Freethinking

I am one with my skeptical attitude...

"(I had) a deep religiosity, which, however, found an abrupt ending at the age of 12. Through the reading of popular scientific books I soon reached the conviction that much in the stories of the Bible could not be true. The consequence was a positively fanatic orgy of freethinking coupled with the impression that youth is intentionally being deceived by the state through lies. It was a crushing impression. Suspicion against every kind of authority grew out of this experience, a skeptical attitude towards the convictions which were alive in any specific social environment - an attitude which has never again left me."                                        --Albert Einstein (Autobiographical Notes, 1949)

Life Without God

You may find a practicing minister for 20 years losing belief on the teaching of the Church a bit disturbing. But not for Sam Harris and Tim Prowse.

A glimpse of the interview would make you wonder why the former minister seems relaxed amidst the faith disturbance.

It is nice to hear that your exit from the ministry has been comparatively smooth. What will you do next?


Repudiating my ordination and leaving faith behind was much smoother than I had anticipated. Ironically, something I had worked years to accomplish ended in a matter of minutes. When I slid my ordination certificates across a Bob Evan’s tabletop to my District Superintendent, I was greatly relieved. The lie was over. I was free. This freedom does not come without consternation, however.


Fortunately, a dear friend helped my family by offering their second home to rent at a very reasonable price. Another dear friend has procured a sales job for me in her company. While housing and employment have been provided in the short term, long term my future is much more uncertain. Ideally, I’d love to write and lecture on my experiences; especially concerning the negative impacts faith and church have on individuals and societies. I’d love to write a novel.


I do not have visions of grandeur, however. If the rest of my life is spent just being a regular “Joe” that will be fine by me. I have a wonderful family and a few good friends. My heart and mind are at ease. I’m healthier now than I’ve been in years and tomorrow looks bright. For the first time in my life, I’m living. Truly living, Sam.


If you could go back in time and reason with your former self, what could you say that might have broken the spell sooner?


I would tell myself to ask questions, to read the text, to wonder, to explore the nuances, to take seriously my intuition and abilities to debate. I’d tell myself to listen to what is actually being said with critical and reasoning ears. I’d tell myself to substitute “Invisible Friend” for “God” every time I encountered the word and notice how ridiculous the rhetoric sounds from grown-ups. I would challenge myself to be more skeptical, to study science. I’d tell myself to find joy in life – it’s the only one you are going to get – don’t waste a second.

What have you changed your mind about?

Got a new book.

It's great because I bought it at a lower cost.

It's greater that it is a collection of  essay from respectable people in their respective fields.

It's the greatest knowing that changing one's mind can be priceless.

It's the 'weight'

When faced with security vis-a-vis privacy issues, which will bring you off-balanced?

"Enemy of the State" exceeded my RDA, reasonable dose of angst. For one, "it's the weight" rhymes with "enemy of the state." Two, credibility hinges the scale.

The first reason should be taken more seriously than I will devour Will Smith in that physique.

Second reason elaborates the 'weight'

The choice between equally important aspect of person's life, nation's state, society's progress can be easily influenced by those who claim have the credibility.

    In the movie, the National Security Agency (NSA) claims to have saved lives, prevented crimes and protected the nation with its security tools and gadgets, and ways and means. Armed with its popularity, the party has gone more fun- not the kind of 'more fun in the Philippines' hype though, when it uses their claimed success to get away in using 'credibility' to clear whoever and whatever go against their way of absolute authority. It gets more fun when the politician in cahoots with NSA are put into weighing scale when they themselves experienced how it is to have their privacy invaded for the sake of national security.

Using credibility to achieve one's goal poses some questions:

1. Am I gullible enough to be influenced by mere credibility?

2. What makes an idea or a person for that matter credible?
Is it the action behind the words? Or the consistency in  action?

3. Do you really have to experience the things you inflict to   others to be convinced of your credibility?

4. Can there be some kind of 'body mass index' for security-privacy index?

If ambition, quest for absolute power and influence weigh more than national interest, credibility ceases to nourish.

Pangarap

"Ate baby, pangarap kong maging mananahi," sabi ng bata sa kapitbahay.

"Bakit naman?" tanong ng mama ko.

"Para hindi na ako magsuot ng sirang damit" sagot ng 7-taong gulang na batang si Yankee

Muntik na akong maiyak sa usapang ito. Habang natawa naman si mama.

Una, dahil naramdaman kong may respeto ang 7-taong bata sa hanapbuhay ng nanay ko. Pangalawa, dahil sa mura niyang edad, kung saan ang karamihang bata ay puro laro lang ang iniisip at nagtatampo pa kapag hindi nasunod ang gusto, ay nangarap na solusyonan ang sira nyang damit. Pangatlo, dahil alam nyang sabihin kung ano ba talaga ang gusto at pangarap nya sa ngayon, mababaw man o hindi.

Gaya ng bawat isa, naangangarap ako ng 'world peace' dahil pag masaya at may hustisya para sa lahat, sino pa namang baboy ang sasalaula nito.

Nangarap ako ng katapatan. Kumplikado naman. Mahirap pagsamahin ang katotohanan at pagpoprotekta sa nararamdaman. Kahit pa madalas na katwiran eh kailangang protektahan ang isang musmos na huwag masaktan kaya napagsisinungalingan. Mahirap mang tanggapin para sa akin na kailangan kong makisama lagi sa bata, kailangan dahil iyon lang daw ang paraan para maipakita mong may pagmamahal ka.

Masyadong mataas ang mga pangarap ko, alam ko.

Kaya habang pilit kong inaabot yun, kagaano man kalayo, kataas o kahirap, hindi ako susuko. Hindi ko man makuha lahat ang gusto at pangarap ko, kuntento akong alam kong makakatulog ako ng walang pag-aalala kung hindi ko man makukuha ang gusto ko. Dahil laging may panibagong bukas kung saan pwedeng gawin ang dapat na gawain.

Na-inspire ako kay Yankee. Ngayon, kinailangan kong ayusin ang mga sira. Kahit man lang sarili kong damit. Kahit na alam ko na kapag natuto sya mawawalan ng kita si mama.

Masarap mang isipin na pagsamantahalan ang mga taong hindi kayang ayusin ang sarili nilang damit, at nangangailangan ng iba para gumawa noon. Ang pakiramdam na nagawa mo yung gawin kahit na pwede namang ipagawa sa iba ay mas makabuluhan para sa akin.

Ikaw, para kanino ko bumabangon? (Alam ko walang koneksyon, wala talaga para sa iyo)

Something to Think About: Ethics and Religion

"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death" ---Albert Einstein

Greener Pasture

Yahoo mail and Gmail has a new banner as I saw it yesterday. They are no longer seeking for greener pasture. They are green. I like it because it reminds me to be cognizant of the environment and pay attention to it. To see something bigger than ourselves and do something about it. This way, our myopic view of the pettyness of human inadequacy and the imperfection of others somehow be diverted into something productive.


April is autism awareness month (It's enticing to think of a connection to someone I know but I'd rather not to). It is an abnormality that is prevalent nowadays. It affects not only the poor and the common but also the rich and the famous. There are theories that environment plays a significant contribution to the mutation of the child's genetic composition and development. Climate change, industrial by-products, technological side effects contribute to the environment's level of radioactivity and deterioration that affects the biological composition of every one. X-men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are fictional characters delving with mutation. It's a sad thing that children victimized by this genetic maladaptation will no longer enjoy these fictions. Unless they would like to be a part of this fictional world and be, or better yet, instead of being subjected to the judgements of narrow minded, cold blooded-perfectionist lost in self admiration.


Where do I go from here? What can I do to protect the environment?
1. I pledge to use vacuum cleaner once a month. I'm hitting two birds in one stone: Lessen, even in a minimum, the amount of CFC contributed to the green house effect and exercise by sweeping the floor.
2. Recycle and reuse. I used the empty bottle of mineral water and put back into the box to produce a dresser and table.
3. Use my time in researching (thanks internet) to think of ways and exercise my creativity.
4. Create a forum and awareness to let others know that there are more noble activities than high-lighting the inadequacy of others.