An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his lass on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new Christian students to stand and.....
Professor:You are a Christian, aren't you, son? Student:Yes, sir. Prof:So you believe in God? Student:Absolutely, sir. Prof:Is God good? Student:Sure. Prof: Is God all-powerful? Student:Yes. Prof: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 is silent.) Prof:You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good? Student:Yes. Prof:Is Satan good? Student:No. Prof:Where does Satan come from? Student:From...God... Prof:That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world? Student:Yes. Prof:Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct? Student:Yes. Prof:So who created evil? (Student does not answer.) Prof:Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they? Student:Yes, sir. Prof:So, who created them? (Student has no answer.) Prof: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. Prof:Tell us if you have ever heard your God? Student:No, sir. Prof:Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter? Student:No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't. Prof:Yet you still believe in Him? Student:Yes. Prof: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. Prof:Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has. Student:Professor, is there such a thing as heat? Prof:Yes. Student:And is there such a thing as cold? Prof:Yes. Student:No sir. There isn't. (The lecture theatre becomes 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 is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.) Student:What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness? Prof: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, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you? Prof:So what is the point you are making, young man? Student:Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed. Prof: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? Prof: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 shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is 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 is in uproar.) Student:Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (The class breaks 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 is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.) Prof:I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son. Student:That is it sir.. The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.
NB: I believe you have enjoyed the conversation...and if so...you'll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same...won't you?...forward them to increase their knowledge...
"Test Everything. Hold on to the Good. Avoid every kind of Evil." - 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NIV)
"For False Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect -if that were possible." - Matthew 24:24 (NIV)
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish stongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)
"I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers." 1 Thessalonians 5:27 (NIV) How about you? Do you believe? Do you have faith?=’D
This is a nice reflection guide in time for Lenten.... Lenten Season Message: 'Bagets' by Fr. Gerry Orbos BACK in 1990, when my brother, Manong Oscar, was the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), I also introduced myself as the secretary of transformation and Communion!
Come to think of it, the whole Lenten season is simply the call toward real conversion and transformation of one's heart and character, and, toward a deeper, more personal communion with God and others, especially the less fortunate in our midst. Its the time to be renewed and vibrant, to be BAGETS (not bakets-Ilocano word for old woman) in our spiritual life once again.
So, let's go B-A-G-E-T-S for Lent.
B-Balik Panginoon: Let us bring back God into our hearts by making a good confession. When was the last time you really humbled yourself and asked to be forgiven by your God? Right away, the evil one will tell you that you have no real sins (denial), that it's really not that bad so there's no need to go to confession (rationalization) and that you go to confession. "tsaka na lang" (postponement).
A-Alis Galit: Look into your heart and dispose all the useless junk you've been carrying in your heart all these years. You are not obliged to be miserable in this life! Forgive and you are free. Continue to be angry and resentful and you are miserable. You have been forgiven much. Be grateful. Be forgiving. End your private wars and battles. In the end, nobody wins if nobody forgives. Forget your favorite refrain that says "Me and me against the world." And stop being calculating and exacting in your relationships. Dapat give na give ka, huwag lang one-give, two gives, three gives!
G-Gawa Mabuti: Share naman. You, who have much in life, please help the many people suffering around. I raise again the question: How much money do you really need in this life to be happy? How much of that money you are accumulating and holding on so can you take along with you when you leave this world? Remember, to whom much is given, much is also required. Again, be reminded that the riches (time, talent, and treasure) that you give away are the only riches you bring with you to eternity. Use your money for your salvation, not for your condemnation.
E - Express your Love: Slow down and take time for God and people, and also for yourself. A very good practice is to kneel down as soon as you wake up and before you sleep to express! your adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, supplication (ACTS) to your God. Another doable and very renewing practice is to drop by a church just to spend some moments of quiet and prayer-the candle glow once more! On the human level, it is amazing how we can "starve" other people of our love. We give only the comfortable installment, as it were, with a plan to give the lump sum when the person is dead or dying already. When it comes to loving, regular daily shower is better than a long drought with a final big downpour. Little things mean a lot, and it takes very little to make our loved ones happy. A phone calls. A smile, a pat on the back, a hug, very doable. Just do it now.
T - Tanggal Bisyo: Someone once told me that he had no temptations. Why? Because as soon as temptation comes, he'd give in right away! We must not give up fighting our vices and weaknesses. We must continue to! try and avoid the occasions and persons that lead us to sin. It would be a good idea to chart once the stages and steps that led you to a particular sinful moment. Once you know that road, avoid it. That's right: take the "road less traveled." It leads to peace. It leads to Heaven.
S - Sacrifice: The "mardi-gras" and the carnival started as pre-Lenten celebrations to accentuate the spirit of sacrifice, the spirit of fasting and abstinence of cuaresma (40 days). Carnival comes from the Latin word carne (meat) and vale (goodbye). Lent is the time to say goodbye to whatever or whoever is dragging you down in your spiritual life. So, what would it be? Goodbye girls? Goodbye gambling? Goodbye kurakot? Take your pick.
S - Smile: Whatever sacrifice or good deeds you do, do it with a smile. God loves a cheerful giver, and God blesses a generous grateful! (not resentful) heart. Take away that "Good Friday look" from your face and that "far-away look" in your eyes.
S - Secret: If you want to experience real joy, do all of the above in secret. Let it be something just between you and your God, and you'll experience a joy, which the world cannot give or take away. Come to think of it, maybe this is the reason I started this with a note about being a secretary-a reminder to keep our Lenten project of transformation and communion a secret.
A MOMENT WITH THE LORD: Lord, you are calling me again towards deeper conversion. Today, this moment, I hear your voice. Help me not to harden my heart. Amen. Naaliw ako sa email kaya share ko ulit...hehe! Have a wonderful time with the Lord brothers and sisters... a blessed holy week to everyone! ;'D
Again, for the nth time natanggap ko nanaman ‘tong mail na ‘to. Malamang nabasa nyo na din 'to, la lang gusto ko lang i-share ulit kasi... oo nga mej totoo, nakarelate ako sa iba… ikaw baka gusto mo i-share kung saan sa 1-8 ka nakartelate?!=’D
1-Did you know that those who dress in black, are those who want to be unnoticed and need your help and understanding?
2-Did you know that when you envy someone, it's because you really like that person?
3-Did you know that those who appear to be very strong in heart, are real weak and most susceptible?
4-Did you know that those who spend their time protecting others are the ones that really need someone to protect them?
5-Did you know that people who occupy themselves by keeping others company or helping others are the ones that actually need your company and help?
6-Did you know that those who need more of you are those that don't mention it to you?
7-Did you know that it's easier to say what you feel in writing than saying it to someone in the face? But did you know that it has more value when you say it to their face?
8-Did you know that the three most difficult things to say are: I love you, Sorry and Help me The people who say these are actually in need of them or really feel them, and are the ones you really need to treasure.
