RIP

Apostle Paul wrote of the apparent end of his own life and said in Second Timothy 4:6-7, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 

As Paul looked back over the years since he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul said that he had accomplished three things: “have fought a good fight, have finished the course, have kept the faith.”

Remember:

If one continues to fight the fight of faith, he will be able to look forward to the same thing that Paul was looking forward to. A reading of Second Timothy 4:8: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Paul did not look for rewards in this life. His hopes for the future were entirely tied up in what the Lord would say to Him in the next life.

I think, so were you, Mr. John; 
RIP.

A Pacifistic War (Defence) Minister?

Unworldly pacifist as Mr. Antony is, I consider his statement over- ambitious: that India is trying to reach a long term peace pact with China. Aren't you aware, Mr. Antony, of its recent moves which reflects the cold calculation of a confidently rising power. China now aims to stake out a monopoly over the fishing and energy resources of the West Philippine Sea in its bid to become a regional, and later a global hegemon. So BEWARE.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for an 'amicable' settlement to a mounting West Philippine Sea territorial dispute between China and other Asian nations. Asked about the Philippine's decision to refer the case to a UN tribunal, Ban told reporters he has been following the dispute “carefully”. The United Nations is ready “to provide technical and professional assistance, but primarily all these issues should be resolved by the parties concerned,” the UN leader added, carefully avoiding backing any country involved. And he too echoes Antony.

Whatever the source of its provocative posture, Beijing’s moves have alarmed its neighbors. In a meeting of its foreign ministers towards the end of June, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reminded China of its “collective commitment under the [2002] Declaration of Conduct [of Parties] to ensuring the resolution of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), without resorting to the threat or use of force, while exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities.” They too echo Antony.

But none of the above relay- statements would deter China: the reason why America is taking pro-active steps to disseminate its military power in the Philippines.

China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan- all have overlapping claims to the territory to which China raises arbitrary claims now.

Narcissism: A Personality Disorder

Ye all always give me ideas...
A person with narcissistic personality will use the power they wield over others to get what they want. They are consumed by feelings, which are unwarranted and of utter self-importance. Basically, they are the kings or queens of their own castles and feel entitled to every perk and the entire riches of the world. The narcissist is convinced their way is the only way and everybody should follow him or her. Narcissism is hence considered a personality disorder. This disorder may stem from deep insecurity despite the person’s outright arrogant and self-confident behavior. A narcissist may also feel unloved and uncared. It isn't uncommon for a person with narcissistic personality to use or abuse others to obtain what they really want or feel what they deserve. Anybody who is around this person will be expected to shower adoration and attention. (S)he never realizes (s)he is the most-hated and believes that others laugh out of veneration.
Thanks.

Obama Secretly Pressurizing Countries to Refuse Requests for Asylum.

Edward Snowden, the surveillance whistle-blower who is thought to be trapped in the legal limbo of a transit zone at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, used his first public comments since fleeing Hong Kong to attack the US for revoking his passport. He also accused his country of bullying nations that might grant him asylum.

"On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic 'wheeling and dealing' over my case", Snowden said in a statement released by WikiLeaks. "Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the president ordered his vice-president to pressurize the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions. This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extra-legal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression."

Snowden's increasingly desperate predicament became further apparent on Monday night with the leak of a letter he had written to Ecuador praising its "bravery" and expressing "deep respect and sincere thanks" for considering his request for political asylum.

Rafael Correa, the President insisted Ecuador will not help Snowden leave Moscow, saying he had never intended to facilitate his attempted flight to South America.

In his statement through WikiLeaks, which has been assisting him since he left Hong Kong on 10th June, Snowden contrasted the current US approach to his extradition with its previous support of political dissidents in other countries. "For decades, the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum," he said. "Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the US in article 14 of the universal declaration of human rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country."

Snowden also accused the Obama administration of "using citizenship as a weapon", which has apparently left him unable to leave the airport in Moscow. "Although I am convicted of nothing, [the US] has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person," he said. "Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum."

Moscow confirmed earlier on Monday that Snowden had applied for political asylum in Russia. The LA Times said Snowden had made similar applications to a total of 15 countries, including India- may be because his findings reveal how America spied into the Indian Embassy in America.

Snowden paid tribute to those who have helped him: "One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth," he said and added, "My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful."

സദാചാരത്തിന്റെ താക്കൊല്

അഭിപ്രായം പറയുകില്ലെന്ന വാശിയില് ചുണ്ട് കടിച്ചു പിടിച്ചിരിക്കയാരുന്നു. 
പക്ഷേ ഇവന്മാര് അത് സമ്മതിക്കുന്ന ലക്ഷണം കാണുന്നില്ല. 
ഒന്ന് ചോദിച്ചോട്ടെ, തെറ്റയിലിന്റെയും മറ്റും വ്യക്തി നിഷ്ടമായ കാര്യങ്ങലറിയാന് ആര്ക്കാണിത്ര ആവേശം? സോളാര് തട്ടിപ്പില് ഒരു സ്‌ത്രീ ഉള്പ്പെട്ടു എന്നത് കൊണ്ടു മാത്രം 
എത്ര കോടി രൂപയുടെ പോതുമുതല് നശിപ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ടു, എത്ര കോടി രൂപയുടെ വികസനം വഴി മുട്ടി, 
എത്ര കോടി രൂപയുടെ സര്ക്കാര് മെഷീനറി പ്രവര്ത്തനരഹിതമായി? 
ഇതിന്റെ ഒക്കെ കാരണം ചികയുകയാണെങ്കില് നമ്മുടെ സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ വികലമായ ലൈംഗീക പട്ടിണി (Sexual Starvation) ആവും വ്യക്തമാകുക.
ധാര്മികതയുടെ പേര് പറഞ്ഞു ലൈംഗീക ത്രിഷ്ണയെയും സദാചാരം പൊക്കിപ്പിടിച്ച് പ്രകൃതി നിയമങ്ങളെയും ജീവന്റെ ശേഷിപ്പിനെയും തടുക്കാന് ശ്രമിക്കുന്നത് അപ്രായോഗികമാണ്; പ്രാകൃതമാണ്. 
എന്നിട്ടും സമൂഹം അതിനു തുനിയുകയാനെങ്കില് എന്തിനു രാഷ്ട്രീയക്കാരെ മാത്രം ക്രൂശിക്കണം? 
എന്തുകൊണ്ട് സഭാ- സമുദായ നേതാക്കളെ നാം പരസ്യ വിചാരണ നടത്തുന്നില്ല? 
കാരണം, അവരല്ലേ സദാചാരത്തിന്റെ താക്കൊല് സൂക്ഷിപ്പുകാര്?

Foul Language

On abusive language

Even if many individual expletives have lost their potency through overuse, the issue of swearing divides the nation into those who see it as the last refuge of the ignorant and linguistically indolent and those who regard it as an art form and a badge of social acceptability. Cursing has a proud heritage in England, going back to the days of Chaucer, who – unrestrained by the dead hand of the censor – sprinkled his work with obscene words such as ferte, erse, pisse, shiten, queynte, collions (testicles), and swyve, the precursor to f***, which arrived around 1500.

And although vulgarity is often associated with shipyard and factory workers, it has long had its middle-class exponents, particularly in literature. Shakespeare was an enthusiastic blasphemer – his plays containing plenty of religious obscene words such as zounds- or God's wounds- which were in common usage at the time.
Gradually, as the world became more secular, religious swear words gave way to the sexual ones that are in use today, their popularity driven, once again, by writers, such as DH Lawrence, James Joyce, Henry Miller and Dylan Thomas. Since the 1960s, rock stars have rallied to the cause, with the likes of Bob Geldof, Madonna, Liam Gallagher and Lily Allen: all doing their bit to make them more acceptable- foul language is so integral a feature of today's culture, it barely registers. Native English users may be able to bring about an effect by the right timing of those words.

On a personal level, I tell you, swearing gives a poor impression, endangers relationships and sets a bad example. On a broader level, it contributes to the dumbing down of society and can lead to violence. The reason is that swearing still offends many people, influences the way they judge your intelligence and character, heightens conflicts at home and at work, and represents a decline in civility. So stay away from using profanity and mind your words for you live in a civilized society.

See also,
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Seven_Dirty_Words_WBAI.jpg/220px-Seven_Dirty_Words_WBAI.jpg

Thanks.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Seven_Dirty_Words_WBAI.jpg/220px-Seven_Dirt

upload.wikimedia.org

The Meaning of Suffering and Theological BS

This cartoon speaks for itself. But I have a few words to add.

After the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday last, as expected, the theological BS started to flow. What is even more remarkable is that every theological chunk of BS resembles the theological pronouncements of Job’s comforters. Job’s comforters and their theologizing only added to his suffering. Stupid theological statements add to ours. We should know better.

You suffer because there’s sin in your life. And even if there isn’t any sin really outstanding, you’re still not perfect. And even if you do call on God for help, the fact that you are proud prevents God from answering. And even if we don’t understand it fully, we can count on the fact that you are suffering in order to make you a better person because even though God is just he is also a God of love. Blah blah blah.

The whole point of Job, which I consider to be the most honest book about suffering, is that there is no meaning. Job never gets an answer. He never finds out why he suffered. In fact, his comforters are rebuked! Even though their theology is sound it is wrong. And Job is vindicated! He was right to claim his innocence and cry “Unfair!” because it was unfair. He never discovers the 'why'. Maybe that’s a good thing because we, the readers, know that it was just a wager between God and Satan. It was all just a game. So even the meaning is meaningless.

I think the point of Job we should walk away with is that we cannot understand suffering. If there is a meaning to it, we cannot know it. But what we can do, like Job and his comforters did, is be friends and help one another.

People suffered in Boston. We can’t understand why such things happen. But we can bring comfort and help to one another. 

As was so admirably done... Thanks.