28 November 2010
26 November 2010
Dear God - XTC
Dear God, hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image, see
Them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get
Enough to eat from God, I can't believe in you
Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard
Loud and clear. We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
In the street 'cause they can't make opinions meet about God,
I can't believe in you
Did you make disease, and the diamond blue? Did you make
Mankind after we made you? And the devil too!
, don't know if you noticed, but... your name is on
A lot of quotes in this book, and us crazy humans wrote it, you
Should take a look, and all the people that you made in your
Image still believing that junk is true. Well I know it ain't, and
So do you, dear God, I can't believe in I don't believe in
I won't believe in heaven and hell. No saints, no sinners, no
Devil as well. No pearly gates, no thorny crown. You're always
Letting us humans down. The wars you bring, the babes you
Drown. Those lost at sea and never found, and it's the same the
Whole world 'round. The hurt I see helps to compound that
Father, Son and Holy Ghost is just somebody's unholy hoax,
And if you're up there you'd perceive that my heart's here upon
My sleeve. If there's one thing I don't believe in
25 November 2010
Limitation of human experience
We live in a world of macro matter. Our intuition, experience, is built upon objects which we can manipulate, distances we can travel and observations we can do with our eyes. However, our brain has been programmed to assume and that's why magic work. For example, see how a magician survive head chopper.
But in reality, the universe is large, very large indeed. The stuff that make up matter is small, very small. These are beyond our daily experience and hence beyond our intuition. How and what can we do to understand such scenarios where our intuition no longer help?
The telescope allows us to see far, so far that we are looking back at time. The microscope enables us to see small. We also learn to extend our vision by detecting light which we cannot see, into the infra-red, ultra-violet. To really understand the inner working of matter, large machine are built to smash together matter - to split them apart and try to see what comes out.
Physicists have been making out senses of the universe - that's Einstein's Theory of Relativity. By formulating a mathematical model of space-time, Einstein described the large dimensions. Anyone can propose a theory. The most important part of any science is evidence. Experiments which allow us to determine if a theory is correct or not. For example, Theory of relativity predicts that a fast moving clock will appear slower to a slower moving reference frame. It also predicts that light will bend by the gravitational pull of massive bodies. Such strange ideas are not intuitive because our experience and interaction with reality do not occur at that level and size. The change of time due to relative motion is too small to be detected by direct human senses. But both of these strange observations have been made and proven to be exactly the same as predicted by the theory of relativity.
On the other side is the very small - the domain of quantum mechanics. It turns out that we can apply the same technique. Formulate a theory and then test if the theory can predict something which we can put to a test. Again, strange ideas such as uncertainty principle, teleportation have been tested and quantum theory passed with flying colours.
Stephen Hawking and Leonard Miodinow's latest book explains the origin of the universe without any difficult maths. I highly recommend reading it.
But in reality, the universe is large, very large indeed. The stuff that make up matter is small, very small. These are beyond our daily experience and hence beyond our intuition. How and what can we do to understand such scenarios where our intuition no longer help?
The telescope allows us to see far, so far that we are looking back at time. The microscope enables us to see small. We also learn to extend our vision by detecting light which we cannot see, into the infra-red, ultra-violet. To really understand the inner working of matter, large machine are built to smash together matter - to split them apart and try to see what comes out.
Physicists have been making out senses of the universe - that's Einstein's Theory of Relativity. By formulating a mathematical model of space-time, Einstein described the large dimensions. Anyone can propose a theory. The most important part of any science is evidence. Experiments which allow us to determine if a theory is correct or not. For example, Theory of relativity predicts that a fast moving clock will appear slower to a slower moving reference frame. It also predicts that light will bend by the gravitational pull of massive bodies. Such strange ideas are not intuitive because our experience and interaction with reality do not occur at that level and size. The change of time due to relative motion is too small to be detected by direct human senses. But both of these strange observations have been made and proven to be exactly the same as predicted by the theory of relativity.
On the other side is the very small - the domain of quantum mechanics. It turns out that we can apply the same technique. Formulate a theory and then test if the theory can predict something which we can put to a test. Again, strange ideas such as uncertainty principle, teleportation have been tested and quantum theory passed with flying colours.
Stephen Hawking and Leonard Miodinow's latest book explains the origin of the universe without any difficult maths. I highly recommend reading it.
Why is Christianity so threatening to non-Christians?
From Amazon's discussion forum of the same title:
The Crusades, the Inquisition, witch and heretic burnings, the rule of Theodoseus, Luther's inspired atrocities against Jews, Calvin's Geneva, the many devastating wars between Protestants and Catholics, the Thirty Year War, the acts of Hitler (a good Catholic), Christian parents who kill their children by withholding medical aid on Biblical grounds, efforts by Christians to have their myths taught as science in our schools, Christians in leadership who long for Armageddon......do you need any more reasons?
24 November 2010
22 November 2010
21 November 2010
Limited use of condom may be justified, Pope benedict says
That is good news, a return to reality. But honesty, why anyone should care what this deluded man in funny dress thinks and says.
20 November 2010
Human rights travesty
Here is a video of Saudi women's rights
It took a Princess to be the first woman to drive in Saudi Arabia. Or may be able to drive a car by the end of the year.
19 November 2010
14 November 2010
11 November 2010
09 November 2010
05 November 2010
Is life fair?
The short answer is no. Life is not fair. It has never been and will never be.
Some are born rich, but many into poverty and war.
Some are born smart, but many suffer insurmountable birth defects with intellectually or physically disability.
Some are born with loving parents, extended family support, but many don't know their mothers or fathers.
Can religion explain why life is unfair? Believing that there is in a fair and just god is just digging your head in the sand. Look around, beyond your immediate neighbour. Google world hunger, poverty. Look at those pictures taken during wars. Are you kidding me that a fair and just god will allow these suffering to occur to a baby? What has she done wrong to deserve this? Oh, god has a plan. Damn god then. That is a very bad plan and totally unfair and unjust. Don't tell me I have not thought through this. I have and my conclusion is that believing in a god has diminished your own moral stance. Let do something for goodness sake. We can all offer some help to our fellow human, fellow animals and all living. Peace.
Some are born rich, but many into poverty and war.
Some are born smart, but many suffer insurmountable birth defects with intellectually or physically disability.
Some are born with loving parents, extended family support, but many don't know their mothers or fathers.
Can religion explain why life is unfair? Believing that there is in a fair and just god is just digging your head in the sand. Look around, beyond your immediate neighbour. Google world hunger, poverty. Look at those pictures taken during wars. Are you kidding me that a fair and just god will allow these suffering to occur to a baby? What has she done wrong to deserve this? Oh, god has a plan. Damn god then. That is a very bad plan and totally unfair and unjust. Don't tell me I have not thought through this. I have and my conclusion is that believing in a god has diminished your own moral stance. Let do something for goodness sake. We can all offer some help to our fellow human, fellow animals and all living. Peace.
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