Just Say No to Hollywood

I was watching a movie on TV about the life of Bruce Lee. In the story, Bruce was dating a Caucasian girl and they went out to see a movie. The movie they watched was a comedy, where an Asian character was depicted in a degrading way. Everyone, including Bruce's date, was laughing because they thought it was funny. But when the girl turned to Bruce, she noticed that he wasn't laughing. In fact, she could tell from his facial expressions that Bruce was not amused. Bruce was insulted instead. So she told him "Let's get out of here." This made me wonder. Today, there is no shortage of TV shows or movies that are offensive to Christians, especially to Catholics. Many Christians and Catholics would react the same way as Bruce Lee did, when they see shows or movies that denigrate or ridicule Catholics or Christians. So maybe, we should show the same courage as Bruce's date and refuse to continue watching these types of TV shows and movies. We may not be able to change Hollywood, but at least we can stand up for our principles and do the right thing.

Statutory Rape and Planned Parenthood

I was watching Dr. Phil on TV one night. He was interviewing a man who had sex with a 15 year-old girl. Dr. Phil told him bluntly that this was not only illegal, but also immoral. Immediately after the show, the police arrested the man. I don't know many people who would disagree with Dr. Phil on this issue. But, as I was browsing the Internet, I read an article about underage girls who were impregnated by their adult "boyfriends." These girls went to Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood advised these girls not to tell anyone about it, or else their "boyfriends" might be arrested for statutory rape. According to the article, Planned Parenthood further told these girls that although they are required by law to report this to the authorities, Planned Parenthood decided not to report these incidents. So it appears Planned Parenthood, disagrees with Dr. Phil on the issue of statutory rape. Since they condone it, they obviously don't think it's wrong. They also don't think it's wrong to break the law by refusing to report these incidents to the authorities. So I have a question, "Why would you entrust the safety & care of your loved ones to Planned Parenthood in the first place?"

Have Faith & Don't Lose Hope

A Catholic friend told me about his son & daughter-in-law, who have been married for ten years but couldn't have any children. Out of desperation, they decided to try in-vitro fertilization, which is contrary to Catholic belief. Instead of trying to talk them out of it, my friend asked them instead to do him a favor. Before they go through with the procedure, he asked them to make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, and ask for the Blessed Virgin Mary's intercession. They did, and they prayed for a miracle. Soon after returning from this pilgrimage, the daughter-in-law called my friend and informed him that she was pregnant. So she cancelled the in-vitro procedure. Now they have two lovely children. They're not alone. I've heard many stories of such miracles from childless couples that made the same pilgrimage. So the moral of the story is, don't lose hope. Pray for our Blessed Mother's intercession. Most of all, be patient. God will intervene in His time, not ours.

Adult Stem Cell Research? Why Not?

I saw a National Geographic documentary where a man with heart problems had triple bypass surgery. In addition to this surgery, the doctors took stem cells from his bone marrow and injected them into his heart. Three months after the surgery, his heart was pumping more blood than before, and he was playing basketball again. The doctors felt the adult stem cells worked. There are many more examples of such success stories, which the media won't report. So I'd like to pose this question to everyone, "Why is everybody obsessed with embryonic stem cell research, when adult stem cells are more readily available and are proven to work?"

Do You Believe in Angels?

A friend told me that he & his wife visited Mexico a few years ago. During the vacation, his wallet was stolen. So he prayed that the wallet be recovered. The chances for recovery were slim. One day, when he & his wife visited the Basilica in Mexico City where the tilma or cloak containing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was kept, a stranger approached him. He was "baby faced" and was dressed in white. The man showed him a wallet and asked if it was his. My friend examined it and discovered it was his and all the money, credit cards, and IDs were still in it. He asked for the stranger's name and the man said it was Luis Angeles. The man gave him a hug and walked away. "Angeles" is Spanish for Angels. Was this stranger his guardian angel? What do you think? How about you? Do you believe in angels? If so, when was the last time you asked your guardian angel for help?

Are People Good or Bad?

We tend to think that people are either good or bad. So if someone we consider as good does something wrong (whether it's a priest, a civil rights activist, or a politician), we're shocked. I was wondering about this subject until I read a book by a psychiatrist who said that each person has good and bad characteristics. We view a person as good if we focus on their good characteristics. We view a person as bad if we focus on their bad characteristics. This made sense to me. I always wondered why people I perceived as being bad, were loved by others. Those people must see something good in that person. Perhaps this is the reason why Jesus asked us to forgive others. So maybe next time, we shouldn't be too harsh with others for their imperfections, since we also have our own weaknesses.

Would You Want Someone to Help You When You're in Need?

I was at Costco with my mom a few weeks ago. She & I were shopping in different parts of the store, when mom suddenly felt dizzy and asked a woman for help. The woman refused to help and left her. When I found mom, she told me about this incident. I was quite upset about it. Who wouldn’t? I'll bet you would be too if this happened to your or your loved ones. So I wondered, maybe next time someone asks us for help, we should. Perhaps our good example may inspire others to do the same.

Child Martyr of the Eucharist

I read an article by the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen of New York. It's about an 11-year old Catholic girl who lived in China during the Communist revolution. One night, the Red Guards broke into her church and threw the consecrated hosts from the Tabernacle onto the floor. They left one soldier to guard the inside of the church to prevent people from entering. The girl, who was hiding inside the church, witnessed this desecration. Because she believed the Eucharist was the Body of Our Lord Jesus, she waited for the soldier to fall asleep each night before sneaking into the church to gather and eat one host. On the last night, when she consumed the last of the remaining hosts, the soldier awakened. Frightened, she ran outside of the church but the soldier caught up with her and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle. The parish priest, who was under house arrest and locked up in the house next to the church, could only watch in horror from his bedroom window. This girl's courage and martyrdom makes me wonder, "How many Catholic children today believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist?" And how many Catholics today would have the courage & willingness to suffer martyrdom for this belief, like that brave girl?"

Is a Person Less Human Just Because He's Homeless?

I was waiting for the train to go home from work yesterday. Suddenly, this woman standing nearby ran towards the stairs. As I looked towards the direction she was running to, I saw a homeless person on the floor on his knees. He must have tripped and fallen. The woman, who was well dressed in office attire, did not hesitate to help this man get up. I went over to them to offer some assistance. Most of the people there, however, didn't bother to do anything at all. I was just wondering, "Were they afraid?" Or was it because they considered it beneath their "dignity" to get their hands or neat clothes dirty by touching this homeless man? I'd like to pose this question to those people, "Is a person less of a human being than your or I, just because he's homeless or poor?"

Abstinence vs. Condoms in Preventing AIDS?

I'm sure you've heard this all before from the biased media and politicians. They say that condom use will prevent the spread of AIDS. Westerners believe that just using condoms without abandoning promiscuity will stop AIDS. They've been promoting that solution in the US for years. Yet AIDS continues to spread in this country. So, Harvard University conducted a study in the continent that has the worst case of AIDS epidemic - Africa. There, they discovered that Uganda had the most success in reducing the spread of this disease. Why? It’s because their government rejected the failed policies of the West and adopted their own solution. They focused on changing risky behaviors instead, which is a solution rejected by the West. They promoted abstinence and monogamous relationships. The statistics prove that their solution worked. So ask yourselves this question. Given this evidence, "What is the logical solution to stop the spread of AIDS?" If you're a rational human being, the answer is obvious. But if you're a politician , or a member of the media or Hollywood, then you wouldn't have a clue even if the answer stared at you right in the face.

When Will People Learn?

I was watching the news last night. They reported that a child was murdered by the ex-boyfriend of the child's mother. This reminded me of a conference I attended years ago. At this conference, a researcher from England presented the results of a study he conducted. He discovered that the incidence of child abuse is much higher in households where one of the adults is not the biological parent of the child. The incidence was much higher in households where the couples were not married to each other. This is not new. Similar findings were reported by CNN a long time ago. I remember hearing about this also in my Psychology class in college. Then common sense dictates that these alternative relationships should be avoided to reduce the incidence of child abuse. But despite the preponderance of the evidence, some people continue to reject the traditional family and choose "alternative" household settings, which give rise to these abuses. When will people learn?

Causes of Crime

You'll often hear activists and politicians guess the causes, and then propose quick & dirty, politically expedient band-aid solutions, to the crime problem in our society. For example, they'll say that the cause of crime is unemployment. I don't think so. I remember reading a news article about a carpet installer who raped and murdered his client. Do you know where the police caught him? At his next client, installing carpets as usual. Sometimes the "experts" claim that poverty is the cause of crime. Tell that to the "poor" executives of Enron. I also know someone who receives only $200 a month in social security benefits, but she doesn't commit crimes. Some say crime is caused by a lack of education. Well, did you know that the first, and probably worst, serial killer in US history was a doctor? His name is Henry Holmes. So next time you hear politicians or activists propose solutions to these "causes" of the crime problem, we should ask them this question, "What really is the root cause of crime in the first place?" Then and only then can they come up with the proper solution.

The Media's Misuse of God's Name

If you have ever watched a movie, one of the things you'll always hear is the misuse of God's name. Almost every script written by Hollywood includes the expression "Goddam." The use of this blasphemy is so prevalent in movies that many people think this is a "normal" term to use. So you hear it everyday from other people, even in the workplace. I have a question for these screenwriters. What do you think would happen if you replaced "Goddam" with "Allahdamn" instead? How do you think Muslims would feel? So don't you think Christians would feel the same way? Of course, since it's open season on Christians only, Hollywood wouldn't mind offending Christians by blaspheming God, but they certainly wouldn't offend Muslims by blaspheming Allah. That would be politically incorrect. Can you spell "hypocrisy?" Here's something else to consider. "Damn" is not God's last name. If someone added "damn" to your name and called you "Johndamn", "Mikedamn", "Joedam", "Stevedamn", and so on, how would you feel? Now how do you think God would feel if you do the same to Him?

Does Spanking Really Harm Kids?

I’m sure you’ve heard this from “experts” who appear on TV. But is this really true? Let’s use some common sense. How many of you had been spanked as kids? Did you end up becoming a child abuser? How many of you had parents who were spanked? Did they end up becoming abusers? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should spank your kids. I know people who can discipline their kids without resorting to this. But the point I want to make is that a child who is spanked does not automatically become dysfunctional and abusive. In fact, I’ve heard of kids who were not disciplined by their parents and the kids did end up becoming dysfunctional, even violent and abusive. So next time you hear someone say that spanking is bad, ask them if they or their parents were spanked, and ask them if they became violent as a result.

Modesty

Often, you’ll hear women say they have a right to wear whatever they want, or what little they want. Even so, here’s a reason why women probably should reconsider, and practice modesty. I read an Internet article about an interview of prisoners convicted of sexual assault. They were asked how they selected their victims. They all unanimously said that one of the things they looked for were women who wore clothes that could be removed quickly and easily. Ask yourself how many women today wear clothes that are considered “fashionable” but meet this criterion used by rapists. Then common sense dictates that to avoid being a victim, don’t wear these types of clothes. So next time your wives, girlfriends, or daughters want to wear revealing clothing that’s easy to tear off, you might want to remind them of the results of these interviews.

Civility - Some People May Surprise You

I was told about a comment made by someone who read my blogs. Although the comment was made by an agnostic, he actually said some nice things about me and my blogs. That surprised me. I was expecting a hostile reaction since I perceived that agnostics or atheists wouldn’t like my blogs about religion. I guess my perception was wrong. Unfortunately, this is the common perception we developed, due to the hostility or animosity that we hear about, from the media, between Christians and atheists. I read somewhere that G.K. Chesterton (a convert to Catholicism) was a friend of George Bernard Shaw (an atheist). Although they debated about God and religion, there was no animosity between them. In fact, when Chesterton died, Shaw had only nice things to say about him. I was just wondering if it was ever possible someday for people to discuss things, whether religion, politics, or other topics, with civility once again. There seems to be a shortage of that nowadays.

Why is Missing Sunday Mass Considered a Sin?

I’ve been asked this question many times before. To answer it, one has to understand the mass. It is a reliving of the sacrifice of Jesus in Calvary. In doing so, we also commemorate the sacrifice he made to “save” us. Let’s draw an analogy. Suppose your father fought during WWII and died in the war. It’s only proper to honor the sacrifice he made to “save” you from fascism. If you refuse to go to his memorial service, then this would be a grave insult. Refusal to commemorate the sacrifice he made would send the message that you don’t care that he died for you. It further implies that what he did was not important to you. How do you think his dad, your grandfather, would feel about that? I think he would be deeply hurt and offended by it. So ask yourself, how do you think God the Father would feel, if you refuse to commemorate the fact that His Son Jesus gave His life to “save” you from eternal damnation? Do you now see why it’s considered a serious offense to deliberately miss Sunday mass without any legitimate reason?

Can Fame or Fortune Bring Happiness?

I was watching the biography of Errol Flynn last weekend. This famous actor had everything: looks, fame, fortune, & women. Unfortunately, he discovered the hard way that these don’t make him immune from other problems, such as frivolous lawsuits & dishonest accountants. He became despondent, and abused alcohol and drugs. He developed liver problems and, in his 50’s, died of a heart attack. He’s not alone. Other celebrities had it all, such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, etc. But they all died due to substance abuse. So everyone is asking, “Why could people, who have it all, be so unhappy?” That’s because everybody assumed that fame or fortune can bring happiness. That’s what the media wants you and I to believe. Apparently this isn’t true. So what is the true source of happiness? I won’t attempt to answer that for you. Each of you will need to seek & discover that answer for yourselves.

Should We Stand By Our Principles?

I was discussing politics with a co-worker during an election year. She told me, “You can’t eat your principles. So think about your stomach first!” Do you believe she’s right? Think about this for a moment. What if Martin Luther King, Jr. followed her advice? Would racial segregation have been eliminated? What if Mohandas Gandhi followed her advice? Would India have gained its independence? So do you still believe that we should think about our stomachs first before standing up for our principles? Then what kind of a world do you think we’d live in if people did that?

Why Would God Create Hell?

Someone asked me this question a few years ago. Here's one way of looking at this. Imagine someone you dislike. Now imagine what it would be like to live with that person your entire life. You wouldn't like it would you? So if someone dislikes God, God won't force that person to live with Him forever in Heaven. Otherwise, that person wouldn't like it. But there's a problem. God is everywhere. So God had to create a place where He is absent for those who don't want to be in His presence. We call that place Hell. Now the question for the rest of us is, "Where do we want to be?"

Why Visit the Blessed Sacrament?

As I mentioned before, Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. So why aren't there more people visiting Him? If you think about it, our ultimate end is to be with God forever in Heaven. So we need to spend more time with Him here on earth. Let's look at an analogy. If you were planning to marry someone (i.e. spend the rest of your life with that person), wouldn't you want to get to know him/her first? And how do you get to know someone? You do it by spending time with that person. So if you plan on spending the rest of eternity with God in Heaven, wouldn't it make sense to get to know Him better? Then you should also spend time with Him here on earth by visiting the Tabernacle of your church, where Jesus is really, physically present in the Eucharist. And like people in love, spend that time conversing with each other. That's what prayer is - conversing with God about anything and everything. So next time you pass by a Catholic church, drop in to say, “Hi.” Or better yet, schedule time to visit Our Lord regularly, maybe once a week. You won't regret it.

Are Pro-Lifers Really Right-Wing Extremists?

I'm sure you've heard this accusation before from pro-aborts. But is it really true? I read about a conversation that Mother Teresa had with a Catholic priest years ago, when he visited her in India. She found out that President Clinton had signed a bill into law, making it illegal in the U.S. to peacefully obstruct access to an abortion mill. Mother Teresa replied, "Father, if we had laws like that here in India, I would have been thrown in jail many times! Here I go to the places where abortions are done and I take the women by the arm and say, 'Come with me; we will help you and your child!'" Now ask yourselves, "Does Mother Teresa look like a right-wing extremist to you?"

Will the World Really Be Better Without God?

I saw a TV show called “Masters of Science Fiction.” In it, the President said nuclear weapons & God were invented due to fear. This represents Hollywood’s belief that God is just an invention. But there’s more. John Lennon’s song, “Imagine”, expresses his belief that the world will be perfect if there’s “no heaven” & “no religion too.” The music industry shares this belief. So is it true? Will the world be better if people didn’t believe in God? Examine the evidence. Stalin, Mao, & Pol Pot are examples of atheists who tried to create a utopia on earth. These despots are responsible for murdering millions of people. What they created instead is hell on earth. Just ask any survivor of their regimes. Now look at those who genuinely believed in God, & actually practiced their belief, such as St. Francis of Assisi & Mother Teresa. They were motivated by faith in making the world a better place. Ask anyone who benefited from the works of the Franciscans or the Missionaries of Charity. So do you still believe the Entertainment Industry’s notion that eliminating God will make the world a better pace? Judge for yourself.

Being a Christian Means More Than Just Going to Church

A retired nurse, who went to church last Sunday, told us this story. A man sitting nearby started to go into shock. She recognized the symptoms and immediately helped him. She also called 911. What upset her was the fact that there were other nurses there who did nothing but watch them. Is your notion of Christian behavior similar to these people? Is Christianity limited to just going to church on Sundays? Or does Christian behavior actually require that you practice what you believe, such as emulating the “Good Samaritan”, or “doing unto others what you want them to do unto you?” Will God say to you “Well done,” when it’s your turn to face judgment before Him?”

Why Go to Confession?

I've heard this question before. Here's how I look at this issue. You love your spouse. So, you have a personal relationship with each other. You love God and He loves you. Then, there should be a personal relationship between you and God. Because your are not perfect, you will sometimes "offend" your spouse, either deliberately (e.g. making fun of him/her) or inadvertently (yelling in anger). Sometimes, the offense can be more "serious", such as going to the baseball game with your buddies on your anniversary. What do marriage counselors advise in these situations? Ask your spouse for forgiveness to restore your relationship with your spouse. Likewise, you will occasionally offend God too. It happens. It can be a minor sin, such as fibbing at a job interview. Or, it can be more serious, such as fornication or adultery, or having sexual fantasies about someone other than your spouse. So how do you restore your relationship with God? For Catholics, it's called Confession. This is how you formally apologize to God for any offenses committed against Him. This includes failure to do the right thing. So don't be afraid of confession. It's the way to restore your relationship with God.

Do Pro-Choice People Really Want You to Have a Choice?

I tried to enter the URL of a pro-life site today. It brought me to a different website instead. Someone hacked into the pro-life site & redirected all traffic to another site. The culprit was very smart. This reminded me of an incident last year. The Catholic Diocese of Oakland, CA placed pro-life ads inside trains. These ads were not offensive. Yet within a few days, hundreds of ads were destroyed. These were not random incidents. These acts of vandalism were systematic, deliberate, well-planned, & organized. To destroy hundreds of ads, hundreds of people would have been involved. I don't know any pro-life person who vandalized pro-abortion ads. So why would pro-aborts vandalize pro-life ads? I also don't know any pro-life person who hacked into Planned Parenthood's site. So why would pro-aborts hack pro-life sites? I concluded that pro-abortion people don't believe in free speech. They also believe the end justifies the means, including committing crimes. What are they afraid of? Are they worried people might change their minds about the abortion issue? If so, then how can they claim to be pro-choice when they don't want people to have an alternative choice in the first place?

How I Came to Believe in the Real Presence

I said I believed the Eucharist is Jesus. I didn't believe it at first. One day, my mom was taken to the hospital. She was seriously ill & her condition was worsening. At a retreat, I asked a priest why God allowed it. He said, "Ask our Lord in the Tabernacle." So I did & I asked for her cure. I got a Bible & chanced upon John 4:47-54, about the cure of an official's son. This occurred on Saturday. When I came home, I called the hospital & found out that mom was better. I asked her when her condition turned around. She said, "On Saturday." Coincidence? On Monday, a Protestant asked me why I visited the church on weekdays. I told her what the priest told me, "to visit our Lord in the Tabernacle." So I invited her to church. Later, she told me, "I found what I'm looking for." So she became a Catholic. I asked myself, "Can bread bring about conversion?" Another person told me he had a problem & had been praying for weeks for a solution. When he asked me what to do, I said, "Pray to our Lord in the Tabernacle." So I invited him to church on Friday. On Monday morning, he told me his problem was solved. These could not be just coincidences. So from that day onward, I was convinced that the Eucharist was truly our Lord Jesus, and not just a piece of bread.

Going to Communion at Mass: What Does It Mean?

Like many Catholics, I've received communion almost as a matter of routine, without thinking much about it. One day, while falling in line to receive communion at mass, a Eucharistic Minister asked me, "Do you believe this is Jesus, your God, that you're about to eat?" I was taken aback for a moment. I was expecting her to say the usual phrase "Body of Christ." I had to think for a moment what to say. Then I realized that this is precisely what we believe as Catholics, that the bread, after being consecrated by the priest, actually becomes Jesus. So it is God that we Catholics eat during communion. Since I do believe this, I said the usual response, "Amen", which means "truly" or "I agree." I'm not sure if what she said was proper, but it did bring to mind this important Catholic belief, which I and many other Catholics, had taken for granted. I guess it's a good thing to be reminded of this key doctrine of our Faith once in a while.

Why Talk About Political Issues?

Others have asked me why I include political issues in this blog. What's the connection between politics and living a meaningful life? In order to live a more meaningful life, one would need the freedom to pursue a meaningful life. So if this freedom is denied to a person, then an injustice is being committed against that person. Such a person would not be happy. For example, when African-Americans were sold as slaves, their freedom to live genuinely human lives were denied to them. When a child is aborted, the child's right & freedom to live a meaningful life is denied to that child. When a disabled person's life is terminated, such as Terri Schiavo's life, then her freedom to live a meaningful life is also being denied. There are several cases of people, in similar or worse condition than her, who were able to recover with rehabilitation. Terri was denied rehabilitation. In conclusion, freedom and justice are required in order for people to pursue a more meaningful life. These issues happen to be considered "political" issues also. Therefore, it becomes necessary to address these "political" issues if they interfere with a person's legitimate pursuit of a meaningful and purposeful life.

Do Reasonable People Believe in God?

I read an email from someone who said only unintelligent people believe in God, & rational people don't. A critical thinker would ask, "Is this true, or is this merely an assumption?" The truth can always be proven. So let's look at the evidence. Two of the greatest scientists that the world has ever known are Newton & Einstein. Both believed in God. Some of the greatest composers in history are Mozart, Beethoven, & Vivaldi. They believed in God. Some of the great literary figures of England are G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, & J.R.R Tolkien. They believed in God. One of the most famous atheists of our time, Malcolm Muggeridge, ended up believing in God. Are these people irrational or unintelligent? So do you still think that people who believe in God are stupid or unreasonable? I think the facts speak for themselves. Don't you think so?

Will Islam Dominate?

I remember watching an internet news video of a rally held in New York by Muslim extremists. One person carried a sign stating "Islam Will Dominate." I thought at first that this was just an idle boast. But is it? If we look at the world birth rates, we see that the birth rate of Western nations, such as Germany, is much lower than those of Muslim countries, such as Niger. In fact, the death rate exceeds the birth rate. The people of the West cannot replenish themselves. What's the cause of this? What's the difference between Western nations and Muslim countries? It's simple. Western nations practice contraception and abortion while Muslim countries don't. Based on Darwin's view of "survival of the fittest", the people of the West will become extinct, while the people of Muslim nations will survive. Therefore, the notion that Islam will dominate is no idle boast. Extremists don't even need to wage Jihad against the West. All they have to do is sit back and wait for the West to drive itself to extinction. Maybe it's time for the countries of Europe and North America to wake up and realize that. And you thought that Global Warming was a threat to your survival? Guess again.

On Vacation From 7/16/07-7/20/07

I'll resume my postings when I return on 7/23/07.

What Would You Do?

Suppose you know a girl under 18 years of age, who was impregnated by an adult. This is called statutory rape. What would you do? Would you report it to the police, or would you simply ignore it & allow the sexual abuse to continue? What if it was your own daughter who was victimized? Would you do something about it? Most people with a conscience would report it. But Planned Parenthood doesn't do that. As a matter of practice, they do NOT report such cases, even if the girl was raped. They simply perform the abortion, then send the girl back to be abused again by the predator. This way, the girl would have to come back to them for abortions repeatedly. Now why would an organization that alleges to "care" about women show complete disregard for the safety of adolescent girls? The cost of each abortion is about $10,000. Could it be that Planned Parenthood, and all other abortion providers, are more concerned about making a profit instead of being concerned about the well-being of others? Would you trust or have anything to do with such an organization? What would you do?

Passing the Torch

I was watching a program on "Animal Planet" & during the commercial break, Bindi Irwin appeared. She's the daughter of the late Australian naturalist, Steve Irwin (aka The Crocodile Hunter). Like her parents, Bindi is now a wildlife conservationist and spokesperson, & she's only 8 years old. Steve mentioned a long time ago that he wanted to pass on his passion for wildlife to his daughter. I thought, "How wonderful it is for parents, who share the same passion, to pass on their ideals to their children." Now they can continue the parents' mission. Just imagine, “What if Christian parents did the same, & passed on their zeal for the Faith to their children?” Then like little Bindi, these children will continue the work of passing the Faith, not only to others, but to their own children someday. So pass on the torch of the Faith, & leave a legacy for future generations. They will not only remember you for it, but they'll be thankful that you did.

The True Worth of a Human Being

Most people today measure their worth as human beings by the amount of money they make, their social status, or their possessions. But is this really the true measure of our worth? A visiting pastor gave the answer in his sermon last Sunday at our church. Our true worth as human beings is dependent on our relationship with God. Think about this for a moment. Parents value their children simply because the kids are their children. It doesn't matter if the kids are smart, talented, athletic, or not. Parents love their children for the way they are. God, as a loving Father, also does the same. He loves us the way we are and He values us simply because we're His children. Since we should be imitators of God, we should value one another simply because we're all children of God, equally loved by God. So if we value each other for what we are, instead of what we have or what we can do, what would the world be like? Would we still suffer from worries and anxieties? Would our relationship with each other be better? What do you think?

Robin Williams' Bigotry

I read over the Internet that Robin Williams made anti-Catholic diatribes on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on 6/18/07. He was mocking priests as pedophiles. If he did his homework, he'd discover that only a small percentage of priests are guilty of this crime. Furthermore, majority of the offenders are not true pederasts but were actively practicing homosexuals instead. But Robin didn't have the guts to point this out. Was he afraid of the homosexual backlash if he did point this out? Isaiah Washington gets into trouble for lashing out at one gay person in private, but Robin suffers no consequence for lashing out against all priests in public. Furthermore, Robin insinuated that the problem lies with celibacy. If he did some research, he'll discover that Protestants and Jews, who have a married clergy, have the same problems with child molestation committed by their ministers also. Finally, Robin stated that "you can't poke fun at certain religions," but he can make fun of Catholics because at least they "don't blow you up." So is he suggesting that it's OK to denigrate Catholics because they won't resort to violence? I used to like Robin Williams and watch some of his movies. Not anymore. I've lost my respect for him, not as an actor, but as a human being.

People Can Change

Because of media bias, you won't hear this story on ABC News, nor on CNN's Larry King Live. So this story was obtained from WorldNetDaily.com instead. It's about Michael Glatze, who is a prominent gay activist & editor of Young Gay America magazine. He lived the homosexual lifestyle at age 16. But at age 30, he found God, or rather, God found him. He said his conversion was the most liberating experience in his entire life. He further stated that he had been leading a movement of sin & corruption, that homosexuality prevented him from finding his true self, that homosexuality is lust & pornography wrapped into one, and that it destroys young minds. So he abandoned his homosexual lifestyle. Now that he has a personal relationship with God, he was no longer confused, afraid, nor upset. So this story is proof that there is hope for people to change.

Respect for Life

I just read the news on the Internet today. A young woman in Wichita, Kansas was stabbed in a convenience store. The other shoppers simply walked over her, while another took a picture of the dying woman with a cell phone, instead of helping her. The Police Chief was shocked by this behavior and asked, "What happened to our respect for life?" I'd like to ask the same question. But remember, in America, a mother has a "right" to kill her own unborn baby through abortion, and a disabled person, such as Terri Schiavo, can be euthanized against her will, simply because she's disabled. So is it any wonder then, why people nowadays, have a wanton disregard for human life? No one is safe. The next "victim" could be you. Mother Teresa was quite right and prophetic when she said, "And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?" Maybe what we need is to restore respect for life, from conception to natural death.

Keep Hope Alive

I just read in The Arizona Republic about a man who ended up in a coma after an auto accident. His wife asked a judge to order the removal of his feeding tube so he can "die with dignity" (whatever that means). Luckily, his brothers and sisters objected and fought against this decision. So a higher court overturned the decision before he starved to death. The feeding tube was reinserted. Soon afterwards, he awoke from his coma. This reminds me of Terri Schiavo, and people I know personally, who "died" after their life support was deliberately removed. I was just wondering, how many of them could have recovered like this man, if people didn't give up hope. Keep hope alive, and maybe you'll keep your loved ones alive too as a result.

Good Can Come Out of Something Bad

I have a co-worker whose husband got fired from a job he held for a long time. They have 2 children, one who's about to enter college. Naturally, he was concerned about how to make ends meet. They also wondered why God allowed this to happen. It wasn't long before he found another job, doing the exact same thing he did in his previous job. The only difference is that now he's getting paid a lot more. This new job took care of his financial concerns. So something good came out of something bad. I guess we just have to trust that God allows things to happen for a reason.

Media Irresponsibility

Responsible parents worry about what their kids see on TV. Unfortunately, the media defends the type of trash they show on TV by saying that it's the parent's responsibility to control what kids watch on TV. In essence, the media doesn't feel it has any responsibility at all. Well, if you've ever visited the city of San Francisco with your kids, the media certainly won't allow parents to control what kids see. Oftentimes, you'll see billboard advertisements containing nudity, or ads on public transportation that contain vulgarity. Or, events will be held where public lewdness is accepted. So how do you expect a parent to "control" what kids see? Is it any wonder why many families are moving out of the city to areas that are more family-friendly? I think it's time the media & the government realize the influence they can have on kids, and help parents control what their kids see.

Freedom

When I was a student at UC Berkeley (the bastion of the Free Speech Movement) I read, in the school newspaper, about an incident that occurred on campus. A Pro-Life student group wanted to hold a private meeting at a school facility. When pro-abortion (aka Pro-Choice) students found out about it, they barged into the meeting uninvited, assaulted some of the Pro-Life students, destroyed the audio/visual equipment of the university, and stole some of the printed materials from the Pro-Life group. Now I'd like to ask everyone, "Do you think these 'Freedom of Choice' people really believe in freedom? Or do they believe in freedom only if your beliefs agree with theirs?" You decide.

Setting Good Examples for Kids

I heard a story from a friend about someone who's no longer a practicing Christian. When he was a little kid, his mom would leave him alone at the church hall every Sunday, without any food or water. She told the boy to stay there and do nothing, until she comes back from doing "church work." So he would starve all day. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that he grew up with a negative perception of Christianity. He no longer goes to church due to this bad experience. This raises some interesting questions. Are you neglecting your family obligations? Are you giving your kids a good impression of religion? Are you inspiring your kids, so that they too would want to become practicing Christians?

There is a Reason for Everything

Have you ever found yourself doing something you'd rather not be doing? It happens to all of us. Normally I'd be annoyed by this. But one day, our church choir was asked to sing at a senior citizen's home. It was raining that day and so I wasn't in the mood to go, but I went anyway. After the concert, as we were leaving the home, we saw an elderly couple walking in the heavy rain without any raincoat or umbrella. We stopped to offer them a ride. Unfortunately, we could not understand where they wanted to go because they were not very intelligible. So we decided to drive them back to the senior citizen's home. It turns out the couple lived there. But because of memory problems, they left the home after the concert, thinking that they lived elsewhere. Luckily, we were there at the right time to help them out, or something bad could have befallen them. So there was a reason why we had to be there at that place at that particular time. So next time you find yourself in a place or situation you'd rather not be in, remind yourself, "maybe there's a reason for it."

Miracles Do Happen

I know someone in our church who suffered a stroke. As a result, half of his body was paralyzed. Then one day, while they were vacationing in France, someone suggested that he make a pilgrimage to Lourdes. This is the place where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette, and asked her to dig a hole in the ground to form the now famous miraculous spring of healing water. So he went there and dipped himself into the spring. He emerged from the water miraculously cured of his paralysis. He can now walk, talk and move normally. There was no doubt in our minds that a miracle did occur. How about you? Do you believe in miracles?

Commitment

I know this girl who had a boyfriend. When he got her pregnant, he told her to get an abortion or else he was going to dump her. It was at that point she realized he was merely using her. His "love" for her was conditional. He was not committed to her at all. So she told him to take a hike. She later gave birth to a beautiful, baby girl. Unfortunately, she's not alone. There are other women who end up in this situation too. But there is something women can do to prevent this situation from happening to them. Next time a guy asks a girl to "prove" her love to him (i.e. have sex), she should ask him to marry her first. If he simply wanted to use her, then this request should quickly drive him away faster than garlic breath. Women deserve something better. So by requiring commitment first, they greatly reduce the chance of ending up with losers.

Can Life Evolve at Random?

I've often heard scientists on TV say that life evolved randomly from non-life. I used to believe this. Then I started asking myself if this was actually possible. Can a life form really emerge from random events? Suppose you placed a computer in a monkey's cage and keep it there throughout the monkey's life. Now let's keep it there for the monkey's offspring, and future generations of monkeys also. If the monkeys hit the keyboard at random, what is the likelihood that through this random process of hitting the keys, eventually a masterpiece, like the Shakespeare play Hamlet, would emerge? Impossible, you say? Now consider the fact that a life form is obviously more complex than a Shakespeare play. So what do you think is the probability that life forms can emerge from random events?

Can a Society Ban What It Believes is Wrong?

You've heard politicians say they're morally or personally opposed to something but refuse to "impose" their beliefs on others. If they were referring to something like gambling, then I'd agree that they can't impose this on those who don't think gambling is wrong. But what about something like slavery? Even though Southerners believed in it, the Union banned it anyway. Why? What's the difference? It's because gambling is not an act of injustice, while slavery is. That's why societies have a right to ban unjust acts to protect the common good. So next time you hear politicians say they're morally opposed to something but will not "impose" their beliefs on others, beware! If it deals with an act of injustice, then this means they're either spineless, or lacking in intelligence. Would you vote for such politicians?

Home Schooling is a Right. It is Not a Crime.

Many of you may have heard about the new spelling bee champion in the news last week. According to the news, this kid from Danville, California was home schooled by his parents. So I was wondering why politicians, especially the Democrats, are very much opposed to home schooling. In Sacramento, the Democratic-controlled state legislature attempted to criminalize home schooling a few years ago by classifying it as "child abuse." What were they thinking? Perhaps the more relevant question is, "Who's lobbying them to do this?" Luckily, it was defeated when some Democrats broke ranks with their party to vote against it. I know quite a few people, and I'm sure you do too, who home school their kids. I certainly don't want them to end up in jail just because they're doing what's best for their kids. It appears to me that parents who do this are doing a great job, and the kids sometimes turn out to be smarter than those who attend either public or private schools. We need to contact our legislators and demand that they respect parental rights, and allow parents the freedom to home school their kids.

Anti-Christian Hatred: The Only Bigotry That's Still Acceptable

We sometimes hear about Christians being persecuted in other countries. But did you realize it happens here in the USA? I just read an Internet article where Bill Maher, host of the talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO, made offensive and insulting remarks against Christians, esp. against Catholics. Time-Warner, owner of HBO, issued no apology. Isn't it strange that Don Imus was penalized and criticized by the media for his remarks, but Bill Maher got away with his? Furthermore, you won't hear anyone attack Jews or Muslims because that's considered politically incorrect. According to the American Family Association, "For the mainstream media, Christians are the only religious group in America against whom such bigotry is allowed." The Anti-Defamation League warns against the media's influence in putting down other groups of people, which may lead to prejudice and discrimination against those groups. Remember what happened to the Jews during WWII as a result of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels' influence on the German people? We must not let that happen again, neither to Jews nor to Christians. What can we do? We can stop watching shows that promote such hatred. And we can let Time Warner, Bill Maher, or anybody else, know how displeased we are with these kinds of shows. Let's remind the media that we should respect others, even if we disagree with them. That's the definition of true tolerance.

Common Sense

I heard on the news this morning that a man with a deadly type of TB was quarantined, even though it was not considered highly contagious. The health officials said they wanted to balance personal liberty vs. public safety. In this case, they decided to take precautions to protect the public. I asked myself, "Why didn't they do the same with AIDS?" Like this TB, AIDS is deadly but not highly contagious. So why not quarantine those infected with AIDS? It's just common sense. I knew quite a few people who caught AIDS and died from it. I was just wondering, "How many of them would still be alive today if those infected a long time ago had been quarantined in the first place?"

Do Politicians Really Represent the People?

Last week, Good Morning America's political analyst, Mr. George Stephanopoulos, said that Senator Hillary Clinton voted against funding our troops in Iraq. While many Americans want to see an end to the war, they don't want to cut off the supplies that our troops need. Mr. Stephanopoulos revealed that Sen. Clinton voted this way for fear of reprisals from special interest groups, such as MoveOn. This is disturbing since legislators are supposed to represent the voters, and not special interest groups. It seems that our elected representatives have forgotten that they are obligated to represent the people. Maybe it's time we contacted our elected officials to remind them that our government should be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Conceived Through Rape

I had a friend whose cousin was the victim of a date rape. Her cousin became pregnant and delivered a baby girl. My friend said the baby grew up to be a beautiful, happy and intelligent kid. Everyone, including the mother, loved that child. This brought to my mind some questions. How do you think this little girl feels each time someone says that it's OK to abort a baby, if the baby was conceived through rape? If you meet this child, would you tell her, straight to her face, that it would have been OK to terminate her life just because she was conceived through rape? I can only imagine the thoughts and questions going through her mind: "Why should I be terminated? What did I do wrong? Did I commit a crime worthy of death? Was this my fault?" Maybe we should remember these questions next time this issue comes up.

Real Generosity

I knew someone who was rich. He owned several expensive cars. He stayed only at the most expensive luxury hotels and buys jewelry for his wife worth thousands of dollars. I also found out that he did volunteer work to feed the homeless. I thought about how generous he was for doing this. So when I was selling $1 raffle tickets for a church fund-raiser, I thought he was the person to approach. Surely with all his wealth and his spirit of volunteerism and generosity, he'd be willing to make a small donation. But when I asked for his help, he snapped at me and yelled "I don't have any money!" I was shocked and puzzled. Someone who can afford expensive things can't even afford $1.00 for a church fund-raiser? And he gets mad when you ask him for very small donation? I guess real generosity can sometimes be seen in the small actions, and not necessarily in the big ones.

Believe You Can and You Will

I tried doing pull-ups as a little kid, but I could only do two of them. Someone I knew said I could do more with his help. He told me to close my eyes. Then he said he was going to hold the bottom of my feet and push me up. So I was able to do ten pull-ups with his "help." To my surprise, he revealed that he didn't push me up at all. He merely held the bottom of my feet to give me the impression that he was helping me out. So I was actually able to do the ten pull-ups using my own strength. The moral of this story: believe that you can accomplish something, and you will.

Lost and Found

Like other kids entering college, I became an agnostic. After graduation, I had a materialistic view of life. But I still felt "empty." Something was missing in my life. Then I saw Rev. Billy Graham on TV. He asked, "Do you know why you feel emptiness in your life? It's because you never made God your goal and purpose for living." That struck me to the core like lightning. So I started reading the Bible. I was also instructed about the Faith by two new co-workers, who became my friends. I felt like someone who was lost, but had been found again. Do you have loved ones who have gone astray? Don't lose hope. Keep praying for them. God reached out to me. He'll reach out to them too when the time is right.

Is Hunger Due to Scarcity or Waste?

I hear people say that we need population control since there's not enough food to feed people. Oh really? One day, in our office cafeteria, I saw a customer grab a sandwich wrapped in plastic. When she found out from the cashier that it had mustard in it, she didn't want it anymore. So the cashier threw it in the garbage can. I was stunned by this waste. It also reminded me of my college days, when I worked in a buffet restaurant at night. When dinner was over, any remaining food from the buffet was simply thrown out. All of this food could have been donated instead to food banks to feed the needy. This made me wonder, "Is the problem of hunger due to the scarcity of food, or is it simply due to the waste of food?"

Does the End Justify the Means?

I read an article about a priest who ran for political office, in another country, to eliminate political corruption. This is forbidden for priests, but he did it anyway. So he believes it's OK to break the rules if he has good intentions. This way of thinking is common in that country. But it leads to the same corruption he wants to eliminate. What if someone offers him a bribe, & tells him to think of the poor he can help with this money? A priest is not immune from temptation. So what will stop him from justifying acceptance of the bribe, if he believes that something "good" can come out of it? Wouldn't this be the same kind of rationalization he used to run for office in the first place? And if he's willing to break any rule he wants, what kind of message is he sending to others? Is he behaving differently from corrupt politicians, who also break any rule they want? While I can understand his frustration, I think it would be more beneficial if he rejects the idea that the end justifies the means, and sets a good example. How? By doing his duty as a priest, & living the virtues, such as obedience. Maybe then, others may emulate him & obey the law, rather than come up with justifications to break it.

Courage Under Fire

My dad told me about his former boss in another country, where corruption was widespread. They had an import/export business. When a shipment arrived, customs officials demanded bribes to waive the import tax. Dad's boss refused, and insisted on paying the tax, even though he knew that the officials would retaliate for his refusal. As a result, he suffered the consequences. His shipment "got lost." I admired the courage of this person, who was willing to stand by his principles and suffer for it. We all complain about what's wrong with the world. But do we have the guts to change it, by doing the right thing and suffer the consequences? This guy did. So did Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi. Imagine the possibilities if everyone followed suit.

The Need for Journalistic Integrity

I remember an election held in college for the student assembly. The school newspaper reported that the "conservative" party made racist statements. As a result, the "liberal" party won the assembly elections. The reporter later confessed to fabricating the whole story about the racist remarks. Sadly, he was not punished for this misdeed. The worst part is that he expressed his desire to become a professional journalist. I wondered, "How many people like him currently work for the news media today?" Then is it any wonder why it's so hard for us nowadays to discern if a story is true? Maybe it's time for journalists to take a refresher course in ethics.

Do Babies in the Womb Have Senses?

I was watching "Good Morning America" earlier and Diane Sawyer was discussing the sense of smell with a doctor. She stated that babies in the womb are neurologically developed enough to detect chemicals, like the smell of garlic. So even in the womb, a baby can detect odors. I was just wondering, "Does a baby also have the sense of touch?" In other words, "Can they feel?" If so, can they feel pain? Then I have one question, "Can a baby in the womb feel pain while it's being aborted?" What do you think?

The Transient Nature of Material Things

A friend told me about a retired couple she knew, who were wealthy. The husband developed a rare & serious illness. The medical treatment required was not covered by their insurance. So they used up all of their savings and property to pay for the treatment. He was cured, but now they lived in a low-income apartment. It made me realize the transitory nature of things, and how quickly we lose them. Maybe, instead of spending all our time and effort at accumulating possessions, we should focus on things which are infinitely more valuable, such as our families and relationships. That's because these will remain, even if our material possessions do not.

Marriages Don't Always Have to End in Divorce

The news this morning mentioned an ad by divorce lawyers that said, "Life's too short. Get divorced." I guess this reflects today's mentality: if there's a problem, get a divorce rather than work things out. This reminds me of a story a friend told me. He knew this couple where the husband was cheating on his wife. Then the guy developed cancer. Amazingly, his wife took care of him & stayed with him. This made him finally realize how much his wife really loved him. He ended his adulterous affair and reconciled with his wife. This shows that there is hope even for difficult marriages. Since, not everyone has marital problems this grave, wouldn't it be great if couples tried to reconcile rather than give up on the relationship? It won't be easy. But nothing worthwhile, such as a marriage, is ever going to be easy.

Are You Familiar with Other Faiths?

Not long ago, a Muslim co-worker told me about a meeting he had with a non-Muslim colleague. This colleague suffered a heart attack during that meeting and died. My Muslim co-worker was shaken by that incident. He told me that he asked the people at his mosque to pray for his colleague and the bereaved family. I was amazed. I didn't know Muslims did that, especially towards non-Muslims. I realized then that I really don't know much about their faith. Wouldn't it be great if everyone took the time to know what Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews really believed, rather than rely on just hearsay, or the biased news media. Then maybe there would be less hostility in this world.

Mercy Rather than Condemnation

We tend to condemn people we don't even know. I was tempted to do that at work while reading the news about a mother who drowned her own children. I'm glad I didn't say anything to my co-worker. It turns out that the mother was my co-worker's niece. He was agonizing over the fact that his niece's mind seem to have "snapped" suddenly. He reminisced about the times he held her in his arms when his niece was just a baby. My anger disappeared. I felt sorry for him and for her. I was wondering how he must have felt to hear others condemn his niece. Maybe we should all be more merciful towards others, since we don't want others to condemn us or our loved ones.

The Power of Prayer

In today's world, there are those who no longer pray. Everyone's a skeptic. So was I. But one day, one of my co-workers had to undergo surgery. During the surgery, she started to bleed. The doctors could not figure out why this was happening, nor could they stop it. They felt that she would not live. But everyone who knew her started to pray for her. I did too. Surprisingly, the bleeding stopped. The surgery was a success, and she fully recovered. The doctors could not explain how or why she survived. I guess it doesn't really matter how or why it happened. What mattered to us is that our prayers were answered. On that day, I was certainly convinced that prayer is indeed powerful. How about you? Have you prayed lately? Give it a try. It may surprise you.

How do You Want to Be Remembered?

I attended the funeral of an acquaintance a long time ago. At the funeral, people were asked to say something about the deceased. One after the other, people said they recalled that this person loved to go shopping. I said to myself "there must be something else to say about this person." Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything else to say. I started to ask myself, "What have I done with my life so far?" Maybe we all need to start thinking about this and ask ourselves, "How do we want to be remembered when we're gone?"

Consequences of Being Motivated by Greed

I heard on TV this morning that a boy died from a tooth infection which spread to his brain. Dentists had refused to treat him because he was poor. Contrast this with my distant cousin, who is also a dentist. He works with an organization that provides medical and dental care to the poor in the Third World. I wish that all medical professionals were motivated by the desire to heal and save lives, like my cousin, instead of being motivated primarily by greed. Then that boy's life could have, or should have, been saved.

Want to Change the World? Then Change Yourself.

I work in a very diverse office. People there came from countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, & the Middle East. They all lament the corruption that exists in their home countries. This brings to mind a story which my aunt told me about my uncle, who also lived in another country where corruption is common. He was an officer in the military. One day, he took a wrong turn and was cited by a cop for some traffic violation. Usually, when the offender is a military officer, the cop would let you go. If you were not an officer, then you get a ticket. When the cop checked my uncle's ID and discovered he was an army officer, he tried to let my uncle go without a citation. But my uncle was a man with integrity. He told the cop "I broke a traffic rule, so give me the ticket and I'll pay the fine." Imagine what would happen if each individual changed his/her behavior & acted with honesty and integrity. Want to change the world? Then start with yourself.

A Short Life Lived Well

I read about the untimely death of the St. Louis Cardinal's baseball pitcher Josh Hancock yesterday. It reminds me of a relative who died in her early twenties in a car accident. Like everyone else, I wondered why she had to go at such a young age. But at her funeral, I found out how she lived her short life. She was concerned about others, epsecially those who were poor or oppressed. She dedicated her life to helping people, when other college graduates were pursuing money instead. In my opinion, her life was a life lived well.

Youths Give Back to the Community

We often hear news about kids today who are selfish, or who get into trouble. But I remember one kid in our community who seemed mature & responsible for her age. When she finally graduated from college, she chose to work as a youth minister in our church. Others thought she wasted her education because the job didn't pay much. She could be making more money elsewhere. But she believed that servicing others & giving back to the community was more important than making money. Also, dealing with kids is not an easy job, but she believed it was worth the sacrifice. This inspired other kids to do the same. One kid became a sheriff's deputy because he wanted to do something about the crime problem in the neighborhood. I guess there is hope for kids after all. And I hope parents out there will encourage their kids to do the same - to serve others.

Extraordinary Compassion

When we hear the word compassion, we normally associate it with feelings of pity for the less fortunate. We don't often associate this feeling with people who may anger us in any way. But one day, I heard the news that my co-worker's son was murdered by another man. Of course, her grief would have been unimaginable. Any mother would feel the same way. But what surprised me was when she felt compassion for the murderer's mother. She was imagining what the other mother was going through. She asked herself "was the other mother wondering where she went wrong in raising her kid", or "was the other mother fearful that her son may be executed for this murder". While she had every right to feel angry, she did not. It made me feel a bit ashamed of myself for being angry at others for less serious matters. Perhaps we all could be more compassionate, and less angry, towards those who annoy us in our daily lives.

More Important than Profit

My uncle owned a small business and one day he showed me around the premises. I asked him how the business was doing. He said he was just breaking even. So I asked him why does he keep the business running if he's not making a profit. He pointed to all his employees and asked me "if I shut down the business, how will these people pay the rent and send their kids to school?" I started to wonder "what if all businesses did the same thing?". What would the world be like if all employers shared the same vision as my uncle? Perhaps one way to make the world a better place would be for companies to start thinking about how to benefit society rather than simply how to make a profit.

Joy in Adversity

Most of us have difficulty experiencing joy especially when faced with problems. I'm no exception. But a few years ago, I ran into an old classmate from 20 years ago. She immediately recognized me, but I couldn't recognize her. She walked with a cane and looked frail and old. It turns out she had multiple and rare incurable illnesses. One of them looked similar to leprosy, since she had lost some of her fingers already. Though I felt sorry for her, I was stunned by her joyfulness. She was not depressed nor sorry for herself. And her joy was sincere. She even tried to cheer me up. I wondered to myself that day, since our problems pale by comparison to hers, what reason do we have to despair? We could learn a lot about the true meaning of joy from her example.

Suicide vs. the Value of Life

I came across an article on the Internet where a self-proclaimed philosopher believed that suicide was the ultimate expression of freedom because one had control over one's life and death. Since there had been several incidents in this country where a person, who was suicidal, had killed other people before killing themselves, I wanted to pose a question to everyone, especially those who adhere to the aforementioned philosophy. If people don't value their own lives, why would they value the lives of others?

True Meaning of "Quality of Life"

Many have heard the term "quality of life" before, especially with the case of Terry Schiavo. Some say that if you can't do anything anymore, then you don't have a "quality of life". I discovered the true meaning of "quality of life" when I met a single mother, who adopted a severely disabled & terminally ill child. People thought she was crazy since this requires tremendous sacrifice. But when asked why, she said no one else will want a child who can't do, nor become, anything. But she wants a child, not to get something back , but rather to give. So she adopted the child to give him love. That child died recently and the single mother grieved the loss. But she had no regrets. That's because that child received the most important thing of all - to be genuinely loved. Now that's what it means for both of them to have a "quality of life" - to be able to love and be loved.

Is Right or Wrong Really Subjective?

Everyone is currently in shock over the tragic murders in Virginia Tech. So am I. But as I browsed the Internet, I came across an article written by someone who claimed that there was no such thing as right or wrong, since right or wrong is merely subjective. I believe this is called moral relativism. I'd like to pose some questions for everyone to ponder - do you believe that the gunman's actions were objectively wrong? And if so, do you really think that your belief was purely a subjective decision only?

What's the True Meaning of Love?

Mention the word love and most think only about sex. Have you ever asked yourself this question? I have. And I discovered the answer when I visited my aunt. Her husband was bedridden and incontinent. Others would have abandoned or divorced him since he was no longer "useful". But not her, she stayed by his side to care for him till he died. Now that's real love - unconditional and self-sacrificing. Don't we all wish to be loved in that way? Then maybe to receive this kind of love, we should also start loving others selflessly.