Thursday, November 19, 2009

I Witthdraw

OK. My previous post talks about Atheism and how i am an atheist. Well now, I withdraw my support to atheism. From now on, I'm back to believing in God. I guess my faith just went back to me. LOL. I know I'm not supposed to switch side back and forth. But this is final. I guess we really need God in our lives. I guess for support. I love God. AMEN!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Atheism




ATHEISM


Last Thursday at my Philosophy of Religion class, we tackled about Atheism. Our first topic for the preliminaries period. Our professor asked us to write our views about atheism related to the article given to us to read. The article was about modern christians being Atheists before really believing in God.


First Question:
Explain the meaning of the statement: "God is intellectually superfluous"


Why did Atheist come up with this view?


Would You Agree?


Second Question:
Explain the meaning of the statement: "God is emotionally dispensable"


Why did Atheist come up with this view?


Would You Agree?




Before answering those questions, let me tell you first about me and my side on religious views. I'm born Christian. Catholic to be exact. One of the strongest faith in the whole world. As Catholics we are required to believe what the priests preach and what the bible tells us. That's the very basis of our faith, our guide, "the right way" in the fulfillment of God's will. But why do i still have questions? Why am i still not sure of my faith? Why do i question the existence of God? 


I've known the word atheism in high school where they teach Christian Living Education. Before, I never really believed in Atheism because I am afraid that God might punish me for it because the priests said so. I was naive, I know. Until I quite understand what it really is. A few months ago, I was exposed in a forum of Atheists. Believe it or not it was a forum on a gaming website. But let me tell you,  it might be a gaming website, but some people there talk sense. After being exposed to a lot of things I before didn't believed in, I started questioning my faith. Is there really a God? If there is, why don't we see it? Why don't we feel it? These are just some of the questions i keep asking. It's been 2 months now since I last went to church. I don't know. I just don't have the drive to go to church anymore. And it's been days since I did the sign of the cross.


Anyway, going back to topic and to answer the questions above. God is intellectually superfluous. Superfluous means unnecessary. Why is God intellectually unnecessary? For some circumstances, people don't need God anymore on matters affecting their lives. For example a student. A student doesn't need God to pass his exams. He only needs to study. Simple logic: If you don't study, you fail. If you study, you pass. There is no hocus pocus to pass a subject. So therefore, God is irrelevant. We do this on our everyday living. Well at least I do. Most of the time.


To answer the following question, why did Atheist came up with this view? I think it's because some of their questions were answered not by religion/God but by some other means. Science is one. As the world progress, men's intellect evolves leading to discovering new things thus the progress of technologies. With this technology, it helps in looking for unanswered questions. Religions never answers questions. They only say, "God is the answer". For a practical human being, God is not the answer. Action is the answer. And if people rely on "God must be the answer", it will make people intellectually lazy because when something is unanswered they would just say, "God must be the answer" and no more research will be done to explain things.


Do I agree with this? Partly yes. I agree because everyday we
seldom remember God in our daily routine. If we are not reminded of it, we don't say "GOD". Sometimes, we are just forced into submitting ourselves into it because we don't want other people thinking of something else.
But my professor said, Science doesn't answer all questions, like personal questions such as, what is my purpose in life? What's gonna happen after we die? Science can never answer that question. But can religion do? Maybe. So according to him, saying that Science has all the answer is wrong same as when saying God must be the answer. For him, God maybe the answer. The safest thing to say is a possible statement. A possibility that God might be the answer to these questions.


To the second statement: God is emotionally dispensable.People nowadays see God as a last resort. When all fails, they run to God for help. It's their defense mechanism. When they think they can't do it anymore, they look for comfort on someone they believe in as a higher being. It's an illusion that their is a higher being that is willing to help. But is there really a higher being? Or is it just a state of mind. A placebo effect they call it.


To quote Jolin Robinson's article, Can a Truly Contemporary Person Not Be an Atheist?: "According to this line of attack, religion is a prop or a sop. it is not merely something incredible and superfluous; it is a dangerous illusion which can prevent men facing reality and shouldering responsibility." With that said, when men is praying to God, they forget about the reality believing that there is something/someone higher to help thus leaving/dropping their responsibilities because they let God do the job. That's my point of view. God is their escape. Because they believe that God is there to catch them.


Why do Atheist came up with this idea? Atheist wants to stop this illusion of refuge to a father figure or God. Atheist create their own destiny or their fate based on the reality they are in. Their success is their own and not by some being they don't see.


Do I agree with this? Party and sadly yes again. We create our own destiny and no one else. I don't belive in miracles. coz reality wise, miracles never happen, circumstances does. Living our lives is really up to us and not to God. It is our responsibility to control it.


To conclude, I don't yet fully understand Atheism. My stand on this is well in the middle. I'm still confused whether or not I believe in God. 25% of my whole being says I don't and the rest does. I was raised in a Catholic environment. It's hard to suddenly believe in something that I thought I should never believe in. My beliefs are in conflict. I'm hoping to find solution to this dilema. I'm not closing doors. I'm just being open to both sides. As for now, I may or may not say prayers, do the sign of the cross or whatsoever. If there is really a God, please enlighten us in ways that you alone knows.

Depressed

Depressed ako ulit. I'm not really sure kung bakit pero depressed ako. I don't feel good. Siguro sa sobrang changes na nangyayari ngayon nahihirapan akong mag cope up. First of all, I'm on diet. Minsan di na ako kumakain, minsan naman napapasobra. Pero the good thing is, constant ang weight loss ko. Yun nga lang pa isa isang lbs lang. Pero better than nothing right? Secondly, siguro affected ako masyado sa mga changes na nangyayari sa classroom. Nawala ang 3 sa ka-group ko at medyo nahirapan ako mag adjust kasi nawala sila. They used to be good buddies. They were the people i talk to most of the time. Tapos may mga ka-group pa talaga na walang kwenta. Halata masyadong di nila ako gustong kasama. Ako ay sensitive kaya affected ako agad pag mga ganyan. Thirdly, naiinis ako sa isang tao sa classroom. Nung nalaman ko na siya pala yung may gusto kay Johanna, nag selos ako bigla. Nag selos ako kasi clown siya ng klase while I'm a no one. Nagselos ako kasi kakampi nya most people sa classroom while I only have a few. Naiirita na rin ako sa kanya. Sige na lang joke joke kahit wala na sa lugar. Sobrang papansin na. Ewan ko ba bakit affected ako bigla habang dati wala lang naman sa akin yun. Fourthly, siguro naging distant ako sa mga kaklase ko. Di ko na alam pano mag approach sa mga kasama ko everyday. Minsan iniisip ko, sana duty na lang lagi. Wala nang lecture. I'd rather be with my group mates than the whole class. Lastly, di ko na alam kung bakit humihina na ako sa klase. I used to be really good. I used to really have a good memory on certain things. Right now. I dunno. I can't answer a simple question anymore. Kanina, naiirita din ako kasi si Miko, si Luis, ug si Caranay na lagn sige'g answer sa mga questions ni maam. tapos ako nag tanga lang. I know it's not a competition but I can't help it. I always see them as competitions. Dati kasi ako din sige answer sa questions. Ngaun di na ako makasagot. Lagi akong mental block. Waaaaa!! tsaka dati, si Caranay. Di siya annoying, di siya competition. Pero ngaun na nalaman ko na may gusto siya kay Jo tapos suportado ng mga kasama nyang mga unggoy, naiirita ako pag anjan siya. Grabe ka seloso noh?
Hahai. Marami na din kasing distractions lately. I need another week of break. I need to pick up some pieces na naiwan ko somewhere.

Siguro I just think too much. And I just let everything, even the unnecessary ones, sink in to me. Sana maka cope up lang ako bigla. Rest lang siguro. Stressful na masyado ang life ko. Waaaaa!! Naiingit na rin ako kasi ang ibang friends ko makaka-graduate na. Dapat kasali ako pero hindi kasi kailangan ko bumalik. Tae.
Sige hanggang dito na lang.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Cello's Doughnuts and Dips






One day, my sister came home carrying an orange box. I wonder what it was until she opened it. It was cute small donuts. Where did it come from? The answer. Cello's Doughnuts & Dips. Finally! Something new in Davao. I guess we're tired of the same old (not to mention dry) donuts of Dunkin' Donuts and Mister Donut, the only ones we have here in Davao. I'm really glad a new doughnut is here to give incredible sensation to our tongues and satisfy our cravings for sweets.




Chocolate, Double Chocolate and Oreo
Box of 6: Regular
P150
                                        

Cello's doughnuts offer a variety of very yummy donuts. Cello's donuts are very different from your ordinary donuts. Normally, donuts would look brownish because of the frying, but these donuts stay white/yellowish (like Pastels) as the dough they are made of. And they are really soft. Unlike other donuts, once it cooled it gets hard. These donuts do not. They stay soft even if you don't eat them right away.


Box of 15: Cocktails
for P165


As mentioned, Cello's offers a variety of flavors for their donuts. From as simple as Cheese, M&Ms (everyone's favorite), Oreo, Peanut Butter, Caramel, Choco and Candy sprinkled, Chocolate (my personal favorite) to as complex as Dark Belgian Chocolate, Blueberry Cream Cheese, Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie and more.


And they come in different sizes too. There are cocktails or the small ones. The regular sized donuts. Their pillows which really looks like the pastel. It's only honey glazed but they provide dips for flavors. They have the munchkin type. I forgot the name. I'll check it soon when i get back there. And the LETTERS! Aside from donuts, they also offer drinks. Coffee, Coffee mixes, chocolate mixes and juices.




The complete menu
click for larger view


Cello's Doughnuts and Dips is located near the school. Very accessible to students. Well, at least to Ateneo students or anyone near Sales St. So why don't we just see each other there. Try their donuts. Ditch the old dunkin and try the new cello's ;) Just kidding. Dunkin's a classic. but let's always make room for new ones.


Cello's Doughnuts and Dips Davao Branch
In front of Chimes Specialty Store, Sales St., Davao City
Tel No.:



Friday, November 06, 2009

Too Much To Eat Last Night

When i got home last night from school, I wasn't really feeling well. You know about my depression? Oh yeah. I was depressed again last night for reasons I'm not really sure about. Mood swings I guess.

The first thing I did when I got home was to look on the table and see what Amor cooked for dinner. SINUGBANG BANGUS. Sounds yummy but it didn't look like it. So I searched the pantry for something of my liking and found.... *tadaa*.. Canned Tuna. Filled with oil, cholesterol, fats and other things that i should be avoiding. I cooked it with onions and tomatoes and served. I actually used a small plate because i read somewhere in the net that the bigger the plate you use, the larger meal you eat. Ha!! I proved it wrong last night.

There was a bowl of rice in front of me. First, I got a spatula full of rice, placed it on my plate and started eating. And then after that, i started getting some more. Then some more until only a couple of spoon full of rice was left in the bowl. Pig much right?!

After a very satisfying meal, i started feeling it. GUILT. The feeling Luis used to tell us when we invite him to eat. Guilt because, i was supposed to be on a diet. I'm trying to cut some waistline but then i can't discipline myself on not eating too much. And to top that, i now feel lazy to exercise. I want to exercise but my body just doesn't want to move. Oh yes. My body's controlling me when I'm suppose to be controlling it! But lucky for me, my weight didn't go up. It stayed on the same number or went down a little bit.

Right now, I won't eat a lot. I'm gonna forget RICE! Thankfully this morning, Amor cooked spoiled hotdogs. I almost digested one. YUCKS! It kept me from eating. LMAO.
Well, my mom's almost done. We're headin' out! See you later!