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.