From the ground ... Sabah
From 32,000 feet ... USA
Sunset is sunset ... from anywhere
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Leave me alone .. I didn't bother you
Leave me alone ... isn't it enough that you scared me half to death with that big monster of a machine ...
I am going as soon as you leave ...
Running out of hot air
Not enough hot air?
No problem ... just land that balloon in my neighbor's backyard.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
The three sons
The three sons of a wealthy merchant gathered at a local coffee shop, and were having some discussion on who the true heir should be. The conversation goes:
Eldest son: Mom and Dad carefully planned for my arrival. they carefully groomed me to take over the business. Now that I am here, our brand has become a household name. More people are coming to us now. I am really carrying out our father's wishes. I can see that he is pleased with my performance. His DNA is definitely in me, and I am his true representative.
Middle son: Well, sure, there are lots of people coming into our store, but they are not buying what our father wants to sell. They come in to browse, and sometimes they steal from us. Your method is not working, and you have lost sight of what our father's wishes are. I am here to turn the business around. Father gave me the business plan that would succeed for sure. I have his good DNA, and I am his favored son.
Youngest son: Wait one second, you two. Neither one of you have delivered. Father is not pleased with either one of you, and that's why he brings me in. I have the real answer, and I have received the final plan from our father. Case in point, there are only three sons in our family, and I am the last one. It is very clear that our father is very pleased with me, and has decided that no more son is needed. I have his best DNA for sure, and his real plan.
This conversation went on, and on ... An elderly gentleman at an adjacent table was really annoyed, and finally decided to say something. He went, "Boys, I hate to burst your bubble, but none of you have your father's DNA. You are not biologically related to your father - you are all adopted!"
Eldest son: Mom and Dad carefully planned for my arrival. they carefully groomed me to take over the business. Now that I am here, our brand has become a household name. More people are coming to us now. I am really carrying out our father's wishes. I can see that he is pleased with my performance. His DNA is definitely in me, and I am his true representative.
Middle son: Well, sure, there are lots of people coming into our store, but they are not buying what our father wants to sell. They come in to browse, and sometimes they steal from us. Your method is not working, and you have lost sight of what our father's wishes are. I am here to turn the business around. Father gave me the business plan that would succeed for sure. I have his good DNA, and I am his favored son.
Youngest son: Wait one second, you two. Neither one of you have delivered. Father is not pleased with either one of you, and that's why he brings me in. I have the real answer, and I have received the final plan from our father. Case in point, there are only three sons in our family, and I am the last one. It is very clear that our father is very pleased with me, and has decided that no more son is needed. I have his best DNA for sure, and his real plan.
This conversation went on, and on ... An elderly gentleman at an adjacent table was really annoyed, and finally decided to say something. He went, "Boys, I hate to burst your bubble, but none of you have your father's DNA. You are not biologically related to your father - you are all adopted!"
What is the message in this post? YOU decide.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Is your God the same God as mine ?
I suspect that we (humans), on our journey in search of "the truth", are currently scattered near the base of a pyramid. We are nowhere close to the apex, where perhaps "the truth" may be situated.We are all pursuing a common goal, even if we are reluctant to admit. We are thinking and behaving as we are, because we are only seeing and experiencing our respective sides of the pyramid. The other sides of the pyramid are equally relevant, although they may be different from our side - in look and feel.
The apex ... that should be the goal.
On each side of the pyramid, the scenery may be different, but the top point is the same one that is visible to all sides. We will never realize that we are indeed trying to reach that same summit, unless we acknowledge that there are climbable paths on the other sides as well.
In simple term, different religions are like the sides of a pyramid - each being differently landscaped but leading toward the same apex (God).
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Commandment #10
Commandment #10: "Thou shalt not covert thy neighbor's wife".
Does that mean it is OK for a woman to covert her neighbor's husband?
Does that mean it is OK for a woman to covert her neighbor's husband?
Wife, obey your husband
In a S.E. Asian country, a religious lady recently stated that "It would be perilous for wives who do not obey their husbands."
--
In the USA, a mainstream Christian denomination states in their "Article of Faith and Message" that
" ... A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation."
They passed the above having referred to the Bible.
" ... A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation."
They passed the above having referred to the Bible.
--
Ephesians 5: 22-23
"Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ
is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior."
Without malice or disrespect to any religious groups, but with great difficulty in accepting, I would like to ask the questions,
What does "obey", "submit" or "be subject to" mean, in our present day term?
Were not women and men created as equal - both being in God's own image?
For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ
is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior."
Without malice or disrespect to any religious groups, but with great difficulty in accepting, I would like to ask the questions,
What does "obey", "submit" or "be subject to" mean, in our present day term?
Were not women and men created as equal - both being in God's own image?
Two fish ... and 41.6 hours
My "problem(s)" with churches: I often asked the "wrong" questions
For example (the miracle of 2 fish for 5000 people)
1. I asked if there were only two fish (as in "feeding 5 thousand").
The pastor said, "yes, it is written in the Bible".
2. I then asked "how long did it take to feed the 5000?"
"Not long", said the Paster.
Accepting that there were two fish, and the crowd size was five thousand, and assuming that each person took an average of one minute to eat and be full, then it would have taken 2500 minutes for the 2 fish to go through the crowd of 5000.
That was 2500 / 1440 = 1.7 day (41.6 hours).
And... there was the matter of the bread too ... each loaf probably took up a little time ...
The pastor was not too happy with my question.
For example (the miracle of 2 fish for 5000 people)
1. I asked if there were only two fish (as in "feeding 5 thousand").
The pastor said, "yes, it is written in the Bible".
2. I then asked "how long did it take to feed the 5000?"
"Not long", said the Paster.
Accepting that there were two fish, and the crowd size was five thousand, and assuming that each person took an average of one minute to eat and be full, then it would have taken 2500 minutes for the 2 fish to go through the crowd of 5000.
That was 2500 / 1440 = 1.7 day (41.6 hours).
And... there was the matter of the bread too ... each loaf probably took up a little time ...
The pastor was not too happy with my question.
Apathy
Apathy ...
Is it a virtue?
Is it a form of discipline?
Is it an excuse?
Is it a cop out?
In what segment of society is apathy beneficial or harmful
to oneself?
to society?
Is it a virtue?
Is it a form of discipline?
Is it an excuse?
Is it a cop out?
In what segment of society is apathy beneficial or harmful
to oneself?
to society?
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a virtue, as it tends to contribute to general good health.
But how does one ensure "cleanliness"
- in food served at restaurants?
- in food packaged for sale at supermarkets?
- in food meant for consumption by certain cultural and religious groups?
More questions ...
- How do you define "clean"?
- Would you consider food prepared in a "5-star" restaurant as clean?
- Would you consider food prepared by a roadside vendor as not-too-clean?
- Would you consider utensils used in a "5-star" restaurant as clean?
- Is a frying pan clean after it has been washed with detergent - after use in cooking?
- Is a frying pan clean after it has been washed with detergent - after someone urinated in it?
Would you have any problem eating food cooked in this frying pan,
if you are aware of its prior (mis)use?
- Is a halal (kosher) restaurant still halal (kosher) if its employees regularly eat and touch
non-halal (non-kosher) food elsewhere?
Questions ... questions ... questions ...
Has anyone any answer(s)?
But how does one ensure "cleanliness"
- in food served at restaurants?
- in food packaged for sale at supermarkets?
- in food meant for consumption by certain cultural and religious groups?
More questions ...
- How do you define "clean"?
- Would you consider food prepared in a "5-star" restaurant as clean?
- Would you consider food prepared by a roadside vendor as not-too-clean?
- Would you consider utensils used in a "5-star" restaurant as clean?
- Is a frying pan clean after it has been washed with detergent - after use in cooking?
- Is a frying pan clean after it has been washed with detergent - after someone urinated in it?
Would you have any problem eating food cooked in this frying pan,
if you are aware of its prior (mis)use?
- Is a halal (kosher) restaurant still halal (kosher) if its employees regularly eat and touch
non-halal (non-kosher) food elsewhere?
Questions ... questions ... questions ...
Has anyone any answer(s)?
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