About conspiracies, free will, God, and what the truth really is.
Define "whining". When I post my comments about the country, am I "whining"? Whether or not I'm doing it, is "whining" a bad thing? I don't really see it proper to list in my blogs all good things that I do for my country and my fellow Filipinos, but why does it feel that I am obliged to do so everytime I receive reactions like "why don't you just shut up and do something for the country" and "you complain yet you do nothing"? Why is it that some people assume that I'm entirely all words and no action? Do I have to brag about the things that I've done in this blog just to prove something? Do I have to tell everyone that I've done this and I've done that just to show that I don't just "whine", I do something about it?
If I do "Whine", a thought that still needs evaluating, I "whine" not to force those people I'm "whining" for to do what is right. Who am I anyway to coerce them what they ought to do, when they should already know what obligations they are entitled to do (unless they're acting numb or something)? I "whine" to share with others what I think about how their actions affect me, affect the people whom I love, and how I think their actions affect the country and the world in general. Again, "whining" is a word that needs further evaluating. What irritates me is why I need to reiterate this almost every 2-3 months.
Isn't claiming "I know the Truth. Follow me/Study with me if you want salvation..." also acting like god/a prophet?
I spend a couple of wars reading interesting articles on the net, just to feed my mind with something during boring work hours. This includes conspiracies, local or global. Movies like "Deep Impact" or "The Day After Tomorrow" ARE interesting films. They tap and stir the imagination of people, making them think "beyond" what is readily acceptable. Yet when you go out of the theatre, you don't run around shrieking "The end of the world is near!!!!", do you?
I mean, people entertain explanations to all things they find questionable, and people will find answers, even most imaginative ones, just to go away from the uncertain. I find it interesting, even amusing sometimes. But I definitely DON'T BELIEVE ALL OF THEM. I welcome these ideas, and consider them as possibilities. But I don't deem them immediately as THE TRUTH, or even if I find some truth in some of these conspiracies, I don't actually gatecrash some venue, boast that I have possessed yet another great discovery, and claim that everyone who oppose it are condemed to hell. This is the reason why Mankind can't seem to gain peace- we all brag about what we believe and dismiss others as enemies. Yet, being imperfect beings that we are, we forget that we can't really attain absolute truth as individuals. We need to understand the context of each other's arguments, share the little clues of reality, admit that we have each and our own interpretation of everything that we should, can, and will know, and respect each other based on this individuality. This is how God has created us- He gave us free will not as punishment, but as a means for us to attain His perfection in all unique ways possible. We choose our own beliefs, yet being human, we should acknowledge that we all are different. Thus beliefs need not be deemed as absolute Truth.
This is what I believe in: We are all different, and in different ways does God manifests Himself in us. Is there a way to know God absolutely? It's like men thinking that the world is flat, only to realize that it's actually oblate spheroid when viewed from outer space. We have the Bible, we have traditions, we have rules, we have people telling who really is God, when all we can know are just clues of his existence. To absolutely know God is to be one with God. So do we really need to die, have our souls drift to a higher level of existence to prove that? Maybe. Gauttama Buddha claims it's possible to attain Nirvana in this life. Some claims it's possible if you actually cheat death. Who knows? Does this mean there's little hope in this? It depends on how you interpret it. I interpret it as a challenge- we know only clues, yet as humans, we are capable of exploring. Perhaps, God has given us this thirst for knowledge so that even though we look like hopeless beings desperately looking for Him, we have instincts to know what means leads to wisdom (no matter how many these means are), and freewill to choose a path away or towards him. And I choose a path towards him. And the most wonderful thing about it is because I write about it not to FORCE anyone to follow it, but just because I want to share it, to contribute to the library of different ways to reach a common goal.
Do I believe that I already have the absolute truth? No. Does it bother me if everybody refuses to believe what I believe in? No. But I would really appreciate it if people would still respect me for what I believe in. I don't want everyone to believe what I believe in... I just want people to be aware of it, and appreciate it if they like it.
I think we really cannot know what absolute Truth is because of our limited faculties. But it would really help us all if we share the bits of truth that we can gain in life (again, another reason we have blogs). Call me agnostic, but the point is- it is human to believe and live by our own beliefs, but is most inhuman thing to force everyone to believe, think, feel, decide, live the same way.
Now let's sing altogether "Imagine" by John Lennon. :)
9 Comments:
Imagine Love that song,
Katie you have the right to write anything you want on your Blog. This is your Blog... Philippines have a freedom of speech. Do you think those Media people cares about what other think when they write an article on the newspaper or magazines? You are a writer and a smart wit. The Filipino people need a kind of person like you in our country. Papparazzi on your Blog just adore you and Ahmad in how you guys post an intriguing essay. Keep up the good work and keep on looking up not down. Because you deserve respect like any other writers out there who believe in their self.
"ANG BAYAN NATING AY MAWAWALA KUNG WALA KAYO"
"Our Country will be lost without you"
1:14 AM
Katie,
I've read somewhere, "if you have no enemies, you have no opinion." There is no pleasing everyone. If you voice your opinion, there will always be someone out there who will hate you for it. Even Jesus, who's perfect, had many enemies in His time.
The humanity's folly is the reason.
So just keep sharing your beliefs. There are always those among us who will respect and support you for that. The rest you can just simply ignore.
4:04 AM
I used to 'whine' a lot - expressing my thoughts about the 'sickness' of our society. I was hoping I could do something about it- like join the underground movement or run for office. But then i realize that joining the underground movement would be fruitless especially when the people you want to die for does not even care about what you fight for. Similarly, the option for running for office is the same thing. People would rather ask what monetary stuff you can give them instead of what service you can provide to them in the long run. People would rather vote based on popularity instead of your platform. In the end, I threw all my idealistic thoughts away and moved to a far, far away place where life can be simpler and less complicated.
It's good to be young, energetic and idealistic like you, Katie. That's why we keep blogs. We still believe and fight for our ideals in our own little ways.
Keep whining!
8:20 AM
You know people can always find another blogger who talks about starbucks coffee, club events, and channel perfume.
I have read a lot of katies critics, and sadly rarely do I find any that presents a valid argument. It always has to be an appeal to someones emotion. I don't think appeal to someones emotion should influence the arguments we present. Several times I have posted the challenge, to present a valid counter argument on why Katie, and myself should just shut the hell up. Seriously, all they did was stereotype her. They never said why Katie is wrong about all the things she wrote. Im assuming, that if she should shut up it would be because of the fact that she does not say anything right or sensible so to speak. But of course all they could do is attack the person, rather than the argument he presents. A typical act of desperation in a debate wherein the opposing team finds no valid counter argument.
Regarding this guy, who commented on that previous article, I'd advise him to spare us the theatrics. Just because he reads me a phrase in the bible, patronizes me, and asks god to bless me, that does not mean Im collapse down like a stack of bricks, to his obvious appeal to emotion. Oh boooohoooo he is a man of god and is the authority of truth.
4:35 PM
dear katie,
i would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for any incovenience my comments have caused.
it was not my intention to stir emotions, cause an uproar and much less, disrespect anybody.
if my words came across harshly and gave the impression that i am imposing my will on anyone, believe me, it was not my motivation. had i been a better writer like most of you are here, this would not have happened.
i am a reasonable man and i know where i am not wanted, so after this i would take my leave of your blog and not bother you or any of your friends again.
as for ahmad, i did not mean to patronize you, and if i did say "God Bless You" it wasn't ment tobe sarcastic but rather heartfelt. i did not say that i am a man of GOD, nor am i the authority of truth. i know my arguments are flawed and that it doesn't measure up to your standards or intellect. i still hold true to what i said that you are a smart man and i would hate for you to waste those smarts not doing anything. i wouldahve loved to engage you in an inintelligent discourse which would prove educational for me, had we only met in a much less hostile circumstance.
miss katie, i respect your opinions and i do not think that these are just the rablings of a spoiled little girl as some people paint you to be. they are the deep thoughts of an intelligent and enlightened woman that could someday be a great leader given the chance.
i also see what you see and think what you think. i just have better seats since i belong to these so called masses that our government oh so enthusiastically oppress. the only reason i can comment here is because i work in a place that rents out computers to people like me.
anyways, i deeply and sincerely apologize for any disrespect and other such inconveniences that i have caused. you shall never hear from me again. any comments i have i shall gladly now keep to myself and join the myriads of the silent majority laboring in vain to make ends meet.
i thank you for the opportunity accorded me.
-the ghost
6:01 PM
im new on your blog. found your blog through the getreal site as benigno claims that your site is similar to his. i do find this similarity. and i pose this challenge, where do we start the process of change?
8:00 AM
Lately, I got a reaction (or a challenge, to use his term) from pinoy-ako: "...where do we start the process of change?"
Good question.
I'd say we start from ourselves. Most Filipinos deal with problems caused by the bigger picture. It would really be difficult to solve, even to worry about, problems from the topmost level since we get to vote for whom we think as the one who'd give the solution to society's perils once every 4-6 years. What happens in between election days? Most likely, we forget our responsibilities as citizens, and return to our daily routines for survival.
We ought to change our attitude. This is where a change in a given society should start. Reforms from the higher levels have weak foundations, since it's all the same down below.
So what about attitude? Most Filipinos tend to be ignorant about the issues happening in the country. Why? Not because they have no means to read, watch, listen and look around? For crying out loud, even puny houses in dump areas have at least one TV, kahit na black and white. Most of us are not aware, because WE CHOOSE NOT TO BE AWARE. We all become preoccupied with our daily routines that we tend not to even glance at a decent newspaper every morning. (But I don't blame some of us having this kind of attitude towards life. Sa hirap ng buhay for some, who has time for reading?) And media seems to take advantage of this. Do you know any talk show that discusses relevant issues in the society, that is scheduled on primetime? Nope. People know more about Piolo Pascual's sex video scandal than the uselessness of the Oil Deregulation Law.
In other words, the first step to change is to accept that we need to learn a lot from history. Again, the willingness to learn. Education.
But it seems our (future) children are still stuck with Anime/Manga, gameshows and korean novelas as first step to learn anything.
Schools? Does the government spend for rehabilitation of schools and the educational system? We're still stuck with old-fashioned abakada when Japanese kids are already fixing computers. And so on and so forth... *sigh*
4:43 AM
i can understand your frustration. this blog, in a way, let's you release the steam.
you see the problem. you see a situation. others see things differently. others simply don't care. what do you do about it outside the blog? or do your want/intend to do something about it outside the blog?
it won't work if you tell people to change their ways. it won't work if you simply tell them what they do is wrong. they have to realize it for themselves. you can't tell people to watch relevant show outside chismis and telenovelas. they have to be "inspired" to do this. you simply can't tell a smoker to quit smoking. you have to convince them. people behave the way do for various reasons but culture has got a lot to do about it. as benigno said, we do have a dysfunctional culture. we need to do something about it but it cannot be done by simply telling people that what they do is wrong. we need to show them the way. would you agree?
1:32 PM
I agree, pinoy-ako. definitely.
But I choose not to tell others what they ought to do. I believe we all know what obligations or responsibilities we have, but some.... or most of us choose to ignore it, and head on with their selfish ways.
For crying out loud, almost all of us are Catholics. All of us belong to a society where morality still counts. Everybody has to know how to distinguish right from wrong, right?
Wrong. Not everybody can distinguish right from wrong these days. Here, we attempt to distinguish what is wrong, and I leave to the people who visit this blog the freedom to choose what is right. This is where learning starts.
Indeed, we have a partly dysfunctional culture. Indeed, we have to show them the way. But the way cannot be shown simply by posting what should be done through this blog. Not everyone reads this blog.
Besides, you've said it already: This blog is just my way of venting out feelings of different sorts. And I choose not to preach. I choose not to tell what people have to do. I just choose to tell what's obviously wrong, in my perspective. These are just opinions, people should not take my word as if they're reading the law. This blog just ought to be like a bulletin board of opinions, not like the Bible. (And I do hope this blog is interpreted that way.)
And I choose not to tell people what I do for my country. Friends and the people very close to me know what I REALLY do when not blogging, and it's not me if I brag about it. Just let me be the "whiny" katie that you all know. :)
9:32 PM
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