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chillin'Just came across this site and thought it was fun so thought I will post it, it's called blufr. It is just some little known facts in which you have to guess whether they are true or not. I had a score about 1100 but then decided to go do some work instead (I have a pilot of my LP due today so got to work on that).
But its a cool site :)
lazyI'm feeling bored and lazy to do my work - so decided to post something here - and it has been ages since I last wrote here.
Don't exactly know what to write - I think I was probably have a faith-crisis lately, but think I may be on the road to resolving that. I've read a man's journey to Christianity which really helped (he was an atheist). I like it because there were a lot of logical stuff into it, without quoting the bible profusely - because that irritates me when that is used for evidence. Although, after reading that did read that some of his sources were from authors who were Christian believers (such as Denton) - so, must take everything with a grain of salt, as with most people (I'm talking about Denton here) who believe in something, they would only find evidence to prove their point rather than looking at the wealth of other evidence. Denton dealt with evolution. Although there has been criticisms and rebuttal on his dealing with evolution (because he stated that the natural selection doesn't occur but rather discreet appearance of animals - I haven't read Denton - but I believe that is what is being said - and he, I think, also indicates that Homo erectus is actually Homo sapiens) - but the rebuttals don't really show this evidence that Homo erectus is Homo sapiens (there has been a new discovery of the Turkana boy - but makes it difficult to reconcile in my mind). So, was a bit confused there, but then read about other evolutionists who as theists who expressed that even if evolution is the way we came about being, then who is it to say that wasn't God's plan in how he created us. And that I could understand and agree with.
Although, evolution and big bang theory does leave some awfully big gaps for me ... this idea of life starting spontaneously/ randomly is quite strange, there must be something external which caused this. I mean I could understand scientists persuasion that it randomly occur, but if that was true I would expect that we should be able to create life from non-life objects quite easily at this point of our civilization ... but nothing so far. Something is missing, I'm sure (well not really - I have no idea what I'm saying!) that we still have the ingredients for spontaneous life - why isn't it occurring around us since it happened so randomly. Anyway, just came across a site on the creationist theory of science, which although I look at with some skeptism, I'm going to give it a read since even though the big flood may seem slightly far-fetched in my mind (even as a Christian! - although I do not doubt there was a flood - but a flood of that magnitude seems a bit far-fetched), I think it would be good to look at the different theories and why he oppose the common theories right now - if not anything it would make me think. Because people often get so bogged down in theories they refuse to look outside of the box for other theories (that's the scientific method for you - which always get me irritated as people just change one variable of a time with the same theory no matter how stupid it is until someone comes and decide to think outside the box, like Einstein and change the theory such as his relativity and QM).
Anyway, that website which spoke about the guy's journey to christianity is also linked to the main website allaboutgod.com, which is alright but not so robust in explaining things since it relies on the bible a lot (nothing wrong with relying on the bible but when someone is having a faith crisis, they would look at the bible very skeptically as a point of proof). Anyway, something got me miffed about the website, in that when they spoke about Islam they indicated that Allah is not the same as the Christian God, and implied that one of the muslim leader's might be the anti-christ. Now I hate that those implications, I don't like people bad-talking other people religion and thinking they won't enter heaven etc.. I think in this day and age where there are so much people are atheists you should be grateful that there are people who still believe in God, perhaps their doctrine are not the same as yours but at least they are trying to find enlightenment and the way to God as they understood how and I think when it comes to the Day of Judgment, God will be the judge of them on how they've lived their lives. And even for people who don't believe in God, I think if they try to lead a good life and help those who are around them etc., I still think of them as blessed, because unknowingly they are doing what God has commanded and I don't think God will treat them less, because he will judge them on the doctrine they follow. Because in the end, we just want ourselves and everyone around us to follow Jesus's most powerful commandment, "Love thy neighbour as thyself" or what has become the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you".
Anyway, this website also indicated that the Qur'an preached violence, now that felt strange to me since I didn't think any holy book will actually preach that, but as it turn out it does. But then again, the Old Testament is full of wars and of God sanctioning those (I cannot reconciled my God as I know it as a God sanctioning wars), but I know that these books are written by man (although lots of people say it has been inspired by God - it still doesn't change that it is written by man, because although I could have inspiration from my supervisors, the way I write or 'spin' things is entirely up to me), and so, since these books are written by man just means that they chose to believe that wars they won were sanctioned by God, and ones that they lost were not. My understanding of my God comes from the New Testament, that God I can understand.
However, there were often things I myself could not reconcile with the Qur'an doctrine and my impression of Allah (I just used Allah here to make a difference when I'm speaking of Muslim doctrine), but doesn't make the religion wrong. I do however reading this article on the compilation of Qur'an although from a Christian bias (I was looking one from a Muslim point of view but couldn't find any, although this paper I read suggests there may be few as Muslims don't think is their right to question the Qur'an). However, I've often thought before even reading this paper that the Qur'an may have been biased towards men and written for the people of that time. And it does seem that the Qur'an has been corrupted (for gaining 'riches' for men) as there has been some fishy happenings, such as the destruction of previous compilation of Qur'ans from people who knew Muhammad personally and the abrogations point to this. I think the Qur'an has been corrupted and it may be difficult to decipher where the real ayas and the corrupted ones are, but I have little doubt that Muhammad did hear words and repeated it to his companions, the problem is how much of those verses have been corrupted.
Anyway, besides all that ... my faith crisis occurred because it is more philosophical, if there is a purpose to life ... and I must say conclusively there is a purpose to life, if there was not someone we had to be accountable to and there was no purpose to life except to die and that be the end of the that, then we might as well die as soon as we born, why reproduce and populate. Why have aspirations and ambitions and moral behaviour, why the need to have purpose? Because otherwise we are purposeless, we are dead soul-less beings - but we must have a soul that is our life spirit and the purpose is to save it - its the only thing that makes sense. If I didn't have a purpose, there is no need to save this life or try accomplishing something.
Anyway, this might be confusing to other people, but my convoluted logic makes sense to me :D.
chillin'
blue
a-ok
a-okEver since we've gotten Google Talk (well Ritch insisted I get it after the phone bill Amalia keeps running up) and I've gotten headphones (well only 3 days ago we really started - although had the headphones for quite awhile - Amalia hadn't really got into the whole Google Talk before) ... I've been talking to her pretty long over the internet ... Amalia says it's like 'free porn' (a reference to Joey from Friends) ... because we have it ... we must use it :D. We use msn messenger just for video camming but I think Google Talk is better for talking ... it does sound like a real voice conversation ... actually, the other night, Amalia called Mum and Pa on their Guyana mobile phone in Suriname (they were roaming) and she placed her phone on loud speaker and I was able to talk to them ... it was cool ... Mum said I sounding as if I was home. So, Mum and Pa now want to know how to connect up to Google Talk ... but think they need a mic, although Mum said that Pa's new notebook has a mic, but she's got to look for it.
a-okHad to go up to the city centre yesterday since I needed to exchange a bra in Marks and Spencer (too big :D) ... so, when Tina wrote me and suggested a movie and dinner this week .. I said why not do it today. Unfortunately, after we went to M&S and then to the Sainsbury for groceries we were too tired (or lazy) to go to the cinema. Besides, there were only two movies that Tina could have seen the Host or the new 007 movie (she's seen everything else) .. so, decided to go to her home instead where she made celery (my favorite and was particularly delicious yesterday since we added in peanuts - well she added it in ... I just stood by and watch :D).
I also bought a 600g of honey roasted peanuts in Iceland .. well after weeks of futilely looking in Sainsbury for this, I finally found it in Iceland and it was on sale at 2 pounds, so I couldn't give that up ... no matter how big it was (besides gave some to Tina ... but barely broke the neck of the tin! - hopefully could eat all out).
Anyway, Mark (Tina's housemate) asked us if we wanted to watch some DVDs and he had "There's Something About Mary", and since Tina and I have heard of it so much but have never seen it we decided we had to watch it - and it was quite funny. So, we watched it on her laptop and then I came home, talked to Amalia a bit on the internet.
a-okWell, Peter T. over in FELS is starting up a project in Second Life, and I've decided to join up and play along. It looks like fun, I'm always up for something that looks like a game. Only thing is that a really good internet connection is needed - and I can't play in the OU because of the firewall thingy ... but was able to sign up yesterday and do it before my computer came crashing down.
Anyway, hoping this is fun ... this is actually an initiative for looking for alternative educational 'places' for learning, because Peter T. is running the Schome initiative (School + Home).
a-okWell, yesterday morning when I went to the fridge ... I realised I didn't have milk ... what horror!! I forgot to do grocery shopping over the weekend :).
Saturday wasted my day by watching WI vs England in the Champions Trophy ... which we lost (that's why it was a waste! but we're in the semi-finals - we play SA on Thursday - shoots got a supervision that day - but early in the morning, so can finish that up and probably go home :D) - and I also briefly popped up to the church for the fairtrade craft fair thingy in the church (took about 1/2 hr). And on Sunday after Church, went over to Tina's and had lunch and then went with her and Jitse to cinema (Jitse got the cineworld card that day too!) to watch "A Good Year" with Russell Crowe, which was quite good. I enjoyed that film.
The film, however, that all three of us are looking forward to watching is Borat - it opens on Thursday ... I think it might be full, so may have to watch it later - I don't like full cinemas. Borat looks to be good satire ... and I love satirical films (that reminds me ... I want to get "Robin Hood - Men in Tights" DVD - my best satire!).
Anyway, yesterday I decided to go up to the Sainsbury (I really should have gone to the Tesco's instead - since I need to fill up petrol, get oil and brakes fluid - but didn't feel like it), so, called up Tina and we decided to go up at 3:30 (she got mad at me - because was late to meet her in the car park :D - had to go to the loo :P) - and after Sainsbury we went back to her place and cooked dinner for us and Jitse. Jitse thought we were probably in the cinema so he went straight up to the cinema (because Tina missed a call - and whenever she doesn't answer a call and she is with me - 9 out of 10 times - we're in cinema - so he had good reason to believe that) - but then he had to walk all the way back. But we cooked a lot of stuff (well I chopped stuff up - Tina cooked - which I think is the better thing :) - that is leave the cooking to Tina).
There were egg noodles that Tina decided to cook a Thai way and a Chinese way (and Jitse and I to make sure we stay on her good side insisted that the Chinese way tasted much better). She also made asparagus and also prawns with sweetpeppers and peanuts (which tasted really good!).
a-okWell, last Saturday was the International Food Evening .... and also Divali. I called up Auntie Moona and Auntie Poona (around 9:30 am) to wish them Happy Divali, but they were saying I could come down ... and I was saying that I can't because I have the international food evening - but then I thought about it - and said probably I could do it. So, I quickly made the baked custard and decided that I would go. Drove up to the city centre about 11 (took a hour for the baked custard) and then took the 11:20 train to Euston (parked near Debenhams in the free parking zone). However, I thought it only takes 1 hr to get to Isleworth, but it took 1 1/2 hr ... more than I expected.
Anyway, I had thought Auntie Moona and Auntie Poona had already started cooking, but when I reached there - they had now started to cook. I was hoping to leave by 4:30 ... but instead left a little after 5 (because I had to eat before I go). However, they gave me food :) ... I reached up MK at after 7 - by the time I walked up to the city centre and got my car and drove it to the church, it was just after 7:30 ... obviously couldn't get home and get my baked custard - so instead was able to display authentic Trinidad East Indian food - which is probably a lot better than my baked custard :D.
