WHY THE ATHEIST WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY WE PRAY

Somewhere in Greek mythology,  Zeus once decided to punish a king by setting out a huge feast in front of him everyday, but each time the king reached for something to eat, a winged harpy snatched it away from him and so he starved in the face of plenty.

Knowledge abounds in every corner of our life, from the people we listen to, from the books that we read, movies we watch, games we play, experiences we undergo, and so forth. The God issue, unresolved since the beginning of time will most likely not be settled in our lifetime. So now we have the Christians battling it which interpretation of the Holy Bible should be listened to, the Jews unconvinced and still waiting for the Messiah, the Muslims fighting for dominance of faith, the Hindus unraveling the secrets of their mystic existence, the Buddhist enduring the sufferings they are subjected to as preparation for a better reincarnated life, while the Chinese detach themselves from the debate and live by the golden rule.

Then comes the Freemasons, which aimed to make better men out of good men without regard to their religious beliefs.The Agnostics later professed that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of god. And there those who simply do not want to believe in the existence of God - we call them the atheist.  The so called scientologist could also be deemed as the modern day atheist or non-believers for they rely on the scientific explanation of every phenomenon.

I used to be a devout Catholic but self-knowledge is like lost innocence, once known it cannot be unthought. Unlearned maybe, but the knowledge you gained from all those readings, listening, watching and experiences have clouded the very foundation of the religious beliefs I have been once accustomed to. Each time I try to revive the kind of faith I once had, like the winged harpy in the Zeus scheme, it snatched the thought and I starve in the face of more knowledge to unravel. I am now non-sectarian but I still pray to a God whom I've known through all the storms that passed my life.

Those God-defining moments have taught me to do what I felt right doing and shake loose all the evil thoughts, the ill-feelings, the fear and the doubts as I allow fate to decide where my life will lead to. My grandmother taught me how to pray and up to this day, and each morning I thank God for the extra lease of life. I can honestly say that I have reached the stage of my life that I longer ask for any favors from above, and pray for Divine Guidance.

I pray for the safety of my kids and hope that no harm would come to them as they go on with their day to day activities. I pray for wisdom - as my mind is visited with ungodly thoughts - that I may have the moral strength to resist those temptations. I pray for patience - as I easily get irked when I am unable to have my way in things we do.  I pray for understanding - as I may not dwell in anger when loved ones and other people crosses me. And most of all, I pray for light-heartedness that I may deal with everyone with kindness.

And lastly I pray for all the souls and faces of the people I grew up with who are now gone who I could not shake off, that they be in a nice place where spirits dwell, be it in heaven, paradise or nirvana. 

Albert Einstein, one of the most brilliant man who ever lived summed it up in a sentence - "Its either you don't believe in miracles or you believe that everyday is a miracle."  Since the beginning of time, men have always attributed the wonders of life to a God or gods. Paganism, then mythology

ATHEISM, AGNOSTICISM, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ?

This  is  how  I  begin  each day ...

I  got  this  book  last year just after my little brush with death.  I told myself why not ?  It had been many years since I read the Holy Bible and a few pages a day could make my day. I don't want to make an issue against the non-believers. As for the atheist and the agnostics, we were all given a free will to believe whatever we want to believe in but surely I can tell you -  having a God to pray to when you are about to be operated on helps a lot to calm your nerves.

This is only one them. I still read other books, watch movies and documentaries, as well as magazine

and newspapers. Occasionally, I have some chit chat with people who frequent the store. Surely you can learn a lot by listening. Knowledge is something that you already know and all you have to do is to pass it on. Being in the bookstore for at least 13 hours a day, I am able to watch and listen how politicians try to outshine each other in congressional and senate hearings, how resource speakers try to enlighten by explaining their field of expertise, and how the Media commentators point out the lapses in judgement and ethical standards of people who rule and the authorities that enfold our people. And also  Men of different religion and political cause, and how they project themselves to be believed and appreciated, and achievers in sports and in different fields, they all make up a world of glory and chaos. We have but a little time ...we might as well enjoy the time we are given. 

  

Sadly, men are divided by what they believe in. However, it is also that conflict that makes life exciting. I am not sure if it was Santayana who said that story-wise, the 700 years of European wars a blessing in disguise for in that span of centuries, the world had the Renaissance, the Tudors, Shakespeare and the like.  On the otherhand, Switzerland had 700 year of peace and the only thing that could shine in their history was the invention of the cuckoo clock. The Chinese have also an interesting wish for each other - " May you live in interesting times. And may you get want you want and want what you get. "

Atheism is about  belief, or specifically what you don't believe.  An atheist doesn't believe in any gods.  Agnosticism is about knowledge or, specifically, what you don't know. An agnostic doesn't know if any gods exist or not. Atheist doesn't want to believe, agnostics want to believe but can't, and those who are into religion will fight to death in defense of their faith. The faithful have a strong belief in God and doctrines of their religion, based on apprehension rather than proof.  And then comes the fanatics who are filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious cause.  The God question have been debated on and fought for since the beginning of time, it has resulted in a lot of blood being spilled. It has remained unsettled to this day, and surely  it will never be resolved in our lifetime. Ours is to find our way as we make the choice to make peace with our own God. 

I was born a Catholic and what we have was Catechism which is the summary of  principles of Christian religion in form of question and answers - a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts - used for instructions for their congregations.  From childhood to my early college years, I was a bit loyal to my Catholic doctrines and attended mass regularly.  Then I started to dig deeper into history, made some studies about different religions and philosophy. I even attended indoctrination of different Christian sects. But then I experienced some God-defining moments...  and I guess I found my peace.

5 days lying in a hospital bed ...you must have something to hold on to calm your fears. The hallway trip to the operating room fully conscious (local anaesthesia  will be used), the anticipation of pain as you wait for the moment, and the worry about the cost of hospitalization will surely get into you unless you have something or Someone to pray to. No wonder Zen points the way from bondage to freedom and as defined - those who do not know cannot tell, and those who know cannot tell.

Zen or faith, I could tell you not. Allowing nature to take its own course or shall we say, placing your life on God's Hand will surely get the job done.

The danger of reading books contradicting your brand of faith is that they may suck you into it.  Some people do get into some form of religion or philosophical doctrines and hang on to them even to the extent of  getting themselves in conflict with their family members, relatives and friends. That's the reason why thousands of sects have broken away from the Catholic hierarchy, for the reading of the  Holy Bible on their own volition. Without the dictations, as the guided Bible readings during masses,  Bible readers will pose so many question that would run in conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The real problem though is that with so many are claiming that the truth could be found in their religious group, its hard to decide which is the right one to blend in to. However, exposing yourself into different world of philosophy and beliefs may help you formulate your own or even strengthen the faith you already have. 

Each new day is a blessing ... and we'll never know when our time is up. We are all given the same amount of minutes in an hour, the same number of hours in a day, devoting a few minutes to try to resolve the God question won't hurt.  If you feel that you are on the right track of faith, and it makes you feel light and blessed, stick with it - they say and I believe too - God sees what's in our heart. 

** Jesus and His Religion :
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* Catholism have institutionalized "guilt" as a virtue
* 1611 - King James of England came up with an English translation of the Bible
* 100 A.D. - Closed the history of the Bible
* 382 A.D. - The Council of Rome 382 determined the canon or official list of sacred scriptures

WHAT'S THE FIRST THING I DID AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ?

A wake-up call  I would say, a little brush with death.  Soon as got out after spending 5 days in the hospital 'cause of a severely infected cellulitis in my left leg, I thought  the best thing an old crazy semi-recluse like me should do something significant before I kick the bucket. Then it came to me, I gotta leave something my wife and kids will remember me by.  

Songs and singers.   I started to download songs day after day, over 4,000 songs by various artists.  Since I spend 14 hours a day at the store I listened to them one by one, chose the best ones and my favorites and created playlists. Songs I like to listen to and most of all songs I dedicate to my wife, to remind her of me and the good times we've had together. And then the best from each artist, rhythm in blues, ballads, country songs, OPM hits, Christmas songs and some rock and roll.

The story behind the songs.  I love to listen to music and keep tab of the lyrics. My Way was composed by Paul Anka for supposedly a farewell performance for Frank Sinatra, but which instead pushed his career to greater heights. Vincent was inspired by the life of  painter Vincent Van Gogh whom Don McLean admired. Tears in Heaven was dedicated to the passing of Eric Clapton's 7 year old kid who died in an accident. We Are the World united the biggest music stars to join hand in hand to help the people of Africa.  And an urban legend tells of a dying man who wrote the lyrics of the song, "Softly as I Leave You" as a farewell note to his wife as felt life slipping away. 

As for me ... I just like to make a dramatic exit, if ever.  At 60,  each day is a bonus and if given a few more years I would like to write my life story.  All the knowledge I gathered from reading books, watching movies and documentaries, listening to people and watching the world go by,  and maybe like Van Gogh ...

" To write about the things I saw that other people

did not saw the way I saw them. "

RIZAL VS BONIFACIO

Ain't no argument or  debate to compare the two

Who's to be the national hero, Rizal or Bonifacio

Two great men, each a source of Filipino's pride 

Their stories written in blood... two heroic lives

Rizal  was an idea of what Filipinos can become

A doctor, a scholar, a writer, poet, a marksman

Wrote about how our countrymen were enslaved

Friars raped our women and land was confiscated

Rizal believed we're not ready, it would be a bloodshed

Against rifles and canons, the rebels were ill-equipped

He supported Bonifacio but thought he was hot-head

Not yet time to fight he said, we will all be slaughtered

Rizal wanted reforms but still under Spanish protection
Said we're not yet prepared to be an independent nation
People must first be trained through proper education
Be able to read and write, pave way to industrialization

But the Katipuneros wanted more, freedom and dignity
They knew they have to fight for it in order to be free
Spain would never let go, Indios from birth to our graves
Never be equal to the white race, to be ruled, to be slaves

Time cannot wait when the Katipunan was discovered

Jose Rizal was arrested, tried for treason and executed
The revolution caught fire and the resistance was ignited

But the American vulture lurked again we were betrayed

Our freedom was stolen from us by another demon

They claimed the country and paid Spain 25 million

Filipino leaders fought for power and were disunited

Soon they fell one by one and the colonizers prevailed

Aguinaldo ordered the killing of Andres Bonifacio
General Luna betrayed and then killed by Anolino
The"Illustrados" collaborated led by Buencamino
The Macabebes defected and captured Aguinaldo

Out the Spanish lion came the American eagle's talon 

Mark Twain and a US Senator called it an abomination
And again hundreds of thousand of Filipinos were killed
So that the American generals' treasure chest will be filled
  

350 years, Spaniards used religion to tarnish our soul

50 years, Thomasites used education for mind control

Slowly,  Americans crept to excite us with Hollywood

Pretending to help, educate us while stealing our gold

Rizal was pushed as a national hero to love and revere

Bonifacio and Sakay were rebels, against law and order

Imitate Rizal, be educated and you'll grow and prosper

America is paradise and will need  blue collar workers

Manifest Destiny and to save the world for democracy
And like all white country nation enriched with thievery 
Americans set their eyes on every third world country
To dominate and exploit, find traitors, buy their loyalty

"Bayan o sarili" ang tanong ng isang dakilang bayani
Ang kalayaan at ang karangalan ay di dapat ipagbili

Aanhin ang kayamanan kung may dumi ang pangalan

May batik ng dugo't kataksilan, at nakaw na kayamanan 

JUSTICE vs. THE LAW vs. LAWYERS

JUSTICE  :

        Justice is usually associated with the law.  It symbolized by a blindfolded statue
        holding a balance and a sword signifying fairness in accordance with the laws of 
        the society and the sword to render the deserved punishment for the crime.

        The Bible on the other hand states that it is first and foremost a relational term --
        people living in right relationship with God, one another, and the natural creation.
        As God is just and loving, so we are called to do justice and live in love.


        The movie "A Time to Kill " by John Grisham is one fine example of how a man
        who broke the law was given the "justice" he deserve because of the mitigating 
        circumstances that pushed him to commit the crime.

        
LAWS :
       
        Laws are the systems of rules which a particular country or community recognizes
        as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition 
        of penalties. 

        A Legislative body, usually elected by the people gather themselves in assemblies to 
        discuss about the formulation of set of rules, enforceable by the courts, regulating the
        government of a state, the relationship between the organs of the government and the
        subjects of the state, and the relationship or conduct of  subjects towards each other,
        a rule or body of rules made by the legislature.

        Laws are not universal and just like language, it varies with people and age.

        The law doesn't always represent justice. Legal doesn't always equate to morality.
        An example is the Apartheid Law of South Africa.

        The Constitution is an aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents
        that constitute the legal basis of polity, organization or other type of entity,  and 
        commonly determine how the entity is to be governed.

        In the movie "With Honors",  Joe Pesci clearly defined the essence of the constitution,
        and why it is the embodiment of a nation and its people.

LAWYERS  :

        A Lawyer is a person who practices or studies law. They are also called attorneys,
        legal practitioners, barristers, and  legal counsels.

        Daniel Webster quoted, "Even the devil deserves a legal counsel."  An accused is
        presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. Lawyers are needed for due process
        and they have to defend their clients to the best of their ability.

        Al Pacino made his stars shine after portraying a lawyer in the movie "And Justice
        for All"  ...

       The fight for justice is always an interesting note, as lawyers fight it out in the court
       of law.  Money, influence, reason, pride and prestige, sentiments, traditions, and even
       religion play big parts  in the argument of law and a lot of times the truth is twisted
       and justice is denied.

       Now we go down as how the three - justice, law and lawyers - serve as the brush that
       sketches the historical character in a canvass.  Historians give us a picture how a 
       nation and its people were shaped by men's desire to build an orderly society. 

       Hereunder  is a list of books and its movie-tie-ins :

       1.     Anatomy of a Murder   by William Traver  which was made into a movie
                                                             starring James Stewart

       2.    Laughing Whitefish  also by William Traver

       3.    To Kill a Mockingbird    by  Harper Lee which was made into a movie
                                                               starring  Gregory Peck

       4.    Inherit the Wind      by Jerome Lawrence which was made into a movie
                                                      starring Spencer Tracy

       5.    12 Angry Men     by  Reginald Rose  which was made into a movie
                                                  starring  Henry Fonda

       6.    Presumed Innocent   by  Scott Turow which was made into a movie
                                                  starring  Harrison Ford

       7.    A  Time to Kill     by  John  Grisham which was made into a movie
                                                   starring  Samuel Jackson

       8.    A  Few Good Men  by  Aaron Sorkin which was made into a movie
                                                   starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nickolson

       9.    Amistad   by David Pesci and made into a movie by Steven Spielberg

       10.  Body of Evidence   by  Patricia Cornwell and made into a movie that
                                                     featured Madonna

And an extra good first episode of TV series Boston Legal about how lawyers
pull tricks out of hat. 

Notes from Karambola :
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**  "How amazing things are done when no seeks the credit for it."

**  "You sold us down the river" - idiom to describe how government lawyers sold out

**  " An unjust law is not law at all. " - Martin Luther King

**  " Beware the fate of the furious man. " - Oliver Wendell Holmes

**  " Beware of the quiet man
         While others speaks, he watch
         While others acts, he plans
         And when they finally rests, he strikes

**  Contracts  --  contracts can only be valid when they are not contrary to law
                       --  cancellation of contracts -  not even congress can impair an obligation
                                                                         under a contract

**  Preponderance of evidence  --  as long as you can show some bits of evidence

**  The First Act of Sovereignty  --  No international court can implement a ruling in
                                                        our country.

**  Presumption of Innocence  --  " Even the devil deserves a legal counsel
                                                  --  presumed innocent until proven guilty
                                                  --  lawyers are needed to for due process, no lawyer, no trial

**  The Power of the Judiciary  -- to settle cases and controversies / justifiable

**  Constitutional Law  :
                 Quo Warranto order  -- a case of first impression
                                                   -- it involves the interpretations of law that had never been
                                                       done before.