Double standard

The worst of kind of malpractices is double standard. Two different sets of law or policies for people of different status.

More power, more wealth and arrogance are the hardcore pillars of greed and selfishness in one's heart. The rich and oowerful have always been given a bigger say in everything (in the society) compared to the less wealthy and less fortunate. Unfortunately, this has been going since the dawn of mankind and will persist for generations to come until greed and selfishness no longer have place in one's heart.

Even the voices of poor need influential and rich people to get their attention across. It reminds me of a great humanitarian, none either than Mother Teresa whom gave up her life to serve the poor among the poorest. Her dedication and sacrifices are no doubt for others. Despite the harshest and most ridiculous crictisms mount her work, she never gives up in what she believes.

I believe that Mother Teresa's work and her love for the poor and the hungry itself is a powerful voice itself against the arrogance of wealth and power.

Any solution to wipe out greed and selfishness in the hearts of man?

None other than a simple answer: LOVE.

Joshua

Atheism or Anti-God?

This is my personal response to the above youtube posting about atheism:

1. Atheism -There in no GOD (Absence of God)
2. Theism- There is GOD

just like:

1. Darkness- There is no LIGHT (Absence of LIGHT)
2. Brightness- There is LIGHT

or:

1. The dead- There is no LIFE (Absence of LIFE)
2. The living- There is LIFE

Why such an extensive character assassination of God? If one think that God does not exist, just say "There is no God", end of story. The effort put on creating the youtube posting above, implies to me that the author is "engaging" in a battle against the existence of God in a war against God. (I have no problem if atheists present their facts and information explaining about the inexistence of God but such a character assassination of God is most immature)

The video above sounds more like "Anti-God" to me more than explaining the facts and information that God does not exists.

God will not become "MORE GOD" if there is more people believe in Him neither God will not become "LESS GOD" if there is more people believe that there is no God. The majority does not simply just make God exists or dissappears.

Joshua

You are my all in all...

You are my all in all

With faith, let us all give praise to our Lord!

~ I have been really busy for two weeks and now I will take another week off before I further discuss on various issues.

Joshua

The World's Greatest Dad.

Do you remember when we get our dad the cup with "The world's greatest dad" word on it on Father's Day? It is an award to all the dads out there (Dads who own that cup). I believe that if we could only name a person to the world's greatest dad award, it would be no other than the father who love his son so much, that he would run a marathon, trialthon , the ironman trialthon for many years for his son. Please enjoy and be touched by the video clip below.

He truly loves his son so much. It would be a challenge to all dads out there, including myself (If I ever become a dad). It's truly demonstrate an undying love for a person. Evenmore, the father truly reflect the image of God, whom all of us are created in the image of God.

For those without dads out there, do not be wary for you too and in fact all of us has one Heavenly Father who loved us so much that He sent His only begotton Son , Christ to suffer to the point of death in our place. Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ truly lives.

We are thankful that Team Hoyt continue to be an undying inspiration for us all. The father who loves his son so much and dearly and how much the son believe and trust in his father. Bless them both. Team Hoyt! Thank you! Cheering you both all the way!

God bless us all and thank God for being our Heavenly Father for loving us so much!

Joshua

An emaciated and malnourished child

Kevin Carter's 1994 Pulitzer Prize award-photograph.

"In March 1993 Carter made a trip to southern Sudan. The sound of soft, high-pitched whimpering near the village of Ayod attracted Carter to an emaciated Sudanese toddler. The girl had stopped to rest while struggling to a feeding center, whereupon a vulture had landed nearby. He said that he waited about 20 minutes, hoping that the vulture would spread its wings. It didn't. Carter snapped the haunting photograph and chased the vulture away. However, he also came under heavy criticism for just photographing — and not helping — the little girl:

"The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene "

- Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Carter#Prize-winning_photograph_in_Sudan

While people continue to harp on criticsms directly on Kevin Carter, let us look at the bigger picture. Thousands or even ten of thousands of human (no lesser than those who are reading this from the computer screen) die everyday because hunger and malnutrition. How much longer that the world must go on like these?!!!

In humility and with deep regret, I have not done enough and have never being doing enough to assist in alleviating the sufferings of poverty and hunger that hundreds of millions people are facing at the very moment.

The picture has such a deep impact on me that it has changed the entire course of my life personally. No child should go to bed in hunger. The world according to FAO (United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation)is producing nearly twice the amount of food/resources that required by the current 6.7 Billion human beings. In January 2009, FAO estimates that 1.02 Billion/ one-sixth of the world population is malnourished.

As ordinary citizens of the world, we should realize how lucky for those who are reading this from the computer screen (One assumes that when you own a computer and internet connection, you should not be malnourished). It is not only for us to realize how lucky we are but also to take action to HELP our fellow humankind. Living in ignorance and greed must not be our way of life eventhough it has encroached deeply into our society.

Back to Kevin Carter's award winning picture. We may never know if the emaciated girl in the picture survived the day after the picture was taken eventhough we all hope that she does and still living today. Everyone is responsible when a fellow human die in hunger, especially for those who know that this is happening. Let this picture change our course of life, living a life to honor God (for those with faith) by sharing our fortunes with the less fortunate, for others, may it serve as a wake-up call that we are just ordinary people nothing more special than the girl who struggled to a feeding station while being watched by a vulture.

There is no person on earth that could be untouched by this poignant picture unless that they're heartless. It is true that charity begins at home, conserve resources and let not a single grain being flushed away as watse from today onwards, start looking for viable and reliable route to help a child or a community battling poverty and hunger even with a penny/ a cent a day from tonight onwards.

Let us not repeat the mistake that Kevin Carter had done. Let us lend our hand and a reassuring embrace with love and encouragement to the less fortunate today starting with a prayer now.

Joshua

Aung San Suu Kyi's extended house arrest

Today 11th of August 2009, a Myanmar court in Yangon sentences Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to an (another extension) 18-months house arrest due to an alleged "violation" of her house arrest order in May 2009 which has been extended unlawfully and immorally multiple times since 2000. The alleged "crimes" that put her under such extensive unjust series of continous house arrests are controversial, or simply because she is elected democratically as the Prime Minister of Myanmar in 1990.

An oppressive junta-military controlled government has refuse to allow the living symbol of democracy walk as a free woman again. Simply because of the fear of democracy, the fear of what is right and good.

The 64 year old world icon for democracy and freedom ; victim of ultimate oppression and tyranny has spent 14 years for the last two decades mainly under house arrest.

As the world outcrys the lastest unlawful and immoral verdict of an partial / biased Myanmar court (none to the suprise of many in the world) delivered on 11th August 2009. It is another wake-up call that oppression, dictatorship, tyranny, draconian, ruthless, merciless and harsh leadership cannot be allowed to govern in any organisation, council, state and nation!

This latest round of oppression must be condemned absolutely without reserves!

Free Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and return democracy and rule of law and mercy to the people of Burma!

All unjust and merciless actions will not be left unnoticed and ignored as long as God- the Guardian of all that is good lives.

Joshua

Terry Gallagher - An inspiration from heaven

Hello everyone,

Terry Gallagher is a loving husband to Mimi, a great father to three beautiful children (one adorable girl with alopecia), a coach, mentor and a very dear friend of mine is diagnosed with colon cancer on 7th January 2008. Terry and family have ever since beaming like a great lighthouse in a world of turbulence, trials and suffering, not shining towards themselves but towards to God. Bringing us back to what truly matters in life.

Their faith has been the strongest and never a slightest hint of blaming God or others for their pain at the moment. Even going through many the tiring and invasive procedures to treat his cancer, Terry never forgets to put a smile on his face for his family and never forgets to acknowlegde his friends and supporters. We're blessed that Terry continues to inspire us everyday through his faith and family. Let us all say a prayer to thank God for him and ask the Lord to sustain Terry and family according to His wisdom and grace as they fight and win this battle of cancer.

I have attached one of the post from Mimi, Terry's wife (Hope you find it inspirational and helpful)

"Hi this is Mimi. It has been a LONG time since I last posted but I have enjoyed reading Terry’s take on life lately.

Tomorrow is a big day for us and we ask that you keep Terry and our family in your prayers. We are meeting with Dr. Grothe, our oncologist at 9:45 to review the results of the CT scan that was performed on Friday of this past week. Thanks to Jamie Engel who drove Terry to and from Mayo for the day of tests. Jaime’s assistance with transportation allowed me the opportunity to host a gathering for Rose’s dear friend, Sarah Larson, who will be moving, with her family, to Kansas at the end of next week. The Larson family has been a rock for us and was instrumental in assisting us with our initial visit to Mayo. We firmly believe that God placed them in our lives when we so needed them and now He is moving them to Kansas to continue doing His work here on earth. We will miss them terribly and we wish them many blessings in their new home and new community.

We are all anxious about the news tomorrow and are hopeful that we will have stable conditions or shrinkage. We know that stable is good as it means that the treatments are arresting growth and shrinkage would be a HUGE bonus!!! The kids are nervous as they know that this time around is far more challenging than one year ago.

We had a family meeting before Terry’s last surgery to let the kids know of the new challenges with the recurrence of the cancer. Tommy commented that “this isn’t fair”. He is correct. Many things in life are not fair. Yet we did explain that God has given us a gift. We know that Dad has cancer and we now know that he is no longer “curable” according to today’s drugs etc… We also know that every day is a gift and God has given us the opportunity to know the importance of making memories, every day. Each day our kids and Terry or Terry and I have an opportunity to make memories. Whether the memory is a great vacation or just watching a movie with dad or learning something new from dad we can make each and every interaction into a memory. Terry and I knew that we should have been living with this mentality all along but we were so busy in our day to day activities that we failed to make the most of every day. We encourage each one of you to make a memory today and every day with your loved ones. We are fortunate to understand the need to make memories and recognize that many lives are lost in a moments notice without ever having or taking the time to leave behind the memories that were desired. Make the most of everyday. Hug and kiss the ones you love and let them know how important they are to you.

Thanks for your continued prayers and all of your support. We are blessed to have all of you in our lives.

May God Bless You Today and Always!!!

Mimi "

I am practically in tears after reading this post, I was saying to myself "the husband, the wife, the children shouldnt be going through all this at all".

Want to know more about Terry's latest update? Please drop by his website journal at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/terrygallagher . Drop him a message and support him and his wonderful family. I am blessed greatly to know Terry and his family and have the blessing of meeting them in 2007 and look forward in meeting them again.

Joshua

Please click here to visit Terry Gallagher's website.