ida posted at 10:19 PM
i love cedric till death!
ida posted at 10:18 PM
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
An atheist professor of philosophy was speaking to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty.
He asked one of his new Christian students to stand
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So, you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Professor: Is God good ?
Student: Sure.
Professor: Is God all powerful?
Student: Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?(Student was silent )
Professor: You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Is Satan good ?
Student: No.
Professor: Where does Satan come from ?
Student: From . . . God . . .
Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Professor: So who created evil ?(Student did not answer)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred, ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them ?(Student had no answer)
Professor: Science says you have 5 senses you use to Identify and observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever seen God?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt yourGod? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, Science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student: No, sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of Heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of Heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre )
Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashinglight . . . But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, young man ?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going )Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class was in uproar )
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class broke out into laughter )
Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? . . . No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your Lectures, sir?
(The room was silent. The professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable)
Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir . . . Exactly ! The link between man & God is faith. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.
Way to go Einstein!
Today's my last day at work. I never really paused to think about it, but I'd really miss the people and this place. Been a tad too focused on the fact that this was depriving me of my holidays. But spending those precious few weekends lounging around doing nothing, I realised I could not stand vegging away. A few days would suffice for me, an entire month would have got me crawling out of my skin from being far too lethargic. This morning, I had breakfast with Dad at toastbox as per usual, stared out, and realised how beautiful the morning is. I always appreciated the mornings when I'm overseas. Especially in Japan, where the snow falls softly, and the mornings are quiet, roads are damp, and the rhythm of the city seems to slow down, just briefly.
As the new year dawns upon us, we bid 2009 goodbye. 2008 bore hordes of new experiences, a hodgepodge of stuff really, good and bad. I've a widened perspective of things, and so do the people around me. But above all, what I'm most thankful for is despite of everything, I stay close to those who were with me through thick and thin, and the memories of doubles partnership, private 2 person clique, 6 months of weird airport politics, overseas travel, remain etched. My family might not be complete come this new year, but with frequent updates from jie, it almost feels like she's here (sounds sort of creep come to think of it). Its like Im living her experiences in Japan, with her. With the precious little time i have left for family, weekends were set aside if possible, and public holidays mostly spent at home. Christmas being the loveliest. On top of all these, I've made new friends, a specific 6 of them, whom I am absolutely glad to have met. We have 3 years and more to trudge through together, and hopefully with them, and others more I may meet, our footsteps will lighten, and "trudge" would simply become the wrong word usage.
It's new years eve. Bring it on, 2009. Happy new year everyone (:
It's new years eve. Bring it on, 2009. Happy new year everyone (:
ida posted at 11:10 AM
Monday, December 15, 2008
this is probably going to be my last free day i have at work, till it ends. irina says, "cherish it". so i shall bask in slackness, in all its glory. from tomorrow onwards, let the rat race begin. the weekend has been simply awesome, best i've had in awhile now. primarily because it was spent with the family and i've been deprived of that due to school and now work. i would term friday night the "night of rejections", but that sounds desperately pessimistic. so.. the "night of precise decisiveness" then. but the answers were clear enough, and i wouldn't have done it any other way.
fantastic mood on friday, mostly because TGIF and the absence of the headache which bugged me on thurs. watching friends on starworld every weekday's my saving grace at times where work seriously sucks the life out of me. don't get me wrong, work's good. but man is school life better. saturday, i drove to training in the morning, fetched irina as well. since hers started about a half hour earlier than mine. and many thanks to the kind man in the car beside for bothering to look up from his papers to shout out for me to remember to put parking coupons.
after training, irina and i headed home, bathed, got ready and headed back out again to haji lane. parents were due out for a wedding dinner, so we both were free to do as we please, almost. it's been awhile since i've been to haji lane, and i really felt like i needed to make a trip down, especially after missing the bazaar i had planned to attend a few weeks back. haji lane seemed a little different during this visit, a tad more commerialized, a tad less hole in the wall. which diminishes its subtle charm by a few degrees. soon lee was a nice stop though, with xmas songs playing, the ambience was nice. i bought a romper from the last store we went to, which name i can't recall. dinner next, since irina and i were starved. ooh, plus japanese ice cream.
before we embarked on a little venture of our own, and thankfully, emerged unscathed, armed with the information we had gone for.
we had fun (: despite the scary staircases, weekend crowds and dodgy environment (at times). ohoh check out irina's latest blogpost!
anyway, harry potter was on the agenda initially, but we got home too late, only in time for the 2nd part, which probably satisfied irina sufficiently. when the next instalment does open, i wonder how well received it would be. or perhaps people's palates have changed, more towards.. i dont know... twilight perhaps?
sunday, family had an early birthday dinner celebration for mum, and i got a pair of heels and stuff from bobbi brown. plus, chunky monkey (: it had been too long.
haha anyway, check this out.
fantastic mood on friday, mostly because TGIF and the absence of the headache which bugged me on thurs. watching friends on starworld every weekday's my saving grace at times where work seriously sucks the life out of me. don't get me wrong, work's good. but man is school life better. saturday, i drove to training in the morning, fetched irina as well. since hers started about a half hour earlier than mine. and many thanks to the kind man in the car beside for bothering to look up from his papers to shout out for me to remember to put parking coupons.
after training, irina and i headed home, bathed, got ready and headed back out again to haji lane. parents were due out for a wedding dinner, so we both were free to do as we please, almost. it's been awhile since i've been to haji lane, and i really felt like i needed to make a trip down, especially after missing the bazaar i had planned to attend a few weeks back. haji lane seemed a little different during this visit, a tad more commerialized, a tad less hole in the wall. which diminishes its subtle charm by a few degrees. soon lee was a nice stop though, with xmas songs playing, the ambience was nice. i bought a romper from the last store we went to, which name i can't recall. dinner next, since irina and i were starved. ooh, plus japanese ice cream.
before we embarked on a little venture of our own, and thankfully, emerged unscathed, armed with the information we had gone for.
we had fun (: despite the scary staircases, weekend crowds and dodgy environment (at times). ohoh check out irina's latest blogpost!
anyway, harry potter was on the agenda initially, but we got home too late, only in time for the 2nd part, which probably satisfied irina sufficiently. when the next instalment does open, i wonder how well received it would be. or perhaps people's palates have changed, more towards.. i dont know... twilight perhaps?
sunday, family had an early birthday dinner celebration for mum, and i got a pair of heels and stuff from bobbi brown. plus, chunky monkey (: it had been too long.
haha anyway, check this out.
i know. apparently, the grey sliver is the touchpad. yes its plays music. it is just rumours but well, you never know, with apple.
on a separate note, i do have this strange urge to catch Bolt. the hamster's just... ... irresistable.
christmas is approaching, i can feel it in my bones.
ida posted at 10:50 AM
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
It has been awhile, everyone! If anyone ever reads this blog anymore, that is.
Quick update, I am currently on my holiday break, albeit it being one month only, it still puts me in a good mood, no matter (:
Especially when I'm seated on the top floor of a building in Shenton Way now, with 98.7fm on my pc, and ear pieces plugged in. you see, i just walked into the office about 15 minutes ago, so I permit myself to some uplifting activity. and they're playing Jessica Simpson's "Let It Snow". i love christmas.
moving on, the office's pretty cozy, very comfortable actually. I've got my own cubicle, which is pretty big, my own pc, and cabinet and everything. haha. Im into my second week, at times I wish it was longer, so I could do more, but time does not permit. Into my first few days, I did feel mildly stifled by corporate life. but i actually .yes, slogging my holidays away, sacrificing time which can be spent exploring my best friends' hostel, wii-ing and my best friends' place.. etc. but it's ok, shall make time. shall make time.
evidently I'm in pretty high spirits today, for some reason. perhaps its the extended weekend break I had, its mid-week already! or. its because I met Huang and Audrey last night (: Sick or not, I wanted to meet those two!! it's been way too long. especially with Audreyy. Met them after work, and we headed to The Pizza Place for dinner. (eat your heart out, KENNY) followed by Gelare for dessert! highly satisfying. and we took sufficient photos as well.. I would love to post them up here, but photos are on facebook and you see, I'm at work, in case you forgot in the process of reading this entry. Facebook.com, is blocked. oh, and ebuddy, msn messenger, hotmail and the likes. so radio, is my indulgence. So anyway, photos shall be up later.
Huang, Audrey and i were talking about having a xmas season mini party. it'll be awesome if that manages to fall through. the girls surprised me with a belated birthday present yesterday! Terribly sweet of them. Complete with birthday song and all (: Oh, and Weiming shared too, so that was nice of him. Thanks guys =D
gosh someone just said, on air, about the movie Bolt, "my girlfriend and i were laughing so much during the movie, because the hamster really looks like my girlfriend." EH?!?!
Speaking of movies, I've caught fewer movies this year than the last few, but more quality ones. Most recently being Body of Lies. which was surprisingly intriguing. Am looking forward to Twilight. Read the book more than a year back, not anticipating that it was going to be almost a global phenomenon of this scale. Have yet to read the third book though, it's a trilogy by the way.
SMU life has been not bad, pretty balanced, enjoyable at times. It really is highly competitive, but welcome to Singapore. no surprises there. sometimes, I wonder if i would enjoy staying in the hostel. the closest I've come to that is visiting jie's hostel a few years back, or skyping with huang and audrey.
Audrey:
"SEE IDA, MY BADMINTON RACKET"
"oh, but its only the cover. no racket inside."
classic.
Jie's over in Hiroshima, and has been for way too long. She's going to be back in February, and that feels like ages. Have a look at her photos of Japan: http://flickr.com/photos/oncoming/ they're positively breathtaking.
Autumn in Hiroshima
Quick update, I am currently on my holiday break, albeit it being one month only, it still puts me in a good mood, no matter (:
Especially when I'm seated on the top floor of a building in Shenton Way now, with 98.7fm on my pc, and ear pieces plugged in. you see, i just walked into the office about 15 minutes ago, so I permit myself to some uplifting activity. and they're playing Jessica Simpson's "Let It Snow". i love christmas.
moving on, the office's pretty cozy, very comfortable actually. I've got my own cubicle, which is pretty big, my own pc, and cabinet and everything. haha. Im into my second week, at times I wish it was longer, so I could do more, but time does not permit. Into my first few days, I did feel mildly stifled by corporate life. but i actually .yes, slogging my holidays away, sacrificing time which can be spent exploring my best friends' hostel, wii-ing and my best friends' place.. etc. but it's ok, shall make time. shall make time.
evidently I'm in pretty high spirits today, for some reason. perhaps its the extended weekend break I had, its mid-week already! or. its because I met Huang and Audrey last night (: Sick or not, I wanted to meet those two!! it's been way too long. especially with Audreyy. Met them after work, and we headed to The Pizza Place for dinner. (eat your heart out, KENNY) followed by Gelare for dessert! highly satisfying. and we took sufficient photos as well.. I would love to post them up here, but photos are on facebook and you see, I'm at work, in case you forgot in the process of reading this entry. Facebook.com, is blocked. oh, and ebuddy, msn messenger, hotmail and the likes. so radio, is my indulgence. So anyway, photos shall be up later.
Huang, Audrey and i were talking about having a xmas season mini party. it'll be awesome if that manages to fall through. the girls surprised me with a belated birthday present yesterday! Terribly sweet of them. Complete with birthday song and all (: Oh, and Weiming shared too, so that was nice of him. Thanks guys =D
gosh someone just said, on air, about the movie Bolt, "my girlfriend and i were laughing so much during the movie, because the hamster really looks like my girlfriend." EH?!?!
Speaking of movies, I've caught fewer movies this year than the last few, but more quality ones. Most recently being Body of Lies. which was surprisingly intriguing. Am looking forward to Twilight. Read the book more than a year back, not anticipating that it was going to be almost a global phenomenon of this scale. Have yet to read the third book though, it's a trilogy by the way.
SMU life has been not bad, pretty balanced, enjoyable at times. It really is highly competitive, but welcome to Singapore. no surprises there. sometimes, I wonder if i would enjoy staying in the hostel. the closest I've come to that is visiting jie's hostel a few years back, or skyping with huang and audrey.
Audrey:
"SEE IDA, MY BADMINTON RACKET"
"oh, but its only the cover. no racket inside."
classic.
Jie's over in Hiroshima, and has been for way too long. She's going to be back in February, and that feels like ages. Have a look at her photos of Japan: http://flickr.com/photos/oncoming/ they're positively breathtaking.
Autumn in Hiroshima
ah damn. i wanna go visit her. dad's heading over to osaka next Jan, and he's gonna pay her a visit. how perfect. I do skype with jie pretty often, so that's not so bad. the moments where I tuck into mum's baked pasta smugly, while webcamming with her. ah, the joy of invoking jealousy. She mailed me this gorgeous pair of socks from Japan, they're black and gold. I can't even bear to wear them, so they're unused.
it's a couple of days left to the new year. I'm psyched.
Shall update again, when i do remember what I have missed out (:ida posted at 8:42 AM
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