not distribute photos or videos of someone that is considered humiliating or could be used against the person.  

*** I finally got around to working on the Social Media topics, but I’ll try to have all posted by November God’s willing, though. I wanted to write more about cyberbullying, but I did not want it too chatty.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that you shouldn’t use social media because there are many good things that you can reap from it, but use it wisely and thoughtfully.

Positive Monday: take it not for granted

Good morning everyone! Well, it’s afternoon now. I’ve been trying to get this post up all morning, but it didn’t work out. Anyway…

Today is the day!

— Cyrus Dobre (@CyrusDobre) October 1, 2017

Yes, today is the day that you should’ve woken up and go…

I'm just happy to be alive ❤️

— Marcus Dobre (@dobremarcus) October 18, 2017

Being alive is a wonderful gift because every day that we get to breathe is an opportunity to get closer to our Lord and Maker and…

Just remember, The things you take for granted get taken..

— Lucas Dobre (@lucasdobre) October 14, 2017

Don’t ever take being alive for granted. Each and every one of us is fighting a battle out here, but being alive is certainly a blessing. You should always have this mindset whenever you greet the day and people.

Share your positivity with someone negative, they need it

— Darius Dobre (@dariusdobre) September 29, 2017

And never forget to thank Him for equipping you with the strength that you needed to get through another day. 

Thank you God for everything

— Darius Dobre (@dariusdobre) September 5, 2017

Enjoy the rest of your Monday.

On the Real Tho

Hahaha! I laugh because I actually like the Dobre Brothers and this song shouldn’t have made it on the list given that I already watched the video.

I don’t know how many of you know the brothers, but they might not ring a bell because they’re not famous (as yet) and they’re actually YouTubers currently trying their voices out on the YouTube rap scene. 

Maybe I’ll just talk about the lyrics or point out how many times they do a backflip because, really, I’ve seen this video so it’s going to be hard to react to it and they’re known for doing backflips.

Also, my reactions may not be your cup of tea. It might be sarcastic and I also tear lyrics apart. Let’s react to it in 3…2…1…

0:01: The beat, though! And it’s shot in New York City, once the city of big dreams.

0:08: Their jackets are SLAYING! If it’s one thing, these boys know how to dress.

But I am not a fan of ripped clothing:

0:13: Cyrus is up first and boy, can he rap!

0:25: Money talk, money walk. But it ain’t alive… Preach, Cy!

0:29: He’s hitting the Michael Jackson! Thet leg kick, though!

GIF via Folomojo

0:34: Backflip. Lucas.

0:36: That escalated quickly. Another backflip; this time by Cyrus.

0:37: You can’t judge. You can’t talk. You just sit and hate. Step it up. Show us up. Show what you create… Currently just nodding my head along.

0:44: And another backflip! Thank you, Marcus.

0:45: Time to stick the truth. If you don’t change the game. Nobody won’t remember you… But I don’t want to be remembered! 

0:50: On the real tho. On the real tho. On the…

1:01: Come in Lucas!

1:03: You didn’t know before, but now make sure you better know… I feel so threatened! Why is he threatening me?

1:16: Try to bring me down. I stay above. We doing well… Don’t let people bring you down. Regardless of what they try to do to bring you down, stay focus because with God on your side, who can be against you?

1:21: You can’t break me. God has eyes on our back and our phones… Honestly, I don’t know if he’s saying ‘God has eyes on’ or just ‘God has our’ because he’s saying it so fast. Eh!

1:25: On the real tho. On the real tho… 

1:29: Lucas be getting his dance groove on with that fancy hand gesture. Haha!

1:37: And here comes the brother who can’t wait for his name to be written in the stars: Darius. Lowkey, his eyebrows are goals.

1:46: That smiling shot of the brothers is the best shot of the video.

1:47: I got my brothers. We counting we counting. No, we ain’t stopping… The Count, is that you, bro?

1:58: Haters wanting this. They just sit and wish… Yes, because it’s easy to hate someone who is going after their dream wishing that you were in their place. I mean, why hate when you can be happy for others?

2:01: On the real tho. On the real tho… 

2:12: Last, but not least, Lucas’s other half, Marcus. *shrugging* I don’t understand how people mix up the twins. They’re very easy to tell apart. 

2:18: Backflip! Brought to you by Marcus. 

2:19: Listen to them haters. They just beggin for attention. Sit yourself down. I’mma take you to detention… SAVAGE!

2:28: You just hating like the rest. You ain’t nothing new. Words mean nothing. I’m all about the action…

2:38: HAHAHA! 

2:47: Backflips! I think it’s 7 in total. I lost count.

On the real tho, you don’t need a million dollars to make a video look good. On the real tho, the Dobre twins give you happy vibes. 

On the real ‘tho, this is Dobre Brothers before fame. When they blow up, I won’t be expecting any more family-oriented content videos or music videos such as these. 

***GIFs and pictures via Google Search

This Reaction Music Week theme was a blast! I’ll like to do Part two next week God’s willing (if you’ll like to leave suggestions), but I already have another theme in mind so I’ll probably do part two next month. God bless and I pray you have a safe and blessed weekend.

Thursday Ten: favorite YouTube channels

Subscribe? *shrugging* why not?

I have a few YouTube channels that I frequent whenever I get the time. It’s around 15, but I’m going to just randomly put down whatever comes to mind first. Let’s do this!

1. Matthew Santoro

This lovable shiny bald head goof probably has the brightest smile you’ll ever see on YouTube. He is my utmost favorite YouTuber. Santoro mainly posts “50 Amazing Facts” and top 10 lists videos. I dubbed him the Dr. Reid of YouTube and I love learning from every area he covers on his channel even if it’s haunted history. 

2. Lucas and Marcus

They make me wish I had a twin.

My twins! Well, I’ve featured them quite a bit this week, so I won’t go into many details. They post videos about pranks, gymnastics, and challenges, and sometimes the entire family makes an appearance.

One day, these two lovable idiots would go far with a prank and their mom would kick them out of the house. They’re lucky they have cool parents.

3. Dobre Brothers

“We’re the Dobre brothers and we do backflips.”

This channel is relatively new, and they have 12 videos so far. It consists of twins Marcus and Lucas and their older brothers, Darius and Cyrus. So far, they’ve posted some really cool harmless pranks like the sticky note on the twins’ car (video below).

4. Fédération Française de Football

This is the national French football team channel. They mostly post training sessions, highlights from games, and interviews with the players. 

5. Tottenham Hotspur

Another football channel that I like. I recently enjoyed captain Hugo Lloris’s saves against Juventus. 

6. Comme une Française

Geraldine is my overall favorite French teacher on YT. She takes her time to explain what words and phrases mean making you pay attention. I highly recommend her channel for English speakers interested in learning this beautiful language. 

7. Lily Petals World

I love interracial couples and this Blasian family is too cute. Lily is from Korea and James is from Kenya. The pair met and fell in love in Korea. I love their channel because it gives you an intimate insight into Korean culture. Love is a feeling, not a color.

8. Meet The Eagles

I recently came across this couple and I think they were cute, so I stayed a little bit. I am relatively new to them so I’ll watch more of their videos in my spare time. Ovoke and Giuseppe are an interracial pair (Nigerian/Dutch/Italian) and they live in the Netherlands. Love is a feeling, not a color.

9. Learn French With Frencheezee

This channel was actually recommended by YouTube and I am happy that they did because this channel is incredibly helpful when it comes to learning French.

10. Saddleback Church

I came across this channel also recently by accident and decided to stay. 

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***Photos via Google Search

Hit it if you know you lit!

It pays to be a YouTuber and they know it. When they’re not busy pushing their merch in our faces, they’re, well, rapping about being lit.

LIT (English meaning) – past and past participle of light

LIT (this generation meaning) – When something is popping or turned up.

I think I might have used this GIF a month or two aback. 😛

If it’s one word that is overused by YouTubers it is ‘lit’. Almost every channel I visit (or YT suggests), everyone is like ‘That’s so lit!’ or ‘It’s lit, y’all!’ Once there was a rock band call Lit (‘My Own Worst Enemy’ fame) and that was a time when the word ‘lit’ was not thrown around carelessly as the youngsters are doing now. We can blame the rappers, though. They’ve taken ‘lit’ to another whole level because every day they’re lit. *insert eye roll here*

Speaking of rapping, YouTubers are rappers now and it doesn’t exclude the Dobre Brothers (Cyrus, Darius, Lucas, and Marcus). The brothers have abused the word so much so why not make a song about it, eh? Guys?

Hit it like you don’t care
Hit it if you ain’t scared
Hit it like you don’t care
Hit it if you know you lit

They have no bars, or flow – save Cyrus – but I like silly. I like the fact that the super cars are their very own and not a rental and how they give God thanks for everything that they have. Now, that is lit! But I still don’t know what I’m hitting although I’m not scared… oh, the subscribe button. Hit it if you know you lit. I see what they did there, guys. ^.^

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