Was reading Flairrah's blog, and I'll have to agree. Ma rabu ma'asecha Hashem!! The world is a beautiful place-especially this time of year! I just had to add my two cents. It's so wonderful to walk into a world, made just for you (every person is supposed to realize "beshvili nivra ha'olam," literally-"the world was created for me") and see how beautiful G-d's creations are. Fall is such an amazing time-the leaves all turn colors that are so beautiful against each other and against that blue that is so...well...BLUE!! of the sky. Did you ever want to physically feel the color of the sky? It has to be wonderful-feelings ARE colors...or is it vice versa? I love being able to literally walk into a painting every day by entering Hashem's world.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Saturday, October 30, 2004
The "Good/Evil=God?" Question
I've gotten complaints about not blogging often enough, (dunno why, it's not like anyone comments-and don't comment now just to say that you've commented...) so here's something fascinating that I got as a forward-don't know how true it is, but it's a really really good point (especially when you see who the student was!)
The university professor challenged his students with this question.
"Did God create everything that exists?"
A student bravely replied "yes, he did!"
"God created everything? The professor asked.
"Yes sir", the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil".
The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quitepleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that Christian, Judaism & Muslim faiths are a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question, professor?"
"Of course", replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?"
The students snickered at the young man`s question.
The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According tothe laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matterbecomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.
The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
The professor responded, "Of course it does".
The student replied,"Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton`s prism to break white lightinto many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You can not measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. [TRW's note-just keep that in mind when you do anything :)]
"How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn`t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is nolight present."
Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"
Now uncertain, the professor responded,"Of course, as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man`s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations arenothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God`s love present in his heart. It`s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes whenthere is no light."
The professor sat down.
Old ending:
The young man's name--- Albert Einstein.
But it's been confirmed through my official confirmer (that'll be twice so far, aishel!) that snopes calls it an urban legend. I'm keeping the story up, though, because I still like the actual refutation, no matter whether it happened or not. Whoever thought of it was really smart! ;) Readers should just be aware that Einstein was NOT, I repeat, NOT the student in the story. Thanks!
The university professor challenged his students with this question.
"Did God create everything that exists?"
A student bravely replied "yes, he did!"
"God created everything? The professor asked.
"Yes sir", the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil".
The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quitepleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that Christian, Judaism & Muslim faiths are a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question, professor?"
"Of course", replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?"
The students snickered at the young man`s question.
The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According tothe laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matterbecomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.
The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
The professor responded, "Of course it does".
The student replied,"Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton`s prism to break white lightinto many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You can not measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. [TRW's note-just keep that in mind when you do anything :)]
"How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn`t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is nolight present."
Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"
Now uncertain, the professor responded,"Of course, as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man`s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations arenothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God`s love present in his heart. It`s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes whenthere is no light."
The professor sat down.
Old ending:
The young man's name--- Albert Einstein.
But it's been confirmed through my official confirmer (that'll be twice so far, aishel!) that snopes calls it an urban legend. I'm keeping the story up, though, because I still like the actual refutation, no matter whether it happened or not. Whoever thought of it was really smart! ;) Readers should just be aware that Einstein was NOT, I repeat, NOT the student in the story. Thanks!
Saturday, October 23, 2004
For those yet undecided
I tried so hard to avoid discussing politics, but I just want to mention one thing:
Though it hasn't yet been confirmed or denied on Snopes, Arafat seems to have made a statement saying that he hopes Kerry will win the election because he will be very supportive of a Palestinian state. What does that mean for the Israeli state?
I leave that for you to think about...election day is November 2.
Though it hasn't yet been confirmed or denied on Snopes, Arafat seems to have made a statement saying that he hopes Kerry will win the election because he will be very supportive of a Palestinian state. What does that mean for the Israeli state?
I leave that for you to think about...election day is November 2.
In Her Own Words
I get an email weekly from a good friend of mine from LA, and she never ceases to inspire me! I read this one, and, as usual, wanted to share it, and remembered that I have this forum for spouting...so enjoy!!
Attempting to sound strong, the girl raised her voice slightly. “I realized I was different… and that I wouldn’t find anyone else who thinks like I do, and I got used to being a loner.” She quickly glanced down at her fingernails, pausing a moment too long before she lifted her eyes, “Most people just don’t care to think or talk about life.” She really said that, and she really believes it, and she seemed to me to be near tears as she said it.
And honestly, I was shocked. Not at the statement that most people don’t think seriously about the world we live in and what it means… but that there was sitting here a girl who hadn’t found people who DID care… and that I am so fortunate to be so surrounded by exactly those thinking, feeling people.We don’t realize enough what a blessing it is to live in the communities that we do, to associate with people for whom life has a purpose greater-than-instant-gratification. Every day I live with people for whom discussing social issues, philosophical issues, moral issues is a given. And most people in this world DON’T get that. They live life, take what they’ve been tossed, get juggled by media propaganda and manipulative advertising, subliminal consumerist and flaming liberal messaging, and it doesn’t phase them.
And it made me sad, to wonder what is happening to these potentially brilliant minds… where were their efforts going… why is it the norm to vegetate rather than think.I feel like every week I say this about something else – but it’s true; we’re blessed. We’ve been given a treasure, an invaluable treasure… [this week] the mind. It’s a medium of intellect higher than the animal world. The human mind makes the human person a creature of dignity and purposefulness. If it’s not used – what are we?
So look at the parsha, Lech Licha. In an article at aish.com, Rabbi Noson Weisz comments that Avram was different from his society in that he really used the mind that Gd gave him… he wondered about the world, about our existence, about the existence of a Higher Power… and because he gave life thought, he came to a greater realization than those around him. And even more than that, he took his knowledge and his understanding into his heart, which is what gave him the strength to listen to Gd’s word, leave whatever necessary behind… because he respected his own mind, he understood the importance in utilizing that mind, and that his understanding of Gd’s will as ultimate reality was what mattered most.
And he had a wife, a few devoted family members, servants, and a following of believers. And when Gd told him that it was time to go… these are the people that came with him. The people that could also appreciate this realization of Gd, people with whom Avram could discuss and understand the value of life and man’s purpose of goodness in this world. I don’t believe this treasure, our mind, can exist without mutuality of intellectual stimulation. Which is why we’re so lucky. Which is why I feel so bad for the girl in my social psych class who has been left stranded in such a vast, frightening, and false world.
It’s really special to be able to sit at a dinner table at USC and look across at seven other people heatedly debating nuances of human intelligence, and considering what that demands of us.To sit next to someone who himself is in awe of the fact that we get caught into these “crazy conversations every single day.”To feel like I can call my friend and say … I really need a break from this college mumbojumbo … and our break will be an attempt to understand the value of speech. To hear a sophomore in high school say that it makes her happy to see herself taking meaningful steps to bettering her life, to understanding what is important in life. When only hours earlier a college professor commented, “When people start to take life seriously, around their late 20’s, early 30’s…” To know that I even have a baby sister (sorry, 14?) at home who is ahead of those 30-year-olds.To laugh with joy when I hear one of my Jewish atheist friends still wonder about what we mean when we say “soul”
…And it’s because we’re around people to whom the mind is that treasure… and we’re not even conscious of it, but I believe it would pain us to let that mind atrophy…Now just think… how much we could do, like Avram, by taking that intellect into action.
Attempting to sound strong, the girl raised her voice slightly. “I realized I was different… and that I wouldn’t find anyone else who thinks like I do, and I got used to being a loner.” She quickly glanced down at her fingernails, pausing a moment too long before she lifted her eyes, “Most people just don’t care to think or talk about life.” She really said that, and she really believes it, and she seemed to me to be near tears as she said it.
And honestly, I was shocked. Not at the statement that most people don’t think seriously about the world we live in and what it means… but that there was sitting here a girl who hadn’t found people who DID care… and that I am so fortunate to be so surrounded by exactly those thinking, feeling people.We don’t realize enough what a blessing it is to live in the communities that we do, to associate with people for whom life has a purpose greater-than-instant-gratification. Every day I live with people for whom discussing social issues, philosophical issues, moral issues is a given. And most people in this world DON’T get that. They live life, take what they’ve been tossed, get juggled by media propaganda and manipulative advertising, subliminal consumerist and flaming liberal messaging, and it doesn’t phase them.
And it made me sad, to wonder what is happening to these potentially brilliant minds… where were their efforts going… why is it the norm to vegetate rather than think.I feel like every week I say this about something else – but it’s true; we’re blessed. We’ve been given a treasure, an invaluable treasure… [this week] the mind. It’s a medium of intellect higher than the animal world. The human mind makes the human person a creature of dignity and purposefulness. If it’s not used – what are we?
So look at the parsha, Lech Licha. In an article at aish.com, Rabbi Noson Weisz comments that Avram was different from his society in that he really used the mind that Gd gave him… he wondered about the world, about our existence, about the existence of a Higher Power… and because he gave life thought, he came to a greater realization than those around him. And even more than that, he took his knowledge and his understanding into his heart, which is what gave him the strength to listen to Gd’s word, leave whatever necessary behind… because he respected his own mind, he understood the importance in utilizing that mind, and that his understanding of Gd’s will as ultimate reality was what mattered most.
And he had a wife, a few devoted family members, servants, and a following of believers. And when Gd told him that it was time to go… these are the people that came with him. The people that could also appreciate this realization of Gd, people with whom Avram could discuss and understand the value of life and man’s purpose of goodness in this world. I don’t believe this treasure, our mind, can exist without mutuality of intellectual stimulation. Which is why we’re so lucky. Which is why I feel so bad for the girl in my social psych class who has been left stranded in such a vast, frightening, and false world.
It’s really special to be able to sit at a dinner table at USC and look across at seven other people heatedly debating nuances of human intelligence, and considering what that demands of us.To sit next to someone who himself is in awe of the fact that we get caught into these “crazy conversations every single day.”To feel like I can call my friend and say … I really need a break from this college mumbojumbo … and our break will be an attempt to understand the value of speech. To hear a sophomore in high school say that it makes her happy to see herself taking meaningful steps to bettering her life, to understanding what is important in life. When only hours earlier a college professor commented, “When people start to take life seriously, around their late 20’s, early 30’s…” To know that I even have a baby sister (sorry, 14?) at home who is ahead of those 30-year-olds.To laugh with joy when I hear one of my Jewish atheist friends still wonder about what we mean when we say “soul”
…And it’s because we’re around people to whom the mind is that treasure… and we’re not even conscious of it, but I believe it would pain us to let that mind atrophy…Now just think… how much we could do, like Avram, by taking that intellect into action.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Another driving mashal
Was in the car with Stx today and something came up (not gonna say who was driving...;) ) where the driver wanted to switch lanes, but the passanger knew better. Why? There were cars in the other lane. Sometimes they were going faster, sometimes slower. But the other lane looked so enticing...if we'd moved at that time, though, we would have smashed into the car next to us! So we were really where we were supposed to be....
Sometimes other people's lives look so much better, more exciting, etc. But if we'd have their lives, we'd clash (smash) with their situation, cause it's not for us! There's something good about you and what you have. For some people it's harder to see than for others, but it's still there. There's still something that's special about YOU that only YOU have and that makes you who you are. Enjoy it and utilize it to the max!!
Sometimes other people's lives look so much better, more exciting, etc. But if we'd have their lives, we'd clash (smash) with their situation, cause it's not for us! There's something good about you and what you have. For some people it's harder to see than for others, but it's still there. There's still something that's special about YOU that only YOU have and that makes you who you are. Enjoy it and utilize it to the max!!
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Simchas Torah
It's amazing!! What do we do? We dance around the Torah, we reaffirm our faith. It's a holiday of pure joy and connecting to G-d and His Gift to us (which, incidentally, includes the blueprint for the world and the reason for our existance!!) It's really an amazing thing...;)
(I feel like soon I'll be able to give myself Amos's label-"Bible-thumping wacko...and proud of it!" Wow. I'm afraid...well...not really! If my blog freaks you out, you don't have to read it! But if it doesn't...beware...and enjoy!! :)
(I feel like soon I'll be able to give myself Amos's label-"Bible-thumping wacko...and proud of it!" Wow. I'm afraid...well...not really! If my blog freaks you out, you don't have to read it! But if it doesn't...beware...and enjoy!! :)
Sunday, October 03, 2004
It's all in perspective
If you consider your holy book to be Godly written (as opposed not divinely inspired), it makes a pretty big difference on the perspective of your religion and how you act within it. Just thought I'd mention that...
(Another homework inspired thought)
(Another homework inspired thought)
Reading a book on resistance..people are so evil.
Life in Nazi Germany and its occupied territories was terrifying. When the Nazis invaded a country, they took people hostage (2 million in France). If there was resistance in the occupied country, they would then systematically kill numbers of hostages. Or, as in one case, when there were 2 Nazis killed near a village, they killed one man from every household (if there was more than one, the woman of the household had to choose who they should kill). It really frightens me. I don't like people like this...
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