I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much
I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy
I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy
Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...
warning: this entry is a rather long one. read with caution. ha ;)
buddhism
just finished reading an article on a buddhist magazine abt their views on da vinci code. interestingly, this topic is so hot that even buddhist toks abt it coz in this movie, there is one sentence which is mentioned that is related to buddhism. robert langdon commented that they were not able to tell the buddhist, even if they have the evidence that buddha is not born on a lotus.. or something lidat..as i din watch the movie, i cant accurately translate here; however, if u do watch, u might be able to rem that line. ha. anyway, after reading that article or rather another article in the same magazine abt da vinci code, i realised that buddhism also have much mistakes in wat they thought Christians believe in. im not sure whether the buddhists when writing that articles did really study abt Christianity, but one thing im sure that though they are correct in certain ways... like Jesus died for us... but they are not correct in other things like Christianity is by faith only. well, the scripture in the Bible, even in this site do says that "we walked by faith, not by sight", but i have to emphasize is not ONLY by faith. if is obly by faith, i can firmly says that rightly from their article, it will be merely blind faith.
after reading a few books or even articles on buddhism, i guess this is the most mistaken concept by them. (and yes, i do read abt certain religions coz im interested to noe more abt them.) and i believe they do read abt Christianity in an objective way because after all, this is wat buddhism encourages. to find out the truth themselves, in an objective way. let me quote from the article(which is re-quoted from the buddha) -
"Of course you are in doubts. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. so in this case, Kalamas, do not go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ' This contemplative is our teacher.'"
and quoted from the article by the author
"simply because they are based upon his objective realisation of the truth and because he urges us to likewise objectively experience the truth for ourselves, to never by dogmatic - not even over his words."
For these 2 lines, im particularly bewildered and puzzled... simply by the terms, "objective" and "truth". how can a person be truly objective? and what exactly is the "truth" when looking via these 2 quotes. we are not to even believe by scriptures, by logical conjecture, by thoughts... but we are urged to believe by experienced the objective truth. well, im confused. coz these 2 lines from buddha is simply contradicting. there can only be objectivity when there is a absolute to measure from. and an absolute to where we can accurate measure from must be truth. so, if in this case, where can we find truth? and what is truth? buddha even says that he himself cannot be believed. well, if thats the case, mayb buddha isnt even sure if wat he is saying is right. ha.. hope im not inviting trouble when i say this.
well, i do think i understand what the above quotes are trying to say. not just believe by men's mere sayings but u noe it urself thru objective means, not bias, not prejudice. but if look in this way, it is also rather impossible simply because there never is a completely objective person because all men are prejudiced in certain ways. so, we need an absolute thing to be objective, just like in science, we nd something as a control when doing an experiment. and so, we find ways to double prevent that scientists themselves are not biased and prejudiced in the experiments.
the definition of "objective" taken from dictionary.com
ob·jec·tive adj.
Of or having to do with a material object.
Having actual existence or reality.
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices: an objective critic.
Based on observable phenomena; presented factually: an objective appraisal.
so, wats my absolute and truth? i used the scriptures to measure up. and contrary to buddhism, i believe the bible to be the absolute truth and infallible. this in a way, is by faith. but also, there are many proofs that many things in the bible has proven to be true. even before the objectively truth that the scientist found. if u bother to look at the canonisation of the bible and how the various books come about, u will realise that the bible is never only a book written by fallible men. it is better than the objective truth u can find for urself in this world. i believe in the bible coz humans can never trust themselves (and unfortunately, this is wat buddhism teach as well). when u really looked objectively at urself, can u really say u can trust urself?
let us look at what the bible says:
"For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
"The heart is deceitful beyond all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
"For assuredly I say to u, till heaven and earth, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
ok, i never knew this is going to be such a long entry coz i was only trying to gather my thoughts towards these articles. well, i guess things of religions can never be finished arguing and debating. ha. well, im never a debater but more of a thinker.
well, though this entry is titled "buddhism", i guess it goes further than just that. welcome to present ur views. if bothered and interested. :)
