Thursday, October 30, 2008

A Little Knowledge is Dangerous

The bottom line here is to realize how important is humility and sincerity. Both terms are based on truth because as usually said, humility is truth in the sense that being humble is to admit our humble beginnings. "Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return" (Gen. 3:19). Sincere comes from the Latin "sine cera," that is, taking away the wax masks used by actors in a play, meaning to say, showing your real self, or being true to yourself.

Therefore, all the problems of our world today are precisely that: people think they know, yet not enough to know the reality, facts and the truth. They get only to part of the truth and remember "a lie is only half of the truth" like a salesman telling you their product is good without revealing some defective side of the product.

Whether it's on religion, environmental protection, reproductive health or personal attitudes, let's be sincere in seeking for the truth. Let not pride or money be the obstacle in your quest for the truth. Your pride may tell you as if you know everything, just because you come from a prestigious school. Then just because of that you lose the most important quality of life: humility. The humility that teaches you to listen because there's so much to learn. To listen to your parents and loved ones who sacrificed for your education. To listen because in life there's so much to learn and to discern amid the many lies (half-truths) being taught. To listen even from the simple and humble people, from children and from whoever may be source of a truthful answer. Yes, be humble and sincere lest in your pride you may may remain a most ignorant person on earth. If you have to know, humbly search for the whole truth, the complete truth. Because a little knowledge is dangerous.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Violation of the Principle

People wonder at the stories of failures and collapse of big institutions that once were centers of world admiration or even of great lives that got the attention of many.. It's to revert to principles, especially to the truth of God's eternal word that never fails. Jesus, God Almighty, ever asks us to be humble because "the man who humbles himself shall be exalted, but the man who exalts himself shall be humbled" (Lk. 18:9-14). So where is that truth?

As the world scrambles for material riches in money and pleasures and power, they have forgotten what should be in first place: God. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you" (Mt. 6:33). All the movements forgetting such principle would end in collapse unless they change and repent.

What's in our world today? Because of the money that could be gained, people turn to destructive mining and logging, just to have more money. The same with those who want to control population at all cost, because of the funds offered. The result is the worsening of the environmental climate, the livelihood of the people, the offense against human life (the first right) in the killing of the innocent unborn. In all these the Almighty, the Avenger of blood is not asleep, He who knows all secrets and has said in the word of Scripture: "Vengeance is mine -- I will pay them back" (Rm. 12:19; Dt. 32:35). They were not seeking the good of man, the common good, but rather themselves in power, greed and money. Shall these go on?

Environmental devastation, wars, killing the unborn in mothers' wombs all because of the false gods and idols of money, power and greed? Have we forgotten the law? "Do unto others what you want others do unto you -- the very meaning of the Law and the Prophets" (Mt. 7:12; Rom. 13:8-10; Lv. 19:18). Precisely, a popular organization expert had rightly expressed: "Money, like prestige, if sought directly, is almost never gained. It must come as a byproduct of a worthwhile objective or result which is sought and achieved for its own sake" (R. Townsend). If we make money the god, we are doomed to failure. It's time we turn to the true God and follow His will that wants us to seek always for the eternal good and destiny of man.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Source of Corruption

Such a controversy indeed as regards the Reproductive Health bills being debated in Congress and in various sectors. The Church arguing that life has to be protected from the womb to the tomb has consistently spoken against such bills that implicitly contain contraception and abortion. Also the act of love between couples has to be open to the transmission of new life. Most contraceptives tend to be detrimental to the beginnings of life in the human foetus. Well, check this out for yourself, if you are sincere. We know that the first of the rights of man is life, aside from those that follow, which are liberty or freedom and property.

But why such a desire to kill and destroy human life? We know that huge amounts are being funded to corrupt the minds of people in this very issue. There's big money too in the birth control devices because it's catering to people's weaknesses in the matter of sexual morality. The only warning we can make to legislators and those promoting these devices that can and do kill human life is that one of the prominent sins calling for God's vengeance and punishment is willful murder (including abortion).

"The love of money is the root of all evils and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds" (1 Tim. 6:10). It's been a common defect and a wrong way of doing things that only brings failure in its wake. I mean that: when people make money the foundation of their lives. "Money, like prestige, if sought directly, is almost never gained.

It must come as a byproduct of some worthwhile objective or result which is sought and achieved for its own sake." (Robert Townsend, When will we ever learn?)Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/