Rationalizing the Faith

I think I'm going to sneak in one more post before I call it a night.

The lot of us seem to be bothered by a lot of theological questions because it seems that any form of organized religion and the concept for "the power of ourselves" seems to deeply contradict. The whole idea of submitting to an anthropomorphic (or maybe not depending on your faith) deity seems to be clear cut proof of the claim "religion is for the weak". I admit, shamefully, that I felt that religion had absolutley nothing it could offer to my personal growth and development.

So why do I got to church and why do I proclaim that I am a Christian and a humble servant of Christ. What caused the change and what driving force further pushes this change?

The very first sermon I attended at my current church, DFC (Downey First Church), my pastor was going over the book of Ephesians and his sermon was centered around "living a worthy life". This sermon really resonated with me because I have always placed a huge emphasis on education in my own personal development. Being versed in metaphysics, ethics, debt securities, torts -- I always felt that the measure of a man was equal to the measure of his knowledge. However, this sermon lead me to question what the worth in such a world view was. It was obvious that the focus in such a view was ME. The rationale was that I know what is best for myself because I know what I need to do be considered succesful, cultured, and a good person. However, what is the WORTH of such a view? Is there any value in such a relentless pursuit of self aggrandization? Can there be any fulfillment? Basically, what the f*ck are we living for?

And that was when I knew. A life of value, of worth -- a good life, is a life that is not centered on yourself. It is a life of service. Service to mankind and more importantly, service to the LORD. Outside our own little narcissistic bubbles, I feel that there do exist obligations that we must fulfill. There is an expectation for us, as human beings, to serve one another. And what better light is there for us to follow in such a quest than Christ who served all of humanity through the ultimate sacrifice. It seems to me that such an obligation to LOVE one another through service is our calling because of what Christ did for us. I think that is why so many people see the Bible as a crock of sh*t, because it is unfathomable that such a selfless sacrifice can exist in the world today. It sounds so unreal that it can ONLY be a fairy tale. However, regardless of what others may think, I feel that if I live to serve as Christ served, than how is it possible for me to live anything other than a worthwhile life?

During our college retreat a few weeks ago, my small group leader asked "what do you think is the biggest change in your life since you became a Christian". And to me, the answer was obvious. I no longer feel any sense of misdirection or aimlessness in my life. I know that I am fulfilling a purpose that I know is worthwhile and that I know will help me grow into who I want to be. Of course there is still uncertainty, and there are a ton of things I am crossing my fingers about. But as a Christian, you have a feeling that you are standing on solid ground, and that the path ahead of you, while difficult, will always take you where you want to go. Call it foolishness, weakness, or irrationality, but trust me when I say that this kind of faith requires much more out of you than any midterm or final will, and the rewards are far greater.

I know that this post was really jumbled, filled with grammatical errors, and not very clear (I usually try and make it a point to map out my posts so that I can practice writing techniques) but it was something that I really wanted to write for a while now and I didn't want to give myself any excuses this time. Thanks for reading.

Cheers,
henrO

You Really Got Me 2007

Did anyone else think that 2007 was a f*ckin awesome year for movies? Considering that there are still at least a handful of movies I want to watch, it seems that the studios really delivered this past year. Here's a quick recap of what I thought were the highlights:

Ratatouille

Best. Pixar. Movie. EVER. Yes, better than Toy Story. An awesome story about reading beyond the cover of a book through the story's unlikely heroes. Plus, the visuals were absolutley mesmerizing. When you see Remy going through the sewers, you realize how far Pixar has come.

Once

The raw feel of the movie really emphasized what a gritty task chasing your dreams can be. I think it gave a very robust picture of human interactions, desire, and the "human spirit".

Superbad

The foulest movie I have seen in a while. This movie made up for a plot that I thought dragged a bit with a plethora of one liners that we will all be reciting when drunk for years to come. You see, the funny thing about my back is...

Knocked Up

Alright, personally, I did not find this movie funny at all. I can't remember any particular scene where I went beyond a mere smirk. However, I think that 'Knocked Up' is a very authentic movie about good intentioned people who f*ck up that you can look back on with a lot of fondness.

Juno

I still think the Moldy Peaches suck but Ellen Paige's razor sharp wit, Michael Cera's honesty, Cat Power, and Belle & Sebastian make this movie a win in my book. And FYI, Paige is wrong. Sonic Youth is not "just noise", it is ART.

A short list I know but unfortunatley I still haven't seen 3:10 to Yuma, Michael Clayton, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Persepolis, There Will Be Blood, and Eastern Promises (which all look very promising).

Smart Things People Say, Pt. 2

A small group of people leaving a bar pass by

A: Your people are loud

B: I take it by my people you mean Koreans

A: Yes



nioce!

Groupthink and the Spurs

I don't understand why everyone thinks the Spurs are boring. Say the Clippers or T'Wolves are boring, then I will absolutley agree with you. But the 4-time NBA Champions? I understand that Tim Duncan is not exactly TO or Ocho Cinco when it comes to handling the press. But how can you NOT marvel at how easy he makes it look when he banks in his little 7 footers? And aside from Tim Duncan, the Spurs also have Tony Parker and Ginobili. Personally, I think Ginobili is one of the more exciting players (especially this season) to watch in the league.

Seriously, the Spurs give you more than just jacking up 3s (AHEM GOLDEN STATE AHEM). They have slashing drives to the basket, laser guided missle passes, and those pretty little floaters that make them a rael pleasure to watch. It's true that beyond TD, Parker, and Ginobli (and POSSIBLY Horry), they lack any real starpower. But then again, look at the biggest bandwagon around, the Warriors. Imagine Bob Costas doing the intro for game 7 of the WCF sans Baron Davis and maybe Stephen Jackson.

"TUNE IN TODAY FOR AN EPIC SHOWDOWN. AL HARRINGTON, ANDRIS BIEDRINS, MONTA ELLIS AND PATRICK O'BRYANT! YES LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PATRICK O'BRYANT! THEY WILL TAKE ON THE MIND NUMBINGLY BORING SAN ANTONIO SPURS! YES THE SPURS SUCK BECAUSE THEY ARE BORING AND SUCK AT EVERYTHING! WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TIM DUNCAN AND A QUADRIPALEGIC? NOTHING! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"But Ginobli's a flopper!!!!"

Part of the game buddy. If you get the call, you get the call. I don't see how flopping is preferrable to whining to the ref for the next minute after the play has already ended.

So think to yourself, are the Spurs really boring are you just saying that because it is the cool thing to do?

For your consideration:

Nicomachean Heller

After busting my head over the Nicomachean Ethics, eupraxia, prohanesis, and other borderline incomprehensible subjects, I found myself thinking back to this short quote from Catch-22. It's one of my favorite quotes from the book and one thing I noticed is that the very last line is written in a way that makes it seem that it is directed specifically towards the reader.

"Well, maybe it's true," Clevinger conceded unwillingly in a subdued tone. "Maybe a long life does have to be filled with many unpleasant conditions if it's to seem long. But in that event, who wants one?"
"I do," Dunbar told him.
"Why?" Clevinger asked.
"What else is there?"

Being Immature Does NOT Serve as a Bully Pulpit

Life is a very easy thing to generalize. All lawyers are liars, all Muslims are terrorists, all Jews are stingy, all of the Patriots are cheaters, all Indian food is digusting. Why do people have such an affinity with the claim of the type Vx(x -> y) (for all things x, if x then y). Furthermore, why do people like to use this childish thinking as a basis for voicing their narrow minded opinions.

Obviously, there is a theme going when we use claims of this type. We use these types of claims to generally talk about people. People of other religions, races, socio-economic backgrounds, hair colors, and anything else that falls into the plethora of characteristics by which we distinguish one class of people from another. It seems that it is so easy to say "all Mexicans are lazy". Notice a distinction here, I am talking about SPEAKING rather than THINKING. Am I saying that it is right to have these thoughts? Of course not. However, remember the axiom of our childhoods, "if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it at all". I think for the young-adult, it should be "if you don't have anything meaningful to say, then don't say it at all".

I am almost positive that we never think about how this kind of claim reflects upon ourselves. There is no way that someone with any sort of self-awareness or human understanding can think that to make a claim of this type is to present themselves as eloquent and intelligent. The image I see in my head when I hear someone say something along these lines is of a kindergartner playing with blocks, and the only way he can understand where each block goes is by brutally smashing it against the orifices on a board until one fits. This may be OK for children barely leaving the stages of infancy but for people in college, it is incredibly disheartening that a lack of understanding serves as a basis for firing off false dichotomies and just plain idiotic remarks.

So be a citizen of the world and exercise rationality. Preconceived notions might be a scary thing to throw away but it takes some real intelligence to be cognizant of when what you always believed may not have been quite right. There's room for self-improvement in how we relate to others and the only way we can do this is by realizing our embarrassing lack of ability to differentiate. So the next time you think it's funny to say "oh it's just a Korean thing", remember that even donkeys can make sounds, but it takes some minute form of intelligence to make a sound worth hearing.

Cheers.

The Internet Has A Flavor

All posts with this title are going to just be random things on the internet I read that I wanted to share.

Dynamo Kiev Death Match - An interesting article on the trials the memebers of Dynamo Kiev faced during WWII. Very thought-provoking and poignant article

Jay-Z's American Gangster is an album definitley worth checking out. Here's pitchfork's take on it.

Too much Erykah Badu exposure? Seek help NOW.

151 Proof Nostalgia

People say the darnedest things when they are drunk. A generic, cliché, but valid claim.

However there is one thing I noticed (and recently reaffirmed) was that something you always hear at whatever kind of soirée you attend. For demonstration purposes, take a look at the following:

Jill: Oh my God Claire, we have known each other for so long. We went to elementary together, we had our first experience of the menstrual cycle together, and we're going to have hot flashes together. I love you so much!

Claire: I know! Hey everyone! I have known Jill forever!

So from this (somewhat hypothetical) case, we can see that alcohol provides as a means to reaffirm the history of our relationships. A higher BAC level turns that kid that you barely talked to in middle school to the one you "omG KNEW foReVA 637!" Now alcohol messes with your judgment and it's only understandable that we might trip over how close we were with people after a few rounds of shotgunning. I just find it funny that given the wide range of things people can say when they're intoxicated, they always seem to turn to how long they've known someone. Especially girls. Damn females.

Just kidding, cheers to you!

Smart Things People Say Pt. I

While I was walking back from campus through Westwood Village...

Guy: ...and their actions make them seem very anti-institutionalist.

Girl: What is an anti-institutionalist?

Guy: ....

Girl: You don't know huh?

Guy: Well you know people who are for an institution? Anti-institutionalists are against those people.

Girl: Wow that was so profound.

Back in Effect

Hello everybody :)

I changed up this blog because I really didn't like the direction my other blog was going. It was turning into a commentary blog and I wanted it to be more of a xanga-ish personal thing. Also, the theme of the blog felt too restrictive. Finally, it looked like crap and (I'm not saying that this one is 1,000x better but I think it is a cleaner set up. I hope to update much more frequently so please check back often.

As far as the title of this site goes, it's from a line of one of the first Wu-Tang songs I fell in love with, "Triumph" by one of NY's finest, Chef Raekwon! It goes with the idea that the things I write in here are as disjointed and a medley of crap and steel as if someone held a gun in my mouth.

Ayo that's amazing, gun in your mouth talk, verbal foul hawk
Connect thoughts to make my manchild walk
Swift notarizer, wu-tang, all up in the high-riser
New york yank' visor world tranquilizer
Just a dosage, delegate my clan with explosives
While, my pen blow lines ferocious
Mediterranean, see y'all, the number one draft pick
Tear down the beat god, then delegate the god to see god
The swift chancellor, flex, the white-gold tarantula
Track truck diesel, play the weed god, substantiala
Max mostly, undivided, then slide in, sickenin
Guaranteed, made em jump like rod strickland

For those that don't know, here's a youtube link.



Thanks for reading and I will have a real update soon. I am still working on this so it might look different over the next few weeks.

-henrO