Let's say there was this hypothetical religion.
Just a "normal" religion like any other religion with its own concept of God and religious rituals. It also has its own belief about death.
One of the beliefs, is that, if you die on a certain day, it means you are blessed by God and you will enter heaven without hindrance. (Suicide does not count of course.)
Let's say, for this religion, that particular day is Wednesday. It is a holy day. King of days of the week.
If you die on a Wednesday, it is God's way of telling people that you have lived a religious and pious life and you will enter heaven easily. Or if you have lived less than pious life, it could mean that God has somehow forgiven you and your way to heaven will be easier.
Now, let's say that you are an old religious leader on your death bed.
You are dying.
In fact, you are in a coma and on life support.
Everyone in your community knows you.
They acknowledge that you have lived a good, pious and religious life, filled with service to God and good deeds to religion and to all men.
By all standards of the religion, you should have no difficulty to enter heaven. But of course, no one knows for certain because the right to enter heaven belongs to God.
Then, the doctor advises your family to take you off life support. Medically speaking, it has become untenable to continue your life artificially. It is time to let you go.
Your family now has to decide whether and when to take you off life support.
Since you are also a prominent religious leader of an organisation, and of the community, the family also consulted the other leaders of that organisation.
And surprise, surprise; they decided to take your life support off, on very early Wednesday morning, just after midnight (even though this religion believe that a new calendar day start at sunset, they still decide to take off the life
support based on the secular day time, a few minutes after midnight, early Wednesday morning).
Of course, as per the doctor's prediction, you die a few hours afterwards. On a Wednesday. On your religion's holy day.
Does that mean they have managed to cheat God to better your odd to enter heaven? Does that mean they manage to manipulate God's own rule in order to afford you better odd to enter heaven?
Why would they consciously chose Wednesday? Why would they feel you need additional help to enter heaven even though they acknowledge your life of piety and virtue and good deeds? Well, to be fair, you cannot blame the efforts of your loved ones to ensure your happiness in the afterlife.
Then, the leaders of the organisation announced your death, taking special note to make it clear that you die on a Wednesday.
This reaffirms to the public that the organisation was led by a person blessed by God since God has chosen to take you on a Wednesday. Of course, the public do not know that the family, in consultation with the other leaders decided to take you off life support on a Wednesday. This was, of course, never mentioned in the press release.
And since the organisation was led by a person blessed by God, this makes the organisation, by association, also blessed by God. An organisation chosen by God.
This, of course, raised the profile of the organisation.
Support increases.
Membership increases.
Donation increases.
How good for them!
Of course, this is just hypothetical.
As far as I know, there is no religion on Earth today that has "Wednesday" as a holy day.
I have too much of an imagination.
PS: Interesting side note. Wednesday comes from "Woden's Day" which is Old English for Odin's Day. Odin is, for those of you who know Viking history, is god of the Viking, in Norse mythology.
Just saying.
Friday, 26 June 2020
Wednesday, 17 June 2020
CoVid19 and the politics of "virtue signalling".
During the CoVid19 outbreak, there was one whatsapp, circulating around by (in my opinion) pretentious religious people.
The whatsapp was saying that before the pandemic, non-religious and/or non-Muslim people made fun of or mocked the niqab and daily wudhu practised by Muslims. The whatsapp went on to imply that God sent the virus and now everyone; including those people that made fun of niqab and wudhu; have to wear masks and wash their hands with sanitizers everyday just like the niqab-wearing & wudhu-practising Muslims they made fun of.
Now those people also have to wear masks like niqab and wash their hands often like wudhu everyday.
These Muslims were so gleefully ready to get back at those people that mocked them before, that they do not realise what they were saying.
First of all, these comparisons are "false equivalence". Wearing mask is not the same as wearing niqab. Doing wudhu is not the same as washing hands with soap and sanitizers.
By sharing this meme/tweet/message or whatever, they are demonstrating their ignorance of both science and of their own religion & religious rituals.
In trying to show how religious their are, they instead prove their own lack of knowledge of their own religion and science.
Washing your hands often to get rid of viruses and other microorganisms involves using alcohol based sanitizers and/or soap. Washing hands with water only is not effective to get rid of the viruses.
Wudhu is a religious rituals using clean water, not with alcohol or soap. Also, since it is haram to consume (or use alcohol in most matter), you cannot take wudhu with alcohol.
Hence, those who equate wudhu with sanitizing your hands with alcohol/soap to get rid of viruses are making a false equivalent; and also signalling their ignorance of the rules of their own religious rituals. You cannot take wudhu with alcohol!
As for equating niqab with masks, and implying that God sends the virus to remind people to wear niqab, - this also shows their ignorance and lack of reasoning skills.
Wearing niqab is not mandatory & only for women (if they choose to wear them).
Wearing mask to protect from viruses are done by everyone, men & women.
So, are you saying that God want men to wear niqab also?
Are you saying that wearing niqab is mandatory?
Would God send a horrendous disease just to remind people about something that is voluntary and not even mandatory?
Pretentious religious people are very quick to "virtue signal", that is, trying to show their virtuousness by sharing these kinds of messages without even thinking what they are sharing.
They are just sharing their ignorance, not to mention the audacity to claim that they know what God is thinking.
Next time, think before you share.
.
.
.
Don't even get me started on those preachers that defy the lockdown (in the beginning) by saying that you can die anytime, anyhow, anywhere as per God's decree...
They went quiet when majority of their congregation did not support their view. This gives me hope that Malaysians Muslims are still sane reasonable people and not blind followers like sheep.
Enough ranting.
I can only pray for Malaysia's recovery and hopefully we get back to normal soon.
The whatsapp was saying that before the pandemic, non-religious and/or non-Muslim people made fun of or mocked the niqab and daily wudhu practised by Muslims. The whatsapp went on to imply that God sent the virus and now everyone; including those people that made fun of niqab and wudhu; have to wear masks and wash their hands with sanitizers everyday just like the niqab-wearing & wudhu-practising Muslims they made fun of.
Now those people also have to wear masks like niqab and wash their hands often like wudhu everyday.
These Muslims were so gleefully ready to get back at those people that mocked them before, that they do not realise what they were saying.
First of all, these comparisons are "false equivalence". Wearing mask is not the same as wearing niqab. Doing wudhu is not the same as washing hands with soap and sanitizers.
By sharing this meme/tweet/message or whatever, they are demonstrating their ignorance of both science and of their own religion & religious rituals.
In trying to show how religious their are, they instead prove their own lack of knowledge of their own religion and science.
Washing your hands often to get rid of viruses and other microorganisms involves using alcohol based sanitizers and/or soap. Washing hands with water only is not effective to get rid of the viruses.
Wudhu is a religious rituals using clean water, not with alcohol or soap. Also, since it is haram to consume (or use alcohol in most matter), you cannot take wudhu with alcohol.
Hence, those who equate wudhu with sanitizing your hands with alcohol/soap to get rid of viruses are making a false equivalent; and also signalling their ignorance of the rules of their own religious rituals. You cannot take wudhu with alcohol!
As for equating niqab with masks, and implying that God sends the virus to remind people to wear niqab, - this also shows their ignorance and lack of reasoning skills.
Wearing niqab is not mandatory & only for women (if they choose to wear them).
Wearing mask to protect from viruses are done by everyone, men & women.
So, are you saying that God want men to wear niqab also?
Are you saying that wearing niqab is mandatory?
Would God send a horrendous disease just to remind people about something that is voluntary and not even mandatory?
Pretentious religious people are very quick to "virtue signal", that is, trying to show their virtuousness by sharing these kinds of messages without even thinking what they are sharing.
They are just sharing their ignorance, not to mention the audacity to claim that they know what God is thinking.
Next time, think before you share.
.
.
.
Don't even get me started on those preachers that defy the lockdown (in the beginning) by saying that you can die anytime, anyhow, anywhere as per God's decree...
They went quiet when majority of their congregation did not support their view. This gives me hope that Malaysians Muslims are still sane reasonable people and not blind followers like sheep.
Enough ranting.
I can only pray for Malaysia's recovery and hopefully we get back to normal soon.
Sunday, 7 June 2020
CoVid19 and lessons of history.
Malaysia is at a tipping point.
I am a student (amateur) of history.
A reader of socio-political issue.
I read history and analysis of historical events to understand current events and predict the future based on those historical events. Because history are made by humans and in the end, human nature, at its most basic, are the same, no matter what time period you are at; how "modern" you have become.
Nations and civilisations goes through a cycle of rise and falls. This social theory is proven throughout history. I have mentioned this in one of my previous post. The USA and the western world is also at a tipping point. But I do not want to talk about them, yet. For now, I want to highlight about Malaysia.
There are many reasons why nations rise and many reasons why nations fall.
It is rarely just one thing. It is a million little things and events accumulating to that one event, that tipping point, a point of no return, where your nation will decline and crumble.
For the Greeks & Romans, they invented democracy, but they had slaves who were oppressed. When the slaves revolted, it set a chain of events that led to their fall.
For the Ottoman, they shunned innovation and become dogmatic in order to control their vast empire against attacks from within and without. This decline in civilisational mindset becomes the main reason for their downfall
For the Soviet Union, they curtailed freedom and oppressed their citizens through autocratic and authoritarian government machinations. The citizens revolted and the socialist republic fell. Luckily for them, it was a "soft" revolution, their country did not fall into chaos. It was difficult for awhile, but they persevered.
For Lebanon, sectarian (religious, ethnic, tribal) conflicts erupted almost instantly after the French colonial government left their country.
What about Malaysia?
One ingredient in Malaysia that can be our strength or cause of our fall, is our diversity. For more than 60 years, there was a tug of war between these ideals. Is our diversity our strength or our fall in the making?
In the beginning, it seems we were on the right track. Even when we were faced with the communist threat, whose members were mostly of one ethnic make up, we banded together as a nation and come out of it stronger.
But now, our sectarianism is widening. But at the same time, our unity is also stronger. Yes, the statement is contradictory, but humans are full of contradiction. But this widening contradiction is why we are at a tipping point.
Let me explain.
We are becoming more sectarian. Our inter-ethnic relations are being tested more and more. The latest manifestation of this is that "buying" campaign. Those who propagate this campaign do not understand the fundamentals of economics. When they mix their lack of understanding with race based rhetoric & campaign, they are seeding the fall of our nation.
Even within the Malay Muslim community themselves, they are becoming more sectarian. New sects are jostling for power within the machinations of government. Politically, the Malays are also more divided.
All of these division are OK if tempered with common sense and free & healthy dialogues, free & healthy exchange of ideas that seeks to understand and accommodate. But they are not. Everyone seems intent to destroy and crush one another.
But then, CoVid19 happened. CoVid19 is a blight but it also gives hope. Because when we were at our most vulnerable, the nation banded together. Everyone of all ethnicity, creed and idealogies.
The nation comes first.
Humans come first.
Kindness and compassion come first.
What is more amazing, it happened right in the middle of a political crisis.
So, there is yet hope for Malaysia.
This youtube vidoe sums it up better than I do.
So, what next for Malaysia after this?
Will we come out of this better?
Will we avoid slipping into the point of no return?
Or is this nation-wide harmonious cooperation just a temporary truce in our ongoing cultural & socio-economic war among us?
Will we stop our tug of war after this or revert to our sectranian & ethnic animosity?
I do not know.
Only you can answer this yourself.
I am a student (amateur) of history.
A reader of socio-political issue.
I read history and analysis of historical events to understand current events and predict the future based on those historical events. Because history are made by humans and in the end, human nature, at its most basic, are the same, no matter what time period you are at; how "modern" you have become.
Nations and civilisations goes through a cycle of rise and falls. This social theory is proven throughout history. I have mentioned this in one of my previous post. The USA and the western world is also at a tipping point. But I do not want to talk about them, yet. For now, I want to highlight about Malaysia.
There are many reasons why nations rise and many reasons why nations fall.
It is rarely just one thing. It is a million little things and events accumulating to that one event, that tipping point, a point of no return, where your nation will decline and crumble.
For the Greeks & Romans, they invented democracy, but they had slaves who were oppressed. When the slaves revolted, it set a chain of events that led to their fall.
For the Ottoman, they shunned innovation and become dogmatic in order to control their vast empire against attacks from within and without. This decline in civilisational mindset becomes the main reason for their downfall
For the Soviet Union, they curtailed freedom and oppressed their citizens through autocratic and authoritarian government machinations. The citizens revolted and the socialist republic fell. Luckily for them, it was a "soft" revolution, their country did not fall into chaos. It was difficult for awhile, but they persevered.
For Lebanon, sectarian (religious, ethnic, tribal) conflicts erupted almost instantly after the French colonial government left their country.
What about Malaysia?
One ingredient in Malaysia that can be our strength or cause of our fall, is our diversity. For more than 60 years, there was a tug of war between these ideals. Is our diversity our strength or our fall in the making?
In the beginning, it seems we were on the right track. Even when we were faced with the communist threat, whose members were mostly of one ethnic make up, we banded together as a nation and come out of it stronger.
But now, our sectarianism is widening. But at the same time, our unity is also stronger. Yes, the statement is contradictory, but humans are full of contradiction. But this widening contradiction is why we are at a tipping point.
Let me explain.
We are becoming more sectarian. Our inter-ethnic relations are being tested more and more. The latest manifestation of this is that "buying" campaign. Those who propagate this campaign do not understand the fundamentals of economics. When they mix their lack of understanding with race based rhetoric & campaign, they are seeding the fall of our nation.
Even within the Malay Muslim community themselves, they are becoming more sectarian. New sects are jostling for power within the machinations of government. Politically, the Malays are also more divided.
All of these division are OK if tempered with common sense and free & healthy dialogues, free & healthy exchange of ideas that seeks to understand and accommodate. But they are not. Everyone seems intent to destroy and crush one another.
But then, CoVid19 happened. CoVid19 is a blight but it also gives hope. Because when we were at our most vulnerable, the nation banded together. Everyone of all ethnicity, creed and idealogies.
The nation comes first.
Humans come first.
Kindness and compassion come first.
What is more amazing, it happened right in the middle of a political crisis.
So, there is yet hope for Malaysia.
This youtube vidoe sums it up better than I do.
So, what next for Malaysia after this?
Will we come out of this better?
Will we avoid slipping into the point of no return?
Or is this nation-wide harmonious cooperation just a temporary truce in our ongoing cultural & socio-economic war among us?
Will we stop our tug of war after this or revert to our sectranian & ethnic animosity?
I do not know.
Only you can answer this yourself.
Sunday, 31 May 2020
Hikayat Moden: Bahagian V (...melebarkan sayapnya...)
Baca Bahagian I, Bahagian II, Bahagian III & Bahagian IV di sini.
.
.
.
Lebai Pak Belalang membelanjakan duit negeri untuk membuka kawasan pembalakan di kawasan perbukitan dan pergunungan negeri. Kawasan ini adalah kawasan tadahan air yang sangat penting untuk mengelakkan banjir
dari menjadi lebih teruk.
Rakyat jelata yang bimbang akan hal ini mengadu kepada Lebai Pak Belalang. Apabila aduan ini sampai kepada Lebai Pak Belalang, dia menjadi marah atas kebodohan rakyat jelata.
Lebai Pak Belalang memanggil rakyat jelata ke perhimpunan di dewan negeri. Dia menayangkan statistik saintifik kadar pertumbuhan tumbuhan dan pokok-pokok di kawasan pembalakan tersebut.
Katanya, tiap-tiap tahun pokok semakin membesar dan menjadi semakin berat. Berat yang bertambah atas bukit-bukit dan pergunungan ini akan menjadi beban kepada bukit dan gunung tersebut. Lama kelamaan jika tidak ditebang,
bukit dan gunung akan runtuh akibat dari berat yang semakin bertambah dan menyebabkan bencana tanah runtuh yang boleh menjahanamkan sungai dan kawasan-kawasan rendah di seluruh negeri.
Tambah Lebai Pak Belalang lagi, pokok-pokok dan daun-daun yang mati boleh menyebabkan kebakaran hutan yang akan mendatangkan bencana yang lagi besar. Lebih baik kawasan tersebut ditebang dan dimajukan bagi mengelakkan risiko kebakaran hutan.
Lebai Pak Belalang menegur rakyat jelata yang tidak percaya akan kepimpinan lebai dan ulamak yang bijaksana. Mereka lebih tahu apa yang bagus untuk kesejahteraan dan keberkatan negeri.
Rakyat jelata yang mendengar ucapan Lebai Pak Belalang berasa malu kerana meragui kebijaksanaan Lebai Pak Belalang. Mereka lupa yang mereka memberi gelaran Lebai kepada Lebai Pak belalang kerana kebijaksanaan dan sifatnya yang alim lagi warak dan yang lebih tahu akan apa yang Tuhan mahukan untuk negeri.
Mereka pun balik dan memberi sepenuh kepercayaan kepada Lebai Pak Belalang untuk membelanja khazanah negeri ikut suka hatinya tanpa kritikan lanjut.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VI bulan hadapan...
.
.
.
Lebai Pak Belalang membelanjakan duit negeri untuk membuka kawasan pembalakan di kawasan perbukitan dan pergunungan negeri. Kawasan ini adalah kawasan tadahan air yang sangat penting untuk mengelakkan banjir
dari menjadi lebih teruk.
Rakyat jelata yang bimbang akan hal ini mengadu kepada Lebai Pak Belalang. Apabila aduan ini sampai kepada Lebai Pak Belalang, dia menjadi marah atas kebodohan rakyat jelata.
Lebai Pak Belalang memanggil rakyat jelata ke perhimpunan di dewan negeri. Dia menayangkan statistik saintifik kadar pertumbuhan tumbuhan dan pokok-pokok di kawasan pembalakan tersebut.
Katanya, tiap-tiap tahun pokok semakin membesar dan menjadi semakin berat. Berat yang bertambah atas bukit-bukit dan pergunungan ini akan menjadi beban kepada bukit dan gunung tersebut. Lama kelamaan jika tidak ditebang,
bukit dan gunung akan runtuh akibat dari berat yang semakin bertambah dan menyebabkan bencana tanah runtuh yang boleh menjahanamkan sungai dan kawasan-kawasan rendah di seluruh negeri.
Tambah Lebai Pak Belalang lagi, pokok-pokok dan daun-daun yang mati boleh menyebabkan kebakaran hutan yang akan mendatangkan bencana yang lagi besar. Lebih baik kawasan tersebut ditebang dan dimajukan bagi mengelakkan risiko kebakaran hutan.
Lebai Pak Belalang menegur rakyat jelata yang tidak percaya akan kepimpinan lebai dan ulamak yang bijaksana. Mereka lebih tahu apa yang bagus untuk kesejahteraan dan keberkatan negeri.
Rakyat jelata yang mendengar ucapan Lebai Pak Belalang berasa malu kerana meragui kebijaksanaan Lebai Pak Belalang. Mereka lupa yang mereka memberi gelaran Lebai kepada Lebai Pak belalang kerana kebijaksanaan dan sifatnya yang alim lagi warak dan yang lebih tahu akan apa yang Tuhan mahukan untuk negeri.
Mereka pun balik dan memberi sepenuh kepercayaan kepada Lebai Pak Belalang untuk membelanja khazanah negeri ikut suka hatinya tanpa kritikan lanjut.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VI bulan hadapan...
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Mother's Day Songs.
I think you should appreciate your mother everyday of the year, or whenever you can or want to, not just one day in May.
Hence, I do not celebrate Mother's Day; but the reason why I decided to post this anyway, is another rabbit hole altogether, which I do not want to torture you with for now.
Having said that, for those of you who still want to celebrate Mother's Day and want to do it with a song; a different song than the standard song from Mamat Exist; here is an international list of songs that appreciate mothers in all circumstances...because let's face it, in the end, you always run back to your mother, no matter what.
Enjoy!
1) For those who think that syurga di bawah telapak kaki Ibu.
"Ada Syurga Di Rumah Mu" by Dafi Ahmad.
2) For those who see love emanating from their mother's eyes, listen to this French song, which I translate as "Sinar Mata Mama"
"Les Yeux de la Mama" by Kendji Girac.
3) For those who was a naughty child and want to express appreciation to their mothers for being patient with them all those years throughout the growing pains, listen to this Russian song. The word "Mama" is so universal, I believe I do not have to translate that for you.
"Mama" by Oleg Gazmanov.
4) For those who want to show appreciation to both their father and mother with metal rock music.
For those of you who are in that rebellious stage but still want to show appreciation without seemingly succumbing to melodramatic, this should also suits you.
"Our Decades in the Sun" by Floor Jansen of Nightwish.
5) For those who had a difficult year, or currently experiencing a hard moment in life, and only have their mothers to pour out their pains, listen to this Dutch song.
(This is such a good rendition of the song that one commenter even said, “I feel destroyed by her voice, in the most beautiful of ways”.)
"Mama" by Floor Jansen (translation here).
6) Finally, for those who just want to say thank you to their mothers.
"Terima Kasih Ibu" by Evan Sanders.
Lyrics:
Pernahku ragu dalam hidup ini,
Hingga tak mampu tuk berdiri,
Namun kau tetap menyemangati,
Memberi arti makna hidup ini.
Pernahku salah menyakitimu,
Hingga membuat kau terluka,
Namun kau tetap memaafkanku,
Sseribu kali maafku untukmu...
Terima kasih Ibu atas cinta yang kau beri,
Maafkan ku tak bisa membalas segalanya,
Hanya laguku ini sebagai tanda maaf kami
Atas dasar cintaku kepadamu
Hence, I do not celebrate Mother's Day; but the reason why I decided to post this anyway, is another rabbit hole altogether, which I do not want to torture you with for now.
Having said that, for those of you who still want to celebrate Mother's Day and want to do it with a song; a different song than the standard song from Mamat Exist; here is an international list of songs that appreciate mothers in all circumstances...because let's face it, in the end, you always run back to your mother, no matter what.
Enjoy!
1) For those who think that syurga di bawah telapak kaki Ibu.
"Ada Syurga Di Rumah Mu" by Dafi Ahmad.
2) For those who see love emanating from their mother's eyes, listen to this French song, which I translate as "Sinar Mata Mama"
"Les Yeux de la Mama" by Kendji Girac.
3) For those who was a naughty child and want to express appreciation to their mothers for being patient with them all those years throughout the growing pains, listen to this Russian song. The word "Mama" is so universal, I believe I do not have to translate that for you.
"Mama" by Oleg Gazmanov.
4) For those who want to show appreciation to both their father and mother with metal rock music.
For those of you who are in that rebellious stage but still want to show appreciation without seemingly succumbing to melodramatic, this should also suits you.
"Our Decades in the Sun" by Floor Jansen of Nightwish.
5) For those who had a difficult year, or currently experiencing a hard moment in life, and only have their mothers to pour out their pains, listen to this Dutch song.
(This is such a good rendition of the song that one commenter even said, “I feel destroyed by her voice, in the most beautiful of ways”.)
"Mama" by Floor Jansen (translation here).
6) Finally, for those who just want to say thank you to their mothers.
"Terima Kasih Ibu" by Evan Sanders.
Lyrics:
Pernahku ragu dalam hidup ini,
Hingga tak mampu tuk berdiri,
Namun kau tetap menyemangati,
Memberi arti makna hidup ini.
Pernahku salah menyakitimu,
Hingga membuat kau terluka,
Namun kau tetap memaafkanku,
Sseribu kali maafku untukmu...
Terima kasih Ibu atas cinta yang kau beri,
Maafkan ku tak bisa membalas segalanya,
Hanya laguku ini sebagai tanda maaf kami
Atas dasar cintaku kepadamu
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