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The impression forces itself upon one that men measure by false standards,
that everyone seeks power, success, riches for himself, and admires others
who attain them, while undervaluing the truly precious thing in life.
~ Sigmund Freud
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Initial: Frederick
Profession: Psychology Undergraduate
Birthday: days left
Height: 1.76m
Weight: 63kg
Blood Type: A+
Waist size: 29-30 inches
Hobbies: Blogging; Reading; Songs & Movies; Chill out
Most Disliked Food: Anything crustacean - due to allergy
Favourite Songs to Sing to: For You (self-composed) & The Promise
Favourite Body Parts: Nose; Jaws
Schools: Pei Chun Public School (1989 - 1995); Chong Boon Secondary School (1996 - 1999); Nanyang Polytechnic (2000 - 2003); Monash University (2006 - )
My exam results were out yesterday, which was, by right, supposed to be released today at noon time (Australian time). I've got all three credits for my units and one high distinction for one of my journalism units I took. Truly, I was a bit disappointed with my first psychology assignment as it was very strictly marked and all of us had not enough guides to writing good reports, if one is to, say... be taking a course in a private institution doing some distant learning units. The help we off-campus students get are limited and thus, if only I had the finances, I would go overseas.. yea, to Australia that is, because there is where all the help I could get anytime I want.
Anyway, I've gotten over my disappointments quickly enough as I was finally enlightened by a discovery after collecting back my assignments. And this time round, some markers have complimented my essays. I was told that the Journalism essay was "one of the best written so far", and for the Psychology report, it was "well written, coherent, and well done". This is certainly not the first time I received such compliments. Other assignments such as those of Journalism and Sociology, I received compliments such as "very creative language used", and "very well written essay". Altogether, I was told again and again for about four times in a row that my essays are very well written, and honestly, I do enjoy the satisfaction which my readers get to indulge in what I've written. Then, and only then, when I made this discovery yesterday, I knew for once that I have the talent to write.
I couldn't believe myself or anyone, when somebody once complimented about my writing skills two years ago while I was still blogging my hearts out during the darkest times of my life. I took that compliment as a pinch of salt at first and to me, I am a person who does not fully believe in any facts that anybody tells me unless it has been shown to me more than three times. And only then, I would realise that it is true and would wake up to that reality. Even tough I might not be completely satisfied with my exam results, at least, I found my strength and potential, and purpose yesterday night. And this day, as I type, would mark as a special date when I have truly found my seed of potential.
I will continue to blog, however, if I really have the time that is. As I would be rather busy with this semester and two future semesters to come, I would do my best to keep this place updated and would continue to post samples of my thoughts and philosophies when I feel like it. Thank you for supporting my blog, and for those who are regulars, thanks for your comments and of course, rebuttals and arguments to some of my entries. You guyz have brought life to this place.
I hope more people would have their minds opened up to different ideas from various sources, and not have a narrow view of what the world is like, especially those based on dogmatic nonsense. And my writings may offend, but it is the blunt and honest reality which is what I am after and still seeking. I remembered one of my heroes, Albert Einstein who said that the mind works best when it is opened. And I agree to that in a way that if one's mind is constantly seeking knowledge, instead of supernatural revelations, one would become wiser in reality than in the supernatural realm. I would rather know that I die for a greater cause and something more real, than to not knowing but continue to have faith till the day I die and perhaps realise then, that death is the end of life, and that is all there is. As we are living in this world of reality and billions of possibilities as well as there are certainties, we are to make every second of our lives count as though there is no tomorrow. This is because life is precious and we only have one in this lifetime.
Whatever we choose to believe will eventually make us... or break us. For some, it could make and break us at the same time, depending on which has a greater effect. However, there could only be two general things that we can indulge in - those of the reality, and those of the unseen, unknown, or unproven. The things of the reality are those that our physical senses can react to, but yet, our perceptions for these individual realities in our lives are completely different, or perhaps, similar every now and then. Most of the time, our ultimate perceptions and reactions, through our eyes, nose, ears, taste buds, and skin, are the result of our past experiences, childhood development, education, knowledge, and belief system (of what we are told of that specific reality). And many times, it is this reality that we are constantly struggling in. Some of us fail to see the big picture, some of us fail to perceive the details, while some of us simply rely on the unknown to determine our fate (if you know what I mean).
It is rather shocking to discover that our reality has been polluted by fantasies, imagination, folktales, made-up bedtime stories, and other fictions of what I call, mumbo jumbo. As a result, what seem real become our reality and we tend to escape the harshness of the real world through various channels that practice things such as religions, cults, and other forms of non-cultivating hobbies. The reality that we are all going to die is a fact, and a harsh one. The fear of death is definitely, by no means, evident in most of us I would say. As a result of this fear, many people would act up with courage to believe in a salvation that gives them life after death. It has been shown that throughout history, even kings and emperors were afraid of dying and that before their passing, instructions were given to their subordinates to build them large tombs with symbols of the afterlife buried together with their rotting corpses. Is this not another evidence that the 'afterlife' concept is nothing but another symbolic entity? Does the unknown, unseen, or unproven matter to us so much that we become so afraid of them all? Is it necessary to be fervently seeking the unknown while struggling with the current harsh realities of our lives, as if there are not enough solutions to solve our devastating troubles, except something supernatural?
I would really love to fall in love with somebody who doesn't disappoint me, doesn't fail me, doesn't leave me, and always provide for me. This is definitely everybody's fantasy. However, this fantastic character everyone's been fantasizing has been claimed as "God" for some religious Christians. Yet, their arguments for catastrophes, famines, diseases, sufferings, poverty, wars, destructions, natural disasters, and infant mortality, are that the world is corrupted with Adam's sin. Not only this, it was claimed that God banished Adam and Eve out of the Garden and into this world of corruption as a form of punishment for their sins and temptations. When faced with a question of why the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has been planted in the middle of the Garden in the first place, it was argued that God gave Adam and Eve free choice - whether to sin or not to sin. Well, if it was man's nature, or rather, woman's nature back then to be tempted and commit sin as a result of Satan's mere words, then I would say that man is rather imperfect when made by God himself. If Adam and Eve were perfect as in they were made in the image of God himself, then they shouldn't have sinned just because of some mere words that sounds like music to the ears. That is probably a bad reflection of who God is because if man back then were to fall so easily into sin, it shows that God isn't that perfect after all since man are made with a tiny flaw, that is, the ability to be tempted. Then again, if God made us in His image, we should be of the same level as He is in terms of how strong we are compared to God himself, and would not so easily be tempted. However, with all due respect, this was not the case.
Well, perhaps after all, man ARE made in God's image, but not a copy of God himself, since there can only be one God as He is a jealous God, and would not like to see so many gods of the same character and image like himself wondering around heaven drinking tea since all man are copies of God. No, I don't think God wants that. And I don't think we exist because of God. We exist because we are simply fortunate to be alive. We are here because of certain decisions made by our parents. Our ancestors and common ancestors have mated and adapted to this harsh environment. Moreover, they have fought a great fight and finished the race of their lifetime such that generations later, you and I finally exist in this world. We are components of billions of cells and our bodies have billions and more of chemical reactions every single split of a second or perhaps less. We became complex because of simplicity, and this evolution will go on until ultimate complexity is achieved, which I don't even know when will that be.
Reality is what we perceive. However, what we perceive is based on our belief system, past experiences, knowledge, and education. Thus it is essential that we polish our reality, which we are struggling to make up, such that we can be able to make the best out of the only life we have, instead of relying solely on supernatural beliefs to religiously guide us to our future. It is relatively good to view dogmas as morally helpful source of guidance in order to do good, just as other moral philosophies are. However, it would be sad to see dogmatic faiths turning into authorities and religious dogmas replacing civil and secular laws over man. Man always have the tendencies to escape the harshness of his environment into a place of refuge and comfort. As babies grow and develop, they also develop the ability to symbolize objects and make beliefs in the process. These are survival instincts man possess, but they have been abused over time, in a way that man decided to perceive religion as a form of escaping the many fears and negativities he faced in this real world.
As I have mentioned, our realities are what we perceive, and hence, they are biased. No man is perfect. Due to the many perceptions we, as imperfect creatures have, there would be many view points and opinions formed by different individuals. And that includes religion.
In sum, the unknown has succeeded in horrifying us because of its uncertainties and lack of evidence. Paradoxically for some, it has been a place of refuge and tower of strength and comfort for those who are desperate for answers to their crushed and troubled lives. But one must look at the bigger picture. If the unknown is really unknown, uncertain, and certainly lack evidence, what answers could it provide compared to things which are real and testable? Well, faith could possibly do the job very well indeed. But is faith ever enough? No, instead of leaning upon faith like a crutch, a rational, inquisitive, and critical mind is the answer to our unending problems.
November 21, 2007
Donut-spree time!
It's something which I have done this month and this year, and it was my first time going out with friends to try out some donuts in town. At first I was planning to have an island-wide donut-spree but it's going to be rather exhausting and due to the time constraint, it was replaced by the idea of staying just within the city area.
First thing yesterday morning, before I start my journey to taste some of the best donuts found in Singapore, my mom brought home some donuts given by my cousin who has returned from Hong Kong. And as I stepped out of my room, I saw something which most Singaporeans would be craving for as well - Krispy Kreme Donuts!
WOW!!! It looks so... delicious! And by the way, I don't think you can find this in Singapore yet. I have no idea when this stall is coming to town.
The next stop for me, as I was with Robin, was Donut Factory. And I'm sure most Singaporeans have already tried the donuts there by now. And as I was craving for donuts this week, I decided to pamper myself with some half a dozen donuts for this week. And yesterday, Robin and I bought ourselves one donut each and they tasted superb!
Argh... Robin ate his share first... and I didn't get the time to take a picture with him. Ah well, guess he might have been really hungry.
This was my share and it was called the Lotus Mocha donut. It is coated with Mocha chocolate and topped with some lotus paste. Something different.
Our next stop took us to a cosy little corner at Meridian building...
e-Donuts!!!
The donuts here looked very unique and most of them were coated with interesting flavour themes and they all looked so tempting that I would so like to buy every one of them back home. But well, as I was pretty full at that time, I helped myself with something that caught my eyes when I stepped into that stall - a Kiwi-fruit donut.
That's all for yesterday's trip!
Today, I was out with Albert and Sean for the donut-spree in town. We went to only one stall this evening and it was located in the basement of Plaza Singapura. Missy Donut!!! You got it! For those who likes variety and sugary tastes of creamy donuts, this stall is pretty good too. Here are the pictures taken this evening.
I guess there are more adventures to come when I start visiting other donut stalls some other times. These are some good stalls where we can be able to find donuts of great varieties as well as interesting flavour themes. And they are delicious. I don't know how some of you might view them as most of our taste buds are different. To me, as long as it looks good, or tastes sweet, it's delicious for me.
Today is a great day and I finally found the necklace I've been looking for.
It is a necklace that shapes like a German Cross. Looks very attention-seeking eh? I like this design... regardless what you people think of it.
That's all folks.. It's hardly I ever blog about my adventures, but I was considering making a vlog to keep an account of my travels and adventures whenever I am organizing one. Maybe next time.. yeah?
Freedom of speech in Singapore is only but a dream of a dead man. As the Minister Mentor once mentioned many years ago, that Singapore cannot afford to have freedom of expression due to its multicultural society and various religious views. Well, I was wondering if we could take these words spoken from an old man. Although there is this saying that old men are wise, I would also stress that old men are also stubborn. While young people like us are learning, we strive to uphold critical thinking and independent thoughts, as well as freedom of expression in our everyday lives. Freedom of expression does not give us the privilege to abuse our rights of speaking without constructive reasoning. I think the Minister Mentor is afraid of the public's stupidity or ignorance regarding such matters, and I'm concerned if he is ever too worried to allow people to speak their minds in the media or allow friendly debates on sensitive issues like politics and religion. Maybe he is right after all, that much of the Singaporean public is ignorant of so many things.
Firstly, they don't read much, because all they ever care is earning enough for themselves, feeding themselves and their families, and finally dying in their grave without even knowing that the prices have gone twice as high as when they were once alive and kicking. This is what I call the "bo-chap" (couldn't be bothered) attitude.
Secondly, they don't care much about the world as long as they themselves are happy. I'm not against such attitude, but thinking of this makes me feel that something is indeed amiss. If one is selfishly involved with themselves without a thought of making a difference, then seriously, what difference would it make if one dies? The only difference is the lack of inhalation. There are many ways of making a difference. One way is to realise one's worth in a society. How much are you worth? It doesn't matter what you are doing, where you are working, or what position are you holding, but rather, how are you determined to excel in the things you do that matters. And the first step to excellence is the realization of your worth and importance to the people around you. Surely, you do make a difference no matter how insignificant you may be. Hence, your identity and dignity must both be guarded.
Thirdly, they are narrow-minded. Probably because of the religion they embrace. Heck, every religion is the same. They all have potentials for shaping narrow-minded people, and people who are less tolerant. Some very good examples would be the intolerance between the Christians and Muslims in Lebanon, the Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem, and the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Being narrow-minded also involves viewing people in a judgmental light, for instance, judging them based on their biological characteristics such as their race or cultural heritage. Everyone of us are guilty of having a certain amount of narrow-mindedness. I am also guilty of being a little judgmental at times, regarding the way I perceive other races like the Bangladeshis or the Caucasians. The way we perceive objects, others and situations are determined by the knowledge we gained over years and years of education. Our upbringing in the academic aspects of our lives strongly shapes the mentality that we possess. If we embrace cults, theologies, or religious dogmas, we are doomed to the tendency of thinking intolerantly of others based on their religious views, biological characteristics, or actions. Thus, such upbringing is only but an abuse of children and young minds, by simply taking away their naturally given ability to make their own independent decisions.
However, adults are too not spared from the poison of religions. Vulnerable adults such as those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, or disillusionment, are potential prey for religious fundamentalists or evangelicals. These fanatics would hunt their prey down, breaking their self-esteem before building them up again by making them feel good about themselves. They continue this process until their vulnerable targets become fully dependent on the assurance of that religious fanatic. As a result, everything he says becomes true to the poor minds of these individuals seeking help for the cure of their plights. Subsequently, instead of fully depending on the ability of advanced medication, GOD is all there is for their cure. Instead of going to see the psychiatrists or professional counselors for their mental instability, they leaned comfortably upon religious dogmas like a crutch to take their minds off their reality and into the world of gods and other delusions. Instead of seeking knowledge of this world by constantly improving their sense of reasoning, critical thinking, and inquisitiveness in order to learn how to discern and see the gray areas of life, these vulnerable targets have become mind slaves of religious dogmas that restrict their free thoughts and eventually hinder their ability to reason and make ethical judgments.
Sometimes, I wonder if society could be better off without religion or religious people.
Yes. Religion is said to guide our lives, help us make moral decisions, and provide the pathways to inner peace. On the other hand, what peace do we have if religious fundamentalists or fanatics are psychologically intolerant of others who are not like themselves? Morality plays the most part of religion if not for its master-servant doctrines that emphasize obedience for the sake of a higher invisible and supernatural authority. It provides a clear guide for doing something in order to enter the kingdom of God or heaven or paradise.. or, for some, in order to have 72 virgins in heaven after life. All these instructions, guides, and religious education teaches one to obey the laws of a supernatural deity(s) in order to get rewarded in many different ways, if not blessed, then it must be having the key to the gates of heaven, or having favour of that god or other people. All these struggles to gain access to a heavenly kingdom or blessings in rewards are perhaps the most fundamental reasons why most religious people believe and act out according to their religion or what their gods instruct them to do.
As I've mentioned before, loving people, being kind, showing mercy, practising honesty, or even donating to charity do not necessarily require God's motivations. It is true, however, that everyone of us has ulterior motives regardless of the things we choose to do. If we love others, we expect others to love us back. This is the law of the universe. If I scratch your back, I'd expect you to scratch mine, otherwise, we are not going to meet each other again. I would be thinking, "Darn, I'm not so stupid to be deceived by such rude behaving individual who doesn't reciprocate". Thus, my attention would be drawn elsewhere without a doubt. Such behaviour with personal ulterior motives is what makes us human, because it is in our innate nature to seek for returns or a two-way street in relationships.
It is hereditary for us to love others out of our willing heart, not because God tells us so, or because the scriptures say so, or even anybody who tells us to do so. Love is taught, not commanded, not through instructions or dogmas, but by how one shows it through actions and confessions. If a parent loves his or her child, that parent not only confesses his or her love to that child, but constantly opens him or herself to that child by being a gracious, kind, and loving parent. Because a child models after his or her parent, a parent's role and the way he or she conducts him or herself is very essential. Whereas for Jesus in the Bible, his commandment for every single one of his believers was to love one another as themselves. Is it necessary for such loving action to be commanded if they, as believers themselves, could just exercise simple loving kindness towards others who simply, do not believe in their god or religion? Surely, Jesus must have known that such believers are no better off than being unbelievers and not entering God's kingdom at all. Anyway, Jesus mentioned that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than one to enter God's kingdom. One similarity to Jesus' statement is that of Confucius who encouraged people to do unto others what they want others to do unto them. Sounds familiar? Well, I could give more examples, but all I'm trying to say is that all religion preaches almost the same things. They are all dogmatic, restrictive, fundamentalistic, biased, and utterly making extraordinary claims which constantly require extraordinary explanations. The only difference lies in the various gods involved, which are probably made up in the imaginative minds of people.
That said, it is such a plight for the people of Singapore to practice religion without first understanding its secret agenda or ulterior motives, which to me, are usually unethical. Not just that, it constraints free thinking to an extent whereby everyone is stripped from developing independent thoughts or opinions. It is something that the Singapore government encourages, thinking that it might boost tourism and improve the public's awareness of one another's religious practices, which also influence their own cultures and traditions. It is not a problem acknowledging that there are various strange religions around, but it is an imminent danger for not discerning the reality of life and superstitious mentality, traditions or way of life. The reason why religion remains as the source for primitive people is that it is so convincing to the point that it is convincingly wrong and people are not simply aware of it, or some are simply denying it. This is a tool, I suspect (correct me if I'm wrong), that the government uses to self-censor the media and everyone in Singapore.
Religion is contagious, for it destroys communication and meaningful dialogues between two individuals. If one says that God told him something, there is no longer any more another person has to say because the former has already made a statement that is too out of this world for anyone to believe. Besides, it is a communicative signal to the latter party that God, the supposedly highest of all authority, has made a supposedly important statement and that the conversation is indeed over. Then again, who could possibly outspeak God? It is unimaginable. Yes, and I mean unimaginable as in simply unbelievable.
Besides, religion restricts freedom of expression, especially those of Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, or Judaism alike. These religions constantly insist their absolute right in their beliefs in a certain fixed morality based only upon their scriptures and nothing else. This is what I call narrow-mindedness. And I am utterly disappointed to find Singapore engaging in much of these religious thinking such that it allows their minds to be conformed to a conforming mindset. As a result, many people here becomes a conformer and people who are afraid to speak up in a constructive manner of course.
Well, I cannot totally blame religion for its nastiness in our society, but rather, the blame goes to those who do not constantly seek knowledge for themselves instead of doing so for the sake of God. It is, nonetheless, our decision to make our lives better. If one thinks that God is everything and that free thought is secondary, which makes him a happy person, then let it be so. If one chooses free thought and scientific reasoning, which opens him up to a world of beauty and many possibilities, then, congratulations in understanding the wider concepts of morality and discovering reality! We all have the ability and freedom to choose what we want out of our lives. God can never decide for us, for we must take a stand for what we believe and live up to its standard. We are thinking individuals, not religious robots that depend solely on scriptures to rule our lives by faith alone. Faith is non-thinking, and a non-thinker is one that is dead.
November 13, 2007
I'm feeling much better now, thanks to my improving immune system and the medicine that the doctor has prescribed to me. Of course, thanks to my parents and my fortune that I have good quality food on my table. Well, shouldn't I thank God for it? Hahaha... as I've mentioned before in my previous entry, God only exists within myself, not in this world. If I thank God, perhaps, I have only myself to thank in the end instead?
Three days ago, I found my answer regarding the existence of God. I don't care what struck me because I thought and rationalized about it. Whether it's from the "devil", or the "angel", it's all but the works of the mind, which, I believe, is the traditional explanation for the origin of our human soul and human spirit. It is what we think and perceive within the world we live in that shapes our identity and what we call ourselves, or identify ourselves with. Too often, we do not take a good look at the big picture as we are often busy with our career that bogs our mind and wears us away like used old rubber soles. However, I have yet again to thank my lucky star that I have the vacation to myself thinking about life. I know I have been feeling ill these days, but I am always up thinking.
What comes to your mind when the word "God" is spoken?
Do you think first of religion? Do you think first of Jesus? Do you think first of faith?
Many religious Christians I know are immersed in a delusion that God is related to religion, to Jesus, and to faith, or to anything biblical like the Holy Bible. Some are much better off by telling me that they first think of love. Well they are, to me, partially right. All these delusions that bogs us down like a bondage to a slave chain is an abomination, at least, to my own opinion. I personally do not see God as existent in this world at all. Firstly, we cannot see Him, we cannot feel Him, we certainly cannot hear Him if we start talking to ourselves in an enclosed room with rats and, if you like, cheese. God is omnipotent, but yet, not in the world that we see Him or It, or She. Somehow, this is a problem with the hidden concept of potential sexism, why must God be a "He"? I've yet to find my answer to this.
However, I've found my answer that the term "God", refers to the central of our morality, our ethical behaviour, and the centre of our lives.. which is, right inside the places where everything starts - the mind, and the heart. The kingdom of heaven, is in our minds and our hearts. It is how we paint the picture of God within our human minds and hearts that determines how we react to our own circumstances. I am influenced by my circumstances because they teach me great moral lessons that mould the way I think about life, and the way I perceive people. Here in my mind and my heart, is where God lies and lives within me, and no where else. To me, God is morality; God is conscience; God is values; God is the centre of my being in the way I carry myself. Like it or not, God is a being man create for himself to be a guide towards life and development. Some people can live without God, some people cannot live without God's guidance. We each have to follow our own hearts and have our own moral philosophy of how we perceive our lives.
Well, speaking about God, is He also about love? Yes, indeed. Love is part of our moral human tendency, which is innate and hereditary. With God (morality) as the centre of our being, it is barely uncommon that we love those who love us, or for some noblemen, love those who persecute us. According to evolutionary perspective, which some closed-minded Christians openly reject, love is one altruistic behaviour that not only helps to bring about progress within the individuals involved, it certainly elevates the rate of survival within that community, or if you like, social herd (most of you theologians might even deny this, in fact, you hate evolution don't you?). Therefore, love is one very important essence that could change the lives of individuals because altruism brings about adaptation and survival values within the community that is fit enough to carry on living out a life of dreams and ambitions in this world. That is why Christianity or other theistic religions stress upon the essentials of love and acceptance. But, who in their world actually practise them?
No one. Not one soul I've met. I understand, we are all imperfect, and that is why we seek perfection to fill our imperfect nature. That, is our human destiny.
So God, to Christians, is all so perfect, all knowing, all wise, and all powerful. And that, is good enough to be an ultimate guide to humanity. Thank goodness for our brains and our quick survival instincts. For without them, we would be as vulnerable as the dodo bird. Don't believe me? Well, we can't run as fast as the cheetah, we would be eaten if we mess around with them. We can't be as strong as the elephant, we would be killed carrying tons of loads on our backs. We can't be as swift as an eagle, for our food target would disappear right before our eyes if we race against them. We can't fly like the birds in the sky, so we are helpless like any land prey. We don't have sharp teeth like the lion to almost instantly kill our preys or eat their meat raw and fresh. We certainly are not as furry as the polar bears that live in the arctic, we would be frozen to death if we roam about the ice caps naked. We are not like any other animal species that have, for themselves, the ability to adapt and survive according to their natural environment in which they are inhabiting. Without their natural protection, we humans are doomed for extinction. However, according to evolutionary perspective, it is the improvement and progress of our brains and the newly added structure of the cerebral cortex after millions of years, that finally gave us the ability to think better, to reason, to adapt, and to survive better in our harsh environment. Without the power of our brains and wisdom, we are totally vulnerable and would become an easy prey to our potential fast and sharp-teethed predators.
Well, we would all say that God created the creatures on earth and hence the complication for their biological designs and functions. How sure could one be regarding such statement? Without concrete evidence, there is obviously no say. Well, I do not assert that evolution has the answers to who made the animals, including homo sapiens. Evolution does not provide the answers to the origin of the creator, but it certainly provides evidence to the process of how things came to be throughout history. One common misunderstanding about evolution is that man come from apes. We are not apes and we do not come from apes even if some of us smell like one or look like one. The idea is that man, and other animal species do have a common ancestor or ancestral gene pool. It is the diversity and variation of life that gives birth to shared characteristics, and morphological similarities. It is the passing down of genes that causes the changes in structure, and other biological differences, and this progress or process takes as long as millions of years.
Well, one can argue till the cow comes home, but nonetheless, it is not right to reject the idea of evolution altogether just because it is not in line with the gospel. It plays certain roles in our lives as well, and it somehow applies to the way we live and how we react to certain situations. I do not take a biased stand against the idea of God or evolution, but I am firmly addressing the hereditary issue of morality and altruism, and finally, how we treat one another.
I believe that we should not let God dictate the way how we should treat other people. Yes, God instructed us to love and to care for one another. Notice that He did not mentioned "in Jesus' name", or "in God's name". So, God is giving us a choice to love our neighbours as ourselves. The issue here is that, why can't we be loving enough to the extent whereby love and care becomes voluntary, instead of being instructed by higher supernatural authorities, or perhaps by the government?
All around me, I noticed that we are doing what we are told to do, or coerced to do, or, even, forced to do. Why can't we initiate the first move of acceptance and loving kindness, since we all have the innate potential to change our environment and the atmosphere? Again, the nature-nurture controversy occurs in which we willing creatures are slaves to the mouldings of our society. This conflict we have within ourselves is something which we are all struggling with, that is sometimes, to do something against our ethical or moral conscience, or to do something out of this world that inevitably be a mockery of others and making an eventual fool of ourselves. This is probably why we are naturally born with goodness but shaped by our environment that perhaps, brought about some evil within our moral selves. I certainly do not believe that we should all do good or love others in the name of God or Jesus, or any other deities. We are not robots, and certainly we are not slaves to religion or any religious beliefs that coerce and convince us to love others or to do good just because God says so, or the Bible says so, or Jesus says so, or even better still, because we would all be rewarded or blessed, or go to heaven!
It is an insult to God that we compare the works we have done in order for Him to pass His judgements on us. He may be the highest of all authority, but we have a moral choice of doing what we perceive as right in our eyes and in our conscience. That is where God lies - within our conscience. We are all trying to be influential individuals, caring individuals, loving individuals, kind individuals, and even powerful individuals. How and what we become as a person, and how we make things happen is the result of what we embrace within us. I see God as a form of morality in my conscience that makes me perceive the world as a place full of learning opportunities for my individual progress. It is my development with this concept and the way I would strive to become a better person, not because God tells me so, not because of God or any other heavenly rewards or blessings, but because I want it to be so. It is MY will, and not God's will to improve myself after all. Of course, some of you may disagree with me saying that it is God's will for me to excel. But I say that we should not let this dictation be the motivation of our individual progress or self-improvements. Instead, our motivation should be within ourselves, and the way how WE want things to change for the purpose of good. Let God be the guide for our morality, but not let God be the dictator of our moral decisions.
Love should be voluntary, not forced, not instructed, not told what to do, and certainly, not in any form of conspiracy. If one do not see the use of applying his or her altruistic action towards another individual, that is HIS bloody problem. All in all, it is how we perceive "GOD" as the centre of our lives. Because, I say again, that the term "GOD" does not refer to the concept of any religion, but equates to the combined idea of morality, conscience, values, and life principles. The essence of life is not whether God exists, nor whether there is heaven or hell, but goodness and retribution is strongly determined by how we exercise our values.
November 11, 2007
I'm feeling much better now, after days of battling with bacteria infection of my throat, along with those phlegms and unstable effects from those antibiotics. My entire holiday is ruined by this bacterial infection playing games with my body. And I have less than a week before I begin my next level of university life. I'm finally in my third year.
Time really flies and now that 2007 is almost over with less than two months to go, I have decided to come up with some new year resolutions. Meanwhile, I'll be planning about they way I would like to end this year.
I'm having my Summer Semester soon, so much of my time would be dedicated to my studies. I can't afford to lose my focus this time, and I'm aiming for a distinction in my coming unit. Christmas would be special. I've yet to decide on the activity. Till then, I'll blog again.
Anyway, some little thoughts...
I've been wondering about the existence of God and something hit me with the thought that God does not exist. He does not exist in the world at all. He does not roam about this world everywhere, in every corner at any time of the day. And this led to the reason why some things are true to one individual, but may not be true to another. It is a rather personal thing.. as I came to think about it further.
God does not exist in the purest touchable form, nor does He stays omnipotent in the world that rejects him and his invisible form and "supernatural" characteristics. All I know so far is that the one who rejects God is man. Because God can only reside in one place - the heart. It is the will of one person to allow God's replacement inside the heart of one individual, and there is where God exists. And the kingdom of heaven is no where else, but in the mind and the heart of a man. There is where his spirit would stay and live forever. Surely, I do not know where we would end up after death. But all I seek is the peace that is within me, and the hope that I could get from the belief that God exists in my heart.
I do not do good because God tells me so. I do not evangelize because God says so. I do not do what He tells me to do because I do not believe in doing something out of somebody's will and not my voluntary decisions. If I want to love someone, I would do so because I would feel satisfied after that, and also because I am willing to do so. Love should be voluntary, not of coerced force or instruction.
The concept of God has always been linked to the term 'religion' itself. However, God is someone whom man has embraced within his heart to attain peace in times of trouble. Throughout history, this embrace of God has helped man in quenching his fears and uncertainty. It is a kind of faith that gave birth to the healing of a man's broken spirit and dying hope. It is the labeling of oneself that separates society and divides communities. If I'm a Christian, I would not call myself a Christian. If I'm an atheist, I would not call myself an atheist. The reason is just as mentioned, and also, I do not like the idea of being labeled or named after something, which I embraced within my heart. No one is called a Godist because he believes in a God, or Deitist because he believes in a deity. It is what one believes and embraces within his mind and heart that sets him apart from others.
So, believing in a God does not exactly equates to believing in a religion because from what I read before, Jesus wasn't even a bit religious. It is religious people who creates trouble in this world and we should all tell them off instead.
November 06, 2007
I always like the feeling of taking a ride to town for some coffee and window shopping, especially with a friend or two. Sometimes, I would go out alone and comb the bookshelves of my favourite bookstore outlet, Kinokuniya. And occasionally, I would turn up at the library for some good reading session by myself. I never wonder why I had suddenly become such a bookworm over the last couple of months, and I wonder when will this worm spread its wings to fly one day. Perhaps, not very long.
But currently, I've been at home for days now. Not because I'm broke or lazy, but the abrupt change in weather and the attack of the cold virus ruined my precious holiday. It's cold outside as I'm typing, and thankfully, my flu is getting better after being on some medication for about three days now. I hope I get well soon as my summer semester will be starting in a week's time. And fuck, I would have to wait for some other days before I could queue for donuts at the Donut Factory again. I wish I could try a dozen of their freshly baked donuts as I've tasted one before and got a little tempted for another. Well, I might sacrifice one of my days for this.
To those who wished me a speedy recovery, thank you for your concerns and well wishes. And for my love ones including my girlfriend, just to let you know, I'm still alive... and probably kicking some asses. And while waiting for much of my dead brain cells to be swept away by the incoming new replacements after a battle against flu for several days, I am looking forward to blogging more about my thoughts, encounters, and... who could ever not forget, my reasoning against militant faiths and superstitions. For now, I would like to take a short break (although I would still visit this place just to scribble a little bit from time to time), as my head seriously hurts. I don't know but most likely it's some sort of a headache.
This has got to be the poorest state I am in this very year!
I hope I could recover as soon as possible. My third year modules aren't chicken feet. They are more like chicken breasts. And if that's the case, I need more chilli sauce. Before that, give me that FUCKING panadol!
November 02, 2007
I had a great time talking to a friend yesterday about my lack of faith and eventual doubts on Christianity as a religion. Well, by now, I suppose many of you know that I was a Christian and I would not say that I do not totally avoid this faith altogether because I don't know if there is really a God in this universe. In addition, I do not really know if there is a heaven after we die, or well, hell for some.
There are many reasons for me to become an agnostic in matters like this. I'm glad that my girlfriend understands and thank goodness she has been very understanding. That's what I love about her.
There are many debates about religion and I'm opened to every ideas and opinions people have about their religion as well as their beliefs. It is completely alright with me as long as they do not evangelize so strongly in order to get me into their beliefs. I'm an advocate of Science, Biology, and Psychology. And it is very ignorant for people to disregard Science as an important discipline that got us here today. Without the overturning of theories and disproving of hypotheses, we would not have evolved into a much more intelligent being. Deep down, I felt so strongly for such discipline and felt that I owe so much to Science for taking us thus far. It is ever changing and ever improving throughout the currents of history.
On the other hand, religion is a fixed moral standard that does not only preaches good, but it turns untested beliefs into unshakable truths through the passage of time and institution. It is something which no one could ever come into conclusion with - whether there is a God that is. Science do not pretend to know everything, but instead, it is a constant construction of doubts and questions, so a scientist is always asking questions and being skeptical. Until their hypotheses are disproven they would then come into a final conclusion where the answers there lay. It is very unlike religion that always think they are right all the time. Well, not just them, the atheists and Baha'ists believe that exclusive faiths are a taboo to them, therefore, they are no better off. Whether we know there is a God or never is a God, it is still, nonetheless, a mystery. Whether we know there is an afterlife after we die or we simply sink into the deep crust of the earth is still a mystery as well. But if we can't disprove that there is or there is no God, it does not mean that we should come into conclusion that He exists.
However, whether He exists or not exists, is not an important matter, because religion teaches people to do good, and to love one another. But one should not rely solely on what God tells him to do in order to love people, or be good, or to be morally acceptable in His own eyes. This is not rebellion because we are born with an innate ability to love, to be moral, and to be human. We are in turn guided by our caretaker when we were as young and vulnerable as babies in cradles. I do agree that religion is what some people view as a guidance that the supreme being in the sky sets for us all. And to them, this is not earthly authority, but a heavenly one. It is not a bad thing to think that way because as humans, we need guidance in our life and our caretakers cannot be with us forever. That much is true. However, religion is not the only answer. It is very arrogant and dangerous for believers or Christians to turn away from moral philosophies, scientific facts, and reasoning altogether. Why do I say so? Because I think that religion such as the Abrahamic ones are potential shutters for embracing truths and other possibilities found in this wonderful world placed right in front of us for our discovery.
Religion impedes free thoughts. It impedes freedom of expression, reasoning, and disregard non-theistic solutions and possibilities. It hinders oneself from intellectual pursuits of knowledge and scientific theories. The religious think in their hearts that the holy book is always right and others are wrong. They think that they have "got it all" together, and that they know the solution just because their holy book says so. They are merely depending on their holy book which is only one copy they have in their lifetime, and think that it is the only solution to life. There are many solutions to life. There are many answers not just faiths and beliefs. There are many things we do not know, but yet, it is not sane to think that just because we do not know, or because things happen to be a mystery or an unknown must be the work of the supernatural or God himself. It is a big mistake to come to such conclusion, when in fact, no one has ever come into such conclusion before, except the religious people. Religious people shut themselves up in a room of prayers and thought to themselves (just mere thoughts), private thoughts, and convince themselves that their "revelations" are true no matter what. If it is "revealed" to them, it must be God and not the chemical reactions acting up in their brains.
I obviously do not know where I would go after I die, but a great relief to me is that I do not have to do good, to respect people, to be morally guided by a religion that impedes and places so much restrictions on the pursuit of scientific knowledge, such that I could enter the gates of heaven. It does not give me this pressure of performing myself in front of an unknown existence thinking that if I do such and such, I would be granted the way up in heaven after death. Death is the end of life. It is ultimately, the end of everything. So, life is very precious. This reality, which many people fear and turn to religion for salvation of their souls after death, is what makes me realise my potential for making a difference in this lifetime that I have in my hands. Knowing that I only have one life, and a fragile one, is enough for me to go through it and make the best out of it such that a legacy could be born after I've succeeded in this life that I'm currently living.
Don't let religion overwhelm you, but let the meaning of life teach you a lesson as you advance in age, because every developmental step of the way is a challenge to us as humans. And as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we do not fear because we know in our hearts, it is what lies beneath our innate potentials that guide us all the way till the day we inhale our last.
November 01, 2007
Okay people... I'm all awake, alive and kicking! And I'm quite delighted that my exams are over. Finally, I can get back down to my blogging business. Several days ago, as I was taking a short break from preparing for my exams, I was youtubing and guess what I saw? I saw something which was very sad indeed. Not just that, this video is devoid of respect, humanity, and moral conscience. It is the potential side effect for racial riots, racial war, and racial-religious discrimination or segregation, however you would want to call it. I found this very disgusting, and some STOMPers did try to make an effort to look for this victim to provide him with some financial assistance. One of those STOMPers, Sylvia Kong, actually went berserk by reporting this matter to the Public Service Division, Immigration Checkpoint Authority and the Singapore Police Force on the 29th of October this year (STOMP). Well, there is every right for Singaporeans to feel angry over such matters, but not too angry to the point where it is overdone. Maybe you could take a look at this video and see for yourselves.
Yes, and it is a sad case... I wonder what was going on the minds of those three British assholes. Was it because it is easier to deal with Asians? My answer would be no. We are smarter than you think, or much more intelligent than you guys and I can bet on it (Perhaps I could conduct a non-parametric experiment to disprove my hypothesis that Asians are far more intelligent than Europeans).
Was it because Singaporean old folks appear feeble and dumb due to the stress our fucking hypocritical government is putting on us that makes you British not-any-better bullying a simple man who is trying to make a simple living for himself? I think you guys should go home and apologize to the British folks waiting for you at home, and especially YOUR pathetic Queen who is sleeping on her throne, and tell those pale looking people back home how stupid you guyz were by being such a disgraceful citizen in a foreign land. Well, of course I secretly hope you guyz got knock down by a speeding taxi by another Singaporean joker who doesn't know a single fucking shit about driving. However, it is not nice to declare it verbally because that would mean I disrespect you guyz. In fact, it would be a little more respectful if I blog about it since my proficiency in English could do its work for me in cyberspace. And I don't think any three of you British dimwits would ever view my blog because you despise Asians. But I can seriously tell you that you don't want to mess around with the Singaporean authority. If you guyz are guilty of such racial crimes intentionally or unconsciously, you can lose your ass any time starting now.
Another thing about what I dislike regarding such matter is that the cause of its disgusting element that diffuses throughout the Singaporean world of cyberspace, is the way these three bastards acted in an observable way to prove their own white supremacy. One question. Which century is this? There are loads of Europeans and Caucasian-looking people around the world and I think that most of them might just be cursing the three of you right now for bringing society back into the days of the early 20th century. And it's very difficult for me who's blogging this entry to not be prone to obscenities, by your obscenities shown to my fellow Singaporeans, and especially an old humble senior citizen, you cowardly tyrannical scumbags, and grotesque unchivalrous elderly-disrespectful self-righteous piece of shit.
But hey, I don't want to get abusive here because that makes enemies. But anyway, you three are already my enemies so what the hell, you elderly-bullying numb scums.
And to make my point clear to my fellow Singaporeans, just in case you guys think I'm taking sides, I think that the idiots in their Cabinet closets could do a far more better job if they ever surf the net for themselves and see just how dissatisfied the people are after such bullying incident. And for those ignorant Singaporean bastards who are dumb enough to think that by serving those pale-skinned bleached-hair blondes one class better than the locals seated at a comfortable corner of an eating house would give you some credit or make you feel better, then I would recommend that you resign from your pathetic job and start educating yourself you idiotic fools. Such hypocritical customer service only promotes "white supremacy", which was long over and outdated my friend. This is not a way for an impartial customer service in Singapore, which is racial and religious tolerant. To promote white supremacy in Singapore is a potential disaster for the separation of our local heritage and breeching our local multi-ethnic policies.
Donating money to that poor old soul might help a little bit, but NOT FOR LONG! Do you guyz really think that giving money and promoting for charity is the ONLY way to solve a society's problem? It doesn't give a shit about anything. If it is a solution, everyone would just happily give to charity and sit back, drink tea, and enjoy the fucking show. NO. It does not work this way at all. Giving money to charity is not the answer. Giving a man some cash would just last him for a few days or so. At the end of the day, you are just being sympathetic. How PATHETIC can this be STOMPers! Do you ever get a fucking hint about such stupid act of ineffective sympathy? I think not. That old folk doesn't need YOUR sympathy. He needs respect, not just money to show him respect. I understand your purest and most innocent desire to help and be altruistic. That is admirable to me. But you will know that some things are fucked up when some people comes around and think that they are more superior than the rest. And that not just applies to Caucasians, that applies to the Singapore elites as well.
Why can't we be the nation that is intellectually united? Let's not compare performances in school or pay wages or social class in this childish society, and start getting our act together by being a helpful bunch of Singaporeans that shows kindness and grace to our fellow locals than to foreigners. I know this sounds biased, but aren't other cultures doing the same? Together, we could have our national dignity and social pride wherever we go, instead of being despised by other races or nationalities. I know Singapore is a multicultural society, but that has a fucking problem as well. There are many funny and weird religions out there that perhaps could not get along very well with one another, so our media chooses to monopolize and self-censor religiously and ethnically intolerant messages. I get the hint for this. But if we are not allowed to talk about religion, why can't we be the nation that talks about politics? Do you know that we elect and reelect the same jokers back into parliament every election? No oppositions ever won. And no, I have spoiled votes all the time. It would be better off by not holding election and declaring Singapore a Totalitarian state instead. Why the fuck bother voting in the first place, since everybody is so fucking comfortable about the current jokers ruling this part of the world and also, always complaining about those fucking idiots in the parliament?
Do you know why? Because I think Singaporeans have a long way to go to become a society that could stand up for itself with pride, and I mean NATIONAL and INTELLECTUAL PRIDE, that not only pride itself in the things we accomplish, but also in the way we embrace freedom of expression, which is so heavily guarded and controlled by the totalizing force over here. It's a sad thing for that old man. It's a sad thing for us. And I resent this.
It all boils down to the way we treat one another at home. And the way we react to one another in our own homeland is how foreigners would view us not just a nation, but as a dignified group of educated people. Let's be more gracious to our own nationality than to foreigners. Let's have pride in the things we do, the things we say, and the way we are as a potential source of influence to others. If white supremacy can take its stand against the rising Asians, it's time that we take our local stand against the outdated white supremacy. This is not solely about race. It is about tolerance. But if white supremacy cannot tolerate us, it would NOT be realistic enough if we turn the other cheek (like what Christianity would always recommend.. such "loser mentally"), rather, it would be right if we could stand up and put an end to white supremacy.
By showing that one has a higher power over the rest is not the problem. But it would be a problem if ethnicity and culture is involved. Because that would rely on a great deal of tolerance. There could only be war if such people like those three bastards ever exist in this biased planet.
