Pathway to heaven... or hell

For majority of us, life as we know it will not be as it is without the notion of a final destination – that is heaven, hell, whatever, whichever. My junior and senior years in high school were especially memorable because of the fondness my classmates and I shared in discussing issues about the Church’s teachings and other “intellectual” issues.

Mrs. Rebecca Pia was my teacher in my Religion class when I was in my third year. She first introduced me to the figure you see below.

(Pardon the illustration! haha was trying out Sketchup!) :D

When I studied in DLSU, the figure was again discussed by Dr. Ricardo Puno showing me some variations in the original figure i.e. combinations formed by having two of the sides of the triangle while missing out on one. Just this morning Mr. Evert Gementiza tackled this figure in our lesson so I though I’d share my thoughts on the topic.

First let me define each of the terms found of each side of the triangle by virtue of their root words.

Dogmatism

A Dogma is a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof . (src)

Ritualism

A ritual is a formalised, predetermined set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. The set of actions that comprise a ritual often include, but are not limited to, such things as recitation, singing, group processions, repetitive dance, manipulation of sacred objects, etc. ... (src)

Activism

This is where you make things happen!

My theology professor says that you need all three to be a good Christian. However, I believe that there should be greater weight attributed to activism. Why? If you look at things at the practical sense, you would not need to ask that question.

We take the first two aspects first and see their relevance.

First we look at Dogmatism. Knowing all the Dogmas of the Church is a good thing! You get to enjoy yourself discussing all there is to these doctrines. You can grow your reasoning prowess by trying to evaluate and compare your understanding to those of other people.

As for Ritualism, knowing all the details of a service won’t hurt either! Some may even think that you know all the arcane details that they will be so impressed! ;) (Nothing’s wrong as long as impressing them is not your purpose!) You can even help your brethren if they do not know their way in these services. You can be an Acolyte, an extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist, a Lector, Commentator or whatever role you choose. You help your community by being of service to them and God.

For Activism, you put into action Christ’s commands. Perhaps you’d not only know the beatitudes but live up to them as well. You wouldn’t just memorize the Ten Commandments but you’d also be an apotheosis of a God-given law abiding believer.

Here’s one of my friendly notes again.. I do believe that the three aspects are essential to an integral Christian life. (Duh. Is that not the definition?) However if I am forced to side with only one of these aspects of Christian life, I’d have to say that I’ll choose Activism. This is because of my belief that this is the most applicable in our condition today. Say for example you were to choose a politician. Would you rather choose one that is priest-like in his knowledge about the Scriptures yet doesn’t live up to what his Scriptures teach him or would you choose the one who knows little or nothing at all about “holy things” but is able to exercise his judgment in a fair and just manner?

As we all make our way in this journey called life, we choose between diverging paths everyday. Each of us may choose his or another’s way to our final destination, i.e. heaven or for some hell. We all have our weaknesses, our strengths. Most importantly, we have our free will to guide us. (At least in our perspective… ) With all these in our disposal, we can surely choose our path to heaven… or hell…

On Man's purpose

My Highschool Literature teacher taught us that whatever we find in the written works of those before us are probably reflections of the author's time. There was of course purpose in their efforts.

This question has long bothered me. Until today however, no one has been able to give me a concrete and realistic answer.

Religious people may argue that our absolute purpose is to glorify our Creator - I've got no problem with them believing that! What would bother me is the existence of a higher being creating inferiors only for his or her self gratification. (He or She wouldn't be a good role model right?)

Others (myself included) may argue that we exist merely to help our brethren. However, do we not see that without our brethren we wouldn;t have that responsibility? In simple terms, man is reducible to NULL. If we are to exist just to help ourselves, then we might as well cease to exist.

Still others may claim that we exist solely to exist and there is no other thing to life. -same argument applies. ><

Let's try it on a grander scale....

What can be the purpose of a god? To rule over something you say? But without the god, there wouldn't be the world he would be governing...

On a smaller scale...

What's the purpose of a cat? to catch mice? >< Would we need the cat if it served us no purpose?

Perhaps... Perhaps not...

This question may never be answered. Still it serves as a good exercise for out rusty intellectual engines! :D

What The Da Vinci Code has done...

The Da Vinci Code has spurred many issues in the light of our integrity as a Catholic Nation. Needless to stress is the undue weight it has put on the faithful.

Yeah Yeah so i thought....

I felt ashamed of our country's apparent inability to comprehend the word FICTION. I think i saw a representative from the City of Manila trying to enter the office office of the MTRCB chairperson. He was actually pushing the door while the guard stood helplessly by the door.

>< I dont think that being a congressman gives you the right to barge in at someone else's office. Damn! The next thought that occurred to me was being the representative of his constituents, the people he had with him must have really trusted him. But don't they think that this may be considered an insult to their intelligence when somebody tries to block off a film fearing that you might believe the afforementioned when it's clearly marked as fiction.

Afterwards, I also realized that the good congressman may have a point. He may just be concerned with the welfare of those belonging in his district. He may have considered that not all people aged 18 and older have the ability to clearly distinguish the difference between fiction and reality.

However, I maintain my point that there is such a thing such as a proper venue for everything. The lower house perhaps?

On an Educated Life...

Majortiy of people today spend 1/3 of their lives trying to do well in school - even more if you aspire for post graduate degrees. This trend has got me wondering if what were doing is worth it.

Assuming that we have 60 years to live in Earth, Pre school education would take 2 years, basic would take 6 to 7 and secondary would take 4. Earning an undergraduate degree would require 3 to 5 years, add 5 or more for a Ph D ....

02 (preschool)
06 (primary)
04 (secondary)
04 (tertiary)
___

16 years total

16 years of studying... is it all worth it?

Perhaps the world is so industrialized that we need to work for what was previously free. Perhaps we are beating the heck out of our asses for a few men who made the world as it is. I can just imagine how simple the lives of our forefathers were. They didn't have to attend a university to be able to bring food to their families. All they had to have was perseverance and dedication to their cause.

However, as time went on, the interests of some greedy men grew in power. This I believe is the reason why most of us, specially those in the working class are suffering from the pain of wasting a approximately a third of our lives trying to be good enough to the standards set forth by others.

Note: I'm not against the acquisition of knowledge! I actually am an advocate of this grace. However, knowledge should be made available to those who seek it. It is not to be made a passport to a good life. A perfect example is the pursuit of the Ancient Greeks for Knowledge. They did it because of the love of the aforementioned. This is precisely the reason why their pursuit had impressive results.

On Deviance and Social Norms...

The creation of social norms has indeed brought our civilization at it's peak. But will we let it be the same thing that would hinder its development?

We owe the world we k now of today to the laws our forefathers had imposed upon themselves since the beginning of all time. (at least the time they existed) From the barbaric laws of yesterday to the "humane" provisions of today's constitutions, all laws, no matter the scope and geographic location should supposedly subscribe to the common interest of mankind. Different people define the purpose or laws and norms differently. Some outright, some a little subtle and some abstractly vague. However, I wish to share with you one that caught my attention.

On the fourth line of a length document about the purpose of law it states:

"The purpose of law is to protect and expand freedom."

The purpose of law by Hugh Gibbons

It struck me when I read it for the second time. If the mere purpose of law was to protect and expand freedom, then the existence of law would have been more of the existence of the antimatter.

Yes! Law has built things imperceivable without its existence. But do we not realize the implications of having laws? These may well be the end of what humankind (at least as i know it) has endeavored to do for the past millenia - .

Deviance. What is it that makes a thing normal and what is it that makes it defiant? Purpose? Effect? The Bible? I dare say no! Man has found numerous and surely clever ways to find loopholes in laws. The only real thing differentiating a norm from whatever is the number of people backing its being a "norm".

For me, Norms are non existent. This is because the very first norm , if you choose to believe there are real "norms" violated the norm of the non - existence of norms in the first place. (Did you get that? Tag me na lang sa mga nde nakagets ;) )

Does that seem biased? If bias didn't cross your mind... then It's the end of the entry for you! Thanks for reading.

For those who thought that given that Deviance was put on the same spot, it would also have failed that particular test, there's one point you're missing (at least in my point of view). The absence of deviance is deviance itself. Defiance of Natural Law that is.

On Stereotyping...

I was casually sitting on the couch watching PBB when something caught my attention and eventually enraged me. It was Mikee saddened by his housemates’ reason for nominating him.

Because he was an “atenista”, his housemates thought that he was so well off and even assumed that he was living a “buhay prinsipe”. People often associate a certain class’s attributes to the members of that particular class.

I can only share mikee’s sentiments regarding that matter. It sucks.

Here are some examples i wanna show you.

1. Speaking in Taglish doesn’t mean na maarte at coño ka na.
2. Wearing pink and carry girly items doesn’t make you a homosexual.
3. Joining another religion doesn’t mean na your going to hell in the afterlife.
4. Kissing or engaging in sexual intercourse doesn’t mean na patapon na ang life mo at wala ka nang future.
5. Having multiple 0.0’s in yout transcript doesn’t mean na thos who have 4.0’s all over are better than you are!
6. Being an “Atenista” or “Lasallista” or “Assumptionista” doesn’t mean na mayaman ka at wala ka nang pangangailangan sa buhay.

Oh well. These people only express their feelings as guaranteed by our constitution. All I can do is appeal to those concerned, that they may lessen if not totally remove their disturbing habit and pray to God to ask for perseverance in keeping myself from kicking these people’s asses. JK :D

Recursive thoughts

Back in Compro2 I learned the concept of recursive code segments... To demonstrate this lemme show you this code segment...

func()
{
 //other statements here
 func();
}

I really didn't like that stuff. But now I've found a pattern in my thinking similar to recursion in programming..

Haha I often find myself off guard thinking recursively. Lemme give you an example.

When I see someone doing something wrong, the first thing that comes to my mind is 1 "poor kid, he doesn't know what he's doing..." the next is 2 "Look at yourself, you think you're so well mannered. By thinking like that, you make yourself no different to him." and still the next is.. 3 "Oh yeah, because thought 2 bothered me, I am a really good person" and the next is.. "Duh.. the mere existence of thought 3 proves that you are indeed bad"

The list of thoughts goes on and on.. Like two mirrors positioned facing each other...

I don't know if this is healthy haha.. Have you guys experienced this yourselves? :D

Subjectivity

In my 18, arguably productive years of existence I’ve noticed that there are things which I just can’t grasp right. Among these things is Subjectivity. I just feel incessantly bothered by the fact that there are some, probably many things in this world that just have to be weighed and measured not by sheer well defined standards but by the apparent rapport a state/object has on a person’s taste / outlook on the matter at hand.

I wish to share my thoughts in this seemingly enigmatic scenario.

For one, is it not unfair when some people get better salaries/grades just because their bosses/professors think that they were exerting more on the job than their peers? Did he, the favored one really do better? We shall never know.

Overtime, I was also able to realize the importance of subjectivity… Subjectivity is used as the last resort when defined standards fail or is unable to arrive at a verdict. Hmm… This post is quickly turning pointless… All I really have to say is that I believe that people should use their subjectivity only when circumstances demand them to…

For All of us Hoping...

Let me start of my entry and my Blog by sharing with you a story I read on another site- The tale of the three trees.

Once upon a mountaintop, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars twinkling like diamonds above him. "I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be a strong sailing ship," he said. "I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will be the strongest ship in the world!" The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and busy women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave this mountaintop at all," she said. "I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!"

Years passed. The rains came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest," thought the first tree. "I shall hold wonderful treasure." The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters," thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship fit for kings!" The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought him to a carpenter's shop, but the busy carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead his work-worn hands fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold or filled with treasure. He was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took him to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ships were being made that day. Instead, the once-strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. Too small and too weak to sail an ocean or even a river, he was taken to a little lake. Every day he brought in loads of dead, smelly fish. The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in the lumberyard. "What happened?" the once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted to do was stay on the mountaintop and point to God."

Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveller and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveller fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuttered. He knew he did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through
the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it.

When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in
the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came
to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and
be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

Retold by Angela Etwell Hunt, Chariot Victor Publishing, copyright 1989.

All things in this world are up for grabs - except of course the wicked bachelor's dignity... in whatever way you want to interpret it. But mere grabbing does not guarantee us of anything - not even something less than a speck of space dust. The world is indeed full of wondrously wrought circumstances and possibilities. Believer or not, no one can deny that indeed something, whatever force, entity or being made the world as such.

Unfortunately, even man's most valiant efforts fail. His journey to a higher level of perfection has proved to be loathsome. Man has failed - miserably...

But what has kept him from being reduced to a mere decoration in the world's history? His intellect of course! He has demonstrated this in a multitude of fields, lotsa times.

However, man is fundamentally flawed. (at least in my opinion) His aspiration to do better and better has undeniably led to invaluable advances in fields he deems important. Don't get me wrong dude. I'm not saying that we should go back to Chaucer's time and accept that our fate as it is.

What I want to say is that All of us will never be able achieve everything that we ever aspire for. Each of the three trees had their own aspirations. NONE became reality but ALL THREE were blessed with even better stuff. :)

I welcome all of you guys to my renaissance into the blog world with this thought in mind. We may never get evrything... but we shall do anything to accomplish something worth noting! :D

You have one life, live it WELL :D